Drive encryption in Windows 7

29 September, 2011

Microsoft Bitlocker drive encryption is used to encrypt/lock any Local drive or removable drives like pendrives.Bitlocker encrypts the drives using 128 bit key.Once the drives are encrypted/locked it can only opened using the password.Microsoft introduced bitlocker encryption in windows vista.The bitlocker feature is currently available in Ultimate and Enterprise editions of windows 7 ,Vista as well as the Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 .Bitlocker requires that your hard disk should have atleast two NTFS
drives :One of the operating system and the other with a minimum size of 100 MB.

Let’s Begin the step by step tutorial along with screenshots on how to Lock/encrypt Computer drives or pendrive in windows 7.

1.Plugin your Pendrive into your Usb port.

(Skip the above step if you want to lock/encrypt a local drive)

2.Click on Start button and type Bitlocker and click on BitLocker Drive Encryption

3.Now you can see all local drives and your pendrive(If you have plugged in any)

4.Now click on Turn on BitLocker in front of the drive you want to lock/Encrypt.

5.Now it will ask you to choose your password

6.Once you have entered your password click Next you will be now asked to save the password or take a print out.

Note:If you save your password in your computer then make sure that it at some safe place.

7.Now bitlocker will start encrypting your drive.The encryption time varies according to the size of the drive.

8.If you have encrypted/locked  a local drive then you will see a lock in front of the drive.

9.If you have encrypted/locked a pendrive then you will see a bitlocker setup file when you put this pendrive in computer.Install this in another computer.

(If bitlocker is already installed in another system then this step is not required.)

10.Now it will prompt you to enter your password.

Continue Reading | comments

Windows Xp mode in Windows 7

28 September, 2011

Windows XP Mode on Windows 7 allows you to run many older Windows XP programs that are not natively compatible with Windows 7. It is one of several built-in tools in Windows 7 that helps with compatibility allowing Windows XP users to continue to use all of their programs after upgrading to Windows 7.

It can be particularly useful to large organizations that are moving from XP to Windows 7 and need to retain key programs that are not compatible with the new OS. By utilizing Windows XP Mode these organizations can safely deploy Windows 7 without worrying about operational downtime or additional costs.

For Install Win xp Mode:

Run a Bing or Google search on “windows xp mode download files”. The first search result you’ll find will lead you right to the official Windows XP Mode download page.

After clicking the appropriate link (where the red arrow on the screenshot above is pointing to), you’ll be brought to the Windows XP Mode download page. Select the specific edition of Windows 7 you have in your computer and choose a language you’re most familiar with. For example, we selected “Ultimate 32-bit” and “English”, respectively.

Next, you’re supposed to download and install these three files in the following order:

1. Windows XP Mode
2. Windows Virtual PC
3. Windows XP Mode update

I suggest you download each of those three files first, then install them in the sequence specified above. Note that the actual filenames will appear quite cryptic. For example, the Windows Virtual PC file may be named Windows6.1-KB958559-x86. To avoid confusion, rename each file after every download in such a way that you’ll know which one was downloaded first, second, and third.

In my case, I left the first file’s name as is. But for the second and third files, I inserted ’2′ and ’3′ in the beginning. Here’s how they looked like after I saved them on my PC:

Installing the Windows XP Mode file

To install a file, just double-click on it. Start with the first installation file.

When you get to the Windows XP Mode Welcome screen, just click the Next button.

In the succeeding screen, you’ll be asked to specify which location you’d like the installation to be placed. Here, we’ve opted to accept the default location. Click Next.

Barring any unforeseen events, the installation should go on smoothly. As soon as the installation setup is completed, click the Finish button.

Installing the Windows Virtual PC file

Now that you’re done installing the first file, you may now proceed with the second. Double-click the second file to begin the next installation.

When you’re asked whether “you want to install the following Windows software update”, click Yes.

Read the license terms and click I Accept if you’re amenable to everything stated in there.

Wait for all updates to be installed. When the installation’s completed, click Restart Now.

