For as long as I can remember, every version of Windows has enabled me to see what processes are running, except maybe Windows 3.11. As I continued to use Windows over the years, Control + Alt + Delete evolved into a useful tool, executing taskmgr.exe, showing more than the simple “Close Program” dialog box of the Windows 98 era. It became easy to identify what services were necessary (by simply running services.msc and checking what was set to Automatic, Manual or Disabled) and what processes shipped with Windows and what were running as after-market installations.

Essentially, I memorized what processes are “supposed” to be running, what are necessary and what are not. For example, I usually terminate qttask.exe because it isn’t absolutely necessary and it just takes up CPU threads that could be doing something else. Identifying what processes are supposed to be running is of deep-rooted importance to me because it gives me a sense of security of the system I am running. Aside from rootkits using advanced virtualization-style hijacking (permenant archive) techniques, identifying the processes enables me to know whether the system is compromised at-a-glance.

Back in the Windows 3.11 days, I did not have an anti-virus solution of any kind, however I downloaded all sorts of executables and even programmed a few oldschool “proggies” of my own. Because I didn’t run any anti-virus software, I scanned executables manually using a hex editor — while this wasn’t a perfect solution by any means, most software was relatively simple back then so I could readily identify a password stealer or trojan horse by simply digging through the hex line by line. Using a hex editor to identify viruses and other malicious software worked fine back then, but would be an impossibility now.

Another interesting fact about older systems was that if you pressed Control + Alt + Delete on a Windows98 machine, and it didn’t respond, you could check if it was terminally crashed by pressing Control + Alt + End, if the system emitted a PC Speaker single “beep” at you, then you knew the system was still active and would eventually regain stability and if you heard no audible beep, then the system was most likely done and you’d have to force shut it down.

Anyhow, with 2000/NT and XP I was able to quickly and easily identify whats services and processes were supposed to be running; so when I came across a new computer to diagnose, I could see what foreign processes needed to be identified and look them up accordingly.

This ease-of-identification process has ended with Vista. Now, when I bring up the Task Manager or Services list, there is such an immense amount of processes running that I have mentally given up keeping track of what is “okay” to be running and what isn’t. I continue to use the Windows Defender software explorer feature to disable certain applications from starting up, but that is the extent of my process-checking for the most part with Vista.

In my experiences, the average (OEM) Vista installation seems to have well over 80 processes which is a frighteningly high number. Even as I remove programs and block startup processes, however, that number doesn’t dwindle all that much. Vista is a fantastic operating system and comes highly recommended over XP, however, if you intend to track processes you’ll have to use something like Process Explorer.

I don’t particularly mind not being able to look over every single process in Vista, because I know it is inherently much more secure than XP and more difficult to penetrate, thanks to the inclusion of Windows Defender, sandboxing, firewall improvements, etc., it’s easier to lock down and secure the system anyway. So, on the one hand it’s nice to not think about it all the time, and on the other hand I feel like I am relinquishing too much control over to the OS.

admin@variableghz.com

I remember beta testing Windows 95 when it was code-named Chicago. Back then, I was running MS DOS 6.22 and running Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11. I also beta tested numerous versions of Windows 98 when it was codenamed Memphis, Windows 2000, Windows XP, which brings us to this century where I beta tested so many versions of Microsoft Windows Vista (or, Longhorn) that I can’t even recall. I watched as Microsoft scrambled to try to meet the security disaster that were plaguing Windows XP. Some of you may not recall, but Windows XP was such a disaster in terms of security that it was rare to find a computer running a default copy of Windows XP, without a ridiculous infestation of spyware of some kind.

Back in the DOS days, I rarely used Windows 3.11 for hardly anything. I would use DOS to copy files, defragment my computer, browse BBSs, send e-mails, write batch scripts, just about everything. In fact, even when I switched over to using Windows more often I would still go back to DOS to do simple copy commands because it was easier for me to just write out the commands longhand. I used a hex editor to check executables for viruses because I didn’t have any antivirus software at the time. I guess my point is that Microsoft has had more than enough time to make a working security model for Windows.

