You guys sent in a ton of ideas for Windows optimization tools after one of my earlier HakTips. I’ve listed some of my favorites!

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#1 is Revo Uninstaller. Matt says, like the name says, it’s a program that uninstalls programs, but it goes beyond that too. Before you uninstall anything, it creates a restore point, scans for files and registry entries that the program uses and launches the program’s uninstaller. When it’s all done uninstalling, Revo checks again for files and registry entries. If it finds them, it asks you if you want to delete them. This program also comes in a portable version.

#2 is DiskMax. Andre says, one thing that killed a lot more useless files and somehow speeded up more than the others, I think is “”DiskMax”" by Koshy John, which I use on every pc in the family, because they are getting ugly slow.

#3 is SmartDefrag. Francisco writes in with this one and says, I would like to recommend SmartDefrag as another utility to keep your computer optimized for optimum performance. That was redundant.

#4 is sent in by Bryan and also comes from the iobit.com website. He says, another great free utility is Advanced SystemCare 4 (which was also sent in by Alex). Iobit has free Malware Remover, Free Defrag, Free File Shredder, etc. All are great and free. Or you can go old school with Diskcleaner for a quick and easy clean.

#5 is another cleaner sent in by Pete. He states I think I found a few tools that can belly up to the competition the first is a cleaning tool called Fcleaner. I found it to be a better tool so far compared to CCleaner. It seemed to speed up my computer a considerable amount.

#6 was sent in by Nick. He says, just wanted to recommend Soluto to speed up start up, it’s a time brilliant program. Sean also sent this in, stating: This is an optimization software which gives you insight on the internal processes of your windows PC. With this program you are notified of which programs, plugins, and services that are slowing your PC’s boot time and your browser. It has a fresh interface and shows promise in future releases.

BenjaminD says use msconfig! Personally, I find msconfig to be one of the best (and only) good tools that Windows has built into their machines for as long as I can remember. With it, you can choose what programs can startup on boot, and you can control the programs that are running in the background.

Another simple tip sent in by William is Open a DOS prompt and delete the temp files. Type cd\ del *.tmp /s – It is a great way to clean out the junk, or you can create a scheduled task to do it for you.

A lot more were sent in by you guys, like Auslogics boostspeed, Ultimate Windows Tweaker, Tweak Now Power Pack 2011, and Network Utilization just to name a few! But alas, my time is up and I must bid you farewell.

Until the next HakTip I want to hear your feedback. What program or command is giving your PC a boost? Let me know what you think or what program you use by emailing me — tips@hak5.org or send me a note in the comments below.

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this.

This time on the show I’m checking out EaseUS’s ToDo Backup Utility.

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My whole life is on my computer, and if I lost my photos to a dead hard drive or PC meltdown, I’d be at a complete loss. You can pay loads for online storage and cloud service backups, but you can also use tools to backup to your network, a server, or another hard drive. This one is called EaseUS’s ToDo Backup Utility.

This program features backup scheduling, full system backup and recovery, file and folder selection, and incremental backup- which is something I love as it only backs up when files have been changed or added since the last backup. It is supported on all newer versions of Windows.

Install this program like normal and restart your computer. After opening it for the first time, you’re greeted with some options- Backup, Recover, Schedule a Backup, or Clone. Under the Backup tab at the top you can create a disk or partition backup, file backup, or manage how backups are processed. The recover tab lets you recover files, disks, or partitions. Under Tools, you can check images of files, make a bootable USB, use tools for your hard drive like erasing and wiping data, or mount an image.

I’m going to start by backing up some files. I’ll choose File Backup, and I’ll create a new backup. Since I don’t have another hard drive plugged into this computer, I’m just going to back this folder up into my photos folder.

Wait for the backup to finish.

Once finished, you can recover all the files you’ve backed up by choosing the name of the backup. Under schedule backup, I can choose a folder, choose to back it up incrementally, and I can choose when I want it to happen. You will need your Windows UN and PW to schedule backups. If you need to cancel a backup or delete backups, go to the Backup tab under Backup Management and choose delete backup.

Now, to recover your backups, they make it really easy. Go to the recover tab, and choose File Recovery. Choose your files you want to recover, and click next. Choose the destination and the recover will begin.

I have to say, EaseUS’s ToDo Backup Tool is really easy, hence the name! It’s built a LOT better than the backup program that came with my Western Digital external hard drive, so I’m definitely replacing the built in tool with this one.”

