Block Or Unblock Websites without software !

Many times in schools, colleges & offices surfing some sites like orkut,etc are banned !

To overcome this you can unblock these or block some other websites and play pranks !

Do The Following :

For eg you want to block www.xyz.com !

* Open the folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

* There you will find a file named HOSTS

* Click on the file and press SHIFT and now right click on it .

* From the right click menu select Open with .

* Now, select Notepad to open the file from the list !

* Now, in the file under the line 127.0.0.1 localhost add another line as 127.0.0.2 www.xyz.com.

* Now, File>>Save !

Now, open your web browser and try openning www.xyz.com , it will not load !

To unblock sites just do the opposite !

PC Security Tips : Make Computer Secure

Here are some tips which will enable you to make your PC more secure.

Anti-virus
1. Never, ever turn off the resident protection of your antivirus even if it decreases performance. Upgrade if necessary.
2. Keep your virus definitions up-to-date. Use the automatic update feature of your anti-virus and try not to ignore the "Do you want to update now" message however often it might pop up.
3. Even if you update regularly and you have not seen any suspicious activity on your PC, do a deep scan at least once a month.
4. Always create an emergency boot disk and keep it in a safe place.

5. Run a deep scan in safe mode at least once every two months to kill viruses that would otherwise remain hidden.
Firewalls
1. If you are unsure about the alert displayed by your firewall, try searching it on the internet.
2. A firewall is a powerful tool that requires an understanding of how the program works and exactly what it is doing and whether it is secure or not. Reading the help files is extremely important in successful configuration of your firewall.

3. If you are running a third party firewall,be sure to turn off the Windows Firewall.
4. You can temporarily disable a firewall by right clicking the icon in the tray. This is handy when you know a site is one you can trust but your firewall is blocking it. But remember to re-enable it as soon as possible.
5. Read firewall notices carefully when they pop up so that you don't let a bad thing in or prevent good traffic.

Anti-Spyware
1. You should regularly check for updates. Enable the automatic update feature.
2. Remember to do a scan every now and then, or schedule scans if your program allows it. If you don't want to sit that long for scans to complete, use a single folder for all your downloads, then scan only that folder, Windows installation folder and the Registry. Alternately, you can do a quick scan if your program allows it.

Anti-Spam
1. Be patient with anti-spam software, it will get better over time.
2. Even if it looks that your anti-spam software is working great, periodically check the 'Spam' folder for good mail. None of the anti-spam software is perfect right now.
3. Don't give your anti-spam software too much rules, because it will not learn anything then. It is better if it learns on its own.
For a complete article on securing your PC.

How to Unblock Websites at School, Work, Home or Anywhere

Internet Censorship has grown drastically over the past few years with countries like China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran taking the lead over other governments in extending internet censorship to almost all sources of free unbiased information. Some schools and offices also prevent users from accessing certain websites which they believe are of no use in the respective areas. Governments sometimes enforce censorship on all forms of print and digital media like newspapers and television. China is known to have even forced Google to filter its search results. In such times, sometime you may need to access a website that is blocked. This article explains how.

Which websites are most commonly Blocked?

The most commonly blocked websites include websites about pop culture, health, medicine, women, religion and politics. Social websites that are often blocked include Blogger (Blogspot) blogs, Google News, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Flickr, Hulu, LinkedIn, Yahoo! Messenger, Typepad, eBay, WikiLeaks, Digg, Reddit, Technorati, StumbleUpon, Delicious, Wikipedia, YouTube, DMOZ etc.

Access Blocked Websites at School, Work or Anywhere

There are many genuine reasons for which you might visit blocked websites at your school or office. Given below are the many ways you can use to regain access to the blocked website you wish to visit.

1. Cache: Many search engines maintain a cache of web pages indexed by them. You can search for a website on Google , Yahoo! or Bing and click on the cached link that is given next to the result. To load the web pages more quickly, you can visit the text-only version.

2. Using Google Mobile Search: Google Mobile Search acts as a proxy which you can use easily. It removes all the CSS styling and JavaScript and presents a stripped down version of the web page to the user from it's own server. Due to this, the blocking software feels that you are visiting Google, whereas in reality, you are viewing the blocked website. It also breaks larger pages into many smaller ones. Go to Google Mobile Search.

3. To access a blocked website, you can enter the IP address instead of the URL in your browser's address bar. This can bypass most basic forms of website blocks. Although if the blocking software maps the IP address to the website domain, the website will still remain blocked. You can find the IP address of the website by pinging the website domain name in command prompt and noting its IP address. Execute ping www.tweakandtrick.com in command prompt to ping www.tweakandtrick.com.

