Search Wikipedia, Google or Yahoo From Windows 7 or Vista Start Menu Instant Search Box.

If you access or search Wikipedia frequently and if you want to add an option to Search Wikipedia to your Windows Start Menu Instant Search Box, here is what you need to do.

Type gpedit.msc in the search bar and hit enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

Click on Properties, to open its Properties box.

Enable the policy setting by selecting Enabled. Next in the first 'string or dll...' box type Search Wikipedia. And in the next 'url to use' box, type http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%w . Click Apply > OK. Reboot. If you wish to apply the changed policy setting immediately, open cmd.exe > gpupdate/force and hit Enter.

Now open your Start Menu. You should be able to see the Search Wikipedia option. Type a search term and click on Search Wikipedia; your browser will open with Wikipedia results.

Similarly, if you want to add Google instead from Vista's Start Menu Search Box, copy-paste the following url instead:

http://www.google.com/search?q=%w

If you want to add Yahoo instead from Vista's Start Menu Search Box, copy-paste the following url instead:

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=%w

To add Google or Yahoo, from Windows Vista' Start Menu Search Box, you may also download and use Start++ Tool. Install it. After installation, if you type say, g winvistaclub server , it will open the Google search result page for winvistaclun in your browser. Similarly for Yahoo search; its y winvistaclub server . Its quite a nifty utility !

10+ tweaks, tricks, and hacks to make Windows Vista little better

Every operating system could stand some tweaking. No matter how many developers you throw at an OS as complicated as Windows Vista, power users will always find something they can modify or hack to make it run faster, or better, or just differently. Here are just a few of the Windows Vista tweaks, tricks, and hacks we have discovered so far.

1: Add the Run command to the Start Menu

Beginning way back with the release of Windows 1.0, Microsoft has been all about the GUI interface (more or less effectively). But sometimes you just want to run a program without having to navigate the GUI maze of menus and folders. Windows Vista, by default, does not include the Run command on the Start Menu. This was a common and favorite feature of Windows XP.
To add the Run command back to the Vista Start Menu, follow these steps:

1. Right click the Taskbar in an open area
2. Click on Properties

Click on the Start Menu tab (See Figure A)

Figure A

Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

3. Click the Customize button to get to the Customize Start Menu

Scroll down the list until you find the Run command checkbox and check it (See Figure B).

4. Click OK and the Run command will now appear on the Start Menu.

Figure B

Customize Start Menu

2. Disable the Welcome Center and Sidebar

The Windows Vista default setting is to show the Welcome Center on startup. While the Welcome Center is mildly interesting the first time you see it, you will quickly tire of it appearing every time you boot your Vista PC. This behavior is easily changed by unchecking the Run a Startup button located at the bottom of the Welcome Center as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

Welcome Center

Similarly, the Vista Sidebar is also on by default. While some users will find the Sidebar and its widgets useful, many will desire the desktop real estate and underlying resources for other more productive uses. You can turn the Sidebar off by:

1. Right clicking the Windows Sidebar icon in the system tray
2. Click Properties
3. Uncheck the Start Sidebar when Windows starts checkbox (See Figure D)
4. Click OK

Figure D

Windows Sidebar Properties

3: Change the Product Key

A Windows Vista installation disk essentially has all of the various editions of Vista included on that one disk. Which version gets installed is dependent on what product key you enter during the installation process. At some point you may want to upgrade your current version to a version with more bells and whistles, which would require a new Product Key.
Or you may want to Activate your Windows Vista under a different Product Key for some reason. The easiest way to change your Product Key is through the System applet in the Control Panel. (See Figure E)

Figure E

System applet

Under the Windows Activation section there is a link: Change Product Key. Clicking that link brings up the screen shown in Figure F where you can enter in a different Product Key.

