Review: Bandwidth monitor NetMeter
Mar 18th
Bandwidth monitor NetMeter graphs how much data’s going in and out of your PC over the internet.
This morning lifehacker feautered freemeter, another bandwidth tracker with some extra networking bells and whistles. NetMeter is more barebones, but its charts and reports are a bit more grokable than Freemeter’s. What I really like is NetMeter’s bandwidth usage projections for the day, week and month based on the data it’s already tracked. After the jump, check out a few screenies of NetMeter’s reports, after I had it running for only a few minutes.
_TheMonitoringAdmin_
Clean install workaround for Vista upgrade discovered
Mar 18th
Thanks Gizmodo!
Well, it looks like those hoping to do a clean install of Windows Vista with an upgrade-only edition of the OS may not be entirely out of luck after all, although they’ll still have to jump through a few hoops to get it done. According to Daily Tech, you can get around that pesky requirement to have Windows XP or Windows 2000 already installed on your PC by instead using the upgrade DVD to first install a 30-day trial version of Vista –that’s done simply by not entering the product key when prompted to do so during the installation. Once you’ve got the trial version of Vista up and running, you simply start the installation process all over again from within Vista, this time entering the product key when prompted. After that’s done, you should be staring at cleanly-installed, fully-functioning version of Vista, not once having set foot in Windows XP or 2000. As Daily Tech points out, this seems to suggest that any Vista upgrade DVD can function as a full retail copy of Vista, although it would also seem to be something that Microsoft could put the kibosh on pretty quickly, so you may not want to lose sight of that copy of your old OS just yet.
–TheAdmin–
How to roll out Mcafee to a whole network of computers.
Mar 17th
I learned how to use Network Associates EPO and Protection Pilot today. We rolled out Mcafee to over 450 clients in one fell swoop.
We used a dell dimension 2400 maxed out with memory loaded with windows xp. We then downloaded and installed the protection pilot software downloaded some packages and boom we were deploying the software to the whole domain.
I checked back around 4pm and 93% of them were installed and updated. I was amazed. Now onto more Active directory and GPO!
_TheAdMiN_
This article describes the keyboard shortcuts that are available in Windows XP.
Sep 28th
This article describes the keyboard shortcuts that are available in Windows XP.
CTRL+C (Copy)
•
CTRL+X (Cut)
•
CTRL+V (Paste)
•
CTRL+Z (Undo)
•
DELETE (Delete)
•
SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
•
CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
•
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
•
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
•
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
•
CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
•
CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
•
CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
•
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
•
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
•
CTRL+A (Select all)
•
F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
•
ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
•
ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
•
ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
•
ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
•
CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
•
ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
•
ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
•
F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
•
F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
•
SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
•
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
•
CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
•
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
•
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
•
F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
•
RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
•
LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
•
F5 key (Update the active window)
•
BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
•
ESC (Cancel the current task)
•
SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
•
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)
•
If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.
•
CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
•
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
•
TAB (Move forward through the options)
•
SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
•
ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
•
ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
•
SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
•
Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
•
F1 key (Display Help)
•
F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
•
BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
•
Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
•
Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
•
Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
•
Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
•
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
•
Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
•
Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
•
CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
•
Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
•
Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
•
Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
•
Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
•
Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
•
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
•
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
•
SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
•
NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
•
Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
•
END (Display the bottom of the active window)
•
HOME (Display the top of the active window)
•
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
•
NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
•
NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
•
LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
•
RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)
•
After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:
•
RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
•
LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
•
UP ARROW (Move up one row)
•
DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
•
PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
•
PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
•
HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
•
END (Move to the end of the line)
•
CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
•
CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
•
SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected
•
CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
•
CTRL+N (Open a new console)
•
CTRL+S (Save the open console)
•
CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
•
CTRL+W (Open a new window)
•
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
•
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
•
ALT+F4 (Close the console)
•
ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
•
ALT+V (Display the View menu)
•
ALT+F (Display the File menu)
•
ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
•
CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
•
ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
•
SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
•
F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
•
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
•
CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
•
CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
•
ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
•
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
•
CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)
•
CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)
•
ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
•
ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
•
ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
•
ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
•
CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
•
ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
•
CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
•
CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
•
CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
•
CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
•
CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
•
CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
•
CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
•
CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
•
CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
•
CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
•
CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
•
CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
•
CTRL+W (Close the current window)
•
Some keyboard shortcuts may not work if StickyKeys is turned on in Accessibility Options.
•
Some of the Terminal Services client shortcuts that are similar to the shortcuts in Remote Desktop Sharing are not available when you use Remote Assistance in Windows XP Home Edition.
•
Some of the other Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that have similar information as this article are:
126449 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449/) Keyboard shortcuts for Windows
255090 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255090/) Keystroke navigation in Windows 2000 Help•
Refer to Help for the most current information regarding keyboard navigation and visit the following Microsoft Accessibility Web site for additional information that relates to keyboard shortcuts and keyboard navigation in Windows and other Microsoft products:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable (http://www.microsoft.com/enable)
An idiots guide to which new phone to get
Sep 27th
Let me start off by saying I am pretty biased and I love my HP Ipaq 6515 and will be upgrading to the 6915 as soon as it comes out. But here is what you need to do.
1. Create a list of the features you MUST have in your new phone.
2. Create a list of the features you would LIKE to have in your new phone.
Now if one of the items on your list is keeping in touch with email you should get a phone/pda with a built in qwerty keyboard like the IPAQ, Motorola Q or a Treo (windows or palm)
But if you need to use the device to remote control your 2003 server in the office, no touch-screen is a deal breaker. The Q and similar sized devices are Smart Phones and do not have a touch screen. The IPAQ does have a touch screen but its size reflects that. It is almost twice as thick as the Q.
If there is no need for the touch screen than the Q or the upcoming Excaliber from HTC should be a perfect fit.
If anyone has any questions regarding any phone or pda please feel free to ask any questions in the comments or by emailing info@asktheadmin.com.
_ThePDAdmin_
How to remote control a machine without opening ports vs. opening ports
Sep 27th
So you want to remote control your machine or your friend’s machine over the network or the internet?
If you have no control over the network where the machine is located that you want to control, you will need to use a service like gotomeeting.com. This will allow you to remote control a machine via port 80, but you will need to install some software and have someone on the other end to accept.
If you can open port 3389 tcp on your firewall inbound or you are on the same network as the computer you want to control, then you can use Microsoft’s remote desktop client. All you need to do is right click on my computer on the computer you want to connect to. Then you choose remote on the top tab and make sure the check box is selected next to “allow users to connect remotely to this machine.” Administrator should be enabled by default but feel free to add whatever users you would like.
Now go to start, run and type MSTSC.exe (Windows XP) and this will open the remote desktop connection box. Now if the machine is on your network you can type in either its name or local ip address. If it is on the internet you will need to know its external IP address. this can be found by going to www.whatismyip.com from the machine you want to connect to.
After you make the connection it is as if you are sitting right in front of the machine. Amazing!
_TheRemoteAdmin_
