Here is the best way to crack the bios password in win 95/98:
Follow the steps below:
1) Boot up windows.2) go to dos-prompt or go to command prompt directly from the windows start up menu.
3) type the command at the prompt: "debug" (without quotes ninja.gif )4) type the following lines now exactly as given.......o 70 10o 71 20quitexit
4) exit from the dos prompt and restart the machine
password protection gone!!!!!!!!!!!!! biggrin.gif
EnjoYYYYYYYYYY
PS: I tested this in Award Bios........There seems to be some issue regarding display drivers on some machines if this is used. Just reinstall the drivers, Everything will be fine...........
I have not found any other trouble if the codes are used.
To be on safe side, just back up your data..........
The use of this code is entirely at ur risk.......... It worked fine for me..........
Monday, August 17, 2009
Converting FAT To NTFS
Your hard drive must be formatted with a file system such as FAT, FAT32 or NTFS so that Windows can be installed on to it. This system determines how files are named, organised and stored on the drive. If you’re not using it already, NTFS (New Technology File System) is recommended for Windows XP because of the additional functionality it offers. If your PC came with Windows XP pre-installed then there’s a chance that you’re already using NTFS. If you’ve upgraded from Windows 98 or Windows Me you may still be using FAT or FAT 32. The option to change over to NTFS would have been available during the upgrade process. Don’t worry if you skipped this as it’s possible to convert at any time from within Windows XP without losing any data.
The recommended optionThere are a number of features in Windows XP that will only work if the NTFS file system is present, which is why it’s suggested you make use of it. File and folder permissions, encryption and privacy options are just some of those you’ll be able to access. In particular, those of you who have set up user accounts will find NTFS invaluable. For instance, if you continue to use FAT or FAT32 anyone with physical access to the drive will be able to access the files and folders that are stored there. However, with NTFS you’ll be able to use a level of encryption (Professional Edition only) that will enable you to protect your data.
You’ll also find NTFS more reliable in that it’s more able to recover from disk errors than its FAT or FAT32 counterparts. A log of all disk activity is kept so should a crash occur, Windows XP can use this information to repair the file system when your PC boots up again. To find out what file system you’re using, open My Computer, right-click your main hard drive and choose Properties. Take a look at the General tab to see confirmation of the file system that’s in use.
Convert nowYou can use the convert tool in Windows XP to change the file system on your hard disk from FAT or FAT32 to NTFS. The whole process is safe and your existing data won’t be destroyed. To begin, click Start -> Run, type cmd and press [Return]. At the command prompt type convert c: /fs:ntfs and press [Return] (where ‘c’ is the letter of the drive you’re converting). When you try and run the convert utility, it’s likely that Windows XP will be using your paging file so the process won’t be completed immediately. Therefore, you’ll see a brief message on screen informing you that the conversion will take place instead the next time Windows starts up. Having restarted, the Check Disk utility will run, the conversion will be performed automatically and you may find that your PC will reboot twice more.
The benefitsWith your drive now running NTFS, it’s time to take advantage of the new options that are available. Having created a number of different user accounts you can now control the level of access that’s granted to individual users. For example, there are going to be certain files and folders that you’ll want some users to be able to access but not others. If you have Windows XP Professional Edition you can do this immediately.
Right-click any file or folder, choose Properties and select the Security tab. A dialog will be displayed showing the names of all your users. Alongside will be two columns which enable you to select levels of access for each of them, the permissions include Full Control, Modify, Read and Write. You can then check the appropriate box to determine whether or not to Allow or Deny a particular permission. For Windows XP Home Edition users, the Security tab won’t be immediately available. To access this option you’ll need to restart your PC, pressing [F8] until a menu appears. Next select Safe Mode and wait for Windows XP to start up. You can then set your options in the same way.
Another feature is NTFS compression. It’s quick and seamless as your file or folder is decompressed automatically when you access it. (Don’t confuse this with a Zip compression utility where the files need to be extracted before they can be accessed.) Although you may have used NTFS compression on a file or folder, there’s no way of telling just by looking at it. To remedy this, open My Computer, click Tools -> Folder Options and select the View tab. Under Advanced settings, scroll down and check the option ‘Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color’, then click Apply and OK. Take a look at your compressed items in My Computer and you’ll see the text label has changed from black to blue. Something else that’s exclusive to Professional Edition users is the Encrypting File System (EFS). You can use this to protect your important data so that no one else can read it. Your encrypted files and folders will only be accessible when you have logged into your user account successfully.
