NTP66's thread of IT

[dodint]

I just started backing up my photos to Google Photos. Mainly because they're easier to share than with OneDrive. That said I have to go in every so often and purge sensitive photos, even though they're only shared to me.

[dodint]

I use OneDrive. I worry more about social engineering and physical security with that. The iCloud Fappening leak was just from people using easy to guess passwords. Like, 'password' or no password at all.

I get that, but I don't like the idea of storing personal stuff "out there" in general. Maybe to move from one thing to another, but never anything sensitive or long term. Call me paranoid, if you want.

Not paranoid at all. My sensitive stuff is on an encrypted thumb drive not attached to the computer unless I'm using it.

[mikey]

Hey dod...

From the old board, can you think of anything that I could do to troubleshoot my computer to DVI/HDMI converter to TV connection...no matter the state of the computer going in to TV power on, it takes about 7-8 minutes of "no signal" and then about 2-4 minutes of flickering before it finally kicks on for good...the TV is of "eh" quality probably...knowing that you have a similar setup, are there any things I can do to start crossing off possibilities of the cause, ya think...?

[dodint]

Just for my own recollection:

I know it's a handshake problem between the TV and card, but I don't know how to go about fixing it in any concrete way. I don't use the HDMI switching on my receiver because of a handshake issue. The noise is the PC working on its part of the handshake by reconnecting.

Another faster workaround is to right click on your desktop, click on Screen Resolution, then:
a. If your TV is there and grayed out, click on it. Where it says "Multiple Display" drop that down and "Extend Desktop to this Display" and hit Apply.
b. If your TV is there and not grayed out, and you don't have a display, where it says "Multiple Display" drop that down and hit "Disconnect this display" and hit Apply. Then go back to "a." above and try again.

Even faster, hit the Windows button on your keyboard and "P" at the same time and cycle through those to see if it does anything. Extend is the option that should work.

Let me dig deeper and see if I can come up with anything. On my own setup, when I have this problem (rarely), I reboot the PC and then when it gets to the login screen turn on the TV (or switch the input to it). Power on PC, then TV.

You're using a cable, right? It has DisplayPort on one side and HDMI on the TV side. Not a box doing conversion.

What I would do:

Free Troubleshooting:
Does the TV have a problem with any other HDMI source? BD Player, Receiver, whatever?
Try a different TV. Your PC is SFF, shouldn't be hard to move around. (Sorry, still feel bad)
Look on the manufacturer website for your video card and get the latest drivers. Try them.

Buying more stuff troubleshooting/upgrades:
-Try a shorter cable.
-I have one of these and have found success with it, but I don't recall if you have VGA out and it completely ruins the whole point of you have a nicer card that does digital out. Cheaper than a new TV, though: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VJ9RCO/
-Buy a dedicated monitor.
-Buy a new TV. My new LG TV from 2013 is a lot better at picking up the handshake than my Mitsubishi from 2010.

[dodint]

I was researching your issue online and someone recommended this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUVIO-HDMI-In-L ... 1442755512

It's an in-line HDMI amplifier and costs about as much as another HDMI cable. Might help the TV with the handshake.

[Silentom]

Think of building my own gaming Desktop. I know of newegg as a place to for buying components, but are there any other sites to check out?

[tifosi77]

https://pcpartpicker.com/

Basically, every single component you can think of, with links to the cheapest retailer. You can save system builds, print the list and walk into a Fry's (who will match internet prices) and away you go.

Also, Tom's Hardware for component reviews is pretty reliable.

[Silentom]

Ooh, that website is nice. I know what I'm doing tonight.

[tifosi77]

Okay, this is weird. Just got a txt from Verizon:

VZW FREE MSG: Order confirmation xxxxx must be authorized. Text YES to confirm or NO to cancel the order. Questions? Call VZW Fraud 888-483-7200

That is the correct VZW fraud prevention number. Looked at the order, and it appears to be returning an iPhone 6 Plus, 128gb in gold. I do not, nor have I ever, owned an iPhone. "Please verify your Ship From Address before printing your Return Label." The current Ship From address is my correct home address.

What sort of scam is this?

[Sarcastic]

Is there any way of editing the Frequent list on the IE new tab thing? I think I clicked "hide" on Youtube and now won't show up anymore. I went to a dirty site once and it won't come off.

[Sarcastic]

I use OneDrive. I worry more about social engineering and physical security with that. The iCloud Fappening leak was just from people using easy to guess passwords. Like, 'password' or no password at all.

