Friday 11 July 2008

PC Repairs - Computer Repair Tools

Have you ever found yourself up to your elbows in computer wires and chips using your wife's toenail clippers to try and nip off an extra wire? You think you might be able to get your project complete before midnight, when you suddenly realize those clippers aren't going to work without taking out half your motherboard. Substituting computer tools with household things never ensures that your computer is repaired. Still, most people will try almost anything to save money. However, in the case of good computer repair tools, you should never skimp on quality or specialty.

There are millions of computer repair service provider companies who render great support providing all the necessary computer repair tools. Most computer repair tools are available in economical tool kits. They are durable, precision-engineered, demagnetized, and ideal for routine maintenance, upgrades and general repair. There are a number of computer repair tool kits companies offering their kits at remarkably low prices. These durable, precision-engineered, demagnetized tools are ideal for routine maintenance, upgrades and general repair.

An outstanding selection of superior Ultra tools comes in a handsome, rugged carrying case for easy portability. There are tools made of some rare and unusual elements to meet your needs in the most convenient of ways. For instance, Obsidian, also known as volcanic glass was used by primitive people to make tools. All tools are fully demagnetized to protect your computer's hard drive or magnetic media from damage, and each tool is conveniently stored in a custom designed case.

Computer Repair provides detailed information on Computer Network Repair, Computer Repair, Computer Repair Services, Computer Repair Software and more. Computer Repair is affiliated with Computer Part Supplies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva


PC Repairs - Home Computer Repair

Home computer repair is facilitated through thousands of online services where you can gather enough knowledge to gain confidence to repair your own computer. Many problems dealing with operating systems, multimedia software, music software, image creating and visual effects software, various hardware elements and vireos protections can be taken care of under the direction of a qualified technician.

Most of these companies concentrate their efforts exclusively on home and small office computer users who require greater attention to detail and personalized service. Most of the times they maintain retail stores that allows them to keep costs low in order to provide competitive service prices.

There are many companies who provide home computer repair services. These services include repairs, upgrades, installs, new system sales, virus removal, computer maintenance, networking and more. Highly trained computer technicians perform all of these services. Many computer technicians will travel to your home or office to diagnosis, estimate and complete upgrades and repairs. In most cases, all work can be done in a single visit.

Sometimes, you can even achieve a computer diagnostic via remote by temporarily handing over your mouse and keyboard controls to someone in another part of the country or even the world. In this, you give them permission to search through your computer via their own computer, for the purpose of seeking out whatever is ailing your computer. This option is not possible unless you are able to get online, so if the issue is one of connectivity, a personal visit will definitely be required.

Computer Repair provides detailed information on Computer Network Repair, Computer Repair, Computer Repair Services, Computer Repair Software and more. Computer Repair is affiliated with Computer Part Supplies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva

PC Repairs - Computer Repair Training

The need for people who can repair electronic equipment and computers is booming. In our modern society, computers are used in every field of business and practically every home, and qualified technicians are in great demand. For those interested in computer repair training, it is essential to carefully review the prospective vocational or technical school curriculum. Comprehensive computer repair programs will offer professional certification to future computer technicians.

Vocational schools and online computer repair schools offer training programs that are quite diverse in nature, including telecommunication systems, televisions, radar systems, industrial equipment, climate control systems, and medical diagnostic equipment. Students taking computer repair classes (also known as Electronic and Computer Repair) must learn the vital skills needed to install, maintain, and repair office and factory computers, home computers, hospital computer systems, and all other types of computers and PCs.

Aspiring technicians may seek training that results in either certification or an associate degree. A certified computer repair technician may earn between $20,000 and $36,000 per year. Many graduates of computer repair training will choose to spend a few years in an apprenticeship to gain additional knowledge and skills that can help advance a career in computer technology.

If you are interested in learning more about Computer Repair Training and accredited Computer Schools and Online Computer Schools, research our website and begin your computer training today!

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2007 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Vocational Schools, Trade Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Bustamante


7 Problems Solving Strategies

Computer Problem Solving Strategies

  1. Believe in yourself - get into troubleshooting 'state'
  2. Collect information - ask what has changed on your computer
  3. Narrow the search - hardware or software
  4. Assemble your software tools - Event Viewer and TechNet
  5. Develop a theory - think of the most likely cause of the problem
  6. Be methodical - one step at a time
  7. Phone a friend! - call in favours

1) Believe in yourself - Get into 'State'

Firstly, and most importantly, believe that you can solve this problem! Guy says, 'You will beat this computer problem'. So take 5 seconds to get into 'state'. Visualise another problem you solved, remember the elation you felt when beat it.

