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Posts with tag fix

Filed under: News, Windows, How-Tos

Top 12 ways to overcome PC disaster

PPC disasterPC World has put together a round-up of ideas to save you from the worst things that could happen to you. These end-game scenarios include:
  1. Your computer won't boot
  2. You just told off the CEO in an e-mail and instantly regret it
  3. No PCs show on the network
  4. Your identity has been stolen!
  5. Your Net connection is dead
  6. You're being sued by the RIAA/MPAA
  7. Your device just got doused with water--or worse
  8. You're inundated with pop-ups when you boot your PC (adware/spyware infestation)
  9. You deleted a critical file--and have no backup
  10. Your hard drive has crashed
  11. You forgot your Windows password
  12. Your presentation just croaked
These are some of the most frequent problems that an IT technician will be asked to deal with, but if you don't happen to have an IT person to beg and offer your life-savings, PC World has put together articles for each issue that may arise to help you out of your predicament.

You may want to bookmark these articles, or print them out and store them in a firesafe, just so when your PC takes a nose-dive, you'll have something to fall back on. There are a few gems that are not so common knowledge for your triumph over the untimely death of man's "new best friend" (that's the computer if you haven't had enough coffee yet today). Good luck, you're going to need it.

Filed under: Internet, Security, Windows, Macintosh, Linux

Firefox 1.5.0.5 security update, 8 'critical' vulnerabilities patched

Firefox 1.5.0.5 security update releasedMozilla has released a security update to Firefox, version 1.5.0.5. TechWeb is reporting that this update fixes 13 vulnerabilities, including 8 that have been deemed critical by Mozilla. For those keeping score: all 8 of these critical bugs are errors or vulnerabilities that have been found in JavaScript.

Firefox 1.5.x should automatically download this update, but users can still manually obtain a copy from Mozilla's site.

Filed under: Security, Windows, Symantec

Symantec patches AntiVirus vulnerability

SymantecSymantec moved quickly to squash a security vulnerability in its AntiVirus Corporate Edition which was disclosed by eEye Digital Security last week, and according to CRN Australia an official fix is now being rolled out in the form of an IPS signature update. An unnamed executive from another security vendor, however, says they are "scratching their heads in disbelief" regarding the choice, because hackers could reverse-engineer the signatures and get "a blueprint of the vulnerability." It seems to me that any fix released could likewise be reverse-engineered, but it may be true that an IPS signature is easier to dissect. Let's just hope all of those Corporate users have their AntiVirus set to keep those signatures up-to-date.

Filed under: Productivity, Mozilla

Make Firefox allow "Open with" for all files

Firefox Open WithA minor peeve of mine is the way Firefox tries to protect you from yourself, i.e. not letting you choose the "Open With" option when downloading certain files, and instead making you save it to your hard drive first. Usually this only applies to executable files, but Firefox's definition of executable is pretty broad, so sometimes this restriction kicks in even when opening, say, JavaScript files. Oddly, there's no option to fix this, not even in about:config. If you've had it with this "feature," though, there is something you can do, but as you've probably guessed already it requires editing some files hidden deep in Firefox's innards. If you're comfortable with the risk, though, click through to this tutorial on Opening EXE files directly in Firefox (the server seems a bit slow just now, so you may have to try a couple times).

Filed under: Windows, Microsoft

Wayward Windows patch patched

MicrosoftI was sure we wouldn't see a fix for this one until May's Patch Tuesday, but Microsoft has announced that the fix for the troublesome patch released two weeks ago will be available tomorrow, April 25, halfway through its usual patch cycle. Microsoft also has a knowledgebase article on the issue which basically says "it's the fault of this old third party software" and gives a few registry tweaks if for some reason you can't wait for the patch. Plus one point for fixing it out of cycle, Microsoft. Minus two for releasing a broken patch in the first place.

Filed under: Security, Windows, Microsoft

Unofficial patches fix Internet Explorer vulnerability

Internet ExplorerRather than wait two more weeks until Patch Tuesday as Microsoft has opted to do, two companies have released their own unofficial patches for the newly-disclosed Internet Explorer vulnerability that is rapidly being exploited in the wild. Security firms eEye and Determina have both announced the availability of unofficial hotfixes that they're touting as temporary solutions until Microsoft gets its act together. Both companies have released the source code of their patches for review, but installing either is still an at-your-own-risk undertaking. eEye's information and download page can be found here, and Determina's here.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Mozilla, Browser Tips

How to make old extensions work in a new version of Firefox

Firefox extensions versionWhenever a new version of Firefox comes out there's always some grumblings about it deciding that certain extensions are now incompatible. It seems especially needless with so minor a version change as 1.5 to 1.5.0.1. The fix is not new but not widely known, so it's worth posting here:

In the address bar type about:config. Use the Filter field to find app.extensions.version (if it's not present, create it by right-clicking and choosing New > String). Double-click on it and in the pop-up box enter 1.5 (or the previous version of your choice--if you're creating a new value the box will pop up automatically). Restart Firefox and when it's started go to Tools > Extensions. Find the "incompatible" extensions in the list (they'll be greyed out), right-click on them, and click Enable. Restart Firefox and you're done.

And as always, the above tip is at-your-own-risk and YMMV. For more technical information check out Extension Versioning at Mozilla.org.

Filed under: Internet, Blogging

Wordpress 2.0 and a fix for file uploads

Back in November I posted about how much I was enjoying a WordPress 2.0 beta, and today I'm happy to say it has fortunately gone official. WordPress 2.0 is now available for your blogging pleasure, but there's just one problem for those of you who use external blogging clients like Ecto: WordPress 2.0 breaks file uploads. A post at Ecto's blog explains the whole situation, including good news for an eventual update from the WordPress crew themselves, but for now they also were generous enough to create a simple work-around. Altering two lines of code in one of the WordPress system files can re-enable file uploads for now, and I can personally verify this works on my own blog as I couldn't help but take advantage of that Ecto sale over the holidays.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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