tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51110284028988687772024-02-22T11:08:07.572-05:00George Phillips Computer ServicesThis is the blog of George Phillips Computer Services. These tips could prove useful to you and keep you up and running. If you do encounter problems beyond your scope of expertise I'm just a click away. I can support you remotely via my website or visit your location. Just contact me at 813-759-1160 and I'll be in touch with you shortly.
If you have found these tips useful please take a moment to click a few ads on this blog. Thanks for visiting!George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-17189953536529247682020-02-22T23:56:00.001-05:002020-02-22T23:58:16.641-05:00Upgrade to Windows 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgki5B-bIkM-H1zF647RSkq2PLi9A-OQZb5azVM8TFeENhyphenhyphenTu7tBgrt-h0K9Ugjbm2K5uLPSukrxBwuu21s-Ncc22a2rD_qX3nXuS7n1S-KEpoaRsUf7J2RW1xRo1qUKT8Z3I8HRdynZa0s/s1600/W10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="1250" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgki5B-bIkM-H1zF647RSkq2PLi9A-OQZb5azVM8TFeENhyphenhyphenTu7tBgrt-h0K9Ugjbm2K5uLPSukrxBwuu21s-Ncc22a2rD_qX3nXuS7n1S-KEpoaRsUf7J2RW1xRo1qUKT8Z3I8HRdynZa0s/s320/W10.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you're still using Windows 7 and want to eliminate the nag screen there is still time to upgrade to Windows 10 without purchasing the software. Bleeping Computers has published a good tutorial on performing the upgrade. It can be found at <a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/you-can-still-upgrade-to-windows-10-for-free-heres-how/">https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/you-can-still-upgrade-to-windows-10-for-free-heres-how/</a> .George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-52233855122458696212018-08-24T00:27:00.000-04:002018-08-24T00:29:51.407-04:00Browser & Search Engine alternatives for better Security & Privacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://brave.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" Brave" border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="790" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy27uKVOgTX73knzLWeTnLFG1ItHhT6gJtMEPC2ksUfzVHIK6mvd5Za7uZaGui1jZ28hEKpBS8_Hzn8tUoxLojZ4ZQm1utn5RuaaPn1Y3Mgmrk3Ys3L-WNYlSrWzb_kWEpCH2vs8FPUAQo/s640/brave-browser-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Have you noticed that once you search for an item or topic in your internet browser you start seeing ads related to those items in your browser, social media, etc. ? You're not alone. Many browsers and search engines provide free services....but with hidden costs in the form of tracking our internet activities for marketing purposes. If this concerns you then you'll be pleased to know there are alternatives to keep your activities private and secure.<br />
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Online marketers abuse advertising by tracking a person's online activities and inserting files and super-cookies into their browses. Ads can be very disruptive to your productivity as a result. An alternative browser that will keep your browsing secure and private is Brave (<a href="https://brave.com/">https://brave.com</a>). It has been developed by the co-founder of Mozilla (Firefox) and is designed to block ads and trackers to keep your browsing activities private. Brave's commitment is appealing to users who want to get rid of those annoying and intrusive advertisements and those who value privacy. </div>
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In order to keep your search engine activity private it is recommended to use a search engine committed to your privacy such as DuckDuckGo (<a href="https://duckduckgo.com/">https://duckduckgo.com</a>). It doesn't store your personal info, doesn't follow you around with ads, and doesn't track your activities.</div>
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These two great alternatives to the mainstream options can be a winning combination in beating the war on privacy. They play together nicely. The first step to taking control would be to install Brave and within the browser settings you can make DuckDuckGo the default search engine. </div>
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<a href="https://duckduckgo.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" DuckDuckGo" border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="512" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACBlgVmaWh5Cl6QpHJx30LZutW1rUlWPKSitRrNNCEJb-BOcAHHHqF44fB9WjTPOPGxnoyWnC_OofCPvrweA2FEQjO2osaZ2eSYSYwAv4aq8hgyjSBRhWEu2EHxCdc-8Rh9ofvDsKdRyR/s640/duck.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-72067490143367479152018-05-24T15:07:00.003-04:002018-05-24T15:14:55.248-04:00Hackers Infecting Network Routers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnx8hEG8E3Is8oyoRzvpCpD5TK-OU-GpIxfubVkLYC23TCFODWb6K2oM9sTwb4PzdIKCTMEfrXi7Jqi6BGscxRSFFEAAEuF5hyphenhyphenq9zGPNhgRFQ2eTfJojuPZSe4mkOZoDRv3baT7sLDGWw/s1600/router.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="501" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnx8hEG8E3Is8oyoRzvpCpD5TK-OU-GpIxfubVkLYC23TCFODWb6K2oM9sTwb4PzdIKCTMEfrXi7Jqi6BGscxRSFFEAAEuF5hyphenhyphenq9zGPNhgRFQ2eTfJojuPZSe4mkOZoDRv3baT7sLDGWw/s320/router.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It is being reported that hackers have infected 500k routers with malware (VPNFilter) worldwide. The attacks are designed to collect login credentials, gain supervisory control and disable the device entirely. Antivirus provider Symantec issued <a href="https://www.symantec.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/vpnfilter-iot-malware">its own advisory</a> Wednesday that identified the targeted devices as:</div>