Okay, now you want practical advice. Try these methods and solve your computer's software problem.

2 Collect information

A well defined problem really is half the solution. Something magical happens when you write down precisely what is wrong. Just collecting the symptoms triggers your brain to start searching for causes. As a bonus, if you write down the problem it will prepare you for other strategies. (and to email me if you are really stuck.)

Draw a diagram, sketch out the problem.

Ask: 'What has changed recently?'

Ask: 'Has anyone added a new program recently? Has any hardware changed?' If so reverse engines, revert to how it was and check if that cures the problem. Pattern recognition is a vital troubleshooting skill. Look for patterns, spot what is out of the ordinary, such as file date that is newer than all the rest, or a spelling misNake in a script.

Two supplementary questions: Did it ever work? Can I see it working on a nearby machine?

Can you reproduce the problem?

Can you make the fault reoccur? If so, write down any error messages and type them into Google or TechNet. Don't give up if at first the search results are disappointing, experiment with different combinations of keywords. Look for more phrases or ID numbers from the event viewer or message box.

Add Microsoft or Windows to your search keywords.

1st Search: Logon Scripts 2nd Search: Windows Logon Scripts
1st Search: Group Policies 2nd Search: Microsoft Group Policies

3) Narrow the search area

Your first branch in the decision tree should be: 'Is this problem software or is it hardware?' Investigate the scope of the problem; if it's software, which programs are affected and which still work. Try to uninstall or re-install the suspected program.

If you suspect a hardware fault be sure that you are dealing with the underlying cause not a symptom. Try swapping the suspect part for a similar component on a working machine. For example, if the keyboard is dead, swap it with another machine. From the result you now know if it's the keyboard itself or the computer system unit.

Software

Which programs are affected? For example, OWA is not working, chick if IIS and the website are running? PowerPoint's spell checker does not work, is the Word Spell checker operational?

Which programs still work? No external email is getting through, can you send emails to another internal user at your site?

Log on as administrator. If a user complains they cannot add a new printer, that could be by design. If the menu is greyed out, then perhaps you need to logon as a local administrator.

Hardware

Which components are dead, which components still work? If the mouse is dead, try the keyboard.

Check lights e.g. Modem, disk, NIC. Check cables e.g. network, power supply.

Call for the Device Manger (System Icon) investigate yellow question marks or red dots with crosses.

How many computers are affected? Lots of machines cannot access the internet, it could be a router. Only one computer, it could be a loose NIC or the cable is out.

4) Assemble your software tools

  • Event Viewer

  • Google and TechNet

  • Windows Server 2003 Help - especially Troubleshooters

  • Task Manager

  • Network Monitor

Event Viewer

Intermittent problems are the toughest to track down. With Windows Server 2003 the event viewer is your best friend; make it the first place to look for clues. Set a filter to show just errors (red dots). Remember to include the application log in your search for clues.

Where do you find the Event Viewer? Start, Programs, Administrative Tools

Hold down Alt (Key) and Print Screen (Key) then paste into WordPad then you can e-mail the error to any one who you think can help.

What to do with information? Trust TechNet to make sense of the event messages.

TechNet

TechNet is like an encyclopaedia for Microsoft, believe that someone has researched your problem before. Copy and paste event viewer messages into TechNet's search command; the secret is to keep trying different word combinations.

Use NEAR to narrow down the search. Suppose you get this error message: Modem Error 600. Go to TechNet search for Modem NEAR 600. This gets any articles with 600 and Modem up to eight words apart - result 6 articles. If you search for Modem error 600 this gets 200 articles with modem OR Error OR 600.

Where do you find TechNet? Best to subscribe annually. For a quick reference, go to www.microsoft.com/technet and enter your queries online.

Windows Server 2003 Help

If you are in the habit of dismissing Windows built-in help, then think again. I urge you to give help another chance.

Guy's Ratings of Help for Problem solving:

  • Google 10/10

  • TechNet 8/10

  • Windows 2003 Help - 6/10

  • Windows 2000 Help - 5/10

  • XP Help - 5/10

  • Windows NT - 2/10 (Purely to give perspective on my ratings.)