Windows XP Mode update

At this point, your computer will automatically restart. Remember that you’ve only installed two out of three files yet. You still lack one more. So once you’ve logged back in, go back to the folder containing those three installation files and double-click the third and last file.

Again, when you’re asked whether “you want to install the following Windows software update”, click Yes.

Just like before, wait for all updates to be installed. Then when the installation completes, clickRestart Now.

After the restart, you will have already completed the installation of Windows XP Mode. This also means that you would have an updated version of Virtual PC and a fully licensed Windows XP SP3 running as a virtual machine. The next step is to set up your freshly installed virtual environment.

Setting up Windows XP Mode

Once you’ve logged back in, click the Windows orb > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC >Windows XP Mode.

Note: All Programs is not shown in the screenshot below.

In the succeeding window, read the Windows XP Mode License Agreement. If everything looks fine, check the “I accept … ” check box and click Next.

Assign a password and click Next.

You’ll then be asked whether you want to turn on Automatic Updates. This will let your virtualized version of XP perform a routine check for the latest security updates and carry out an automatic installation if any is found. Select your desired option and click Next.

In the next window, you’ll be informed that the setup process will share whatever drives you have on your computer with Windows XP Mode. Just click the Start Setup button.

Once the setup process is done, Windows XP will automatically launch as a virtual machine. This is how it will look like.

Installing an application in Windows XP Mode

In the succeeding steps, we’ll show you how to install a program unto your freshly installed Windows XP Mode environment. We’ll be using an application named ColorPic as an example and we’re assuming its installation file is found in the shared C: drive, inside the Windows 7 environment.

Go to Start > My Computer.

Navigate to the shared C: drive on the Windows 7 host machine.

Find the installation file of the application you want to install and run it by double-clicking.

Proceed with the entire installation process as you would in an ordinary Windows XP environment. At the end of the installation, check the checkbox that says Launch Program File before clicking the Finish button. That way, you can test the program right away to see if it works as expected.

Here’s the ColorPic app running on our Windows XP Mode environment.

Launching the Windows XP application from the Windows 7 desktop

After you’ve installed the application, you can actually launch it straight from the Windows 7 desktop. In Windows 7, just go to the Windows orb > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC >Virtual Windows XP > Virtual Windows XP Applications. You’ll then be able to see all the applications you installed in the Windows XP Mode environment.

Here’s that same ColorPic application again.

See the difference between this and the previous screen shot? It now looks like ColorPic is actually running on Windows 7, not on Windows XP Mode. That’s how all your installed Windows XP applications will look like. They will all appear as if they’re running straight from Windows 7 when in fact, under the hood, they’re actually running on Windows XP Mode.

Continue Reading | comments (1)

Network Topology

08 September, 2011

Here you will learn network topology introduction, how computers get connected, bus, star, hub, hybrid, mesh, tree topologies and network physical design. In Computer Networking “topology” refers to the layout or design of the connected devices. Network Topologies can be physical or logical. In this section I will illustrate on the different types of the topologies.

Physical Topology means the physical design of a network including the devices, location and
cable installation.

Logical Topology refers to the fact that how data actually transfers in a network as opposed to its design.

Topology can be considered as a virtual shape or structure of a network. This shape actually does not correspond to the actual physical design of the devices on the computer network. The computers on the home network can be arranged in a circle shape but it does not necessarily mean that it presents a ring topology.

Computer network topologies can be categorized in the following categories.
• bus
• star
• ring
• mesh
• Tree.

BUS TOPOLOGY

 Bus topology uses a common backbone to connect all the network devices in a network in a linear shape. A single cable functions as the shared communication medium for all the devices attached with this cable with an interface connector. The device, which wants to communicate send the broadcast message to all the devices attached with the shared cable but only the intended recipient actually accepts and process that message.
Ethernet bus topologies are easy to install and don’t require much cabling and only a main shared cable is used for network communication. 10Base-2 and 10BaseT are two popular types of the Ethernet cables used in the Bus topology. Also, Bus network works with very limited devices. Performance issues are likely to occur in the Bus topology if more than 12-15 computers are added in a Bus Network. Additionally, if the Backbone cable fails then all network becomes useless and no communication fails among all the computers. Unlike in the Star topology in which if one computer is detached from a network then there is not effect on the other computers in a network.

