The Computer Boss [TIPS | TRICKS | HACKS | MORE]

[Security] Anonymous Torrent Downloads with Anomos

Anomos is a free torrent client that lets you share files anonymously. It is currently in beta, but works like a charm.  It’s a very plain BitTorrent client –which doesn’t even show the number of seeds & peers. Only the tracker will know who’s downloading what.

Now that’s what I call an anonymous torrent client, and Anomos does it well.

Anomos is currently available for Windows and Linux – Download it here.

Add comment June 16th, 2009

[Windows] Smart Installer Pack – Install all of your Favorite Applications at Once after a Reformat

Every Windows user goes through this some time; a damaged operating system caused by a virus, bad update, data loss, or just an overall laggy system. Sometimes the best thing to do is to re-format Windows, and install from scratch.

This can get very tedious- backing up gigs of data, reinstalling Windows, downloading and installing all the hardware drivers, restoring backed up data, AND going through all the websites to download your must have software (I made a list of all the software I reinstall every time here).

Luckily, there is a handy little utility called “Smart Installer Pack“. SIP covers a set of 24 of the most commonly used applications such as Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, OpenOffice, CCleaner, Mozilla Firefox, and more- all ready to install with a click of the mouse.

Just download SIP, click on the icons of the apps you want to install (from within SIP), and you’re all set- go take a quick shower or something while it automatically installs the chosen apps.

Features of Smart Installer Pack

• Easy, intuitive, user-interface design

• Contains usual start-up software

• Greatly improves the time needed to install that software, eliminating some of the unnecessary searching, downloading, etc

• The installer comes packed in a convenient executable file

• You can choose which software you want to install using suggestive icons

• The application is made as small as possible

The Software included in SIP:

Download Smart Installer Pack v1.0 (this is a .Torrent file. Please check here for instructions on downloading torrent files)

1 comment June 16th, 2009

[Windows] Add the Vista Sidebar to Windows XP

If you’ve decided to stay clear of Vista and stick with XP, you might like this. You can install the handy sidebar offered in Vista, right on your Windows XP desktop. This is the actual Vista Sidebar ported to XP by Joshoon over at Deviant Art. Users can grab additional sidebar gadgets directly from Microsoft, and experience the same functionality as they would with the sidebar on a Vista system. The Windows Vista Sidebar pack is free, Windows XP only.

For more sidebar applications and nice Vista features, check out how to get the best features of Vista in XP.

Download: Windows Vista Sidebar for Windows XP

Add comment June 15th, 2009

[Windows] Make Windows Startup Faster by Delaying your Startup Apps

Not too long ago, I posted a guide on reducing your Windows startup time by disabling unwanted startup apps (Here).

When Windows loads it’s Startup file, it attempts to load every program in there at the same time. Therefore if you have quite a lot of programs starting when Windows starts, each program will try and grab CPU time so that it can load.

Now, you can make Windows startup even more faster by delaying the apps you left in the startup list with Startup Delayer. Startup Delayer allows you to setup how many seconds after Windows has started, to load each program.

For example, you have a mail app in your startup list, you can now set mail to start 20 seconds after Windows starts, and another app to start say, 45 seconds later. This will significantly improve your startup performance.

Download Startup Delayer.

PC World Startup Delayer v2.3.133 review:

Add comment June 14th, 2009

[Windows] Every Windows Process Explained

I recently stumbled onto a great site,  http://www.processlibrary.com/. It does an excellant job of allowing users to search for unknown processes, and getting a description of the nature of the process.

What are processes?

A process in Windows is an application running in the background (stored in the RAM). You can see your running processes by holding CTRL+ALT+DELETE, then clicking the Processes tab from the Task Manager.

a list of processes running in the background (above)

There are many known process’ such as Explorer.exe or svchost.exe that we’ve come to know. But we often see new ones, and may be curious as to where they came from, and or if they are malicious or not.

What’s better is that Processlibrary.com/ is Microsoft Gold Certified. Check them out!

Add comment June 14th, 2009

[Windows] The Ultimate Computer Repair Kit for your USB Flash Drive

Attention computer techs, you will love this!. It’s a collection of useful, and powerful computer repair utilities. These are ready to be loaded onto a USB flash drive. Just extract using WinRAR, and drag the folder into the USB drive. The extracted file weighs in at 186 MBs- so make sure you have enough room. The set was compiled by Technibble.com.

BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD- READ THIS: The Computer Boss takes no responsibility in how these tools are used. If you don’t know what you are doing, don’t use it. Many of these tools have the potential to damage a computer and cause loss of data if used incorrectly. Always back up important data before using any of these tools.

All rights belong to the application creators.  If you use any of these applications for commercial purposes you should donate to the application creator.

