Microsoft
TGM Q&A: Solution to Error “Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed” .
Mar 7th
An interesting error came up this week when working on trying to add a pc on to a network. The error “Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed” came up while trying to add pc new pc onto an existing network.
I had not seen this error previously and started doing all the standard troubleshooting procedures and research, and discovered that this error happens both when adding a pc to a network or while trying to a new network drive to an existing pc.
The error itself seems to be triggered by the way Windows handles authorizations (I am assume on that, but due to the solution, it makes sense), and the solution is actually a very simple one.
SOLUTION:
On the pc that is getting the error, go to Start –> (settings –>) control panel –> Administrative Tools –> Services.
- In Services you will find 2 items toward the bottom. Locate where it says Server and Workstation.
- Once you find Server –> click on it 1 time to highlight it. On the top left you will see it say Server with a choice of Stop, Pause and Restart. Select STOP under server
- Now go down to Workstation –> click on it 1 time to highlight it. Again click on Stop.
Now you will be able to add either the pc to the network or add a mapped network drive. Once you have done either reboot the pc. Simple as that.
Alert: Another Fake Email install Rogue Software (From Panda Labs Blog)
Mar 6th
One of the biggest reasons why TechGeekandMore started came from how many customers I had (and still have) to visit every week to either clean Viruses of PC or (even worse) recover as many files as possible and then reinstall Windows. I wanted a way a to try and alert and educate my customers about how …..
- No African Prince was going give you millions
- Emails that say that they are from a friend or family with that weird looking attachment could actually be fake
- Hot College Girl……well this one just really doesn’t have much beyond “Don’t do it”.
ETC ETC ETC…….
In those lines a new email starting this week, that has only 1 goal, to trick you into downloading and installing some really nasty software (more of the fake antivirus software). This new email says that “You have received a postcard”……
The following information comes from PANDALABS blog ( http://pandalabs.pandasecurity.com/the-thousand-faced-rogue/ (http://pandalabs NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/the-thousand-faced-rogue/))
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The Thousand-Faced Rogue
Mar 5
- Posted on 03/5/10 by Olaiz (http://pandalabs NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/author/olaiz/)
We want to inform you of a new flood of email messages that seem to contain a postcard but are actually distributing malware. Concretely, we’ve seen several thousands in a few hours.
It’s not the first time we see emails like this in circulation, as subjects like “You’ve received a postcard” are very recurrent.
The message is like the following:
The message seems to have been sent by a member of your family through a legal website to download and send postcards, so that users don’t suspect. In order to view the postcard, you have to open the attached file. It’s a file compressed with zip and if you run it, a rogueware program will be installed in your computer, which is different depending on the message and the operating system you have.
The following are some of the names of the fake antivirus that can be installed in your computer if you run this file:
% Antispyware 2010
Antivirus % 2010
% Guardian 2010
% Guardian
% Defender 2010
% Antivirus
% Antivirus 2010
% Antivirus Pro
% Antivirus Pro 2010
% Internet Security
% Internet Security 2010
where % stands for the operating system of the computer in which it is going to be installed. Some examples: XPAntispyware2010, Vista Guardian, Win 7 Antivirus Pro.
Let’s take as an example Antivirus XP 2010 and see the actions it carries out once it has been installed in the computer.
As every rogueware, it starts scanning the system to check if the computer is infected.
Once finished, it displays a list with the malware that has detected in your computer to make you believe that you’ve got a problem and that this program will offer you the solution:
However, all the malware it has detected makes reference to unexisting files, so the only threat you have is the own rogue.
Additionally, it prevents the execution of programs whose window title makes reference to the following programs:
Internet Explorer
Firefox
Several security suites.
When you try to run any of these, a message is displayed informing you that these programs are infected and recommending you to install the fake antivirus to solve the problem.
The following image belongs to the message that is displayed when Firefox is run:
It also contains code to uninstall different security solutions. This way, the computer would be unprotected and the real antivirus programs could not detect it.
Software: Loudtalks Push to talk (For pc’s and Windows Mobile)
Jan 24th
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/loudtalk NULL.jpg) Loudtalks (LINK: http://loudtalks.com/products_loudtalks_lite/ (http://loudtalks NULL.com/products_loudtalks_lite/)) is a free push-to-talk for Windows Mobile. It utilizes Wi-Fi or your data connection and works between mobile operators and cross borders.
Unlike some of alternatives the communication is real-time and direct (peer-to-peer). Your messages are never stored to the server. There is a free Windows PC client software too so you can talk mobile to mobile, PC to mobile or PC to PC.
Features:
- Push-to-talk
- Contact list with online status
- Voice history
- Sound notifications
- Works over Wi-Fi, 3G, EDGE or GPRS
- Compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 / 6.0 and on the PC side Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Linux using WINE
Software: Two must have’s for the NEW pc. PC Decrapifier and Ninite
Dec 25th
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/computer_cartoon2 NULL.jpg) With it being December 25th, many of you have received a new pc or laptop as a present. Here are 2 simple steps you should do to set up your pc or laptop before you do anything else on your machine.