Ok, so I want to hear your feedback. What local backup tool is your fav? Let me know what you think or what program you use by emailing me — tips@hak5.org or send me a note in the comments below.

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this.

This time on the show , breaking into command prompts using Microsoft Paint! Navigate Windows like a power user with Launchy. FTP from anywhere, manually control wireless connections in BackTrack Linux and a whole lot more this time on Hak5!

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Breaking into command prompts using Microsoft Paint!

Let’s face it, a lot of public Windows machines aren’t locked down properly. This trick, sent in by 0perator, goes to show how trivial it can be to obtain a shell using the notorious MsPaint tool. Begin by opening Paint and starting a new image with the dimensions of 1 px tall and 6 px wide. Then from left to right paint one pixel at a time with these custom RGB values:

• 10,0,0
• 13,10,13
• 100,109,99
• 120,101,46
• 0,0,101
• 0,0,0

Now save the image as a 24-bit bmp file. Rename the extension .bat, open and enjoy the shell.

To see what’s really going on here open the file in a hex editor. My favorite on Windows is HxD Hex Editor. It’s freeware. Of course it’s worth mentioning that any machine secured properly with group policies isn’t going to be susceptible to this attack, but you’d be surprised how many aren’t.

Navigate Windows like a pro with Launchy

A lot of power users- like Darren- don’t really use the start menu or well… their mouse. They just want to be able to put in a couple of keystrokes and immediately get to the program they need to use.

There’s this nice, simple utility called Launchy that does just what Darren needs. Launchy is a free cross-platform utility designed to help you forget about your start menu, the icons on your desktop, and even your file manager. It indexes the programs in your start menu and can launch your documents, project files, folders, and bookmarks with just a few keystrokes!

Launchy can be found at launchy.net, where you can download, donate, and check out skins and how-tos, The skins on their website kind of remind me of the days of Winamp skins, so I’m just sticking to the simple black one.

The download is available for Windows up to 7, Mac, Linux, as well as a portable version.

After downloading Launchy, open the main window and type in a program name or something you want to find, and press enter. It should automatically open that program within a few seconds. If you find that doesn’t work, click on the settings button and choose the catalog tab. Click the plus button and add your program files folder.

A few keystrokes to know: Alt + Space opens and closes the Launchy window. Typing something in then hitting tab with start a command line entry. For example, type in chrome, then hit tab, then type in the hak5 website.

You can look at your history of searches by press down when the window is blank. Press shift + delete to delete a highlighted program in that list.

To add functionality for other file types other than programs, go to the Catalog tab under settings, choose your destination or create a new one, then click + to add a different file type, type in *.mp3 or *.jpg…, and choose rescan Catalog.

Along with the healthy does of easy GUI is a handful of plugins for your mere enjoyment. The Launchy website features many plugins to make the utility easier to use and more useful- including a built in calculator, a website browser, and a program killer for background programs.

I think this is a tool for those users who need something to help them speed up their daily processes just a bit by giving them that freedom to not have to use the mouse. Also, the portable version would be really handy for IT support who don’t necessarily know where programs are on each computer they work on. Booting up this tool and searching for a program is as easy as making sweet tea. Mmmm. Delicious.

FTP from anywhere, manually control wireless connections in BackTrack Linux

Alex submitted this tip at hak5.org/nibble. He writes

Need to access a file on an FTP server, but you’re on a machine where you can’t install programs, or you don’t have your all singing all dancing flash drive full of portables? Well by using the full address with the “”FTP://”" at the beginning you can access it using Firefox, Chrome, IE and even the Windows File explorer!

Thanks! I’d also like to add that the syntax for FTP URLs goes ftp://username:password@localhost:21/directory

Props to Alex for submitting this and getting some free Hak5 swag! Submit your 4-bit tips at hak5.org/nibble

Mark writes:

love your show
how to disable tcp-ip, dhcp and other stuff in BT and other linux distro
that you don’t accidentally connect to ap

Check out the config files in /etc/network, specifically /etc/network/interfaces

Also don’t use network manager or Wicd, instead connect manually from the terminal. For example in my case for a WPA network I’ll first scan, then create a passphrase file, then connect:

iwlist wlan0 scan | grep 'ESSID\|Encryption\|WPA'
wpa_passphrase ssid password
wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -i wlan0 -c ssid"

If you’re into Hak5 you’ll love our new show by hosts Darren Kitchen and Shannon Morse. Check out HakTip!