4. Access Blocked Websites using Google Translate or Yahoo! Babelfish. You can also use translational services to get on blocked websites. To do so, enter a language different from the website in the 'From' field and English in the "To" field. You can also use this method to bypass software that block websites on the basis of specific keyword mentions. Just translate the URL you wish to visit in a different language to overcome the keyword block.

5. Proxy Websites: There are many proxy websites (anonymizers) which open blocked websites on their servers and present the data to you. This hides from the service providers the address of the website you are trying to visit. Few popular free ones include Anonymouse and KProxy.

6. Use RSS Readers for Accessing Restricted Blogs: All blogs syndicate their content via RSS feeds which you can subscribe to in web based RSS Readers like Bloglines to access blocked content. For example, the RSS feed of this blog is located at http://www.tweakandtrick.com/rss.xml.

7. Use IP Address to Decimal Conversion: If you cannot access blocked websites, you can enter the decimal equivalent of the URL's IP address to get access to restricted websites. Search Google for IP to Decimal + IP Address of the banned website and Google will convert it into decimal. Enter that into your browser's address bar and see if the blocked website opens.

8. Create a 2 layered Unblocker: Just go to Google Translate or Yahoo! Babelfish, open any proxy website inside it and then use that proxy website to access your blocked website. In this way, you can achieve two layered website unblocking.

9. TOR: TOR or The Onion Router is a free software that protects the privacy and security of its users by channeling data through multiple nodes so as to prevent the orginal data from being unscrambled. Although browsing through TOR is a bit slow, it is one of the most effective ways of bypassing restricted websites.

10. Nyud.net: To unblock blocked websites, just add nyud.net to their URL. For example, if this blog (www.tweakandtrick.com) is blocked, you can visit it by going to www.tweakandtrick.com.nyud.net.

11. Opera Mini Simulator: Opera offers a web based version of Opera Mini to allow users to get an experience of what it is like. You can use this demo version to access most websites that offer their mobile versions. Even websites that do not offer a mobile version can be viewed through this, although the quality of the results obtained may not be that good.

12. Changing DNS servers: A common way of blocking websites is preventing DNS servers from giving the locations of the blocked website's servers. In such a scenario, changing your DNS servers to OpenDNS's or Google's DNS will be your best option to get over the block. As an additional advantage, this will also increase your internet speed.

13. VPN Software: VPN or Virtual Private Network Software can be described as a tunnel under the public network that offers more anonymity than proxy websites as it also encrypts the data transferred by the blocked website thus, offering complete anonymity when you access your favorite web applications. Although most VPN software are available as paid software only, HotSpotShield is a popular free alternative.

14. IP Hiding Software: Sometimes, websites block users on a particular IP address from visiting themselves. In such cases, free IP hiding software like UltraSurf can be used to visit them. While free software offer very less features as compared to paid ones, they are still effective for overcoming most common blocks.

15. Edit your host files: Some malware and blocking software edit your host files and add a website's address to prevent you from visiting that website. In such a scenario, you can edit your host file with Notepad by visiting “C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc” if C is your system drive and remove that website. In Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, a warning from UAC might be displayed while editing your host files

Ten Fast Fixes for Wi-Fi Problems

 Ten Fast Fixes for Wi-Fi Problems
Essential Troubleshooting Tips for Setting Up, Securing, and Using Your Wireless Network

1. I cannot connect to my router. How do I resolve this?

This is a wide-open problem with an almost limitless range of causes and solutions, but here are several actions that might do the trick. First, make sure your router is configured for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). If it is, try disabling and re-enabling the DHCP function. If that doesn't work, disable wireless security and see if you get a connection; sometimes a mismatched Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) key can drop the IP address. You should also check for electrical interference from competing devices such as cordless phones, baby monitors, alarm systems, and microwave ovens. Disable all suspect devices, then recheck your Wi-Fi connection. If all else fails, reboot the router and all computers on your network.
2. What steps should I take to secure my Wi-Fi network?