The recommended optionThere are a number of features in Windows XP that will only work if the NTFS file system is present, which is why it’s suggested you make use of it. File and folder permissions, encryption and privacy options are just some of those you’ll be able to access. In particular, those of you who have set up user accounts will find NTFS invaluable. For instance, if you continue to use FAT or FAT32 anyone with physical access to the drive will be able to access the files and folders that are stored there. However, with NTFS you’ll be able to use a level of encryption (Professional Edition only) that will enable you to protect your data.
You’ll also find NTFS more reliable in that it’s more able to recover from disk errors than its FAT or FAT32 counterparts. A log of all disk activity is kept so should a crash occur, Windows XP can use this information to repair the file system when your PC boots up again. To find out what file system you’re using, open My Computer, right-click your main hard drive and choose Properties. Take a look at the General tab to see confirmation of the file system that’s in use.
Convert nowYou can use the convert tool in Windows XP to change the file system on your hard disk from FAT or FAT32 to NTFS. The whole process is safe and your existing data won’t be destroyed. To begin, click Start -> Run, type cmd and press [Return]. At the command prompt type convert c: /fs:ntfs and press [Return] (where ‘c’ is the letter of the drive you’re converting). When you try and run the convert utility, it’s likely that Windows XP will be using your paging file so the process won’t be completed immediately. Therefore, you’ll see a brief message on screen informing you that the conversion will take place instead the next time Windows starts up. Having restarted, the Check Disk utility will run, the conversion will be performed automatically and you may find that your PC will reboot twice more.
The benefitsWith your drive now running NTFS, it’s time to take advantage of the new options that are available. Having created a number of different user accounts you can now control the level of access that’s granted to individual users. For example, there are going to be certain files and folders that you’ll want some users to be able to access but not others. If you have Windows XP Professional Edition you can do this immediately.
Right-click any file or folder, choose Properties and select the Security tab. A dialog will be displayed showing the names of all your users. Alongside will be two columns which enable you to select levels of access for each of them, the permissions include Full Control, Modify, Read and Write. You can then check the appropriate box to determine whether or not to Allow or Deny a particular permission. For Windows XP Home Edition users, the Security tab won’t be immediately available. To access this option you’ll need to restart your PC, pressing [F8] until a menu appears. Next select Safe Mode and wait for Windows XP to start up. You can then set your options in the same way.
Another feature is NTFS compression. It’s quick and seamless as your file or folder is decompressed automatically when you access it. (Don’t confuse this with a Zip compression utility where the files need to be extracted before they can be accessed.) Although you may have used NTFS compression on a file or folder, there’s no way of telling just by looking at it. To remedy this, open My Computer, click Tools -> Folder Options and select the View tab. Under Advanced settings, scroll down and check the option ‘Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color’, then click Apply and OK. Take a look at your compressed items in My Computer and you’ll see the text label has changed from black to blue. Something else that’s exclusive to Professional Edition users is the Encrypting File System (EFS). You can use this to protect your important data so that no one else can read it. Your encrypted files and folders will only be accessible when you have logged into your user account successfully.
Converting Basic And Dynamic Drives
Windows XP Professional supports two types of disk storage: basic and dynamic. Basic disk storage uses partition-oriented disks. A basic disk contains basic volumes (primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives).
Dynamic disk storage uses volume-oriented disks, and includes features that basic disks do not, such as the ability to create volumes that span multiple disks (spanned and striped volumes).
General NotesBefore you change a basic disk to a dynamic disk, note these items:
You must have at least 1 megabyte (MB) of free space on any master boot record (MBR) disk that you want to convert. This space is automatically reserved when the partition or volume is created in Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional. However, it may not be available on partitions or volumes that are created in other operating systems.
When you convert to a dynamic disk, the existing partitions or logical drives on the basic disk are converted to simple volumes on the dynamic disk.
After you convert to a dynamic disk, the dynamic volumes cannot be changed back to partitions. You must first delete all dynamic volumes on the disk, and then convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, you must first back up or move the data to another volume.
After you convert to a dynamic disk, local access to the dynamic disk is limited to Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000.
If your disk contains multiple installations of Windows XP Professional or Windows 2000, do not convert to a dynamic disk. The conversion operation removes partition entries for all partitions on the disk with the exception of the system and boot volumes for the current operating system.