I remember reading that a large number of the affected people either didn't even realize their photos were being backed up to a cloud storage service (I guess it's an automatic feature on an iPhone?), or didn't know what cloud storage meant.

And imagine if some of those photos were of an umm, compromising, nature? hehe

I think a lot of people are still not sure what a cloud is. I do, but not as much as I probably should. I'm not comfortable with it, one. Two, I use an external drive for backup or even copy very important stuff on DVDs. I have this picture in my mind of some guy from MS or the gov. sitting there on the other side, looking at my stuff. I see how a cloud could be beneficial at a company that has to share documents, but I personally don't find it necessary.

[tifosi77]

I went to a dirty site once and it won't come off.

Phrasing

[Sarcastic]

I went to a dirty site once and it won't come off.

Phrasing

[dodint]

Is there any way of editing the Frequent list on the IE new tab thing? I think I clicked "hide" on Youtube and now won't show up anymore. I went to a dirty site once and it won't come off.

Sorry, missed this before.

http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-restore- ... e-in-ie11/

Quick registry edit will bring them back.

[Sarcastic]

Is there any way of editing the Frequent list on the IE new tab thing? I think I clicked "hide" on Youtube and now won't show up anymore. I went to a dirty site once and it won't come off.

Sorry, missed this before.

http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-restore- ... e-in-ie11/

Quick registry edit will bring them back.

Wow, I can't believe they made it so permanent and without a way to edit the list in options. Stupid, stupid. Alright, thanks. I will certainly remember this registry method.

[dodint]

Yeah, and the lame thing is the registry change brings back all the sites. No way to pick and choose.

[eddy]

Does anyone use an anti-virus program on their phone? Is it necessary?

[Sarcastic]

Does anyone use an anti-virus program on their phone? Is it necessary?

Here's a good Free AV you can try. Read up on it and it's high detection rates. If your device is fast enough, you can enable it to scan with 3 separate engines. I use Eset's NOD32 on all PC's, but recently started using this AV on the phone and tablets. It's for Windows or Android.

http://www.360totalsecurity.com/en/feat ... -security/

[eddy]

Does anyone use an anti-virus program on their phone? Is it necessary?

Here's a good Free AV you can try. Read up on it and it's high detection rates. If your device is fast enough, you can enable it to scan with 3 separate engines. I use Eset's NOD32 on all PC's, but recently started using this AV on the phone and tablets. It's for Windows or Android.

http://www.360totalsecurity.com/en/feat ... -security/

I'll take a look, I'm a little hesitant, I've tried the battery doctors and virus apps with my last phone and they really ate up my battery life...

[DigitalGypsy66]

OK, couple of things here.

I have a PC that my kids use. I have an administrator account for me, and a standard user account for them. Parental controls are on as well. Running Windows 7. There is a game that will not play on their login. Various error messages, and I've Googled them, and can be fixed by running the game in Administrator Mode. Which is fine, but I can't get it to run on their login in Administrator mode - it just doesn't do anything or says I (the kids) don't have sufficient permissions to access the game.

I've tried modifying the shortcut on their desktop to run as an administrator, but the change doesn't seem to "take."

Is there a way for Win 7 to give me the option to use an administrator password on the standard user account? We have that working on our campus lab PCs, so our IT can come and update software without logging out and back in.

Also, one of our students got this "blackmail" message after a virus locked up her computer:



Yikes, that's a bit scary. You're pretty much screwed unless you pay these fools, right?

[Factorial]

Reboot in safe mode and run malware bytes?

[Sarcastic]

Wow, that sucks. Little google search now on this particular attack and how to remove it. I didn't read it in full myself yet.

http://www.virusresearch.org/personal-f ... ansomware/

[Sarcastic]

She's screwed. From above link:
Unfortunately, there is no possibility to decrypt the crypted by CBT Locker files for now, unless you pay the ransom. Please, consider this as the very last option, because you might be funding further criminal activities.

[Factorial]

Either way, I would not pay those people. They will then have, and more than likely drain, the account that is used to pay them. This could be just something interrupting the boot process and the rest of it (that files are encrypted) may be a bunch of bs.

[Factorial]

She's screwed. From above link:
Unfortunately, there is no possibility to decrypt the crypted by CBT Locker files for now, unless you pay the ransom. Please, consider this as the very last option, because you might be funding further criminal activities.

I just read that and they have instructions on how to get rid of it so she should be fine if she follows the instructions. Tell her top stop downloading pr0n.