Routers typically offer at least two common forms of security: WEP, and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption. Both are easy to enable, although you'll get maximum protection from WPA. To activate security, go to your router's browser-based administration tool (the default address for most routers is http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1) and look for the wireless-security area. WPA requires you to enter a simple security phrase (eight to 63 characters), or, with some routers, a more secure (but much harder to remember) 64-digit key. Similarly, WEP demands that you choose from 64-bit or 128-bit encryption, and enter an alphanumeric hex phrase, with some routers giving you the option to enter a simpler ASCII phrase. In addition to enabling wireless security, you can also disable the broadcasting of the Service Set Identifier (SSID, or network name). Doing so can make the network more difficult for hackers to see. Also, make sure to enable the router's hardware firewall (more on that later), and change the router's default password. And do not enable file sharing, unless you really use it. This will safeguard your personal files from interlopers.
3. How do I open ports on my router?

Certain functions and applications—personal Web servers, IP Webcams, home FTP servers, and online games—require that you open ports on your router to allow outside requests to be sent to an internal computer on a home network. This procedure, called port forwarding, is pretty straightforward. First, you'll need to find out which ports you need to open for your particular application or service. Then, you'll open those ports on the router. All models vary slightly, but the process is similar. Open your router's configuration tool, and find a tab labeled Port Forwarding. Enter the service or software name, then type the Start Port and End Port numbers. If you're opening one port, enter the same number in both fields. Select TCP as the protocol, then click OK. Check your router's Web site for instructions for your specific brand or take a look at Port Forward, for help.
4. How do I extend the range of my wireless signal?
Improving a wireless signal is an inexact science that's part voodoo, part trial and error. No two homes are alike, and no two solutions will work for everyone, but here are some common guidelines. First, position your antenna on a high perch clear of obstructions. (The wireless signal radiates down.) Keep in mind that certain things will interfere with the signal: objects with high water content, metal, and dense building materials such as brick, stucco, and concrete. So avoid blocks of liquid (fish tanks and water coolers), and metal pipes and construction.
If antenna positioning doesn't help, you can get an extender (or "repeater"), such as the Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander WRE54G, available for around $90. Devices like this will boost your range from 50 to 75 feet, but they can be tricky because they require setup and configuration. A somewhat easier (if visually less elegant) approach is Wireless Garden's Super Cantenna. This $39.95 tripod-mounted, high-gain antenna connects to your router and can be pointed at a specific area to amplify the signal. It's easy to set up, but it ain't pretty.
5. How do I automatically connect to a Wi-Fi network without having to manually connect the first time?

If you just want to connect fast to any available network, you can set your notebook to do so automatically. Go to Control Panel > Network Connections and right-click your current wireless network. Then click Properties > Wireless Networks > Advanced. Make sure the radio button next to "Any available network (access point preferred)" is on, then check the box "Automatically connect to non-preferred networks." 
6. Which wireless channel should I use?

Wireless 802.11b and 802.11g routers have 11 channels in the United States (in Europe, 13), and most routers come set to channel 6 as the default. If you experience interference—from a neighbor's router, for instance—you can change your channel to solve the problem. Channels 1, 6, and 11 are non-overlapping channels; other channels overlap a bit. So if your neighbor's network uses channel 6, change your router to 1 or 11. You'll typically find channel settings on the router's basic wireless-settings page. Just click the drop-down menu and select an alternate channel, then save the settings.
7. How do I share files on a wireless network?
First, you'll need to set up a workgroup and make sure that all PCs are assigned to the same workgroup. Next, enable file sharing in Windows. First, right-click on the folder you want to share, choose Sharing and Security from the right-click context menu, then click the Sharing tab. Put checks in the boxes labeled "Share this folder on a network" and "Allow network users to change my files" to enable others to modify the documents. Finally, click OK.
8. Should I allow other people to access my Wi-Fi service? What are the dangers?
Some users see no harm in sharing the Wi-Fi love, giving neighbors and even total strangers free access to the Internet. Others maintain that piggybacking can open their networks to potential danger. The decision is yours, but if you choose not to encrypt, make sure to disable file sharing. Assuming you have your hardware firewall turned on, the worst that probably will happen is that your throughput will drop if your piggybacking neighbors crank up BitTorrent every evening. If you want to determine whether others are using your unsecured network, most routers have a page that lists all the wireless clients currently connected.
Most people, however, are not comfortable with the idea of allowing just anyone to use their wireless service. In theory, the practice can make your network vulnerable to hackers, since anyone who uses your wireless signal is on your home network. Malevolent users, for instance, could release nasty viruses or hijack your PC. That's not terribly likely, but you should avoid the possibility by using WPA to protect yourself and keep others off your network.
9. Should I worry about packet sniffers grabbing my information when I browse the Web at public hot spots?
Yes, you should at least consider this possibility, although whether you do anything about it depends on the sensitivity of your data and your level of paranoia. Anyone can install packet-sniffing software that will enable him or her to eavesdrop on what you do at a public hot spot. These snoops can read your e-mails and see what Web sites you visit, but they will not have access to the files on your laptop, unless you have file sharing enabled. Also, they cannot see any messages or Web pages sent over the secure server connections typically used by banks and e-commerce sites. (Look for https:// in the URL.)
If you use a VPN to access your corporate network, you can use it at hot spots to encrypt all transmissions and shield them from packet sniffers. If you don't have a corporate VPN but frequently use public hot spots, you might consider a consumer VPN service such as the PersonalVPN from Witopia ($39.99 per year, www.witopia.net) or BlowFish from HotSpotVPN ($10.88 to $13.88 per month, www.hotspotvpn.com). These employ powerful 128-bit encryption to protect your data as it is transmitted.
10. What is a hardware firewall? If my router has one, do I need to run the Windows firewall or other third-party firewall software?
Most wireless routers have a hardware firewall that safeguards the network by providing both incoming and outgoing protection. A hardware firewall will include network address translation (NAT) capabilities that make your PC invisible to anyone trying to attack it. If you enable the hardware firewall, you probably don't need a third-party software firewall. You should still run the Windows firewall, however, because it keeps a low profile and will stop basic worms if your PC gets hit by a drive-by downloader.