Dynamic disks are not supported on portable computers or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
Before you change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk, note that all existing volumes must be deleted from the disk before you can convert it back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, back up the data, or move your data to another volume.
How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk
To convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk:
1) Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2) Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3) Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
4) In the left pane, click Disk Management.
5) In the lower-right pane, right-click the basic disk that you want to convert, and then click Convert to Dynamic Disk.
NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 0.
6) Select the check box that is next to the disk that you want to convert (if it is not already selected), and then clickOK.
7) Click Details if you want to view the list of volumes in the disk.
8) Click Convert.
9) Click Yes when you are prompted to convert, and then click OK.
How to Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk
To change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk:
1) Back up all the data on all the volumes on the disk you want to convert to a basic disk.
2) Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
3) Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
4) Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
5) In the left pane, click Disk Management.
6) Right-click a volume on the dynamic disk that you want to change to a basic disk, and then click Delete Volume.
7) Click Yes when you are prompted to delete the volume.
8) Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each volume on the dynamic disk.
9) After you have deleted all the volumes on the dynamic disk, right-click the dynamic disk that you want to change to a basic disk, and then click Convert to Basic Disk.
NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 1.
Dynamic disk storage uses volume-oriented disks, and includes features that basic disks do not, such as the ability to create volumes that span multiple disks (spanned and striped volumes).
General NotesBefore you change a basic disk to a dynamic disk, note these items:
You must have at least 1 megabyte (MB) of free space on any master boot record (MBR) disk that you want to convert. This space is automatically reserved when the partition or volume is created in Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional. However, it may not be available on partitions or volumes that are created in other operating systems.
When you convert to a dynamic disk, the existing partitions or logical drives on the basic disk are converted to simple volumes on the dynamic disk.
After you convert to a dynamic disk, the dynamic volumes cannot be changed back to partitions. You must first delete all dynamic volumes on the disk, and then convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, you must first back up or move the data to another volume.
After you convert to a dynamic disk, local access to the dynamic disk is limited to Windows XP Professional and Windows 2000.
If your disk contains multiple installations of Windows XP Professional or Windows 2000, do not convert to a dynamic disk. The conversion operation removes partition entries for all partitions on the disk with the exception of the system and boot volumes for the current operating system.
Dynamic disks are not supported on portable computers or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
Before you change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk, note that all existing volumes must be deleted from the disk before you can convert it back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, back up the data, or move your data to another volume.
How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk
To convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk:
1) Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2) Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3) Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
4) In the left pane, click Disk Management.
5) In the lower-right pane, right-click the basic disk that you want to convert, and then click Convert to Dynamic Disk.
NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 0.
6) Select the check box that is next to the disk that you want to convert (if it is not already selected), and then clickOK.
7) Click Details if you want to view the list of volumes in the disk.
8) Click Convert.
9) Click Yes when you are prompted to convert, and then click OK.
How to Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk
To change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk:
1) Back up all the data on all the volumes on the disk you want to convert to a basic disk.
2) Log on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
3) Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
4) Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
5) In the left pane, click Disk Management.
6) Right-click a volume on the dynamic disk that you want to change to a basic disk, and then click Delete Volume.
7) Click Yes when you are prompted to delete the volume.
8) Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each volume on the dynamic disk.
9) After you have deleted all the volumes on the dynamic disk, right-click the dynamic disk that you want to change to a basic disk, and then click Convert to Basic Disk.
NOTE:You must right-click the gray area that contains the disk title on the left side of the Details pane. For example, right-click Disk 1.
Converting Web Pages To Pdf
I have come across some websites that i wanted to save the page for later review. I found that i was having some problems with certain sites. I found a way around it.
what you need:adobe acrobat 6 pro or betterpopupcop
there may be a simpler way to do this but i found that this works:
when at a webpage that you want to copy (YOU MUST BE USING IE AND HAVE BOTH POPUPCOP INSTALLED AND ADOBE ACROBAT 6 PRO OR HIGHER, ACROBAT ICON MUST BE IN IE TOOLBAR TO CONVERT TO .PDF), slide popupcops popup intensity bar to the far left, now click on adobe acrobat icon to convert webpage to .pdf document. I have yet to find a webpage where this trick does not work.
what you need:adobe acrobat 6 pro or betterpopupcop
there may be a simpler way to do this but i found that this works:
when at a webpage that you want to copy (YOU MUST BE USING IE AND HAVE BOTH POPUPCOP INSTALLED AND ADOBE ACROBAT 6 PRO OR HIGHER, ACROBAT ICON MUST BE IN IE TOOLBAR TO CONVERT TO .PDF), slide popupcops popup intensity bar to the far left, now click on adobe acrobat icon to convert webpage to .pdf document. I have yet to find a webpage where this trick does not work.
