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Bitácora Técnica de Tux&Cía., Santa Cruz de la Sierra, BO
Bitácora Central: Tux&Cía.
Bitácora de Información Avanzada: Tux&Cía.-Información
May the source be with you!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Online ID providers

Proveedores de identificadores en línea de Windows 7
El proveedor de identificadores en línea proporciona una cuenta para obtener acceso a servicios en línea, como correo electrónico o mensajería instantánea.
Una vez descargado el software del proveedor de identificadores en línea, podrá vincular una cuenta de usuario en línea con una cuenta de usuario del equipo. Cuando su identificador en línea y su cuenta de usuario estén vinculados, podrá obtener acceso a ciertas características del equipo a través de Internet, por ejemplo, la transmisión por secuencias de multimedia remota.
Haga clic en el botón que corresponde a su versión de Windows 7 para descargar el Asistente para inicio de sesión de Windows Live ID 6.5. El Asistente para inicio de sesión le permite vincular un Windows Live ID con una cuenta de usuario de Windows.  

Windows de 32 y 64 bits

Preguntas más frecuentes
Preguntas habituales acerca de las versiones de 32 y 64 bits de Windows.

Los términos 32 bits y 64 bits hacen referencia al modo en que el procesador (al que también se denomina CPU) de un equipo administra la información. La versión de 64 bits de Windows administra grandes cantidades de memoria de acceso aleatorio (RAM) de forma más eficiente que un sistema de 32 bits.

Para comprobar si el equipo está ejecutando una versión de Windows de 32 bits o de 64 bits, haga lo siguiente:
  1. Para abrir Sistema, haga clic en el botón InicioImagen del botón Inicio, haga clic en el Panel de control, luego en Sistema y seguridad y, finalmente, haga clic en Sistema.
  2. En Sistema, puede ver el tipo de sistema.

Para ejecutar una versión de 64 bits de Windows, el equipo debe disponer de un procesador de 64 bits. Si no está seguro de si el procesador admite 64 bits, realice lo siguiente:
  1. Para abrir Información y herramientas de rendimiento, haga clic en el botón InicioImagen del botón Inicio y, a continuación, haga clic en Panel de control. En el cuadro de búsqueda, escriba Información y herramientas del sistema y, a continuación, en la lista de resultados, haga clic en Información y herramientas de rendimiento.
  2. Haga clic en Ver e imprimir información detallada del sistema y su rendimiento.
  3. En la sección Sistema, puede ver el tipo de sistema operativo que se está ejecutando en Tipo de sistema y si puede o no ejecutar una versión de 64 bits de Windows en Compatible con 64 bits. (Si el equipo ya ejecuta una versión de 64 bits de Windows, no verá el listado de Compatible con 64 bits.)

No. Si actualmente está ejecutando una versión de 32 bits de Windows, solo puede realizar una actualización a otra versión de 32 bits de Windows. Del mismo modo, si está ejecutando una versión de 64 bits de Windows, solo puede realizar una actualización a otra versión de 64 bits de Windows.
Si desea actualizar su versión de 32 bits de Windows a una versión de 64 bits de Windows, deberá realizar una copia de seguridad de sus archivos y realizar una instalación personalizada de la versión de 64 bits de Windows. Para obtener más información, consulte Instalación y reinstalación de Windows 7.

La mayoría de los programas diseñados para un equipo que ejecuta una versión de 32 bits de Windows funcionarán en un equipo que ejecute versiones de 64 bits de Windows. Algunas excepciones importantes son muchos programas antivirus y algunos controladores de hardware.
Los controladores diseñados para versiones de Windows de 32 bits no funcionan en los equipos que ejecutan una versión de Windows de 64 bits. Si está intentando instalar una impresora u otro dispositivo que solo dispone de controladores de 32 bits, ese hardware no funcionará correctamente en las versiones de 64 bits de Windows. Para obtener información acerca de la actualización de los controladores y la solución de problemas relacionados con controladores de dispositivo para versiones de 64 bits de Windows, póngase en contacto con el fabricante del dispositivo o programa.

Las ventajas son más obvias cuando tiene una gran cantidad de memoria de acceso aleatorio (RAM) instalada en el equipo, normalmente 4 GB de RAM o más. En estos casos, como un sistema operativo de 64 bits puede administrar grandes cantidades de memoria de forma más eficiente que un sistema operativo de 32 bits, uno de 64 bits puede responder mejor cuando se ejecuten varios programas al mismo tiempo y se cambie de un programa a otro con frecuencia.

Sí. Todos los dispositivos de hardware necesitan controladores de 64 bits para poder funcionar en una versión de 64 bits de Windows. Los controladores diseñados para versiones de Windows de 32 bits no funcionan en los equipos que ejecutan una versión de Windows de 64 bits.
Para obtener información acerca de cómo comprobar los controladores, consulte Actualizar un controlador de hardware que no funciona correctamente o visite el sitio web del fabricante del dispositivo. También puede obtener información acerca de los controladores visitando el sitio web del Asesor de actualizaciones de Windows 7

