Monthly Archives: August 2010

Flash Player cookie (LSO) problems in your browser

Computer Aid Posted on by

Adobe’s Flash player is now very common (reports are that 90% – 99% of all browsers on the internet have flash player installed).

So, security and privacy concerns are now starting to appear with Flash Player.

In particular, are Flash “super cookies”, also known as Local Shared Objects (LSO).

Compared to normal browser cookies, these objects can store a huge amounts of data… the objects are not cleared, and can be used to “re-create” normal cookies that you thought you removed…

As far as I can see, it just takes a Flash security flaw to enable virus writers to create websites that will infect your PC via LSO… and then keep re-infecting it.

So I’ve decided to play it safe and install a firefox plugin called: BetterPrivacy

This will not block LSO from being installed, but it does remove them once you exit the Firefox.

You can get BetterPrivacy from: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6623/

Reset / clear a forgotten windows password

Computer Aid Posted on by

This is something that can happen to many people:

You think you entered your windows password correctly, but then you realise it wasn’t what you thought it was… and you have tried all combinations you can think of.

Or: Your 7 year old son decides to change the password, but 24 hours later (about a 10 years in child-time), he has forgotten it!

So what do you do?

I have found 2 utilities that work well at clearing the password, so that you can, once again, login to the computer.

Of course, you must have access to another computer, in order to create the CD/USB-Drive that will allow you to reset the windows password.

These techniques rely on starting the computer from a CD or a USB drive, so that the password can be cleared from the main windows drive… while windows is not running.

The best utility I have found to reset passwords is: Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

Negatives: It does require more technical skills to use, as it does assume you understand something about your computer.

Positives: It can clear the password for any Windows system: from windows NT, up to Windows 7. The user interface is text-based, so it will work just about any type, speed and age of computer.

The default settings are worked out intelligently, so that you don’t really need to think too much about what to do… but if you stray too far from the defaults, then you run the risk of corrupting your windows system.

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Another utility I have found is: PC Login Now

Negatives: The Graphical User Interface will fail on some of the more modern PCs… since there is no text-based fall-back, you will not be able to clear the password using PC Login Now in these cases (and it happened to me!)

Positives: The Graphical User Interface means just about anyone can use this, with a minimal risk of stuffing up.

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My favourite is Offline NT Password & Registry Editor

Your mileage may vary.

cannot start XP CD by pressing any key (check the backplate)

Computer Aid Posted on by

Customer got a used PC… installed a new hard drive, but then couldn’t install windows XP.

I tried it myself, and found I couldn’t hit “any key” to start the XP install process from CD.

I know the USB keyboard works, because I can press del to get to the bios.

The system was reasonable: P4 3Ghz, 3Gb RAM, a Sonata case and PSU, 250Gb drive.

So I started UBCD4Win, and I got a bluescreen (stop 0x000000A5)… and a message about the bios not being fully ACPI complient.

Since I couldn’t select the memtest option from the ubcd4win startup screen, I created a standalone memtest CD, and it found some faulty RAM.

I fix the RAM, but I still cannot start the XP setup…

The PC doesn’t have any PS2 plugs, just USB… So I can only use USB Keyboards and mice.

I try a few different keyboards, but none seem to help.

After a lot of searching around inside the case, I’m just about to say “its a faulty motherboard”, when I notice a green reflection on the rear backplate, inside the PC.

I think: no, it can’t be!

Yep: the 2 PS2 ports are covered over by an “incorrect” backplate!

On closer inspection, its obvious that the backplate really doesn’t match some ports on the back, and parts of it had been cut to expose more ports.

I really don’t want to disassemble the whole PC, just to get the backplate out. And since the backplate was already damaged and had some loose steel flaps, I just carefully pulled at the flaps & gradually ripped out the whole backplate from the back of the PC.

I didn’t have a matching backplate, so I just left the PC without one.

Once I could use a PS2 keyboard, XP installed without any problems.

Microsoft Outlook cannot send receive error 0x8004060C

Computer Aid Posted on by

A customer suddenly found that her outlook stopped sending and receiving emails.

At first, she thought that she had received a power surge, but after switching everything off, then on, emails were still not working.

I had a look, and noticed that outlook was generating error 0x8004060C

It didn’t take me long to find out that this was due to the outlook database file was “full”.

Technically:

All emails and attachments in outlook are stored in a big database file called outlook.pst

All outlook PST files cannot be bigger than 2GB, and in this case, it had reached this limit.

Once this happens, outlook starts to behave in all sorts of strange ways.

The solution is reasonably simple, but can take quite some time.

First, make sure outlook has an archive folder/account. If not, create a new archive folder. (file -> data file management -> .pst -> ok -> give it a reasonable name like “archive-2009”)

Note that you can create as many archive folders as you like.