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Linksys E1200</div>
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Linksys E2500</div>
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Linksys WRVS4400N</div>
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Mikrotik RouterOS for Cloud Core Routers: Versions 1016, 1036, and 1072</div>
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Netgear DGN2200</div>
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Netgear R6400</div>
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Netgear R7000</div>
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Netgear R8000</div>
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Netgear WNR1000</div>
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Netgear WNR2000</div>
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QNAP TS251</div>
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QNAP TS439 Pro</div>
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Other QNAP NAS devices running QTS software</div>
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TP-Link R600VPN</div>
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In an effort to minimize the effects of the attack, it is advised that users perform a factory reset of their routers. This is typically performed by pressing the reset button for 10 seconds. This will remove any special configuration on the router as well, however. Users should also change the router's password, update the firmware and disable remote administration. </div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">I hope this information has been helpful. As always, feel free to contact me if you need assistance. <a href="http://www.georgephillipscomputerservices.com/">www.georgephillipscomputerservices.com</a></span></span></div>
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George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-77590710855450825932018-02-25T21:41:00.001-05:002018-02-25T22:14:42.596-05:00All USB ports stop working after Windows 10 update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0b0wEA5_sD6zGAa3nTuXWAcRuHoDDz_zHl9My19Dw0dWtdxuAl_W9mJSJ3d4K1eYEdhaV-sA6R4ucTS1IZU8n54Ydg_J0Rng5TEAdwzmXzPWPB8RQJciDMEvE6JaqguVuBxfU9zwDzM4/s1600/wu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0b0wEA5_sD6zGAa3nTuXWAcRuHoDDz_zHl9My19Dw0dWtdxuAl_W9mJSJ3d4K1eYEdhaV-sA6R4ucTS1IZU8n54Ydg_J0Rng5TEAdwzmXzPWPB8RQJciDMEvE6JaqguVuBxfU9zwDzM4/s1600/wu.png" /></a></div>
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This has really been a doosey! Thanks, Mr. Roberts. :) The symptoms of this issue is that all the usb ports on the Windows 10 computer do not work which prevent using the keyboard and mouse from working and logging into the computer. The keyboard and mouse do work, however, before Windows loads (ie BIOS settings screen).<br />
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The root cause of the problem is a recent Windows update (KB4074588). This was published mid-February 2018 and I'll focus the steps below for this specific problem. I'll cut out many of the troubleshooting steps I did and give you a targeted solution to speed up your recovery for this specific issue. I'll list the easy things to try first that may work then progress to other solutions. The ultimate goal for this problem is to remove KB4074588 and prevent it from re-installing by whatever means you can muster.<br />
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Try the easy things first:<br />
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<li>Use remote access to remove the update by the normal method (if remote access had been previously configured)</li>
<li>Attempt to restore your pc to an earlier date when it was working properly</li>
<li>Try booting into Safe Mode and removing the upgrade</li>
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That's about all the easy things to try that may actually work. Now on to the the solution that worked for me. </div>
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To perform these steps you need to get your pc to the Windows Command prompt in the diagnostic mode either using a boot disk or turning your pc on and off (push power button when the Windows logo is displayed) 3-4 times. That will launch the built-in diagnostic screen. Follow the on-screen menus to eventually get to the Command Prompt.</div>
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Once at the command prompt, enter the command below on one line then press enter:</div>
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<li>dism /Image:c:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~16299.248.1.17</li>
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The package will be uninstalled. It may state that an error has occurred and no changes were made but most likely it has been removed. </div>
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You will likely be able to login to Windows now but you're NOT DONE yet. Go ahead and log in and do the victory dance! It's down hill from here. Once you're in, go immediately to Windows Update and remove KB4074588 via the normal uninstall process. Once that is remove you may need to restart. Almost done.</div>
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After restarting, follow the instructions at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3073930/how-to-temporarily-prevent-a-driver-update-from-reinstalling-in-window to prevent KB4074588 from automatically reinstalling. </div>
