Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Recall sent item in Outlook
Have you ever clicked send by mistake or forget to attach your document? You can recall the message in outlook, here is how.
For Outlook 2003:
1. Go to the Sent Items folder.
2. Find the message you want recalled and double-click it.
3. Go to the Actions menu and select Recall This Message.
4. To recall the message:
Select Delete unread copies of this message.
(Note: the recipient needs to have Outlook opened for the message to be deleted)
To replace the message:
Select Delete unread copies and replace with a new message, click OK, and type your new message.
To be notified about the success of the recall or replacement:
Check the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.
5. Click OK.
How To Recall a Sent Message in Outlook 2007:
1. Click on Sent Items.
2. Find the message you want recalled and double-click it to open.
3. Go to the Ribbon.
4. In the Actions section, click Other Actions and select Recall This Message.
5. Select Delete unread copies of this message.
6. To be notified about the success of the recall, check the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient checkbox.
7. Click OK.
If you would like more information on recalling email messages please contact us at info@mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
For Outlook 2003:
1. Go to the Sent Items folder.
2. Find the message you want recalled and double-click it.
3. Go to the Actions menu and select Recall This Message.
4. To recall the message:
Select Delete unread copies of this message.
(Note: the recipient needs to have Outlook opened for the message to be deleted)
To replace the message:
Select Delete unread copies and replace with a new message, click OK, and type your new message.
To be notified about the success of the recall or replacement:
Check the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.
5. Click OK.
How To Recall a Sent Message in Outlook 2007:
1. Click on Sent Items.
2. Find the message you want recalled and double-click it to open.
3. Go to the Ribbon.
4. In the Actions section, click Other Actions and select Recall This Message.
5. Select Delete unread copies of this message.
6. To be notified about the success of the recall, check the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient checkbox.
7. Click OK.
If you would like more information on recalling email messages please contact us at info@mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Switching computers and don't want to lose your bookmarks?
Backing up your favorites is a very simple process.
You can keep a backup of your Favorites in case you accidentally delete any of your list. You can also use this backup to transfer your Favorites list to a different PC or another browser program.
Click on the File menu (in Internet Explorer 6,7,8 click the Add To Favorites button) then click Import and Export. You should see a window welcoming you to the Import and Export Wizard. Click Next, then select Export Favorites. Leave the main folder selected on the Export Favorites Source Folder screen and click Next.
Make sure Export to a File or Address is selected, then Browse to a location on your hard drive where you wish to store a copy of your Favorites list. Type a name for your backup, for example MyBookmarks and click Save. Click Next, then Finish and a window should tell you the export was successful.
The Favorites backup file is saved as a web page file and it can also be opened in your browser like a normal web page by double-clicking it. It will appear as a simple-looking web page containing your Favorites links.
Now that you are at a new machine or at a new browser you need to import!
To import a Favorites list, go back to the Import and Export Wizard. Choose Import Favorites, click Next, then make sure Import from a File or Address is selected. Browse to your saved Favorites file and click Next. On the Import Favorites Destination Folder screen, click Next then Finish.
You should see a message telling you your Favorites have been successfully imported from the backup file and it's as simple as that.
If you need assistance, contact us and we will be glad to help MCDA
You can keep a backup of your Favorites in case you accidentally delete any of your list. You can also use this backup to transfer your Favorites list to a different PC or another browser program.
Click on the File menu (in Internet Explorer 6,7,8 click the Add To Favorites button) then click Import and Export. You should see a window welcoming you to the Import and Export Wizard. Click Next, then select Export Favorites. Leave the main folder selected on the Export Favorites Source Folder screen and click Next.
Make sure Export to a File or Address is selected, then Browse to a location on your hard drive where you wish to store a copy of your Favorites list. Type a name for your backup, for example MyBookmarks and click Save. Click Next, then Finish and a window should tell you the export was successful.
The Favorites backup file is saved as a web page file and it can also be opened in your browser like a normal web page by double-clicking it. It will appear as a simple-looking web page containing your Favorites links.
Now that you are at a new machine or at a new browser you need to import!
To import a Favorites list, go back to the Import and Export Wizard. Choose Import Favorites, click Next, then make sure Import from a File or Address is selected. Browse to your saved Favorites file and click Next. On the Import Favorites Destination Folder screen, click Next then Finish.
You should see a message telling you your Favorites have been successfully imported from the backup file and it's as simple as that.