A Guide to 802.11n Wireless Home Networking

See how the new 802.11n technology will benefit you. Plus, we review nine 802.11n routers.

After years of being labeled a draft specification, the 802.11n wireless networking standard is on the verge of finally becoming an official wireless specification. Members of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) aren't expected to vote on the final draft until July 2009, but the spec will, for all intents and purposes, become final sometime this fall. This means that all provisions and amendments to the draft will have been resolved, compatibility issues will have been dealt with, and any minor changes to the finished spec can be addressed via firmware updates rather than at the silicon and hardware levels.
"Draft" 802.11n wireless products have been available for more than a year now, of course, and although the latest Draft 2.0 products are generally faster and more stable, they're still out there without the IEEE's stamp of approval. The Wi-Fi Alliance is also awaiting final IEEE ratification before they drop the "draft" label from a long list of Draft 802.11n products. As a result, many consumers have been waiting for the standard to become official before taking the plunge and investing in the technology, which features faster transmission speeds and a wider range of operation than previous standards, such as the popular 802.11b and 802.11g protocols.
But current Draft N products are only a firmware upgrade away from being official 802.11n devices, which means you don't really have to wait to take advantage of the spec's technical improvements. Keep reading to find out more about the evolution of home networking technology. Then take a look at our wireless home networking buyers guide for advice on building your own network, as well as nine 802.11n router reviews to see what's currently on the market.

ORIGINS OF 802.11 PROTOCOLS

Back in 1999, the 802.11a wireless standard was released, boasting fast data rates of 54 megabits per second (Mbps). This protocol runs on the 5GHz frequency band, but its range is significantly reduced by infrastructure (walls, beams, flooring, etc.). That year also saw the release of the 802.11b standard, which operates on the 2.4GHz band and has a maximum data rate of 11Mbps. Theoretically, 802.11b is capable of indoor transmission ranges of up to 150 feet and is not as impeded by infrastructure as 802.11a transmissions, which is why it quickly became the protocol of choice for home and office use, despite its slower speed. Some manufacturers still use this standard in their handheld gaming devices, and many consumers employ 802.11b technology for their wireless home networking needs, but the slower rate makes it difficult to move large chunks of data across the network. Plus, 802.11b devices are susceptible to interference from household devices such as microwave ovens and cordless phones, many of which operate on the same 2.4GHz frequency.
In 2003, the 802.11g standard was approved. It also operates on the 2.4GHz band and has the same range capabilities as 802.11b, but it has a maximum transmission rate of 54Mbps, nearly five times faster than 802.11b. Plus, it offered increased security features that did not exist in 802.11b devices. Naturally, this standard became the popular choice among users who required the higher bandwidth, but early products were expensive. At the same time, 802.11b products saw a dramatic drop in price, providing budget-conscious consumers an opportunity to join the wireless revolution without spending a fortune.
The earliest Draft 802.11n products, introduced in 2006, featured dual-band capabilities (2.4GHz and 5GHz), data rates up to 300Mbps, and almost double the transmission range of 802.11b/g devices. This specification also takes advantage of multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) multiplexing, which uses multiple antennas to receive wireless transmissions faster than ever before, and at a longer range. The standard also gets a boost by way of channel bonding, wherein the router and Wi-Fi clients use two 20MHz radio channels to achieve a channel width of 40MHz, which helps speed up transmissions. If you already use one of the previous standards for your wireless network, don't worry: 802.11n is backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g products.

