the windows security dialog box

the windows security dialog box provides informations such as the user account currently logged on and the domain or computer to which the is logged on. this information is important for users with multiple user accounts, such as a user who has a regular user account as well as a user account with administrative privileges.

you access the windows security dialog box by pressing ctrl+alt+delete if the computer is joined to a domain or the welcome screen is disabled, otherwise the task manager will be activated.

lock computer

allow users to secure the computer without logging off. all programs remain running. users should lock their computers when they leave for a short time. the user who locks the computer can unlock it by pressing ctrl+alt+delete and entering the valid password. an administrator can also unlock a locked computer. this process logs off the current user.

logoff

allows a user log off as the current user and close all running programs, but leaves windows xp professional running.

shutdown

allows a user to close all files, save all operating system data, and prepare the computer so that it can be safely truned off.

change password

allows a user to change his or her user account password. the user must know the current password to create new one. this is the only way users can change their own password.administrators can also change the password.

task manager

provides a list of the programs that are running and a summary of overall cpu and memory usage, as well as a quick view of how each program, program components, or system process is using the cpu and memory resources.users can also use task manager to switch between programs and to stop a program that is not responding.

cancel

closes the windows security dialog box

domains

a domain is a logical grouping of network computers that share central directory database. a directory database contains user accounts and security informations for the domain.this database known as the directory and is the database portion of active directory service.

in a domain the directory resides on computers that are configured as domain controllers. a domain controller is a server that manages all security related aspects of user and domain interactions, centralizing security and administration.

the steps in the authentication process are as follows

• the user logs on by providing logon information, such as username and password, and windows xp professional forwards this information to the security subsystem of that local computer.
• windows xp professional compares the logon informations with the user informations in the local security database, which resides in the security subsystem of the local computer.
• if the information matches and the user account is valid, windows xp professional creates access token for the user. an access token is the users identification for that local computer. it contains the users security settings, which allow the user to gain access to the appropriate resources on that computer and to perform specific system tasks.

if a user logs on to a domain, windows xp professional contacts an available domain controller in the domain. the domain controller compares the logon informations with the user information that is in the directory for the domain. if the information matches and the user account is valid, the domain controller creates an access token for the user. the user security settings contained in the access token allow the user to gain access to the appropriate resources in the domain.

workgroups (peer-to-peer)

a windows xp professional workgroup is a logical grouping of networked computers that share resources, such as files and printers. a workgroup is also called a peer-to-peer network because all computers in the workgroup can share resources as equals (peers) without a dedicated server.

each computer in the workgroup maintains a local security database, which is a list of user accounts and resource security information for the computer on which it resides.therefor using a local security database decentralizes the administration of user accounts and resource security in a workgroup.


workgroups have decentralized administration and security, the following are true.

• a user must have a user account on each computer to which he or she wants to gain access.
• any changes to user accounts such as changing a users password or adding a new user account, must be made on each computer in the workgroup.if you forget to add new user account to one of the computers in your workgroup, the new user will not be able to log on to that computer and will unable to access resources on it.

a workgroup provides the following advantages

• it does not require inclusion of a domain controller in the configuration to hold centralized security informations.
• it is simple to design and implement. it does not require the extensive planning and administration that a domain require.
• it is a convinient networking environment for a limited number of computers in close proximity. however a workgroup becomes impractical in environments with more than 10 computers.
  

setup outlook 2007 for gmail forwading

enable POP in Gmail

1. Sign in to Gmail.
2. Click Settings at the top of any Gmail page.
3. Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
4. Select Enable POP for all mail or Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on.
5. it is always recommend to keep gmail copy in the inbox
6. click save settings.

configure outlook 2007

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click the Tools menu, and select Account Settings...
3. On the E-mail tab, click New...
   
4. If you are prompted to Choose E-mail Service, select Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP, and click Next.
5. Fill in all necessary fields to include the following information
6. Your Name: Enter your name as you would like it to appear in the From: field of outgoing messages.
7. Email Address: Enter your full Gmail email address (username@gmail.com)
8. Password: Enter your email password.
9. select Manually configure server settings or additional server types
10. Verify your User Information, and enter the following additional information

Server Information

1. Account Type: POP3
2. Incoming mail server: pop.gmail.com
3. Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com
4. in the Logon Information
5. User Name: Enter your Gmail username (including @gmail.com)
6. Password: Enter your Gmail password.
7. Click the More Settings... button, and select the Outgoing Server tab.
8. Check the box next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and select Use same settings as my incoming mail server.
9. Click the Advanced tab, and check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under Incoming Server (POP3).
10. In the Outgoing server (SMTP) box, enter 587 and select TLS from the drop-down menu next to Use the following type of encrypted connection:
14. Click OK.
15. Click Test Account Settings... After receiving 'Congratulations! All tests completed successfully', click Close.
16. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Congratulations! You're successfully configured your client to send and retrieve Gmail messages.

setup outlook 2003 for gmail forwading

enable POP in Gmail

1. Sign in to Gmail.
2. Click Settings at the top of any Gmail page.
3. Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
4. Select Enable POP for all mail or Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on.
5. it is always recommend to keep gmail copy in the inbox
6. click save settings.

