Browsers churn disc drives

A researcher discovered that browsers might churn disc drives - to the extent of writing gigabytes of redundant data per day.

Steve Gibson, using Sysinternals tools discovered that the Firefox web browser was rewriting a snapshot of its current contents to the default disc every 15 seconds. If you habitually leave your browser with many tabs open all the time, this could amount to a huge amount of data over the course of the day. Also, if you are leaving tabs open, it's writing the same data every time. (Gibson admits to keeping hundreds of tabs open.)

While writing unnecessary redundant data to the disc may have had a minor impact on overall computer performance a decade ago; this could seriously degrade the life of modern Solid State Drives.

All chip-based memory devices from a $5 flash drive to the industrial-grade system storage in servers can have information written to a given cell a only finite number of times before the reliability starts to deteriorate. Under normal use, the SSD that helps your laptop run cooler and have a longer battery life will probably outlive your desire for a faster computer or larger screen. But there is no need to put this extraordinary stress on the system and reduce its life by possibly as much as half.

SSDs are also appearing in higher-end consumer and business desktop computers or are being retrofitted by hobbyists. End-market devices marketed at a lower price point may be even more prone to early failure under this load. They might have a lower redundancy and not be able to survive as many write cycles as those sold for use in internet servers.

A similar issue of heavy disc usage also exists in Google's Chrome browser. Hopefully publicity will encourage the browser publishers to revise this procedure. Unfortunately, not being a security issue, it probably will not get a high priority for correction.

Gibson has determined a tweak to Firefox that allows the user to reduce the churn that is excerpted at http://bloghd.zaitech.com/extras/BrowsersChurnDisc.pdf. Or listen to the podcast at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now/episodes/582 (you can jump forward to about 1:05).


. This work by Bill Barnes is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://zaitech.com/satellite/contacts.htm.
(cc) 2016- Bill Barnes - Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

A useful utility

How many keyboards and screens do you have on your desk?

Here's a utility (skip down) to help tame a tangle, but first, the history.

Many hobbyists, power users, and business people find it necessary to work on more than one computer at a time. Lots of people have multiple monitors, but this applies if you have a complete additional computer and monitor at your workstation.

I have long used a KVM (keyboard-video-mouse switch) to use two computers with a single set of desktop components. In the mid-1990s the keyboard would not reliably switch so I kept a second keyboard connected. Unfortunately, I often forgot to move to the alternate keyboard and would type a command to "computer A" that actually had a deleterious effect on "computer B".

I now have 3 monitors on my desk. My primary computer has dual screens and the third is connected to a secondary computer so I can continue to work while monitoring a process - or watching Netflix.

Start reading again ...

I used to use a KVM to control the secondary computer - ignoring the video component. Then I discovered a free utility from Microsoft Garage. This is a group that thinks up neat stuff and makes it work - at least sorta. But the powers decide it's not commercial or of broad interest and they abandon the project. But they make the program available - without any promises of support, updates, or even that it will function as described.

I'm using Microsoft's Mouse without Borders* to control my secondary computer. It allows the mouse and keyboard to move seamlessly across up to 4 computers, each with their own monitor. Move your mouse and instantly you're controlling a different computer. Slide back and you're on the original. Even the clipboard comes across more smoothly than it does for many remote control programs.

One of its quirks is that it doesn't reliably reconnect after a reboot. You still might need a KVM or extra keyboard for that twice a month that you have to reboot your computers.

LINKS 
Full links are offered so you can examine the URL to ensure there is no hidden misdirection.
Mouse without Borders: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35460 

. This work by Bill Barnes is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://zaitech.com/satellite/contacts.htm.
(cc) 2016- Bill Barnes - Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

Lost passwords

Lost WiFi passwords

Q. How can I find the WiFi password on my router?

If you know the login information to configure your router, just connect to it as an administrator and go to the Wireless > Security section.(1) The password should display there.

If you have a device that already connects to that router, you may be able to extract the password from it. Windows 7 (and XP) will display the plaintext password under Manage wireless networks in the Network and Sharing section. Some Android devices will also show the plaintext saved password.

