Add "Open with Notepad" to the Context Menu for All Files

Add "Open with Notepad" to the Context Menu for All Files

The default method of opening unknown files forces you to go through a list of known applications and is generally a pain to deal with. That’s why I like to have a context menu option for “Open with Notepad” so that I can quickly open up files without having to go through a lot of trouble.

Add "Open with Notepad" to the Context Menu for All Files

Add "Open with Notepad" to the Context Menu for All Files

The default method of opening unknown files forces you to go through a list of known applications and is generally a pain to deal with. That’s why I like to have a context menu option for “Open with Notepad” so that I can quickly open up files without having to go through a lot of trouble.

Take Ownership" to Explorer Right-Click Menu in Windows

Add "Take Ownership" to Explorer Right-Click Menu in Windows

Taking ownership of system files or folders in Windows is not a simple task. Whether you use the GUI or the command line, it takes far too many steps. This method works in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10, and it maybe works in XP, though you won’t need it there.

Thankfully somebody created a registry hack that will give you a menu item for “Take Ownership” that will handle all the steps for you. We found this many years ago, and since then it’s been hosted here for everybody to use.

Here’s what the new right-click menu will look like after installing this registry hack. If you are in Windows 8, 8.1, or 10, the little shield won’t show up, but it’ll work just fine.

Installing the Take Ownership Menu

Download and unzip the files contained in the zipfile. Double-click the InstallTakeOwnership.reg file and click through the prompts. No reboot necessary.

Uninstall

Double-click the RemoveTakeOwnership.reg file and click through the prompts. No reboot necessary.

Take Ownership" to Explorer Right-Click Menu in Windows

Add "Take Ownership" to Explorer Right-Click Menu in Windows

Taking ownership of system files or folders in Windows is not a simple task. Whether you use the GUI or the command line, it takes far too many steps. This method works in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10, and it maybe works in XP, though you won’t need it there.

changing the Sleep/Shutdown button

As an avid user of the Sleep function on my laptop, I’ve been more than irritated with Windows 7 or Vista’s habit of changing the Sleep/Shutdown button into an “Install Updates and Shut Down” button whenever there are updates from Windows Update.

After the last time I accidentally clicked this stupid button when I just wanted to enter sleep mode, I decided to look for a solution.

Stop Windows Update from Hijacking the Sleep/Shutdown Button

As an avid user of the Sleep function on my laptop, I’ve been more than irritated with Windows 7 or Vista’s habit of changing the Sleep/Shutdown button into an “Install Updates and Shut Down” button whenever there are updates from Windows Update.

After the last time I accidentally clicked this stupid button when I just wanted to enter sleep mode, I decided to look for a solution.

Update: Windows 7 does the same thing to my Shutdown button, and this same registry hack fixes the problem.

Manual Registry Hack

If you’d like to manually create this hack, you can open up regedit.exe using the start menu search box and then browse down to the following key, creating the key if it doesn’t exist.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

Add a 32-bit DWORD value called NoAUAsDefaultShutdownOption with a value of 1. No reboot should be necessary.

Now our Sleep button should be back to the way it was, but if you wanted to use the Install Updates and Shut Down option, it’s still available via the shutdown menu:

Download Registry Hack

Unzip the file and double-click on the StopHijackingMySleepButton.reg file to activate the registry hack. You shouldn’t have to restart anything, as the changes will happen immediately. There’s also a registry file to uninstall the hack.

I believe there is a similar option for XP, but I’m guessing the key is located in a different place.

Lock the IE home page

Disable changing home page settings using Group Policy

If you now wish to lock the IE home page, you can use the Group Policy. Run gpedit.msc to open the Group Policy Editor and navigate to the following setting:User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet ExplorerDouble-click on Disable changing home page settings and select Enabled.The Home page specified on the General tab of the Internet Options dialog box is the default Web page that Internet Explorer loads whenever it is run. If you enable this policy setting, a user cannot set a custom default home page. You must specify which default home page should load on the user machine. For machines with at least Internet Explorer 7, the home page can be set within this policy to override other home page policies. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the Home page box is enabled, and users can choose their own home page.Click Apply and Exit.