Figure F

Windows Activation

4: Start Windows Explorer at somewhere other than documents

While Windows Vista has desktop search that will theoretically allow you the option of merely typing in a location on your hard disk to get an Explorer view, some users will undoubtedly prefer to use Windows Explorer. By default, Windows Explorer in Vista shows you the files located in the user Documents folder. Follow these steps to have Windows Explorer start in a different folder:

1. Copy the Windows Explorer shortcut, usually found in the Start Menu under Accessories, to the Desktop.
2. Right click the shortcut and click properties.

Click on the Shortcut tab to get the window shown in Figure G.

Figure G

Windows Explorer Properties

3. Change the Target filed to the desired location.

For example, to have Windows Explorer start at C:\ type in"
C:\Windows\explorer.exe /n, /e, c:\

4. Click OK

5: Privacy tweak

As a convenience, Windows Vista by default saves and displays a list of recently opened files and programs on the Start Menu. Ostensibly, this is supposed to make it easier to find a file or program. However, many users would prefer that information to remain hidden. Here is how to turn it off:

1. Right click the Taskbar and click Properties on the resulting menu
2. Click the Start Menu tab

Uncheck the checkboxes under Privacy (See Figure H)

3. Click OK

Figure H

Privacy settings

6: Smaller icons on Start Menu

The icons located on the Windows Vista Start Menu default to large (Figure I).

Figure I

Large icons

For many users, the personal preference will be for those icons to be much smaller. Here is how:

1. Right click the Taskbar and click on Properties
2. Click the Start Menu tab
3. Click the Customize button
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the list (See Figure J)
5. Uncheck the Use large icons checkbox
6. Click OK twice

Figure J

No more large icons

7. Add Internet Explorer to the Vista Desktop

For some reason known only to the Windows Vista development team, there is no easy option to add the Windows Explorer icon to the Vista Desktop. You can add Computer, Recycle Bin, and the Control Panel --- perhaps someone can explain that to us. In the meantime, if you want to add Internet Explorer you can do it with a Registry hack. Before editing the Windows Registry it is always advisable to make a backup of the Registry file.

1. Click the Start button
2. Open the Run dialog box (or type regedit in to the search box on the Start Menu)
3. Type in regedit and press Enter
4. Navigate to the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel
5. Create a new DWORD 32-bit by right clicking in the key area (See Figure K)
6. Copy this as the key name including the brackets:
   {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}
7. Close regedit
8. Right click on the Desktop and click the Refresh menu entry --- Internet Explorer should now appear.

Figure K

Regedit Internet Explorer

8: Change Security Center notifications

One of the most often leveled criticisms of Windows has been its lack of security. To overcome that perception Microsoft had programmed Vista to complain loudly and often if it discovers your malware, firewall or virus protection software is off or requires maintenance. For many users, the constant badgering to update your virus definitions is more annoying then effective. To calm Vista down a bit you can change the way you are notified of potential lax security.
Open the control panel and click the Windows Security Center as shown in Figure L.

Figure L

Windows Security Center

Click the link Change the way Security Center alerts me to reach the dialog box shown in Figure M.
Choose you preference for notification

Figure M

Chose your preference

9: Set Folder options

One of the first things experienced users change when they get a new Windows computer is change the Folder View options to a preferred setting. Windows Vista is no exception to this rule.

1. Open the Control Panel and click on the Folder Options icon
2. Click on the View tab (See Figure N)

Figure N

Folder options

3. Check or uncheck your folder preferences --- some suggestions:
1. Check show hidden files and folders
2. Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
3. Uncheck protected operating system files

10: Adjust power settings

By default, Windows Vista sets the power options to what it calls a "Balanced" plan. While for many users this plan will be adequate, there are many who will want to make adjustments. For laptop users specifically, settings can vary greatly when operating on battery power versus plugged into an outlet. To adjust power settings:
Open the Control Panel and then click the Power Options icon (See Figure O)

Figure O

Power Options

Click on the Change Plan Settings under one of the default plans to make changes (See Figure P)

Figure P

Power settings

For additional fine tuning click Change advanced power settings (See Figure Q)

Figure Q

Advanced power settings

11: Reduce Desktop Icons

By default, the Windows Vista Aero GUI uses what it classifies as "Medium" icons on the Desktop. Medium in this case is really quite large. (There is also a Large icon setting, but we won't go there.) To bring the icons back to a less eye-popping size:

1. Right click on the Desktop
2. Choose the View menu item
3. Change to Classic Icons (Figure R)

Figure R

Classic

12 Add another time zone

For many of us working away from home offices at satellite offices, home or on the road, knowing the time across various time zones can be a necessary evil. Windows Vista will allow you to keep time in two additional time zones to the machine time.