If you’ve moved past Windows 7(2) (even as an upgrade), the password is not shown in the interface. It still is available as plaintext if you know where to look in the system. The easiest way to do that is with a utility; which I have recently done.

I usually document my research well, but can’t find exactly what I looked at or why this time. There may be a hint in my caveats, below(3). I thought my original impetus was an article in WindowsSecrets, but can’t find it now. You may be able to search for Key Finders on their site.

I did look at Magical Jelly Bean (https://www.magicaljellybean.com/wifi-password-revealer/) and NirSoft (http://nirsoft.net/password_recovery_tools.html) and eventually used a keyfinder program from Magical Jelly Bean to recover WiFi passwords on a Win10 computer. Both sites had been vetted and recommended … somewhere. A colleague frequently uses Magical Jelly Bean.

The program quickly displayed a list of almost 3 dozen sites I had connected to in the past with this computer with SSID, password, and some technical information. I captured it as a screenshot, blacked out my sites, and printed it to carry with my laptop. Yes, this exposes passwords for many friends and relatives to anyone who steals my bag. But there is no connection between my papers and my friends so all the thief can do is drive around the country looking for the SSID.

It is as important to protect your WiFi password as any other. You may not mind someone using your bandwidth, but anyone connected to your network (either WiFi or wired) could invade any computer on your system – and “computer” includes your phones, game devices, and connected appliances (like a thermostat or light controller) as well. Then any data or settings on them could be vulnerable to attack by stealing the data or malicious destruction. And one of those computers you don’t think of as such is more likely susceptible to becoming a gateway from the outside for bad guys to do even more harm.

---------

Notes and resources:

(1)     If you don't know the login for your router, you can return it to the default settings by pressing a recessed button with a pin. Then you must completely reconfigure all of your settings. Of course, if you don't know the login, you may have never changed the default settings. See my article for tips on critical settings to customize.

(2)     If you’ve got anything with Windows 7 (or XP) that connects with WiFi, you can display the password for each network directly in Windows. With Windows 7, find it at:
Control Panel\Network and Internet\Manage Wireless Networks – Get there from
Network and Sharing Center > Manage wireless networks (on left sidebar) > Security tab

(3)     As always, when researching and downloading non-commercial resources, ALWAYS be careful exactly where you click. (I sometimes use a sacrificial computer* to do my research and downloading.) I have a note with my saved passwords that this program tries to co-install a couple of unrelated programs that will return money to the publisher. For more information on using “free” software, see my post at http://TechnologyInterpreter.info (May 2016).

. This work by Bill Barnes is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://zaitech.com/satellite/contacts.htm.
(cc) 2016- Bill Barnes - Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

I hate getting a new computer

Mea culpa.

My computer died. About a third of my important data was on that computer, without a recent backup.

Yes, that does happen; even to professionals who should know better.

I spent five days trying to ressurect it before I gave up and decided to start over from scratch. I promoted my test bed to be my primary computer and set this one aside to be rebuilt and used in situations where I’ll never trust it again.

Now I have to go about making “a” computer “my” computer again. Two weeks later, I’m finding significant programs I forgot to reinstall and nothing works exactly like I’m comfortable with. Oh, I did have a backup that was about 6 weeks old. Most of what I will weep over losing was a month-and-a-half worth of emails.

What's missing when you get a new computer?

PROGRAMS

The computer comes with Windows which includes Internet Explorer and Windows Mail for your primary online needs. It probably also included a 30- or 90-day subscription to a security suite. Maybe you bought it with an office program and even a personal finance program. What else could I want for my computer?

The first thing I do is uninstall the bloated security suite and install a cleaner updated antivirus only utility. Then I connect to the internet and run Windows Update.

Now I need a few utilities to work with the computer the way I want. These include Firefox, a compression program such as the free 7zip, a media player such as iTunes, a .pdf reader, and some administrative utilities appropriate to my business. Then come drivers for accessories such as my webcam, scanner, smartphone, and printer. Now I remake my network connections to file storage and printers.

