Uniblue Powersuite 2013 is released with more benefits for users.

Powersuite 2013 is Uniblue’s complete PC performance solution that allows you to unleash your PC’s optimum performance by increasing processing speed and improving stability, whilst providing ongoing maintenance in an easy-to-use interface. This established product ensures that you benefit from a smooth-running operating system, an optimized hard disk alongside improved hardware functionality with the latest drivers.
Powersuite 2013 comes with a fresh new look that tells you, at a glance, the state of your PC’s overall health, as well as a range of customer-centric features and benefits such as three types of scans and a direct link to support.



Uniblue Powersuite 2013 will:

• Find out what is slowing down your PC. With one click, start a full system scan to discover how to optimize your system and identify refinements that can be made, such as removing invalid registry entries, unused processes, junk files and outdated drivers;
  
• Make your PC faster. Custom speed tools sharpen your PC speed by managing CPU resources, boosting software and thumbnail image launches and decreasing start menu launch times;
  
• Clean up, gain space. Uniblue Powersuite 2013 cleans unnecessary items, such as junk files and old backups which take up space and can slow down a PC. You can also choose to compress large files to gain hard drive space;
  
• Improve PC health and stability. Uniblue Powersuite 2013 deactivates unused processes and removes invalid registry entries for a cleaner, healthier PC whilst preventing slowdowns, crashes and freezes;
  
• Ensure your disk runs smoothly. A disk analysis will help you find out which files can be defragmented and how much disk space isavailable. The software will organize your disk files to enhance file access speed;
  
• Enhance your hardware efficiency. Every PC needs a fully-functional set of audio, video and other drivers to communicate with and control various hardware devices. Your drivers can be checked against a daily updated, tested and maintained driver information database supporting more than 88,600 drivers.

Auslogics BoostSpeed 5

Auslogics BoostSpeed is an outstanding PC system utilities application that’s sure to keep your computer optimized and maintained with its numerous speedy, effective features. Every feature in this application that seemed difficult to use had an additional section that simplified its tools for less experienced users. The only disappointing thing about this PC system utilities application is the sparse customer service that backs it up. This application is easy to use, but it would be helpful to have a solid support system to lean on in case anything goes wrong.

Management/Diagnostics: 

Auslogics Disk Explorer finds the areas on your hard drive that are taking up the most space. With this feature within the PC system utilities, you can free the maximum amount of hard drive space when you start to run out.

Auslogics Startup Manager lists the processes that are currently set to open when your operating system starts up. This feature allows you disable dangerous startup entries, but it falls short because it doesn’t indicate whether your system needs any of the startup entries to function properly. Unfortunately, you won't know whether one of the startup entries was important until disabling it causes your system to slow down or crash.

Auslogics Uninstall Manager displays the applications you have installed and indicates whether they’re well-used or trustworthy. With this list, you can choose to uninstall any of the applications using the uninstaller that comes with that respective application. We would’ve liked it if this feature went back and removed any traces the uninstalled application left on your hard drive or in the registry though.

Auslogics System Information provides in-depth data on every piece of hardware that’s associated with your computer. With this feature, you can maintain your computer better because you will be able to look up support information for each peripheral device based on the manufacturer and model number.

Auslogics Task Manager is one of the PC system utilities that let you terminate applications, processes, services and locked files that are currently running on your system. Other task managers only let you deal with applications, so it’s nice to see one that expands its coverage into other items running on your system.

The System Scan PC system utilities feature looks for junk and fragmented files in addition to disk and registry errors. Since this feature doesn’t incorporate any optimization features, we question its effectiveness. It does make a difference, but without optimization features, that difference isn’t going to be significant. The System Advisor picks up where the System Scan left off, presenting a list of additional tweaks that could improve the performance of your system.

The Resource Usage section displays graphs that analyze how a variety of system resources are being used. This PC system utilities feature is strictly informational and does not offer any options for increasing your system’s performance in any of the areas it analyzes.

Repair/Recovery: 

Auslogics Disk Cleaner empties your browser cache and the history of what you’ve downloaded from the internet. It also removes unnecessary system files and temporary files. We were impressed with this PC system utilities feature because it dealt with 22 file types that usually clutter hard drivers. Auslogics Disk Doctor analyzes and repairs your hard drive much faster than similar features. Usually, you would have to restart your computer and wait a long time to complete this process, but this feature does it all without interrupting your current tasks.

Auslogics Duplicate File Finder browses your hard drive looking for files that are the same size and share similar names and content.

Auslogics File Recovery effectively restores files you’ve deleted from your hard drive or from various forms of removable media. You can also use this PC system utilities feature to determine if a file you wanted to delete really was deleted after all. If any changes you make with Auslogics BoostSpeed result in your system performing worse than it did before, you can undo them in the Auslogics Rescue Center.

