Secure Facebook account using Trusted Contacts

Secure Facebook

Hello Friends, All of you must be using Facebook, so do I. 
Recently, Facebook announced a new feature called "Trusted Contacts" to help you get back into your account when locked out.
Now you will ask:

Q. What are Trusted Contacts?
- Trusted contacts are people(your friends) you can reach out to if you ever need help getting into your Facebook account (ex: if you forget your Facebook password and can’t get into your email account to reset it).

So, Why did I named this article as 'Secure Facebook Account using Trusted Contacts' ?
- Yes, I named it right. As it is developed to prevent intruders from accessing your Facebook account easily using Facebook's loophole.

 Surprised!! Read On..

Facebook released this feature to Strengthen one of its feature which was more used by intruders to access Facebook accounts for wrong means rather than the actual purpose.

Warning: this article is meant to encourage security by showing loophole and its solution. Don't use it for wrong means, Author doesn't take responsibility if anyone uses 'part of this article' for wrong means.
 
Let's see what intruders do to access someone's Facebook account who is not using "Trusted Contacts" 


- in Facebook login page, click 'Forgot your password'
- next page, Identify your account, give Victim's full name or account information
- Next page, asks to reset password using email or phone, click 'No longer have access to these'
- it will ask a new email to reach you, give one
- now it asks 'Answer Your Security Question' - click - Recover your account with help from friends
- next page shows steps to recover your account- click continue
- Victim's Friends-list comes now, here intruder use two methods:
    a) they choose their own Fake FB accounts with which he/she has become friend with victim already
    b) they choose any 2 victim's friend with whom he can access codes 
(obviously, 3rd friend is intruder himself)
- provides code and access the victim's account

Solution

What can we do?
- Simple, As the heading suggests, use "Trusted Contacts"


How?


- Go to 'Security Settings' -> Trusted Contacts ->Choose Trusted Contacts

Security Settings

- click 'Choose Trusted Contacts'

- Type name of your 3 or 5 'Trusted Friends' -> select -> confirm

- Re-Enter your password ->Submit

- Done

Now, if intruder tries to access your account using this loophole, he gets this page:

Even if he/she  clicks 'Reveal My Trusted Contacts', it will show :

And it will reveal their names only when intruder knows 'Full name' of any one of your chosen friend.
Even if he/she guesses it right(less probable) he have to get codes from person you have chosen(very difficult) rather than those whom he wishes to choose!!

Remember, your account will be more secure if along-with you & your friends have secure accounts. So, spread this knowledge.

Happy Facebooking !!
:) :)

Spooler Subsystem Application has Stopped Working - Solved

Problem: 

Printer, which was working fine previously, all of a sudden Shows an Error "Spooler Subsystem Application has Stopped Working" after giving print command.

My Friend had suffered this problem and had informed me about it. Yesterday it was printing perfectly fine today showing this error!

After checking the system, I came to conclusion that it was the Service 'Print Spooler' (process- spoolsv.exe) which repeatedly kept crashing all the time.

A print spooler is software that temporarily stores print jobs on the computer hard disk or in memory until the printer is ready to print them.

So, what is the reason behind this sudden change?
'Unknown' is the one word answer to it. 
But after reading comments in Microsoft forum by Lots and lots of people(who faced this issue) , some points came in majority:
- Mostly, Vista users were facing this problem. Compatibility issue between 'printer driver' and 'some update for vista' may be the Major cause.
- Default port for Printing found changed
- Some issue with 'Adobe Acrobat drivers' also came in picture(reinstall all acrobat software like adobe reader, flash player etc if your Acrobat is also showing problem)
- Sometimes Print Spooler behaves starnge when more documents get stuck in the print queue.

Solution

Method I

Make sure Default port set in Printer Properties is same as the Port used by you to connect Printer with computer. Updates sometime reset it.

Mostly Printer is connected using:
1) LPT Port

LPT Port - Male

LPT Port - Female

2) USB Port


You must check Printer Properties now.

Go to:
-Start -> Control panel -> Device and Printer ('Printer and Faxes' in some versions)
-Look for your Printer,
-Right click Printer icon-> Properties
-Look for 'Port' in tabs there, check whether the port selected and Port used by Printer to connect your PC is same or not. 
-If not, then Select the appropriate one.

If this doesn't solve the issue, try next Method.


Method II

Since, Major cause of this problem seems 'update' So it is better to do System Restore(if it was kept ON)

Restore your Computer to any date which is earlier to the date when Printer was working fine.
If you had taken print on 10th of April then restore it to any date before 9th April.

Go to:
- Start -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore
- Restore to earlier date
- Choose the Date as discussed above
- Restore

This must solve problem for most of you as it did in my Friend's case.

If it doesn't, Don't worry!!

Next method is one which Most people found helpful.

Wonder why I still kept it Third?
- As many of them didn't try above simpler Methods.

Method III

If you came to this Method then you must carry your Printer Driver CD with you. If you lost it, then Download it from internet using your proper Printer Model in Search engine.

Let us Start now:

Go to:
- Start -> Control panel -> Programs and Features ->  click 'Turn Windows features on or off'

Turn Windows Feature ON or OFF

Windows Features

-Click + sign of Print services

-Select LPD and LPR-> OK
(let it complete)

-Now again go to the same and Remove ‘Internet Printing Client’
-> OK

-Restart your PC to ensure there is no error of spooler service.

-Reinstall your printer driver.
 

I am sure, Very few of you still have the error!!

For those who do, follow Next Method.


Method IV

Precaution: As now we will change registry entries, it is strongly recommended to back up your system, create System Restore checkpoint and export registry before each step.

How to export registry?
- check this page:  'Export Registry'

Let us Start now:

1) Reboot the machine into SAFE mode.
 
2) Go and Delete All the files from:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\
C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\W32X86\
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS 
(If you wish, you can cut and paste to different location)
 
Next few steps involve the Registry So make sure to Back up the Registry

3) Open Regedit 

 a) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86
 
Inside the subkey list, there should only be the following subkeys:
>Drivers
>Print Processors
 
If there are any subkeys other than the subkeys that are listed above, 
- Export registry, name it 'WindowsNTx86'
- Delete all the subkeys other than listed above.
To do this, right-click each subkey to be deleted, click 'Delete'.
Click 'Yes' when prompted to confirm the deletion.
 
These may have been installed by third-party printer setup programs and may be interfering with the print spool service.

 b) Go to 
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors
Inside the list of subkeys, there should only be the following subkeys for the default print monitors:
>BJ Language Monitor
>Local Port
>PJL Language Monitor
>Standard TCP/IP Port
>USB Monitor
If there are any subkeys other than the subkeys listed above, Export registry, name it 'Monitorsx86'
- Delete all the subkeys other than listed above.

 c) Exit Registry Editor.
 
If a printer is attached to the computer, disconnect the printer cable from the computer and then restart the computer.

Attach Printer, check whether it works or not, Install printer if not detected.


If problem persists, again do Step 1) & Step 2) then
3) Open Regedit 

 a) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
-> Export registry, name it 'Printers' 
-> Delete ALL the subkeys

 b) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Drivers
-> Export registry, name it 'Drivers' 
-> Delete ALL the subkeys

c) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Print Processors
-> Export registry, name it 'PrintProcessors' -> Delete ALL the subkeys
-> Close Registry and Restart Computer.

4) Go to "Turn Windows features on or off" in the control panel
 - Uncheck "Windows Fax and Scan"
 - Reboot

5) Go to "Turn Windows features on or off" in the control panel
 - Recheck "Windows Fax and Scan"
 - Reboot

At this point you should have a stable print spooler.

Add printer now. 
Get the absolute latest printer driver from your manufacturer
(make sure it supports your Operating System Version). 

If you use multiple printer, Add each printer one at a time:
- Add the printer 
- Restart 
- See if it works.
- Add next printer. 

How to Export Windows Registry File

Windows Registry

Registry is very Delicate and at the same time very very important part of computer, whenever you try to modify registry:

-Be very much precise and very much accurate

-Take extra care as very small mistake by you which you wouldn't even remember may lead to serious problem.


It is strongly recommended to Export or save your registry entries before modifying it.

What to do?
-Just Follow these simple steps (accurately)

1) Open Registry editor
     Start -> Run -> Regedit -> Enter (allow if asks for permission)

Run

 2) In Menu bar Go to:
     File -> Export

Export Registry

 3) In File name, give name of the registry file(which will remind you its use)

4) Under Export Range, do one of the following:
   - To back up the entire registry, click All (done once for taking entire backup) 
   - To back up only a particular branch of the registry tree, click Selected branch and enter the name of the branch you want to export (By Default, the branch selected by you in registry window will reflect here)

Export Range

5) Click Save

Warning

Warning: Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. We cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
 


How to import a Registry key?
- In Windows Explorer, double-click the Saved Registry file(.reg extension)
- This will import the file into the computer's registry


Reference:  

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc781982%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

How to Remove Googleupdate.exe completely

Most of us use at least one Google software. Be it Google chrome, Gtalk, Google Earth or other.

Yes they are awesome, but it is annoying  to see ‘googleupdate.exe’ whenever  we check Task Manager.

When all other software gets updated in 5-10 minutes, Why Google needs to update all the time?
If you read security articles frequently, some Android(google supported) Apps reported to Upload privacy data via updates

And if you end it, it will again come and irritate you.