Whew! I haven't even started on the application programs. In addition to an office suite and money manager, I use a graphics suite and a number of tools for web authoring. I'm sure I'll find more programs I need as I use the computer. Fortunately I'm mostly organized and can usually put my hands on the original CDs or downloads and activation keys of my programs.

Now, I've got a functioning computer, but it's not my computer. I keep most of my data on a network drive, so usually I won't have to restore that 100 GB. But some programs such as Outlook Express insist on keeping their data on the local drive, typically in some obscure location you wouldn't think about backing up. Even though I have my Outlook 2007 old mail and contacts data on a network drive, all of its connection settings are integral to the local computer so I have to look up user names, passwords and account settings for a half-dozen email accounts. And don't ask me how much I've personalized Word and Excel. Generally, the more complex the program, the more likely that it saves it's settings and preferences irretrievably in Windows.

Microsoft does offer a couple utilities that purport to help you save and transfer your settings between computers. The Files and Settings Transfer wizard (FAST) collects some important and some trivial Windows settings from your logon password to your desktop color. It also will copy your cookies and favorites from Internet Explorer and the contents of your My Documents folder. The last can take a long time and a lot of disc space if you keep music and pictures, as well as documents, in that folder. I recommend that you point it to a USB hard drive with lots of space. It will not get any data such as I mentioned above that is not in My Documents.

For Microsoft Office, you can also use the Microsoft Office Save My Settings Wizard which is usually in the Microsoft Office Tools folder. It will, with one operation, collect a lot of the more obscure personalizations in Word, Excel, Outlook, and other Office programs.

Both of these wizards apply only to the current user. That means your spouse and kids will have to run it individually. You'll also have to manually move data in Shared Documents. And, of course, they only pick up the customizations in Microsoft programs.

Now that I'm up and running, I can start worrying about hardware productivity features. My new computer did not come with an upgraded video, so I will have to move that from my old computer (if it's compatible) to use dual monitors. Also the keyboard has a slightly different layout that causes me problems. Unfortunately, my old keyboard uses a different connection and I will have to deal with that.

My situation was made more difficult because the old computer completely failed. If you are merely upgrading, you can always go back to the old machine to look at settings or get that template for your letterhead. I was saved, however, by the fact that most of my data is not actually on my computer. Even with a six-week-old backup, there was very little critical data that I lost.

. This work by Bill Barnes is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://zaitech.com/satellite/contacts.htm.
(c) 2008 Bill Barnes - Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

Spring cleaning

Now (even if you're reading this in November) is always a good time to do your computer housekeeping.

The two biggest enemies of electronics are bad power and heat. I covered the concerns of power surges in Storm Season. Where does heat come from and what can you do about it?

Everything you put into the computer generates heat. Every chip, spinning drive, and the power supply all add heat to the environment. And our quest for more and faster just means more heat. A faster CPU, fancier graphics adapter, bigger hard drive, more powerful sound card, even more memory each add their own increment to the heat load.

You can assume that every watt of power you put into the computer eventually ends up as heat after it is finished pushing the bits around. That means if you have a 200 watt power supply, it's the equivalent of sticking a large (incandescent) light bulb inside a metal box. In my childhood, that is how a toy stove could actually bake cookies.

Sometimes that metal box also exacerbates the issue. Open a full-size tower and you'll probably see at least 3 or 4 fans blowing on the various components. But most consumers and many businesses would rather have a compact size and quiet computer. Both of those criteria mean fewer fans and less space for air to circulate around the components. In a laptop, those issues are even compounded, although the components are somewhat more efficient with their use of electricity.

