USB Flash drives have become vastly popular during recent times. Almost everyone who work in the IT industry (and many other industries) nowadays possess one of these magic sticks. Ease of use, good performance and large capacity have made the flash drives a must have for most individuals who work with computers. But one should be extremely careful when plugging your flash drive to public computers. Uninvited visitors may sneak into your PC through USB flash drives and may screw your computer and destroy data.

Judging by the emails we get, one of the most common viruses that spread through USB drives is the 'New Malware.j' (McAfee detection) virus. you'll know that you have this virus when folders in your flash drive (or hard drive) are converted to .exe files which cannot be opened in explorer. Hold on to your testicles. Your data is not lost. You can recover the folders using a simple attribute command.

1. Open start menu --> run. Type cmd and press enter. Command Prompt will open.

2. Navigate to the drive/folder which contains the screwed up folders (.exe files with folder name), using the command prompt. Note: Don't execute the command on your system drive, on which Windows is installed. (you will not be able to do so even if you tried)

3. Execute the following command to restore folders.

X:\attrib -S -H *.* /s /d 

(Where X is the name of drive which was affected by virus)

4. Browse to location using my computer. You should be able to see the lost folders now. It is now safe to delete the .exe files with folder names.

If only one folder is affected, you can use the following attrib command to recover it:

X:\attrib -S -H C:\ScrewedLocation\Foldername /s /d 

(Where ScrewedLocation is the parent folder and Foldername is the name of affected folder.)

What this virus does is simple. It doesn't delete any of your folders. Instead, it uses the attrib command with +S and +H switches to make the folders hidden, system folders. Once a folder is given +S, it will not be visible in explorer (even with hidden files on) because Windows File Protection will treat it as a protected system folder.

Another virus that circulates via flash drives is the RavMon virus. Symptoms of infection will be that .exe files with the same name as folder names created in every directory  of flash drive including inside subdirectories. You pendrive's autorun menu will default to a program named "Auto". You will not be able to double click and open the pen drive from my computer.

Usually, a format of the pen drive should get rid of the virus. but before that, make sure you use an AntiVirus app to scan and clean the infected exes or delete them manually.

Recommended Anti Virus application by FILEnetworks is: McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.5i + AntiSpyware module enterprise 8.5i or later. Whatever the AntiVirus app you sure, make sure you keep it updated with latest definition files.

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Babylon translator is a handy tools which can acts as a dictionary,  multi language translator and a currency converter. You only need to highlight the word you need translated (in any windows environment, let it be inside word docs or in web pages) and press the shortcut key (Default: Ctrl + right click) and babylon will pop up with the translation or the dictionary  meaning of the selection. It's light on system resources, neat and does what it's supposed to do without flaws. See a screenshot here.

 

Features

• Text Translation
• Better results on the first click
• Encyclopedias including Wikipedia
• Improved spelling corrections
• 3 million new terms

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WinRAR is a compression and archive utility for Windows. It supports a vast array of compression formats including (but not limited to) .RAR, 7-Zip and Zip. RAR file format supports better compression ratio than Zip formats and have gained huge popularity during recent times.

 

Supported file types and features

• Complete support for RAR and ZIP archives, and unpacking of CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZ, ACE, UUE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, 7z and Z archives.
• The ability to create self-extracting and multi-volume (split) archives.
• Data redundancy is provided via recovery records and recovery volumes, allowing to reconstruct even damaged archives.
• Support for advanced NTFS file system options and Unicode in file names.
• Optional archive encryption using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) with a 128-bit key.

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If you've ever played a pirated PC game or a ripped KVCD movie, you're bound to know about good old Daemon Tools. Daemon Tools is a virtual CD/DVD manager which can mount CD/DVD images and allows users use them as virtual drives. It can also emulate most CD/DVD copy protection schemes as well. Besides continuous efforts to crush DT by most game publishers and anti piracy bodies, Daemon Tools continues to improve!

 

Features:

Daemon Tools can successfully emulate the following copy protection schemes:

• LaserLock
• Securom
• SafeDisk
• Any many other minor protection schemes

It support the following file types:

• b5t (Blindwrite 5)
• b6t (Blindwrite 6)
• bwt (Blindwrite, older versions)
• ccd (CloneCD)
• cdi (Discjuggler)
• cue/bin
• img (not on supported file type list but may be used through "All files (*.*)")
• iso
• mds/mdf (Media Descriptor File) (Commonly used by Alcohol 120%)
• nrg (Nero Burning ROM)
• pdi (Instant CD/DVD)
• dmg (PowerISO)

There are additional 3rd party plugins which can make Daemon Tools a real Demon. Check them out.