1. Right click on the time display located in Taskbar System Tray
2. Select the Adjust Date/Time menu item
3. Click on the Additional Clocks tab (See Figure S)

Figure S

Add clocks

4. Choose a time zone
5. Click the check box next to Show this clock
6. Click OK

Now when you mouse over the time in the Taskbar System Tray you will get the time in your chosen time zones.

Tutorial : Basic commands in Microsoft Networking, Must know !!

Network is generally means gathering information about domain by using tools like Telnet, NslookUp, Ping, Tracert, Netstat, etc.


It also includes OS Fingerprinting, Port Scaning and Port Surfing using various tools.

Ping :Ping is part of ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) which is used to troubleshoot TCP/IP networks. So, Ping is basically a command that allows you to check whether the host is alive or not.
To ping a particular host the syntax is (at command prompt)--
c:/>ping hostname.com

example:- c:/>ping www.google.com



Various attributes used with 'Ping' command and their usage can be viewed by just typing c:/>ping at the command prompt.


Netstat : It displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections. i.e. local address, remote address, port number, etc.
It's syntax is (at command prompt)--
c:/>netstat -n




Telnet :Telnet is a program which runs on TCP/IP. Using it we can connect to the remote computer on particular port. When connected it grabs the daemon running on that port.
The basic syntax of Telnet is (at command prompt)--
c:/>telnet hostname.com

By default telnet connects to port 23 of remote computer.
So, the complete syntax is-
c:/>telnet www.hostname.com port

example:- c:/>telnet www.yahoo.com 21 or c:/>telnet 192.168.0.5 21


Tracert : It is used to trace out the route taken by the certain information i.e. data packets from source to destination.
It's syntax is (at command prompt)--
c:/>tracert www.hostname.com
example:- c:/>tracert www.insecure.in




Here "* * * Request timed out." indicates that firewall installed on that system block the request and hence we can't obtain it's IP address.

various attributes used with tracert command and their usage can be viewed by just typing c:/>tracert at the command prompt.

The information obtained by using tracert command can be further used to find out exact operating system running on target system.

                                                                    Well-Known Port Numbers 
Port Number Protocol

0 TCP/UDP Reserved
7 TCP/UDP Echo
9 TCP/UDP Discard
11 TCP Systat
13 TCP/UDP Daytime
17 TCP/UDP Quote of the day
19 TCP/UDP Chargen (character generator)
21 TCP FTP
23 TCP Telnet
25 TCP SMTP
37 TCP/UDP Time
38 TCP/UDP Route Access Protocol
42 UDP Name Server
43 TCP Whois
49 TCP Login Host Protocol
53 TCP/UDP DNS
60 TCP/UDP Unassigned
67 UDP Bootstrap Protocol Server
68 UDP Bootstrap Protocol Client
69 UDP Trivial File Transfer (TFT)
70 TCP Gopher
80 TCP HTTP
88 TCP Kerberos
101 TCP/UDP NIC host name server
109 TCP POP2
110 TCP POP3
111 TCP/UDP Sun remote procedure call (Sun RPC)
119 TCP NNTP
137 TCP/UDP Netbios name service
138 TCP/UDP Netbios datagram service
139 TCP/UDP Netbios session service
161 UDP SNMP
512 TCP Remote process execution
513 TCP Remote login via telnet
514 TCP cmd
749 TCP Kerberos administration port

Tutorial : Hack your firefox : interesting !!

How to run Firefox inside Firefox.?

Yup you can run Firefox inside firefox just by typing following url.