THE BENEFITS OF N

What does the ratification of 802.11n mean for consumers? For starters, there will almost certainly be more vendors jumping into the game, meaning more products to choose from, which usually leads to lower prices. As the standard has passed through its various draft stages, drivers and source code have been tweaked and perfected, so it's likely that we'll see better-performing products manufactured using the official specification. We'll also see a higher degree of interoperability between devices, with less signal interference than we saw in the earlier products.
For home users, the added bandwidth makes it possible to stream music and video, run network-attached storage (NAS) devices, and play online games without lag time. The new protocol is also ideally suited for communications applications such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video conferencing, both of which require lots of bandwidth to work effectively. Eventually, 802.11b will go away as demand and support for these products begin to dwindle. That means 802.11g products will likely become the low-end, low-budget wireless protocol—at least until the next standard comes along.

BEYOND 802.11N

So what's next on the wireless horizon? A new standard, known as Very High Throughput (VHT), will feature data rates of between 4Gbps and 7Gbps, nearly five times the rate of 802.11n, and will operate on the 60GHz frequency band. As such, the new standard will likely have limited range and will be best suited to peer-to-peer applications such as streaming video from one device to another or moving very large chunks of data in a matter of seconds.

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Internet Explorer 7

Disable Plug-ins 

If IE runs too slowly, or if it freezes up on you a lot, try disabling some of its preinstalled add-ons. Click Tools > Manage Add-ons > Enable or Disable Add-ons to see which add-ons are enabled. Select an add-on you don't want preinstalled, then click the Disable radio button under Settings to deactivate it.

Open Multiple Web Sites

Want IE to open two or more tabs when you start it up? Go to Tools > Internet Options, then type as many addresses as you want (on individual lines) in the "Home page" field.

Change Text Size

Hold the Ctrl key and roll the mouse wheel to change Web pages' text size: Rolling up makes it smaller, rolling down makes it bigger.

Tab Shortcuts

Hit Ctrl+T to open a tab so you can visit a new site without opening a new window; browse opened tabs without taking your hands off the keyboard by hitting Ctrl+Tab.

Create a Favorites Group

Want to group like-minded favorites in folders? Open new tabs to all the sites, then select "Add Tab Group to Favorites" under the Favorites menu, and then give the group a name. Now, when you go to the Favorites menu, just click on the folder to see all the related sites in one convenient place.

Redirect Pop-ups

Pop-ups usually open in a new window, but you can instruct IE to open them in a new tab instead. Go to Tools > Internet Options, and under the General tab, select Settings in the Tab section. Under "When a pop-up is encountered:" click the radio button labeled "Always open pop-ups in a new tab."

Scrub Browser Cache

If you don't want your temporary files hanging around, you can instruct IE to delete them automatically every time you exit the browser. Go to Tools > Internet Options and open the Advanced tab. Scroll down to the Security section, then click the checkbox next to "Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed."

Mouse-free Browsing

You don't need a mouse to surf the Web—many functions can be performed just with the keyboard. Hitting F11 will shift the browser into full-screen mode (and back again). Ctrl+E will move the text-entry cursor to the LiveSearch box. Hit Ctrl+D to instantly add the current site to your Favorites, and Alt+D to move you automatically to the location bar.

Disable Sounds in Web Pages

If you prefer your own digital music collection to the soundtracks to be found on some Web sites, you can tell IE to keep them quiet. Go to Tools > Internet Options and open the Advanced tab. Scroll down to the Multimedia section, and deselect the check box next to "Play sounds in web pages."

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Firefox 2

 

Redirect Search Results

You can control where you see your search results. Type about:config into your location bar and find "browser.search.openintab", then double click to make it "true." Now when you use the search bar, your results will pop up in a separate tab instead of taking you away from your current page.

Disable Window Resizing

Web pages that resize windows drive some people up the wall. To fix that, go to Tools > Options, and open the Content tab. Click on the Advanced button next to "Enable JavaScript," then deselect the check box that allows scripts to "Move or resize existing windows."

Choose a Tab

As with IE, Ctrl+Tab will let you cycle through open tabs in Firefox. But if you want to go to a specific tab without using the mouse, use the Ctrl key and the number of the tab's position—Ctrl+1, for example, will open the first tab, Ctrl+2 the second, and so on.