Auslogics Registry Cleaner scans 16 types of registry keys looking for invalid or erroneous entries. We were impressed with how fast this PC system utilities application processed the registry. It scanned thousands of registry keys in a matter of moments and returned our scan results quicker than we had seen with other registry cleaners.

Auslogics Track Eraser is one of the PC system utilities that remove traces of your activity from Windows, your internet browsers and other applications in an effort to maintain your privacy. If this information remains on your system, it can be used to track your activity and possibly steal your personal information. Auslogics File Shredder permanently deletes selected files or folders, but it doesn’t let you choose the method it’s going to use to delete them. Auslogics Disk Wiper permanently erases files you’ve already deleted, ensuring that files you’ve deleted remain deleted.

Optimization: 

Auslogics Disk Defrag does a fantastic job of quickly scanning your hard drive for fragmented files. The disk defragmenter that comes with Windows slows down your computer while it's working. This PC system utilities feature completes the defragmentation process so fast that it doesn’t even have time to slow your computer down.

Auslogics Tweak Manager presents a wide assortment of tweaks you can perform to optimize the performance of your system. We liked this feature because of the optimize button that’s in each section; however, the fact you have to optimize each section individually can get a little tedious. Auslogics BoostSpeed’s Optimize Services feature doesn’t do enough to truly optimize every Windows service. It only deals with a handful of services while there are plenty of them that could easily be disabled.

Auslogics Registry Defrag is another PC system utilities feature that benefits from the lightning fast scan speeds present in Auslogics BoostSpeed. We were disappointed that we had to reboot our computer to complete the defragmentation process, though.

Auslogics Internet Optimizer is broken into sections for manual and automatic optimization. We recommend the automatic optimization section. The manual optimization section is far more complicated, and the odds that you'll accidentally disable an important setting are high. The automatic optimization process might take a little longer, but you’re not going to open yourself up to the risk of disaster if you use it.

Ease of Use: 

We found Auslogics BoostSpeed to be very easy to use. All of its features, except for the manual optimization option for your internet connection and the system tweaks section, were self-explanatory. Every feature that scans your hard drive or the registry does so in a remarkably quick fashion. This PC system utilities application has pretty much every tool you would need to keep your computer running smooth and presents them in a fashion that makes them universally usable.

Help & Support: 

Auslogics provides a frequently asked questions section for this PC system utilities application, but it covers more common sense terms and problems with installing and registering the application than anything else. They have a contact form on their website in case you have any pressing questions. We would like to see them have more contact methods and add information to their help documentation. The current resources can answer numerous questions, but they don't present the user with enough options to get their questions answered in a way that works best for them.

Summary:

Auslogics BoostSpeed has the tools necessary for getting the job done. If Auslogics were to improve their customer service for this application, it would increase its standing in this category. We were impressed with how fast this application’s features were. You’re going to be able to optimize your computer quickly if you perform an all-in-one scan or use each of this application’s features individually.

review source : www.toptenreviews.com

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Linux – 40 Essential Commands You Should Know

• Linux is the oft-ignored third wheel to Windows and Mac. Yes, over the past decade, the open source operating system has gained a lot of traction, but it’s still a far cry from being considered popular. Yet though that may be true, Linux still earns new converts every day. Will you join them?

The learning curve of Linux is what deters most users from even trying it in the first place. It can be a traumatic experience having to go from a GUI-based operating system like Windows or Mac to one that requires command line fiddling. But if you can get over that initial hump of difficulty, you may find that Linux is surprisingly robust.

If you want a crash course on all that is Linux, we’ve got a great Linux newbie’s guide that will teach you all you need to know. For the rest of you who just want a brief overview of some important commands you ought to know, the following list is all you’ll need.

Newbie Commands

cd - Changes the current working directory in the command line console.

exit - Exits out of the current program, terminates the current command line terminal, or logs you out of a Unix network depending on the context.

kill - Terminates the specified running process. The Linux version of Windows’ “End Process” in the task manager.

ls - List all of the contents of a specified directory. If no directory is specified, it will use the current directory.

man - There’s a running gag in the Linux community that man is the only command you need to know. It stands for manual, and it will give you detailed information on commands and aspects of Linux.

pwd - Displays the current working directory for the command line terminal. Good for when you’ve lost track of where you are in your system.

reboot - Immediately stops all running processes, shuts down the system, then reboots.

shutdown - Stops all running processes and shuts down the system. Parameters can be specified to issue a delayed shutdown or a shutdown at a particular time.

sudo - Runs commands as root, which means no limitations due to permissions.