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If none of these methods worked for you the last resort is to restore your pc to factory defaults which could result in loss of data if you don't have backups or can't backup the data beforehand. </div>
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I hope this information has helped you in some way and got you working again rather quickly. As always, feel free to contact me if you need assistance. www.georgephillipscomputerservices.com </div>
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George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-24248201698160129432018-01-05T23:44:00.000-05:002018-01-05T23:55:11.445-05:00Password this and Password that. Tired of getting locked out and resetting passwords?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWXnGPDWgGMQD6P5bayYm5Pca8BG9O6kkBsJgRLjqj3TV_1GoMomKvfWEh8jdmGJWpWHs3SgUOj90_vkFxuzD8A0FZyqHqgWM62Sy0BRfbmqRZBW7-kYqQWMBaPoKfIqCV5BAsiC33052/s1600/fred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZWXnGPDWgGMQD6P5bayYm5Pca8BG9O6kkBsJgRLjqj3TV_1GoMomKvfWEh8jdmGJWpWHs3SgUOj90_vkFxuzD8A0FZyqHqgWM62Sy0BRfbmqRZBW7-kYqQWMBaPoKfIqCV5BAsiC33052/s1600/fred.jpg" /></a></div>
If you're like me then you have too many passwords to keep straight. These days we have passwords for various shopping sites, our banking websites, our email accounts and on it goes. Sure, some of those websites will allow you to save the password so you don't have to enter it each time but then.....one day it happens. Either the cache is cleared and the passwords are no longer available or we have device trouble which requires us to enter the password. Since we haven't been entering the password regularly it's likely that we'll have to go through the password reset procedures. That process could be repeated through the year many times among the various websites and becomes very frustrating.<br />
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We could use one password for everything but that leaves us vulnerable if the password is ever divulged. Some have resorted to writing passwords on sticky notes and pasted to the computer monitor (you know who you are) which is never a good idea. Well, there is a better way. There is a small program that can keep your account passwords secure and organized. It is called KeePass and can be downloaded at https://keepass.info/. Click the Download link on the left side, then click the large green button for your operating system. Once it's downloaded, double-click to begin the installation. It's a very simple application so it's fairly intuitive.<br />
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Once KeePass is installed you now have a secure location to store all of your passwords that can be easily retrieved when necessary. One thing I would recommend doing is backing up the file that contains your passwords. You can either store it on an external flash drive or transfer to cloud storage periodically.<br />
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Hopefully this will help you manage your passwords better in 2018 and beyond. As always, if you need assistance you can reach me via my website - www.georgephillipscomputerservices.com.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-56840642744854072772017-02-02T08:30:00.001-05:002017-02-02T08:30:57.816-05:00Windows Update Woes - Checking for Updates (forever)<div style="background-color: white; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: #282828; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Windows Update has been problematic at times for Win7 (and Vista and 8/8.1) for many months.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #282828; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This is a solution I found that has worked for me several times and for many others at another forum who had the same issue.</span></span></div>
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Solution:</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Download and save, <em>but do not run yet</em>, the standalone installers for <a class="bbc_url" href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #0f72da;" title="External link">KB3020369</a> and <a class="bbc_url" href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #0f72da;" title="External link">KB3172605</a> for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disconnect from the internet.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Disable the Windows Update service in both the applet itself ("never check for updates") AND from services.msc (change it to "MANUAL" and STOP the service, then click "OK").</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">REBOOT</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Run 3020369 and reboot.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Run 3172605 and reboot.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Go into services.msc and change WU back to "Automatic-delayed start" and start the service.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Reconnect to internet.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Change WU to "Install Automatically".</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Run a manual check for updates.</li>
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If Windows Update is partially or fully enabled when you try this, you will probably get stuck "checking for updates". WU must be disabled first.</div>