Solution

How to remove googleupdate.exe completely?
 
Well you have to take lot of pain to remove it completely. Follow these steps:
 
1) Block at Firewall

Go to:  Control Panel -> Windows Firewall -> Exception tab
Uncheck ‘googleupdate’  from there if present

2) Block at Task Schedular

Go to: Control Panel -> Schedule Tasks (win xp)
          Control Panel -> System and Security -> Task scheduler (win 7)
 
Find ‘GoogleUpdateTaskUser’ kind of entry -> Delete it 

Task Schedular

(if it comes again after reboot, then disable it)
 
3) End process in Task Manager

Alt+ctrl+Del -> Task Manager -> ‘Process’ tab -> Right click on ‘googleupdate.exe’ -> End processes

Task Manager

 
4) Stop its service
 
Run -> type ‘Services.msc’ -> Double click ‘googleupdate’ -> select ‘Disabled’ in start up type
 
5) Remove ‘googleupdate.exe’ completely
 
Open ‘Run’ type following paths :
%userprofile%\local settings\application data\google\
c:\Program Files\Google\
 
Open ‘Update’ folder -> delete ‘googleupdate.exe’ from there (can delete everything there)
 
Go back to 'google' folder -> right click ->properties -> Security tab -> edit
In the new ‘Permission and Update’ window
Select a user -> in Permission section, check ‘Deny’ in Full control
Repeat this for each users(must have Administrator rights) -> Apply -> OK

Permisssion

 
6) Remove from start up
 
Run->msconfig->Startup tab
Uncheck ‘Googleupdate’ from there

Msconfig

apply -> ok -> restart

Restart

After restart, Check 'Don't show...' thing in the window that will come after start up and click OK.
 
Done!!

This will surely remove Googleupdate.exe and do all the changes to prevent it from coming.

still after reboot, check these two paths in registry:

(These part is used by Windows to auto run processes on startup)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

(Run->Regedit-> go to specified path by expanding each parent 'Entry name')

if you find the Google Update value, simply delete that one, and the process won't be started again on next Windows reboot.


Does this article helped you removing googleupdate.exe ?

Tell us through comments.


Surf freely !!
:) :)

Skip Youtube video to start at specific time & Embed timestamp to Blogger

Youtube has become part and parcel of our life.
-We watch videos 
-send links through mails and chats
-embed video links in Blogs and websites
-share on social media.

Many a times initial part are useless  and we wish viewers to start at specific time, we say, wish I find same video but it should start skipping initial parts, say skip 1 minute 24 seconds and then start the link.

Here is a simple solution for you, It is called YouTube Time stamping. 

Solution

- Copy the URL of your YouTube video
- Paste it in Notepad
- at end of the URL, add #t=XXmYYs (Where XX represents minutes and YY represents seconds, the time at which you wish the video to start).

Ex. - Let us choose a link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7_mOdi3O5E      (original link)

I wish it to start at 1 min 14 seconds, so I added #t=01m14s at the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7_mOdi3O5E#t=01m14s


Done!! Now Copy and Paste this link 
- in address bar of your browser, 
- share by email or chat,

it will start at the time you wish it to..Now, YouTube will start at your wish!!

You can Even use this trick in many ways: 
-Give your friends Shock( they'll keep thinking how you did it )
-impress someone !!

Coll.. isn't it!!


Now for the Friends, who wish to use Timestamp to their blog or sites. 

How to Embed video with time stamp in Blogger ?
- take time in seconds(in the example, 1 min 14 sec is 74 seconds)
- change the embedding code as:
- Look for your link in the html code, add &start=XXXX at end of the link before " (XXXX-time in seconds, in the example, &start=74 )

 Ex. : Lets see,original html code part(Blogger) :

<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/g7_mOdi3O5E/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/g7_mOdi3O5E&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266"  src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/g7_mOdi3O5E&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>




Initially it was difficult for me as no exact link was present in the html code.
What I did, I looked for link with g7_mOdi3O5E and ended up on these two lines :

"https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/g7_mOdi3O5E&source=uds"

"https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/g7_mOdi3O5E&source=uds"


Then Modified them to get the final html code as :

<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/g7_mOdi3O5E/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/g7_mOdi3O5E&source=uds&start=74" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266"  src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/g7_mOdi3O5E&source=uds&start=74" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

 
Here is the Video:

Tell me how much do you like this?

Happy Surfing.. Enjoy!!
:) :)

How to Prevent from virus - Learn safe habits

"Prevention is Better than cure"

PC with Virus

Imagining the world without Computer is impossible and so is 'A virus free world'!