System Information

date - Prints out the current system date and time. Specified parameters can change the format of the output.

df - Reports the disk space usage for the file system.

hostname - Displays the name of the current host system.

ps - Displays information about all of the processes currently running on the system.

quota - Displays disk limits and current disk usage for a specified user. Useful when there are multiple users assigned to a particular system.

top - Displays all of the top processes in the system, by default sorted by CPU usage.

uptime - Reports how long the system has been running since last boot. Extremely useful for servers.

File Manipulation

bzip2 - Compresses specified contents into a .bz2 archive or extracts from a .bz2 archive depending on parameters.

chmod / chown - Changes the access permissions of one or more files (chmod) or changes the ownership of a particular file to a new user (chown). Only users with permission or ownership of a file can change that file’s permissions or ownership.

cp - Copies files to a new location with a new name depending on the parameters. Can copy directories too, whether recursively (includes all subdirectories) or not.

find / locate - Searches the system starting at a specific directory and matching all files within that location to a set of conditions laid out by the command parameters. Very useful for quickly finding certain files.

grep – Searches through all of the files in a specified location trying to find files that contain lines that match a given string. Returns a list of all the files that scored a match.

install - Used in conjunction with Makefiles to copy files from one location to the system. Not to be confused with installing packages from a software repository.

mkdir / rmdir - Creates a directory (mkdir) or deletes a specified directory (rmdir). Directories can only be created and deleted within directories that you have permission in.

mv - Moves files and directories to another location. Can be used to rename files and directories by keep their source and destination locations the same.

open – Opens a specified file using the default system application for files of its type.

rm - Remove and remove directory. Used to delete files and directories from the system, whether one at a time or in batch.

tar - Creates a .tar archive or extracts from a .tar archive depending on specified parameters.

zip / unzip - Creates a .zip archive or extracts from a .zip archive depending on specified parameters.

Other Noteworthy Commands

apt-get – Advanced Packaging Tool. Use this command to install, remove, and configure software packages on your system. For a menu-based version, use aptitude command. Available on Debian-based Linux distributions.

ftp / sftp - Connects to a remote FTP server in order to download multiple files.

wget - Downloads files from the Internet at the specified URL to your system.

yum - Yellowdog Updater, Modified. An open source package manager used to easily install software packages from repositories. Available on RPM-compatible Linux distributions.

emacs – One of the most well-known text editors on Unix-like systems.

nano - A newbie-friendly command-line text editor that uses keyboard shortcuts to simulate menus.

vim - Vim is the successor to Vi, both of which are command line text editors for Unix-like systems. Though Vim is popular, it doesn’t use menus or icons for its interface so it has a reputation for being newbie-friendly.

Why Use Internet Monitoring Software?

When asked for their view on Internet monitoring software, organizations typically give one of two answers. Some will say that Internet monitoring software is needed because otherwise employees will abuse their Internet privileges and waste a lot of time online instead of working. Others will tell you that privacy is sacred and Internet monitoring software may be seen as abusive and as an infringement on employee privacy.


In reality, both answers are incorrect, especially in the context of an organization’s security. Internet monitoring is not about spying or controlling employees per se; it’s about the safety of your network.

Although employee privacy needs to be respected, there are important business considerations as well. Being too strict and ‘prying’ into users’ online activity can lead to low morale and lower productivity. In some cases, it can lead to abuse or discrimination. However, a good Internet
monitoring solution can anonymize the data when reports are generated. This means that the administrator can get a detailed view of the organization’s Internet activity without knowing who is generating that traffic. Only in particular cases, such as in a legal investigation and the gathering of forensic evidence, would it be possible to identify an individual’s use of the Internet.

The real problem is how to protect the organization from web-based threats. Irresponsible Internet usage can put a company at risk inseveral ways;from downloading malware-infected software to
visiting websites that carry drive-by downloads or other exploits, as well as phishing sites. With a good Internet monitoring solution it is possible to allow users to access only authorized sites that are
relevant to one’s work – this greatly reduces the risk that your network is exposed to malicious sites and malware. Internet monitoring software will also scan any downloads for malware,sometimes using multiple anti-virus engines to ensure the biggest possible virus detection rate.

Internet monitoring software will also give valuable information that can help an administrator to detect problems and take corrective action in a timely manner. For example, if bandwidth usage is
excessive, the computer and application responsible for using excessive bandwidth can be identified and fixed. If there is no indication that the connection is being abused but bandwidth utilization remains high, it may be the case that the organization’s Internet backbone needs to be upgraded.

In security terms,information on bandwidth usage and the time of day when this usage occurs can help to identify malicious activity. If large bandwidth spikes are recorded on weekends when few or no one is working, then the network may have been infected with a botnet and the organization’s machines are being used to send spam or run DDoS attacks.