This set contains:

- Recuva Portable v1.22.384
- CCleaner Portable v2.15.815
- Roguefix v2.234
- DeepBurner Portable v1.9.0.228
- Combofix
- JavaRa v1.13
- Game Key Revealer 1.1.0.3
- SmitFraudFix v2.388
- USBDView v1.29
- Monitor Tester v2.0.1
- Rootkit Revealer v1.7
- TrID v1.80
- DoubleKiller v1.6.2.82
- Check Flash
- Explore2fs 1.08 Beta 9
- Fabs Autobackup v2.2
- McAfee Product Removal Tool
- CPUID Hardware Monitor v1.12
- Testdisk & PhotoRec v6.10
- GPU-Z v0.3.1
- Firefox Portable v3.0.5
- Wireshark Portable v1.0.0
- 7-Zip Portable 4.64
- SUPERAntiSpyware v4.25.1012
- CodecInstaller v2.10.2.0
- Putty v0.60.0.0
- Unknown Devices v1.2
- SumatraPDF v0.9.3b
- Malware Bytes v1.33
- Dead Pixel Tester v2.30
- Various Scripts:
- Start/Stop Autmatic Update
- Clear Print Spooler
- Quickly Make Restore Point
- Reset Network by Release/Renew IP & Flush DNS
- JKDefragGUI v0.94 -> 1.03
- DriveImage XML v1.21 -> 2.02
- TreeSize Free v2.1 -> 2.2.1
- WirelessKeyView v1.11 -> 1.20
- LSP Fix v1.0 -> 1.1
- System Information v1.65 -> 2008.12.16
- Norton Removal Tool v2008.0.1.19 -> 2009.0.0.41
- Autoruns v8.73 -> 9.37
- Unstoppable Copier v3.12 -> 3.56
- SoftPerfect Network Scanner v3.5 -> 3.9.185
- Process Explorer v11.02 -> 11.32
- Hijack This v2.00b – > 2.0.2
- PC-Decrapifier v1.8.3 -> 2.0.0
- Double Driver v1.0 -> 2.1
- Revo Uninstaller v1.35a -> 1.80
- DBXtract v4.5
- Restoration v2.5.14
- CalmWin Portable Antivirus v0.94.1
- Dial-a-fix v0.60.0.24
- NetStumbler v0.4.0
- Tweak UI v2.10.0.0
- Vista Tweaker v0.3
- GSpot v2.70a
- CPUID Hardware Monitor v1.12
- Autoruns
- CCleaner
- Fabs Autobackup v2.2
- ProduKey
- Wireshark 1.0.0
- Unknown Devices 1.2
- Dial-a-fix v0.60.0.24
- Autoruns v8.73
- Process Explorer v11.02
- Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder v1.51
- RawCopy v1.0
- Tweak UI v2.10.0.0
- SoftPerfect Network Scanner v3.5
- Unlocker v1.8.5
- Unstoppable Copier 3.12
- Pocket Killbox v2.0.0.881
- CalmWin Portable Antivirus 0.94.1
- Norton Removal Tool v2008.0.1.19
- NetStumbler v0.4.0
- Double Driver v1.0
- CPU-Z v1.41
- WirelessKeyView v1.11
- TreeSize Free v2.1
- DriveImage XML v1.21
- PC-Decrapifier v1.8.3
- Belarc Advisor v7.2t
- Restoration v2.5.14
- Ethereal v0.99.0
- VistaTweaker v0.3
- JkDefrag GUI v0.94
- Unknown Device Identifier v4.00
- GSpot v2.70a
- Revo Uninstaller v1.35a
- Runscanner v1.0.3
- PageDefrag v2.32
- DBXtract v4.50
- Hijack This v2.00b
- ATF Cleaner v3.0.0.2
- LSP Fix v1.0
- AppSnap v1.3.1
- MozBackup v1.4.7
- System Information v1.65

Download Here

Add comment June 12th, 2009

[Windows] Top 10 Apps I Install After Every Re-Format

These are free apps I simply cannot live without. All Windows users are familiar with the annual, or quarterly re-format, and we all have those apps that we ALWAYS install- here are mine (again, they are free!):

1. Mozilla Firefox – This one goes without saying. A very powerful and secure browser with tabs, themes, and countless other add-ones! This one is essential.
2. RocketDcok - The power of the OS X dock, but in Windows, for free!
3. WinRAR – We all need this these days. It is quickly becoming the new medium for file compression.
4. ClamWin – A fast, free, reliable, and light anti-virus software.
5. Malware Bytes – This is my favorite tool to get those nasty fake anti-spyware/virus infections. Check my guide on it here.
6. CCleaner - one of a kind tool in cleaning temporary files, system and internet cache, registry issues, and more!
7. Pidgin - a popular favorite in the Linux world, now it’s on Windows! A versatile IM client with support for many open source plug-ins.
8. VLC - Plays any video file you can throw at it, any time!
9. WinAmp - This one is a classic, and still on my list. A media player that is lighter than iTunes, supports skins and plug-ins!
10. Unlocker - Don’t you hate it when you can’t move or delete a file because another Windows process is using it? Well, this unlocks the file, and lets you do what you want with it! Check my post on it here.

Add comment June 4th, 2009

[Windows] Unlocker, an Essential Windows Utility

We’ve all had this happen to us. Trying to move, or delete a file in Windows, only to find out it is locked by another process. It’s both annoying, and tedious. You are forced to look for the process that has locked the file, and kill it.

This is where Unlocker comes in. I install this little application every time I restore my computer. It makes it so simple to free up a file- all you have to do is right click on the said file, and click “Unlocker”.

Here is how it works:

In this example I am trying to delete thecomputerboss.mp3, but can not do so, since it is being used by another application.

This is how easy it really is:

1. Right click the file and click “Unlocker”.

   

2. A dialog will pop up showing me the applications that are using the file, and options to Unlock (tries to leave the process running, and frees the file), or Kill Process (frees the file, plus kills the process).

   

3. All I have to do is click “Unlock”, and I will be able to delete, or move the file!

You can download Unlocker Here.

1 comment June 1st, 2009