AVG LinkScanner

AVG has resurrected LinkScanner as a free plug-in for Firefox and Internet Explorer. AVG Anti-Virus fans shouldn't fret, though; LinkScanner is still included in the AV suite. The new LinkScanner works much the same as the original one did. AVG's "Search Shield" returns search results from both Google and Yahoo with flags next to them. Green flags on Google indicate a result is safe to click through to, while Yahoo-safe results display no flags. This might have been a configuration error, although rebooting the browser didn't change the results. Links that are unsafe on both search engines will return red flags.
Hovering over a flag provides further details. Green flags show the IP address, the amount of time the scan took, and the date and time of the most recent scan. Red flags highlight the same information, as well as the risk category and the site name. Attempting to click through to a red-flagged page will take you to a warning screen that repeats most of the red-flag information--AVG calls this the "Active Surf-Shield." A small link at the bottom of the red-blocked screen will let you click through, although it cautions users that it will continue to block potentially harmful content.
LinkScanner also offers two "slow down" warnings. The first is yellow with one exclamation point in it, while the second is orange and has two exclamation points. A link at the bottom of the pop-up takes you to the AVG product comparison page. It's notable that LinkScanner didn't slow down search results or click-through page loading times in any perceptible way, and that the new independent version functions just as well as the old independent version. 
AVG LinkScanner® quick facts:
  • There are millions of active AVG LinkScanner® users.
  • AVG LinkScanner® is already an essential and standard part of AVG's security software.
  • One in eight users has been saved from poisoned web pages with AVG LinkScanner®.
How AVG LinkScanner® is tough on threats:
  • Scans the pages behind all the links you click or type into your browser.
  • Scans the results of web searches in Google, Yahoo! and MSN so you know whether a page is safe before clicking on it.
  • Uses the intelligence gathered by a global community of online threat detectors.
  • Analyzes individual pages rather than entire sites because single pages may be threatened.
How AVG LinkScanner® is easy on you:
  • Compatible with current products from other major security brands, so you can continue to use your existing software with AVG LinkScanner®.
  • Runs silently in the background - you won't notice it until a threat is detected.
  • Minimal use of system resources - it won't slow down your computer.
  • Easy to install and run.
  • Protects you immediately without need of a system scan.
  • Automatically updates whenever a new threat is found.
  • Compatible with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit), and Windows 7
  • Works with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome (Active Surf-Shield only), and Opera (Active Surf-Shield only) browsers.
AVG LinkScanner® Stay one step ahead of the Data Snatchers
Data Snatchers hide in even the most trusted websites, to steal your personal information: credit card details, private files & your identity.
The Data Snatchers move fast - a page that was safe yesterday may not be safe today - and your antivirus and firewall won't help you.
The most dangerous page on the web may be the one you are about to click on. AVG LinkScanner provides an advanced layer of security against fast-moving, invisible web threats, and hacked web sites. It verifies the safety of web pages you visit, and of links returned from web searches (Google, Yahoo! and MSN), so you know how safe/unsafe a page is at the time you attempt to click on it. It works alongside most current consumer AV and security suite products, delivering an additional layer of security they do not provide. Highlights: Real-time scanning of links you click on, so you can be sure you are protected from the latest hacked or exploited websites. Emphasis on analysis of each web page you visit instead of the web site. Automatic upgrades whenever the threat intelligence network finds a new threat. AVG LinkScanner is available as a free download for single computer, home non-commercial use.
CNET Editor's Note: To learn more about AVG products and to ask questions and receive answers from AVG company representatives, please visit CNET's dedicated AVG Forum.

Domain - workgroup - homegroup

Source: MS Help
Domains, workgroups, and homegroups represent different methods for organizing computers in networks. The main difference among them is how the computers and other resources on the networks are managed.
Windows-based computers on a network must be part of a workgroup or a domain. Windows-based computers on home networks can also be part of a homegroup, but it's not required.
Computers on home networks are usually part of a workgroup and possibly a homegroup, and computers on workplace networks are usually part of a domain.
In a workgroup:
  • All computers are peers; no computer has control over another computer.
  • Each computer has a set of user accounts. To log on to any computer in the workgroup, you must have an account on that computer.
  • There are typically no more than twenty computers.
  • A workgroup is not protected by a password.
  • All computers must be on the same local network or subnet.
In a homegroup:
  • Computers on a home network must belong to a workgroup, but they can also belong to a homegroup. A homegroup makes it easy to share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers with other people on a home network.
  • A homegroup is protected with a password, but you only need to type the password once, when adding your computer to the homegroup.
In a domain:
  • One or more computers are servers. Network administrators use servers to control the security and permissions for all computers on the domain. This makes it easy to make changes because the changes are automatically made to all computers. Domain users must provide a password or other credentials each time they access the domain.
  • If you have a user account on the domain, you can log on to any computer on the domain without needing an account on that computer.
  • You probably can make only limited changes to a computer's settings because network administrators often want to ensure consistency among computers.
  • There can be thousands of computers in a domain.
  • The computers can be on different local networks.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Open handles to a file

 View Open Handles to a File or Folder From the Context Menu
Have you come across file in use or similar errors when deleting a file or folder, or when clearing the contents of the %TEMP% folder at some time? Ever wondered which program has a particular file or folder open?
There is a great tool from Windows Sysinternals, named Process Explorer. Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded. The article Know which process has locked a file has more information on that.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have the option in the context menu? Windows Sysinternals also has a command-line tool named Handle that displays information about open handles for any process in the system. By tweaking the registry, you can add Handle to the context menu for file system objects. The instructions are given below.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR WINDOWS XP
1. Download Handle.zip from Windows Sysinternals site.
2. Unzip the archive and move handle.exe to your Windows folder.
3. Download the file handle_xp.reg to your Desktop.
4. Right-click handle_xp.reg and choose Merge
5. Click Yes when prompted. 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR WINDOWS VISTA
In Windows Vista, Handle.exe needs to be run under elevated user rights. For that reason, I created a small wrapper script that runs Handle.exe elevated (using ShellExecute – passing runas as a parameter.) when called from the context menu.
1. Download Handle.zip from Windows Sysinternals site.
2. Unzip the archive and move handle.exe to your Windows folder.
3. Download runhandle.vbs and save the file to your Windows folder.
4. Download the file handle_vista.reg to your Desktop.
5. Right-click handle_vista.reg and choose Merge.
6. Click Yes when prompted.
SCREENSHOTS

Fig 1: View Handles option in the context menu.