RobustInternet monitoring software will allow the administrator to strike a balance between productivity and personal freedom. Allowing users time to check their personal email or browse for a short time can have a positive impact on productivity. To prevent abuse, you can use Internet monitoring software to set quotas limiting the time a user can spend browsing certain site categories.

Internetmonitoring software can give you control over your Internet connection and employee browsing yet enable you to maintain a high level of security without impacting on productivity and morale. There is no need to take draconian measures. Simply use Internet monitoring software.

This guest post was provided by Emmanuel Carabott on behalf of GFI Software Ltd. GFI is a leading software developer that provides a single source for network administrators to address their network security, content security and messaging needs.

Find out more about what should be included in yourInternet monitoring software.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook calls Microsoft Surface ‘a compromised, confusing product’!

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Microsoft launched the ingenious Surface tablet yesterday and early reviews have emerged in favor of the compelling and exceptional hardware with a few pointing software and usability flaws within the Windows RT environment. And among the few who aren’t in favor of the Surface device is Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook. After calling Windows 8 a combination of a toaster and refrigerator, he called Surface a confusing product!

During the company’s earning call early yesterday, Tim Cook said:

I haven’t personally played with the Surface yet, but what we’re reading about it is that it’s a fairly compromised, confusing product.

In all honesty, the above statement by Tim is pretty laughable, more so when it comes from someone who hasn’t used the product, but is more than willing to lend his ‘expert opinion’. Agreed that Tim Cook is the CEO of a major software company and that he does possess sound knowledge of the software devices and their ecosystem but a Surface device cannot be gauged upon from its first looks instead as can be done with the iPad, which seemingly has the same UI since its inception. Microsoft Surface runs on Windows RT, a fresh, new operating system especially suited for tablets and touch-slates and brings along a new and exciting user experience.

Tim Cook pointed out that the ‘iPad competitor might be biting off more than it can chew’. Well as a consumer myself, I’d prefer a tablet device which does ‘more‘ for me having almost similar specifications/dimensions than its competitor. Here, Surface not just does ‘more’ for the consumer but it does it in a fresh new way armed with the Modern UI.

According to Tim:

I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don’t think it would do all of those things very well. I think people when they look at the offerings will really want an iPad.

Not really!

An iPad was indeed a revolutionary device when introduced but it isn’t the same in the present scenario where we have a new iPad launching every six months and Apple announcing no support for the earlier versions. That’s almost like asking consumers for their hard-earned money and later throwing back a sign at their face which reads ‘YOU ARE OUTDATED’. Not good at all.

And given the recent gaffes which went Apple’s way, including the disastrous Apple Maps introduced with iOS6, the consumer’s perception towards Apple has changed significantly.

No one would want to buy a ‘new iPad’ or whatever the naming convention they follow, only to see a new version with little modifications emerge within few months.

The highest rated comment on CNET on an iPad-launch related article was by an Angry iPad owner – “To Apple: Thanks for making my ‘new iPad’ obsolete”. No one would also want to search for a place in Brazil and be directed to head over to Russia (Apple Maps)… except die-hard Apple fans.

As far as Surface is concerned, it’s definitely worth a try, if not a buy. But use it for a few minutes and you’ll want to take the beauty home! As for Tim Cook, if you are reading this, please do search for the hashtag #surfaceflyingcar on Twitter. You might do your day with some amazing hilarious responses!

Reminds me of a quote by Mahatma Gandhi – First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win!

If you have liked this post, you might want to check out some more, on topics like Apple,Surface.

Download Windows 8 For Dummies – Free eBook from Dell

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So you say Windows 8 has got you flustered! Really? Apart from the start screen, what is really so different in it as compared to Windows 7? Sure I agree the start screen does fly in your face when you don’t want it to and it may get some time getting used to, but in a week or so, when you have got used to it, you may actually even start (gulp) liking it. Nevertheless, if there are some of you or your friends, who have made the switch to Windows 8, and need some help, the Windows 8 for Dummies is  a great eBook. It is now available as a free download from Dell.

This Dell Pocket Edition has been authored by Andy Rathbone who has written many a ‘- for Dummies’ books and is a 12 MB download. I would have liked to see a few more   illustrations where there were required, but hey – it’s free so can’t really complain!.

The content includes:

• The New Start Screen
• What’s New in Windows 8?
• The Traditional Desktop
• Storage: Internal & External
• SkyDrive: Your Cubbyhole in the Clouds
• Working with Apps
• Engaging the Social Apps
• Chatting through Messaging
• Getting Connected and Having Fun
• Ten Things You’ll Hate about Windows 8 (And How to Fix Them)

To be able to avail of this free download offer, you will be required to register at the Dell website and give your email ID. I think it’s a worthy download – one you definitely want to keep handy, when you start using Windows 8.