Computer Maintainence
You may not realize it, but your computer and your car have something in common: they both need regular maintenance. No, you don't need to change your computer's oil. But you should be updating your software, keeping your antivirus subscription up to date, and checking for spyware. Read on to learn what you can do to help improve your computer's security.
Getting started
Here are some basics maintenance tasks you can do today to start improving your computer's security. Be sure you make these part of your ongoing maintenance as well.
* Sign up for software update e-mail notices. Many software companies will send you e-mail whenever a software update is available. This is particularly important for your operating system (e.g., Microsoft VV!VD0VV$® or Macintosh), your antivirus program, and your firewall.* Register your software. If you still have registration forms for existing software, send them in. And be sure to register new software in the future. This is another way for the software manufacturer to alert you when new updates are available.* Install software updates immediately.When you get an update notice, download the update immediately and install it. (Remember, downloading and installing are two separate tasks.)An ounce of prevention
A few simple steps will help you keep your files safe and clean.
* Step 1: Update your software* Step 2: Backup your files* Step 3: Use antivirus software and keep it updated* Step 4: Change your passwords
Developing ongoing maintenance practices
Now that you've done some ground work, it's time to start moving into longer term maintenance tasks. These are all tasks that you should do today (or as soon as possible) to get started. But for best results, make these a part of a regular maintenance schedule. We recommend setting aside time each week to help keep your computer secure.
* Back up your files. Backing up your files simply means creating a copy of your computer files that you can use in the event the originals are lost. (Accidents can happen.) To learn more read our tips for backing up information.
* Scan your files with up to date antivirus software. Use your antivirus scan tool regularly to search for potential computer viruses and worms. Also, check your antivirus program's user manual to see if you can schedule an automatic scan of your computer. To learn more, read our tips for reducing your virus risk.* Change your passwords. Using the same password increases the odds that someone else will discover it. Change all of your passwords regularly (we recommend monthly) to reduce your risk. Also, choose your passwords carefully. To learn more, read our tips for creating stronger passwords.
Making a schedule
One of the best ways to help protect your computer is to perform maintenance regularly. To help you keep track, we suggest making a regular "appointment" with your computer. Treat it like you would any other appointment. Record it in your datebook or online calendar, and if you cannot make it, reschedule. Remember, you are not only helping to improve your computer, you are also helping to protect your personal information.
Getting started
Here are some basics maintenance tasks you can do today to start improving your computer's security. Be sure you make these part of your ongoing maintenance as well.
* Sign up for software update e-mail notices. Many software companies will send you e-mail whenever a software update is available. This is particularly important for your operating system (e.g., Microsoft VV!VD0VV$® or Macintosh), your antivirus program, and your firewall.* Register your software. If you still have registration forms for existing software, send them in. And be sure to register new software in the future. This is another way for the software manufacturer to alert you when new updates are available.* Install software updates immediately.When you get an update notice, download the update immediately and install it. (Remember, downloading and installing are two separate tasks.)An ounce of prevention
A few simple steps will help you keep your files safe and clean.
* Step 1: Update your software* Step 2: Backup your files* Step 3: Use antivirus software and keep it updated* Step 4: Change your passwords
Developing ongoing maintenance practices
Now that you've done some ground work, it's time to start moving into longer term maintenance tasks. These are all tasks that you should do today (or as soon as possible) to get started. But for best results, make these a part of a regular maintenance schedule. We recommend setting aside time each week to help keep your computer secure.
* Back up your files. Backing up your files simply means creating a copy of your computer files that you can use in the event the originals are lost. (Accidents can happen.) To learn more read our tips for backing up information.
* Scan your files with up to date antivirus software. Use your antivirus scan tool regularly to search for potential computer viruses and worms. Also, check your antivirus program's user manual to see if you can schedule an automatic scan of your computer. To learn more, read our tips for reducing your virus risk.* Change your passwords. Using the same password increases the odds that someone else will discover it. Change all of your passwords regularly (we recommend monthly) to reduce your risk. Also, choose your passwords carefully. To learn more, read our tips for creating stronger passwords.