Speaking of quiet, most computers have thermostatic fans. When things inside start getting hot, the fan runs faster. If, all of a sudden, your computer starts making more noise and then quiets again; it was probably your fan putting on a burst of speed. If it always runs at high speed there may be something causing your computer to overheat. By the way, your CPU and hard drive also have thermometers in them and will shut themselves down before they dangerously overheat. There are numerous monitors of your internal temperatures available from any search engine. One that looked promising is available at http://www.almico.com/. (I have not tried it and don't vouch for it's legitimacy - always get your downloads from reputable sources and check them for malware)

Oh, that's right. The title up there is "Spring cleaning." The first thing to do to keep your computer cool is to get rid of the dust inside. Open the case and blow it out. Don't use a standard vacuum cleaner as they generate static electricity. You can buy high-quality "canned air." If you have access to a compressor, you can use that, too, at a moderate pressure. (I manage 150 devices in an industrial plant and blow them out with the building air. I have never had problems related to water or oil that may contaminate this unfiltered air.)

Be sure you have disconnected all the cables (especially the power) before you open the case. Then blow it out and the dust will go flying. I blow in both directions through all the vents and fans and even into the disc drive openings. Lift the shroud over the CPU and blow out all the heat sinks that look like vertical grids of metal.

When you reconnect the computer, check around that it has good airflow in and out of the vents. Keeping it in a closed cabinet will kill it quickly. Some serious power hobbyists have floor fans blowing at their computers to circulate even more air. Making the computer work harder also makes it use more power, so you might consider this tactic if you are into high-end gaming or video rendering that make heavy demands on the graphics system.

And don't feel guilty at all the dust you found. Even in very clean houses I find the computers full of dust. Just be sure there are no snakes or mice wrapped around the chips. (Just kidding, but you can find some scary stories on YouTube.)

My hard drive won't boot!

We have a 4 year old Dell laptop running XP. It died last night while we were using it. From what I have been able to figure out online, it looks like her hard drive might be dead, but maybe you can give me your opinion:

The first thing that happened is that we got a blue screen with a message at the bottom -- something like "physical memory dump successful" Then, we ran some sort of diagnostic and got: ...

It sounds like you have a “Type 2” failure below. Sorry.

There are two types of “fatal” problems with disc drives. Sometimes they spontaneously recover from either of them – at least for a short time. Take that opportunity to immediately back up your data. 1) Windows won’t load, but the drive is physically mostly OK. 2) The drive has some sort of mechanical failure. I lost 2 drives in my older Dell laptop; probably due to overheating.

1) Your data are probably in fine condition, although it may be awkward to retrieve it, especially with a laptop.

2) Cross your fingers and pay homage to any angel of fortune you use. Generally the computer doesn’t even recognize that it has a drive attached when you look at the status page at power-on Setup (for most post-2002 Dells, press F2 at the Dell splash screen). Suggested steps to attempt include: repeatedly powering it up until it comes on, lightly tapping the case while it is turned off, or chilling the drive before it’s turned on. If you hear a “clicka-clicka” when you power it up, you’re probably toast.

--------

In either case, my first response is to minimize the chance of further corruption until I preserve the data. I do this by removing the drive from it’s current computer and installing it as a secondary drive in another computer. (See mechanical handling notes below.) You can connect it directly to the motherboard’s interface in the alternate computer or use a USB adapter.

Once the alternate computer recognizes the disc drive, you should immediately copy critical data off it before proceeding with any other recovery attempts. If you encounter missing password file access problems, you can try logging on to the alternate computer as an administrator. If necessary, create an account on that computer with the same name and password as the administrator on the failed computer. In an extreme case, you can break the user rights with a Bart’s PE boot CD. Start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BartPE.

Now that you have your data, what do you do with the old drive. If it is showing hardware issues, physically decomission it and throw it away. If the only problem is that Windows wouldn’t boot:

a) Run the SpinRite (http://spinrite.com) disc recovery utility.
b) Run Windows recovery from a Windows installation disc.
c) Reinstall Windows from your manufacturer’s distribution discs. You will also have to reinstall all your programs, drivers, and accessories; but your data will probably still be where it was. There is also a chance you will trash everything in the process.
d) Install Windows on a new drive and install this one as a secondary drive (not applicable to laptops). Same comments as c) apply.
e) Install Windows on a new drive and copy all your data back to it. Same comments as c) apply.