Hat tip.

If you have liked this post, you might want to check out some more, on topics like eBook,Resources.

Windows 8 Released, Here are 7 Things for You to Start with

After over a year of buzzing around, Windows 8 officially released to the public today on October 26, 2012. For those who like us having been closely following around, Windows 8 isn’t a new thing anymore. But for the majority people out there, Windows 8 is still a undiscovered land full of secrets waiting to be found. So we compiled a list of 7 FAQs that will help the starters to get their foot on this thing easily, quickly, and correctly.

First thing first, how many editions in Windows 7?

Microsoft decided to make things easier for everyone this time. There are only 3 choices, plus one specifically for Enterprise. Out of this 3 choices, Windows 8 is the most basic version that is mostly for the majority consumer users, Windows 8 Pro, on the other hand, has a computer version that is made for all computer power users who want to explorer more power of the Windows, while Windows RT, a limited version of Windows built on ARM process, is made exclusively for tablets.
It’s pretty clear, and straightforward, isn’t it.

What are the upgrade options?

Here is a post explaining fairly well with a visual chart for all Windows 8 upgrade path.

From now until January 31, 2013, you can order an upgrade version of Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99. And you can do so by downloading an upgrade package right from Windows 8 website. It’s a good deal. Don’t miss it.

Is my computer ok to run Windows 8?

Windows 8 has the exact same hardware prerequisite as Windows 7. So the rule of the thumb is that if your PC is capable of running Windows 7, it will have any issue running Windows 8. However, if you want to see if your computer is capable of upgrading from the current version of Windows you are running, here is a standalone Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant (direct download link) from Microsoft that you can run to find out.

Is there a trial version of Windows 8 to try out?

Unfortunately, I am not aware of Microsoft having this option available. However, the 90-trial Windows 8 Enterprise is still available. Since it’s the RTM version that is not far from the final release, it’s as close as you can get your hands on a Windows 8 system.
While we are still on the topic of talking about trying out Windows 8, I have to mention 4 best ways of trying out Windows 8 that will definitely help you greatly.

What is the best way to dual boot Windows 8 and Windows 7?

If you are installing Windows 8 Pro, the best way of dual-booting Windows 8 side by side with your Windows 7 is the Native VHD Dual Boot that doesn’t require a separate hard drive or partition with the whole system wrapped up in a single VHD file.
However, if you are installing just the Windows 8 which doesn’t support Native VHD boot, the only option for you is to make another partition or hard drive and load the system on it.

Do I need a Windows Account?

You don’t have to have it in order to run Windows 8. However, to make the most out of it, it’s best you have a Windows Account that you can use in Windows 8 to take advantage of all integrated services, like SkyDrive, data sync, mail, people, Windows Store, etc..  The Windows Account you are using will also let you easily manage all your devices you use.

Keyboard shortcuts to rescue

Windows 8 is a touch-device oriented system. Because of this, it feels different if you use it the first time. You could get lost if you are only using your keyboard and mouse. To make the best use of it, here are 13 keyboard shortcuts you definitely need to know and get use to them. You are going to love them whether you are using Windows 8 on a touchable device or not. On top of that, here is a cheat sheet that maps Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts and mouse to the touch equivalents.

Anything else I should be aware of?

Yes, actually there are a lot tips, tricks, tweaks that make Windows 8 better. But we will save these for next time. The above FAQs are good enough to make you comfortable heading into the way Windows 8 is leading you.

Take Control of Your Computers With Switch Shutdown Manager [Windows]

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The act of shutting down or rebooting a PC seems like such a simple task doesn’t it? When you’re done work at the end of the day, you choose “shut down” and you’re done until Monday morning. If only the rest of the world of IT were so simple, right?
For those that manage computers and servers, shutting down and rebooting takes on a whole new life. When people have problems, IT techs are often quick to ask if they tried rebooting. It’s not because they’re lazy, it’s because they know that rebooting a PC fixes nearly 90% of the most common issues out there.
In fact, in the field of IT, the ability to reboot a PC or server from anywhere in the company or even from outside the company can mean the difference between fixing a problem from the comfort of you own home, or having to drive in to work to reboot that machine. Not a fun proposition.
Thankfully, there’s a really cool tool called Switch that does nothing more than lets you remote reboot or shut off a computer. Okay, I lied, it does a whole lot more than that, but on the surface that’s all it appears to do.