Fig 2: Wordview.exe has the .doc file open.

Windows Media Player Firefox Plugin

To play Windows media in Firefox, Firefox needs the Windows Media Player browser plugin installed. There are two different versions:
  • The original, which is usually included with Windows from 98 up to XP Home/Professional
  • The new version, which is specifically for Windows XP and Windows Vista and is only available by download.
Many Windows XP users will have the old plugin already, but it is recommended that you install the new plugin anyway.
This article describes how to check for and install the Windows Media Player plugin in Windows XP/Vista. XP users may already have the old plugin, but the new plugin is recommended.

Download Now
You must close all other browser windows before installing.

Platforms:
  • Windows XP SP2 (x86)
  • Windows XP SP2 (x64)
  • Windows Vista (x86)
  • Windows Vista (x64)
Browsers: Firefox
Date Posted: 4/13/2007
Installation Instructions
  1. Installation of the Windows Media Player Firefox Plugin may require administrative access to your PC. It is recommended that you close all other open browser windows before continuing with the installation.
  2. Click the Install button to automatically download and install the Windows Media Player Firefox Plugin.
  3. Depending on your security settings, you may see a Security Warning dialog box. Click Install to install the plugin.

Ownership of a file or folder

Source
In earlier versions of Windows there were no command-line tools to take ownership of files or folders. You needed to use the Security tab in the file or folder properties to change the ownership of an item. Windows 7 and Windows Vista include a command-line tool named Takeown.exe that can be used from an admin Command Prompt to change the ownership of a file system object easily.

Taking ownership of a file
Open an elevated Command Prompt window. To do so, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.
Type the following command and press ENTER:
TAKEOWN /F
(Replace the text with the full path of the actual file.)
If the operation was successful, you should see the following message:
"SUCCESS: The file (or folder): "filename" now owned by user "Computer Name\User name"."
Then to assign the Administrators group Full Control Permissions for the file, you may use the ICACLS command. Use this syntax:
ICACLS /grant administrators:F

Taking ownership of a folder
Use the following syntax:
takeown /f /r /d y
Then to assign the Administrators group Full Control Permissions for the folder, use this syntax:
icacls /grant administrators:F /T
The /T parameter is added so that the operation is carried out through all the sub-directories and files within that folder.
Command-line help: To know more information about the above commands, run these commands from a Command Prompt window.
takeown /?
icacls /?

Customizations
#1 Command Script
To further simplify the process of taking ownership, Tim Sneath of Microsoft provides a .CMD file (Windows Command Script) which takes ownership and assigns Full Control Permissions to Administrators for the directory which is passed as a parameter to the CMD file. For more information, read Tim’s post Windows Vista Secret #11: Deleting the Undeletable.
#2 Add "Take Ownership" command to the Context menu
This again uses the special runas verb in Windows 7/Vista, which has been covered many times in this Website (REF runas).
Download takeown_context.reg and save to Desktop. Right-click on the file and choose Merge. Click Yes when asked for confirmation.
This adds an extended command named Take Ownership in the context menu for files and directories. To access the command, you need to press and hold the SHIFT key down, and then right-click on a file or folder.
Sample Scenario: Let’s assume that you’re trying to delete a folder for which you don’t have permissions (although you’re logged in as Administrator) and getting an Access Denied error:
Simply press and hold the SHIFT key down, and right-click on the folder that you want to delete. Click the Take Ownership command.
You should now be able to delete that folder!



Deleting the Undeletable It's not unusual to find some folders that can't be accessed, even by an administrator, because their ACLs were set for accounts with SIDs that applied to an old partition. For example, on my home machine, I switched the C: and D: drive cables around and installed Windows Vista RTM on the new drive. Having tested everything worked, I wanted to delete some old redundant directories (like the old \Program Files directory). If even an administrator can't access the file, how do you take it back?
The secret lies in two command-line utilities, one ancient, the other completely revised for this release. Respectively, these are

  • takeown (which takes ownership of a file or directory) and
  • icacls (which sets new ACLs on that directory).

I created a small batch command on my system called itsmine.cmd, as follows:
   takeown /f %1 /r /d y
   icacls %1 /grant administrators:F /t

From an elevated command prompt, you can run a command such as itsmine d:\hard_to_delete and this will reset ownership and ACLs on the hard_to_delete directory such that a command like
rd /s d:\hard_to_delete
should work.

Elevated Command Prompt

Source::
How to open an elevated Command Prompt in Windows Vista

(Fig 1) Elevated Command PromptNote the word Administrator in the Window title.

(Fig 2) Command Prompt (normal)

Summary

With the User Account Control (UAC) enabled by default in Windows Vista, you'll need to use an elevated Command Prompt whenever you need to do some administrative tasks from Command Prompt. For example, running regsvr32.exe command to register or unregister an DLL/ActiveX, launching a batch file or script requiring administrative privileges, and other tasks require you open an elevated Command Prompt. Elevated Command Prompt runs under administrative privileges.
This article describes different ways to open an elevated Command Prompt window.

Open an elevated Command Prompt window

Method 1

Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

Method 2

Click Start, type cmd.exe When the Instant search results are shown, right-click the cmd.exe entry and choose Run as administrator. Or using keyboard, select the cmd.exe in the Instant search results using the UP/DOWN arrow and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER on the keyboard. CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER runs a program elevated, but only works when using the Instant Search feature in the Windows Vista Start menu.