Within the archive folder, I create sub-folders to reflect the main folders that I want to archive (eg inbox and sent items)

Next, I highlight the emails that I want to archive.

If most of the emails are in the inbox, and/or sent items, then sort all emails into date order, and then highlight all emails that are, say, older than 6 months. Use click, then shift-click to quickly highlight large numbers of emails.

Then, drag-drop the highlighted emails into their appropriate folder in the archive. This should remove the emails from the main account.

Once all the inbox and sent items (and anything else) is moved to the archive folder, then you need to compact the main database (it will not compact automatically, so you must do this step before you can send/receive emails again)

file -> data file management -> select the main .pst file (usually outlook.pst) -> settings -> general -> compact now

Compacting can take anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours, so be sure to allow it to complete.

Once this is done, the main database should be much smaller & restarting the PC is a good way to be sure that outlook re-reads the new, compacted database.

HP Mini 1001TU WiFi on Ubuntu Netbook (EasyPeasy 1.6)

Computer Aid Posted on by

I have a HP Mini 1001TU netbook with a failed 60Gb HDD (which was running Windows XP).

I removed the HDD. It was a 1.8″ drive, which is difficult/expensive to replace.

I decided to get a 16GB SD card and install Linux.

This will make the Netbook slightly lighter, and also extend battery life slightly.

I decided to install EasyPeasy 1.6 (a variation on Ububtu Netbook).

Installing linux to an SD card can be tricky:

Don’t install the “liveCD” image directly to the SD card, as it will always think that its a read-only media, and any changes you make will not last once you restart the Netbook.

What I do instead is:

  • Make a bootable liveCD from a cheap 1GB USB drive (unetbootin is good for this)
  • Boot from the USB drive, while the blank 16Gb SD card is inserted into the SD slot.
  • Start the “install EasyPeasy” application, and make sure you install to the SD card.
  • Shutdown the netbook, and make sure you remove the USB drive.
  • start the netbook and press F10 -> System Configuration -> Boot options -> boot device priority -> make sure the first boot device is: “USB single flash Reader”
  • Now the Netboot will always boot from the SD card.

My next challenge was getting the WiFi wireless network going.

Everything seemed to be in place, the netbooks WIFi button was in the ON position, but I would not see any wireless network on the network icon (top-right of the screen)

After a lot of searching around, I found the solution was actually quite simple:

  • Make sure the netbook is connected to the internet via the ethernet cable.
  • Click the “System” tab on the bottom-left of the main screen
  • Click on “Hardware Drivers” (near the bottom of the System page).
  • Click “broadcom STA wireless driver”, then install.
  • Once the driver has been downloaded and installed, I usually remove the ethernet cable and restart the netbook.
  • The network icon now allows me to connect to WiFi networks… it works just like any windows-based system… simple!

Goodbye Netfirms, Hello Hostgator

Computer Aid Posted on by

As some of you will know, I’ve been hosting computer-aid.com.au with netfirms for nearly 2 years.

My netfirms hosting plan ends in November 2010, but after a welcome improvement in service when Dan Kershaw took the reigns earlier this year, I found that customer service took a serious nose-dive once Dan and Netfirms parted company.

So I decided I cannot wait until November, I’ll bail out now.

So I switched to Hostgator.

Besides the unknown of switching to a new host, I wasn’t looking forward to the huge effort in moving my website and wordpress blog to another host. Its particularly difficult because Netfirms do not use the standard Cpanel, so I would need to get my hands dirty and do database transfers, etc.

I then noticed that Hostgator will actually transfer 1 website (or multiple websites if hosted via a single cpanel), as part of the signup deal.

Wow!

OK, on the day, there were some little problems with the transfer (eg getting US and Australian timezones mixed up, and a strange Apache password problem with my wordpress admin area, but all the time, the hostgator people responded quickly, and fixed the problems.

Overall, hardly anyone noticed that I had changed hosts… which is the way it should be!

So, although its early days yet, I can say hello to Hostgator!

And goodbye to Netfirms (and good riddance!)

Simple ways to speed up your PC

Computer Aid Posted on by

I often get asked about how to speed up a PC.

So I’ve put together some simple tasks that just about anyone can do.

Note: these tips relate to Windows XP, but many can also be applied to Vista and W7.

