Archive for the ‘System Information’ Category

Remote Shutdown

Posted: August 20, 2009 in System Tricks, Tricks, Windows XP


XP PRO has a lot of fun utilities. One of the most useful ones I have found to date is the ability to remotely reboot a PC. There are 2 ways of doing this. You will need to have admin access to the PC to preform these actions. That being said, here is the first way to do it:

Right click my computer, choose manage.

Highlight the Computer Management (Local) then click on Action, choose connect to another computer.

In the window that opens fill in the machine name of the PC you want to connect to and click ok.

Once connected right click on Computer Management (Remote machine name) and choose properties.

Go to the “Advanced” tab and click the Settings button under Start up and recovery.

Click on the Shutdown button.

Under action choose what you want to do (you can log off current user, shut down, restart, or power down. you can also choose if you want to force all applications to close, close hung apps, or wait for all apps to close by themselves).

The second way… Remember dos… that good old thing. Open up a command prompt and enter in the following:

%windir%\System32\shutdown.exe -r -m \\Machinename. The command prompt has more switches and options. I highly suggest using shutdown.exe /? to see all the posibilities.


1. Start, Run, ‘Regedit’.

2. Press ‘Ctrl’+’F’ to open find box and type ‘Recycle Bin’ to search.

3. Change any value data with ‘Recycle Bin’ to whatever name you want to give it ( ie, like ‘Trash Can’ or ‘Dump’ etc).

4. Press F3 to continue searching for ‘Recycle Bin’ and change wherever you come across ‘Recycle Bin’ to new its new name.

5. Repeat step 4 until you have finished with searching and changed all values to its new name.

6. Close regedit and hit F5 on desktop to see the new name on screen.

Note: As a good practice, always backup your registry before changing anything although changing ‘Recycle Bin’ name is a simple tweak and doesnt affect anything else.