The mechanics of moving a hard drive around.
Drives come in 2 flavors, SATA and IDE/ATA/PATA, that use a different cable to connect to the computer. SATA is the newer standard although most aftermarket drives are still available in either format. Very few computers support both versions natively on their motherboards although you can get add-in cards for either version. Furthermore, older IDE laptop drives (2.5”) use a different cable and power adapter than IDE desktop (3.5”) drives, but otherwise are interchangeable. Most USB adapters (such as http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/SearchDetail.asp?productID=13779) support all versions although there may be some old IDE-only adapters still on the market.

Always disperse any static electricity by touching a grounded metal object before working with electronics. Never handle a disc drive that is powered on (ie spinning). Always disconnect the power supply from the wall before connecting or disconnecting cables. Don't forget the main battery(ies) in a laptop.

On most laptops the disc drive can be removed with one or two screws without disassembling the case. If you remove a screw that opens a panel into the electronics, that’s probably the wrong one.

When temporarily installing a drive in an alternate computer, you will probably have the least problems if you use the cables for that computer’s CD drive. Using a USB adapter may require that you change jumper settings on an IDE drive.



. This work by Bill Barnes is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://zaitech.com/satellite/contacts.htm.
(c) 2008 Bill Barnes - Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

Configuring your router

You plug your router into the broadband modem, plug your computer into the router, and you’re on the internet. Ah ha! Everything must be set up correctly, right? Wrong!

The security your router provides you is only starting when you take it out of the box. As soon as you install it or after you have to do a reset (not just a reboot) of the router, you should check to ensure that your settings are still valid. Everything we recommend for your router will help with your security.

Every router’s configuration screens are different so these tips are necessarily generic. If the router has a setup wizard, it may not cover all of these features so we recommend after you run the wizard that you go back and check all of the settings.

• Open your browser and connect to your router. Find the IP address of your router with these instructions . The router is (typically) the default gateway. Or, you may be able to connect to the router using other instructions in its documentation. The documentation will give you the user name and default password you need to get in.

• Follow the wizard, if available, or instructions to ensure you are connected to the internet.

• After the wizard is completed, click on every button or tab to be sure you have completed the following tasks.

• Change the logon password. You probably cannot change the user name, but choose a non-trivial password of 6-10 characters.

• Disable remote access. Some routers allow you to configure them from the internet. This is a no-no.

• Set the wireless security. You will have a choice of WEP or WPA. “No security” is not acceptable and WEP is no better. WPA may have several options. Any of them is acceptable although you may have to experiment to find a schema that is compatible with your wireless devices. Some non-computers may not support WPA in which case you will need to make some hard choices. Without security, the information on your network is vulnerable to anyone within 300-1000 feet.

• Choose the wireless password. Use a password of 13-63 characters. There may be some limitations on your router such as it only accepts exactly 13 or 26 characters. Don’t worry that this is an ugly password. You’ll keep it on a flashdrive and only need to enter it in your portable computer once.

• If you do not need any wireless computers, turn the wireless off.

• Disable UP&P. This feature was created so some online games or other peer-to-peer programs could automatically give others on the internet access to your computer. Unfortunately, it can also allow malware to give bad guys access to your computer. You may wander through all your configuration screens and still not see it; but if you do, turn it off. If you find that a program or non-computer device on your network like TV adapters or video game consoles are missing features, you will need to make some hard choices. Insist that the manufacturer give you instructions to give their devices adequate access without UP&P. It is an idea as out-of-date as a car without airbags.

• That’s most of the security features you need to configure on your router. There are other settings you can change, but they belong in another article.

• Document what you’ve done. At the very least, write down the instructions to access the router, reset it to factory defaults, the default user name and password, the current user name and password, and the wireless password. Tape this information to the top of the router. This is not like sticking your password on the monitor of your office computer. If someone has physical access to the router, they can reset it themselves.

Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

To sleep, perchance to lose my thoughts ...

What do you do when you walk away from your computer?