  • Remove virus / spyware. This is often the biggest cause of a PC slowing down… and often you might not realise that you are infected). If you currently have an antivirus/antispyware program, then you can try some additional programs like SuperAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes, since they don’t interfere with existing security suites. As a last resort, you can remove your existing security suite, and install Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). Just remember: before you scan: make sure your security software has actually updated its virus definitions over the internet. Double check that the date of the definitions is no more than 3 days old. I have seen some infections block security updates, yet fool the Security suite into thinking that everything is OK!
  • Remove unneeded software. Go to Control panel, and start “Add or remove programs” (in Vista and W7 its called “Program and Features”… one of the most annoying changes that Microsoft have made to the new Windows). Now look through the programs listed, and CAREFULLY remove the ones that you are sure you don’t need any more. A good example of programs that can slow down your PC are: itunes, limeware, skype
  • An advanced technique: remove KB folders and KB log files from the Windows folder (these are normally hidden, but from Windows explorer, go tools -> folder options -> view -> and make sure no files are hidden… you can change these settings back later. Now you can remove any log file that starts with “KB”, and any folder that starts with “$NtUninstallKB”
  • remove temp files. These files are often hidden, so using something like CCleaner or EmpTemp2, is very useful. Otherwise you can do it manually by removing anything below c:windowstemp and c:documents and settings{username}Local SettingsTemp . Note: Some files will be “undeletable”… this is normal, just skip the undeletable files.
  • clear ie cache & remove toolbars. If you are using Internet Explorer, then tools -> internet options -> browsing history -> delete… you can also make sure you tick “delete browsing history on exit”
  • Run a disk defrag (If you don’t quite know how to do it, you can also try downloading and installing a more advanced defragmenting program like My Defrag)
  • Another advanced technique: disable some unnecessary services. control panel -> Administrative tools -> Services. Safe ones to disable are: Error reporting service, fast user switching, remote registry, secondary logon, ssdp discovery service, webclient.
  • You can also add more RAM (just be aware that this will not work if your system already has sufficient RAM)
  • Hire a competent technician to tune your PC.
  • If all the above fails, and as an absolute last resort, you can always wipe your computer and re-install Windows from scratch (or try linux)… if your PC is more than about 4 years old, then you should start to consider buying  new PC!

Brother ControlCenter3 (CC3): more problems

Computer Aid Posted on by

It wasn’t long ago (about 6 months) that I fixed a problem with a Brother multi-function device, where CC3 had gone haywire, and suddenly decided to use outlook express as the default email client for the scan-to-email feature.

Well, here I am, back at the same customer, this the same problem: scan to email doesn’t work.

This time, the customer had just installed Microsoft Office 2010, so I had a good idea where to start looking for a solution.

When the scan to email function was run, the PC (CC3) would generate the error:

cc3-003-00031c0e

The internet had very few answers to this problem, and most centred around re-installing MS Paint!

Well, MS Paint was correctly installed, and unlikely to be the cause.

So I went into the CC3 configuration for the scan to email, and found that it was pointing to the original Office Outlook executable file… Hmmm CC3 wasn’t smart enough to figure out that office had been upgraded.

So I figure the answer should simple, point CC3 to the new Outlook executable, and everything should work fine…

Nope.

A “scan to email” now generates: Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. The command line argument is not valid. Verify the switch you are using.

OK, now what?

I figure another update to CC3 might fix the problem.

These “manual” updates to CC3 are getting very tedious. It would be nice if CC3 would automatically update.

The current version of CC3 is V3.5.9.12. The latest version is V3.10.0.0

Hmmm, 5 minor revision updates in 6 months… it make me wonder about the reliability of CC3.

Anyway, after I install the latest CC3, I then need to change the CC3 configuration (again), but this time CC3 has a “predefined” entry for Outlook 2010, so I activate it.

Now it all works correctly again, but at some (ongoing) cost to the non-technical owner of the brother MFC!

WD SmartWare removal

Computer Aid Posted on by

It seems that everyone who buys a recent WD external USB drive, will get lumbered with a virtual CD called SmartWare.

Now, there are many reasons to dislike SmartWare.

  • An extra drive letter in Windows explorer
  • Extra software on the Virtual CD that you cannot easily remove.
  • The extra letter can cause many problems with existing external drives that are being used as automated backup drives… I hate it (and most non-technical users get severely confused) when previously working backups to, say, drive E:, now don’t work any more.
  • Your computers drive layout is effectively changed without your permission.

An initial look for a solution resulted in a huge 20-step process (involving updating the firmware to each WD drive, then disabling the virtual CD).

No thanks.

It shouldn’t be so hard.

Then I found a much simpler solution:

in XP (you can use a similar process for Vista and W7):

Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager -> expand DVD/CD-ROM Drives -> right click on the “WD Virtual CD device” -> disable -> OK

I didn’t have time for a comprehensive test, so its possible for the VCD to re-appear if you plug the WD drive into a different USB port… but if this happens, just repeat the process.