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, HakTip is essential viewing for current and aspiring hackers, computer enthusiasts, and IT professionals. With a how-to approach to all things Information Technology, HakTip breaks down the core concepts, tools, and techniques of Linux, Wireless Networks, Systems Administration, and more

And let’s not forget to mention that you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook, Subscribe to the show and get all your Hak5 goodies, including the infamous WiFi Pineapple over at HakShop.com. If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to contact us at feedback@hak5.org.

There are two things IT professionals and their clients have in common, they want the job done right and they want it done fast. That’s why I highly recommend Go To Assist Express by Citrix to anyone in I.T. It puts clients at ease with its simple and secure remote support and puts you in position to do what you do best – Access, Diagnose and Resolve. Try Go To Assist Express FREE for 30 days. Visit GoToAssist.com/hak5 to see how you can deliver LIVE tech support to anyone, anywhere with Go To Assist Express. That’s GoToAssist.com/hak5 for a FREE trial.

If you want to build a video site or if your website has a play button, I recommend getting a dot TV domain. A dot TV website lets you showcase your original content and create a unique site, not just another YouTube channel.
Just go to Domain.com and search for the perfect dot TV domain for your new idea. Then use coupon code Hak5 at checkout to save an extra 15%.
If you need to host your dot TV website, don’t forget about Domain.com’s web hosting plans. They’re less than six bucks a month and have everything you need to build, maintain, and promote your site.
Remember – when you think domain names, think Domain.com. Got a great idea? It all starts with a great domain. Domain.com

Computer disasters eventually happen to everyone – (your computer crashes, gets infected with a virus, you drop it, theft, fire, etc.) but if you get Carbonite Online Backup before your disaster then NO NEED TO WORRY because your files will be backed up – automatically and safely offsite – and it’s really easy to get them back. Plus, you get anytime, anywhere access to your backed up files from any computer – or on your smartphone or iPad with a free Carbonite app! With Carbonite, unlimited backup for your PC or Mac is just $59 a year. That’s less than $5 a month. But when you use the offer code “hak5” to start your Free 15-day Trial you’ll get Two Months Free if you decide to buy. All the details are at Carbonite.com and remember to use the offer code “hak5” to get Two Months Free with purchase.

This time on the show we are making my PC less sluggish with some simple upgrades.

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There are plenty of programs you can download and tools that can help you make your computer faster, but I wanted to go through a refresher of some of the steps we sometimes forget to use.

1. Reboot it! All those background programs you forgot you had open or even some that you closed still may be using a bit of memory. Ever see a computer say it’s ran out of Virtual memory? A reboot can help that.

2. TSR’s – Terminate and Stay Resident programs are little software packages that launch at startup and stay launched. They make you think that the actual program boots up really fast when you really click on it, but- as much as I like vampires- TSR’s sucking up valuable amounts of RAM is just plain unnecessary.

3. Get into the habit of running a disk cleanup tool and defrag your hard disk. I use a program called Defraggler that my friend Dave turned me on to. It’s much cleaner than the built in Windows Defragging tool, and gives you a bit more customization.

4. Watch out for beta tests and brand spankin new software upgrades. Sometimes software upgrades can make your computer not work so well. For example, I had to downgrade my version of Virtual Box so that I could boot off a USB. Though this didn’t really slow down my computer, it did give me a headache.

5. Erase, start over! Maybe you just want to clean up your browser or clean up your whole computer, but sometimes just a bit of Spring Cleaning can go a long way. Uninstall the programs you never use or the ones that have way too many addons and start with a new install. MMM, so fresh n so clean clean.

6. I do this on my mom’s computer every time I visit her- along with defragging and running a registry cleaner, scan for adware/spyware and viruses. You may be the best out there at downloading the safest software, but little things do make it past from time to time.

7. Visual effects like 3D animations or moving backgrounds can really hog memory. Keep it simple and save.

8. One of my favs are all those handy windows optimization tools that you can find for free online. Check out earlier episodes of HakTip for ideas on which ones to use or try the website alternative.to if you want to try something else.

All this and a bag of chips. After the break, I have a few simple hardware upgrades that can really help that old computer if you need a cheap fix.

