eicar - Antivirus Tester

People regularly ask me about the best antivirus solution for their computer. I think any latest updated antivirus is the best against latest malicious software like Viruses, Worms. All of we are used one or another antivirus software to protect us from malicious software. But we don't know its ability to protect us, even we don't test its performance. There is an European Institute named "eicar" which provides facility to test your antivirus software. The "eicar" stands for European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research.

It has good facility to test your installed antivirus software. If you want to test your antivirus software then copy-paste following text in notepad and save it with .com extension and scan it with your antivirus. It is not virus. Its just testing text which tests your antivirus software.

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS- TEST-FILE!$H+H*

You can create zip/multiple zip files from above text and carry out deep scan too. If you want to learn more and download antivirus testing file directly then visit following link below.
Anti Virus Test File.
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Taskbar - Windows

It is the bar which is located on bottom of the Desktop screen. It is used to launch and monitor applications in Microsoft Windows. It contains Start menu, Quick Launch bar, System Tray, Display Running Tasks, etc. You can modify Taskbar as per your requirement.


I got a call for trouble regarding Taskbar. That machine didn't display running tasks in Taskbar area. I found that machine infected from viruses/worms. The viruses/worms might be edited that machine's Registry and made running tasks disable/hidden. I tried a lot to make it default. But, it didn't work. Ultimately, I found a .vbs script for same trouble. I downloaded that script and run it. It solved trouble and that machine's Taskbar worked normal as it before. You can download this magical script from following link.

>>> Download magical .vbs script here <<<

If you don't able to download said script then just email me. I will send this script to you.

Google Web Accelerator

It is cool application which boosts your web browsing. It uses the power of Google's global computer network to make web pages load faster. Just go to following link and download Google Web Accelerator (size: 1.66MB) and install it, and from then on many web pages will automatically load faster than before.

Download Google Web Accelerator here

How does Google Web Accelerator work?

Google Web Accelerator uses various strategies to make your web pages load faster, including:

• Sending your page requests through Google machines dedicated to handling Google Web Accelerator traffic.
• Storing copies of frequently looked at pages to make them quickly accessible.
• Downloading only the updates if a web page has changed slightly since you last viewed it.
• Prefetching certain pages onto your computer in advance.
• Managing your Internet connection to reduce delays.
• Compressing data before sending it to your computer.

Advantages:

• Just small downloading file size(1.66MB)
• It occupies less disk space (8.4MB)
• It increases your browsing speed
• It works with Internet Explorer and Firefox easily.
• You can manually settings to 127.0.0.1:9100 as proxy with any browser and use it.
• You can easily activate and deactivate it.
• You can bypass specific site from this application and don't accelerate it.

Disadvantages:

• It doesn't work with Dial-up connections like it does with broadband connections.
• It doesn't speedup encrypted and HTTPS pages.
• It tracks your surfing habit easily.
• It works as partially anonymous.
• You cannot stop it for particular web browser like either Internet Explorer or Firefox. It stops for all.

System Requirements:

• Windows XP or Windows 2000 SP 3+
• Internet Explorer 5.5+
• Firefox 1.0+

Browser Hijack

I got questions regarding term 'Browser Hijack'. It is most common attacks which modifies your default start and search pages. It is just small chunk of malicious code which alters your computer's browser settings so you are redirected to websites that you had no intention to visit. It changes/alters default home page, blocked some interesting websites(like orkut) , add bookmarks, redirects users to pornographic sites, generates unwanted pop-up windows. Sometimes, It disables Internet Options under Tools menu so you don't able to reset it.

I answered on same subject on Yahoo! Answers. It selected as best answer!! That guy had troubled surfing ORKUT His browser hijacked. So, he didn't able to open specific website. Please check following real screen shot.


Purpose - Browser Hijack:
(1) Advertisement
(2) Intentionally blocked some websites
(3) Increase traffic on specific sites
(4) Malicious activities

Medium - Browser Hijack:
(1) Email
(2) Messenger
(3) Requested link

If you are skilled then you can find affected areas in your system manually or you just need to install a software named 'HijackThis' which is designed by Trend Micro Incorporated. It is absolutely free software and you can download it from following site.

>>> Download HijackThis from TrendMicro <<<

Then install it and scan your system with help of this. This program scans the locations in your computer system that may be modified by browser hijackers and fixes any problems found. You can download the HijackThis software from following link too.

>>> Download HijackThis here <<<

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Internet Options - Enable/Disable

Suppose you work at a place where you share your computer with others. They don't know much more about computer /Internet and every time they change IE's Internet settings which is best for in use. You can stop anyone to alter Internet settings by disable Internet Options under Tools menu. It is quite easy trick. As usual, you just need modify Registry.

Internet Options - Disable:
Type following text in notepad or copy-paste it and run/merge it. It will Disable Internet Options.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions]
"NoBrowserOptions"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions]
"NoBrowserOptions"=dword:00000001

>>> Download IE Disable Registry File here <<<

Internet Options - Enable:
Type following text in notepad or copy-paste it and run/merge it. It will Enable Internet Options.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions]
"NoBrowserOptions"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions]
"NoBrowserOptions"=dword:00000000

>>> Download IE Enable Registry File here <<<

Note: This trick works with Windows Vista too. Please try to compatibility.
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PHISHING - Never Danger Before

When you want to catch fish, you fool fish and hunt them easily by hooking, trapping etc. Like this you can 'fish'(fool) people on internet with help of 'Phishing'(fishing). The 'Phishing' word is based on 'fishing'. In fishing, you hunt fish and in Phishing you hunt people's mind, steal their important data through identity theft/social engineering.

Definition - Phishing:
(1) It is the act of tricking someone into giving them confidential information or tricking them into doing something that they normally wouldn't do.
(2) It is a form of fraud that aims to steal valuable information such as, Bank account details, Credit card details, User IDs and Passwords, etc.

How does it work - Phishing:
Suppose, I am an attacker and I need your Bank account details such as ID and Password for profit/benefits. So, I will try to use Phishing attack out of few more.
I will create fake login page which looks exact like your Bank's login screen. Then, I will upload it on a server and send its link to you via email. So, when you will open your inbox, you will get link of fake login page. You will click on that link and input your ID and Passwords as normally you always enter on your real Bank's login page. In this case, your details will come to me instead of your real Bank because of Phishing. Please check 2 different login pages of Google Mail. (Maybe one is fake!!)



Target - Phishing:
(1) Banks
(2) Online shopping sites
(3) Well-known Email sites

Medium - Phishing:
(1) Email
(2) Messenger

Countermeasure against Phishing:
(1) Never click the links provided in email messages.
(2) Always type Real URL (Unique Resource Locater) in address bar of your browser.
(3) To read emails in plain text prevents some Phishing attacks.
(4) Never click any link in any messenger window.
(5) If you find any doubtful link in your mailbox then instantly 'Delete' it to prevent accidental accessing that link.

Foolproof Countermeasure:
Few banks recently introduced small device named "Security Device". My favorite secured bank website is "HSBC Bank - The World's Local Bank". They introduce "The Security Device" (Shown in following image). This device has unique number, it registered and mapped with your ID and Password. It has a small button on it. When you press that button it will display 6 digit number and it wont remain same next time. So, when you enter HSBC account ID on its login page then they will ask Password along with 6 digit Security Device number which displays on its small screen. Suppose, anyone steal your ID and Password after then he/she will NOT able to login to your HSBC account without having this Security Device. Thus makes HSBC banking even more safer than other Banks.

Email Forging - Fun Mailer(Return)

I have posted an article on titled "Email Forging-Fun Mailer" on date September 30, 2007. It was great but bad trick so they removed it due to violation of T.O.S. But, it returns again. Just click on following link and send email to anyone with using anyone's email address.

-->> FUN MAILER <<--

Disclaimer: Remember it is just for fun and educational purpose. Please don't use anything for malicious purpose. Use this trick at your own risk only. I am not liable for anything.

Bootskin Trick

This is a good trick to fool your friend/colleague. It is regarding display a Boot Screen whick looks like 'Hard Disk Formating' alert. So, it will fool easily. You just need to install Bootskin software which is absolutely free from its site-> http://www.stardock.com/products/bootskin/ Please refer following real screen shot of this software.