Browse Without a Mouse

Tired of using the mouse? Ctrl+L will move you to Firefox's location bar, while Ctrl+K will move you to the search bar. (When you're there, hold Ctrl and use the up or down arrow keys to toggle the default search engine.)

Open multiple sites at startup

If you want to open multiple Web sites when you start Firefox, go to Tools > Options. Under the Startup section on the Main tab, you'll see the Home Page field. Enter the sites you want to open in this manner:
www.computershopper.com | www.collegebuyingguide.com.

Mousing Around

Your mouse gives you more browsing control than you might think. If you have a scroll wheel button, clicking it on a hyperlink will open it up in a new tab, while clicking it on a tab will close it. If you hold down the Shift key while scrolling, you can move backward or forward through your browsing history.

Quickly Cross-reference

Ever found something in an online article you instantly wanted more information about? Search for that information easily by highlighting the text, dragging it to the search bar, and pressing Enter. Firefox will search for that text automatically.

Delete Inaccurate URLs

If you've ever mistyped a Web site's address and then seen your mistake pop up whenever you retype the site's name, just highlight the site in the history and press Shift+Delete to get rid of it for good.

Stay Stealthy

If you don't want sites to know where you're coming from, type about:config into the location bar and then find the network.http.sendRefererHeader record. Double click on it, and change the "2" value to "0" to prevent Web sites from seeing your referrer information.

Get More Viewing Space

Want to maximize the Web-site view in your browser window? Then make your icons smaller. Just go to View > Toolbars > Customize and check the box next to "Use Small Icons."

Quick URL Fill-in

If you type a site's address without the usual ".com" or "www" and press Ctrl+Enter, Firefox will fill in the rest of the URL for you.

Give Your Bookmarks Keywords

To assign a keyword to a bookmark, simply right-click on it and select Properties. Write a word in the keyword field, and now when you type the word into the location bar, you'll automatically go to that site.

Curb Firefox's RAM Appetite

Firefox was once famous for how light it was on system resources. With each new update, however, it seems be become a bigger and bigger memory hog. Rein Firefox in a little by limiting the amount of memory it uses. Type about:config in the address bar and locate "browser.cache.disk.capacity." Normally, it's set to "50000," but you can lower that number if you find Firefox is using too much system memory.

Cleaner Google File Searches

Searching for multimedia files on Google can result in a lot of spammy results. An effective—if clunky—way to minimize getting such results is to type intitle:"index.of"(xxx|yyy)zzzz -html -htm -php into the search bar, where "xxx|yyy" are the types of files you want to find (such as "mp3|avi") and "zzzz" being the name of the files you want to find.

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Data Security

Disable Remote Registry Editing

Only you should be editing your Windows registry, so make sure this service is disabled by clicking Start, Run, and then typing "services.msc." Scroll down to Remote Registry and make sure the service is stopped, and then set it to either manual or disable.

Lock It Down

It's always a good idea to lock your PC if strangers are nearby and you step away for a few minutes. Just press Windows key+L to lock your PC. Alternatively, you can set your screensaver (via the Screensaver tab in Display Settings under Control Panel) to require a password if it's deactivated by checking the box in "Settings" that says "On resume, password protect."

Prevent Phishing Attacks

Protect yourself from identity theft and phishing attacks by using the the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera. These browsers include protection that double-checks URLs against a blacklist, and will notify you if you're about to visit a known phishing site.

Keep Your Software Up to Date

Hackers and crackers love to take advantage of exploits found in software, which causes the developers to release a patch to plug up the holes. Therefore, it's imperative you not only enable Windows Update but also download the latest version of any software on your system, especially your Web browser and antivirus program.

Be Wary of P2P Files

Virus makers love peer-to-peer file-sharing services. They name their virus "Angelina Jolie Wallpapers" or something similar and upload it. Then millions of people download it, launch it, and wonder why their computers are infested with viruses. Download with caution, and always use antivirus software. If you need an effective, free antivirus solution, we recommend AVG Free.

Wipe the Drive Before Donating Your Old Computer

If you are getting rid of a hard drive and want to render all or some of its data unrecoverable, you have two options. You can download Eraser to securely wipe any file or folder, and you can use Darik's Boot and Nuke SE (DBAN) to write over the entire drive. To use DBAN, download it and burn it as an ISO disc, then boot from it. It will provide you with instructions on the welcome screen.