We’re back! Two hardware upgrades that can deslug your computer are purchasing new RAM and a new harddrive. Now, you don’t have to go as crazy as I did on my most recent computer build and buy 12 GBs of RAM, but upgrading from 512 MB or 2 GB to 4GB can REALLY make a difference.

Second, update that old hard drive. I upgraded my old 500 GB hard drive with a new 2 TB 7200-RPM drive that gave me more rotations per minute as well as more space. For the price of hard drives these days, it’s your call whether you want a solid state or a rotating disk. I like getting 2 TB for less than $100 because I don’t move my computer around much and I can get several years out of my hard drives. But hey, whatever floats your boat!

What does float your boat? Like these tips? Want to add more? Email me: tips@hak5.org or send me a note in the comments below.

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this.

Today we’re going over your top 5 tips, questions and software picks including performance boosters, 3d desktops and disk space analyzers for Windows.

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Gabriel writes:

Hey folks. I am loving these hak tips. They are far more digestible and make me feel like less of a noob than actual hak5. I do love hak 5 too, but these tips make it awesome to do in my spare time. Anyway, I was a little confused as to how Shannon got virtual box to boot from a USB. I’ve run Virtual box on both mac and windows 7 and can’t get either to boot from a usb drive even with the guest additions. Am I missing something dumb? Plz don’t judge me!!!! Keep up the awesome work!

Booting from USB in VirtualBox is kind of a hack. Direct booting from a USB device isn’t ordinarily possible as VirtualBoxs doesn’t support USB in the BIOS. That said using the VBoxManage command you can convert a physical disk on your machine — say a USB drive — into a VMDK which VirtualBox can boot off as a hard drive. That’s all there is to it. As far as the VM is concerned it’s a Hard Drive.

The command for Windows is “”VboxManage InternalCommands CreateRawVMDK -filename filename.vmdk -RawDisk (which you can find under disk management).
VBoxManage internalcommands createrawvmdk -filename usb.vmdk -rawdisk \\.\PhysicalDrive1 where 1 is the drive number of your USB

In theory you could use this to boot a mirror image of your hard drive, but I haven’t gotten that crazy with it. Yet. Thanks for writing in.

Brit writes:

Just wanted to say how much I love the show. I was wondering if you have any ideas about running a virtual honeypot on a virtual machine? Is there any reason that it would work different then running it on it’s own machine? What about security risks since it is running through your machine?

We haven’t covered honeypots on Hak5 yet, but we totally should. I know Darren has been meaning to. He’s a fan of the tool HoneyD, which comes preinstalled in BackTack 5 under Exploitation Tools > Social Engineering Tools > HoneyPots.

Using it on a Virtual Machine for the most part wouldn’t be different than running in on its own machine. The only thing you have to watch out for is a hypervisor exploit, which is to say an exploit that lets malicious code break out of the virtual machine and attack the host. These are pretty rare but scary when they happen. If you’re really paranoid you might want to put your honeypot on a DMZ outside your normal LAN, or on another network completely. When we have crack the code challenges on Hak5 we use a dedicated cable modem line for this exact reason. Not that we don’t trust you on our office LAN. Just sayin’! Thanks Brit for writing in!

Rounding out our emails we’ve got a few software recommendations.

First Nick writes:

Love the show, just watched your system booster episode, just wanted to recommend Soluto to speed up start up time, its a brilliant program.

Next Josh wrote in to recommend DeskSpace 3D

In my opinion it’s better than Dexpot (which I tried for a while) It gives you 6 virtual desktops much like you get on a Linux OS and also has an awesomely fast and surprisingly not at all buggy 3d cube effect, very similar to what Compiz desktop effects for linux has to offer.

And finally Dids writes:

I recently came across an AWESOME harddrive free disk space reporting software, which in addition to being super sexy, is even easier to use than the other free alternatives out there. This one is called Space Sniffer.

Thanks Nick, Josh and Dids!
”

What programs or commands are rocking your world? What technologies are tickling your technolust? Hit us up — tips@hak5.org

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this.

Most guys hate shopping for clothes, but luckily now there’s JackThreads – a members-only online shopping club. Everyday JackThreads serves up the hottest brands at up to 80% off. And while JackThreads is a private club, we’ve got the hookup. Join free at JackThreads.com/hak5 and start saving instantly.