configure outlook 2003

1. Open Outlook 2003
   
2. Click the Tools menu, and select E-mail Accounts...
3. Click Add a new e-mail account, and click Next.
4. Choose POP3 as your server type by clicking the radio button, and click Next.
5. carefully fill the below informations in the setup page

in the User Information field

1. Your Name: Enter your name as you would like it to appear in the From: field of outgoing messages.
2. Email Address: Enter your full email address

in the Server Information field

1. Incoming mail server (POP3): pop.gmail.com
2. Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com

in the Login Information field

1. User Name: Enter your Gmail username (including @gmail.com)
2. Password: Enter your gmail password

after you filled all informations

1. Click More Settings... and then click the Outgoing Server tab.
2. Check the box next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and select Use same settings as my incoming mail server
3. Click the Advanced tab, and check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under Incoming Server (POP3) (the value field became 995 automatically,this is ok)
   
4. Check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under Outgoing Server (SMTP), and enter 465 in the Outgoing server (SMTP) box.
5. Click OK
6. Click Test Account Settings... After receiving Congratulations! All tests completed successfully, click Close
7. Click Next, and then click Finish

setup outlook express for gmail forwarding

the procedure as follows

in order to send and recieve emails via outlook express you must first enable pop service gmail settings.

To enable POP in Gmail

1. Sign in to Gmail.
2. Click Settings at the top of any Gmail page.
3. Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
4. Select Enable POP for all mail or Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on.
5. it is always recommend to keep gmail copy in the inbox
6. click save settings.
   

configure Outlook Express

1. Click the Tools menu, and select Accounts...
2. Click Add, and then click Mail...
3. Enter your name in the Display name: field, and click Next.
4. in the Email Address field type you full gmail address (eg-name@gmail.com)
5. in the next select Pop3 in the drop down menu
6. in the incoming mail server (pop3) field type pop.gmail.com
7. in the outgoing mail server (smtp) field type smtp.gmail.com
8. click next
9. type your full gmail address in the account name field
10. type your password in the password filed (you used in gmail)
11. click finish
12. go to the accounts page again (tools > accounts)
13. in the mail tab select the account you create and click properties
    
14. in the Servers tab, check the box next to the My server requires authentication.
15. go to the advanced tab
16. Under Outgoing Mail (SMTP), check the box next to This server requires a secure connection (SSL).
17. Enter 465 in the Outgoing mail (SMTP): field.
18. Under Incoming mail (POP3), check the box next to This server requires a secure connection (SSL). The port will change to 995 automatically. (this is ok)
19. Make sure you enter the correct information in each field.
15. Click OK.

Congratulations! You're successfully configured your mail client to send and recieve Gmail messages.

reduce picture size before email

this is a quick method and you dont need special softwares for reducing your picture size.

• select the picture (or pictures) you want to email
  
• right click on them and point mouse to send to
• now click mail recipient
• the message box shows up and there you have to select '' make all my pictures smaller ''
• depending on your default email settings pictures will be attached to the your default email client.
• now type the address you want to pictures send to
• click send.
  

how to change default email client (win xp)

the procedure as follows

• login as a administrator
• open internet explorer
• click on the tools menu
• click programs tab
• under program tab and click on the email and select your preferred email client in drop down menu
• once selected click apply and ok.

you are done.

hidden file scanner (HFS)

Hidden File Scanner is a free tool that scans drives for hidden files that contained across many directories on your Windows.Hidden File Scanner is portable,there for no installation is required.

Using HFS

You can straight away run the exe file.On the main window, select the drives that you want scan for hidden files.You can choose to scan all drives if you want to, just click the All Drives link.Before you hit the Scan button,you can specify whether to exclude system files, exclude directories from the search.This way, the search results are more logical to view.After complete scan, a list of hidden files will be displayed in the main window. From there, you are allow to unhide or delete them.

In addition, Hidden File Scanner also does a quick scan at start up to detect the appearance of autorun.inf files on all devices including removable media (such as pen drives and external hard disks) If such an autorun.inf file is found, a dialog box will appear where you can either delete, unhide or inspect the content of the autorun.inf. This tool will automatically rate the autorun.inf files as normal, hidden, suspicious or dangerous file.

Note - dont mess up your pc,s

Note that every hidden files is not a virus,you must not simply delete any hidden files found, or otherwise your system will be crashed. If you have such files, and their file name does not help you to identify the file, right click it and open the file information dialog. You will see for most executable files the copyright of the executable file, which might help you identifying it.

download HFS here

overview of combofix

Combofix is a freeware ,Combofix was designed to scan a computer for known malware, spyware and remove them.the process runs completely automatically.you just have to wait and watch.

ComboFix allows the manual removal of spyware infections . It 's a specialized effective cleaning tool, which is useful compared to other malware and spyware removers.

After Combofix finished,a report will be created. You can use this report to search and remove infections which are not automatically removed.

instructions to use combofix

• Disable or Close all anti-spyware, anti-malware or antivirus real-time protection, which may affect ComboFix. (you must do this)
  
• Download the latest version of Combo Fix.
• Close all programs of you computer.
• Double click ComboFix.exe on you desktop.
• Proceed with extreme caution.
  
• When Combofix finished, it will create a new log file for you.

you can download combofix from here