Windows Server 2003 help has 21+ troubleshooters. Built-in help and the troubleshooters help in situations where you may have a blind spot or have overlooked something obvious. I once could not make a RAS connection work, the Troubleshooter suggested that silly me had tried to push the modem lead into the NIC port.

Task Manager

This tool has three tabs. You may have already used the Application Tab to End Tasks that are not responding. Take the time to become familiar with the other tabs especially the Process tab. For example, you see multiple instances of programs that you thought were shut down; try end task on the executables and so save a reboot.

Where do you find Task manger? CTRL + ALT + DELETE (2nd Button on bottom Row)

Network Monitor

This is an advanced tool that I use for troubleshooting network connection problems. The monitor captures all packets sent and received by the server. The benefit of network monitor is that you can see which connections the server it trying to make. For example, it helps to spot when ever a server is trying to connect to a non-existent machine.

All things good to know are difficult to learn.

I say again, network monitor is a complex tool. However, if you persevere it will teach about the 4 network layers; this knowledge will help you to isolate a problem at the Network, Transport or Application layer of the protocol stack.

Where do you get Network Monitor? Control Panel, Add Remove Windows Components, Management Networking Tools.

5) Develop a Theory

What could have gone wrong? Make a list of all possible causes, then ask your self, 'which is most likely cause'. For example, the machine is running terribly slowly, which is more likely, someone crawled in through a window and stole the RAM chip, or a virus / maleware program has taken over your machine?

Believe that someone somewhere has experienced your problem before, also have faith they have posted a solution in a blog or forum. So search for variations of your problem in Google, if you have an error number then that will improve your changes of finding a good reference.

You may need to give your brain a chance to find the solution. When I have the courage to admit to other people that my best ideas come to me in the bath, when mowing the lawn or daydreaming, I am surprised that people don't laugh, but own up to similar 'eureka' moments when they were relaxing rather than focussing on the problem.

Software: Is it an operating system component or is it program x? Could it be that new program I added? What about those files I deleted?

Hardware: If a component is not working is it a symptom of something else, or is it the root of the problem? Is there a log I can check? or is there a specialist monitoring tool, for instance would milli-ammeter be useful?

6) Be methodical when you test your theories.

I have had the privilege of watching gifted troubleshooters in action. Their golden rule is test one factor at a time. I was surprised how they rely on discipline even more than flair. They really do write down all the changes they make. Learn from the expert, list the causes, list possible solutions, draw diagrams. Therefore, develop theories for the underlying cause but change only one item at a time.

Don't be afraid to print out instructions and ring keywords, it really is 40% easier to read on paper than online, moreover, just sitting at another desk may jog the brain to come up with a new in sight.

Beware, amateurs often make matters worse by introducing new problems. My friend 'Mad' Mick tried to cure a noisy fan by spraying it with oil, the result was a mother covered with a fine layer of oil - that machine never worked again.

7) Phone a friend!

I am serious - ask for help. Think, 'Who is most likely to have seen this problem before?'

  • Phone an expert, call in favours

  • e-mail anyone who can help

  • Post a message in a forum e.g. Tek-tips.com

  • Contact the manufactures web site

Even if you chicken out calling someone, at least ask 'how would my friend xyz approach this problem?'

I have noticed that people approach a problem in two distinct ways. I'll call the first method the 'techie' approach and the second the Henry Ford method. At this point I assume that you have been using the 'techie' approach and sadly it has not worked for your problem; if so, then give the Henry Ford method a chance.

Legend has it Henry Ford knew little about car manufacturing but had a row of buttons, blue for an engine expert, red for electrical etc. So, now is the time to press your buttons. Contact the most likely people, explain the problem and appeal to their problem solving skills.

Make that phone call. Send that e-mail.

What to look for in Anti-Virus Software

Top anti-virus software should be easy enough for a computer novice to both use and install. The software should effectively seek out and identify virus threats, as well as clean or isolate infected files. There should be understandable reporting available for each scan and plenty of help support available, so you can be well informed of the software’s activities and capabilities. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate anti-virus software.