Using Switch To Maintain Your PCs & Servers

So here’s the bottom line about Switch in just one sentence – it gives you the flexibility to schedule regular maintenance reboots, remotely restart servers or PCs when there are problems, and it lets you actually detect problems and instantly respond to them without any user input required. Now it sounds a lot more interesting, doesn’t it?
You install a license of Switch onto the server or PC that you want to monitor and manage remotely. It allows you to do this by installing itself as a “server” on your PC, available on port 2388 of your host.

If you notice any problems, you may need to make an exception for it in your AV software. If you are using this software in a Corporate environment, you can access it from home by dialing in via VPN and then connecting to the host using port 2388 as shown above. Similarly at home, you could set up your own VPN to connect in from the Internet.
In its simplest form, Switch basically gives you the ability to connect to that machine using your web browser. On the Dashboard for that PC or server page, you’ll see the dropdown list with the shutdown, reboot, or sleep options as well as the option to delay before those choices.

But that is just scratching the surface of what this software can do. If you scroll down the dashboard page, you’ll see where you can “Add” new switches. This is where the juicy stuff resides. When you click on “New” you’ll go to a new page where you can configure when and how you want this PC or server to reboot, shut down or go into sleep mode. You can have as many “switches” set up as you like, which means you can configure an entire set of circumstances where the computer will essentially perform its own maintenance.

What do I mean by this? Well, for instance, maybe you’re running this in a Corporate environment where Corporate headquarters issues regular Windows patches and some PCs that don’t have regular users, like multi-use kiosk PCs, may never get rebooted. Switch lets you either go in and reboot remotely, or you can just set up the PC to regularly reboot once a month or so, and you never have to worry about a post-patch reboot on that PC again.
Another really cool feature that I like for my laptop is the “Low Battery” switch option. This is useful for those times when you accidentally leave your laptop sitting at home, turned on, and unplugged. Rather than let the battery run down to absolutely nothing and potentially have a hard shutdown that could affect the hard drive, you can set up a switch so that when it detect a certain low battery percentage (say 20%), it’ll automatically shut down or go to sleep mode – your choice.

Oh, and here’s another really cool feature – the “Ping” tool. This Switch allows you to have the computer automatically perform a regular ping to some URL or IP address. When the Ping fails, you can have the computer reboot.

So, why on earth would you ever want to do this? Well, if you think about it, this is a good way to constantly monitor the network connection, or even the Internet connectivity of a server or device. If you have a critical PC or server that has to have a good Internet or network connection, this will allow you to instantly detect problems and then perform a reboot that will hopefully resolve the connectivity problem.
It also allows a nice delay so that it’ll only reboot if connectivity is lost for up to a certain amount of time, like 30 minutes or an hour. Rebooting doesn’t always fix the problem, but anyone in the IT field knows that very often it does, and it can save you a lot of downtime if the computer automatically tries that option without your intervention.
Another feature of Switch is the ability to ensure a certain process is running. If it isn’t, you can reboot the PC so that it kicks off upon startup again.

This can be really useful for servers where you have a single critical process serving lots of clients. That service has to be up 24/7, and when it’s down, the server is essentially serving no purpose. It’s a paperweight. You know the service launches upon startup, so why not just have the server reboot itself, restart the service on its own, and the connectivity issues your users experience just went down dramatically.
The Dashboard page gives you an overview of overall uptime for that system (time since last reboot), and a list of all of your configured switches.

Switch also provides you with a logging feature that you can use to make sure that all of the switches you set up are working as desired.

The service also comes with a nice login security feature so that only you, the administrator, have the ability to configure and monitor the switches.
Another really cool feature is e-mail notifications, where you can receive an email every time one of the switches is triggered.

This is a nice way to have an overview of the activity for all of the computers where you’ve installed switch – so basically you get to sit back and be an IT superhero without exerting very much effort. Isn’t that what every IT administrator dreams of?

REXOFCYBER explain: What Are Thumbs or Thumbs.db Files in Windows?

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Ever came across this message while deleting a folder containing image files, “The file Thumbs is a system file. If you remove it, Windows or another program may no longer work correctly. Are you sure you want to permanently delete it?”

While most of us give it a go without any second thought, many might wonder what this Thumbs related message is all about and whether or not they should delete it. Also, an average computer user might ask himself on seeing such a message, “Where did this come from? Is it a virus? Is my machine infected?”..valid questions. Read on to find out the answers.

What are Thumbs.db Files?

One thing is definite that Thumbs.db is a system file. It is not a virus by any chance and you should not worry on that front. Well, mostly it is not (exceptions may occur).

Bonus Tip: Some more system related information for you: What is the Svchost.exe process and why are so many of it running?

The file is a caching mechanism and is used to store thumbnails of images, graphics files, some documents and movies. Such a file is created automatically for each folder if it is enabled to show the contents in thumbnail view.

