PCTips Box

You may have created normal hidden folders in windows Xp and vista to store your private files , but these normal type of hidden folders in vista and windows Xp is quite old technique. As even if you create a hidden folder using this old technique almost every one or a normal windows user would know how to get access to that folder.

By simply going to Windows Explorer>>File Menu>>tools>>Folder Options>>view tab and check the radio option which says - “Show Hidden Files and Folders“.

But what if you can create a ultra hidden system folder which is not shown even if the above setting of Show Hidden Files and Folders is turned on or clicked. (more…)

Vista offers easy sharing with the Public folder, which is shared with other users on your network and also with additional user accounts on your computer. By default the Public folder will contain sub folders for the following: Public Desktop, Public Documents, Public Downloads, Public Music, Public Pictures, Public Videos,and Recorded TV. To share any files out on the network with other users you can simply drag and drop (or save) the files in the Public folder or any Public sub-folder. The capability to automatically share your Public folder, however, changes when you are connected to a public network, like Wi-Fi hotspots for example. When you initially set-up Vista Networking options you’re required to specify the type of network you are connecting to a Home, Work or Public network. If you connect to a Public network then Vista will default disable sharing, including Public folder sharing. (more…)

Every time your laptop connects to a Wi-Fi hot spot, whether it’s in your home or down at the coffee shop, it logs the name of the access point that you connected to in the Windows Preferred Network settings. If you accidentally (or maybe even deliberately) connect to your neighbor’s access point, and then find yourself reconnecting again despite your efforts not to, you need to bump that listing down in your connection list and move your router to the top.

To do this, click Start and select Connect To, then Wireless Network Connection. On the window that opens, click on the Properties button on the lower left, then the Wireless Networks tab at the top. (more…)

It is an advanced copy utility with has the feature to automatically resume file transfer on error or network disruption, or recover from terminated file copying, with selective copying based on new or updated criteria.Beside,It can preserve all of the file properties and information, including date and time stamps, security access control lists (ACLs) and more while replicating the file.

By default Robocopy came built-in with windows vista as a command line but (more…)

If you travel on behalf of your organization, you likely bring along a laptop so you can stay productive while you’re away. And because many airports, hotels, and coffee shops are now equipped with so-called hotspots access points that let you surf the Web using a wireless Internet connection you probably take advantage of these opportunities to check your email, log in to your nonprofit’s intranet, and generally find out what’s going on back at the office.

But while using a public hotspot to surf the Internet can help you get work done from the road, it can also potentially compromise your organization’s privacy. (more…)

In Vista, go to Start, Control Panel and click on the Ease of Access link. This is the same as the Accessibility Options in XP. From there, click on the link that says “Change how your keyboard works.” Once you’re in that window, go down to the middle of the page and checkmark the box that says “Turn on Toggle Keys.” This will then activate a beeping sound every time you hit the Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock keys on your keyboard. (more…)

Okay, so Apple PCs are still a lot safer than Windows PCs, but the next time an Apple owner smugly reminds you of the fact, just ask him or her whether they’ve installed the security update issued in April 19th. This fixes no less than 25 security flaws in OS X and it includes three patches for ‘Zero Day’ bugs, and vulnerabilities that would allow hackers to gain access to data. So far this year Apple has issued at least one security update each month and whilst the level of threat and number of attacks are nowhere near the level PC owners have to put up with, it does appear that Apple owners may no longer be as safe as they once used to be. (more…)

ARLINGTON, Va.–Simply booting up a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop can tell people sniffing wireless network traffic a lot about your computer and about you. Soon after a computer powers up, it starts looking for wireless networks and network services. Even if the wireless hardware is then shut-off, a snoop may already have caught interesting data.

Much more information can be plucked out of the air if the computer is connected to an access point, in particular an access point without security. “You’re leaking all kinds of information that an attacker can use,” David Maynor, chief technology officer at Errata Security, said Thursday in a presentation at the Black Hat DC event here. “If the government was taking this information from you, people would be up in arms. Yet you’re leaking this voluntarily using your laptop at the airport.” (more…)

I’ve featured some of these tweaks previously, in my PC optimisation guides, but some of these are new to me, particularly the tweaks to improve page file performance. The 10 tweaks are:

1. Disable Short Filenames
2. Name Your Files Appropriately
3. Use More Folders
4. Use More Partitions (more…)

If you take your Wi-Fi enabled laptop with you on your travels then, like me, you are always on the lookout for a free Hotspot hook-up when hanging around at airports, hotels or cafes. If you do your homework and visit sites like free-hotspot. Before you go you should be able to find one. However, be on your guard if you are casually trawling for a free connection, you could be opening up your PC and its contents to a hacker.

Here’s how it works. A crook with a Wi-Fi laptop sets up shop by hanging around a legitimate hotspot. Their PC is logged on to the web and set up for Internet Connection Sharing. Along comes our weary traveller and the Wi-Fi monitor on their PC flags up the bogus connection as open and available. They think it is Christmas, click on it to log on and bingo, the two PCs are linked by an ‘ad hoc’ or peer-to-peer connection and the data on the victim’s laptop is exposed.
(more…)