  • Ease of Use –Exceptional anti-virus software is simple to use, regardless of a person’s computer experience or knowledge of viruses.
  • Effective at Identifying Viruses and Worms – The best anti-virus products identify infected files quickly through real-time scanning, searching for viruses in a multitude of sources, including email, instant message applications, web browsing and so on.
  • Effective at Cleaning or Isolating Infected Files –Truly capable anti-virus software thoroughly cleans, deletes or quarantines infected files—keeping them from spreading throughout the hard drive or network.
  • Activity Reporting – Anti-virus programs should give immediate notification of viruses found by real-time scanners and should provide an easy-to-read report of scan results, including what it found and what it did with infected files.
  • Feature Set – A well-rounded feature set allows anti-virus software to provide absolute protection. The best programs are those that offer a wide variety of tools, from basic real-time scanning to more advanced, heuristic scanning and script blocking—when it comes to virus protection, the more options the better.
  • Ease of Installation and Setup – Anti-virus programs should be a breeze to install, making it easy to go from installation to initial scan in just a couple clicks of the mouse.
  • Help Documentation – High-end anti-virus software come with plenty of help, including support via email, online chat or over the telephone. There should also be online resources, such as knowledge bases and FAQs available for quick and convenient help.
No matter how serious a computer virus is or how quickly it is passed around, with today’s anti-virus software, you’ll always have a cure.

To read our top-ranked anti-virus software review, click here.

How Can Antivirus Software Keep My Data Safe?

It’s getting harder everyday to protect your data from the dangers posed by computer viruses. These malicious programs have evolved into multiple forms and can be contracted through a variety of ways, including opening email attachments, opening spam or by visiting corrupt websites.

Fortunately, just as viruses have grown in strength and complexity over the years, so also have the tools used to combat them. With the latest generation of antivirus software, you can give your computer a level of protection never before possible.

Today’s best antivirus software come with multiple virus scans, allowing you to schedule scans in advance, giving you access to a variety of location-specific scans and even real-time scanning, which scan your computer every few minutes for viruses—stopping them before they can do damage.

Since new viruses are being created everyday, the most effective antivirus programs offers convenient virus updates. Most antivirus software offers automatic updates which regularly and automatically check back with the manufacturer for information on new viruses, providing you the highest-level of protection at all times.

However, undeniably, the most valuable thing that today’s antivirus software brings to its consumers is plain, good-old-fashion peace of mind.

In this site, you'll find articles on computer virus topics, news stories and comprehensive antivirus software reviews that will help you make an informed decision on which antivirus program is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS – We do the research so you don't have to.™

The Laptop Repair Workbook

Copyright 2008 by Morris Rosenthal -All Rights Reserved contact info

The Laptop Repair Workbook includes twelve full page troubleshooting flowcharts for laptop hardware troubleshooting and explanatory text for every decision point. The 190 page book starts with an introduction to laptop technology, purchasing and cost decisions before moving on to troubleshooting procedures. The introduction and Table of Contents are excerpted below: The trade 8.25" X 11" paperback can be ordered through your local bookstore for $24.95.

A printable ebook version is now downloadable anywhere in the world for $13.95


Before We Begin Troubleshooting

The author of this book is the proud owner of a 1986 Dodge Omni that was purchased new and has never been taken to a garage for repairs. But laptops aren't cars and they are rarely as cost effective to repair as desktop PC's. A twenty or forty year old car in good operating condition is just as serviceable as a new car and may even get better gas mileage. But a ten year old laptop isn't going to run the latest Microsoft operating system or even the previous version. Computers are no better than the software they can run. You're going to need an up-to-date operating system if you are a mainstream user who wants to run the same software you use in work or the current year tax program. A laptop computer that cost as much as a new small car in the 1980's isn't worth a gallon of gas today. Think of computers as software appliances. Unfortunately, laptop computers are among the shortest lived appliances found in the American household today.

If you make an appointment with a doctor for a health issue, the first thing you might expect to hear is, "So, what seems to be the problem today?" This is the most important part of the diagnostics process for a good physician, listening to the patient describe the symptoms and asking some follow-up questions to probe deeper. The patient who responds, "I don't know what's wrong with me" might get a blood test or a psychiatric battery but is unlikely to walk out of the office with a cure. When it comes to diagnosing your laptop problems, the laptop is the patient and you are the physician. The laptop usually can't describe its symptoms, so you have to be a keen observer of laptop behavior if you want to nail the problem your first time out.