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<em>If that process does not work and/or you get error messages with a specific error code, then you probably have a different problem.</em></div>
George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-27963534289104331322016-02-01T21:28:00.000-05:002017-02-02T08:33:17.283-05:00How to remove virus and spyware easily with this simple checklistIf you suspect that your computer has a virus, is infected with spyware or is just running slow there are a few basic steps you can do to get it working better. I have worked with computers for many years and I typically perform the steps below on every system then evaluate if any further issues remain. Often after just performing these steps the computer is back in service. If you need further assistance after performing these steps you can comment here or contact me via www.georgephillipscomputerservices.com .<br />
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George's Checklist:<br />
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<li>Run CCleaner - https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner</li>
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<li>Download free version</li>
<li>Run the various functions to clean temp files, registry, remove suspicious programs</li>
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<li>Run Malwarebytes - https://www.malwarebytes.org/</li>
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<li>Download and run the free version</li>
<li>Remove the items it finds, including the PUP's</li>
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<li>Run Virus Cleaner</li>
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<li>Windows 8 and Windows 10 have Windows Defender included</li>
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<li>Just search for Defender to launch the program</li>
<li>Update the virus database and perform thorough scan</li>
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<li>Options for other Windows versions such as Windows 7, Vista, XP</li>
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<li>Download Microsoft Security Essentials for Win 7 and Vista</li>
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<li>http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download</li>
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<li>Download Avast for Win XP </li>
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<li>https://www.avast.com/en-us/index</li>
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<li>Update the virus database and perform thorough scan</li>
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<li>Reset browsers to defaults to remove toolbars, plug-in, etc.</li>
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<li>How to reset Internet Explorer</li>
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<li>https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/923737</li>
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<li>How to reset Firefox</li>
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<li>https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firefox-reset-add-ons-and-settings</li>
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<li>How to reset Chrome</li>
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<li>https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/3296214?hl=en</li>
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<li>After resetting you can adjust your homepage. Favorites/Bookmarks will not be affected.</li>
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<br />George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-34429349973904444362013-06-19T10:20:00.000-04:002013-06-19T10:20:36.047-04:00Dell Latitude E6510 Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 AGN intermittently disconnects from wifiI ran across a problem with this model laptop not connecting to our corporate wireless network or it would connect but disconnect intermittently. The laptop would, however, connect to our guest network which had no security. In a nutshell, the wifi driver for this adapter needs to be updated. Microsoft Update and the online checks indicate that the laptop has the latest version which was v13xxx. By visiting the Intel site directly at <a href="http://www.intel.com/support/detect.htm">http://www.intel.com/support/detect.htm</a> an updated wifi driver is needed and can be installed (v15xxx). After this upgrade the wifi connection works as expected.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-29337947569112502872013-06-01T15:54:00.001-04:002013-06-01T15:55:37.763-04:00Re-purpose Older Smart PhonesHave you ever wondered what you can do with your old smart phone after you upgrade to the newest model? You can turn it back into the store for a small credit (about $30) or sell it or leave it in a drawer OR you can turn it into a fully functional wifi device with text and call capabilities for FREE (well, except for the voip plan but it's very cheap) for your tween/teen who is itching for a smart phone but you don't want to pay for a data plan. Below are a few basic steps to get you on your way...at least with an Android device. iPhones aren't worth my time. :)<br />
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<li>Upgrade your existing smart phone and transfer everything you need from the old one such as pictures and contacts. Move over your SD card, if necessary.</li>
<li>Restore your old phone to factory defaults so everything is erased and put back to good working order.</li>