The fact that they missed that opportunity, decided on UAC (User Account Control), made updates in service pack 1 (SP1) for Vista, and it still prompts me every single time I uninstall a program despite the fact that I may have uninstall the program dozens of times… is absurd. Why is there no option for me to check a box labeled simply “do not prompt me again.”? The lack of such a checkbox is what drives me to completely disable UAC.

For those of you who don’t know, to disable UAC simply open up the control panel type “UAC” in the upper right search box, click “Initial Turn User Account Control On or Off” uncheck the box and press OK, then reboot.

I read numerous articles by Paul Thurrott telling me to keep UAC enabled because it’s far more secure. I agree. It is more secure for a variety of reasons that operate under the hood, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Simply the fact that Windows Vista comes with Windows Defender in many ways makes Windows so much more secure than XP particularly when combined with powerful anti-virus such as a Avast! That it seems unnecessary to piss off end users with UAC.

Obviously, on Microsoft’s decision to have every single user treated as a default administrator in Windows XP was a catastrophe. I know that I’m writing this article a little bit late, given that Microsoft is about to release Windows 7 in short order and they intend to fix UAC dramatically. However, I felt it necessary to explain why I still refuse to enable UAC on my computers.

Initially, I was very excited about UAC. Microsoft promised again and again (SP1 articles, but you get the idea) to make UAC less intrusive and less irritating in general. At the time of launch, however, it was still prompting far too frequently. None of this morning, in any way, is going to affect the type of people who actually need to be warned of their stupidity. The above linked articles discuss SP1, but it’s essentially the same thing, Microsoft said it before launch, and they said it again before SP1… it still pisses me off.

Simply put, UAC is a nice gesture and in some ways an improvement, but I just don’t see how it can practically prevent anything more than antivirus and anti-spyware solutions already provide. That is to say, I cannot imagine anybody actually clicking cancel and preventing something from loading. I just don’t expect the average computer user to know what should and should not be running. Isn’t that how Norton has gotten away with making millions off of people not knowing anything better? Average computer users don’t know what should be allowed to run, it is the job of anti-spyware and antivirus to figure this out for the average computer user. I was happy to hear that Microsoft has announced that they intend to offer free antivirus software (codename: “Morro”) for this exact reason. Maybe this will have the added benefit of finally getting rid of Symantec once and for all. Good riddance.

I get particularly bothered when UAC prompts me for things like disk defragmenter. How on earth can the disk defragmenter possibly have any sort of adverse effect on the entire system? What sort of malicious software would ever want to launch the disk defragmenter? And, if so, and worst-case scenario the disk defragmenter were maliciously launched, then what?

If you can think of any time that UAC has actually helped you prevent anything bad from happening, please let me know.

Related software: TweakUAC.

As always, e-mail or comment with questions.

admin@variableghz.com

Physically, the TX2500 varies very little from the TX1000, where the major improvements lie are in the touchscreen and performance. My feeling about the TX1000 was that it was drastically underpowered and not up for the challenge of running Vista. The TX2500, however, feels powerful, balanced, and runs cool to boot.

The screen is very reflective, but no more so than the TX1000 which I got used to very quickly. It’s not a big deal after a little while. The touchscreen works quite well both with the wacom pen or direct touch. Here is a poorly made video demonstrating the TX2500 touchscreen:

(YouTube, Google Video, Metacafe, Veoh, MSN Video, Blip.TV, DailyMotion)

Specs:
- Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 1 (32-bit))
- AMD Turion(TM) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-84 (2.3GHz)
- 12.1″ diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800) w/Integrated Touch-screen display
- 3GB DDR2 System Memory
- ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3200 Graphics
- 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
- Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Echo)
- Wireless-N Card w/ Bluetooth
- DVD/CD drive, LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW DL
- 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

This neat little Flash intro plays after booting the computer up for the first time.