Method 3

Create a new desktop shortcut to CMD.EXE. Right-click on the shortcut and choose Run as administrator. To run the shortcut as an administrator by default, right-click the Command Prompt shortcut you created on the Desktop, and choose Properties. In the Shortcut tab, click Advanced. Place a checkmark near Run as administrator. Click OK and OK. Now, every time when you double-click the shortcut Command Prompt window will open elevated. You'll see the consent or the confirmation prompt anyway.
Note: If you're a frequent user of the Command Prompt, you can Pin it to the Start menu as well, and/or send a shortcut to the Quick Launch folder for easy reach.
Method 4
Apply the tweak I suggest in article How to open an elevated Command Prompt from the folder context menu in Windows Vista so that you can open an elevated Command Prompt from the context menu of a folder. The tweak adds the special runas verb to launch Command Prompt elevated. It adds an Open Command Prompt here (Administrator) option in the context menu for folders and Computer (formerly, My Computer). Here are the screenshots:
       
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click.
Note: You'll be prompted for a confirmation or administrator credentials when a program is run elevated. When you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

Friday, February 26, 2010

NirCmd Elevate Switch

Source
Download & Info
We’ve covered the excellent multi-purpose command-line tool NirCmd from Nirsoft several times before. This post talks about the new command-line switches added in the current version of NirCmd. Earlier this month, I sent a NirCmd feature request to Nir Sofer, asking to include an "elevate" switch, which should launch an application elevated (Windows Vista, Windows 7 & 2008.) Nir was kind enough to incorporate this feature in the immediate version update (v2.40). Later another update, to fix a bug I reported, v2.41 was released.
NirCmd v2.40 and higher includes the "elevate" and "elevatecmd" switches to run and execute commands with administrator rights under Windows 7/Vista/2008. Here are some useful uses of this all-in-one tool.
Of course, you’ll see the User Account Control elevation dialog when you use NirCmd with "elevate" or "elevatecmd" switches. There is no way bypassing that without disabling UAC or without relaxing UAC settings.

Launch an application elevated ("Run as Administrator")

To launch an application, say Notepad as administrator, use the following shortcut/command from the Run dialog:
nircmd elevate notepad.exe
or by including the full path:
nircmd elevate c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe
If the path contains spaces, enclose the path within double-quotes. For example:
nircmd elevate "C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe"

Launch an application elevated & Passing a parameter

IMO, this is probably the most needed thing in Windows 7 & Windows Vista. Windows allows you to run an application elevated by right-clicking the shortcut or executable, and choosing "Run as Administrator". However, there is no option to pass a parameter to the elevated application.
Example #1 – Edit the HOSTS file
To create a shortcut to edit the HOSTS file (you’ll have to elevate the editor in order to write to HOSTS), you use this command:
nircmd elevate Notepad "C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc\HOSTS"
Example #2 – Register or Unregister a DLL
Want to register/unregister a DLL or OCX file quickly, without having to open the Command Prompt (as Administrator) first? Use this command from Start/Run:
nircmd elevate regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\jscript.dll
Example #3 – Take Ownership of a File or Folder
To Take Ownership of a folder, use:
NirCmd elevate cmd /k takeown /f /r /d y
Followed by ICacls to assign Permissions.
NirCmd elevate cmd /k icacls /grant administrators:F /T
(Usage of TakeOwn and ICacls for files/folders are explained in our article How to Take Ownership of a file or folder using command-line in Windows 7 and Vista.)
Example #4 – Open an Elevated Command Prompt at a Specified Folder
When you open an elevated Command Prompt using Start menu or using the Command Prompt shortcut, the default start directory is C:\Windows\System32. You use the CD command to change to a different directory. Using NirCmd, you can open an elevated Command Prompt window mentioning the start directory (say D:\Test, in this example).
nircmd elevate cmd.exe /k cd /d "D:\Test"

The "Elevatecmd" Switch

As noted earlier, there is also an elevatecmd switch added to NirCmd. Note that this is different from the command-line switch elevate. The elevatecmd switch runs a NirCmd command (internal commands of NirCmd) with administrator rights.
Writing to the Registry using NirCmd
Writing to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE requires elevation, and you’ll have to use elevatecmd if you’re using NirCmd’s "regsetval" switch to write to a registry value.
NirCmd elevatecmd regsetval sz "HKLM\Software\Test" "Value1" "test-data"
This writes the data "test-data" under the registry value "Value1" in the above registry key.
Download NirCmd – Windows command line tool from NirSoft. Refer to NirCmd Command Reference Guide as well, to make the most of this tool

Disable the Turn off computer button on the Welcome screen

Source
By default, the Microsoft Windows XP logon screen displays a Turn off computer button. This display seems convenient, until one of your kids happens to shut down your computer and close all your programs. To prevent this from happening, you can disable the Turn off computer button. You can still shut down your computer; you just have to log on with a computer administrator account first.
Turn off computer button on the Welcome screen
To disable the Turn off computer button on the Welcome screen:


1.Log on to your computer as an administrator. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Start menu with Control Panel selected
2.Click Performance and Maintenance.
Control Panel window with Performance and Maintenance selected
3.Click Administrative Tools.
Performance and Maintenance window with Administrative Tools selected
4.Double-click Local Security Policy.
Administrative Tools window with pointer on Local Security Policy icon
5.Expand Local Policies by clicking the plus sign next to it, and then click Security Options.
Local Security Settings page
6.In the right pane, double-click the Shutdown: 
Allow system to be shut down without having to log on policy.
The Local Security Settings page with the Shutdown policy selected
7.Click Disabled, and then click OK.
The Shutdown policy dialog box with Disabled selected
Windows XP removes the Turn off computer button from the Welcome screen—so no more shutting down without logging on!
By default when you start up Windows XP you will receive the "Welcome Screen". Each account then has an image next to the name etc...
If you have ever used a PC with Windows 2000 Professional then you will have used the "Logon Screen"
This same screen is an option to users of Windows XP. Here the user types in both the account name and password into a small dialog box.
..
I personally prefer the "Log On" screen - (NB - If you are using Windows XP Professional on a "domain" based network then the "Welcome Screen" is not an option for you to use...)
If you wish to turn off the "Welcome Screen"
1) Start > Control Panel > User Accounts
2) Select "Change the way users log on or off"
3) Uncheck the "Welcome Screen" option
4) Click "Apply Options"
5) The settings will take effect when you log off.
The "Log On" option also changes the way "Ctrl Alt Del" works...
Under the "Welcome Screen" option you are taken into the "Task Manager" dialog box.
Under the "Log On Screen" you are given the Windows Security dialog box, which gives you far more options!
The "Log On Screen" also renames "Turn Off Computer" on the Start menu to "Shut Down".
The other main feature you get is the ability to log on to ANY user account, whereas under the "Welcome Screen" you can NOT access hidden users.
So, as you can see there are benefits to using the "Log On Screen" over the "Welcome Screen" option.
Please check out the other Windows XP Tips ...

 
If your Windows XP welcome screen won't come up when you start your computer, your Windows is probably set to show the "logon screen" at startup.
Windows XP logon screen
You can easily switch between the welcome screen and the "logon screen" :
  • Click the Start button
  • Select "control panel"
  • Select "user accounts"
  • Select "Change the way users log on or off"
  • (Un)check the "Welcome Screen" option
  • Click "Apply options"
The next time you log on to your computer, you will logon through the welcome screen.
Note : if your computer is a member of a domain, you won't be able to use the welcome screen option.
--------------------------
Windows XP welcome screen
  • When you hit ctrl-alt-delete, you invoke the Windows XP Task Manager
  • Windows shows "turn off computer" on the Windows XP start menu
    Turn Off Computer
  • You can not use "hidden" user accounts to log on
Windows XP logon screen
  • The ctrl-alt-delete keyboard combination brings you to the Windows security dialog box
  • Windows shows "shut down" on the Windows XP start menu
    Shut Down
  • You can enter ANY user/password combination in the logon screen, including hidden user accounts
  • You can customize the Windows XP logon screen
Customize the logon screen ?
Yes, when you have your Windows set up to use the logon screen, you can customize the background color. Or you can personalize some more by giving it your favorite image or picture as background image.
To change the background color :
  • Right-click an empty spot on your desktop
  • Select "properties"
  • Click the "appearance" tab
  • Click the "advanced" button
  • Click on the "color1" drop-down list and select "other"
  • Pick the color of your choice and make a note of the red, green and blue values in the lower-right corner of the color dialog box (for instance 128 64 64)
  • Click "cancel"
  • In the "advanced appearance" dialog, also click cancel
  • In the "display properties" dialog, click cancel once more
  • Then, click the Start button and select "Run"
  • In the "open" field, type regedit and click ok
  • In the registry editor, navigate to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\CONTROL PANEL\COLORS and double-click the "background" string. The default value should be 0 78 152, but you can now change it to the values for red, green and blue that you wrote down previously (e.g. 128 64 64). Enter the values in the correct red-green-blue order, separated with a space.
  • Close the registry editor
The changes take place when you log off.
Windows XP logon screen
To put your favorite image or picture in the background of the logon screen :
  • Click the Start button and select "Run"
  • In the "open" field, type regedit and click ok
  • In the registry editor, navigate to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\CONTROL PANEL\DESKTOP and double-click the string "wallpaper"
  • Enter the full path and filename of the .bmp image that you want to use as background (the image must be in .bmp format)
  • Click "ok" and close the registry editor
The changes take effect as soon as you log off and on again.
Customized Windows XP logon screen
A customized Windows XP logon screen
If you change the string HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\CONTROL PANEL\DESKTOP\TILEWALLPAPER to 1 instead of 0, you will get a tiled effect with the bitmap :
Customized Windows XP logon screen
Return from "Windows XP Welcome Screen" to the other Windows XP tips and tricks.
More 

Hibernate button does not appear in Windows XP

Source

To cause the Hibernate button to appear after you click Turn Off Computer, press the SHIFT key. When you press SHIFT, the Stand by button changes to the Hibernate button.
However, you may not easily see or remember how to access the Hibernate button when you click Turn Off Computer. Therefore, you may not use the hibernate feature in Windows as much as you want to. A hotfix is now available to cause the Hibernate button to appear when you click Turn Off Computer on the Start menu. After you apply this hotfix, all the following buttons appear when you click Turn Off Computer on the Start menu:

  • Hibernate
  • Stand by
  • Turn Off
  • Restart

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required to install this hotfix.

