Tweaks and Tips

FireFox Tweaks

More Tips

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Your start page is hijacked and you can not use your own start page.

The start page of the internet explorer is saved in registry. If you open the windows registry
editor (Goto start->run, type regedit) and navigate to this following key location you will see
your current start page of ie.


My Computer>HKEY-CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>internet Explore>Main>Start Page

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Disable the Shared Documents folder from appearing on the network.

1. Click Start>Run and type REGEDIT and press ENTER

2. Click the plus sign next to HKEY_CURRENT_USER
then Software
then Microsoft
then Windows
then CurrentVersion
then Policies
then Explorer

3. Right-click on Explorer and Create new DWORD value named NoSharedDocuments

4. Double-click NoSharedDocuments and set its value data to 1

5. Restart Windows.

The Shared Documents folder will now be disabled.
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Vista: Show All Hidden and System Files
There is a registry setting in Windows Vista that hides and shows all hidden and system files. You can access and modify this registry key with these steps:

1. Click the Start orb and type regedit.

2. Open the Registry Editor.

3. Click the plus sign next to HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE for to enforce for all users)
then Software
then Microsoft
then Windows
then CurrentVersion
then Explorer
then click on Advanced

4. On the right side, double-click the SuperHidden key.

5. Set this key to a value of 0 if you want to enable hidden and system files to appear.
Set it to 1 to disable hidden and system files from being viewed.
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Windows Vista Tip
Return the Menu Bar to Vista Explorer
Windows Vista only: I've recently engaged on a more serious foray back into the world of Windows Vista
(turns out it's not that bad), and one of the first sources of major confusion for me came the first time
I tried to access the menu bar in the new Windows Explorer. Why? Because it's not there. Luckily, if you're
big on the functionality therein, it's not all that difficult to get it back. First, if you prefer the clean
look without the menu bar, you can just tap the Alt key whenever you want to access the menu bar and it'll
pop up until you click elsewhere. On the other hand, if you want it back permanently, just click the new
Organize button, then go to Layout, select Menu Bar, and voilà! Similarly, in Internet Explorer you can
bring it back by going to Tools -> Menu Bar. Simple, but it was a major source of confusion to begin with.

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Enable Administrator account in vista.

This is how you navigate to the Local Security Policy. 
Firstly click on Vista's Start orb, then in the Start Search dialog box type: secpol.msc.  Note: you must include the .msc extension.

Secondly drill down to Local Policy, Security Options

Thirdly double click Accounts: Administrator account status, and select enable.

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How to un-blocks attachments  in Outlook.

First you need to exit outlook.

1 - Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK

2 - Verify that the following registry key for your version of Outlook exists. If it does, go to step 5.
Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

Microsoft Outlook 2002

Microsoft Outlook 2000

If the registry key does not exist, create it. To create the registry key, follow these steps:

Locate and then click the following registry key:

b - Click the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key.

c - Type Office, and then press ENTER.

d - Click the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key.

e - For Outlook 2007, type 12.0, and then press ENTER
For Outlook 2003, type 11.0, and then press ENTER
For Outlook 2002, type 10.0, and then press ENTER
For Outlook 2000, type 9.0, and then press ENTER

f - Click the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key

g - Type Outlook, and then press ENTER

h - Click the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key

i - Type Security, and then press ENTER

4 - Click the Edit menu, click New, and then click String Value.

5 - Type the following name for the new value:

6 - Press ENTER.

7 - Right-click the new string value name, and then click Modify.

8 - Type the file name extension of the file type that you want to open in Outlook. For example:

To specify multiple file types, use the following format:

9 - Click OK. Exit Registry Editor. Restart your computer.

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Outlook Email Address Auto Complete.

If you are dependent on Outlook's AutoComplete to send email to your friends, family, and/or co-workers,
it makes since to transfer the AutoComplete addresses to a new (or reloaded) computer.

Here is how its done.

1. Close Outlook.

2. You need to be able to view hidden files, so open My Computer (if you're using Vista, go to Computer).
If I have built your pc then you don’t need to because I have already done this for you. Jump to step #3
If I have not touched your pc then follow every step listed below.

A - view hidden files
Go to the menu bar (if you're using Vista, press the Alt button on your keyboard to get the menu to appear).

Click Tools and select Folder Options.

Select the View tab.

Under Hidden files and folders make sure the Show hidden files and folders radio button is selected. Also make sure
the Hide extensions for known file types checkbox is unchecked.

Click OK.

3. From the My Computer window (again, Computer in Vista) browse to your profile folder in the Documents and
Settings directory (if you're using Vista, your profile folder will be in the Users directory.).

4. Open the Application Data[b] directory, followed by [b]Microsoft and finally, Outlook.

5. Look for the file with an .NK2 extension. This is where the AutoComplete info is contained. Copy the file to
the location that contains the exported Contacts, Email, Calendar, etc.

6. On the new computer, go to the desired user profile directory (as in step 3), and go to Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook and paste the .NK2 file

Now when you want to send an email from the new computer, the previous AutoComplete Addresses will show up.

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There are a few ways to clear all or just a few from the autocomplete list.
To clear some/all simply start a new mail, then type the letters from A-Z and as names appear use the delete  button to permanently clear the entry.
 

That is the hard/long way.
 

For a small  donation (no less than $25) I can send you a utility that reads the AutoComplete file of Outlook (with .NK2 extension),  displays all email records stored in it, and allows you to easily export these records into text/html/xml file or  use it to delete the unwanted.
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I have some kind of spyware and now task manager is grayed out. How do I fix this.

This is usually because you have lost control of your pc to a virus or a spyware.

To fix the problem temporarily  so that you can kill any process that may be linked to the virus or the spyware do the following.

Click Start/Run and enter REGEDIT
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Look in the right pane for a value called DisableTaskMgr.

If it exists, it should be set to 0 (zero).
If not, double click it and set it to 0.

If it doesn't exist, right click in a blank area of the right pane and select New,
DWord value.
Name it DisableTaskMgr and leave it set at 0.
 

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Trojan Removal

SmithfraudFix is a free tool that S!Ri created to remove fake anti-spyware programs. It can be risky so we cannot guarantee the result. Please use it with reservations.

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Browser Hijack  

Pinky: "Gee Brain, what do you want to do tonight?"
The Brain: "The same thing we do every night, Pinky- try to take over the world."

Danger.. Danger...  your PC has mind of its own.  This is not a virus or someone trying to take control of your PC from somewhere else, well almost.  This is simply a computer telemarketer calling your PC and wants to sell you junk. Tools listed below can remove these pesky telemarketers.   You should also try Protect yourself from online identity theft.  This is a free download that acts as a firewall preventing any future attempts from telemarketers to take over your PC.

1 - Browser Hijack Recover

2 - Anti-Hijacker

3 - More Browser Hijack Tools

4 - Protect yourself from online identity theft.

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