However, in typical low-end PC fashion, HP tries to force Norton on you and the fun stops there.

Bummer. I clicked Yes. If there was any company I’d like to see fail, even more than GM, it would be Symantec.

I timed the initial set up of the notebook just for fun, results were 26 minutes, 13 seconds until I had a working desktop and the hdd stopped thrashing.

Few more photos of the unit:

After the computer was up and running, I uninstalled the following:

Yahoo! Toolbar

Yeah. I’m sure.

Viewpoint Media Player
SlingPlayer
Slingbox Flash Tour
QuickPlay SlingPlayer 0.4.6
Cyberlink PowerDirector
Cyberlink Power2Go
Norton Internet Security
My HP Games (WildTangent, must uncheck every one individually)
muvee autoProducer 6.1
Microsoft Works
Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2007
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007
LiveUpdate
HP Update
HP Smart Web Printing
HP PhotoSmart Essential 2.5
HP Help and Support
HP Customer Experience Enhancements
CyberLink DVD Suite
Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system
Adobe Reader 8.1.0
Activation Assistant for the 2007 Microsoft Office suites

Then…

Installed 37 Windows Updates
Restart. Received the following error message:

Oh no!

Error automagically solved itself.

Install 6 more Windows Updates.
Received this error message:

Then…

Set IE7 homepage from hp-laptop.aol.com to google.com
Set IE7 search default from Yahoo to Google. Remove ask.com and yahoo permanently.
Restart.
Install 3 more Windows Updates.
Restart.
Install 2 more Windows Updates.
Restart.
Disabled UAC, set DPI to 120, disable automatic Windows Defender scans.

I was a little troubled by the number of processes running by default:

83 seems a bit high.

Using Windows Defender’s Software Explorer feature, I disable the following from starting automatically:

bttray.exe
sm56hlpr.exe
qpservice.exe
MUIStartMenu.exe
HPHC_Scheduler.exe
HPWAMain.exe

Installed the following programs:

Avast! Anti-Virus
Firefox
CCleaner
Google Chrome

Microsoft Office Professional Plus

… and that’s about it. The system is stable, good to go. I won’t go into details about heat and speed because other reviewers have documented that already. What I hadn’t seen was many photos of the unit until now.

Technical details/more reviews are over here, and here.

admin@variableghz.com

Enough. I want you to stop emailing yourself files, telling somebody over the phone where your stuff is, driving back home to turn on your PC to retrieve a file you forgot… Enough is enough. It’s time for a real solution. Rather, a combination of solutions to ensure this problem is eradicated for good — and I mean it!

VNC to the rescue? Yes, provided it is properly configured and secured. In this How-To, you’ll learn how to set up VNC to be your primary, secure, stable and immediately accessible remote data solution. In addition, you’ll also learn how DropBox can make for a fantastic alternative in the event VNC cannot connect or you need more realtime connectivity. Okay, let’s jump right in.

What is VNC, and which “flavor” should I be running?

VNC (Virtual Network Connection) is a powerful tool that enables you to access your remote PC or laptop from a another device anywhere you can get an Internet connection. The benefits are enormous — you can access your data from virtually anywhere! Controlling a remote computer over VNC is generally quite simple, you use your mouse and keyboard just as though you were right in front of that PC. VNC is not simple to set up for everyone, not even for so-called experts.

In addition to its remote computer-to-computer capabilities, some versions of VNC run so quickly that when used over a LAN (Local Area Connection) you can even use a spare laptop or computer as an extra monitor. More on that later.