Restart requirement

You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
Collapse this tableExpand this table
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatformSP requirementService branch
Msgina.dll5.1.2600.2603996,86427-Jan-200500:46x86SP2SP2QFE
Xpsp3res.dll5.1.2600.25862,04818-Dec-200422:07x86SP2SP2QFE

Hotfix installation information

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows


After you apply this hotfix, you must modify the Windows registry to enable the appearance of the Hibernate button. To cause the Hibernate button to appear when you click Turn Off Computer, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
  3. Right-click Windows, point to New, and then click Key.
  4. In the New Key #1 box, type System, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click System, point to New, and then click Key.
  6. In the New Key #1 box, type Shutdown, and then press ENTER.
  7. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  8. In the New Value # 1 box, type ShowHibernateButton, and then press ENTER.
  9. Right-click ShowHibernateButton, and then click Modify.
  10. In the Value data box, type 1, leave the default Hexadecimal option selected, and then click OK.
  11. Quit Registry Editor.
Note If your computer is on a domain and if your computer uses the classic Shut Down menu, you must follow these steps to cause the Hibernate button to appear:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
  3. Right-click Windows, point to New, and then click Key.
  4. In the New Key #1 box, type System, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click System, point to New, and then click Key.
  6. In the New Key #1 box, type Shutdown, and then press ENTER.
  7. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  8. In the New Value # 1 box, type HibernateAsDefault, and then press ENTER.
  9. Right-click HibernateAsDefault, and then click Modify.
  10. In the Value data box, type 1, leave the default Hexadecimal option selected, and then click OK.

    Note After you set the HibernateAsDefault DWORD value to a non-zero value on a computer that is joined to a domain, Hibernate appears in the Shut Down Windows dialog box if the following conditions are true:
    • Hibernation is enabled on the computer.
    • No automatic updates are pending that require the computer to be restarted.
  11. Quit Registry Editor.

Note This hotfix is already included in Windows XP SP3, However, you must follow the previous steps to enable the hotfix if you want the Hibernate button to appear on a Windows XP SP3-based computer.


The hibernate feature has several benefits. When you use the hibernate feature, your programs and open windows do not have to be shut down or closed. The state of your computer is preserved while the computer is in hibernation. Additionally, the startup time to resume from hibernation is typically about 30 percent less than when you start the computer from the shutdown state. After the computer resumes from hibernation, your Windows desktop, data, and programs are restored. You can quickly return to where you left off. Additionally, because all your data is saved to the computer’s hard disk drive when you put the computer in hibernation, you reduce the risk of losing your work in progress.

When you use the hibernate feature, the computer does not use additional power. A desktop computer typically draws a small amount of power when it is shut down or when it is in hibernation. This amount is typically about 3 watts. A portable computer does not draw additional power from the computer's battery when the computer is in hibernation or when it is shut down.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824684/ ) Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

"Turn Off Computer" option is missing from Start Menu

READ it first!
Turn off Computer missing
For XP Professional:

- Click [Start] [Run] type [Gpedit.msc]
- [User Configuration] [Administrative Templates] [Start Menu and Taskbar]
- In the right pane, double-click "Remove and disable the Turn off computer
button" and set it to "Not Configured"
- Set "Remove and prevent access to Shutdown command" to "Not Configured"
- Restart
More information:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=307882
For XP Home:
Open Registry Editor (Regedit.exe)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Set the NoClose value to 0
http://is-it-true.org/nt/xp/registry/rtips41.shtml

Ramesh ( SRamesh2k.RemoveThis@hotmail.com)
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/sramesh2k/


Special Solution





Source
When you click Start Menu, the Turn Off Computer option may be missing. This is due to a group policy / registry restriction. To restore the missing option, try this - for stand-alone systems:
Resolution
NOTE: Backup the Registry before modifying. See this article for more information.
  • Open Registry Editor by typing REGEDIT.EXE in the Start, Run dialog.
     
  • Navigate to the following locations:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
-and-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
  • In the right-pane, double-click the value NoClose and set it to 0.
  • Restart Windows for the changes to take effect




Source
Solution:
Disable the NoClose Group Policy from the registry.
(Note: Local Machine Administrator Rights may be required)
Read More
Launch RegEdit.

Navigate to the following location:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

In the right-pane, double-click the value NoClose and set it to 0.

http://www.tacktech.com

Navigate to the following location:
[LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

In the right-pane, double-click the value NoClose and set it to 0.

http://www.tacktech.com

Restart Windows for the changes to take effect


Registry Editor
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Value Name: NoClose
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Value Name: NoClose
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0



To restore the Group Policy with No Turn Off Computer Option.

Launch RegEdit.

Navigate to the following location:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

In the right-pane, double-click the value NoClose and set it to 1.

http://www.tacktech.com

Navigate to the following location:
[LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

In the right-pane, double-click the value NoClose and set it to 1.

http://www.tacktech.com

Restart Windows for the changes to take effect

Registry Editor
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Value Name: NoClose
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1
Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Value Name: NoClose
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Policy settings for the Start menu

Policy settings for the Start menu in Windows XP
You can use the Group Policy editor (Gpedit.msc) under the following location to configure Start menu features:
User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Start Menu and Taskbar
Note: Except when noted, all of these registry settings are under the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
The registry entries are DWORD values. A value of 1 is enabled, and a value of 0 is disabled.
Policy:Disable the new simple Start Menu
Description:Disables the new simple Start menu and forces the classic 
Start menu.
Registry Value:"NoSimpleStartMenu"

Policy:Remove pinned programs list from the Start menu
Description:Removes the pinned programs list from the Start menu. Also 
removes the Internet and E-mail checkboxes from the Start menu 
customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoStartMenuPinnedList"  

Policy:Remove frequent programs list from the Start Menu
Description:Removes the frequently-used programs list from the Start 
menu.
Registry Value:"NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList"

Policy:Remove More Programs list from the Start menu
Description:Removes the More Programs list from the Start menu.
Registry Value:"NoStartMenuMorePrograms" 

Policy:Remove common program groups from Start Menu
Description:Removes items in the All Users profile from the More 
Programs list on the Start menu.
Registry Value:"NoCommonGroups" 

Policy:Gray unavailable Windows Installer programs Start Menu shortcuts
Description:Displays partially installed programs in gray text on the 
Start menu.
Registry Value:"GreyMSIAds" 