Hulu and the BBC iPlayer everywhere with a little VPN action to bypass Geo IP filters. We’ll be setting up Network Manager in BackTrack5. Plus, Linux inside of Windows, graphing trace-routes in terminal and a whole lot more this time on Hak5!

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VPN in BackTrack 5 with Network Manager

BackTrack 5 is rocking my world as of late. I’ve been running the gnome 32bit version as my primary os on one of my laptops since release and I so far it has been fantastic out of the box.

That is until I wanted to easily connect to a PPTP VPN. While BackTrack5 includes Wicd — the Wireless (and wired) Interface Connection Daemon I’m more familiar with Network Manager, which includes a VPN client. Two birds, one stone!

In this segment I setup Network Manager in BackTrack 5.

apt-get install network-manager-gnome

cp /etc/network/interfaces{,.backup}

echo “”auto lo”" > /etc/network/interfaces

echo “”iface lo inet loopback”" >> /etc/network/interfaces

service network-manager start

nm-applet&

reboot

Run Linux apps in Windows with AndLinux

If you want to run Ubuntu seamlessly inside a Windows box, perhaps you’ll be interested in this tool called andLinux. AndLinux is a complete Ubuntu system that runs in Windows (all except 64-bit 7) and uses a program called coLinux as it’s core. CoLinux is a port of the Linux kernel to Windows. It’s kind of like running linux in a VM, except with coLinux, andLinux merges itself with Windows and the Linux kernel instead of running through an emulated PC. andLinux is for fun and development and it can run almost any Linux applications without having to do any modifications.
So, with andLinux you get a fully functional Linux system, with no desktop interface. It gives you a second panel or start menu where you can load Linux apps. The apps can be run simultaneously with Windows apps and you can cut and paste text between them.

AndLinux comes in a couple of different versions- KDE version (which is a full version) or XFCE (minimal). When you go through the andLinux installation on Windows, there are a few important steps to keep in mind.
Choosing your start up type: I chose run andLinux automatically as a NT service because it is the most convenient choice. You don’t have to do any kind of configurations if you choose this option.
You’ll be asked to create a username and password for andLinux login.
For Windows file access, I chose COFS as it gives you easier configuration compared to Samba. Samba will, though, let you share files with special characters.
Also, if Windows starts freakin because it’s not Microsoft certified, just click continue anyway.

Once the installation has finished, just restart your computer and unblock any windows firewall settings that may occur from the installation. To start using andLinux, first run the NT console. This will open a command prompt that’ll ask you for your username and password. You can then close that window and start using any of the programs and applications that are available in the boot menu. It’s kind of like downloading all the Linux programs straight into Windows without using a Linux OS.

So I’m just going to try some of these programs out, and they all seem to work just fine. So andLinux looks to be a very handy way to use Linux applications indeed! If you like it, tell me so! feedback@hak5.org.

Nibble: MTR isn’t your fathers traceroute

MTR isn’t your father’s Traceroute. It’s the ultimate command line tool for finding out where those tasty little packets are getting lost. From bash issue mtr –report-wide –curses and your destination of choice.

mtr –report-wide –curses 8.8.8.8

MTR will bring up a curses terminal interface with a constantly updating report on hops and pings, complete with hostname, best and average latency, and percentage of packets lost at each link.

Thanks to Brian for sending this in and scoring some complimentary hak5 swag. Submit your 4-bits at hak5.org/nibble

If you’re into Hak5 you’ll love our new show by hosts Darren Kitchen and Shannon Morse. Check out HakTip!

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, HakTip is essential viewing for current and aspiring hackers, computer enthusiasts, and IT professionals. With a how-to approach to all things Information Technology, HakTip breaks down the core concepts, tools, and techniques of Linux, Wireless Networks, Systems Administration, and more

And let’s not forget to mention that you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook, Subscribe to the show and get all your Hak5 goodies, including the infamous WiFi Pineapple over at HakShop.com. If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to contact us at feedback@hak5.org.

If you’re an IT or software consultant, you’re always looking to compete with the big guys. Problem is you may be a one man show! You need a remote support tool – and the best is Go To Assist Express. The faster you can connect to a customer, the faster you can move on to the next challenge! Reduce your travel time and increase revenue by handling more support requests. Brought to you by Citrix, you KNOW Go To Assist Express is easy and secure. Try GoToAssist Express FREE for 30 Days. For this special offer visit GoToAssist.com/Hak5.