If you need assistance, contact us and we will be glad to help MCDA
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Spammers attacking Gmail accounts
Google is investigating a growing number of reports that hackers are breaking into legitimate Gmail accounts and then using them to send spam messages.
The problem started about a week ago but seems to have escalated over the past few days.
"The Gmail team takes security very seriously and is investigating the reports we've seen in our user forums over the past few days," Google said Tuesday in an e-mailed statement. "We encourage users who suspect their accounts have been compromised to immediately change their passwords and to follow the advice at the following page: http://www.google.com/help/security/."
Gmail accounts are often compromised after phishing attempts or via malicious programs, which can seek out and log online credentials from a hacked computer.
It isn't clear what's behind this wave of Gmail compromises. But in forum posts, Gmail users note that the hackers appear to be sending spam via Gmail's mobile interface -- which gives mobile-phone users a way to check their Gmail accounts -- and wonder if there may be a bug in the mobile interface that is allowing criminals to send the spam.
Most of the victims are reporting that their accounts were accessed via the mobile interface when the spam was sent. They are reporting any security problems on their machines. Gmail users can check to see how their accounts were accessed at a given time by clicking on a "Details" button at the bottom of the Gmail page.
Google says there's no Gmail bug. "Our investigation has not given any indication of a bug in Gmail, either in the mobile interface or otherwise," the company said. "Spammers may sometimes use a mobile interface to access accounts they have already compromised because it's simpler for bots to use this method at large scale."
The New York Times reported Monday that Google's centralized login system, code-named Gaia, was compromised by hackers in late December. But this seems unrelated to the Gmail problem because of the different nature of the two incidents -- the December attack was a sophisticated attempt to steal data and intellectual property from Google; the Gmail spam is hardly sophisticated. It's being used to flog Canadian pharmaceutical Web sites that promise to send cheap drugs to U.S. customers.
Antispam vendor CloudMark noticed an uptick in Gmail-based pharmaceutical spam just a few days ago, according to Jamie Tomasello, the company's abuse operations manager. "We really saw this activity pick up on Friday and Saturday," she said via instant message.
Cassandra Robertson walked into a Gmail spam mess on Monday morning. "I noticed I had all these returned messages from people who were vaguely irate that I had sent them something that appeared to be spam," she said.
About 250 of her Gmail contacts received messages that contained a link to a Web site called Canadian Health&Care Mall, which offers Viagra for just $1.85 per pill.
That was embarrassing, said Robertson, a project manager with a Portland, Oregon, engineering firm. "I sent out that e-mail to everybody in my address book, which included people I had sent résumés to when I was job searching," she said.
"A lot of people were very savvy and said 'you've been hacked,' but some said, 'Why are you shilling for Viagra?'"
She has no idea how her account was compromised, but the spam was sent via a mobile connection from Serbia, she said.
The problem started about a week ago but seems to have escalated over the past few days.
"The Gmail team takes security very seriously and is investigating the reports we've seen in our user forums over the past few days," Google said Tuesday in an e-mailed statement. "We encourage users who suspect their accounts have been compromised to immediately change their passwords and to follow the advice at the following page: http://www.google.com/help/security/."
Gmail accounts are often compromised after phishing attempts or via malicious programs, which can seek out and log online credentials from a hacked computer.
It isn't clear what's behind this wave of Gmail compromises. But in forum posts, Gmail users note that the hackers appear to be sending spam via Gmail's mobile interface -- which gives mobile-phone users a way to check their Gmail accounts -- and wonder if there may be a bug in the mobile interface that is allowing criminals to send the spam.
Most of the victims are reporting that their accounts were accessed via the mobile interface when the spam was sent. They are reporting any security problems on their machines. Gmail users can check to see how their accounts were accessed at a given time by clicking on a "Details" button at the bottom of the Gmail page.
Google says there's no Gmail bug. "Our investigation has not given any indication of a bug in Gmail, either in the mobile interface or otherwise," the company said. "Spammers may sometimes use a mobile interface to access accounts they have already compromised because it's simpler for bots to use this method at large scale."
The New York Times reported Monday that Google's centralized login system, code-named Gaia, was compromised by hackers in late December. But this seems unrelated to the Gmail problem because of the different nature of the two incidents -- the December attack was a sophisticated attempt to steal data and intellectual property from Google; the Gmail spam is hardly sophisticated. It's being used to flog Canadian pharmaceutical Web sites that promise to send cheap drugs to U.S. customers.