Policy:Disable and remove links to Windows Update
Description:Removes the Windows Update link from the More Programs list 
in Start menu, from the Tools menu in IE, and blocks user access to 
windowsupdate.Microsoft.com.
Registry Value:"NoWindowsUpdate" 

Policy:Remove user folders from the Start Menu
Description:Removes all user-specific folders except My Documents (My 
Pictures, My Music, Favorites, and Recent Documents) from the Start menu. 
Also removes the corresponding checkboxes from the Start menu 
customization CPL.
Registry Value:This is a combination of the following: 
"NoStartMenuMyMusic", "NoSMMyPictures","NoFavoritesMenu",
"NoRecentDocsMenu" 

Policy:Prohibit user from changing user folder paths
Description:Prevents users from changing the path to the My Pictures, 
My Music, Favorites, and Recent Documents folders.
Registry Value:"DisableMyPicturesDirChange", "DisableMyMusicDirChange", 
"DisableFavoritesDirChange".

Policy:Remove My Documents folder from the Start Menu
Description:Removes My Documents folder from the Start menu and 
corresponding checkbox from the Start menu customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoSMMyDocs"

Policy:Prohibit user from changing My Documents path
Description:Prevents users from changing the path to the My Documents 
folder.
Registry Value:"DisablePersonalDirChange" 

Policy:Remove Recent Documents item from Start Menu
Description:Removes the Recent Documents folder from the Start menu. Also 
removes the corresponding checkbox from the Start menu customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoRecentDocsMenu"  

Policy:Maximum number of recent documents
Description:Specifies the number of shortcuts displayed on the Recent 
Documents submenu.
This policy exist under the following location in Group Policy: 

User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components
Registry Value:"MaxRecentDocs"  

Policy:Clear history of recent documents on exit
Description:Deletes all shortcuts shown in the Recent Documents menu when 
the user logs off.
Registry Value:"ClearRecentDocsOnExit" 

Policy:Remove Favorites item from Start Menu
Description:Prevents users from adding the Favorites item to the Start 
menu. Also removes the corresponding checkbox from the Start menu 
customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoFavoritesMenu" 

Policy:Remove My Computer from the Start Menu
Description:Removes the My Computer item from the Start Menu and the 
corresponding checkbox from the Start menu customization CPL.
Registry Value:"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" under 
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum. 

Policy:Remove Network Connections from the Start Menu
Description:Removes the Network Connections item from the Start menu 
and the corresponding checkbox from the Start menu customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoNetworkConnections" 

Policy:Remove Network Places from the Start Menu
Description:Removes the Network Places item from the Start menu and the 
corresponding checkbox from the Start menu customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoStartMenuNetworkPlaces" 

Policy:Do not add shares of recently used documents to Network Places
Description:Remote shared folders are not added to Network Places whenever
you open a document in the shared folder.
Registry Value:"NoRecentDocsNetHood" 

Policy:Remove Help item from Start Menu
Description:Removes the Help item from the Start menu, but does not 
disable Help files from running.
Registry Value:"NoSMHelp" 

Policy:Remove Search item from Start Menu
Description:Removes the Search item from the Start menu and disables some 
Windows Explorer search elements.
Registry Value:"NoFind" 

Policy:Remove Run item from Start Menu
Description:Removes the ability to execute programs from the Run option 
on the Start menu, Task Manager, or by pressing Winkey + R. Also removes 
the corresponding checkbox from the Start menu customization CPL.
Registry Value:"NoRun" 

Policy:Add "Run in Separate Memory Space" check box to Run dialog box
Description:Allows 16-bit programs to run in a dedicated Virtual DOS 
Machine (VDM) process.
Registry Value:"MemCheckBoxInRunDlg" 

Policy:Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts
Description:Prevents the system from conducting a comprehensive search of 
the target drive to resolve a shortcut.
Registry Value:"NoResolveSearch" 

Policy:Do not use the tracking-based method when resolving shell shortcuts
Description:Prevents the system from using NTFS features to resolve a 
shortcut.
Registry Value:"NoResolveTrack" 

Policy:Force Logoff to the Start Menu
Description:Forces the Logoff button to the Start menu and prevents users 
from removing the Logoff option from the Start menu.
Registry Value:"ForceStartMenuLogoff" 

Policy:Disable Logoff on the Start Menu
Description:Removes the "Logoff" button from the Start menu and prevents 
users from adding the Logoff button to the Start menu.
Registry Value:"StartMenuLogoff" 

Policy:Disable and remove the Turn Off Computer button
Description:Removes the "Turn Off Computer" button from the Start Menu and
prevents shutting down Windows using the standard shutdown user interface.
Registry Value:"NoClose" 

Policy:Disable and remove the Undock PC command
Description:Removes the "Undock PC" button from the Start Menu and 
prevents undocking of the PC (laptop).
Registry Value:"NoStartMenuEjectPC" 

Policy:Disable drag-and-drop menus on the Start Menu
Description:Prevents users from modifying the Start menu by dragging and 
dropping items. Other methods of customizing the Start menu are still 
enabled.
Registry Value:"NoChangeStartMenu" 

Policy:Disable changes to Taskbar and Start Menu settings
Description:Removes the Taskbar & Start Menu item from the Control 
Panel, and removes the Properties item from the Start menu (and button) 
context menu.
Registry Value:"NoSetTaskbar" 

Policy:Disable user tracking
Description:Prevents the system from remembering the programs run, paths 
followed, and documents used.
Registry Value:"NoInstrumentation" 

Policy:Remove user name from Start Menu
Description:Removes the user name from the Start menu.
Registry Value:"NoUserNameInStartMenu"