Why are Thumbs.db Created?

The intention behind such files is to avoid wastage of CPU cycles and prevent intensive usage of the disk whenever a folder with thumbnail contents has to load. That way the machine can simply retrieve required data from the cache.
It is all about performance. Though it may not matter for low sized folders it makes a difference for huge ones. Imagine a folder with thousand odd image files and the time taken to render the thumbnails each time.

Where to Find Thumbs.db Files?

On Windows XP thumbs.db is created on each directory that requires it. On higher versions they switched to a central repository: C:\Users\UserProfile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer. For instance, shown below is the list of such files on my machine.

If you still do not see them you may want to navigate to Folder Options and activate the setting to display hidden files, folders, or drives and also the one for system files.

Can I Deactivate Thumbs.db?

You can get rid of such files by doing some registry hacks (but we do not intend to discuss that here). However, if you do not want such a file to be created then you can choose not to display thumbnails.
And to ensure that, navigate to Explorer Tools -> Folder Options. On the dialog box switch to View tab and tick mark the option reading, Always show icons, never thumbnails. Then, click on Apply and Ok.

Post that you may delete the existing thumbs.db files and they will never be created again (unless you change the setting).

Should I Deactivate?

I suggest you should not deactivate because that would mean slow responses and higher disk/CPU utilization for all thumbnail views. However, if the space they occupy is a worry for you and/or you are not concerned about the performance then you may go ahead.

Conclusion

I hope we have answered all your questions regarding thumbs.db files. If we have missed any or if you have something specific in mind, tell us in the comments section. We will try our best to address them.

Remote password hacking software - sniperspy

SniperSpy is the industry leading Remote password hacking software combined with the Remote Install and Remote Viewing feature.
Once installed on the remote PC(s) you wish, you only need to login to your own personal SniperSpy account to view activity logs of the remote PC’s! This means that you can view logs of the remote PC’s from anywhere in the world as long as you have internet access!
Do you want to Spy on a Remote PC? Expose the truth behind the lies! Unlike the rest, SniperSpy allows you to remotely spy any PC like a television! Watch what happens on the screen LIVE! The only remote PC spy software with a SECURE control panel! This Remote PC Spy software also saves screenshots along with text logs of chats, websites, keystrokes in any language and more. Remotely view everything your child, employee or anyone does while they use your distant PC. Includes LIVE admin and control commands!

SniperSpy Features:

1. SniperSpy is remotely-deployable spy software
2. Invisibility Stealth Mode Option. Works in complete stealth mode. Undetectable!
3. Logs All Keystrokes

4. Records any Password (Email, Login, Instant Messenger etc.)

5. Remote Monitor Entire IM Conversations so that you can spy on IM activities too
6. Captures a full-size jpg picture of the active window however often you wish
7. Real Time Screen Viewer
8. Remotely reboot or shutdown the PC or choose to logoff the current Windows user
9. Completely Bypasses any Firewall

What if i dont have physical acess to victims computer?

No physical access to your remote PC is needed to install the spy software. Once installed you can view the screen LIVE and browse the file system from anywhere anytime. You can also view chats, websites, keystrokes in any language and more, with screenshots.

This software remotely installs to your computer through email. Unlike the other remote spy titles on the market, SniperSpy is fully and completely compatible with any firewall including Windows XP, Windows Vista and add-on firewalls.

The program then records user activities and sends the data to your online account. You login to your account SECURELY to view logs using your own password-protected login. You can access the LIVE control panel within your secure online account.

Why would I need SniperSpy?

Do you suspect that your child or employee is inappropriately using your unreachable computer? If yes, then this software is ideal for you. If you can't get to your computer and are worried about the Internet safety or habits of those using it, then you NEED SniperSpy.

Download Sniperspy Keylogger

This high-tech spy software will allow you to see exactly what your teenager is doing in MySpace and elsewhere in real time. It will also allow you to monitor any employee who uses the company computer(s).

Why Sniperspy is best?

1.Sniperspy is Fully compatible with windows OS

2.It can bypass firewall

3.It has low antivirus detection rate

4.Sniperspy is recognized by CNN,BBC,CBS and other popular news network,Hence it is reputed and trustworthy

5. Provide Live Screen Viewer support.

Prevent websites from tracking your location, by disabling Geolocation in your browser

Geolocation is a relatively new feature in the recent versions of most browsers. It allows websites to track your physical location, ostensibly, with a view to offer you location related search results, services or options.