Antispam vendor CloudMark noticed an uptick in Gmail-based pharmaceutical spam just a few days ago, according to Jamie Tomasello, the company's abuse operations manager. "We really saw this activity pick up on Friday and Saturday," she said via instant message.
Cassandra Robertson walked into a Gmail spam mess on Monday morning. "I noticed I had all these returned messages from people who were vaguely irate that I had sent them something that appeared to be spam," she said.
About 250 of her Gmail contacts received messages that contained a link to a Web site called Canadian Health&Care Mall, which offers Viagra for just $1.85 per pill.
That was embarrassing, said Robertson, a project manager with a Portland, Oregon, engineering firm. "I sent out that e-mail to everybody in my address book, which included people I had sent résumés to when I was job searching," she said.
"A lot of people were very savvy and said 'you've been hacked,' but some said, 'Why are you shilling for Viagra?'"
She has no idea how her account was compromised, but the spam was sent via a mobile connection from Serbia, she said.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Open Network Connections List in Windows 7 or Vista
One of the biggest annoyances for me in Windows 7 or Vista is that you can’t immediately open the Network Connections list to see the list of adapters like you could in XP.
In Windows XP, you could right-click any network connection and select “Open Network Connections”, but in Windows Vista, the only option you have is to open the Network and Sharing Center via the same right-click menu.
To immediately open the connection list, you can just type ncpa.cpl into the Start menu search box:
And up pops the network connection list just like I’m used to:
You can also create a shortcut somewhere to the full file path if you want even easier access.
Just use C:\windows\system32\ncpa.cpl as the location of the shortcut.
Note that we’ve also tested this on Windows 7 as well.
In Windows XP, you could right-click any network connection and select “Open Network Connections”, but in Windows Vista, the only option you have is to open the Network and Sharing Center via the same right-click menu.
To immediately open the connection list, you can just type ncpa.cpl into the Start menu search box:
And up pops the network connection list just like I’m used to:
You can also create a shortcut somewhere to the full file path if you want even easier access.
Just use C:\windows\system32\ncpa.cpl as the location of the shortcut.
Note that we’ve also tested this on Windows 7 as well.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Alright, alright....here is another prank you can play
I got a pretty good response to the last prank so here is another one for you. This is good to do if you have an IT guy on your staff that you would like to bug the crap out of.
Setup is simple and you need only a few seconds to set it all up. When you get a chance, right-click on your Internet Explorer or some other commonly used program. Edit the properties and change the target to: “%windir%\system32\shutdown.exe -r -t 00″ Every time you click on that program the computer will restart. You can see how long it takes your IT guy to figure out the problem and laugh at his frustrations.
I am evil, I know....but you all asked for another fun prank...so there you go.
Setup is simple and you need only a few seconds to set it all up. When you get a chance, right-click on your Internet Explorer or some other commonly used program. Edit the properties and change the target to: “%windir%\system32\shutdown.exe -r -t 00″ Every time you click on that program the computer will restart. You can see how long it takes your IT guy to figure out the problem and laugh at his frustrations.
I am evil, I know....but you all asked for another fun prank...so there you go.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Apple Ipad
First of all, pretty cool little gadget here! I was able to demo the product and give a review which you will see soon. After playing around on it for quite some time, it was covered in finger prints and smudge marks and I wanted to return in to my friend nice and clean. I did some research on the proper way to clean it and was surprised by some of the results so I thought I would share.
How to Clean Your iPad
Apple recommends cleaning your iPad in one particular approach through the iPad User Guide (iPad Only Link) that can be found as a bookmark in Safari on your iPad.
They suggest to clean the iPad:
unplug all cables and disconnect the iPad from any accessories or docks
Turn off the iPad by holding the Sleep/Wake button and sliding the onscreen slider off
Use a soft, slightly damp cloth but be sure to not allow moisture in any openings in the iPad
DO NOT use window cleaners. These can damage the oleo phobic coating on the iPad screen and reduce the functionality of the iPad over time
Wipe the iPad in a circular motion and be sure that no sand, dirt, or dust is on the cloth used to whip the screen
The iPad Screen coating is designed to repel oil. That may be why finger prints show up so quickly on the screen. You can easily wipe them off with the lint-free cloth and have the iPad screen looking new and clean again.