<li>Go through the boot process and setup a Google account as well.</li>
<li>Install and configure Pinger for free texting. You'll also be issued a phone number so others can text you. Calling may be possible through Pinger as well but I prefer the app below.</li>
<li>Purchase a few dollars ($10 is plenty) of VoIP Phone time from a provider online. I used <a href="http://www.voipvoip.com/">www.voipvoip.com</a>. It costs less than 2 cent per minute and can be shared among multiple devices. </li>
<li>Install and configure Sipdroid for calling. Voipvoip.com has turorials to configure your specific device with their service.</li>
</ul>
That's really all you need to do to give your tween/teen a fully functional smart phone with phone and text capabilities. They can use all the apps such as Netflix, Angry Birds, Facebook, etc. as usual. The only catch is they have to be around a wifi connection. Since wifi is so prevalent these days it's a small trade-off and worth the savings of not buying a $60+/month data plan per person.<br />
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When your tween/teen is traveling with camp or sports sometimes it's important for them to be able to text or call when away from wifi. In that case, we have just added a basic phone to our plan for $10 per month without the data plan that they can share. Whichever one needs that capability takes that phone with them on the trip. It may be a little inconvenient at times but most of the time they're happy with their wifi smart phones and we're happy not having to pay for two additional data plans each month. <br />
<br />
If anyone has other ideas to share on this topic I'd love to hear them. If someone can provide information from the iPhone world that would be helpful, too.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-52669056863710521762012-10-03T02:06:00.002-04:002012-10-03T02:06:48.853-04:00Manual Recovery from a Dell Vista Recovery Image - Step-by-Step [The original document is located at http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista/vistarecovery.shtml.]<br />
<br />
The Dell Vista system can normally be restored to factory settings
through a selection on the Vista Advanced Boot Options screen.
To perform a factory restore, first try the F8 method,
"<a href="http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=28C0548D825EB65DE040A68F5B2865A8&c=us&l=en&s=dhs" target="_blank">Dell Factory Image Restore Option in the System Recovery Options Menu</a>".
If that doesn't work, next try the DVD method,
"<a href="http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&l=en&s=gen&docid=298A2E89689E13C2E040A68F5B280AA4&cs" target="_blank">Run PC Restore From a Microsoft Windows Vista DVD</a>".
<br /><br />
Try the above two procedures first.
If neither of those works, try directly accessing the factory image using the procedure below.
Note this procedure assumes the Factory.wim file is still intact and has not been damaged.
<br /><br />
(Note: Click on any image below to view a larger image. Click your browser's 'Back' button to return to this page.)
<br /><br />
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Screen 1:
Boot from the Vista Recovery CD
<br /><br />
Insert the Vista Recovery DVD in the CD/DVD drive.
<br /><br />
Reboot the computer.
<br /><br />
At the POST ("Power-On Self Test") screen with the giant Dell logo, press F12 a few times to get to the BIOS One-Time Boot Menu.
<br /><br />
At the One-Time Boot Menu, select the option to boot from CD/DVD.
<br /><br />
Press any key when you see the prompt, "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.."
<br /><br />
The Windows Recovery Environment will begin loading files.
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Screen 2:
Select your language.
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Screen 3:
Click the "Next" button to continue.
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Screen 4:
Select the option to "Repair your computer".
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<div class="t-col">
Screen 5:
If you see this screen, click "No".
<br /><br />
(We're going to restore the Vista partition from the Dell factory image,
so we do not need to repair the existing Vista installation.)
<br /><br />
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Screen 6:
Click the "Next" button to continue.
<br /><br />
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<div class="t-col">
Screen 7:
This is the main System Recovery Options menu.
<br /><br />
We will use the "Command Prompt" option to perform the factory image
restore.
However, to avoid accidentally overwriting the wrong partition, it would
be wise to first confirm the drive letters the Recovery Environment has
assigned to the relevant partitions.
<br /><br />
To check the drive letters, select the "Windows Complete PC Restore" option.
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Screen 8:
To check the drive letters, select the "Windows Complete PC Restore" option from the System Recovery Options menu.
<br /><br />
If you see this dialog box, click the "Cancel" button to tell Windows to stop looking for a Windows backup.
<br /><br />
("Retry" just returns to this same dialog box.)
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Screen 9:
Click the "Next" button to continue.
<br /><br />
("Cancel" returns to the System Recovery Options menu.)
<br /><br />
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Screen 10:
Click the "Advanced.." button.
<br /><br />
("Cancel" returns to the System Recovery Options menu.)