We though of adding a short tutorial on Daemon Tools in response to a large number of email queries we received.

How to mount a CD/DVD using Daemon Tools

If you are mounting a Data CD/DVD image or a KVCD* image:

1. Install Daemon Tools. Launch program via start menu if not already loaded.

2. Right click tray icon -->Options, tick all the items in Options menu.

3. Right click tray icon again. This time go to Virtual CD/DVD ROM menu. Set number of devices to 1 (or as many as you need).

4. Right click tray icon and go to Virtual CD/DVD menu. In device 0 menu, click on mount image. Locate the Image file in hard disk and select it. Image will be mounted and autorun will start (if enabled and supported by image). You can browse the contents of the CD from My Computer.

*Popular movie rip groups such as HoKnE\ey, Pukka and TUS are known to upload most of their releases in KVCD format.

If you are mounting a PC Game CD/DVD Image:

1. Install Daemon Tools. Launch program via start menu if not already loaded.

2. Right click tray icon-->Options -->Emulation-->All Options ON. (Clicking this will change the tray icon color to green).

3. Right click tray icon -->Options, tick all the items in Options menu.

4. Right click tray icon again. This time go to Virtual CD/DVD ROM menu. Set number of devices to 1 (or as many as you need).

5. Right click tray icon and go to Virtual CD/DVD menu. In device 0 menu, click on mount image. Locate the Image file in hard disk and select it. Image will be mounted and autorun will start (if enabled and supported by image). You can browse the contents of the CD from My Computer.

How to get it:

Warning: Daemon Tools 4.08 comes bundled with Adware. Make sure you deselect the installation of Daemon Tools Search bar and SaveNow! in setup. With these removed, there is absolutely no threat of apyware or adware in this program.

Get Daemon Tools : Download Now! (Choose x86 version if you have 32-bit windows and x64 if you have 64-bit windows.)

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First of all let us thank all of our readers and partners for being with us through both good and bad times. It's a pleasure to see that most of the old readers are visiting the blog even after a relaunch following a ban. We are even more happy to see that many new readers are finding the blog interesting.

Visitor activity during last two days have completly screwed up our statcounter graph. This is because one of our posts made it to the front page of Digg, del.ico.us and 19 other sites. A heap of thanks to whoever submitted the article to above said sites.

Anyways the point of this post is not to brag about hit counts. This is written to pass on some notices regarding RSS feeds.

RSS Feeds

Even though we notified about our new RSS feed, our stats indicate that most of the viewers are still using the old feed. We strongly recommend you switch to the new feed using the links given below.

• Subscribe to posts feed using your browser
• Preview feed, e-mail subscriptions, Live alerts, One click reader subscriptions and more

You can also use the buttons and links located Feeds section to subscribe to our RSS feeds at any time.

Link Exchange

If you want become a partner site of FILEnetworks, please e-mail filenetworks@gmail.com to discuss terms and conditions.

Cheers!

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BitDefender Antivirus is a unique superior package, combining powerful antivirus engines with advanced Internet filtering technologies. It ensures antivirus protection as well as data confidentiality, active content control and Internet filtering. It runs silently in the background and ensures the ideal protection for your vital information, using powerful engines to filter all possible access ways a virus or malicious code can use to enter your system.

 

This is why it raises the standards of antivirus protection services: more than an antivirus, it becomes a true Personal Firewall.
BitDefender Antivirus Plus 10 integrates antivirus, antispyware, firewall and antispam modules into one comprehensive security package, tailored to meet the needs of computer users worldwide.

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Known as just another image viewer in the late 1990's, ACDsee has progressed to become a fuilly fledged image manipulator, video/audio player and a photo manager. It's is now one of the most recognised multimedia management software available for the Windows platform. Version 9 build 108 features support for Windows Vista (Works with XP as well) and enhances existing features while adding many new ones.