Making a schedule
One of the best ways to help protect your computer is to perform maintenance regularly. To help you keep track, we suggest making a regular "appointment" with your computer. Treat it like you would any other appointment. Record it in your datebook or online calendar, and if you cannot make it, reschedule. Remember, you are not only helping to improve your computer, you are also helping to protect your personal information.
Searching Good Domain Names
Choosing a domain name for your site is one of the most important steps towards creating the perfect internet presence. If you run an on-line business, picking a name that will be marketable and achieve success in search engine placement is paramount. Many factors must be considered when choosing a good domain name. This article summarizes all the different things to consider before making that final registration step!
Short and Sweet
Domain names can be really long or really short (1 - 67 characters). In general, it is far better to choose a domain name that is short in length. The shorter your domain name, the easier it will be for people remember. Remembering a domain name is very important from a marketability perspective. As visitors reach your site and enjoy using it, they will likely tell people about it. And those people may tell others, etc. As with any business, word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool to drive traffic to your site (and it's free too!). If your site is long and difficult to pronounce, people will not remember the name of the site and unless they bookmark the link, they may never return.
Consider Alternatives
Unless a visitor reaches your site through a bookmark or a link from another site, they have typed in your domain name. Most people on the internet are terrible typists and misspell words constantly. If your domain name is easy to misspell, you should think about alternate domain names to purchase. For example, if your site will be called "MikesTools.com", you should also consider buying "MikeTools.com" and "MikeTool.com". You should also secure the different top level domain names besides the one you will use for marketing purposes ("MikesTools.net", "MikesTools.org", etc.) You should also check to see if there are existing sites based on the misspelled version of the domain name you are considering. "MikesTools.com" may be available, but "MikesTool.com" may be home to a graphic pornography site. You would hate for a visitor to walk away thinking you were hosting something they did not expect.
Also consider domain names that may not include the name of your company, but rather what your company provides. For example, if the name of your company is Mike's Tools, you may want to consider domain names that target what you sell. For example: "buyhammers.com" or "hammer-and-nail.com". Even though these example alternative domain names do not include the name of your company, it provides an avenue for visitors from your target markets. Remember that you can own multiple domain names, all of which can point to a single domain. For example, you could register "buyhammers.com", "hammer-and-nail.com", and "mikestools.com" and have "buyhammers.com" and "hammer-and-nail.com" point to "mikestools.com".
Hyphens: Your Friend and Enemy
Domain name availability has become more and more scant over the years. Many single word domain names have been scooped up which it makes it more and more difficult to find a domain name that you like and is available. When selecting a domain name, you have the option of including hyphens as part of the name. Hyphens help because it allows you to clearly separate multiple words in a domain name, making it less likely that a person will accidentally misspell the name. For example, people are more likely to misspell "domainnamecenter.com" than they are "domain-name-center.com". Having words crunched together makes it hard on the eyes, increasing the likelihood of a misspelling. On the other hand, hyphens make your domain name longer. The longer the domain name, the easier it is for people to forget it altogether. Also, if someone recommends a site to someone else, they may forget to mention that each word in the domain name is separated by a hyphen. If do you choose to leverage hyphens, limit the number of words between the hyphens to three. Another advantage to using hyphens is that search engines are able to pick up each unique word in the domain name as key words, thus helping to make your site more visible in search engine results.
Dot What?
There are many top level domain names available today including .com, .net, .org, and .biz. In most cases, the more unusual the top level domain, the more available domain names are available. However, the .com top level domain is far and away the most commonly used domain on the internet, driven by the fact that it was the first domain extension put to use commercially and has received incredible media attention. If you cannot lay your hands on a .com domain name, look for a .net domain name, which is the second most commercially popular domain name extension.
Long Arm of the Law
Be very careful not to register domain names that include trademarked names. Although internet domain name law disputes are tricky and have few cases in existence, the risk of a legal battle is not a risk worth taking. Even if you believe your domain name is untouchable by a business that has trademarked a name, do not take the chance: the cost of litigation is extremely high and unless you have deep pockets you will not likely have the resources to defend yourself in a court of law. Even stay away from domain names in which part of the name is trademarked: the risks are the same.