RING TOPOLOGY  


In ring Network, every computer or devices has two adjacent neighbors for communication. In a ring network, all the communication messages travel in the same directory whether clockwise or anti clockwise. Any damage of the cable of any cable or device can result in the breakdown of the whole network. Ring topology now has become almost obsolete.
FDDI, SONET or Token Ring Technology can be used to implement Ring Technology. Ring topologies can be found in office, school or small buildings.

STAR TOPOLOGY

In the computer networking world the most commonly used topology in LAN is the star topology. Star topologies can be implemented in home, offices or even in a building. All the computers in the star topologies are connected to central devices like hub, switch or router. The functionality of all these devices is different. I have covered the detail of each networking devices in the separate portion of my website. Computers in a network are usually connected with the hub, switch or router with the Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) or Shielded Twisted Pair Cables.
As compared to the bus topology, a star network requires more devices & cables to complete anetwork. The failure of each node or cable in a star network, won’t take down the entire network
as compared to the Bus topology.
However if the central connecting devices such as hub, switch or router fails due to any reason,then ultimately all the network can come down or collapse.

MESH TOPOLOGY

Mesh topology work on the concept of routes. In Mesh topology, message sent to the destination can take any possible shortest, easiest route to reach its destination. In the previous topologies star and bus, messages are usually broadcasted to every computer, especially in bus topology. Similarly in the Ring topology message can travel in only one direction i.e clockwise or anticlockwise. Internet employs the Mesh topology and the message finds its route for its destination. Router works in find the routes for the messages and in reaching them to their destinations.The topology in which every devices connects to every other device is called a full Mesh topology unlike in the partial mesh in which every device is indirectly connected to the other devices.

Continue Reading | comments (1)

Upgade Vista to windows 7

06 September, 2011

From within Windows Vista, insert the Windows 7 Setup DVD and choose Run from the AutoPlay dialog.

Choose Install Now.

Always go online to get the latest updates. Doing so will result in a better install experience.

Accept the EULA (end user license agreement).

Choose Upgrade from the installation type screen.

At this point, an integrated version of the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor runs behind the scenes and tests your PC to see that it meets the Windows 7 system requirements and that your hardware and software is compatible with the new OS. There are a variety of issues that can come up at this phase of Setup, including issues that may cause Setup to end prematurely. Some issues are minor. For example, if you are upgrading from Windows Vista Ultimate, Setup will inform you that Windows Vista Ultimate Extras have been discontinued and that these tools will no longer be available after the upgrade.

Setup will alert you if any currently installed applications are incompatible with Windows 7 and, in some cases, recommend reinstalling these applications after the upgrade for best results. Other issues are more disruptive. If Vista is waiting on a Windows Update-based reboot, for example, Setup will halt and inform you to reboot before trying again.

Once you've passed muster with the Compatibility Report, you'll be confronted with the familiar Install Windows phase of Setup. This works identically to the same phase of Setup during a clean install, but with one important change. In addition to the Copying Windows files; Gathering files, settings, and programs; Expanding Windows files; and Installing features and updates steps, you'll see an additional step during an in-place upgrade. It's called Transferring files, settings, and programs, and this is the part that takes a number of hours to complete. Because of the variable length of this part of Setup, it provides a continuous update to its progress.

During Setup, you PC will also reboot a number of times. When that's finally done, you'll enter into a shortened version of the post-Setup tasks you perform during a clean install. You're aked to input your product key (which is optional), configure Automatic Updates, review time and date settings (which, unlike with a clean install, should already be correct), configure a network locations (Home, Work, or Public network), (optionally) and configure HomeGroup sharing.

When that's done, Setup will prepare your Windows 7 desktop.

Continue Reading | comments