I would recommend that you invest in some sort of Ipad case, this will prevent damage to the screen or the back of the unit as well. I do recommend that if you want something to play around with at the house to check email, etc. an Ipad is worth the few hundred bucks.
For more information on this product contact me at www.mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
How to Clean Your iPad
Apple recommends cleaning your iPad in one particular approach through the iPad User Guide (iPad Only Link) that can be found as a bookmark in Safari on your iPad.
They suggest to clean the iPad:
unplug all cables and disconnect the iPad from any accessories or docks
Turn off the iPad by holding the Sleep/Wake button and sliding the onscreen slider off
Use a soft, slightly damp cloth but be sure to not allow moisture in any openings in the iPad
DO NOT use window cleaners. These can damage the oleo phobic coating on the iPad screen and reduce the functionality of the iPad over time
Wipe the iPad in a circular motion and be sure that no sand, dirt, or dust is on the cloth used to whip the screen
The iPad Screen coating is designed to repel oil. That may be why finger prints show up so quickly on the screen. You can easily wipe them off with the lint-free cloth and have the iPad screen looking new and clean again.
I would recommend that you invest in some sort of Ipad case, this will prevent damage to the screen or the back of the unit as well. I do recommend that if you want something to play around with at the house to check email, etc. an Ipad is worth the few hundred bucks.
For more information on this product contact me at www.mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Recording a barter transaction in Quickbooks
This is a good tip on barter transactions.....we used this tip to help out a family member who owns his own small construction business.
If you have customers who are also vendors you may decide to trade some or all of your services / products in exchange for payment.
To record such a barter transaction, invoice the customer for the goods provided or services performed as you normally would. To record the "payment" use the "Receive Payment" function to apply the barter amount against the invoice the same as you would when receiving cash or a check as follows:
Go to Customers: Receive Payment. Payment Amount will be the barter amount (the amount of the invoice you received from your vendor). Pmt. Method will be Barter. Check the radio button for "Group with other undeposited funds". Save this transaction.
Go to Banking: Make Deposits. The payment you just received will come up in the Payments to Deposit screen. If there are also other payments to deposit, make sure you select only the payment(s) being recorded for the barter exchange. When you hit OK the Make Deposits screen will come up with the barter deposit(s) showing. Before recording the deposit make a negative deposit entry on the next blank line below the barter deposit for the amount of the barter as follows:
Deposit To is your normal operating checking account. Date is the date you would have normally paid your vendors invoice. Memo should be changed from Deposit to Barter.
If you have entered the vendors invoice as a bill for payment, Received From is the vendor name and From Account is Accounts Payable.
If you have not entered the vendors invoice as a bill for payment, leave Received From blank. In the From Account column select the expense account you would charge the vendors invoice to, the same as if you were entering it for payment. In the Memo column note the vendors invoice number.
In the Amount column enter the vendors invoice amount with a negative sign first. This negative amount should exactly offset the deposit amount above, resulting in a "Zero" deposit transaction. Save the "deposit" and the transaction is complete.
For help with quickbooks or any other financial situation please contact us at www.mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
If you have customers who are also vendors you may decide to trade some or all of your services / products in exchange for payment.
To record such a barter transaction, invoice the customer for the goods provided or services performed as you normally would. To record the "payment" use the "Receive Payment" function to apply the barter amount against the invoice the same as you would when receiving cash or a check as follows:
Go to Customers: Receive Payment. Payment Amount will be the barter amount (the amount of the invoice you received from your vendor). Pmt. Method will be Barter. Check the radio button for "Group with other undeposited funds". Save this transaction.
Go to Banking: Make Deposits. The payment you just received will come up in the Payments to Deposit screen. If there are also other payments to deposit, make sure you select only the payment(s) being recorded for the barter exchange. When you hit OK the Make Deposits screen will come up with the barter deposit(s) showing. Before recording the deposit make a negative deposit entry on the next blank line below the barter deposit for the amount of the barter as follows:
Deposit To is your normal operating checking account. Date is the date you would have normally paid your vendors invoice. Memo should be changed from Deposit to Barter.
If you have entered the vendors invoice as a bill for payment, Received From is the vendor name and From Account is Accounts Payable.
If you have not entered the vendors invoice as a bill for payment, leave Received From blank. In the From Account column select the expense account you would charge the vendors invoice to, the same as if you were entering it for payment. In the Memo column note the vendors invoice number.