If you want to build a video site or if your website has a play button, I recommend getting a dot TV domain. A dot TV website lets you showcase your original content and create a unique site, not just another YouTube channel.
Just go to domain.com and search for the perfect dot TV domain for your new idea. Then use coupon code Hak5 at checkout to save an extra 15%.
If you need to host your dot TV website, don’t forget about Domain.com’s web hosting plans. They’re less than six bucks a month and have everything you need to build, maintain, and promote your site.
Remember – when you think domain names, think domain.com.
Got a great idea? It all starts with a great domain. domain.com

Audible.com is the leading provider of downloadable digital audiobooks and spoken word entertainment. Audible has over 75,000 titles to choose from, to be downloaded to your iPod/MP3 player and played back anywhere, anytime. Choose from books in every genre, science fiction, thrillers, drama, comedy, business, history and more. Go to audiblepodcast.com/ hak5 to get a FREE audiobook-download of your choice when you sign up today. Again go to Audiblepodcast.com/hak5 for your Free Audiobook!

Checking out an alternative to Virtual Box called VM Ware Player.

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In episode 10 of HakTip we went over Virtual Machines- what they are, why you would use them, and what they are good for.But you don’t necessarily have to use VirtualBox to try out a VM. There are plenty of virtual machine programs on the market, but not all of them are free or easy to use. VMware Player is both of these with a whole bunch of awesome built in as well. This program, available at vmware.com, lets you run several operating systems virtually, as well as give you the comfort and safety of trying out new software in a VM. Because sometimes, software you might download is just downright janky crapware. Over 200 different operating systems are supported including various versions of Windows, Linux, and even Chrome OS.

When you first download VMware Player, you’ll need to register for a new VMware account. They ask for your name, a password, and some geographical data, but that’s about it. The installation wizard is your normal process of yes and next. Upon opening, the general layout is about the same as VirtualBox. On the right you can choose to create a new VM, open one, upgrade to the paid VMware account, or choose help.
Click on Create a new Virtual Machine and choose installer disc image file (iso). From here browse to your .iso for the operating system you want to try out. I’m going to create a Puppy Linux VM so I’ll choose my Puppy Linux iso and click next. Choose Linux and in the drop down menu choose Other Linux 2.6 kernel. If you chose a different Linux distro, find it in the list and click on it. You can then choose how much space is allotted for the VM, so I went with 8 GB.
Once done, you can boot up your VM and test it out.

Before I reveal which one was my favorite between VirtualBox and VMware Player, I’d like to take a moment and mention some extras.
VMware Player comes with some handy tools, such as this one called the VMware Browser Appliance. You download this zip file from the website and extract it, then in VMware Player, choose open a Virtual Machine and browse to the folder. The Browser Appliance allows you to securely browse the Internet using Firefox to protect against adware and spyware, and safeguard personal information- as it can be configured to reset itself each time it’s booted up, so no info is stored.

Also available is this wide array of Virtual Appliances found on VMware.com. These applications can help you with information in the cloud- storage, IT administration, networking, and much more.
So now that I’ve checked out both VirtualBox and VMware Player, I have to say I think I like VirtualBox more. While both are free to use and work with all sorts of VM’s, VirtualBox seems to be a little bit faster in the guest OS as well as the host OS. Also, VMware Player only lets you use on Virtual Machine at a time, while VirtualBox will let you open many at a time.

That’s it — Virtual Machines are actually pretty easy? Ok, so I want to hear your feedback. What program or command have you found? Hit me up — tips@hak5.org

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this. I’ll be there, reminding you to trust your technolust.

In this episode we’re protecting your PC from keyboard mashers, little ones, and the not so technical with some easy to use free tools.

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Welcome to HakTip — the show where we breakdown concepts, tools and techniques for hackers, network gurus and IT ninjas

I’m your host Shannon Morse and today I am going to show you how to protect your Windows PC from little (or big) nooblettes.

Ever let a kid play on your computer innocently, only then to find that your PC crashes every few minutes because they accidentally deleted an important file? Or perhaps you just need to prevent users on your network from messing with their machines too much? Luckily, there are answers to those problems.