Step#1 -
Visit The PC Decrapifier (LINK: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home (http://www NULL.pcdecrapifier NULL.com/home)), there you will find a download to help and simplify the removal of all the extra junk that came pre-installed on your pc. These days most builders load gigs worth of “Trials and Demos” or even their own version of software (Most often toolbars and vendor software). Have you seen the 60-day trial of Microsoft Office and the 90 day trial of Norton Internet Securities, or the Google toolbar or Yahoo toolbar, or the Dell URL assist (which will route you to pre-determined Dell selected sites if you type in a web address wrong) or …..well you get the idea.
What PC Decrapifier does is in a simple way help you remove all the “crap” from your pc, that you don’t want. What is great about PC Decrapifier is that it will let you pick the items from their list that you want removed, so it is specific to your wishes. You can get rid of all of it or just 1 item you don’t want. PC Decrapifier has a list on its site if you would like to see all that it can remove (LINK: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/apps (http://www NULL.pcdecrapifier NULL.com/apps)).
How it Works (From the PC Decrapifier site)
Simply download (http://www NULL.pcdecrapifier NULL.com/download) the file and run the EXE. There is no installer. If you have anti-virus software installed, it may complain about this program because it is written with a scripting language. These warnings can be safely ignored. Please see the FAQ (http://www NULL.pcdecrapifier NULL.com/faq) for more details.
Running the Program
After you run the EXE you will be guided through the process with a "wizard" style series of questions. You will have the choice to pick and choose what you want to remove. It will not begin removing anything without prompting you first!
Click the images below to see a screen shot of various parts of the process.
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(http://www
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(http://wwwThat’s all there is to it. With that you can clean your machine of all those things that you don’t want.
Now for Step #2 -
There is now a way you can speed up the process of installing programs you do want and eliminate most of the work as well. If you visit Ninite (LINK: http://ninite.com/ (http://ninite NULL.com/)) you will be able to make the installation of some of the most common programs a simple 1 step process.
The following is from the Ninite site showing the programs you can choose from (as of 11/24/09)
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/image31 NULL.png)
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/image81 NULL.png) 
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/image131 NULL.png) 
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/image18 NULL.png)
All you need to do is pick all the programs that you would like to install, then click at the bottom where it says Get Installer. You will get a single file to download. Once you have it downloaded, double click it and the remaining work will be taken care of for you.
-Ninite installs apps with default settings and says "no" to browser toolbars and other junk*.
-Ninite checks your PC’s language and 64-bit support to install the latest, best version of each app.
-Ninite runs on Windows XP/Vista/7 and works in the background 100% hands-free.
-All Ninite does is install the apps you choose.
(*The only thing to keep in mind is that the installer will install to your C:\ drive, I point that out to those with more than one drive, in case you prefer to install to another drive.)
With those simple 2 steps, you can get your pc cleaned and configured to your liking very easily.
Here is the list of programs from Ninite** that TechGeekandMore uses –
Browser – Firefox
Messaging – Skype (without the web service http://techgeekandmore.com/2009/12/12/software-skype-extension-for-firefox-causing-slow-firefox-with-some-websites-post-from-www-techandlife-com/ (http://techgeekandmore NULL.com/2009/12/12/software-skype-extension-for-firefox-causing-slow-firefox-with-some-websites-post-from-www-techandlife-com/) and http://techgeekandmore.com/2009/12/12/software-skype-error-skype-plug-in-causes-browser-crash/ (http://techgeekandmore NULL.com/2009/12/12/software-skype-error-skype-plug-in-causes-browser-crash/))
Messaging – Windows Live Messenger
Messaging – Yahoo Messenger
Media – Hulu
Media – VLC
Imaging – Paint.NET
Documents – Foxit Reader (For opening PDF / Acrobat files)
Security – Microsoft
Essentials (For Anti-Virus – Make sure you uninstall an existing AV program before installing this.)
Runtimes – Flash and Flash (IE) (you may not be using IE but for security you want to keep it up to date)
Runtimes – Java
Runtimes – .NET
Runtimes – Sliverlight
Utilities – ImgBurn
**This isn’t anything against any of the other programs on the Ninite list that are not listed here, however, this list is just the list of programs used daily at TGM.
Software: Windows Updates – December 2009
Dec 12th
(http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/microsoft1 NULL.jpg) I know this post is a couple of days late, but i want to make sure that no one missed their December updates. Microsoft released 6 major updates for December, in addition to a number of smaller updates (Update to Windows Update itself, the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, among the others).
December 8th
As always please make sure that you run Windows update either by going to the Microsoft Update site (http://www.update.microsoft.com (http://www NULL.update NULL.microsoft NULL.com)) or if you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7 from the start menu go to Control Panel –> Windows update –> Check for new updates.
Remember fixing security holes in your operating system, is like fixing a broken window in your home. You can lock your house door all you like, but if you don’t fix the window, bad guys will have an easy time getting into your home.
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