NUEVA funcionalidad: Para TechGeekandMore

Estoy orgulloso de anunciar una nueva característica para TechGeekandMore, traducción de sitios. Ahora el sitio estará disponible en los siguientes idiomas

Árabe

Chino simplificado

Chino tradicional

Checa

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Francés

Alemán

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Italiano

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Todo lo que necesita hacer es hacer clic en world flags icono y le llevará a la página de traducción en la que puede seleccionar el idioma que desee

y TechGeekandMore se va a traducir automáticamente para usted. Como siempre usted esta invitado enviar preguntas o comentarios, incluso en su idioma nativo, y Haré todo lo posible para ayudar a mostrarle más acerca de la tecnología.

NEW FEATURE: For TechGeekandMore

I’m proud to announce a new feature for TechGeekandMore, site translation. Now the site will be available in the following languages

Arabic

Chinese Simplified

Chinese Traditional

Czech

Danish

Dutch

French

German

Greek

Hebrew

Italian

Japanese

Korean

Polish

Portuguese

Russian

Spanish

Swedish

Thai

All you will need to do is click on icon and that will take you to the translation page where you can select the language that you want

and TechGeekandMore will be automatically translated for you. As always you are more then welcome to post questions or comments, even in your native language, and I will do my best to help show you more about technology.

Software: Free Editing software for Pictures – Paint.net

One of the biggest questions that comes up from family, friends, and clients involves “how can I do…….without having to spend the a lot of money for the commercial version of the software?” That specific question always comes with a double edged sword.

Yes I could talk about the many routes online that exist for downloading software (and all true techie or geek will know at least 2 of those) but those ways involve crossing legal areas and run an extreme risk of not only downloading the software that your looking for but also malware, viruses, logging software (so that someone else can record every single thing you do and type on your pc), and many other possibilities, so I choose to refer my family, friends, and clients to a different option.

In the software community if someone has come up with a major product (Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Nero Burning Rom, etc) then in 99.9% of the cases someone else has come up with a free or very low cost alternative.

Today I have one of those alternatives that I’m recommending. This one is called “Paint.net”. For anyone who has every needed to touch up, or crop, or edit a picture, you could use Adobe’s Photoshop but that will run you a lot of money for either the professional version ($699 US Dollars) or the elements version ($99 US Dollars which is still a lot in our current economy for some). An alternative to having to send that money is called “Paint.net.

“Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly help, tutorials, and plug-in’s.”

Paint.net started development as an undergraduate college senior design project mentored by Microsoft, and is currently being maintained by some of the alumni that originally worked on it. Originally intended as a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint software that comes with Windows, it has grown into a powerful yet simple image and photo editor tool. It has been compared to other digital photo editing software packages such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro, Microsoft Photo Editor, and The GIMP.

The requirements for Paint.net-

Minimum System

Windows 7 (recommended),
   or Windows XP SP2,
   or Windows Vista,
   or Windows Server (2003 SP1 or newer)

.NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (http://go NULL.microsoft NULL.com/fwlink/?LinkId=124150) (free download from Microsoft (http://www NULL.getpaint NULL.net/download NULL.html#))

512 MB of RAM

1024 x 768 screen resolution

200+ MB hard drive space

64-bit mode requires a 64-bit CPU and a 64-bit edition of Windows

To download Paint.net just click on the icon below

(http://www NULL.getpaint NULL.net/download NULL.html)

For Additional information and support for Paint.net click on one the icons below

Paint.net features (http://www NULL.getpaint NULL.net/features NULL.html) Paint.net plugins (http://www NULL.getpaint NULL.net/redirect/plugins NULL.html) Paint.net support (http://www NULL.getpaint NULL.net/redirect/forum NULL.html) Paint.net tutorials (http://www NULL.getpaint NULL.net/redirect/tutorials NULL.html)

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Adobe and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
Corel and Paint Shop Pro are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in Canada, the United States, and/or other countries.