Some health issues, like puncture wounds and broken limbs, manifest themselves in an obvious manner so there's no difficulty with the doctor or patient diagnosing the problem. The same is true if you've broken the hinges off your laptop, if the battery burst into flames or if you knocked your orange juice over the keyboard and it stopped working. The solutions are generally both obvious and expensive, and since laptops aren't family members, replacement is often the most sensible solution. But the majority of laptop symptoms, at least at first blush, may be attributed to any number of different problems. And, just as human beings have pre-conceptions and neuroses clouding the diagnostic picture, laptops have software issues that pose as hardware malfunctions. In extreme cases, laptop technicians will talk the owner into the "Nuke and Pave" approach, using the manufacturer supplied software to restore the laptop to its factory fresh condition to see if that solves the problem. Sometimes this makes more sense than letting a technician spend several hours (and several hundred dollars of your money) trying to solve a suspected software problem. But you can do this just as easily at home.

This book can't make you into a professional computer technician. It will help you troubleshoot your laptop problem and take the most cost effective approach to repairing it, getting it repaired, or replacing it. But the troubleshooting process depends on your observations of the symptoms and your willingness to keep your mind open to solutions other than your first impression, or those suggested by friends who say they had "exactly the same problem." If the laptop is still usable but acts up, pay close attention to when and where it acts up, whether the problem always occurs after the laptop has been moved, or shut-down for the night, or running all day. Even the weather plays a part in troubleshooting some problems, so try to read through all of the general troubleshooting sections, just to get a feel for the things that go wrong with different components. If it doesn't make you into a laptop hypochondriac, it will make you a stronger diagnostician.

You may notice we don't talk about the razzle-dazzle technology of computer components in this book. The reason is simple. You can't upgrade or repair your laptop by using the latest technology available, nor can you save money by repairing it with older technology rescued from a random laptop at the recycling center. You have to use the exact parts your laptop was engineered to work with. Hard drives and memory are the only replaceable parts that are often compatible between models of a similar vintage. For some readers, the lack of an illustrated discussion on how hard drives store data bits will take some fun out of the book, but that knowledge can't help you when it comes to troubleshooting. There are plenty of books with beautiful color illustrations that try to explain basic computer technology, but they do so at the expense of helping you solve real laptop problems.

Two final notes about using this workbook. First, if your laptop is in warranty, it doesn't make any sense to take it apart in hopes of fixing something yourself. This book can still help you troubleshoot the problem to determine if it's a software setting or incorrect use, which may save you sending the laptop out for repair. Second, feel free to cut out the twelve flowcharts in the second half of the book and staple them together. This will save on page flipping as you read the expanded explanations of the decision symbols. It's a workbook, not English literature.

TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM BOOK
BEFORE WE BEGIN TROUBLESHOOTING 5

LAPTOP BASICS 7

WHAT'S MY LAPTOP WORTH? 18

SHOPPING FOR USED LAPTOPS 19

SHOPPING FOR NEW LAPTOPS 22

LAPTOP UPGRADES 26

THINGS THAT GO WRONG WITH LAPTOPS 29

BASIC REPAIR TECHNIQUES 34

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS 39

TROUBLESHOOTING POWER PROBLEMS 43

TROUBLESHOOTING BATTERY PROBLEMS 47

LAPTOP VIDEO TROUBLESHOOTING 50

TROUBLESHOOTING LAPTOP OVERHEATING 55

TROUBLESHOOTING LAPTOP HARD DRIVES 57

TROUBLESHOOTING WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY 61

TROUBLESHOOTING MOTHERBOARD, CPU AND MEMORY 64
TROUBLESHOOTING LAPTOP DIAL-UP MODEMS 67
TROUBLESHOOTING DVD/CD PLAYBACK AND RECORD 70