Features

• Windows Vista™ Certified.
• Faster viewing with Quick View mode.
• Easier photo fixes with One-click red-eye reduction.
• Bring your photos back to life with the Shadow/Highlight tool.
• Lock up your special photos with Private folders.
• Organize your collection with Calendar Events View.
• Save time and effort with Auto Categories.
• Show photos right on your desktop with ACDSee Showroom.
• Make home printing a breeze with Print Layouts.
• Organize on the fly with Group By.
• Sort photos like a pro with Filter By.
• Table of Contents

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Finally, a crack that activates Vista! There's been many cracks for Vista which were in the form of TimeStoppers. These cracks merely delayed activation. The only working activation crack was the hacked KMS server image (MelindaGates Activation Server image) which many people found difficult to execute. Well, now there is no need to mount images and pull your hair off of trying to get Vista activated. TEAM Paradox has stepped up and kicked serious Microsoft ass with the Vista BIOS Emulation Crack!

How does it work?

Microsoft has allowed the selling of pre activated systems with Vista for major PC manufacturers such as Lenovo and Acer. This crack is designed to emulate the BIOS of a branded PC from Acer, ASUS, Lenovo etc.

BIOS emulation + OEM Certificate + Product Key == Legitimate, Activated copy of Windows Vista

This involves BIOS emulation. Will it screw my PC?

This crack does NOT flash your BIOS at any rate. Nor does it change any setting in the BIOS. Unlike the troublesome 'Vista Loader' crack (which used BIOS emulation as well) this crack does NOT use vstaldr Grup multiboot boot loader to load the emulation driver during initial boot up of system. Instead, this crack is 100% software based. (in fact, it's only a software driver which runs in Vista environment)

Who made it?

The original crack was made by Team Paradox. The one click version with automation was created by CLoNY. Credit goes to all of them!

Note

This crack works with any Windows Vista 32-bit version only. It does not work with 64-bit installations.

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Amused by the title of this post? Don't be coz an app with the above name exists for real. Crap Cleaner (CCleaner) is a freeware utility that will rid your PC of.....crap. By crap we mean all unnecessary junk which clutter up your hard disk and reduce performance such as expired registry entries, temporary files, Internet cache, MRU (Most recently used) lists, obsolete startup entries, etc. The most important point is that CCleaner only requires few seconds to scan and clean a heavily 'crapped on' PC.

Features

• Internet Explorer Cache, History, Cookies, Index.dat Cleaner
• Recycle Bin, Temporary files and Log files Cleaner
• Recently opened URLs and files Cleaner
• Third-party application temp files and recent file lists (MRUs). Cleaner
  Including: Firefox, Opera, Media Player, eMule, Kazaa, Google Toolbar, Netscape, Office XP, Nero, Adobe Acrobat, WinRAR, WinAce, WinZip and more...
• Advanced Registry scanner and cleaner to remove unused and old entries.
  Including File Extensions, ActiveX Controls, ClassIDs, ProgIDs, Uninstallers, Shared DLLs, Fonts, Help Files, Application Paths, Icons, Invalid Shortcuts and more... Backup for registry clean.
• Windows Startup tool.

How to get it

This download is freeware. Therefore a crack is not required. File size is only 2.6MB so our dial up users can enjoy this one too!

Get CCleaner 1.38: Download Now! (Direct Download)

EnJoY!

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PowerDirector provides an unprecedented range of options for sharing your movies with the world. You can create files for playback on an Apple iPod or Sony PSP or other portable media device. You can publish directly to the internet via YouTube.com, the world’s most popular video blogging website, or your can burn to disc with a new selection of stylish menus.

Features

• Post your home movies to video blogs directly
• Create video files for playing on an iPod or PSP
• Edit movies instantly with time-saving magic tools
• High Definition, Widescreen, and Dolby Digital SupportBurn to DVD with stylish new menu templates
• Expand your creativity with cool effects
• DV, HDV, MicroMV, and analog camcorders digital or PC cameras DVB-T Digital TV and analog TV content VCRs To amplify effects, rip CDs and record voice or audio to complete your movie.
• Sixteen Widescreen formats (16:9)
• High Definition and Other Support High-definition camcorders, TVs, and broadcast signals are revolutionizing video.
• You can enjoy the excitement and flexibility of capturing the latest formats and aspect ratios like high definition (HD MPEG) and widescreen content (16:9). You can also import video files recorded using the latest Windows XP Media Center Edition (DVR-MS) for the digital home.
• Video: HD MPEG-2, DVR-MS, DV-AVI, DAT, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VOB, VRO, WMV, WMV-HD, MOV, MOD, DivX?, live
• captureAudio: MP3, WAV, WMA, Audio CD
• Image: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF
• DVD content: non-CSS protected DVD-Video from DVD+VR and DVD-VR discs

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