All DOS commands

Posted: August 20, 2009 in System Basics, System Information


There are some hidden dos commands which u can’t recognise by typing help in cmd

Here they are with description
COMMANDS:–
ANSI.SYS
Defines functions that change display graphics, control cursor movement, and reassign keys.
APPEND
Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing a file or running a command.
ARP
Displays, adds, and removes arp information from network devices.
ASSIGN
Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter.
ASSOC
View the file associations.
AT
Schedule a time to execute commands or programs.
ATMADM
Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM call manager.
ATTRIB
Display and change file attributes.
BATCH
Recovery console command that executes a series of commands in a file.
BOOTCFG
Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini
BREAK
Enable / disable CTRL + C feature.
CACLS
View and modify file ACL’s.
CALL
Calls a batch file from another batch file.
CD
Changes directories.
CHCP
Supplement the International keyboard and character set information.
CHDIR
Changes directories.
CHKDSK
Check the hard disk drive running FAT for errors.
CHKNTFS
Check the hard disk drive running NTFS for errors.
CHOICE
Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file.
CLS
Clears the screen.
CMD
Opens the command interpreter.
COLOR
Easily change the foreground and background color of the MS-DOS window.
COMMAND
Opens the command interpreter.
COMP
Compares files.
COMPACT
Compresses and uncompress files.
CONTROL
Open Control Panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt.
CONVERT
Convert FAT to NTFS.
COPY
Copy one or more files to an alternate location.
CTTY
Change the computers input/output devices.
DATE
View or change the systems date.
DEBUG
Debug utility to create assembly programs to modify hardware settings.
DEFRAG
Re-arrange the hard disk drive to help with loading programs.
DEL
Deletes one or more files.
DELETE
Recovery console command that deletes a file.
DELTREE
Deletes one or more files and/or directories.
DIR
List the contents of one or more directory.
DISABLE
Recovery console command that disables Windows system services or drivers.
DISKCOMP
Compare a disk with another disk.
DISKCOPY
Copy the contents of one disk and place them on another disk.
DOSKEY
Command to view and execute commands that have been run in the past.
DOSSHELL
A GUI to help with early MS-DOS users.
DRIVPARM
Enables overwrite of original device drivers.
ECHO
Displays messages and enables and disables echo.
EDIT
View and edit files.
EDLIN
View and edit files.
EMM386
Load extended Memory Manager.
ENABLE
Recovery console command to enable a disable service or driver.
ENDLOCAL
Stops the localization of the environment changes enabled by the setlocal command.
ERASE
Erase files from computer.
EXIT
Exit from the command interpreter.
EXPAND
Expand a Microsoft Windows file back to it’s original format.
EXTRACT
Extract files from the Microsoft Windows cabinets.
FASTHELP
Displays a listing of MS-DOS commands and information about them.
FC
Compare files.
FDISK
Utility used to create partitions on the hard disk drive.
FIND
Search for text within a file.
FINDSTR
Searches for a string of text within a file.
FIXBOOT
Writes a new boot sector.
FIXMBR
Writes a new boot record to a disk drive.
FOR
Boolean used in batch files.
FORMAT
Command to erase and prepare a disk drive.
FTP
Command to connect and operate on a FTP server.
FTYPE
Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.
GOTO
Moves a batch file to a specific label or location.
GRAFTABL
Show extended characters in graphics mode.
HELP
Display a listing of commands and brief explanation.
IF
Allows for batch files to perform conditional processing.
IFSHLP.SYS
32-bit file manager.
IPCONFIG
Network command to view network adapter settings and assigned values.
KEYB
Change layout of keyboard.
LABEL
Change the label of a disk drive.
LH
Load a device driver in to high memory.
LISTSVC
Recovery console command that displays the services and drivers.
LOADFIX
Load a program above the first 64k.
LOADHIGH
Load a device driver in to high memory.
LOCK
Lock the hard disk drive.
LOGON
Recovery console command to list installations and enable administrator login.
MAP
Displays the device name of a drive.
MD
Command to create a new directory.
MEM
Display memory on system.
MKDIR
Command to create a new directory.
MODE
Modify the port or display settings.
MORE
Display one page at a time.
MOVE
Move one or more files from one directory to another directory.
MSAV
Early Microsoft Virus scanner.
MSD
Diagnostics utility.
MSCDEX
Utility used to load and provide access to the CD-ROM.
NBTSTAT
Displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT
NET
Update, fix, or view the network or network settings
NETSH
Configure dynamic and static network information from MS-DOS.
NETSTAT
Display the TCP/IP network protocol statistics and information.
NLSFUNC
Load country specific information.
NSLOOKUP
Look up an IP address of a domain or host on a network.
PATH
View and modify the computers path location.
PATHPING
View and locate locations of network latency.
PAUSE
Command used in batch files to stop the processing of a command.
PING
Test / send information to another network computer or network device.
POPD
Changes to the directory or network path stored by the pushd command.
POWER
Conserve power with computer portables.
PRINT
Prints data to a printer port.
PROMPT
View and change the MS-DOS prompt.
PUSHD
Stores a directory or network path in memory so it can be returned to at any time.
QBASIC
Open the QBasic.
RD
Removes an empty directory.
REN
Renames a file or directory.
RENAME
Renames a file or directory.
RMDIR
Removes an empty directory.
ROUTE
View and configure windows network route tables.
RUNAS
Enables a user to execute a program on another computer.
SCANDISK
Run the scandisk utility.
SCANREG
Scan registry and recover registry from errors.
SET
Change one variable or string to another.
SETLOCAL
Enables local environments to be changed without affecting anything else.
SETVER
Change MS-DOS version to trick older MS-DOS programs.
SHARE
Installs support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
SHIFT
Changes the position of replaceable parameters in a batch program.
SHUTDOWN
Shutdown the computer from the MS-DOS prompt.
SMARTDRV
Create a disk cache in conventional memory or extended memory.
SORT
Sorts the input and displays the output to the screen.
START
Start a separate window in Windows from the MS-DOS prompt.
SUBST
Substitute a folder on your computer for another drive letter.
SWITCHES
Remove add functions from MS-DOS.
SYS
Transfer system files to disk drive.
TELNET
Telnet to another computer / device from the prompt.
TIME
View or modify the system time.
TITLE
Change the title of their MS-DOS window.
TRACERT
Visually view a network packets route across a network.
TREE
View a visual tree of the hard disk drive.
TYPE
Display the contents of a file.
UNDELETE
Undelete a file that has been deleted.
UNFORMAT
Unformat a hard disk drive.
UNLOCK
Unlock a disk drive.
VER
Display the version information.
VERIFY
Enables or disables the feature to determine if files have been written properly.
VOL
Displays the volume information about the designated drive.
XCOPY
Copy multiple files, directories, and/or drives from one location to another.


Change Drive Letters in Windows

When you add drives to your computer, such as an extra hard drive, a CD drive, or a

storage device that corresponds to a drive, Windows automatically assigns letters to the

drives. However, this assignment might not suit your system; for example, you might have

mapped a network drive to the same letter that Windows assigns to a new drive.

· Right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.

· Under Computer Management, click Disk Management. In the right pane, you’ll see your

drives listed. CD-ROM drives are listed at the bottom of the pane.

· Right-click the drive or device you want to change, and then click Change Drive

Letter and Paths.

· Click Change, click Assign the following drive letter, click the drive letter you

want to assign, and then click OK.

You will not be able to change the boot or system drive letter in this manner. Many

MS-DOS-based and Windows-based programs make references to a specific drive letter (for

example, environment variables). If you modify the drive letter, these programs may not

function correctly.


Disable the Shut Down Button on the Welcome Screen

Do you have little ones that like to click all over the screen when you’re not

looking? Afraid of someone shutting down the computer without logging on?

· Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click

Administrative Tools.

· Double-click Local Security Policy.

· Expand Security Settings, then expand Local Policies, and then click Security

Options.

· In the right pane, double-click the Shutdown: Allow system to be shut down without

having to log on policy, click the Disabled radio button, and then click OK.

No more shutting down without logging on!


Disable Error Reporting

You can get rid of the Windows XP error report messages if you don’t want to send

another one in.

· Click Start, and then click Run.