TROUBLESHOOTING LAPTOP SOUND 75

WIRED NETWORK TROUBLESHOOTING 77

TROUBLESHOOTING KEYBOARD, POINTER AND USB 79

POWER FLOWCHART 83

BATTERY FLOWCHART 93

DISPLAY FLOWCHART 103

OVERHEATING FLOWCHART 113

DRIVE FLOWCHART 123

WIRELESS FLOWCHART 131

MOTHERBOARD, CPU AND RAM FLOWCHART 141

MODEM FLOWCHART 151

DVD/CD FLOWCHART 159

SOUND FLOWCHART 167

WIRED LAN FLOWCHART 175

KEYBOARD, POINTER AND USB FLOWCHART 183

change the volume licensing product key on a Windows XP SP1-Based Computer

Because of changes in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows XP-based computers that use a leaked product key that is known to be available to the general public may not be able to install SP1 or automatically obtain updates from the Windows Update Web site. For an easy and quick method of obtaining your own CD Key please read Quickly Retrieve Windows CD Key.
For example, you may experience the symptoms that are described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article when you install SP1:

326904 Error Message: The Product Key Used to Install Windows Is Invalid

There are two (legal) methods that you can use to change the product key with volume licensing media after installation. You can use either the Windows Activation Wizard graphical user interface (GUI) or a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) script.

The easier method to use is the Use the Activation Wizard method. Use this method when you only have a few computers on which to change the product key. The Use a Script method is best when you have a number of computers on which you have to change the product key.

Legal Note: Make sure you understand that this method is indeed legal. This is NO crack, NO hack, there is nothing illegal with this article. I will not, however, encourage any reader to use an illegally obtained CD Key. What you do in your own house/office is your own business, and I cannot and will not be held responsible for your actions.

Method #1: Use the Activation Wizard
If you have only a few volume licensing product keys to change, you can use the Activation Wizard.



Warning!
This document contains instructions for editing the registry. If you make any error while editing the registry, you can potentially cause Windows to fail or be unable to boot, requiring you to reinstall Windows. Edit the registry at your own risk. Always back up the registry before making any changes. If you do not feel comfortable editing the registry, do not attempt these instructions. Instead, seek the help of a trained computer specialist.

Note: Microsoft recommends that you run System Restore to create a new restore point before you complete the following steps:

Click Start, and then click Run.

In the Open box, type Regedit, and then click OK.

In the left pane, locate and then click the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\WPAEvents

In the right pane, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify.

Change at least one digit of this value to deactivate Windows.

Click Start, and then click Run.

In the Open box, type the following command, and then click OK.

%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a

Click Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows, and then click Next.

Click Change Product key.

Type the new product key in the New key boxes, and then click Update. If you are returned to the previous window, click Remind me later, and then restart the computer.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 to verify that Windows is activated. You receive the following message:

Windows is already activated. Click OK to exit.

Click OK.

Install SP1 for Windows XP.

If you cannot restart Windows after you install SP1, press F8 when you restart the computer, select Last Known Good Configuration, and then repeat this procedure.

Method #2: Use a Script
You can create a WMI script that changes the volume licensing product key, and then deploy this script in a startup script. The sample ChangeVLKey2600.vbs script and the sample ChangeVLKeySP1 script that are described in this section use the new volume licensing key that you want to enter, in its five-part alphanumeric form, as a single argument. Microsoft recommends that you use the ChangeVLKey2600.vbs script on Windows XP-based computers that are not running SP1 and that you use the ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs script on Windows XP-based computers that are running SP1. These scripts perform the following functions:

They remove the hyphen characters (-) from the five-part alphanumeric product key.

They create an instance of the win32_WindowsProductActivation class.
They call the SetProductKey method with the new volume licensing product key.

You can create a batch file or a CMD file that uses either of the following sample scripts, together with the new product key as an argument, and either deploy it as part of a startup script or run it from the command line to change the product key on a single computer.

ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs
'
' WMI Script - ChangeVLKey.vbs
'
' This script changes the product key on the computer
'
'***************************************************************************

ON ERROR RESUME NEXT


if Wscript.arguments.count<1 vol_prod_key =" Wscript.arguments.Item(0)" vol_prod_key =" Replace(VOL_PROD_KEY," impersonationlevel="impersonate}" result =" Obj.SetProductKey"> 0 then
WScript.Echo Err.Description, "0x" & Hex(Err.Number)
Err.Clear
end if

Next

ChangeVLKey2600.vbs
'
' WMI Script - ChangeVLKey.vbs
'
' This script changes the product key on the computer
'
'***************************************************************************

ON ERROR RESUME NEXT

if Wscript.arguments.count<1 vol_prod_key =" Wscript.arguments.Item(0)" vol_prod_key =" Replace(VOL_PROD_KEY," wshshell =" WScript.CreateObject(" impersonationlevel="impersonate}" result =" Obj.SetProductKey"> 0 then
WScript.Echo Err.Description, "0x" & Hex(Err.Number)
Err.Clear
end if

Next

Example
The following example describes how to use the ChangeVLKeySP1.vbs script from a command line:

Click Start, and then click Run.