You may have noticed that whenever you visit any website which requires access to your location the first time, you will see your browser saying that this website requires access to you location. We have the option to allow or disallow access, but we normally allow this. When you allow access, your IP address, along with your device details, MAC address, etc can be sent. These details are saved in Cookies. Other websites will not be able to access this data – only the website you have given access.
The privacy conscious among you may not want to disclose their physical location. Such users can tell their browsers to deny access by disabling the Geolocation feature. Let us see how to do it in Internet Explorer, Chrome, Opera and Firefox web browsers.

Disable Geolocation in Internet Explorer

Open Internet Explorer > Internet Options > Privacy tab. Under Location uncheck Never allow websites to request your physical location. Also press the Clear Sites button to remove old sites which have access to your physical location.

Click Apply/OK and Exit IE.
The registry key affected by the change of this setting is:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Geolocation

The value of BlockAllWebsites as 1, will mean Do not allow, whereas 0 would mean Allow websites to request your location.
This will block all websites from using Microsoft Location Services to find your computer’s approximate physical location.

Disable Geolocation in Chrome browser

Open your Chrome and click on the Spanner icon > Settings > Scroll down > Click on Show advanced settings. Under Privacy, click on Content Settings button. Again scroll down, till you see Location.

Here check the Do not allow any site to track my physical location radio button.
Click OK and Exit.

Disable Geolocation in Opera browser

Open your Opera > Settings > Preferences. Click on Advanced tab and then on Network. Uncheck the Enable geolocation option.

Click OK and exit.

Disable Geolocation in Firefox browser

Open Firefox. Click on Settings and press the Privacy tab. Here under Tracking, check the Tell websites I do not want to be tracked check-box.

Click on OK and Exit.
Once you have done this, you should clear your Internet cache, Browser History & Cookies before you start using your browser.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit: Free antidote against malware infections with improved dual-engine

Emsisoft the developers of Emsisoft Anti-Malware have released Emsisoft Emergency Kit v 3.0. The free program consists of four powerful tools. Emsisoft Emergency Kit includes the world’s only free dual-engine scanner and is able to reliably detect and remove malware on Windows-based computers.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit 3.0

The new version 3.0 boosts performance and detection rates by replacing one scan engine, which now uses Emsisoft + BitDefender scan engines. The rescue package includes Emsisoft Emergency Kit Scanner, Emsisoft Commandline Scanner, Emsisoft HiJackFree and Emsisoft BlitzBlank. It can be used as a portable tool to detect and remove malware by simply starting it directly from a USB stick or CD without the need for installation.

• With the Emsisoft Emergency Kit Scanner you can scan the infected PC for Viruses, Trojans, Spyware, Adware, Worms, Dialers, Keyloggers and other malign programs. Great to have a second antivirus scanner on your computer.
• Emsisoft Commandline Scanner does the same job as the Emergency Kit Scanner but without a graphical user interface. It is meant for professional users and can be used for batch jobs.
• Emsisoft HiJackFree will help advanced users to detect and remove Malware manually but going through all the active processes, services, drivers, autoruns, open ports, hosts file entries and more.
• Emsisoft BlitzBlank will help you delete files, registry entries and drivers at boot time before Windows and all other programs are loaded.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit is still the only free malware scanner in the world with a dual-engine. It utilizes almost 12 million signatures and runs as fast as a single scan engine due to the removal of redundant signatures.
Emsisoft Emergency Kit 3.0 features in a nutshell:

• Completely new second scan engine from BitDefender
• Significantly less false alerts
• New performance settings let you control the CPU usage of the scanner
• Optimized malware cleaning makes it possible to restore affected or corrupted registry entries
• Faster online updates via small incremental downloads.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit runs on all Windows from Windows XP to Windows 8, both 32 and 64 bit. It is a portable tool and so can be run from a USB too.

Bringing Windows 8 Modern UI to Windows 7 with WinMetro

I believe guys from IObit likes the new Windows 8 Modern UI, aka Metro UI, so much that they want to use them even on Windows 7 machines. They even developed a tweaking tool called WinMetro that brings the new UI over on Windows 7 so people who are currently on Windows 7 but like the new way Windows 8 presents can use and benefit from it too.

WinMetro offers an easy solution for old version Windows users to try and enjoy the tile based Metro UI. By displaying useful information such as weather, calendar, news, stocks, and frequently used programs, it turns your desktop into an informative and productive work station. It also offers the option to boot to Metro Start Screen directly, just click the Gear icon at the top right corner to bring up the settings popup.

Press Win + I to bring up the Charm bar, just like you did on Windows 8, that have the options like Volume control, network settings, and power options.

The power options are also added in the picture context menu as well, for your convenience. If you want to power off or restart the computer, just click on the user picture at the top right area and that will bring down a list of available options.

WinMetro is current still in beta, so feel free to feed them your feedback through the link you can find at the bottom of the application. It works on Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7, both 32bit and 64bit editions.