<br /><br />
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Screen 11:
Click "Install a driver" to continue.
<br /><br />
(Note: we are not going to install a driver, but the other two options, "Search.." and "Cancel", will not let us continue.)
<br /><br />
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Screen 12:
Click the "OK" button to continue.
<br /><br />
("Cancel" returns to the System Recovery Options menu.)
<br /><br />
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<div class="t-col">
Screen 13:
Click the "Computer" button to show the drive letters that the Recovery Environment has assigned to the drives.
<br /><br />
(Note: your computer may show different drive labels or sizes than shown in this example.)
<br /><br />
On a Dell-configured hard disk, the main Vista OS partition will be identified as drive C: with the label "OS",
and the Recovery partition will be identified as drive D: with the label "RECOVERY".
If you have readjusted the partition layout, you may have different labels or drive letters.
<br /><br />
You may double-click any drive letter icon to study the files and folders in each partition.
Once you are satisfied that you know the drive letters of the Recovery partition and the partition we are going to overwrite,
press "Cancel" until you return to the System Recovery Options menu (screen 7).
<br /><br />
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<div class="t-col">
Screen 14:
From the System Recovery Options menu, select the "Command Prompt"
option.
The following instructions assume the Recovery partition (as determined
in screen 13) is drive D: and the Vista OS partition to be overwritten
is C:.
<br /><br />
At the command prompt, type "d:" and press [Enter].
<br /><br />
At the 'D:\' command prompt, type "cd \tools" and press [Enter].
<br /><br />
At the 'D:\Tools' command prompt, type the following command:
<span style="background: #fff;">
<pre> imagex /apply d:\dell\image\factory.wim 1 c:\ </pre>
</span>
When you press the [Enter] key, the ImageX utility will begin
overwriting the C: partition with the contents of the Factory.wim image.
<br /><br />
</div>
<div class="divider">
</div>
<div style="padding: 20px 20px 20px 0;">
<b>Finished.</b>
<br /><br />
The Vista OS partition should now be restored to its contents as it was when originally shipped.
<br /><br />
Reboot and the computer should boot into Vista.
</div>
George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-67702640987786039842011-07-11T10:01:00.000-04:002011-07-11T10:04:19.971-04:00Easy way to find Server / PC serial numberMany times I find myself needing the serial number of a remote server or pc. Below is a simple command line that will provide the information quickly and easily.<br /><br /> C:\>wmic<br /><br /> wmic:root\cli>systemenclosure get serialnumber<br /><br /> SerialNumber<br /> xxxxxxxx<br /><br /> wmic:root\cli>exit<br /><br /> C:\>George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-6768069904769986062011-03-29T11:40:00.000-04:002011-03-29T11:50:31.641-04:00No network connectivity - IPSEC Event ID's 7023, 4292I ran into an issue with a few servers that shutdown unexpectedly. After rebooting the servers appeared to boot normally but would lose network connectivity during the bootup process. I noticed that the IPSEC service would not start with Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified. This is also associated with Event ID 7023. Also in the Windows logs was Event ID 4292 which states that the IPSEC driver has entered Block mode. That error indicates that all inbound and outbound TCP/IP traffic is being blocked. <br /><br />To resolve this issue I followed the solution in Microsoft KB article 870910 at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/870910 . I noticed, however, that the servers didn't have the key indicated in step one so I skipped that part and went to step two to register the dll (regsvr32 polstore.dll) and that resolved the issue for me. Once the dll was registered successfully I was then able to start the IPSEC service and connectivity was restored. I rebooted again for good measure.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-9901283543019892352011-02-07T16:35:00.001-05:002011-02-07T16:35:48.725-05:00Ubuntu CustomizationTo add effects run the command below:<br /><br />sudo apt-get install compiz compiz-plugins compiz-gnome compiz-core emerald compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-fusion-plugins-extra fusion-icon compizconfig-settings-managerGeorge Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-895494681767063382011-02-03T03:35:00.000-05:002011-02-03T03:43:01.088-05:00Blank Screen with Blinking CursorThis is not a pretty site. After trying to boot your pc all you see is a blank, black screen with a white, flashing cursor in the upper-left corner. Below are the steps I took to resolve this issue in Windows 7 (should work in Vista as well, not sure about XP). <br /><br />-Enter the Recovery Console (boot from the Vista/Win7 dvd, system repair, command prompt)<br /><br />-Type both commands below at the command prompt:<br />bootrec /fixboot<br />bootrec /fixmbr<br /><br />-Exit the Recovery Console and reboot<br /><br />That most likely has resolved the issue and the pc will now boot normally. If not you may also have to enter Safe Mode and disable UAC.