In the Open box, type the following command, where AB123-123AB-AB123-123AB-AB123 is the new product key that you want to use, and then click OK:

c:\changevlkeysp1.vbs ab123-123ab-ab123-123ab-ab123

Working With The Windows XP Firewall

By: Brien M. Posey, MCSE

Since the release of Windows XP, there has been a lot of hype about security, and about Windows XP’s built in firewall. Although the built in firewall certainly seems like a good step in the right direction, it can be a double edged sword. In this article, I’ll explain the good points and the bad points of the Windows XP firewall.

The Windows XP firewall is designed to block all inbound packets, unless those packets are in a direct response to a query that was sent out from the machine. The firewall is designed to help you keep hackers out of your system. As you can see in Figure A, port scanning a Windows XP machine that doesn’t have the firewall enabled reveals some information that could be useful to a hacker. However, if you enable the firewall and then perform the same port scan a second time, nothing is revealed.

Figure A






Performing a port scan on a machine without the firewall reveals some useful information

Figure B


The firewall prevents port scans.

As you can see in my figures, the firewall protects Windows XP against port scanning. Unfortunately though, there are some serious issues involved in using the Windows XP firewall that you need to be aware of.

First, the Windows XP firewall isn’t a full featured firewall. Normal firewalls allow you to specifically control each TCP and UDP port. Windows XP’s firewall doesn’t provide you with this capability. Instead, it takes a point and click approach to enabling or disabling a few common ports, as shown in Figure C. The firewall’s logging capabilities are also minimal.

Figure C

Windows XP’s firewall allows you to open or close a few common ports.

Because of the limitations that I’ve just described, the Windows XP firewall shouldn’t be used to take the place of a normal corporate firewall. Instead, it should be used as a supplement. Remember that your corporate firewall does a good job protecting your organization from external threats, but does noting to protect your organization from internal threats. On the other hand, the Windows XP firewall isn’t a suitable replacement for a corporate firewall, but it can help guard workstations from hack attempts originating from within the organization. Therefore, I recommend enabling the Windows XP firewall on your workstations, but using the Windows XP firewall in conjunction with your corporate firewall.

Keep in mind though that even the multilevel firewall architecture that I just described isn’t completely secure. The Windows XP firewall does a great job blocking inbound traffic, but makes no attempts to filter outbound traffic. This means that a hacker would have no trouble using your workstations as a part of a distributed denial of service attack. Unfortunately, there’s no way to block outbound traffic at the Windows XP level, but you can configure your corporate firewall in a manner that protects your company against being used as a pawn in a denial of service attack.

Change OEM logo and information on my computer

Optional items include the manufacturer and model, a small picture, and a button leading to a separate page of support information.

The information is not held in the registry, but in an old-style .INI file, which can be created in any plain-text editor including Windows Notepad.

This file can have two sections:

  1. The first section, has a section header called [General], and within that section - two entries:

  • Manufacturer=

  • Model=

  1. The second section, headed [Support Information], is optional, but if present adds a button with that label to the page. The entries after that heading should be in the form:

  • Line1=

  • Line2=

  • Line3=

and so on. The limit on the number and length of lines seems limited only by the 64 KB general limit on .INI files.

The file should be saved in the %systemroot%\system folder (for Windows 98/ME computers) or in %systemroot%\system32 folder (for W2K/XP/2003 computers) as OEMINFO.INI.

The picture is a 256-colour-Windows bitmap (.BMP) file.

Microsoft states that the size should be 96 pixels square when using small fonts in Display Property settings, or 120 square with large fonts.

The file should be saved in the %systemroot%\system folder (for Windows 98/ME computers) or in %systemroot%\system32 folder (for W2K/XP/2003 computers) as OEMLOGO.BMP.

No other entry in the .INI file is required, but the latter must exist and have a populated [General] section for the bitmap to be visible in Display Properties.

No reboot is necessary in order for the hack to take place. Press the ΓΏ +BREAK keys and see for yourself.

For example, using this OEMINFO.INI file: