Fresh Install Of Windows 7: Applications Installed + Modifications

Here's a list of Applications I install after doing a fresh install of Windows 7 and some Modifications I make to improve my usage of the OS.

# Applications I Install #####################

- Adobe Flash Player 10 ActiveX
Eventually some site, like youtube will ask you to install this
and provide a link for it.
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- Adobe Reader 9.1
Used to read PDF files.
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- CutePDF Writer 2.8
Used to write PDF files by adding a virtual printer to computer.
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- Microsfot Office Professional Plus 2010
- Microsoft Security Essentials
Free Antivirus software from Microsoft for machines with legally
actived versions of Windows.
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- Notepad++
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- Pidgin
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- VirtuaWin v4.3
Small simple, low resource tool that allows for multiple desktops.
It's free.
- VLC Media Player 1.1.4
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- WinRAR archiver
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- uTorrent
Got from getvolery.com (ninite.com)
- ASUS ATK Hot Key
Required for my ASUS laptop to get the special function keys to
work (Fn + ...). Got it from my ASUS DVD that came with laptop.

# Downloading From Ninite #####################

www.ninite.com (or www.getvolery.com) is a great site that allows you to download and install multiple programs with one installer without having to go through the hassle of running seperate installs. The installer is actually so basic that it doesn't ask you any questions at all (not even where to install), it just installs everything.

All programs are installed under:
C:\Program Files\...
or
C:\Program Files (x86)\... on a 64-bit version of Windows 7.

For a full list of available applications, visit www.nanite.com

# Programs I Pin To The Start Menu ############

- Calculator
- Paint
- Notepad
- Microsoft Word
- Pidgin
- Notepad++
- Sticky Notes (comes with Windows)

# Programs I Pin To The Task Bar ##############

- Internet Explorer
- Windows Explorer
- Notepad

# System Modifications I Make #################

Tools -> Folder Options -> View
1) Check 'Always show icons, never thumbnails'
2) Under 'Hidden files and folders', select 'Show hidden files, folders, or drives'
3) Uncheck 'Hide extensions for known file types'

Modify Power Options
- Change Power Button to Hibernate instead of Turn Off
- Make sure Sleep button is set to Sleep

Start Menu Properties
- Changed Look of Start Menu to not show 'Large icons'.
- Changed Control Panel to show as a list rather than be a link.
- Added Administrative tools to Start Menu to show as a list.

Internet Explorer
- Changed homepage
- Change search tool
- Change each tabs to appear in start menu preview

Automatic Updates
- Set to ask to download and install whenever important updates are
available. This way it doesn't download and install what you don't want.

Everything You Need To Know About GRUB 2

Here's a link to a thread that has all the information about GRUB 2, including how to re-install and uninstall.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1195275

Creating Virtual Drives In Windows

This is a quick guide on how to create a Virtual Hard Drive in Windows that points to a folder somewhere within the filesystem. This could be a folder on a local hard disk, CD/DVD or USB drive as long as it is accessible.

1) Start Menu -> Run and type in "cmd" to launch Command Prompt

2) Now you can run the following commands (replace what is in []):

To Create A Virtual Drive
Command: subst [DRIVE LETTER]: "[FOLDER PATH]"
Example: subst x: "D:\temp"

To List All Virtual Drives
Command: subst

Delete A Virtual Drive
Command: subst [DRIVE LETTER]: /D
Example: subst x: /D


Upon successful execution of these commands, no argument will be returned. When you go to My Computer you should see your virtual drive. The virtual drive will not appear if you restart your computer. You will be required to redo the commands.

To Make A Virtual Drive Permanent, then refer to the steps 3 to 6 in this guide on how to do that:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2136865_virtual-drive.html

Funny Videos + Images On The Internet

Comedy Videos:

Lebron James Flips Out At Clevland Fans
- Someone put Lebron James' head over a wrestling match with Hulk Hogan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7xlzLOZH5c

Effects of Drugs on Spiders
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

Guy Describes an accident to his friend's voicemail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLlGbbeheek&feature=related

Tom Mabe I Slept With Your Wife, Come Fight Me Prank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGT1xfjJTBg&feature=related

Tom Mabe Murder Scene Best Prank Ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdoogjic4I&feature=related

Ferrari Optical Illusion
http://www.break.com/index/cool-optical-illusion-with-ferrari.html

Drunk Guy Can't Put His Flip Flops On
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO7Fplmw62w

Fake Head Prank
http://www.break.com/index/girlfriend-scared-by-fake-head-in-bed.html

NSFW
http://www.break.com/index/sfw-porn-clips.html

Cool Card Magic Trick
http://www.break.com/index/cool-and-complex-card-trick.html

Cheating Girlfriend Caught By Webcam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtJF3veLzko&NR=1

Chick dumped on live tv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmOfKwxUNSY

Weng Weng Rap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqh5O9LbjhY

-------------------------------------

Funny Young Money Music Video Spoofs:

Forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8i0vsMlGfQ&feature=channel

Over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehu9ksE-PsY&feature=channel

Bills That I Owe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCyovZEdfW4&NR=1

Are you from Bedrock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtZliNN3VsA&feature=related

-------------------------------------

Funny Images

How Not To Private Message On Facebook
http://www.geekologie.com/2009/08/how_not_to_private_message_on.php

Balls On Fire, Stomp It Out
http://topofthethread.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/fire.gif

Poor Girl Text The Wrong Person
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8psaNN0eLYjEnY-kUF2j4c0VKbTzdOKMSpaPTynRaliI9O5thYctB4wQsaPojiBS6THbkyH9i77U39Pw4k-HiT_sMt1pSPrlnhHhvjEzXLWfQEDtxob_HkZ88D3EhP7meqIdyOvv2Cuk/s400/lizzy-frisinger-21-1.jpg

Wing Man
http://www.explosm.net/comics/1546/
-------------------------------------

How To Connect PS3 or Xbox Via A Laptop (Bridge Connection) To Access The Internet

You need a Crossover Ethernet Cable to perform this task because you are connecting two NICs together directly rather than through a switch/hub or router. Essentially there are three ways to connect this, but two of them I will combine into the first one:

1) Connect PS3 -> Switch/Hub/Router -> Laptop -> Internet
What you would need is two RJ-45 Ethernet cables and either a switch, hub or router. You'll then have to setup the switch, hub or router so that the PS3 and laptop can see each other in that network. Once you can see the PS3 from your laptop in Network Neighbourhood (I believe that's where all your networks appear in Windows) then you can right click on one of the connections and select Bridge to bridge the connection between that and the network to the Internet.

2) Connect PS3 -> Laptop -> Internet
For this setup all you need is a Crossover Ethernet Cable. Connect one end to the PS3's ethernet port and the other to your laptop's. Then in your laptop, you'll have to configure the laptop's NIC TCP/IPv4 settings to have a static IP address. Set your laptop's setting as so:

Laptop IP Address: 192.168.3.1
Laptop Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Laptop DNS: 0.0.0.0 (I don't think this matters, leave it blank if you can)
Laptop Default Gateway: 192.168.3.2

Now on your PS3 you have to set the IP Address to static too and set it up as follows:

PS3 IP Address: 192.168.3.2
PS3 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
PS3 Default Gateway: 192.168.3.1

After you made those changes and save them, you'll need to disconnect, wait a few seconds then reconnect the crossover cable. Now when you go to Network Neighbourhood (Again I think this is where you see your networks in Windows) on your laptop and you should see two networks. One is the network that you were connected to before for the Internet and the other is the one you just created to the PS3. Just highlight both networks, right click and there should be an option to Bridge Connections. After that you can run the Test Connection check on the PS3 and it should be able to find the Internet.

Deactivating Windows Product Key

Windows Product Key Information

Windows has a built in VBScript to find out information about the Windows product key used during install and to replace or release it. The command to release a Windows Product Key is bolded and the line precedes with a star in the list of commands below.

To run the script, go to Start -> Run and type:

slmgr.vbs

No parameters will bring up the Help screen. Below is a list of parameters that can be
used. Useful parameters are preceded with a *.


Global Options:
/ipk - Install product key (replaces existing key)
/ato [Activation ID] - Activate Windows
/dli [Activation ID All] - Display license information (default: current license)
/dlv [Activation ID All] - Display detailed license information
/xpr [Activation ID] - Expiration date for current license state


Advanced Options:

/cpky - Clear product key from the registry (prevents disclosure attacks)
/ilc - Install license
/rilc - Re-install system license files
/rearm - Reset the licensing status of the machine
* /upk [Activation ID]- Unistall Product Key
- Works when leaving [Activation ID] field blank.

Options for Activating Windows
/dti [Activation ID]
- Display Installation ID for offline activation
/atp [Activation ID]
- Activate product with user-provided Confirmation ID

How To Use A Linksys Router As A Repeater Bridge

===========================================
Linksys Router Setup
===========================================
Table of Contents
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-1 Firmware + Files
1-2 Hard Reset of Router
2-1 Setting Up Linksys Router as a Repeater Bridge
3-1 Final Setup
#REF References


------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-1 Firmware + Files
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following are the firmware files for the Linksys router. To install
them, from the router's setup page, locate Administration -> Firmware
and update it.

dd-wrt.v24-12548_NEWD_mini.bin
dd-wrt firmware update for Linksys router

WRT150NV11_1.01.9_US_code.bin
Default Linksys firmware.

Latest versions of the firmware can be found at:
1) www.linksys.com
2) www.dd-wrt.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-2 Hard Reset of Router
------------------------------------------------------------------------

A hard reset can be done by perfomring a 30-30-30 reset. What this
means for Linksys routers is to:
- With the router ON, hold the reset button down for 30 seconds
- Remove the power cable from the router, while still holding down
the reset button on the router and continue holding for 30 seconds
- Plug the power back in and continue holding the reset button down
for 30 seconds.
* NOTE: The reset button should be pressed once and held down for
all those steps. The power button should flash and the
router should restore itself to default settings. Firmware
will remain the same.

It is advised to perform a hard reset before and after every firmware
update.

Upon Hard Reset, the router's IP Address is 192.168.1.1, Login name is
blank, password is 'admin'.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-1 Setting Up Linksys Router as a Repeater Bridge
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background

A wireless bridge connects two LAN segments with a wireless link. The
two segments are in the same subnet and look like two ethernet switches
connected by a cable to all computers on the subnet. Since the
computers are on the same subnet, broadcasts reach all machines. DHCP
clients in one segment can get their addresses from a DHCP server in
the other segment.

Use a wireless bridge to transparently connect computers in one room
to computers in a different room when you cannot—or don't want to—run
an ethernet cable between the two rooms.

A standard wireless bridge (client bridge) connects wired clients to a
secondary router as if they were connected to your main router with a
cable. Secondary clients share the bandwidth of a wireless connection
back to your main router. Of course, you can still connect clients to
your main router using either a cable connection or a wireless
connection.

The limitation with standard bridging is that it only allows wired
clients to connect to your secondary router. Wireless clients cannot
connect to your secondary router configured as a standard bridge.

New in DD-WRT v24 is Repeater Bridge mode. This extends your primary LAN
via secondary router (bridge router) and also allows wireless clients to
connect to your secondary router. This extends the range of your wireless
network while simultaneously allowing wired clients to connect to your
secondary router.


Instructions

Given that the first router with Internet connection is already setup
and works perfectly, this guide shows how to setup other routers with
the dd-wrt firmware installed on it to be set to run in Repeater Bridge
Mode to duplicate the first router and allow Internet access to any
device attached to the second router.


1.Restore Factory Defaults on Secondary (DD-WRT) Router

2.Do a proper HARD 30-30-30 Reset on the router.

3.Set your computer to a static IP of 192.168.1.9

4.Connect to the secondary router via wired or wireless client keeping
in mind the dd-wrt default settings for dhcp pool and ssid

5.Open the Wireless -> Basic Settings tab
Physical Interface Section
Wireless Mode : Repeater Bridge
Wireless Network Mode : Must Match Primary Router
Wireless Network Name(SSID) : Must Match Primary Router - Make
sure you spell this correctly
Wireless Channel : Must Match Primary Router (This will
disappear once you put it in RB mode, and
isn't needed)
Wireless SSID Broadcast : Enable
Network Configuration : Bridged
Save

Virtual Interfaces Section
Add
Wireless Network Name(SSID) : Different from Primary Router
[NOTE] - You CAN try using the same SSID but many have had
random disconnects and/or no connection if the SSID's are
the same. If using the same ssid doesn't work for you, use
a different ssid from the primary router
Wireless SSID Broadcast : Enable
AP Isolation : Disable
Network Configuration : Bridged
Save

6.Open the Wireless -> Wireless Security tab
Physical Interface Section
Security Mode : Must Match Primary Router
WPA Algorithms : Must Match Primary Router
WPA Shared Key : Must Match Primary Router
Key Renewal Interval (in seconds) : Leave default

Virtual Interfaces Section (note if you don't see this section
your firmware should be atleast v24-sp1)
Security Mode : Must Match Physical Interface
WPA Algorithms : Must Match Physical Interface
WPA Shared Key : Must Match Physical Interface
Key Renewal Interval (in seconds) : Leave default
Save

7.Open the Setup -> Basic Setup tab
Connection Type will be: Disabled
Set STP for Disabled (Enabled sometimes can cause connection
problems) redhawk
IP Address : 192.168.1.2 (Assuming Primary Router IP is
192.168.1.1)
* In my case the Bell router's IP was 192.168.2.1, so I set
this router to be 192.168.2.*, where * is any unused IP
address in that subnet.
Mask : 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (again assuming Primary Router IP is
192.168.1.1)
* In my case it was 192.168.2.1 (Bell router's IP Address)
DHCP Server: Disable
Local DNS: 192.168.1.1 (if IP of Primary Router is 192.168.1.1)
* In my case it was 192.168.2.1 (Bell router's IP Address)
Assign WAN Port to Switch : Optionally enable this to use the WAN
port as another LAN port.
Save

8.Open Setup -> Advanced Routing tab
Set Operating mode to "Router"
Save

9.Open Services
Disable Dnsmasq
Save

10.Open the Security -> Firewall tab
Uncheck all boxes...except Filter Multicast
Disable SPI firewall
APPLY Settings

11.Reboot the router.

12.Once you have it working, go to the wireless security tab, and set
the same type of security AND key for both the primary and the
repeater ssids and hit apply.

13.SET YOUR COMPUTER BACK TO AUTO IP AND AUTO DNS.

For more information see:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge#Linksys

------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1 Final Setup
------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the end I have:

Router 1: Bell Router

SSID: dredre
IP Address: 192.168.2.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Security: WPA1 + WPA2 Personal
Key: **********


Router 2: Linksys Router (Repeater Bridge)

SSID1: dredre
SSID2: dredre2 (broadcasts itself as dredre2)
IP Address: 192.168.2.51
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.2.1
Local DNS: 192.168.2.1
Security: WPA2 Personal
Key: ********** (same as Router 1's)

All connected devices should be set to assign IP address manually.
Router 1 will assign all IP addresses, so there should not be any
conflict. Static IP's should be set by Router 1's software. Router 2's
IP should never be used by any other device, otherwise these steps
will have to be redone with Router 2's new IP Address.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
#REF References
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Guide taken from:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge#Linksys