Then you need to download 'Formating Boot Screen' from same site and install it with help of above said software-> http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=1292&libid=32 So, when your friend or colleague will restart his/her system then he/she will find that his/her computer's hard drive is being formatted. Only you know that it is a Trick/Prank. I am sure he/she will shocked and try to restart his/her machine again and again. But it won't stop display that Boot Screen until remove it. As per Boot Screen help, you will not stop previewing it until you click on its window anywhere. But, I have found that it doesn't work to click on its window and stop previewing it. So, I have used 'Safe Mode' and remove it. Please refer real screen shot of said 'Formating Boot Screen'.


Disclaimer: This is complicated trick so please be careful while using it. I am not liable for anything happen to your computer.

Recycle Bin - Windows XP

I have noticed that people don't really know more about Recycle Bin. Recycle Bin has few good facility. You can configure it as per your need. I have described them here. Make right click on Recycle Bin and reach to properties. You will get a window.

(1) From this option you can set space/size of deleted files on your Hard Disk. You can set up single settings for all Drives ( all partitions ) or you can set it up independent settings for each partition. (Check Arrow No:1)

(2) If you are skilled person in computer then you can enable this settings. It doesn't move files to Recycle Bin. It deletes them directly. It is harmful if you don't sure whether you want to delete or not. (Check Arrow No:2)

(3) When you delete file/s from your computer you will get delete confirmation dialog box. It is sometimes boring to always hit 'Yes' button on this dialog box. So, if you can set up this option it will never display delete confirmation box. It will delete and move your file/s quick to Recycle Bin. (Check Arrow No:3)

Please check following real screen shot of above explained options.

HIBERNATE

To spend the winter in a sleep like condition of partial or total inactive. Many insects, most reptiles and amphibians, and some mammals hibernate. In computer definition, Hibernate is a feature where the contents of RAM is written on Hard Disk before powering off the system. It is also known as sleep mode. To use Hibernation the hard disk needs to have at least as much free space as there is RAM on the system. It means if you have 256MB RAM then you need at least 256MB free space on Hard Disk for Hibernate. It is good inbuilt feature with many operating systems like Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. You can also enable this feature in Windows XP as per following simple steps.

• Go to Display properties of Windows XP through Control Panel or via right click on Desktop
  
• Then go to Screen Saver tab and click on Power options
  
• Now go to Hibernate tab on Power Options Properties window
  
• Then select Hibernate option and apply it
  

Please refer following screen shot of above steps so you can understand easily.


The Shut Down screen will be changed after enabling Hibernate. You will get Hibernate options on your Shut Down screen and your Shut Down screen looks like following.


Advantages:

• Fast power off than normal Shut Down
• You can Hibernate your computer any time and you really don't need to close any opened programs, you can leave them as it is
  
• Quick restart : it restarts so quicker than hard reboot, plus you will get all opened programs exact which you left open when you hibernated
  
• Password protection
• Save electricity

Hibernate Shortcut:

• Make right click on Desktop.
  
• Then choose New->Shortcut.
• Type rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll, SetSuspendState in location of command
• Click Next
• Give this shortcut name if you want
• Click finish
• So, next time when you want to Hibernate just double click on this shortcut
  

EXE File Transfer via Email

Sometimes we faced problem sending EXE files via Email. Mostly all Email clients have banned to send(transfer) EXE file via their mail server due to security reasons. I appreciate this banned because of no one send any harmful EXE via Email. But, it also prevents us to send important EXE files via Email. So, I used this trick to send EXE via Email. This is very easy trick to send an EXE via any Email clients. You can send any EXE file via Email just in following easy steps. You just need to change any EXE files extension ".exe" to ".ex" or anything as unknown in computing language. Please refer following picture.

Internet Explorer vs. Firefox

I bypassed a well-known filtering mechanism and gained access blocked website. I used easy trick but I got one cool solution that what I have wanted to publish here. It is Internet Explorer 7 related too. IE7 is captured biggest market share due to its look and features. You can install too but before it just check following comparison.



That said filtering mechanism installed on a proxy server. It requires authentication every time when you access outside web. I used Mozilla Firefox to bypass it and gain illegal access of blocked website. But, I faced a problem with Java content web page. This trick didn't work with Java content web page. I installed Vista-aero theme on Firefox which helped me to see Java content web page easily and gave me a brand new Idea!!

So, if you like tabbed browsing and don't want to go with Internet Explorer 7 then just download MSN Tool bar and enjoy tabbed browsing in old version of IE. OR, just download Mozilla Firefox, install Vista-aero theme and get best experience of browsing which you never had before. Check real scree shot of Mozilla Firefox with vista-aero theme.

OEM Information

When you make right click on My Computer icon and hit properties then you will find company's Logo and Useful information on My Computer's General Tab. Every computer manufacturing company provide this kind of information for customer support and service. You can yourself edit, modify, or create this kind of details called OEM info. For it you just need to create following 2 files in C:\WINDOWS\system32

(1) OEMLOGO.BMP: It is Bitmap(.bmp) picture file which size is 182 x 115 pixels
(2) OEMINFO.INI: Just create a text file in notepad and write following lines and save it with .ini extension with name OEMINFO

[General]
Manufacturer=
Model=
[Support Information]
Line1=" "
Line2=" "
Line3=" "

Email Forging - Fun Mailer

All Email communication on the Internet is governed by rules and regulations laid by 2 different protocols:
(1) Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
(2) Post Office Protocol (POP)

Email is widely use Internet features. So, anyone uses it for malicious purpose with variety basis like:
(1) Abusive Email
(2) Email Forging
(3) Spam Email

Out of above, Email Forging is widely use for malicious purpose. It allows anyone to disguise the source of an Email and send it to the victim. It is the art of sending an Email from the victim's Email account without knowing the password.

For example: If you know your friend's Email ID then you can Email and inform his girl friend that he hates her and will break up them relationship. Or, If you know your Principle's Email ID then you can Email and inform your entire college that it will be holiday on tomorrow. Or, If you know your Boss/CEO's Email ID then you can Email on behalf of your CEO and inform entire office staff whatever you want. (all these are malicious activities so I myself don't allow)

But you can use it for Fun and just fool your friend using this tricks. Just fill out following Form and send Email. (I am not liable for anything so be careful while using this trick)

Change Caption of Internet Explorer

Some cyber cafes or companies use this kind of settings/trick like "Microsoft Internet Explorer by {company name}" or anything whatever they want to display on Internet Explorer's Title Bar. You can also change Caption of Internet Explorer. From this trick, you can create your own caption of Internet Explorer as per following simple steps.

Default Caption:

Change Caption:
You just need to add a String Value named "Window Title"(without quotation) under following registry branches;

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

After creating "Window Title" string, type whatever you want to display as its value.

OR

Open notepad and copy-paste following text then save it as .reg extension. After then, simply run/merge it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Window Title"="Microsoft Internet Explorer by ASHISH JANSARI"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Window Title"="Microsoft Internet Explorer by ASHISH JANSARI"

Note: Please don't forget to replace text as per your caption in place of "Microsoft Internet Explorer by ASHISH JANSARI".

Free POP3 Yahoo! Mail

It is not easy all time to open Internet, log in and check email. You can get emails through POP3 service and it is so easy to check emails via Outlook or Outlook Express. But, there is a condition that your email client offer this kind of service then you can enable it on your home/office computer with few settings. Mostly we are all using Yahoo! mail. Yahoo! mail don't offer this kind of facility with .com, .co.in etc. But, there is a trick from where you make Yahoo! Mail account and get free POP3 facility. Just open an account on Yahoo! Mail-UK & Ireland and get free POP3 facility.

Once you got an account on Yahoo! Mail-UK & Ireland then go to mail options click on 'POP Access and Forwarding'. Then select 'Web and POP Access'. Once you enabled this option you can get mails from Outlook or Outlook Express. Please refer following real screen shots.




After done above task now you just need to configure Outlook or Outlook Express with following settings.

Incoming Mail Server (POP3): pop.mail.yahoo.co.uk(Port: 995)


Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): smtp.mail.yahoo.co.uk (Port: 465)

Auto Image Resize in Internet Explorer

Sometimes, we really don't know little but useful option. Auto Image Resize is just like that. One of my colleague complaint me that his Internet Explorer doesn't set image size automatically. When he browses with maximize window of Internet Explorer then it is fine with image size but when he Restore Internet Explorer then the image size doesn't set/follow to Internet Explorer. If you can enable Auto Image Resize in Internet Explorer then image size always follow to your Internet Explorer window size. Mostly, it is enable. But if it is disable then you can enable it with simple following steps.

Copy-paste following text in notepad and save it with .reg extension, then just merge/run it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Enable AutoImageResize"="yes"

Enable Auto Image Resize:


Disable Auto Image Resize:

SPYWARE

We’ve heard this word “Spyware” either directly or indirectly. And we are using anti-spyware software to protect/prevent. I have tried to explain about “Spyware” here. Maybe it will useful to you.

What is Spyware?

As like its name, Spy+(soft)ware=Spyware. It has spying properties in it.

Any software that covertly gathers user information without user’s knowledge for advertising, marketing, malicious or any other purposes is known as “Spyware”. You can get spyware absolutely free with freeware or shareware programs. Spyware monitors your net surfing habits, collects information and sends same to the creator of the spaware.

It is not Virus or Worm

Spyware does not directly spread in the manner of a computer virus or worm: generally, an infected system does not attempt to transmit the infection to other computers. It does not usually self-replicate like viruses or worms.

Location of Installed Spyware:

You can manually find installed spyware on your computer. You should check the following registry entries.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Run

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\RunOnce

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Run

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\RunOnce

Spyware at Startup:

As like as run it modifies windows Winlogon. It adds an ADDITIONAL shell(default explorer application) a spyware program can get itself loaded on windows startup. The registry key is located:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Shell

Anti-Spyware:

There are many programs which prevent spyware and its activities. They remove/block them too. You can choose any one out of them and stop spyware easily.

Set "Edit" as default Action

You always get a lot files from internet or other sources. If they are in .vbs or .reg extension and you make double click on them then they will simply modify your settings which may be harmful because you have “open” or "Merge" as default action. You don’t have chance to check on it. There is a trick where you can set “Edit” as your default action so when you make double click on .vbs or .reg extension files, they will open in edit view. So, you can check what is story inside those files and then you can open them with help of right click.

Copy-paste following text in notepad and save it with .reg extension. Then just merge/run it.

For .reg file extension:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\Shell]
@="Edit"

For .vbs file extension:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VBSFile\Shell]
@="Edit"

Administrator Account in Windows XP

In every installation of Windows XP, there are built-in and default accounts like Guest, HelpAssistant and Administrator. The Administrator account is equivalent to super user. If you have set up another user account in Windows XP as Administrator then default Administrator account will be hidden and invisible.

Unhide Administrator Account:

To see the Administrator account, you have to boot the Windows in Safe Mode or you can modify the Windows registry so that the Administrator account will be shown at Windows Welcome screen.

• Launch Registry Editor.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts \UserList in the Registry Editor.
• Double-click the Administrator key in the right pane.
• If the Administrator key doesn’t exist, right-click on the above tree in the pane, choose New, DWORD Value, name it Administrator.
• Type 1 in the “Value data” box for unhide Administrator account. (set 0 to make Administrator hidden)

On the next boot, the Administrator account will be visible on the Welcome screen, along with all of the computer’s user accounts.

Back door login through default Administrator account:

Suppose you’ve an account with administrator rights and assigned a Password for same but, you missed/forgot its Password or there is a computer with Password protected user account and you want unauthorized login on same. Then just boot that computer and wait Windows XP welcome login screen. Now just hit Ctrl+Alt+Del twice and you will get a new window named “Log on to Windows” with Username and Password option. Type ‘Administrator’ as Username and leave blank as Password and hit enter. You can log on to anyone’s Password protected computer with this trick.