How to Lock all Taskbar settings in Windows 8 | 7

Using Windows Registry

Open Regedit and navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

In the right hand side, look for a value named TaskbarLockAll. If it exists, right-click on it and click Modify. The following are the values:

• 0 : Unlock all Taskbar settings
• 1 : Lock all Taskbar settings

Control Panel

Restrict access to Control Panel

Using Group Policy Editor

If your version of Windows 8 has the Group Policy Editor, Run gpedit.msc to open it. Navigate to the

Restrict access to Control Panel

Using Group Policy Editor


If your version of Windows 8 has the Group Policy Editor, Run gpedit.msc to open it. Navigate to the following setting:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates, and Control Panel

In the right pane of Control Panel, double click/tap on Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC settings.

Internet Security:

With the sudden rise in the Internet usage across the globe over the past few years, there has also been a rise in the amount of online scams and frauds. Today, most of the Internet users are unaware of the most prevailing online threats which pose a real challenge for their safe Internet usage. As a result, the security has become a questionable factor for the most Internet users.

However, it is still possible to effectively combat insecurity on the Internet provided that, the users are well aware of the common scams and frauds and know how to protect themselves. A study shows that over 91 percent of the Internet users are unaware of the online scams and are therefore worried about their security. If you are one among those 91 percent, then this post is just for you!

 

Here is  simple Internet security tips to maximize your online protection:

1. Always install a good antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Also install a good anti-spyware to keep spyware away from your computer. You can find review and comparison of best antivirus products at iWebGUARD.
2. Always visit known and trusted websites. If you are about to visit an unknown website, ensure that you do not click on those untrusted links and banners.
3. Perform a virus scan on the files/email attachments that you download before executing them.
4. Regularly update your operating system and browser software. For a better security, it is recommended that you surf the Internet through the latest version of your browser program.
5. Never share your password (email, bank logins etc.) with any one for any reason. Choose a strong password (A blend of alphanumeric+special symbols) and change it regularly, eg. every 3 months. Avoid using easy-to-guess passwords. (ex. pet’s name or kid’s name)
6. Always type the URL of the website in your browser’s address bar to enter the login pages.
7. Before you enter your password on any login page, ensure that you see https instead of http in your browser’s address bar. Example. https://mail.google.com instead of http://mail.google.com. HTTPS protocol implements SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and provide better security than a normal HTTP. For more information on HTTPS and SSL see Know More About Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
8. Beware of phishing emails! Do not respond to any email that request you to update your login details by clicking on a link in the body of the email. Such links can lead to Fake Login Pages (Spoofed Pages). For more information on phishing refer How to Identify and Avoid Phishing Scam. Also refer my other post on How to Protect an Email Account.
9. Always hit the logout button to close your login session rather than abruptly terminating the browser window. Also, clear your web browser caches after every session to remove the temporary files stored in the memory and hard disk of your PC.
10. Avoid (Stop) using any public computers or computers in the Internet cafes to access any sensitive/confidential information. Also, avoid such computers to log in to your email/bank accounts. On a public computer, there is every chance of spyware and malware infections to be present.

By following the above 10 tips, your Internet security can be guaranteed up to 90 percent. I hope this information will help my readers for keeping themselves safe from any of the online insecurities. Cheers! Pass your comments.

How Browser Cookies Work

Most Internet users are familiar with the term “Cookie” but only a few know what exactly it is and the purpose it serves. This article will help you understand the working of different types of browser cookies in a simple and easy to follow manner.

How Browser Cookies Work

Most Internet users are familiar with the term “Cookie” but only a few know what exactly it is and the purpose it serves. This article will help you understand the working of different types of browser cookies in a simple and easy to follow manner.