Encrypt Sensitive Files

If you want to encrypt sensitive data, you can buy a portable USB drive with built-in encryption like the CMS ABS-Secure Encrypted Backup System, but if you just want to protect a specific folder or group of files, we recommend Truecrypt, which is free. It encrypts a custom-sized volume with 256-bit AES encryption, so it's extremely secure.

Verify Your Backups

Many people have a "set it and forget it" mindset when it comes to backups. Even after you establish a regimen, however, it's critical that you check the target folders periodically to ensure the proper files are being backed up. If not, re-configure your backup routine to make sure it's working properly.

Back Up Your Data

You must back up your data, period. If you have the means, we highly recommend an external USB drive like the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus. If you already have an extra drive in your system—but just need some good backup software—try the free version of 2BrightSpark's Syncback, which is sublimely easy to configure.

Turn Off Your PC During Lightning Storms

Even surge protectors can be overwhelmed during electrical storms, and we've seen the results first-hand—fried motherboards, processors, hard drives and power supplies. If you're experiencing a heavy-duty electrical storm, take our advice and unplug your computer from the wall socket—just in case. And buy a laptop to use until the crisis passes.

Enable S.M.A.R.T for Your Hard Drives

S.M.A.R.T (self-monitoring analysis and reporting technology) allows your drive to report whether it's about to fail, which can give you a heads-up to replace it. All the modern hard drives have it—go into your PC's BIOS (press Del or F2/F10 during bootup) and enable it.

Enable Extension Viewing

By default, Windows hides file extensions, and virus-makers exploit this feature by giving their executable program names like Popularsong.exe, which appears as a harmless audio file if you have extensions hidden. To enable extension viewing, open any folder and click Tools, Folder Options, and uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types."

Top Useless Sites To Waste Your Time On

The title seems to be a freaky and stupid one, right? Everyday, we surf internet to gain some knowledge, download good stuff and build networks in social media etc. But there are some sites which are designed to waste your time, lol. If you are always free or getting more than bored, then you can waste your time on these sites. I am presenting the top useless sites on which you can waste your time.

1. Find The Invisible Cow

This is a stupid game in which you have to find an invisible cow by following the loudness of an irritating "Yaw Yaw" type sound. Just move your mouse around the screen and you will hear that sound getting louder or softer.

2. The Useless Web

On this site, you will see a page which will have a button "PLEASE". Just click that button and you will be taken to different silly sites. An awesome site to waste your time.

3. Hacker Typer

This site is also a useless site but it may be proved very useful if you want to impress your friends or your girlfriend. Just open this site and start typing rubbish things, just keep pressing random keys just like you are typing codes and on the screen, you will see some codes are being typed automatically with your krystrokes. Anyone who is looking at you will be surprised that you are a great coder with super-fast typing speed.

4. Boohbah Zone

This site is a strange site where you will do some random funny things like make some fatty cartoons dance in indian classical tone, make a dog jump and touch a ball, make some men and ladies jump high etc.

5. Staggering Beauty

On this website, you will get a finger shaped doodle which moves if you move your mouse. On moving your mouse vigorously, a flashy light pattern appears in the background and a sound plays. Keep repeating this thing and keep wasting your time.

6. Bees Bees Bees

In this site, you will see Oprah Winfrey opening a screen and so many bees come out of the screen and make the people crazy.

7. ShadyUrl

This is a funny url changer to change your urls and make them suspicious and frightening. As an example, http://www.pctricksguru.com becomes http://www.5z8.info/looksjustlikeyourbank_i5r1ft_this_persons_account_has_been_hacked

8. Don't Even Reply

This website is titled "E-mails from an Asshole", and you will find the title perfect for the site if you read the email conversations on the site.

9. Shut Up and Take My Money

This website is a shopping site offering the things you never need but really want. Full of stupid and crazy items to purchase.

10. Ducks are the Best

This site changes your mouse pointer into a duck and on moving your mouse pointer here and there, it leaves a trail behind it and fills the path of the moving mouse pointer with ducks.

11. Sticky Hands Toy

On this website, you will get a hand toy which hangs with your mouse pointer and on moving the toy, it sticks with the walls.

Best YouTube Search Tricks

 

Youtube is the most popular site where users upload and share videos with other people. Millions of videos are being uploaded on youtube per day. We can find any video of our choice by using the search bar of youtube. Here in this post, I'm presenting some best youtube search tricks to get the desired results easily and quickly.