Change Password without knowing old password:

You can make fool/worry to your friend through this trick. Suppose you’re logged in your friend’s computer with his/her Password protected account which Password is hidden for you and you don’t know real Password. Just make a trick to erase or reset that Password with following simple steps in MS-DOS prompt.

Open Windows command prompt then type “net user (account name) *” without quotation marks then hit enter key. It will ask ‘Type a password for the user’ leave it blank or type a new Password then press enter. It will ask ‘Retype the password to confirm’, just repeat what you typed as ‘Type a password for the user’ and hit enter key. Well, you can successfully change Password with this trick without knowing old password. Please refer following real screen shot.

Add "Copy to" & "Move to" on Right Click(WinXP)

It is hard to move or copy a file/s or folder/s to specific location. There is a option called "Send to" on context menu but it has some limitation. You can send content through it just few locations like.. My Documents, Floppy Disk etc. If You can add "Copy to" and "Move to" options on Right click(context menu) then it will increase your file/folder transfer facility. You can Copy and Move your content anywhere on your machine through Right click(context menu). I have described a registry trick following here.

Copy-paste following text in notepad and save it with .reg extension. Then just merge/run it. You will get 2 new options on your Right click(context menu).

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex \ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex \ContextMenuHandlers\Copy To] @="{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex \ContextMenuHandlers\Move To] @="{C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"

>>> Download Enable 'Copy/Move To' Registry File here <<<

>>> Download Disable 'Copy/Move To' Registry File here <<<

Access Blocked Website

We have faced this trouble at college, office, organization, Institute etc. They blocked interesting websites like Yahoo!, Orkut etc and we cannot access what we want.

What is story behind website blocking?

There are number of Employees and students access interesting websites at office and college respectively and waste important office/college time. So, organization and institute block few websites and stop them to surf. Where, System Administrator makes a database on server level with installed filtering mechanism. So, when you type URL in your address bar and hit enter. The entire request passes through server. At that time, that filtering mechanism match you’re request and check whether it is blocked or not. If it is not blocked then you’ll get request back and display you’re requested site in your browser. But, if it is blocked then it will display modified error message and stop you to surf. Here, you just need to make fool you’re system administrator as well as installed filtering mechanism. There’s more than one way you gain access blocked website. I have described few ways here. Are you ready??!!!

(1) Use IP address instead of URL:

We use to type www.yahoo.com, www.hotmail.com which is just URL (Unique Resource Locator) and it is easy to remember, easy to type etc. But, actually every URL has an IP address. Please check older posts named IP Address and DNS Lookup. Still, some system administrators use only URL based blocking activities. So if you type URL then it will block your request but if you use IP address in different forms like dotted, dword, hexed or octal then you’ll get access of requested site. So, you can access blocked sites thru its IP address.

(2) Web-based Anonymous surf:

There is a lot websites which provides this kind of surfing and keep your identity hide. It’s called Anonymous Surfing. In this case, you just need to find an anonymous site which provides you a separate address bar on it where you can type blocked site’s URL and will gain access same. I myself also posted some anonymous sites’ addresses at Anonymous Surfing link. You can access blocked websites through this kind of anonymous website.

(3) Machine-based Anonymous Surfing:

It is also known as 'HTTP Tunnel'. As described above, there are few software are available in market for Anonymous Surfing. You can download them and install it in you computer so it is known as Machined-based Anonymous Surfing. I have picked few software like The Privacy Guard, Hide My IP, Hide IP Platinum, Invisible Browsing etc. The Privacy Guard is my favorite one. Just download any Anonymous Software, install it and start surfing blocked website.

(4) Manually Proxy Setup:

This is another very good trick against blocked website. Every Internet browser has inbuilt proxy setting facility. You just need to go there and set Anonymous IP with its port number at appropriate space. There are thousands of Proxy server’s IP available on Internet. You can find and test from www.samair.ru/proxy. Just pick up one IP with its relative port number and define it as your proxy. For proxy settings in Internet Explorer just go to ‘Tools’ menu then goes to ‘Internet options’. You will get window of ‘Internet options’. Now please check following real screen shot and set proxy as per your Internet connection type.

You can set proxy on Mozilla Firefox browser and other browser as like as Internet Explorer.