Search Engines and Directories
All search engines and directories are different. Each has a unique process for being part of the results or directory listing and each has a different way of sorting and listing domain names. Search engines and directories are the most important on-line marketing channel, so consider how your domain name choice affects site placement before you register the domain. Most directories simply list links to home pages in alphabetical order. If possible, choose a domain name with a letter of the alphabet near the beginning ("a" or "b"). For example, "aardvark-pest-control.com" will come way above "joes-pest-control.com". However, check the directories before you choose a domain name. You may find that the directories you would like be in are already cluttered with domain names beginning with the letter "a". Search engines scan websites and sort results based on key words. Key words are words that a person visiting a search engine actually search on. Having key words as part of your domain name can help you get better results.
Short and Sweet
Domain names can be really long or really short (1 - 67 characters). In general, it is far better to choose a domain name that is short in length. The shorter your domain name, the easier it will be for people remember. Remembering a domain name is very important from a marketability perspective. As visitors reach your site and enjoy using it, they will likely tell people about it. And those people may tell others, etc. As with any business, word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool to drive traffic to your site (and it's free too!). If your site is long and difficult to pronounce, people will not remember the name of the site and unless they bookmark the link, they may never return.
Consider Alternatives
Unless a visitor reaches your site through a bookmark or a link from another site, they have typed in your domain name. Most people on the internet are terrible typists and misspell words constantly. If your domain name is easy to misspell, you should think about alternate domain names to purchase. For example, if your site will be called "MikesTools.com", you should also consider buying "MikeTools.com" and "MikeTool.com". You should also secure the different top level domain names besides the one you will use for marketing purposes ("MikesTools.net", "MikesTools.org", etc.) You should also check to see if there are existing sites based on the misspelled version of the domain name you are considering. "MikesTools.com" may be available, but "MikesTool.com" may be home to a graphic pornography site. You would hate for a visitor to walk away thinking you were hosting something they did not expect.
Also consider domain names that may not include the name of your company, but rather what your company provides. For example, if the name of your company is Mike's Tools, you may want to consider domain names that target what you sell. For example: "buyhammers.com" or "hammer-and-nail.com". Even though these example alternative domain names do not include the name of your company, it provides an avenue for visitors from your target markets. Remember that you can own multiple domain names, all of which can point to a single domain. For example, you could register "buyhammers.com", "hammer-and-nail.com", and "mikestools.com" and have "buyhammers.com" and "hammer-and-nail.com" point to "mikestools.com".
Hyphens: Your Friend and Enemy
Domain name availability has become more and more scant over the years. Many single word domain names have been scooped up which it makes it more and more difficult to find a domain name that you like and is available. When selecting a domain name, you have the option of including hyphens as part of the name. Hyphens help because it allows you to clearly separate multiple words in a domain name, making it less likely that a person will accidentally misspell the name. For example, people are more likely to misspell "domainnamecenter.com" than they are "domain-name-center.com". Having words crunched together makes it hard on the eyes, increasing the likelihood of a misspelling. On the other hand, hyphens make your domain name longer. The longer the domain name, the easier it is for people to forget it altogether. Also, if someone recommends a site to someone else, they may forget to mention that each word in the domain name is separated by a hyphen. If do you choose to leverage hyphens, limit the number of words between the hyphens to three. Another advantage to using hyphens is that search engines are able to pick up each unique word in the domain name as key words, thus helping to make your site more visible in search engine results.
Dot What?
There are many top level domain names available today including .com, .net, .org, and .biz. In most cases, the more unusual the top level domain, the more available domain names are available. However, the .com top level domain is far and away the most commonly used domain on the internet, driven by the fact that it was the first domain extension put to use commercially and has received incredible media attention. If you cannot lay your hands on a .com domain name, look for a .net domain name, which is the second most commercially popular domain name extension.
Long Arm of the Law
Be very careful not to register domain names that include trademarked names. Although internet domain name law disputes are tricky and have few cases in existence, the risk of a legal battle is not a risk worth taking. Even if you believe your domain name is untouchable by a business that has trademarked a name, do not take the chance: the cost of litigation is extremely high and unless you have deep pockets you will not likely have the resources to defend yourself in a court of law. Even stay away from domain names in which part of the name is trademarked: the risks are the same.
Search Engines and Directories
All search engines and directories are different. Each has a unique process for being part of the results or directory listing and each has a different way of sorting and listing domain names. Search engines and directories are the most important on-line marketing channel, so consider how your domain name choice affects site placement before you register the domain. Most directories simply list links to home pages in alphabetical order. If possible, choose a domain name with a letter of the alphabet near the beginning ("a" or "b"). For example, "aardvark-pest-control.com" will come way above "joes-pest-control.com". However, check the directories before you choose a domain name. You may find that the directories you would like be in are already cluttered with domain names beginning with the letter "a". Search engines scan websites and sort results based on key words. Key words are words that a person visiting a search engine actually search on. Having key words as part of your domain name can help you get better results.