To begin with, a cookie (also known as browser cookie, Internet cookie, web cookie or HTTP cookie) is a small piece of data that websites store on your hard disk in the form of a text file. Cookies allow websites to store specific information helpful to remember each visitor uniquely. A cookie is set when the user visits a particular website for the first time. Thereafter, each time the user loads the website the browser sends the cookie back to the web server so that it can keep track of the user’s previous activity.

Purpose of Browser Cookies:

The following are some of the common purposes served by cookies:

• Enable automatic user log-in thereby eliminating the need for a password input
• Enhance user experience by storing user preferences so that the site can look different for each visitor
• Keep track of items in the shopping cart
• Record user’s activity such as browsing history, click patterns, page visits and so on

Types of Browser Cookies:

Session Cookie

Since web pages have no memories, a visitor navigating to a different page on the same website is treated as an entirely new visitor. This is where session cookies come in handy. It makes it possible for the website to keep track of the user from page to page so that user specific information such as shopping cart data, account details and other preferences are not lost during navigation.

A session cookie is stored in the temporary memory while the user is on the website. If no expiry date is specified during its creation, session cookies are normally deleted by the browsers upon closure.

Persistent Cookie

A persistent cookie facilitates websites to track user settings and information when they visit the same website in the future. Unlike most session cookies, a persistent cookie does not get deleted upon browser closure. This makes it possible for the websites to easily authenticate users upon revisits without having to login again. In addition, persistent cookies help enhance user experience by storing their previous inputs such as language selection, themes and menu preferences.

Secure Cookie

A secure cookie has a secure attribute enabled so that its content gets encrypted every time it moves between the web server and the browser. This cookie is used only in the HTTPS mode and thus offers protection against cookie theft.

Third-Party Cookie

Third-party cookies are those that originate from a website other than the one that you are currently using. For example, when you visit a website www.abc.com, all the cookies that come from this website are called first-party cookies. Suppose, if this website (www.abc.com) is running an advertisement on its page from a third party website www.xyz.com, then the cookie that originates from this website (www.xyz.com) is referred to as a third-party cookie.

Structure of a Cookie

A cookie is comprised of the following seven components:

1. Name of the cookie
2. Value/Content of the cookie
3. Domain associated with the cookie
4. Path for which the cookie is valid
5. Attribute to specify whether the cookie requires a secure connection
6. Attribute specifying whether the cookie can be accessed by a script
7. Expiry information of the cookie

The following snapshot shows the contents of Google’s cookie stored on chrome browser:

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Drawbacks of Cookies

Even though cookies make our lives easier on the Internet, they come with drawbacks as well. Some of the major ones are listed below:

• Shared Machines: Most people share their computers with their friends and family. As a result, a cookie set during the usage of one user may not be appropriate for the other user using the same machine. For example, when a new user revisits a shopping website such as amazon.com, he/she will be presented with all the information belonging to the previous user such as order details, shipping address and other personal preferences. This may cause annoyance to the new user as he/she may be required to change all the preferences once again to match personal requirements. Additionally, the exposure of previous user’s preferences and settings to the new user may raise security issues.
• Accidental Deletion: In many cases, cookies can get erased accidentally when you clear your browsing history or use a third party cookie cleaner program. When this happens all your stored settings and preference gets lost and the website treats you as a completely new user.

Privacy Issues

Since cookies are capable of tracking a number of user specific information such as online behavior and personal preferences, they can be used to hamper the privacy of users. A website may use cookie information to display related advertising products based on your previous purchase. For example, Google often stores and uses your search keywords to display matching advertisements on all its partner network. Some sites are also known to have engaged in selling the cookie data to third parties which seriously hurts the privacy of individuals.

how to block unwanted mail from gmail

 

 

 

Log in to your Gmail account. Click on the "Create a Filter" link near the top of the page, just to the right of the "Search the Web" button. This opens the "Create a Filter" pane. Type the email address of the person you want to block into the "From" box.

how to spam gmail

On a computer

1. Open Gmail.

2. Select the message you'd like to report.

3. Click the spam button in the toolbar above your emails.

4. If you have the message open, you can also report it as spam by using the same button.

Remember, every time you report spam or phishing, it helps us identify those emails as spam for you in the future.

computer will speak

Step 1: Open Notepad and paste the following text into a new document:
Dim message, sapi
message=InputBox(“Enter the text you want spoken”,”Speak This”)
Set sapi=CreateObject(“sapi.spvoice”)
sapi.Speak message
It should basically look something like this:

Now when you go to save the file, give it any name, but make sure you also type .VBS after the name. Also, for the Save as type box, choose All files instead of the default Text Documents.