Change “start” button text (Win XP)

It is good trick to change Windows “start” button text. So many people already posted it so I didn't interested in it but I got few mails regarding this. So, I thought to publish this trick on my blog too. It is little harmful to edit explorer.exe. So, please be careful while using this trick on your machine. I am not liable for any damage in your computer.

Step 1:

In this entire process, first you need free software named Resource Hacker ™. It is a freeware resource files (*.res). Go to your windows folder and find explorer.exe (C:\Windows\explorer.exe). Make a backup copy of explorer.exe and store it anywhere in same or other partition. utility to view, modify, rename, add, delete and extract resources in 32bit Windows executables and

Step 2:

Now start Resource Hacker ™ and open explorer.exe from C:\Windows. You can see Left and Right pane are there. Go to Left pane and Expand ‘String Table’ utility by click on plus sign. If you’re using XP theme then expand ‘37’ and then click on ‘1033’ or if you’re using Classic theme then expand use ‘38’. When you click on ‘1033’, you’ll get to see some scripting text in Right pane. There’s an item no: 578 with showing ‘start’ text between double quotation marks. You just need to type whatever you want to display in place of ‘start’, between those quotes. When you edit this text there is a button named ‘Compile script’ will activate. Now just click on ‘Compile script’ and then save this project as ‘explorer_new.exe’ in C:\Windows folder. Please refer following screen shots.

Step 3:

Now, you have to make some changes in your registry and tell to computer to use new ‘explorer_new.exe’ instead of older ‘explorer.exe’. For it, just open notepad and type following text or copy-paste and save it with .reg extension. Now, simply run/merge it with double click on it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT \CurrentVersion\Winlogon]

"Shell"="explorer_new.exe"

Then restart your computer and see Magic!!

Defragmentation of Hard Disk

I visited and checked few computers. They didn't infect by virus, worms but they had troubled restarting. I examined and then cleaned some useless files and folders. At the end, I used Disk Defragmentation utility and cured it. So, Defragmentation is useful utility for disk management.

Disk Defragmentation: The process or reorganizing and rewriting files so that they occupy one large continuous area on your hard disk rather than several smaller areas its called defragmentation.

Just go to your hard disk and make a right click. Then click on 'Properties' and get a 'Disk Properties' window. Go to 'Tools' tab and select "Defragment Now" option.(Check real screen shot above)

Then you'll get a new window named "Disk Defragmenter" as like below screen shot. Select a drive which you want to defragment then hit "Defragment" button at bottom and wait because it will take several minutes.

DNS Lookup

DNS Lookup: A Domain Name Server(DNS) lookup is the conversion of a domain name into its respective IP address. A reverse DNS lookup is the conversion of an IP address into its respective domain name.

I described in older post named IP address that every machine on Internet has an IP address as like as every registered website has IP address too. When we use to type URL (Unique Resource Locater) like www.google.co.in in our browser's address bar then our request passes through DNS lookup server and it finds requested site's IP address. So, our request reaches to website and it's page display in our browser.

The URL is easy to remember, easy to type, its just for humans for remember. At other side, IP address is hard to remember, hard to type so it is for machine. Mostly we type www.google.co.in for open Google(India) website. But, you can type its IP address 72.14.235.104 and access same. It is Dotted Decimal Number. As like as you can use to type IP address in hexed number 0x48.0x0e.0xeb.0x68, or dword number1208937320, or octal number 0110.0016.0353.0150 and access same Google.

Please refer above picture. You type any described value in your browser's address bar and you just get only www.samair.ru.

Disable Error Reporting (Win XP)

Whenever you forcefully kill some running services then Windows XP displays a dialog box called Error Reporting. If you choose 'Send Error Report' , it will report to Microsoft with entire details of your computer. Suppose you don't want to send it and you're well-aware about it so you go with 'Don't Send' but what about other people who shares your computer and don't know much more and select 'Send Error Report'.

Well, you can stop to display this dialog box easily. Just go to My Computer icon then make a right click, select 'Properties and reach to 'Advanced' tab. Just go to end of it and select 'Error Reporting' from where you can disable Error Reporting so easily. Please check real screen shots with this post.