There are a few “flavors” of VNC — RealVNC, TightVNC and my favorite, UltraVNC. Each has their advantages and disadvantages but in my opinion, UltraVNC has the least disadvantages and has proven to be the most stable and has the most robust feature set of any that I’ve ever used. It’s free and you should consider donating if you find it of great value, as I do. The primary reasons why you should go with UltraVNC over the others are: (1) VNC hook driver, this makes your connection with the remote computer (or LAN) incredibly fast and the display looks amazing; (2) file-transfer utility, this incredible feature is built right into the UltraVNC viewer; (3) ability to send custom keys (and CTRL + ALT + DEL); and (4) extras such as VNC chat and lots more.

Where VNC gets complicated.

Alright. You want VNC at home. VNC needs a few planets to align correctly before it can work: (1) it needs an IP address of the computer you are trying to connect to, known as the “VNC Server”; (2) the VNC Server needs a port to be “forwarded” from your router in order to accept the incoming connection, the defaults for this are 5800 (web, more on that later) and 5900; (3) the VNC Server must be running or the connection will not be accepted; and (4) your firewall must not be blocking the incoming connection.

Seems like a lot? Well, it gets worse. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) most likely has a dynamic IP (Internet Protocol) set up for you. This means that your IP address changes, (and it eventually will sooner or later) your VNC connection will no longer work if you haven’t taken note of your new WAN (Wide Area Network, or “Public”) IP address. The solution for this is to link your IP address to something that won’t change sporadically. I use the fine folks over at Dynamic Network Services, Inc. They have an amazing array of services, but for the purposes of this How-To I am only focusing on making your dynamic IP “static.” Once you register an account (free or paid, your choice), you then install the DynDNS client, here (permanent archive).

Once you link the DynDNS service to your DynDNS account. It should look something like this on the website:

In my instance, I used the *.getmyip.com url, easy to memorize. There are dozens to choose from. Your system tray should look like this:

(note: the DynDNS icon may vary, depending on what version you have installed).

Alright. So now we have your IP staticized. Now we can get to installing VNC. As I mentioned earlier, I recommend UltraVNC for the aforementioned reasons. Download their latest version and install it (make sure you get the latest version and the correct one for your operating system).

When you install UltraVNC, you want to be sure to select that it installs as a service. By installing it as a service, you will be able to lock your screen in Windows thereby allowing for another layer of security. Moreover, having the UltraVNC server as a service enables you to use extra features like being able to send Control Alt Delete to the host machine, chat, file transfer, and the ability to kill Explorer.exe in the event a problem arises. Don’t forget this crucial step.

(UltraVNC Server running as a service. To access services, hold down the Windows Key and press R for Run, then type services.msc)

Once UltraVNC is installed properly you will see the blue eye in your system tray. Set a password, preferably one that differs from your Windows password so that when you walk away from your computer, you can lock your PC for added security. (You can “lock” your PC by holding down the Windows Key on your keyboard, and tapping L simultaneously.)

So, we got UltraVNC ready to rock; we got DynDNS up and runnin’; now, we need to check out your port situation. We know that the VNC defaults use port 5900, so that port needs to be open and ready to accept connections. I cannot walk you through specific firewall issues because I have no idea what kind of firewall you are using — so, read you manual, ask your tech, do somethin’ but make sure it isn’t messing with your VNC connection. (note: you can check open ports by going to the command line, and typing netstat -a)

Next, if you are using a router (and you likely are), your port needs to be “forwarded.” If you are not familiar with this terminology, listen up. A router in your home allows multiple users to connect to one Internet connection. This is made possible by local IP addresses. On linksys routers, the default local IPs are usually something like this: 192.168.1.2. The first computer you plug into the router will be automatically configured to the “lowest” local IP address. So, the next computer would then be 192.168.1.3, for example. If you turn off your computer from time to time (you’ll have to restart once in a while for updates, etc.) then your local IP may change, thereby disrupting your local IP “forwarding” — major problem for consistency.

Every Internet connection on the Internet has an IP address, you can think of this is a license plate on a car. Each “person in the car” is a computer connected to the router with a local IP address.