Now double-click on the VBS file and you should see a input box where you can type in the text you want spoken! Go ahead and type something and click OK.

That’s it! Your computer will speak to you in the default voice, which for me was some scary seductive male type of voice! What about yours? Enjoy

Remove Search menu from Start Menu

Remove Search menu from Start Menu

                                    

User Configuration\AdministrativeTemplates\Start Menu & Taskbar
Description
Removes the Search item from the Start menu and disables some Windows Explorer search elements.
This policy removes the Search item from the Start menu and from the context menu that appears when you right-click the Start menu. Also, the system does not respond when users press F3 or the Application key (the key with the Windows logo)+ F .
In Windows Explorer, the Search item still appears on the Standard buttons toolbar, but the system does not respond when the user presses Ctrl + F. Also, Search does not appear in the context menu when you right-click an icon representing a drive or a folder.

How to Enable Inscript Keyboard in the Windows XP

1st Step:

1. • Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Date, Time, Language and Regional Options.
2. • Click on Regional and Language Options.
3. • Click on the Languages tab as shown below.   
   
    
4. 
   
   
5. • Under the heading 'Supplemental language support' check the item 'Install files for Complex Script and right-to-left languages (including Thai)'.
6. • Allow the OS to install necessary files from WindowsXP disc Reboot

 2nd Step:

 What to Select as User Locale, Location and System Locale?

1. • Click on the 'Regional Options' tab to set User Locale and Location.
2.  Under the heading 'Standards and format' select Hindi or any other language as your User Locale from the drop-down box. This selection will determine settings for numbers, currencies, times and dates as well as sorting rules for the language.
3. Under the heading 'Location', select a country where you are physically located such as India.
   
         

3rd Step: 

Setting-up the Indian Language Keyboards or Input Locales In Regional and Language Options panel, click on the Languages Tab.

1. • Once Languages tab is selected click on the 'Details' tab to install different input locales or Keyboards.
2. • Click on the 'Add' button to add a keyboard for a particular language.
3. • In the drop-down box select Hindi or Marathi as the Input Language.
4. • A corresponding keyboard layout/IME will be automatically selected as shown below. Click OK to close the dialog boxes.

WindowsXP also offers following Devanagari keyboard layouts such as :

• Hindi-Traditional
• Hindi-Devanagari-Inscript
• Marathi
• Marathi-Devanagari-Inscript
• Konkani-Devanagari-Inscript
• Sanskrit-Devanagari-Inscript

 

The Hindi-Traditional and Marathi keyboard contain all the characters that are traditionally used in Hindi and Marathi and include English punctuation without the need to change to the English keyboard to get at the punctuation. It is the recommended keyboard for most users.

The Devanagari-Inscript keyboard contains an extended Devanagari character set that includes characters for transliterating into Devanagari from other Indian languages as well as some Sanskrit and ancient Vedic characters. This keyboard is recommended for special users.

How to Reset Windows 8 Password without Disk

windows8password reset link here

clickhere

how to remove write protection

When you see that pendrives are not formatted and when you try to format  pendrives they tell disk write permission.
(removw the write protection or use another disk.)




now press win+r > Type "cmd"
.then type "diskpart".

  Type "listdisk".


Then type "select disk (disk number)".


Then You have to select that removable disk which you want To Remove Write Protection.
type "Attributes Disk Clear Read Only"


type "clean"

remove the write protection from pendrive.