Software: Microsoft Security Essentials – Now Released

Microsoft has just released (Today 9/29/09) its PC security software known as “Microsoft Security Essentials”. The MSE software helps protect your pc against Viruses and other pc malware. The MSE software is FREE and is in line to go up against offerings from AVG, Avast and others. MSE is a basic anti-virus/antimalware software package. This does not have a lot of the bells and whistles of products offered by Symantec or McAfee, but for a standard home user MSE will help add a layer of security to the pc. MSE is a simple (which most non-techie people will love) and very light weight, meaning that it will not slow down your pc while it scans it, which is a big complaint of the paid products.

Microsoft release a very successful beta version a few months ago, in which the beta version downloads (which were limited) were completely exhausted in less than 24 hours. (For the record: I have been running MSE on my pc’s since the release and can comfortably recommend MSE to my non-techie clients or clients looking for anti-virus/anti-malware software that will not slow down the pc).

Microsoft Security Essentials is for customers using Windows XP (32 bit), Windows Windows Vista (32 and 64 bit) and Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit). Note that MSE will verify if the version of

Download from:

Windows XP (32 bit) http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-xp.exe (http://download NULL.microsoft NULL.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-xp NULL.exe)

Windows Vista/7 (32 bit) http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-vista-win7.exe (http://download NULL.microsoft NULL.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-x86fre-en-us-vista-win7 NULL.exe)

Windows Vista/7 (64 bit) http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-amd64fre-en-us-vista-win7.exe (http://download NULL.microsoft NULL.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/mssefullinstall-amd64fre-en-us-vista-win7 NULL.exe)

APPLE: Fix for iTunes error – The registry settings used by the iTunes drivers for importing and burning CDs and DVDs are missing

***Update 11/7/2009 – Am additional step that may help a few of you who were unable to resolve the issue after following the steps in the original post. Follow the original steps in the post and then do the step in RED at the bottom of the post

***********************************************************************

Today’s post covers an iTunes error that seems to be a fairly common issue with iTunes, however, if you look on the Apple site there doesn’t seem to be an answer other than download the latest version and reinstall.

“ERROR: The registry settings used by the iTunes drivers for importing and burning cds and DVDs are missing… Please re-install iTunes”

The problem with the update/reinstall solution is that (as many have reported) it doesn’t fix the problem.

I received a call from a family member asking for assistance with fixing this today. Here is what I did and was able to get it corrected without having to reinstall iTunes.

Make sure that iTunes is closed and if you have an iPod that it isn’t connected to the pc during this fix.
Go to the GEAR Software website http://www.gearsoftware.com/support/drivers.cfm (http://www NULL.gearsoftware NULL.com/support/drivers NULL.cfm) and download the latest GEAR drivers (iTunes uses GEAR software drivers for importing and burning CD’s & DVD’s)

From the GEAR website -
http://www.gearsoftware.com/support/drivers.cfm (http://www NULL.gearsoftware NULL.com/support/drivers NULL.cfm)
The file you need to download and install is showing (on Left) next to the arrow.

3. Install the GEAR software that you downloaded. You can use all default settings

4. Once you install the GEAR software, the next step will require you to adjust a setting in your registry**

**THE REGISTRY CONTROLS HOW YOUR PC FUNCTIONS, MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR REGISTRY WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOUR DOING CAN CAUSE CHANGES THAT WILL DAMAGE YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL AND COULD KEEP YOUR PC FROM BOOTING. FOLLOW MY STEPS EXACTLY AND DO NOT MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGES UNLESS YOUR ARE ABSOLUTLY SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING. THIS IS YOUR WARNING.

Go to Start –> Run

In the run box type Regedit and click ok

In the regedit box click on edit and the click on Find

In the find window type 4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318 the click ok

In the window on the left you will see the key highlighted. Look on the right window for a listing for UpperFliters. If you don’t see it right click in the middle of the right box and select Multi String Value and call it UpperFilters.

If its already there (or once you have added it) right click on UpperFilter and left click on Modify

In the window that opens you will see InCD or something similar. Remove what’s listed and add GEARAspiWDM in the Value data window and hit enter. The click ok and then click on the X on top right to close registry.