Best YouTube Search Tricks

1. Find Any YouTube Channel 

If we type any keyword in the youtube search bar,it shows the video results mixed with channel results. But if you want to search only the youtube channel, then use the following keyword: 

channel name, channel

As an example, if you want to search for the youtube channel of PC Tricks Guru, then you must use the keyword :  

pc tricks guru, channel

2. Find Videos With Long Playback Duration

If you are searching for any long video, then you must use the following keyword: 

video name, long 

As an example, spiderman game, long

3. Find videos with length less than 4 minutes

If you are searching for small videos on any topic, then you must use the following keywords: 

video name, short 

As an example, spiderman trailer, short

4. Find HD videos

If you are searching for HD videos on youtube, then you must use the following search keyword: 

video name, hd 

As an example, man vs wild, hd

5. Search Video Playlists

If you are searching for video playlists, then you must use the following search keyword: 

search query, playlist 

As an example, britney spears, playlist

6. Search 3D videos on youtube

If you are searching for 3D videos, then you must use the following search keyword: 

search query, 3d 

As an example, avatar, 3d
 
Note : Make sure your monitor supports 3D videos and you are wearing 3D glasses to enjoy 3D videos.

7. Search for movies

To search for full length movies in youtube, use the following keyword: 

movie name, movie 

As an example, the amazing spider man, movie

8. Search for videos which are uploaded recently or within a time range

If you are searching for the videos which are recently uploaded on youtube or you want the videos from within a time range, then you must use the following search keyword: 

video name, time range 

As an example, motorola, week

9. Search for youtube videos which are streaming live

If you are searching for videos which are currently streaming live, then you must use the following search keyword: 

search query, live 

As an example, facebook, live

10. Search for videos containing search keyword in the video title

To search for the videos which contain the exact searched keyword in the title, you must use the following search keyword: 

allintitle: "search query" 

 As an example, allintitle: "Make Money Online"

11. Exclude some words from search results

If you are searching for some videos on any topic but don't want to include some words in the search results, then you must use the following search keyword: 

search query -word to exclude 

As an example, web designing -dreamweaver

12. Find TV shows on youtube

If you are searching for TV shows on youtube, then use the following search keyword: 

tv show name, show 

As an example, man vs wild, show

13. Find videos from official channels

If you are searching for some videos which are uploaded by the official channels, then use the following keywords: 

search query, partner 

As an example, midi editing, partner

14. Use all of the above keywords to search as you wish

You can use all of the above search keywords to make your searches more accurate and according to your wishes.
As an example, action games, long, hd

I hope you are now a smart youtube searcher after learning these best youtube search tricks. Share this article with your friends and subscribe to our newsletter to get our latest updates directly in your mailbox.

 

How To Hide Any Folders In Nokia/Java Phone Without Using Any Software

1.First you create any folder.

2.Now give that folder any name but with the extension of .jad like if I want to hide my games folder then I will give name as games.jad

3.Now you have to create a new folder in the same directory and with the same name but with the extension of .jar

4.Here, I will create a new folder with the name games.jar

5.So Now You are done!! The original games folder has been hidden and now the folder visible is games.jar which is an empty folder. To view games folder that is to see our protected data,we need to remove the .jar extension from the games.jar and my original folder with my protected files and .jad extension will be visible. 

 So, now we have learnt to save our personal data from unwanted eyes!!

How To Hide Any Folders In Nokia/Java Phone Without Using Any Software

1.First you create any folder.

2.Now give that folder any name but with the extension of .jad like if I want to hide my games folder then I will give name as games.jad

3.Now you have to create a new folder in the same directory and with the same name but with the extension of .jar

4.Here, I will create a new folder with the name games.jar

5.So Now You are done!! The original games folder has been hidden and now the folder visible is games.jar which is an empty folder. To view games folder that is to see our protected data,we need to remove the .jar extension from the games.jar and my original folder with my protected files and .jad extension will be visible. So, now we have learnt to save our personal data from unwanted eyes!!

Easy Steps To Speed Up Your USB 2.0 Drive

1. Open you My Computer or press Windows key +E

2. Right click on your USB drive then click Properties

3. Go to Hardware tab, select your USB device then click Properties”

4. Click on the change button.

 “5. Go to Policies tab, Change the settings from Quick removal (default) to Better performance”

6. Click ok and Done. 

“Note: If you perform this tweak it is now very important to use the Safely remove hardware notification icon before you unplug your USB device to avoid data loss or corruption.”

“Note: If you perform this tweak it is now very important to use the Safely remove hardware notification icon before you unplug your USB device to avoid data loss or corruption.”