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  • IT Dojo: Create your own bootable USB flash drive for Windows XP

    IT Dojo: Create your own bootable USB flash drive for Windows XP

    Booting Windows XP from a USB Flash drive gives you great IT support tool. For example, you can make a troubleshooting toolkit for booting and analyzing seemingly dead PCs. Or you could always have your favorite support applications at your fingertips.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic's Head Technology Editor, explains the process and pitfalls of creating a bootable Windows XP USB flash drive. You'll learn how to configure a computer's BIOS to boot from a USB drive, how to download and use the free software to create a bootable drive, and how to installed Windows XP on the drive.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, walk through the process in a screenshot gallery, and download a PDF version of the tip from our IT Dojo blog.

    Tags: it dojo, microsoft windows xp, bootable usb, usb flash drive, bios, bootable device, pe builder

    Date: 04-28-08 Length: 00:04:20

  • IT Dojo: Five services you can turn off in Windows XP

    IT Dojo: Five services you can turn off in Windows XP

    Running unnecessary Windows XP services can increase your vulnerability to exploits that might use those services as attack vectors. Disabling unnecessary services can be an important step in securing Windows XP. However, the typical Windows XP system has more than 80 services. Knowing which ones you can safely turn off can be tricky.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, Head Technology Editor, shows you how to disable Windows XP services and discusses the following five services that you may want to disable:Simple File SharingSSDP Discovery ServiceUniversal Plug and Play Device HostTelnetWindows Messenger ServiceThe five services Bill mentions in this video are just the beginning. You can download our complete list of Windows XP services that can be disabled from the IT Dojo blog. This reference sheet lists each Windows XP service, describes each service's function, specifies whether you can safely disable the service, and outlines the ramifications of doing so.

    Tags: Information Technology, Service, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Software, it dojo, Strategy, Management, windows xp

    Date: 04-29-08 Length: 00:03:27

  • IT Dojo: Three tools that network administrators can't live without

    IT Dojo: Three tools that network administrators can%27t live without

    Network administrators are always looking for tools that can save them time and help them optimize and secure their networks. I'm sure most, if not all, of you have your own list of favorite tools. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler talks about the following three net admin tools that our TechRepublic authors and members say they can't live without: 1. PuTTY 2. Wireshark 3. Nessus Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional Linux and open source resources from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: techrepublic inc., information technology, tool, productivity, strategy, networking, management, it dojo, bill detwiler, network administration

    Date: 08-08-08 Length: 00:04:47

  • IT Dojo: Speed up Windows XP with these Performance Options tweaks

    IT Dojo: Speed up Windows XP with these Performance Options tweaks

    Troubleshooting slow Windows XP machines is a common IT task, and some of the culprits are pretty obvious. It could just be a question of upgrading the memory or disabling some of the unneeded applications that kick in at start-up. But if you've ruled those out, adjusting XP's own Performance Options settings may do the trick. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler goes over several tweaks to speed up Windows XP.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: TechRepublic Inc., Performance, Information Technology, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Strategy, Operating Systems, Software, Management, TechRepublic Inc.

    Date: 10-20-08 Length: 00:07:49

  • IT Dojo: Run UAC restricted programs without the UAC prompt

    IT Dojo: Run UAC restricted programs without the UAC prompt

    Windows Vista's User Account Control (or UAC) was designed to improve security. But, when you're running Vista with anything other than administrator the constant UAC prompts can be a real pain. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you how Task Scheduler and a custom desktop shortcut let you run UAC-restricted programs without encountering those annoying UAC prompts.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: TechRepublic Inc., Information Technology, Corporate Communications, Strategy, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Marketing, Management, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Software

    Date: 09-22-08 Length: 00:05:27

  • IT Dojo: Change the Windows XP product key

    IT Dojo: Change the Windows XP product key

    Unless you're working in a geographic region with a high rate of counterfeit software, it's unlikely the Windows XP machines you support will have invalid licenses. However even in the best-run IT shops, unauthorized software can find its way onto the desktop. An end-user may have installed a pirated copy of XP but now wants to go legal. An organization may have installed 100 pirated copies of XP but now has a legitimate volume-licensing key. When you come across an invalid product key problem, changing Windows XP's product key is often the most practical solution. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic's Head Technology Editor, demonstrates a quick and easy registry hack that replaces an invalid Windows XP key with a legitimate one. Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, find out where to get a WMI script that automates the process, and learn more ways to resolve Windows product key problems in our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: TechRepublic Inc., Information Technology, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, it dojo, Strategy, Management, windows xp