How about Opening Firefox inside Firefox which is again in another Firefox..?
Not bad huh?
And its really easy too just type in this url in Firefox's address bar and there you go!
Firefox inside Firefox!

copy paste following url in a web browser (mozilla firefox).

chrome://browser/content/browser.xul


Following is the screenshot of this trick (firefox in firefox in firefox, which is again in another firefox)-

Tutorial : Rapid share hacking

-: Rapidshare Hack :-

There are two hacks to beat Rapidshare download limits and waiting time.

1) Rapidshare Hack (For Firefox Users) :-
The hot new Firefox plug-in takes browser customization to a whole new level by letting users filter site content or change page behaviors.
The glory of open-source software is that it allows anyone with the inclination and the scripting knowledge to get under the hood and hot-rod their computing environment.
But most of the time, that advantage is available only to people with the programming skills to make the changes they want.

That's where Greasemonkey, a free plug-in for Firefox, comes in -- it simplifies hacking the browser.

Released at the end 2004, Greasemonkey is the latest in a growing arsenal of Firefox customization tools.
It changes how Web pages look and act by altering the rendering process.

http://greasemonkey.mozdev.org/

1) Install the Greasemonkey extension>>
http://downloads.mozdev.org/greasemonkey/greasemonkey_0.2.6.xpi
2) Restart Firefox
3) Go to http://rapidshare.de/files/1034529/rapidshare.user.js.html
4) Right click on rapidshare.user.js and choose "Install User Script".
5) Run FireFox.
6) From 'File' Menu click on Open File then browse to whereever you saved the 'greasemonkey.xpi' plug-in.
Open it, wait a couple seconds for the install button becomes active.
7) Click on it to install this plug-in then CLOSE FIREFOX.
8) Run FireFox again.
From the File Menu click on Open File then browse to whereever you saved the 'rapidshare.user.js'.
9) Open it.
10) Click the Tools Menu then click on Install User Script then click OK.
11) Close FireFox.

The script will let you enjoy "no wait" and multiple file downloads......!


2) Rapidshare Hack (NIC Tricks and MAC Cloning) :-
Rapidshare traces the users IP address to limit each user to a certain amount of downloading per day.
To get around this, you need to show the rapidshare server a different IP address.
Here are some methods for doing this-

A] Short-Out the JavaScript:
1) Goto the page you want to download
2) Select FREE button
3) In the address bar put this- javascript:alert(c=0)
4) Click OK
5) Click OK to the pop-up box
6) Enter the captcha
7) Download Your File

B] Request a new IP address from your ISP server:
Here’s how to do it in windows:
1) Click Start
2) Click run
3) In the run box type cmd.exe and click OK
4) When the command prompt opens type the following. ENTER after each new line.
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
exit
5) Erase your cookies in whatever browser you are using.
6) Try the rapidshare download again.
Frequently you will be assigned a new IP address when this happens.
Sometime you will, sometimes you will not. If you are on a fixed IP address, this method will not work.
If this works for you, you may want to save the above commands into a batch file, and just run it when you need it.

C] Use a proxy with SwitchProxy and Firefox:
1) Download and install Firefox
2) Download and install SwitchProxy
3) Google for free proxies
4) When you hit your download limit, clean your cookies and change your proxy

D] You can use a bookmarklet to stop your wait times:
1) Open IE
2) Right Click On This Link
3) Select Add to Favorites
4) Select Yes to the warning that the bookmark may be unsafe.
5) Name it “RapidShare No Wait”
6) Click on the Links folder (if you want to display it in your IE toolbar)
7) Click OK
8) You may need to close and reopen IE to see it
9) Goto rapidshare and click the bookmarklet when you are forced to wait

OR

Simply Copy the CODE given below
Open Command prompt. ( run ->cmd )

@echo off
echo ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /flushdns
echo ipconfig /release
ipconfig /release
echo ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /renew
exit

Now try the rapidshare link again
and it wont ask you to Wait for more than ONE minute.