· Type msconfig to open the System Configuration Utility.

· Click the Services tab.

· Clear the Error Reporting Service check box, and then click OK.

· Hit Restart to reboot your system.

Your computer will now start without loading the error reporting service.


Clipboard Hack Problem – Shocking news about CTRL+C

If you are a computer guy you might be a big fan of Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V as me was some times before. But Thanks to GOD, now I am very well aware of the serious drawbacks of this Cut, Copy, Paste. And I do take special precautions while doing this and you also follow the same please. Especially when you are connected to internet, don’t forget mine this article.
Ctrl+C may be the most important work we do everyday. But it’s not a very safe thing to do. What happens when we press Ctrl+C while we are online? We do copy various data by Ctrl+C for pasting elsewhere. This copied data is stored inclipboard and is accessible from the net by a combination of javascripts and php. This is calledclipboard hack problem.

Just try this:
Copy any text by Ctrl+C.
Click on the link Clipboard Hack
You will see the text you copied was accessed by this web page.
Surprised!!!!!
I know you are because at first glance, I was also surprised to see it.

Do not keep sensitive data (like passwords, credit card numbers, PIN etc.) in the clipboard while surfing the web.
It is extremely easy to extract the text stored in the clipboard to steal your sensitive information. Share this article with as many friends as u can, to save them from online frauds.

It is true; text you last copied for pasting (copy & paste) can be stolen when you visit websites using a combination of Javascript and asp (or php, or cgi, or any server-side scripting language) to write your possible sensitive data to a database on another server.

How to safeguard yourself from Clipboard HackProblem?
To avoid clipboard hack problem, do the following:

Go to Internet Options-> Security
Press Custom Level
In the Security settings, select disable under Allow paste operations via script.
Now the contents of your clipboard are safe.

Interestingly, this hack works only on Internet Explorer, and not on Mozilla Firefox browser.

Its true by following above procedure, you can avoid clipboard Hacking. But then also I would rather say ‘Prevention is better than cure’.

Please share this article with as many friends as you can to make them aware of this issue with CTRL+C.

Step no. 1

1. Go to Start -> Run -> Write regedit and press on Enter button.

2. Navigate to the following registry keys and verity that following settings set to default:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
“DisableTaskMgr”=dword:00000000
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
“DisableTaskMgr”=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\]
“DisableTaskMgr”=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
“DisableCAD”=dword:000000003. Reboot the computer.
Step no. 2
1. Go to Start – Run -> Write Gpedit.msc and press on Enter button.

2. Navigate to User Configuration – Administrative Templates -> System – Ctrl+Alt+Del Option

3. In the right side of the screen verity that Remove Task Manager option set to Disable or Not Configured.

4. Close Gpedit.msc

5. Go to Start – Run -> Write gpupdate /force and press on Enter button.

This trick is for all those people who wants to hide tons of data into their box. So here it is, if you have very important data in your hard drive placed in some partition which you do not want anybody to see then this trick is only for you!!!

1. Just click on start>run type gpedit.msc

2. Now navigate through user configuration> administrative templates > windows components> windows explorer

3. Double click on “Hide these specified drives in My Computer” modify it accordingly.

4. Then just below you will find another option “Prevent access to drives from My Computer”, double click on this option and modify it accordingly.

5. To make it visible again select “disable” by double clicking on the “Hide these specified drives in My Computer” option.

WARNING:Don’t try to experiment with other options in gpedit.msc if you don’t know, what exactly your doing. Please dont take any risk in changing anything else in gpedit.msc unless you are familiar with it.

***anyways if you having any problem to apply this trick, comment me.

Did know that you could clone your current Hard Drive without having to by extra software? Maybe you didn’t know that all that you needed, was already set up on your current system? Well, it is… and if you follow this tut, you shouldn’t have much of a problem.

Make sure that you have a Master and a Slave setup on your system. The Slave drive, in this case, is where all the data on the Master is going to go to.

First: Perform a Scandisk your Master drive and follow that with a thorough Defrag. If you have an Antivirus program, do a thorough sweep with the AV first, then do the Scandisk, followed by the Defrag.

Second: Do the same thing to the target drive, as you did the Master: Scandisk then a thorough Defrag.

Third: Right-click on the Target drive and click on Format. When the box comes up, click your mouse onto the “Full” button.

Fourth: After Formatting the Target drive, run a Scandisk again and click on the button that says “Autofix Errors”.

Fifth: In this final part, you might want to cut-and-paste to code in, unless you are sure that you can do it without making any mistakes:

Click on the “Start” button, then click on the “Run…” button, then place the following into the Runbox:

“XCOPY C:\*.*D:\ /c/h/e/k/r” (minus the quotes, of course) then press the “Enter” button.

If you receive an error message, then remove the space from between XCOPY and C:\

Anything that should happen to come up in the DOS box, just click “Y” for “Yes”. When its all finished, pull the original Master from the system, designate the Slave as the Master (change your jumpers), then check your new Master out.

This tut has worked and has been tested on all systems except for Windows 2000, so you really shouldn’t have any problems.