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-17183158971743903172011-01-26T12:28:00.000-05:002011-01-26T12:30:18.486-05:00How to allow Power Users to add printers in Windows XPFor XP and greater the Load Driver privilege was removed from Power Users<br />for security. You can add this ability back to Power Users by following the instructions below.<br /><br />-Logon with admin privileges<br /><br />-Go to Control Panel/Admin Tools / Local Security Policy / Local Policy / User Rights Assignment/ Load and unload device drivers<br /><br />-Add machine\power users or the specific userGeorge Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-30890673139540785592011-01-20T13:47:00.000-05:002011-01-20T13:51:54.848-05:00Configuring RPC over HTTP (Outlook Anywhere) in UbuntuAt this point it doesn't exist as you might think but there is a fairly simply workaround. I've been able to simulate the same functionality as Outlook Anywhere by using Thunderbird and DavMail. The reference for this info is at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1237875 .George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-14960059195064996712011-01-19T16:56:00.000-05:002011-01-19T17:12:14.718-05:00Configuring OpenDNS client in UbuntuInstall ddclient in Ubuntu and configure file below.<br /><br />-----------------------------------------------<br />/etc/ddclient.conf<br />----------------------------------------------<br /># Configuration file for ddclient generated by debconf<br />#<br /># /etc/ddclient.conf<br /><br />daemon=600<br />ssl=yes<br />use=web, web=whatismyip.org<br />server=updates.opendns.com<br />protocol=dyndns2<br />login=*******<br />password=********<br />xxxxxxxx (your opendns network label)<br />--------------------------------------<br /><br />Other helpful info:<br />sudo /etc/init.d/ddclient status<br />This checks to see whether it is running as a daemon.<br /><br />sudo /etc/init.d/ddclient stop<br />This stops the daemon.<br /><br />sudo /etc/init.d/ddclient stop<br />This starts the daemon.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-68311895534736041182011-01-18T13:47:00.000-05:002011-01-18T13:49:50.100-05:00libXm.so.4 not in Ubuntu affecting Citrix ReceiverUnfortunately, Ubuntu only provide the obsolete libmotif3 version and the not the current version 4 that the receiver is built against. The workaround below will get you going...<br /><br />Install libmotif3:<br />sudo apt-get install libmotif3<br /><br />Created symlink:<br />sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libXm.so.3.0.2 /usr/lib/libXm.so.4<br /><br />Applications -> Internet -> Citrix Receiver = Working fine!George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-71009583814747408932011-01-18T13:03:00.000-05:002011-01-18T13:09:03.500-05:00SSL error 61 with Citrix on Firefox and UbuntuThis error is caused by missing certificates on Ubuntu Ica Client. The solution is : "cp /usr/share/ca-certificates/mozilla/* /usr/lib/ICAClient/keystore/cacerts/"<br /><br />In other word's copy your mozzilla firefox certificates to the citrix instalation folder.<br /><br />To paste into the ICA folder you may need to press ALT-F2, type the command below then click RUN. <br /><br />use the command : "gksu nautilus /usr/lib/ICAClient/keystore/cacerts"<br /><br />You should then be able to paste the certificates into the ICA folder.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-1611840730674873772010-10-21T10:48:00.000-04:002010-10-21T10:56:32.806-04:00How to grant "Allow log on through Terminal Services" rightThis is often a pesky problem that I have to search for so I'm adding it to my blog as reference and for any others that may have the same issue. I've found that adding a user to the Remote Desktop Users group alone does not allow them to logon to a server via RDP unless they are also in the Administrators group. If you don't want the user in the Administrators group you can follow the directions below to allow them access.<br /><br />1.Open gpedit.msc (the local group policy editor)<br />2.Expand Local Computer Policy –> Computer Configuration –> Windows Settings –> Security Settings –> Local Policies –> User Rights Management<br />3.Look for the setting on the right called "Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services"<br />4.Double click that policy<br />5.Add the user or group you would like to have remote access to the box. I personally added the Remote Desktop Users group.