****************************New Step:****************************************

- This step requires that your pc be set up to show extensions for known file types. Which means if you look at any file in your c:\ drive it will show up as afs.sys not just afs. If you don’t see the .sys or .exe or .doc, etc when looking at your files please see TGM post “Showing hidden files, folders and extensions” ( http://techgeekandmore.com/2009/10/24/software-showing-hidden-files-folders-and-extensions-in-windows-vista-and-windows-7/ (http://techgeekandmore NULL.com/2009/10/24/software-showing-hidden-files-folders-and-extensions-in-windows-vista-and-windows-7/)) and follow those steps 1st.

- Once you know you can see the file extensions, open My computer –> C:\ –> Windows –> System32 –> Drivers. In the drivers folder look for a file called afs.sys (There is also one called afd.sys, do not touch that one). If you don’t see afs.sys, then close the Window and restart iTunes.

– If you do see afs.sys, right click it and select rename, and then rename the file to afs.txt. This file (from a company called Oak Technologies) will be there if you have iTunes or Norton Ghost, or Norton 360 (even if you have uninstalled the program). Once you rename that file (notice how I’m saying rename NOT delete). Restart your computer

******************************************************************************

Once pc has restarted – restart iTunes and issue should be resolved.

Tech: Solution to the Symantec PCAnywhere AW_Host.SYS error

(http://www NULL.symantec NULL.com/) A problem I regularly find with clients who use PCAnywhere is that during pc startup or when PCAnywhere itself is started you get the error message “"pcAnywhere has had a compatibility problem with your system. AW_HOST.SYS has been disabled. To re-enable, choose Options from the Tools menu. On the Host Operation property page, change the video mode to ‘Accelerator Enabled’" or a message that says "unknown error loading device drivers." . The following solution will take care of the problem quickly and easily.

Open PCAnywhere and run Live update (Located under the help section in all versions of PCAnywhere that I can recall).

2. Modify the Windows AW_HOST registry key by clicking on Start > Run.

3. In the Run dialog box, type the following text: regedit then click OK.

4. In the Registry Editor dialog box, go to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>System>CurrentControlSet>Services>AW_HOST

5. In the right pane, click Start.

6. On the Edit menu, click Modify.

7. In the Edit DWORD Value window, change "Value Data" to 1. Then Click OK.

8. Close the Registry Editor.

Information is based on Symantec Document ID:2003082808432312 (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/pca.nsf/ppfdocs/2003082808432312?Open&dtype=corp&src=&seg=&om=1&om_out=prod) (http://service1 NULL.symantec NULL.com/SUPPORT/pca NULL.nsf/ppfdocs/2003082808432312?Open&dtype=corp&src=&seg=&om=1&om_out=prod)

Tech: PBS Website compromised for a time and used to infect pc’s

Over the past few weeks I’ve seen a rise in calls from clients that got malware infections on their pc’s. They all ask the same thing, “how did I get infected, when I know better and don’t open attachments, and follow all those things everyone says your supposed to do to be safe”. I’ve had to explain that the latest way that the bad guys are using to get to your machine involves them using exploits to infect websites that people visit every day and use the legitimate website to infect your pc.

If what is occurring still doesn’t make sense to you, think of it this way –

No matter where you live, everyone has seen a news story about someone who shows up to a home dressed like the water company or cable company employee telling you that they need to access you house to check something or access your back yard to fix something and then once you let them in they do something like rob you (and hopefully that’s all they do). Well what is occurring in the computer world is the same thing.

The Pure wire blog (http://blog.purewire.com/bid/20389/PBS-Website-Compromised-Used-to-Serve-Exploits (http://blog NULL.purewire NULL.com/bid/20389/PBS-Website-Compromised-Used-to-Serve-Exploits)) has a story about PBS that occurred last week (and PBS has since fixed this) but this just shows how you could still get infected even with taking all the “best practices” precaution.

From the story:

On Monday of this week, Purewire’s Malicious Javascript Detection (MJD) engine identified malicious activity originating from a page that belongs to the popular website pbs.org. Specifically, attempts to access certain PBS website pages yielded javascript that serves exploits from a malicious domain via an iframe.