Check With DOS To See !! You Are Infected
When you first turn on you computer (BEFORE DIALING INTO YOUR ISP),open a MS-DOS Prompt window (start/programs MS-DOS Prompt).Then type netstat -arn and press the Enter key.Your screen should display the following (without the dotted lineswhich I added for clarification).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Active Routes:
Network Address Netmask Gateway Address Interface Metric 127.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 1
Route Table
Active Connections
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you see anything else, there might be a problem (more on that later).Now dial into your ISP, once you are connected;go back to the MS-DOS Prompt and run the same command as beforenetstat -arn, this time it will look similar to the following (withoutdotted lines).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Active Routes:
Network Address Netmask Gateway Address Interface Metric 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 127.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1 216.1.104.0 255.255.255.0 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 216.1.104.70 255.255.255.255 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1 216.1.104.255 255.255.255.255 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 224.0.0.0 224.0.0.0 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1
Route Table
Active Connections
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State TCP 0.0.0.0:0 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING TCP 216.1.104.70:137 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING TCP 216.1.104.70:138 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING TCP 216.1.104.70:139 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING UDP 216.1.104.70:137 *:*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you are seeing in the first section (Active Routes) under the heading ofNetwork Address are some additional lines. The only ones that should be thereare ones belonging to your ISP (more on that later). In the second section(Route Table) under Local Address you are seeing the IP address that your ISPassigned you (in this example 216.1.104.70).
The numbers are divided into four dot notations, the first three should bethe same for both sets, while in this case the .70 is the unique numberassigned for THIS session. Next time you dial in that number will more thanlikely be different.
To make sure that the first three notation are as they should be, we will runone more command from the MS-DOS window.From the MS-DOS Prompt type tracert /www.yourispwebsite.com or .netor whatever it ends in. Following is an example of the output you should see.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tracing route to /www.motion.net [207.239.117.112]over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 128 ms 2084 ms 102 ms chat-port.motion.net [216.1.104.4] 2 115 ms 188 ms 117 ms chat-core.motion.net [216.1.104.1] 3 108 ms 116 ms 119 ms www.motion.net [207.239.117.112]Trace complete.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You will see that on lines with the 1 and 2 the first three notations of theaddress match with what we saw above, which is a good thing. If it does not,then some further investigation is needed.
If everything matches like above, you can almost breath easier. Another thingwhich should you should check is programs launched during startup. To findthese, Click start/programs/startup, look at what shows up. You should beable to recognize everything there, if not, once again more investigation isneeded.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now just because everything reported out like we expected (and demonstratedabove) we still are not out of the woods. How is this so, you ask? Do you useNetmeeting? Do you get on IRC (Internet Relay Chat)? Or any other programthat makes use of the Internet. Have you every recieved an email with anattachment that ended in .exe? The list goes on and on, basically anythingthat you run could have become infected with a trojan. What this means, isthe program appears to do what you expect, but also does just a little more.This little more could be blasting ebay.com or one of the other sites thatCNNlive was talking about.
What can you do? Well some anti-virus software will detect some trojans.Another (tedious) thing is to start each of these "extra" Internet programsone at a time and go through the last two steps above, looking at the routesand connection the program uses. However, the tricky part will be figuringout where to tracert to in order to find out if the addresses you see instep 2 are "safe" or not. I should forewarn you, that running tracert aftertracert, after tracert might be considered "improper" by your ISP. The stepsoutlined above may not work exactly as I have stated depending upon your ISP,but with a true ISP it should work. Finally, this advise comes with NOwarranty and by following my "hints' you implicitly release me from ANY andALL liability which you may incur.