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Granting access to files in Win7

Source
The first of all I'm an experienced user of windows based systems and Linux too.
I have had a similar unsolvable problem with a permissions to the folders/executable files stored in another partition than system (on d:\) on windows 7. After a (clean) new installation windows 7 RC 64bit ENG (code 7100.0.090421) to c:\ I tried to grant a permission to folders/executable files on d:\ makes before on windows XP 32 bit as administrator.
I used the same setup correctly typed here:
1. login user as administrator with administrator's rights
2. Take Ownership as Administrators (administrators group)
3. Assign full access rights control permissions to Administrators group.
4. restart PC and check ownership and permissions of folder/exec. file as administrators group.
But after that windows 7 were not able to access to the folder at all ("You don't currently have permission to access this folder"). I tried to find out any solution via google or windows forum but without any successes.

Actually I reinstalled windows 7 again and I had a new problem. Some executable files downloaded and stored on d:\ on the previous installation of windows 7 (mostly marked in different color because archive), I was not able to open/execute. Windows typed me "You don't have permission to open this file" or some times more simple "access denied".
It was suprise, because on the second installation of windows 7 I have had the same user rights (and ownership and accesses rights too) as the first installation windows 7. I tried to open this files on windows XP, but when I execute the files it typed "file is broken".
I think that problem was in a certificate of windows 7 used during storing files on NTFS saved in operational memory. Because between the 1st installation and the 2nd installation of windows 7 was PC only rebooted (no shut down).
When I copy my image of the partition of windows XP to the disc C:\ and shut down PC and reboot, I successfully execute some downloaded files on the 1st installation of windows 7
Windows 7 RC 64 bit (code 7100.0.090421) have a big problem with grant access to control folders/files. When the file has stored you would not be able to open them in other windows system (with the same ownership and accesses, indeed).
I returned to my windows XP / Ubuntu and waiting if Microsoft release patch for this. If not, many people will have similar problems like me/you.
------------------------------------
From Zidane24:
File Type: zip Ownership Changer 1.0.zip (1.0 KB,)

Denied permission to access folders

When changing operating systems and migrating data, you might end up not being able to access some of your files or folders anymore. This can happen due to the fact that your user has lost ownership of those files & folders or it no longer has the required permissions. In this tutorial will try to address this type of issues and help our readers that reported having such problems.
Even though the procedure is a bit long, you will see that things are not very complicated.

You get padlocks on folders and files in Windows 7 when low permissions have been removed i.e. users, guests account, authenticated users from the folder. Follow the bottom half of this webpage starting from Changing Permissions
Change the permissions and take ownership of your files and folders | Windows Vista for Beginners

Where they add Administrators add Authenticated users instead.

If your having problems with the sub folders still after that. Then from the Security tab, hit the advanced tab then change permissions at the bottom then tick 'Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object' and hit OK.
Read More

Source
Frostbite What you need to do is give Authenticated Users permissions to My Music then propagate the permissions down to the sub folders and files as follows. You can replace what permissions you like in screenshot 5 or leave it as full Control. That should sort it. Ok out of the last 2

windows

not shown.

Source
This is a common problem with files that you created from another installation of Windows.
This has to do with the security settings that Windows XP applied to these files.
Since they were created from your user account in XP, they do not apply to your user account in Vista, and so you are denied access in some circumstances.
To fix this, you can follow these steps:
- Click Start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd when it appears
- Click Run As Administrator
- Change location to the folder you need access to (e.g. cd e:\folder)
- Type: takeown /F . /R /A /D Y > NUL
- Type: icacls . /grant USER:(OI)(CI)(F) /L /T /Q
(Where USER is your username - you will only have access from your
XP and Vista machine in this case)
[> is the character greater than without the ; character]
[It should be ""USER : ( O I )..." but without the spaces before and after : ]
(Or, replace USER with Users if you want anyone [on any computer
your hard drive is plugged into] to have full access to these files)
---------------------
other version:
I restored the primary [C:] hard drive from an old computer running Windows XP to a new one as a secondary/additional hard drive on Windows Vista, and got a "You have been denied permission to access this folder" message.
Found this page via Google. Thank you, Jimmy Brush.
Code:
  1. Click Start
  2. Type: cmd
  3. Right-click cmd when it appears and select Run As Administrator.
  4. Change location to the folder you need access to (e.g. cd e:\folder).
  5. Type: takeown /F . /R /A /D Y > NUL
  6. Press the Enter key and wait for the command to complete.
  7. Type: icacls . /grant oscar:(OI)(CI)(F) /L /T /Q
  8. Press the Enter key.
iCacls sintax
iCACLS.exe (2003 sp2, Vista)
Change file and folder permissions - display or modify Access Control Lists (ACLs) for files and folders.
iCACLS resolves various issues that occur when using the older CACLS & XCACLS

---------------------
I am now wondering whether my Vista computer somehow corrupted just one folder on my portable hard drive, even though my XP computer could still access the portable hard drive without difficulty. It was time consuming to recopy all the 100 gig of files into a new folder, but at least it has worked.
The Vista computer did not corrupt the folder. The problem is that XP set the permissions on the folder to only Administrators.
That works well on XP because virtually every user is member of Administrators and so can access it.
On Vista, even if you are a member of Administrators you cannot actually access resources as them without jumping through certain hoops. Jimmy's work-around basically just jumps through the hoops for you.
This is how Vista is designed. If you are interested in why, Mark Russinovich's UAC article is a good, although very technical, read:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...C/default.aspx.
------------------
petri.co.il
solution
------------------
Your question may already be answered in Windows Vista Security:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/047...otectyourwi-20