Microsoft Windows "BUG"? Not Really

Here is a piece of information I want to share to you, a glitch on Microsoft Windows, on creating a Folder, anywhere, and naming it as:

CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9.

Try to create a Folder anywhere... let's say, on your Desktop or on your Local Disk C:\ and name it as CON. See that it won't allow you to do so, instead it automatically changes to its default name "New Folder".


Explanation:

As said by Mathias Schwarz:

It's not that weird. 'con' is a reserved word from the old DOS days, simply meaning 'console'. If you wanted to create a new text file in DOS you could type 'copy con newfile.txt' meaning copy from the console to newfile.txt. This would let you type some lines and when you ended the file with ^Z (DOSish for 'end of file') you would have a file called newfile.txt containing whatever you wrote in the console. This is indeed still possible in the Windows XP console, and can you see what mess it would cause if you let files or folders have the name 'con'? What would 'copy con newfile.txt' then mean? BSOD?

and Russ Watts confirms the suggestion by giving the list of other DOS devices that can't be used as folder names: CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9.

source: http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27053



But wait! You can still create one! folder named as "CON" or "PRN" or any reserved word from the old DOS days.

Steps:

1. Open Command Prompt (Start - Run, type cmd)

2. On the Command Prompt, type cd\ then hit Enter

3. Now type md\\.\\C:\\con then hit Enter

4. Go to your Local Disk C:\... and there you have it! A Folder named as "CON"

the question is, how do you delete it? even typing rmdir con on thr Command Prompt is useless... hahahaha

Keyboard Techniques

Here are some useful keyboard techniques applicable on Windows XP Professional:

CTRL+C (Copy)

CTRL+X (Cut)

CTRL+V (Paste)

CTRL+Z (Undo)

DELETE (Delete)

SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)

CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)

CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)

F2 key (Rename the selected item)

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)

CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)

CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)

CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)

CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)

SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)

CTRL+A (Select all)

F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)

ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)

ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)

ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)

CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)

ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)

F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)

F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)

SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)

CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)

ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)

F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)

RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)

LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)

F5 key (Update the active window)

BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)

ESC (Cancel the current task)

SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the

CD-ROM from automatically playing)
Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts

CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)

TAB (Move forward through the options)

SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)

ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select
the corresponding option)

ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)

SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)

Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)

F1 key (Display Help)

F4 key (Display the items in the active list)

BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the
Save As or Open dialog box)

Micro$oft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)

Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)

Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)

Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)

Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)

Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)

Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)

CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)

Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)

Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)

Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)

Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)

Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts

Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)

Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)

Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)

SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)

NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)

Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)

Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

END (Display the bottom of the active window)

HOME (Display the top of the active window)

NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)

NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)

NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)

LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)

RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)

Shortcut Keys for Character Map

After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:

RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)

LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)

UP ARROW (Move up one row)

DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)

LeetSpeak

1337 5p34k

Just sharing this to you

Do your receive text messages with different styles? Well, it is fad a long time ago, it was called hackspeak, or Leetspeak (Elite Speak)
Had you heared of it before?
If yes, ever wondered what is it all about?

Elite speak was originally created to spoof the automated systems (spiders) that the government used to track hackers on BBS' (Bulletin Board Systems). It worked well for quite some time, I'm not sure why it took so long for the gov to add this stuff to their spiders.

Also known as hackspeak, leetspeak is a type of communications where a user replaces letters for numbers or other characters. For example, "leet" in leetspeak would become "1337". Below is our basic conversion tool to convert your text into leetspeak. Please keep in mind there are hundreds of different ways that someone may speak leet; therefore, someone may use "5" or a "$" to represent an "S".

Below is a little helper to get you started: format is English = Leetspeak

A = 4, @ , /\ , /-\ , ? , ^ , α , λ
B = 8, |3 , ß, b, l³, |> 13
C = ( , [ , < , © , ¢
D = |) , |] , Ð , đ 1)
E = 3 , € , & , £ , ε
F = |= , PH , |*|-| , |" , ƒ l²
G = 6, &, 9
H = 4, |-| , # , }{ , ]-[ , /-/
I = 1, ! , | , [] , ỉ
J = _| , ¿
K = |< , |{ , |( , X
L = 1, |_ , £ , |, ][_, ,
M = /\/\ , /v\, |V|, ]V[, |\/| , AA , []V[] , |11 , /|\ , ^^
N = |\| , /\/ , /V, |V , /\\/ , |1 , 2 , ?
O = 0, 9 , () , [], * , ° , <> , ø , {[]}
P = |° , p , |> , |* , []D , ][D , |² , |? , |D
Q = 0_ , 0,
R = 2, |2 , 1², ® , ? , я
S = 5 , $ , § , ? , ŝ , ş
T = 7 , + , † , ']['
U = |_| , µ, [_], v
V = \/ , |/ , \| , \'
W = \/\/ , VV , \A/ , \\' , uu , \^/ , \|/
X = >< , )(, }{, % , ? , × , ][
Y = `/ , °/ , 9 , ¥
Z = z , 2 , "/_

Here is Google's version of leetspeak: http://www.google.com/intl/xx-hacker/

Microsoft Word Secret

Microsoft Word

Here is a secret a wanna share to you regarding Microsot Word 95 and up.

Steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word

2. On the first line, type

=rand (200,99)

3. Then hit [Enter]



Explanation:

The =rand() you entered is a word function built in Microsoft Word to display the "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." sentence which contains every letter in the English alphabet. Earlier, it was sometimes mistaken as a virus and feared by encoders. This trick is to insert the =rand() function while they are middle of their work.

You may adjust the =rand() function by inserting two numerical values inside the parenthesis separated by a comma. The first numerical value represents the number of paragraphs. The second numerical value represents the number of sentences in each paragraph. We cannot place zero values on it, nor negative numbers, and decimal values.

So if we say =rand(3,2), we should get three(3) paragraphas and two(2) sentences. This will be the outcome:

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.


Hope you get it :D

Create Your Own Self-Executable and Self-Extracting File

On this simple tutorial, I will share to you how to create your very own self-executable file (.exe) / self-extracting file using Windows XP's built - in and hidden self - extracting & self - installation wizard, IExpress 2.0.  I know some of you knows this already, but this built - in application is seldom used by most of us.


NO DOWNLOADS NEEDED, VERY SIMPLE STEPS, especially if you don't have WinZip or WinRar and you want to send / upload a bundled file.







Here are the steps:



1.  Open Run ( Start > Run ), then type iexpress, and hit Enter.



2. The IExpress 2.0 Wizard will open.



3.  Select "Create new Self Extraction Directive file.", then click Next.







4.  Choose from the three options presented.  Select "Extract files and run an installation command" if you want to extract and install your files and applications.  Select "Extract files only" if you want extraction process only.  In my case, I had chosen "Extract files only".  Click Next.



An example wherein "Extract files only" is applicable:







5.  Enter the package title.  This will be the title of your .exe file on the end.  Example, I will name it as "Documents 10/28/07", then click Next.

6.  On the next step, the Confirmation Prompt, this is the message, the user will receive, upon opening the .exe file.  Example, i will say "These file contains important documents for October 28", then press Next.



7.  On the next step, the License Agreement, is a license agreement that will be displayed before the your .exe file will be installed.  Choose "Display a license" if you  want to have one by browsing your ready-made .txt file, otherwise, choose "Do not display a license" if you don't want to.  Proceed to the next step.



8.  On this step, you will add all your files you want to put into the package.  Click Add and select your files to be added. If you're finished, click Next.



Here is my files, added into the package:






9.  The Show Window step selects how your installation window will look like.  It may be hidden, minimized, maximized or default.  Proceed to the next step.



10.  If you want to display a message to the user after the installation is complete, choose "isplay message:" and type the message you want, eample "Installation Complete".  Otherwise, choose "No message" then click next.



11.  On the next step, enter the destination and name of your .exe file.  Click Browse then type the file name.  In my case, I will save it on my Desktop and name it as Important Documents.  On the options, select "Store files using Long File Name inside Package", otherwise, choose "Hide Extracting Progrees Animation from User" if you don't want to have that extracting progress animation to be displayed during extracton/installation.  If you're done, click Next.



12.  On the Save Self Extraction Directive, select "Save Self Extractive Directive [SED] file:" to save a .sed file of it.  Select "Don't save" if you don't want to.  In my case, i had chosen "Don't save".



13.  Create Package step > You are now ready to create your package.  Click Next to start the process.  It will take time depending on the amount and size of files you had just added.



14.  A command prompt will appear.  and click Finish.







Now your done!



Here's mine:






Open it, then choose the destination where the files would be extracted or installed.then press OK!

Change the Sound Options On Program Events

On this tutorial, i'm going to share to you how you can customize the sound on any program events like, closing a window, right-clicking, selecting an option in a menu, and much more. This is just another way on customizing your on computer... since most of us only customize and personalize our computer visually, why not try to customize its sound options.

Here are the steps:

1. Go to Control Panel ( Start - Control Panel )

2. Open Sound and Audio Devices

3. Under the Sounds tab, go to Program Events. Under the program events, you will see all of Windows' program events like maximize, open a program and the like. Choose any of it, and select the type of sound you want by clicking the drop-down menu button. You may have a sample of the sound you had selected by clicking the play button beside the drop-down menu.

4. If you're all done, just apply changes and

Put Any Text On Your System Tray

NOTE: This guide / info is shared only just for fun, and it is certainly useless to most of you guys, but just read and try it....to those of you who want to personalize every detail in your desktop, so here is one way to do so.

I find this cool. =)

Here is a screenshot!




OK, so here are the steps:

1. Go to the Control Panel ( Start > Control Panel )

2. Open the Regional and Language Options

3. On the Regional Options tab, click on Customize...

4. Go to the Time tab on the new
window

5. Enter any text in the AM symbol and PM symbol

6. Apply changes.

That's it!

Creating An Alert Message Box

Here is a funny way to fool someone by using an ALERT MESSAGE BOX trick. The following script is a VBScript (Visual Basic Script) for an Alert Message box.

I know some of you knows this already, but I just want to share this to you 'coz I burst out in laughters after my friend panicked after clickng on the file that I had made.

Here are the steps:

1. Open your Notepad and type this:

x = MsgBox("YOUR MESSAGE HERE",FORMAT NUMBER FOR BUTTON/ICON,"TITLE")

Just change the UPPERCASE text to anything you want. For the FORMAT NUMBER BUTTON/ICON, choose from the list below with some of its actual appearance

0 = OK button only



1 = OK and Cancel buttons



2 = Abort, Retry, and Ignore buttons



3 = Yes, No, and Cancel buttons



4 = Yes and No buttons



5 = Retry and Cancel buttons



16 = Critical Message icon



32 = Warning Query icon



48 = Warning Message



64 = Information Message icon



none = Normal Message box



2. After you had modify your code, save it as
yourownfilename.vbs.

3. To activate it, just open it.

To fool someone,

1. save the file on another folder, (Ex. in My Documents)

2. Right-click on the file, and select Send To then click on Desktop (create shortcut)

3. On the shortcut you had made on your desktop, right-click on it and select
Properties

4. Click on the Shortcut tab and click on Change Icon... then select your desired icon.

5. Click OK, then rename your file to something that suits the icon given.

My example is:

Windows XP Secrets

Notepad

Here is a secret Microsoft built within a notepad to somehow "encrypt" a sentence regarding U.S. President George Bush... i think. Try this steps, and you'll find it strange. :D

1. Open Notepad

2. On the first line, type

Bush hid the facts

3. Save it with whatever file name you want but be sure the encoding is ANSI.

4. Close your Notepad.

5. Open it again.

6. You should see 9 small boxes :D

Explanation:
Actually, its not a hidden code, nor anything. In fact, it is a string format 4-3-3-5 and as well, not just limited to the "Bush hid the facts" sentence. All string format 4-3-3-5 you type in the first line of the notepad will actually cause the said "bug". Meaning to say, there should be 4 words, wherein the first word contains four letters, the second and third word contains 3 letters, and the fourth word contains five letters. Example, type: asda asd asd asdas.

Hope you get it :D

Secret - Hidden Code

I will share to you how to create a very simple Log File using your Microsot Notepad. I actually don't now what is its purpose, but I find this simply cool.

Here are the steps:

1. Open your Notepad

2. Type .LOG on the very first line, then press [Enter]

3. Go to File - Save As... and enter any file name, and hit save.

4. Open the file again and see that it records the time and date when you had opened it.



Microsoft Paint

Here are some sort of "tricks" I just wanna share with you again... using Microsoft Paint. Again, I don't know if someone will find this useful... ahahahaha

Trick: Image Trail

Steps:

1. Open an image ( [Ctrl] - [O] )

2. Press [Ctrl] - [A]

3. Hold [LShift] and then left-click on the image and hold.

4. Free - drag the image anywhere and you will see its effect

Sample here:




Trick: Magnify 10x!