Other options
Display protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections.Netstat [-a] [-e] [-n] [-s] [-p proto] [-r] [intervals]
-a.. Display all connections and listening ports.-e.. Display Ethernet statistics. This may be combined with the -s option.-n.. Diplays address and port numbers in the numerical form.-p proto..Shows connections for the protocol specified by proto; proto may beTCP or UDP. If used with the -s option to display per-protocol statistics,proto may be TCP, UDP, of IP.-r.. Display the routing table.-s.. Display per-protocol statistics. By default, statistics are shown for TCPUDP and IP; the -p option may be used to specify a subset of the defaultinterval..Redisplay selected statistics, pausing intervals seconds between eachdisplay. If omitted. netstat will print the current configuration informationonce
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Active Routes:
Network Address Netmask Gateway Address Interface Metric 127.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0 1
Route Table
Active Connections
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you see anything else, there might be a problem (more on that later).Now dial into your ISP, once you are connected;go back to the MS-DOS Prompt and run the same command as beforenetstat -arn, this time it will look similar to the following (withoutdotted lines).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Active Routes:
Network Address Netmask Gateway Address Interface Metric 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 127.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1 216.1.104.0 255.255.255.0 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 216.1.104.70 255.255.255.255 127.0.0.1 127.0.0.1 1 216.1.104.255 255.255.255.255 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 224.0.0.0 224.0.0.0 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 216.1.104.70 216.1.104.70 1
Route Table
Active Connections
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State TCP 0.0.0.0:0 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING TCP 216.1.104.70:137 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING TCP 216.1.104.70:138 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING TCP 216.1.104.70:139 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING UDP 216.1.104.70:137 *:*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you are seeing in the first section (Active Routes) under the heading ofNetwork Address are some additional lines. The only ones that should be thereare ones belonging to your ISP (more on that later). In the second section(Route Table) under Local Address you are seeing the IP address that your ISPassigned you (in this example 216.1.104.70).
The numbers are divided into four dot notations, the first three should bethe same for both sets, while in this case the .70 is the unique numberassigned for THIS session. Next time you dial in that number will more thanlikely be different.
To make sure that the first three notation are as they should be, we will runone more command from the MS-DOS window.From the MS-DOS Prompt type tracert /www.yourispwebsite.com or .netor whatever it ends in. Following is an example of the output you should see.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tracing route to /www.motion.net [207.239.117.112]over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 128 ms 2084 ms 102 ms chat-port.motion.net [216.1.104.4] 2 115 ms 188 ms 117 ms chat-core.motion.net [216.1.104.1] 3 108 ms 116 ms 119 ms www.motion.net [207.239.117.112]Trace complete.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You will see that on lines with the 1 and 2 the first three notations of theaddress match with what we saw above, which is a good thing. If it does not,then some further investigation is needed.
If everything matches like above, you can almost breath easier. Another thingwhich should you should check is programs launched during startup. To findthese, Click start/programs/startup, look at what shows up. You should beable to recognize everything there, if not, once again more investigation isneeded.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now just because everything reported out like we expected (and demonstratedabove) we still are not out of the woods. How is this so, you ask? Do you useNetmeeting? Do you get on IRC (Internet Relay Chat)? Or any other programthat makes use of the Internet. Have you every recieved an email with anattachment that ended in .exe? The list goes on and on, basically anythingthat you run could have become infected with a trojan. What this means, isthe program appears to do what you expect, but also does just a little more.This little more could be blasting ebay.com or one of the other sites thatCNNlive was talking about.
What can you do? Well some anti-virus software will detect some trojans.Another (tedious) thing is to start each of these "extra" Internet programsone at a time and go through the last two steps above, looking at the routesand connection the program uses. However, the tricky part will be figuringout where to tracert to in order to find out if the addresses you see instep 2 are "safe" or not. I should forewarn you, that running tracert aftertracert, after tracert might be considered "improper" by your ISP. The stepsoutlined above may not work exactly as I have stated depending upon your ISP,but with a true ISP it should work. Finally, this advise comes with NOwarranty and by following my "hints' you implicitly release me from ANY andALL liability which you may incur.
Other options
Display protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections.Netstat [-a] [-e] [-n] [-s] [-p proto] [-r] [intervals]
-a.. Display all connections and listening ports.-e.. Display Ethernet statistics. This may be combined with the -s option.-n.. Diplays address and port numbers in the numerical form.-p proto..Shows connections for the protocol specified by proto; proto may beTCP or UDP. If used with the -s option to display per-protocol statistics,proto may be TCP, UDP, of IP.-r.. Display the routing table.-s.. Display per-protocol statistics. By default, statistics are shown for TCPUDP and IP; the -p option may be used to specify a subset of the defaultinterval..Redisplay selected statistics, pausing intervals seconds between eachdisplay. If omitted. netstat will print the current configuration informationonce
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