In the Amount column enter the vendors invoice amount with a negative sign first. This negative amount should exactly offset the deposit amount above, resulting in a "Zero" deposit transaction. Save the "deposit" and the transaction is complete.
For help with quickbooks or any other financial situation please contact us at www.mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
Monday, April 12, 2010
Display a legal message or any other message when windows starts
If you would like to display a legal message or any other message in a pop-up window when windows starts read below:
Start>Run>regedit
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify the key legalnoticecaption with what you want to name the window.
Modify the key legalnoticetext with what you want the window to say.
Restart.
We can install this as a server function if you would like to deploy this as a company wide policy on all user computers. We just helped a client deploy this out to 100+ users to be in compliance with their ITAR regulations. For more information contact us at www.mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
Start>Run>regedit
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify the key legalnoticecaption with what you want to name the window.
Modify the key legalnoticetext with what you want the window to say.
Restart.
We can install this as a server function if you would like to deploy this as a company wide policy on all user computers. We just helped a client deploy this out to 100+ users to be in compliance with their ITAR regulations. For more information contact us at www.mcdacre8tiveconsultinggroup.com
Friday, April 9, 2010
Shutting off check disk at startup
Does your computer run through a check disk every time you computer starts up? We will be helping a client tomorrow resolve this issue. It is a simple process to shut it off, there are actually multiple ways to do it, but here is a simple way.
Method 1: Using CHKNTFS utility
CHKNTFS is a utility that has been developed by Microsoft to disable disk checking on certain drives at Windows startup. To use this utility go to Start –> Run –> cmd.
If you want to disable check disk on C: drive, use the following command on command prompt.
chkntfs /X C:
If you want to disable check disk on two or more drives, just keep on adding the drives:
chkntfs /X C: D: E:
This will disable check disk on C, D and E drives.
If you want to restore what you have done, that is, enable automatic disk checking on all the drives again, just run the following command:
chkntfs /D
This will restore all the drives to automatic disk checkup.
Method 1: Using CHKNTFS utility
CHKNTFS is a utility that has been developed by Microsoft to disable disk checking on certain drives at Windows startup. To use this utility go to Start –> Run –> cmd.
If you want to disable check disk on C: drive, use the following command on command prompt.
chkntfs /X C:
If you want to disable check disk on two or more drives, just keep on adding the drives:
chkntfs /X C: D: E:
This will disable check disk on C, D and E drives.
If you want to restore what you have done, that is, enable automatic disk checking on all the drives again, just run the following command:
chkntfs /D
This will restore all the drives to automatic disk checkup.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Locking your computer
It is always a good idea to lock your computer when you are away from it. You can do the traditional WinKey+L and it will lock it, or you can create a desktop icon to click on.
This is a cool little tool to lock your computer faster.....try it out.
Right-click on your desktop > New > Shortcut
In Location box, type (or copy/paste)
%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Click Next. Give a name box type a name for the shortcut (i.e. Lock Computer)
Click Finish.
Then select an appropriate icon for it and you are done.
This is a cool little tool to lock your computer faster.....try it out.
Right-click on your desktop > New > Shortcut
In Location box, type (or copy/paste)
%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Click Next. Give a name box type a name for the shortcut (i.e. Lock Computer)
Click Finish.
Then select an appropriate icon for it and you are done.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
How about a practical joke....
I have been posting a lot of fixes, tips, etc... Time for a good joke that you can pull on a collegue. When he/she is away from their desk hold down the alt key, then the ctrl key and press the down cursor key. The screen will temporarily switch off, when it comes back on the screen will be upside down!
I think this will only work on XP.
To get the screen back just repeat the process with the up cursor.
To make it even funnier tell the person that this is a keyboard fault, hold the relevant keys in to switch the screen back and bang the keyboard on the desk, the screen will switch back. When your work colleague moves from his/her desk again switch it back, sit back and enjoy as they bang the keyboard on the desk!!!
I think this will only work on XP.
To get the screen back just repeat the process with the up cursor.
To make it even funnier tell the person that this is a keyboard fault, hold the relevant keys in to switch the screen back and bang the keyboard on the desk, the screen will switch back. When your work colleague moves from his/her desk again switch it back, sit back and enjoy as they bang the keyboard on the desk!!!
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