What happens when you choose “Turn Off Computer” from the Start button is pretty well explained in this article from 2004: http://zaitech.com/articles/wintips/goodbye-hello.htm. A recent reader asked for elaboration, specifically about background tasks.

But first … In Windows Vista, everything is the same – only different. There is no Start button, but when you click the Windows logo; there are “power” and “lock” icons. Except, by default, the “power” icon puts you in a fast hibernate where the screen goes blank immediately, but Windows is still doing something for a while.


To really shut down, you have to click the arrow at the right of the menus for another sub-menu of options. It is a good idea to fully shut down Windows occasionally to force it to finish all its tasks.

Now, for the body of our story …

Dear Bill Barnes,

I just came across an excellent article of your from 2004 (!) but there is still one unanswered issue for me.

When using a laptop (XP) and want to allow nighttime updates, on what power mode should the computer be set at?

For any unattended action to occur, the computer cannot be in sleep or hibernate. This includes automatic updates (Windows or antivirus; most other programs such as browsers, Adobe products – ie Flash and Reader – or applications check for updates when you use them and delay you then), scans, networked file or printer access, remote access, or idle-time programs such as SetiAtHome. As a rule of thumb, if you have to do more than wiggle the mouse to wake up the computer, background activities are not available either.

Most computers are able to wake themselves up – even from a full power-off – at a pre-scheduled time. This setting is deep in the BIOS settings and not part of Windows. I have never had occasion to even experiment with how it works.

What I generally do with my laptop is set it to never sleep or hibernate when plugged in. Then when I’m at home and was using it before bedtime, it will get updates and everything else. Otherwise I generally use low power settings. When I’m on battery, I set it for aggressive power management. I always set monitor off at the minimum I can stand and use a blank with password required (“Show Welcome screen”) screensaver setting (these times can be different and mon off can actually be less than screensaver).

Powering down the hard drive will not inhibit background activities; although they may inhibit it going into idle. Whether to power off the hard drive is an open discussion. On the one hand, it is most likely to fail at and because of startups, not while running. However, on laptops there are other considerations:
• Heat is the greatest killer of all electronics after electrical surges. A running hard drive puts out most of the heat in an idle computer and most laptops have inadequate cooling capability anyway.
• Vibration while running is another threat to hard drives (they are very rugged when not running). If you even carry your computer from desk-to-desk, you risk damage.
• The hard drive is the greatest drain on the battery in an idle laptop.
Of course, I violate all of these considerations, especially the second one, and have only lost 3 laptop drives (out of over 10 years of running use in a couple dozen laptops); 2 of them to heat in the same computer. If you have a failing hard drive, I strongly recommend using SpinRite for maintenance and, hopefully, recovery.

Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

Storm Season!

Here in the south, summer brings with it the almost daily threat of sudden thunderstorms. Best Buy, Circuit City, and the Asian electronics manufacturers make millions of dollars a year off equipment that is damaged or destroyed by outside electrical surges.

You should ensure that all your valuable electronics are protected by surge protectors when they are connected to outside wiring. Of course, you won't forget your entertainment system, but remember that a surge can enter one device and travel through any wire connecting it to others. This means you should protect printers, telephones, and networking devices - including the cable or phone connection that brings the internet - even if those devices themselves are not valuable.

Purchase good quality multi-mode surge protectors. A starting rule of thumb is that if it costs less than $20, you should save it for the kids' TV or other isolated low-value equipment. I prefer to use battery backups as my surge protector. Along with excellent surge protection, they'll save you from losing your current letter or having to reprogram the TV if the power is out for up to a few minutes. In addition, they protect against low or high voltage conditions (such as running a vacuum cleaner) that technically don't constitute a surge. The downside is that most UPSs will beep as long as the power is out unless you have connected them to a computer and used their management software to turn it off.

Most single-mode surge protectors will protect you once. That means, if it's saved your bacon once, it won't do so the next storm. It will still function as a plug strip and your equipment is still powered, just not protected. If it has an indicator that it's bad, believe it!

Of course, the best surge protector is 10 inches of dry air - that is, pull the plug in extreme storms.

Disclaimer - Home Page