First off, there is Start Killer, a free and open source program that you can find at Tordex.com. This program does just what it says- it kills the Start button, giving you more free space on your taskbar, and removing that button from prying eyes. You can still get into the menu by hitting CTRL+ESC. You can also hide the Start Killer taskbar icon and still access the settings by hitting CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+F12. Start Killer uses just a bit of memory, and can be used on all newer versions of Windows, including 64 bit.

Number two is Taskbar Eliminator, which will hide your taskbar. This program gives you more space for viewing on your monitor or just keeps others from messing with programs sitting on the taskbar. Again, all newer versions of Windows are compatible, and it is free and open source. To use, simply press and hold Control+Alt+T to bring up the Preferences window, from which all options can be adjusted. Press and hold Alt + T to immediately show or hide the taskbar directly.

After the break, I’ll show you my last program to minimalize the threat of child+keyboard, but first, here’s a word from our sponsor.”

My third choice is KeyTweak. This -also- free and open source program for Windows will let you disable, enable, remap, or reset key configurations for your keyboard. Want to disable CAPS LOCK? Who doesn’t?! Want to make the Windows key functionality dissapear before letting little Billy play on your PC? That can be done. KeyTweak is easy to use. Just pull up the dialog settings box, click on a key you want to mess with, and choose how you want to change it in the Keyboard Controls box below. Then click apply and you’re done.

That’s it — how easy? I want to hear your feedback. What program or command have you found? Hit me up — tips@hak5.org

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this.

This time on the show we’re cracking down on my Windows PC, optimizing it for fastest performance.

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It should be no surprise to anyone that Linux is faster than Windows, and it’s due to one undeniable fact: Their icons. I mean, come on, how is a flag supposed to win a race. The linux mascot, Tux the Penguin, has two feet and thus can run faster than a stationary flag. Even the Gnome desktop is represented by a single foot. At least gnome could hop faster than a silly flag, just waving around in the air not going anywhere. And Apples, don’t get me started on apples. They’re round. They can roll!

I digress. Suffice it to say, if you’ve been on Windows for any length of time it’s gotten a bit slow. And today, we’re speeding it back up.

You may have uninstalled several never-been-used programs and organized and deleted several files, but you find your computer still runs a tad too slow for your tastes. If this is the case, you need a system optimization tool. Optimizers generally support a series of utilities used to speed up your PC, but there are so many to choose from, how to you pick just one program and stick with it? I’m checking out three difference ones and choosing my favorite.

First off is Glary Utilities, available at glaryutilities.com. This tool has a freeware version, and a Pro version for about $27 USD. And what’s this? Oh yeah, a portable version too. Glary Utilities comes with registry and disk cleaning, privacy protection, performance accelerators and multifunctional tools. It can fix dogged registry errors, wipe off clutters, optimize internet speed, safeguard confidential files and maintain maximum performance. Glary Utilities has tons of options in their menus for advanced users and lets you clean up pretty much everything you need.

My second one is CCleaner, available at piriform.com. CCleaner has a version for $24.00 or you can get their portable version for free. This freeware will remove unused files from your PC, clean your registry, and clean traces in internet history and online activities to give your PC more free space and faster performance. CCleaner is fast and everything is built in. As apposed to Glary Utilities, CCleaner lets you, for example, uninstall programs straight from the tool, no need to jump over into Windows Explorer.

And last is TuneUp Utilities, from tune-up.com. Sadly, this one only has a 15 day trial before asking you to upgrade for a hefty $25. TuneUp Utilities will increase performance, maintain your system, customize Windows, fix problems, and give you live optimization and turbo mode that will speed up your computer in real time. This is the only one out of the three that I had to actually install on my machine and it felt a bit clunky when in use. Although TuneUp Utilities is a little bit slower than the other two, it feels like it did find more files to clean up.

So which one is my favorite? My favorite of the three was CCleaner. With it’s easy-to-use interface and powerful structure for more advanced users, CCleaner has everything you need to help optimize your PC’s performance. After using this for the first time, I noticed an increase in startup time as well as day to day tasks on my netbook and desktop PC at home. BUT, I will add that if you are worried about the type of files that CCleaner tells you to delete, try running Glary Utilities as well and compare them. I have both of the portable versions available on my PC just in case I need to double check the files.

Thanks to Steve for sending in this idea. What programs or scripts are rocking your PC? Got a better utility I should try? Hit me up — tips@hak5.org

And be sure to check out our sister show, Hak5 for more great stuff just like this.