Still confused? Stay with me. We’re first gonna lock down your local IP address to something that doesn’t move. But in order to do that, we need to gather some information first. We need to know your DNS servers, and your default gateway (router IP address).

Hold down the Windows Key on your keyboard, and press R to bring up the Run dialog box. Type cmd and press enter. CMD is, as far as I know, short for “command,” since the command prompt is where you, well, type commands. For a while (in XP I believe) you can type cmd or command to execute the command prompt. In Vista, you can only type cmd.

At the command prompt, type IPConfig /all and press Enter. Make sure you use a forward-slash. Know the difference, this is a forward slash /, and this is a backslash \. Don’t confuse the two. In this particular case it doesn’t matter, but other times it will.

Take note of the following information:

- Default Gateway

- Both DNS Servers

- Your current Local IP address

So now we have that information written down. Notice how my local IP address is 192.168.1.2? As I mentioned before, that’s a problem — so let’s dive in and change that. You’ll need to get to the “Properties” of your Network connection. This is tricky to explain, because it varies depending on what OS you’re using. In Vista Ultimate x64 which I happen to use, you get to it by going into the Control Panel and navigating to the Network Connections, right click on your Network Connection, select Properties, double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 and then you’ll see the IPV4 Properties dialog box which should look like this:

So, notice how I typed in my own local IP address? I chose 192.168.1.8, this decreases my chances of running into an IP address conflict with another computer or mobile device connected to my router. My Default Gateway is the IP address of my router, and the DNS Servers match the data we got from the IPConfig /all. Still with me? Terrific. Let’s move on.

Now with our local IP address in place, we can connect to our router and forward our local IP to the WAN IP. Remember, the WAN IP is the IP address that is available to the public (I use www.whatismyip.com to find out what my WAN IP address is, simply because that domain name is incredibly easy to memorize). The DynDNS takes care of updating your local IP to the static web address (whatever.getmyip.com, for example) and the forwarding enables the incoming connection from port 5900 to “pierce” through the local IP and get straight to your computer. So we need to tell the router “when something tries to access computer 192.168.1.8 on port 5900, please let go through.” Make sense?

Since all versions, makes and models of routers vary, I cannot give you specific instructions on how to go about doing this. I will show you what my Linksys router looks like when forwarded properly as an example:

So now my router knows how to deal with my local IP correctly. Now, when I boot up the UltraVNC viewer from anywhere, I can connect to the static web url that I chose from the DynDNS and connect through to my computer 99% of the time without any problems.

Remember, VNC isn’t foolproof. A power outage, system failure, bluescreen, a change in DNS servers, or any other kind of problem can cause your VNC connection to fail. In the event this happens and you cannot connect to VNC, you need a backup plan. DropBox is that backup plan and so much more.

Enter Dropbox. In a nutshell, Dropbox is a piece of software that runs on your computer, it links itself to a folder entitled, “My Dropbox” which automatically syncs any data you put into that folder with other computers that you “link.” Some of you might be thinking “so? I use livemesh” or whatever other cloud based storage solution. Well, I am here to tell you to forget about the rest, Dropbox is the one to beat — performance is incredible, the whole process is very well considered, seamless and stable.

My advice to you is simple. Install Dropbox. Get your account sync’d up. Make a shortcut to Dropbox on your desktop like so:

When you make changes to any files inside of the Dropbox folder, the changes are replicated to the Dropbox servers and then when any other computers which are linked to your Dropbox account are turned on, immediately sync as well. Since the files are actually downloaded, you can access them even if your Internet connection is down at a later time:

Dropbox notifications are non-intrusive and informative. With Dropbox and VNC configured properly, your files are always at hand. VNC can be used on a variety of clients, including mobile phones, this can be very handy if you need to do something while you’re not at a computer. If you have a modern smartphone you should look and see if there is a VNC client for it.

admin@variableghz.com