    Date: 04-28-08 Length: 00:03:31

  • IT Dojo: Reset Windows passwords with the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor

    IT Dojo: Reset Windows passwords with the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor

    Windows passwords are a necessary evil. They help protect our systems, but they can also be a real pain in the neck. Employees leave, IT workers quit, IT consultants fail to properly document deployments. Regardless of the cause, you're left with a locked account and perhaps a locked system. In this IT Dojo video, I demonstrate how quickly and easily reset local account passwords, including Administrator, on most Windows systems. The Offline NT Password and Registry Editor is a Linux-based utility that can reset passwords on Windows-NT based systems that use NTFS, including Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista. The tool creates a boot environment through which you can reset passwords via a series of text menus. The Offline NT Password and Registry Editor isn't the most polished utility, but it is effective. Hacker tool? Before anyone starts flaming me in this video's discussion for sharing "hacking advice", let me make the following point. First, it is possible for unscrupulous individuals to bypass security measures with tools such as this. But, there are also plenty of legitimate, work-related reasons to reset a Windows password. The Offline NT Password and Registry Editor is just another tool in the IT professional's arsenal. Use the tool at your own risk! There are also risks associated with using this tool. As it is editing the Windows registry, the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor could easily render a system unbootable and even destroy existing data. This is especially true of accounts that use the Encrypting File System (EFS). Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional remote support and administration resources from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: it dojo, security, Microsoft Windows, password, hacking, registry edit, bill detwiler, linux, system administration, Information Technology

    Date: 06-23-08 Length: 00:06:38

  • IT Dojo: Five ways to keep your own IT staff from stealing company secrets

    IT Dojo: Five ways to keep your own IT staff from stealing company secrets

    High-profile breaches of private data are often the results of lost or stolen equipment, malicious hackers, or improperly disposed of storage devices. Yet, the July 2008 arrest of a network administrator who hijacked the city of San Francisco's network focused the spotlight on a potentially more dangerous threat--your own admins.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler discusses five security practices that will help protect your company secrets from the very people who should be keeping them safe.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: TechRepublic Inc., Information Technology, Strategy, Management, it dojo, security, networking, cybercrime, identify theft, network administration

    Date: 10-10-08 Length: 00:05:42

  • IT Dojo: Analyze network traffic with tcpdump

    IT Dojo: Analyze network traffic with tcpdump

    Tcpdump may not have a slick frontend like other packet analyzers such as Wireshark and Ettercap, but this command line tool makes up for its lack of fancy graphics with power and flexibility. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you why tcpdump is great tool for network debugging and security monitoring.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: TechRepublic Inc., Network, Information Technology, Corporate Communications, Strategy, Marketing, Management, IT Dojo, tcpdump, Wireshark

    Date: 09-29-08 Length: 00:06:58

  • IT Dojo: Take control of any Windows PC on the Internet with CrossLoop

    IT Dojo: Take control of any Windows PC on the Internet with CrossLoop

    Remotely controlling an end user's PC across the Internet can be complicated. Remote support tools, like Windows Remote Desktop and VNC, simplify the process, but even these programs can trip up a frustrated, novice user. Add firewalls and routers to the mix, and remote support becomes a real headache. CrossLoop might be the cure.CrossLoop is a remote control application that distills connecting two PCs via the Internet into a simple one-button interface. The program works through firewalls and routers, making it easy to connect two computers on different networks. CrossLoop uses GPL-licensed TightVNC, which protects all transferred data with 128-bit encryption.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler demonstrates how easily you can establish a remote connection with CrossLoop. He also shares his personal experience using CrossLoop to support the technically-challenged. To run CrossLoop yourself, you'll need a machine running Windows 98 or later, with a Pentium 500 MHz or better processor, at least 128 MB of RAM, 2 MB of free hard drive space, and a high-speed Internet connection.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional remote support and administration resources from our IT Dojo Blog.

    Tags: TechRepublic Inc., PC, Information Technology, Windows PC, Remote Administration, Internet, it dojo, Strategy, Management, remote desktop

    Date: 05-12-08 Length: 00:03:57

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