If we have to live in the same world then why not Learn and Prepare ourselves so as to Prevent Virus infection as long as we can.

'Antivirus' is the word must be coming in your mind by now.

Okay.. Let me Divide this computer world in Three Categories: 

I.   Computers having No Antivirus

II.  Computers having Good Antivirus

III. Computers having Antivirus & Virus (living together happily)

You might be thinking Second Category must be virus free.

As per I see it,even a Mid-Low level Virus can enter and infect all the three Categories if the User handling them are unaware of Safe habits.

Safe System = Secure computer+(security)Informed user

Who is (security)Informed user ?

-User who Learn and practice safe habits to use computer.

-Keeps updating his knowledge time to time

Safe Habits - to prevent virus

- Have a Good Updated Antivirus installed

   Some Good Free Antiviruses:

          - 'Microsoft Security Essentials' if you have Genuine Windows else

          - 'AVG' or 'Avast' (free versions)

  

- Update your Window Regularly

- Keep Pop up Blocker ON

- Have a File catching Download Manager installed(idm, orbit downloader) and set it to catch all virus extensions

(unsafe websites download virus in your PC in back-end)  

- Prohibit going to illegal website (including keygen, torrent) even if you do, scan everything you get.

- scan everything you get from outside world before using whether you downloaded it, email attachment, from LAN network, External drives

- Using external drives(pendrive, memory card, external HDD) safely:

  - Always close the AutoPlay window which comes after inserting:

AutoPlay

  
  - Don't double click it from My computer also

  - Open it either from address bar or explore(my computer-right click drive-explore)
  - Always keep 'show hidden files' ON while using External drives.
  - Don't click anything suspicious, NEVER click shortcut or .exe extension you don't know about

  - In each of your drive(local, pendrive, MMC, HDD)

     - Make a New folder->name it as ' Autorun.inf ' 

     - Open command prompt-> go to your drive-> type this code:

       attrib +r +s +h Autorun.inf

    

  
I will try to keep updating you here, If you have any doubt or query regarding above, Feel free to ask.

Tell me how much you like it.
Any suggestion to improve is always welcome!!

Happy Safe Computing!!

:) :)             

  

How to Shutdown PC Automatically

Many a times, we feel need of something that can shutdown our PC after sometime, say after 30 minutes.

-while continuing any download, it needs to go outside, then even if Download is 80% over, we have to shut it down.
-while converting a file if any emergency comes in between, then we think, wish someone shut down my PC after 40 minutes!
-while using PC/ Laptop in night, many a times, we sleep without shutting it down and it is ON for entire Night.

In many such cases, either we left our PC open for too long time without any use(wasting Power)  or we have to shut it down unwillingly.

I have a solution for you that too without need of installing any software(installing too much software also slows down your system).

Solution

Here is a VbScript Program written specially to solve this Problem. 

To enable you Automatically Shutdown your PC at your own wish after the time specified by you.

How to achieve it?

Option 1:

-Download this Zipped file: Autoshut
-Extract the file: right click on zipped file->Extract here->Give password: techsoln
-Now you have the file 'Auto shutdown_Tech-Soln.vbs' . Use when you need 'Automatic shut down your PC' with simple procedure as discussed below.

Option 2:

 -Create the Vbscript yourself:

Let us see the script first:

Dim Ans
Dim Time

set oShell = createobject("wscript.shell")
Set Sapi = Wscript.CreateObject("SAPI.SpVoice")

Ans = InputBox(" Do You Wish to Auto Shutdown this PC ?       Press Y/N  ","  AutoShut  by Tech-Soln")

if Ans = "Y" then
Time = InputBox("After how many minutes Should this PC Shutdown Automatically ? ","  Time in Minutes  by Tech-Soln")
Sapi.speak Time + "minutes left for pc to shutdown Automatically, You can relax without tension  Brought to you by Tech-Soln.blogspot.com "
oShell.Run "shutdown.exe -s -t " & (Time * 60) & " -f -c ""This PC is set for Automatic Shutdown, Finish and save current work. To Cancel Auto Shutdown, Reopen this File And Press N"""

end if
if Ans = "N" then
Sapi.speak " Have a nice day ahead! Keep Smiling! "
oShell.run "shutdown.exe -a"
end if

 

What you have to do?
- Copy entire script from above(with precaution)
- Open Notepad, 
   Click 'Start'-> Type 'Notepad' in search box->open (Win vista & Win 7)
   Click 'Start'->Run-> Type 'Notepad'-> enter (Win XP)

- Paste
- Go to 'File'->'Save as'
- In save as Window, in save as type, select 'All Files' , In File Name, give any name but put '.vbs' in the end. For example, 'AutoShut.vbs'
-Save it preferably in Desktop(for easy access)

Save As