Have you wanted to create your own favicon (Windows Icon)?

Many sites, like Dynamic Drive, favicon.cc and degraeve all have online favicon.ico generators. Most of these generators are free to use and do a decent job.

I used Dynamic Drive to create the favicon.ico image shown in the picture above.

If you would prefer to use the Adobe Photoshop software to create the favicon.ico image, Jennifer Apple of PhotoshopSupport.com wrote an article here, about how to do accomplish this.

If you have other questions related to this article or need a custom favicon designed for your web site, contact me using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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A FavIcon (Favorites Icon), is a 16 pixel by 16 pixel square icon associated with a specific web site or web page. “Favicon” may also be known as a web site icon, shortcut icon, url icon, or bookmark icon. Web designers create this icon, upload it, then link it to a web site. At this point, graphical web browsers can then use the favicon.

A web browser supporting the favicon, will typically display a page’s favicon it’s address bar and to the left of the page’s name in a list of bookmarks. A web browser supporting the tabbed document interface will typically show a page’s favicon to the left of the page’s title on the tab. Microsoft Windows also uses favicons to represent “Shortcuts” to specific web sites.

Wikipedia has detailed information about the favicon, it’s history and use. Read it by clicking here.

A Google search will also provide ample information on the favicon. Click here to find more information on the favicon.

If you have other questions related to this article or need a custom favicon designed for your web site, contact me using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Recently, Mac OS X has been discovered as a Malware host by Symantec. This information was published by ZDNet in a news blog found here.

“Malware hunters at Symantec have discovered a direct link between a malicious file embedded in pirated copies of Apple’s iWork 09 software and what appears to be the first Mac OS X botnet launching denial-of-service attacks…

… They describe this as the “first real attempt to create a Mac botnet” and notes that the zombie Macs are already being used for nefarious purposes…

… The article goes into detail on the botnet’s peer-to-peer engine, startup and encryption capabilities and configuration file structure and concludes that the person who wrote the malware is not the same as the person who actually ‘used’ it.

“The code indicates that, wherever possible, the author tried to use the most flexible and extendible approach when creating it – and therefore we would not be surprised to see a new, modified variant in the near future,” the researchers added.”

I had one major thought about this article once I read it. Why did this happen now, after so many years of being the “Better OS” in the fight against virus, malware, and spyware?

The answer is both simple and complex.

The simple answer is people are trying pirated software instead of purchasing a legal version. Many times this happens because a parent has a kid who knows how to easily obtain illegal software and thinks it is okay if it is easy for a kid to do it. Other times this happens because an unethical computer technician makes the recommendation or obtains the software for the person or business. These illegally pirated software titles have all kinds of malicious code added to the software and/or the installation utility.

The complex answer goes much deeper.

In today’s economy, people have to tighten the purse strings. However this doesn’t mean these same people do not need specific software titles any less. The software manufacturer’s aren’t going to lower the prices of their software, so people who would generally purchase legal software, may not be able to afford it now. The software they need is too expensive, so they look for other options. The cheapest option generally comes from illegal warez sites, where the same software is made available by hackers for free.

Not only is the same software made available online for FREE, on warez sites, but there are now options which allow you to install OS X on a PC. These HacINTOSH installation methods eliminate the need to spend extra money buying genuine Apple Macintosh Computer systems!

I posted about the two most viable ways the HacINTOSH can be built here, on the OnForce technical forum, where there is more discussion on this exact topic.

THE EFI-X ADAPTER

EFI-X is a hardware EFI solution, allowing you to install multiple operating systems on one system, while utilizing the EFI boot environment. I have not built a hack-INTOSH system using the EFI-X, although I have read about it. Pages 28 – 33 of Maximum PC – Special Issue – Summer 2009 – “PC How to Guide” talks about the EFI-X adapter.

I posted an article on our blog about the EFI-X adapter here, and this same EFI-X adapter is mentioned on Page 17 of the July 2009 – Issue 183 of the Linux Journal.

The EFI-X adapter is brought up in other Linux Magazines too!

The EFI-X adapter plugs into a USB header on supported motherboards, allowing for the EFI environment needed to run OSX native on a PC. Both articles, as well as others, mention or elude to the likelihood of this EFI-X apparatus violating Apple’s EULA. This EULA violation is most likely due to OS X only supposed to be installed on Genuine Apple hardware. (This leaves some question in my mind about installing your own upgrades to the hardware, such as hard drives, CD/DVD devices and RAM, being potential violations of the Apple EULA.)

I see two major issues at first glance at the EFI-X adapter.

1. It only supports a specific motherboard chipset and/or configuration.
2. The EFI-X takes up and entire USB header on the motherboard. It can only be plugged into the header either directly or through a dongle, thus eliminating a usable header on the motherboard and possibly taking up much needed space in/around the motherboard for other devices and/or cooling.

THE iATKOS HACKED OS X ISO

Daily Apps.net has an article outlining how to install OS X via a patched DVD.ISO called iATKOS. (View the article here!)

The iATKOS ISO image, includes an EFI hack/work-a-round so that you can install OS X on any PC. (Definitely a violation of the Apple EULA!) You have to download it via torrents.

I have tried this installation option (merely for educational purposes. I don’t/didn’t try selling it!). Before I tried this installation option, I purchased a legal version of the Mac OS X installation disks (Don’t think this makes the iATKOS ISO any more legal, just had the disks for comparison and to perform a legal installation on a real MACINTOSH).

The installation worked okay, after I went through some hoops, verifying supported hardware set and so on. Once installed, the OS X updates worked okay, however some attempts at the updates would freeze/crash my system.

I have since quit using the iATKOS system and discarded the ISO/disks for two reasons.

1. I started noticing weird/unauthorized network traffic on the system running the iATKOS hacked OS X.
2. I have used Macs in the past. Grew up on them, and used them through Grade school, middle school, high school and part of college. I never had issues upgrading the OS, nor did I have the freeze-ups/crashes I had with the iATKOS installation.

After going through all the articles and my own test, my conclusion is simple:

• Apple’s OS X is best run on a Macintosh. So I bought an older G4 system to play with. (I’m using it now to type this out on!) I’m getting ready to buy a Mac Pro Desktop, as soon as I can settle on which one I want.
• OS X compatible software works best when a legal version is purchased from an authorized retailer

After making such a conclusion, I recommend GENUINE Apple Macintosh computers for use in any computing environment.

• If you are a *NIX user, and do most of your work/management in the terminal/command line, OS X is perfect for you.
• If you are a Windows user, but have issue with Microsoft’s “BUILT IN” issues, OS X will run Windows XP Pro better than a standard PC, using VMWARE Fusion 2 (http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/) or Parallels (http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/)
• If you need a stable server, OS X has a server edition, and many server utility companies make software for the Mac to be used as a server.
• If you are a gamer, the Macintosh has better graphics than any PC on the market. If you are conserned about your PC games, don’t be! If you can’t get it in a Mac version, you can continue to play it in Windows via VMWARE Fusion 2 or Parallels.

The only argument I can accept is the up front expense of a GENUINE Apple Macintosh. However, this argument doesn’t hold much water with me after considering the initial costs of Windows-based systems and the time spent in repair of the same Windows systems.

A Macintosh is better suited for multiple OS platforms than a PC, so why not use a GENUINE Apple Macintosh?

If you would like information on ways to get GENUINE Macintosh Computers as well as software for GENUINE Macintosh Computers at much cheaper rates, or if you have questions related to this article, contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Recently, one of my clients got a new surveillance system. This new system had a 400 Gig DVR for recording from four camera angels. It seems to work well, until, you needed to back up any of the video. To do this you have to plug in an external USB Hardrive which can only be formatted in FAT32. Saving or backing up a longer time frame requires a larger hard drive.

Have you ever tried to format an external USB or Firewire hard drive to the FAT32 file system? Was the hard drive too large for the Windows XP disk management system to format? You may have only been able to format the drive using the NTFS file format. In my case, this simply will not work.

Other situations arise in which a FAT32 formatted external USB hard drive may be the best option. What if you need a drive to be able to be read by other operating systems, like Mac, Linux, and/or older versions of Windows?

Windows XP and Server 2003 can only format an external hard drive in FAT 32 if it’s less than 32GB. (I don’t remember the last time I used a hard drive that small.)

Digging around, I found a way in which Windows can format an external hard drive larger than 32GB in FAT32. You can simply use the DOS command prompt. However, if you have an external hard drive larger than 1T and some hard drives over 500 Gigs, may still give an error stating “The volume is too big for FAT32”. If you see this error, you will need to use a third party disk management program such as Partition Magic, which you can purchase from Symantec or Swiss Knife, which is available freely.

To try formatting with the Windows command prompt, go to Start>Run> and type CMD, then press enter.

You will get a black command line similar to the old DOS screens. Enter the following command and then press enter.

Replace “E:” with the letter of your external hard drive as it was recognized by Windows. Windows will begin formatting the drive in FAT32, after you are prompted about being sure you want to proceed and letting you know all the information on the drive will be lost.

If you choose to continue, this DOS-like Windows Utility may solve your FAT32 format problem.

If you are still unable to get your drive formatted to FAT32 or if you have questions about issues you run into, you may have to use a third party utility (Like Swiss Knife) as I mentioned before. If you would like some assistance in this area, contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Filed under: Computers, Free Software, Free Utilities, Hardrives, Hardware, Linux-Unix, Macintosh, Operating Systems, Software, Utilities, Windows | No Comments »

Ok everyone…

I have written before about several scams I have found. Just recently, I found another one. Yesterday, as I was going through the junk mail, I saw a letter from Automatic Merchandising Services. This letter was addressed to me by first and last name, and included a business card listing my name as the business owner. It also listed major product brands like Dr Pepper, Pringles, 7Up Oreo, Monster, Nestle, Starkist, Hostess and Campbell’s Soup.

Right away, I started searching the internet to see what I could find about the company. You can do your own search on Google by clicking here.

I found a couple articles listed on Rip Off Report.comgiving me an idea about the legitimacy of this business. See them by clicking here or here.

I’m already in a career I love, but something about the letter intrigued me. So, I read more. I’m told about the “fantastic home-based business” I can run part-time while I keep my job. (Gee, Thanks! Really?) They tell me I’m going to get a $1150.00 rebate check if I decide to start in this business, and I don’t even need to bring my checkbook when attending the sales demonstration.

The letter is signed by the National Director L. Printz. They list an 800 number to have my rebate check rushed to me. The phone number (800) 669-8064 is what was listed. I looked it up too, and found a lot more information about other people who had gotten the same letter I did.

The second time around, I saw some fine print at the bottom of the first page. It was shown in italics with an asterisk. It said “Wealth Builders is a service trademark of Planet Antares, Inc. 5700 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230.” This seemed odd to me, as it was the same address listed on the envelope. Digging more, let me to so many more sites with mad people or articles about FTC law suites and so on.

Even the Better Business Bureau has a plethera of complaints listed. See them here.

If you have questions about a business being a scam, Rip Off Report and the Better Business Bureau are the best place to start. If you have problems finding enough information about a business to get an accurate idea of how they operate, feel free contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Microsoft doesn’t make it easy to locate Registration/Installation Keys of software installed in Windows. This is especially true for the Microsoft Titled Software.

Set the Stage:

Let’s assume you are a new IT Manager for a small office. You are filling a position which was abandoned by another technician. You know how to do your job, but are unsure if the person in this position before you, knew how to do it.

One of your job duties is to keep an active inventory of the IT assets. This asset list includes any software installed on the systems used in the office, along with any registration or installation keys needed to install/re-install the software. You are in the middle of your list, and find the last technician has lost Registration/Installation Keys to critical software like Adobe and Microsoft titles.

So, now what? The company is depending on you, yet you are not the one responsible for loosing them.

Solution:

First, I recommend you tell your immediate supervisors/managers, about the issue. In this instance, I would encourage you to under promise and over deliver. Let your superiors know the prior employee lost the printed registration/installation keys for some of the company owned software.

Next, I would tell you to let them know you are going to go forward with the requested asset inventory list, and will continue to look for the registration/installation keys as you are working.

The third thing I would do is run the “systeminfo” command on each workstation. This command will give you a list of some very valuable information for each workstation. If it were me, I would find a way to record this information in a permanent fashion. (This command may even show you the Windows XP Pro Product Registration/Installation Key.)

If the software Registration/Installation Keys still cannot be found, I would get a “Product Key Recovery Software” or maybe a couple of them. (Each Product Key Recovery Software will have a different list of software keys it can recover.) You will need as many Product Key Recovery Software titles as it takes to recover all the software your company deems critical.

One of my clients, just recently, ran into some issues with Registration/Installation Keys. I was able to recover what I needed using Keyfinder v2.0.1 from Magical Jelly Bean Software.

Magical Jelly Bean’s Keyfinder software is a freeware open source utility that retrieves your Registration/Installation Keys. It worked for me, but you need to verify the list of keys it can recover, before depending on it to recover all your lost Product Keys

To be fair, I must mention that you can find other software to recover lost Product Registration/Installation Keys. I’m a big fan of “Open Source” and “Freeware” software, so I chose to list the Keyfinder from Magical Jelly Bean Software. If you want to see more options, you can do a Google search by clicking here.

If you have questions about Registration/Installation Keys you were unable to find an adequate answer for, contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Filed under: Computers, Desktop, Free Software, Free Utilities, Laptops, Operating Systems, Servers, Software, Utilities, Windows | No Comments »

The posting of this blog topic was intentionally delayed. Really, I was conflicted about whether I would post it at all. This specific topic is one where many people, including myself, have many varying opinions.

On one hand, I’m a huge fan of the Apple corporation. I am an even bigger fan of the products Apple develops and sells. Any genuine Apple product, is far superior, in my mind, to any competitor’s product. I have even gone on the record before, saying Apple products aren’t nearly as expensive as they seem, so long as you compare equal ability.

On the other hand, I spent the last two weeks comparing a used Apple desktop system to the equivalent hardware for a PC. Using eBay to determine the fair market value of the specific systems, I find Apple owners want way too much for their used machines. Very few used Apple systems found on eBay even come with legally usable software including the OS. You can spend $3200.00 for a used Apple Pro with an 8-core Xeon Processor, a 1T hardrive and 8 Gigs of RAM, with no legally usable software or operating system. Or you can spend a lot less and get a brand new non-Apple system with the same configuration.

In the end, I’m sure a GENUINE APPLE product will be much more reliable. However technology buffs everywhere would just as soon build their own computers, as to pay so much to go the other route. So, I decided to go forward with the rest of this post.

ExpressHD has created a Boot Processing Unit (BPU) providing a full Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) environment called the EFI-X (EFiX). EFI is a new standard created by Intel(tm) . The EFiX is 10-1 pin computer chip containing an embedded CPU, memory drive, and a USB connector. It is designed so it can be mounted internally on a motherboard. EFiX is for enthusiasts putting expandability and performance before anything else in their computing needs.

ExpressHD sells the EFiX for around $240, although they run specials from time to time, reducing the cost of the EFiX unit in combination with a motherboard or system. The EFiX is fully able to support Windows and various flavors of Linux. The biggest selling point of all, is the ability to boot Apple OS X native on non-Apple PC hardware.

I’ve got to believe the EFiX, when used to install or boot Apple’s OS X, violates the OS X EULA. However, the EFiX provides the ability to install OS X without using hacked, pirated and/or otherwise virus infected versions of OS X.

The EFiX device requires a separate hardrive for each operating system you want to use. However, if you can get by the OS needing a dedicated hardrive, the EFiX is basically a performance management device.

*USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

If you have questions about the EFiX USB Dongle, you will want to contact ExpressHD and/or the manufacturer of your motherboard.

If you you have gone through the EFiX Support and the support provided by your motherboard manufacturer and still can’t make heads or tails of how to correctly use the EFiX, contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Filed under: Computers, Desktop, Hardrives, Hardware, Linux-Unix, Macintosh, Motherboards, Operating Systems, Processors, Software, Utilities, Windows | 1 Comment »

If you have a Smart Phone and you have a POP3/SMTP email system using SSL, you may be required to download and install the SSL certificate on to your phone, before you can get email on your phone. You may not find this to be as easy as you want it to be.

To add to all this, some Smart Phones require the SSL certificate to be in the “.cer” format. If you find yourself in this situation, the following command will allow you to convert the SSL certificate from “.pem” to “.cer” for use on your smart phone.

FYI: When converting the SSL certificate from .pem to a DER format, make sure you use the .cer extension!

If you have questions about this process, you will have to contact the manufacturer of your Smart Phone and/or the Cellular Service Provider you subscribe to.

If you can’t get any help from them, contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu.

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Filed under: Cellular Telephones, Computers, Linux-Unix, Operating Systems, Servers, Smart Phones and PDA | No Comments »

I’ve come to expect issues from Microsoft’s Zune MP3 player. After all, it is a Microsoft product. It wasn’t very long ago when this same Zune froze up with the “Leap Year” issue.

It isn’t surprising to me that there is another issue. This is simply what we come to expect from Microsoft. We wouldn’t know what to do if Microsoft quit releasing products without issues. (I think the world would quit spinning!) This is what happens when Microsoft makes it a policy to hire educated idiots as developers and programmers.

“Hey… Gates… there is a lot to be said for common sense. Maybe you need employees who have some!”

The latest issue I’ve discovered with my Zune is not being able to pause the music while a song is playing. The Zune keeps playing until the song is over. Sometimes even after the song is over and pause was pressed, the Zune just keeps playing.

I connected the Zune to my computer to check for updates. I was told that it was already up to date. This didn’t get me anywhere.

So I tried the install games button. I already had the games installed, but the option to install games was still available to be selected.

Guess what? For some stupid reason, this worked. Knowing my Zune is a Microsoft product, there is no way I’m the only one with this issue. So, I have posted the steps to duplicate what I did. Maybe it will work for you!

1. Connect your Zune MP3 Player to the computer you use to add music and update the Zune software.
2. Go to the Settings area of the software.
3. Click on “Device”
4. Click on “Device Update” found on the left side of the panel.
5. Click on the “Install Games” button.

I hope this will work for others as well!

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The differences between purchasing software and purchasing a license to use software is misunderstood by most people. This is complicated more when purchasing computers with software pre-installed on them and is complicated further by blatant lies listed in many auctions on eBay.

The first thing people need to understand is that when you go to the store and locate a software title you need, you are not buying the software itself. You are only purchasing the right to use the software. So when you go pay $650 for Microsoft Office or $2500 for Adobe Creative Suite CS4 Master’s Collection, you still DO NOT own the software. The payment you made was for the right to use the software only!

Once you understand the first part, you are now far beyond the comprehension of most people. This is the hardest thing for people to understand. I guess it is because people think when you go to the store, you buy things. They are partly right, but they aren’t buying the software, only paying for the right to use the software.

The next thing people need to understand is the differences in software licenses and who can use them.

1. Academic licenses are for Teachers and students of accredited schools. These licenses are usually way less expensive than full retail versions. Software companies do this to hook students on using specific software, from a specific manufacturer, at an early age. The idea is that if you learn how to use it, you will continue to use it when you are out of school. This is simply a marketing tool for software manufacturers to solicit future business.
2. Family Pack licenses is the legal use of a software title on multiple PCs under the same roof. An example of this is Apple’s OSX Leopard Family Pack. It is legal to install on up to five Apple computers which reside under one roof and/or at the same postal address. It is illegal to sell an Apple computer with this type of software license, to another person, who does not live with you, unless you transfer ownership of the entire Family Pack to that person to be installed and used on machines at the buyer’s address.
3. OEM Licenses are for specific machines, regardless of who owns them. These software licenses are only legal when used on or with the specific piece of hardware the license was sold with. For instance, if you purchase a new PC and that new PC has Microsoft Windows XP Pro pre-installed on it from the PC’s manufacturer, you do not own the software, only the machine. If you sell that PC, the legal license to use Microsoft Windows XP Pro goes with that specific machine. It is not legal for OEM software which came with one PC, to be installed onto another PC.
4. Retail Licenses are for use by the person or business which purchases the license. These licenses are specific in how many computers the software is licensed for use on. Retail Licenses may be a single user license for use by one person, on one pc, or it could be for use by one person on a desktop and a laptop.
5. Other licenses exist for businesses and corporations where the business pays and extremely large premium to the software manufacturer to legally use the software on many computers. (For the purpose of this post, I will not go into this section any further. Just understand that the licenses apply only to businesses or large corporations and that the people using the machines with the software installed on them, do not have the legal right to use it somewhere else for personal use.)

So…

If you have read this post to this point, you should now see where I’m headed with my topic about eBay.

As an avid fan of eBay and someone who is happy with the service eBay offers, I have to say, a lot of auctions include ILLEGAL software in the sale from one person to the other. This was brought to the front of my attention in the last several weeks. I have been trying to locate and buy a used Apple G5 computer. When reading through the product description I found hundreds of auctions listing software which will come installed on the machine, but in which the seller is not providing the disks to the software. A simple message to the seller asking about the software cds and licenses, gets me to the point of this post. The eBay sellers are keeping the software cds and retaining their right to use the software on another system, if they chose to do so. However, they represent the machine to the buyer like it is worth so much more, because of all the software the seller has installed on it.

THIS SALES PRACTICE IS HIGHLY ILLEGAL!

This practice breaks the license agreement in multiple ways. It breaks the contractual agreement the original owner made with the software manufacturer, when installing the software for the first time. If you buy the machine and use the software, you are again violating the user agreement, because you are using software which is licensed to someone else for use. (You did not purchase the right to use that software from the software manufacturer and the seller did not explicitly forfeit the right to the software license.)

If the seller does not assign you ownership of the software licenses and disks when you buy a computer, you do not have any legal right to use the software. In fact, if you use the software, you are part of the software piracy problem.

The sellers get mad when you point this out, because eBay frowns on the act of selling computers with illegally obtained or pirated software on them. However, there are so many of these types of auctions, eBay can’t begin to monitor them all. So, eBay passes the blame to the seller and buyers.

How can you ensure you are getting legal software?

1. Buy from sellers with positive feedback. Make sure you read feedback to find out if there were related issues.
2. Ask questions of the seller about the software or computer you are watching/bidding on. (Are the “original” installation/recovery disks included? Do the disks have the original labeling printed by the manufacturer, or are they a copy? Are you forfeiting your right to use the software which is being sold to you? Which license type is the software? and so on.) If these questions asked of the seller don’t reflect positive answers, you are simply paying for a computer system with illegal software on it.
3. Use a payment method which protects you from fraud. PayPal really is your friend in these situations!

   

4. Verify any software keys provided to you with the software manufacturer and make sure you register the software under your name. Save all conversations and information pertaining to the sales transaction, in case you are ever asked for proof of legal license for the software you are using.

If you are unsure about this whole issue, contact the manufacturer of the software you have questions about. They love to help people get legal software licenses. Many manufacturers have discounts on the purchase of a legal software license to use in place of the illegal one.

Another point of reference would be the manufacturer of the hardware. They can answer questions about what software came with the machine and what is needed to legally recover the software for use.

Lastly, contact me by using the CONTACT US link in the menu. Most of the time, I can point you in the right direction.

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