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-12358474258107952302010-06-15T10:32:00.001-04:002010-06-15T10:33:54.226-04:00Outlook 2007 Calendar FreezesThis fix removes the To-Do Task list from the Calendar view so that it no longer freezes.<br /><br /><br />-open Outlook, click Tasks under Current Mailbox, on the far-upper right you'll see a To Do Bar with a small calendar. Click YESTERDAY'S date on that small calendar to open the calendar without it crashing.<br />-Then click 'View' at the top of the screen, 'Daily Task List' and 'Off' - that will remove the Task List view from your calendar.<br /><br />Close Outlook and reopen. Try accessing your calendar to see if it behaves normally.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-65652254680820863622010-06-15T10:22:00.000-04:002010-06-15T10:30:36.893-04:00Home Folders map incorrectlyI came across this fix that resolved our issues with Home Folders not mapping correctly or completely.<br /><br />Turn off Fast Logon Optimization:<br />Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon\ Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon<br /><br />If that alone doesn't resolve the issue then also configure the pc to Run Logon Scripts Synchronously:<br />In GPO Enable (Computer Configuration->Administrative Templates ->System->Scripts->Run logon script synchronously<br /><br />**If you don't see these Administrative Templates then right-click Administrative Templates under User Configuration and click on Add/Remove Templates. Then click Add and make sure you're in c:\windows\inf. Choose at least system.adm. Click Open and then Close to add those files to your GPO editor.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-73037789084408774822010-06-13T09:03:00.000-04:002010-06-13T09:13:02.449-04:00Convert AOL Favorites to Internet Explorer FavoritesI found that converting AOL Favorites to Internet Explorer Favorites isn't an easy process. Fortunately I came across an easy way to make the conversion after much searching. Below is the process.<br /><br />What you first need to do is export your favorites from within AOL.<br /><br />1 - Go to Favorites > Favorite Places > Save/Replace<br /><br />2 - Save the file to your computer. A good place would be your desktop or My Documents.<br /><br />Note: The file you save will have a .pfc extension<br /><br /><br /><br />After you save your AOL Favorites to your computer go to the <a href="http://www.linkagogo.com/go/Convert?informat=aol&outformat=ie">linkaGoGo Convert Bookmark File utility </a><br /><br />1 - The input format should be set on AOL 8 or 9 Personal Filing Cabinet (PFC)<br /><br />2 - The output format should be set on Internet Explorer (or whatever browser you're using)<br /><br />3 - Click the Browse button to find the .pfc file you exported from AOL<br /><br />4 - Click the Convert button and you'll be prompted to save a bookmarks.html file. A good place would be your desktop or My Documents.<br /><br /><br /><br />Now you're ready to Import the bookmarks in Internet Explorer<br /><br />1 - Open Internet Explorer and click File > Import & Export<br /><br />2 - Click on Next<br /><br />3 - Choose Import Favorites. Click on Next.<br /><br />4 - Choose Import from a File or Address, Browse for the bookmarks.html you saved from the linkaGoGo site and click Next.<br /><br /><br /><br />Your AOL Favorites should now appear in Internet Explorer.George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com234tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-88609735612973013712010-04-28T09:40:00.001-04:002010-04-28T14:08:37.084-04:00This blog has moved<br /> This blog is now located at http://blog.georgephillipscomputerservices.com/.<br /> You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click <a href='http://blog.georgephillipscomputerservices.com/'>here</a>.<br /><br /> For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to<br /> http://blog.georgephillipscomputerservices.com/feeds/posts/default.<br /> George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111028402898868777.post-50299752272290498632010-03-19T10:05:00.000-04:002010-03-19T10:10:03.573-04:00How to determine .NET Framework version?If you ever have a need to determine what version of the .NET Framework version is installed on your computer you realize that it can be difficult. Below is a link to a website that will make it easy and determine it for you and provide links to download the latest version if necessary.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hanselman.com/smallestdotnet">http://www.hanselman.com/smallestdotnet</a>George Phillips Computer Serviceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11374101084162766604noreply@blogger.com0