A forensic analysis of this attack revealed that the user requested the following:

hxxp://www.pbs.org/parents/curiousgeorge

which in turn requested:

hxxp://dipsy.pbs.org/parents/ptframe/images/bground-leaderboard.jpg

instead of:

hxxp://www.pbs.org/parents/ptframe/images/bground-leaderboard.jpg

Accessing the image off of dipsy.pbs.org requires login credentials, as shown in the following screenshot.

PBS Login Prompt

If correct credentials are not provided, dipsy.bps.org serves an error page that looks normal:

… until you look under the hood. The end of the error page’s source:

contains obfuscated javascript placed there by a malicious third party. Deobfuscated, this code writes an iframe that loads malicious javascript from the following malicious URL:

hxxp://qxfcuc.info/f.cgi?jzo

The above URL serves exploits that target a variety of software vulnerabilities, including those in Acrobat Reader (CVE-2008-2992 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=2008-2992), CVE-2009-0927 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=CVE-2009-0927), and CVE-2007-5659 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=CVE-2007-5659)), AOL Radio AmpX (CVE-2007-6250 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=CVE-2007-6250)), AOL SuperBuddy (CVE-2006-5820 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=CVE-2006-5820)) and Apple QuickTime (CVE-2007-0015 (http://cve NULL.mitre NULL.org/cgi-bin/cvename NULL.cgi?name=CVE-2007-0015)).

The domain qxfcuc.info is part of a malware campaign that includes tens of similar websites hosted off of a handful of common IP addresses. Similar exploit code was served from most of these domains, although a handful (e.g., yyoqny.info) display a message that suggests the criminal behind this campaign is compromising systems to build a botnet he will likely later lease. Translated from Russian, that message tells prospective leasers to "Send a message to ICQ #559156803; stats available under ststst02."

How To: Surviving using Windows without a mouse (Keyboard shortcuts)

I have run across an issue with a couple of clients recently where due to either virus infection or mouse/pc connection failure we could not get a working mouse on the pc. I have been around for a while, and I still remember many of the keyboard shortcuts since back in the “old school” days a mouse was not really considered as indispensable as it is today (Anyone remember the Microsoft serial mouse?)

While attending to these clients, the same question kept coming up “You can do that with a keyboard?”, and since I was asked that enough times I figured that I should post the list of Keyboard shortcuts.

This list is from Microsoft Article ID: 126449 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449 (http://support NULL.microsoft NULL.com/kb/126449)). I find many of these short cuts faster than reaching over and clicking on my mouse.

Windows system key combinations

F1: Help
CTRL+ESC: Open Start menu
ALT+TAB: Switch between open programs
ALT+F4: Quit program
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete item permanently
Windows Logo+L: Lock the computer (without using CTRL+ALT+DELETE)

Windows program key combinations

CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+V: Paste
CTRL+Z: Undo
CTRL+B: Bold
CTRL+U: Underline
CTRL+I: Italic

Mouse click/keyboard modifier combinations for shell objects

SHIFT+right click: Displays a shortcut menu containing alternative commands
SHIFT+double click: Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu)
ALT+double click: Displays properties
SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin

General keyboard-only commands

F1: Starts Windows Help
F10: Activates menu bar options
SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object
CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)
CTRL+ESC or ESC: Selects the Start button (press TAB to select the taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu)
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC: Opens Windows Task Manager
ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box
ALT+TAB: Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)
SHIFT: Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the automatic-run feature
ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window’s System menu (from the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window’s System menu (from the MDI child window’s System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)
CTRL+TAB: Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) program
ALT+underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu
ALT+F4: Closes the current window
CTRL+F4: Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window
ALT+F6: Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)

Shell objects and general folder/Windows Explorer shortcuts

For a selected object:

F2: Rename object
F3: Find all files
CTRL+X: Cut
CTRL+C: Copy
CTRL+V: Paste
SHIFT+DELETE: Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin
ALT+ENTER: Open the properties for the selected object

To copy a file

Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.

To create a shortcut

Press and hold down CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder.