We all know that Microsoft Paint has an option to magnify an image, but only up to 8x


Steps:

1. Open an image and select the magnifying glass icon.

2. Left-Click exactly on the line below the 8x.

Here are some "cheats/secrets" I wanna share to you guys if you are playing games like Pinball, Hearts, FreeCell, Minesweeper and Solitaire.

FreeCell

Secret - Instant Win
Instructions - Hold down Ctrl + Shift + F10 during game play. Then you will be asked if you want to Abort, Retry or Ignore. Choose Abort, then move any card to instantly win.

Secret - Hidden Game Modes
Instructions - In the "Game" menu, choose "Select Game". Enter -1 or -2 to activate the hidden game modes.


Hearts

Secret - Show All Cards
Instructions - Edit this registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Hearts and create a new String value named ZB with a Data value of 42. Start Hearts and press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F12 to show all the cards.

Background - This secret is a reference to Douglas Adams' book the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 'ZB' is the initials of the character Zaphod Beeblebrox, the Galactic President. '42' is the answer to The Ultimate Question Of Life, the Universe and Everything.


Minesweeper

Secret - Reveal Mines
Instructions - Minimize or close all running applications. Launch Minesweeper, then type xyzzy. Next hold down either shift key for one second. Now when you move the mouse cursor over a Minesweeper square you will see a tiny white pixel in the top left corner of your desktop screen. This pixel will change to black when your mouse moves over a mine. You may need to change you desktop background to a solid color other then white or black to see the pixel.

Secret - Stop Timer
Instructions - Launch Minesweeper and start a game so the timer starts counting, then press the Windows Key + D to show the desktop. Now when you select minesweeper from the taskbar you can continue playing with the timer stopped.


Pinball

Secret - Extra Balls
Instructions - Type 1max at the start of a new ball to get extra balls.

Secret - Gravity Well
Instructions - Type gmax at the start of a new game to activate the Gravity Well.

Secret - Instant Promotion
Instructions - Type rmax at the start of a new game to go up in ranks.

Secret - Skill Shot
Instructions - Launch the ball partially up the chute past the third yellow light bar so it falls back down to get 75,000 points. There are six yellow light bars that are worth a varying amount of points:

First:
15,000 points
Second: 30,000 points
Third: 75,000 points
Fourth: 30,000 points
Fifth: 15,000 points
Sixth: 7,500 points

Secret - Test Mode
Instructions - Type hidden test at the start of a new ball to activate Test Mode. No notification will be given that this is activated but you can now left-click the mouse button and drag the ball around. While in test mode press the following keys for more secrets:

H - Get a 1,000,000,000 High Score
M - Shows the amount of system memory
R - Increases your rank in game
Y - Shows the Frames/sec rate

Secret - Unlimited Balls
Instructions - Type bmax at the start of a new ball. No notification will be given that this is activated but when a ball is lost a new ball will appear from the yellow wormhole indefinitely. Once this is activated you will be unable to activate other secrets without restarting the game.


Solitaire

Secret - Instant Win
Instructions - Press Alt + Shift + 2 during game play to instantly win.

Secret - Draw single cards in a Draw Three game
Instructions - Hold down CTRL + ALT + SHIFT while
drawing a new card. Instead of drawing three cards you will only draw one.

Enjoy!!

Google Earth Free Flight Simulator

Works with the latest Google Earth.

Download Google Earth


Here are the steps:

1. In Google Earth, press [Ctrl] - [Alt] - [A] or [Ctrl] - [Windows] - [A]

2. If the [Ctrl] - [Alt] - [A] doesn't work, click HERE to download a Registry entry and Merge it to your Registry files. Just double-click it and select YES. It is 100% safe, so no need to worry.



3. Here are the Flight Controls: Flight Controls Here

Some screencaps:

Watch StarWars On Your Command Prompt!

I just wanna share with you how you can watch StarWars using your very own... MS-DOS Command Prompt. Very simple steps... cool results =)


1. On Windows XP, Click [Start] - [Run], then type cmd or .cmd

2. Then type: telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl

3. Press Enter!

4. Enjoy!!