General folder/shortcut control

F4: Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
F5: Refreshes the current window.
F6: Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
CTRL+G: Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only)
CTRL+Z: Undo the last command
CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window
BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder
SHIFT+click+Close button: For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders

Windows Explorer tree control

Numeric Keypad *: Expands everything under the current selection
Numeric Keypad +: Expands the current selection
Numeric Keypad -: Collapses the current selection.
RIGHT ARROW: Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child
LEFT ARROW: Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent

Properties control

CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move through the property tabs

Accessibility shortcuts

Press SHIFT five times: Toggles StickyKeys on and off
Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds: Toggles FilterKeys on and off
Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds: Toggles ToggleKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK: Toggles MouseKeys on and off
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN: Toggles high contrast on and off

Microsoft Natural Keyboard keys

Windows Logo: Start menu
Windows Logo+R: Run dialog box
Windows Logo+M: Minimize all
SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
Windows Logo+F1: Help
Windows Logo+E: Windows Explorer
Windows Logo+F: Find files or folders
Windows Logo+D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
CTRL+Windows Logo+F: Find computer
CTRL+Windows Logo+TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on the Quick Launch toolbar and the system tray)
Windows Logo+TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
Windows Logo+Break: System Properties dialog box
Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item

Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType software installed

Windows Logo+L: Log off Windows
Windows Logo+P: Starts Print Manager
Windows Logo+C: Opens Control Panel
Windows Logo+V: Starts Clipboard
Windows Logo+K: Opens Ke
yboard Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+I: Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+A: Starts Accessibility Options (if installed)
Windows Logo+SPACEBAR: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType shortcut keys
Windows Logo+S: Toggles CAPS LOCK on and off

Dialog box keyboard commands

TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box
SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box
SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)
ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
ALT+underlined letter in dialog box item: Move to the corresponding item

And More!: Burglar Caught by Facebook

This is a story that I just had to comment on. From The Journal of West Virginia (http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/525232.html (http://www NULL.journal-news NULL.net/page/content NULL.detail/id/525232 NULL.html)), just when it seems you have heard it all, A guy breaks in to a home, and figures that during the middle of a break in that its a good time to check his facebook page. Yep, let me steal a little of this and a little of that and also update my status on facebook all at the same time.

To paraphrase a famous commercial from the US:

Stealing from a home – About $3500 dollars (and possibly 10 yrs in jail)

Checking Facebook while committing the crime – Stupid

Getting caught because you were stupid enough to use the computer in the house you broke into to check Facebook and then even more stupid to not log out of your account on Facebook on the pc of the home you broke into – PRICELESS!

Here is the story from the Journal of West Virginia:

MARTINSBURG – The popular online social networking site Facebook helped lead to an alleged burglar’s arrest after he stopped check his account on the victim’s computer, but forgot to log out before leaving the home with two diamond rings.

Jonathan G. Parker, 19, of Fort Loudoun, Pa., was arraigned Tuesday one count of felony daytime burglary.

According to court records, Deputy P.D. Ware of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department responded on Aug. 28 to the victim’s home after she reported the burglary.

She told police that someone had broken into her home through a bedroom window.

There were open cabinets in her garage, and other signs of a burglar.

The victim later noticed that the intruder also used her computer to check his Facebook status, and his account was still open when she checked the computer.

The victim later noticed that she was missing two diamond rings from her dresser in the same room as her computer.

The two rings were worth more than $3,500, reports indicate.

During the investigation, a friend of the victim told her that he knew where Parker was staying, in the same area as the victim’s house.

Police then went to the home and spoke with a friend of Parker’s.

The man said Parker had stopped by his home occasionally, but he said the man didn’t live there.

He also said that the night before the burglary, Parker asked him if he wanted to help break into the victim’s home but he refused.

As of Tuesday evening, Parker remained in custody at the Eastern Regional Jail on $10,000 bail.

If convicted he faces one to 10 years in prison.

Software: The 1st Windows 7 Commercial

With Windows 7 Just over a month away, here is the 1st (of many I’m sure) commercials for Windows 7.

Tech Geek and More

Technology Explained for All