Computer Info – December 5, 2001

This Week’s Meeting

        We will start the meeting with a 15 minute presentation on Taking Snapshots by Mitch Barchuk – more on composition of the background and foreground. We will then demonstrate using Pack And Go in PowerPoint in order to run your presentation on another computer.
Taking Snapshots
        Snapshots are what most of us are taking with our cameras. We are not into taking portraits; but instead are just taking a quick capture of what is going on at the moment.
        (1) You should always try to make your snapshot interesting. So, learn to get closer. If you think you are close enough – then take a couple of steps forward before taking that picture.
        (2) Hold your camera steady. Spread your feet apart – this helps to steady you and therefore your camera. Press your elbows into the front of your body – not out to the side. Put the camera against your face – don’t try to hold it away from your face. And, last, slowly squeeze the button -- don’t punch it down.
        (3) Make your photo interesting – have only one subject to the picture. Create depth to your snapshot by having something close to you in the foreground of the picture. For example, a picture of the Grand Canyon needs a person, trees or a branch in the foreground to show the depth.
        Mitch mentioned a great website for learning about taking snapshots. It is a Kodak site – Taking Great Pictures -- http://www.kodak.com/US/en/nav/takingPics/shtml (notice the capital letters in this address – they MUST be there).
        Mitch always uses Speedy Photo (located near Publix’s in Orange City). He says that they always do excellent work – they have great service, quality and convenience.
W32.Badtrans.B@mm – a new virus
        This is a MAPI worm that emails itself out using different file names. It creates the file c:\Windows\System\Kdll.dll. It uses functions from this file to log keystrokes.
        To remove this worm, follow these instructions for your operating system.
Windows 95/98/Me
        1. Restart Windows in Safe Mode
                    when your computer restarts, continuously tap the F8 key until a menu appears where you can choose
                            to start in the Safe Mode.
        2. Run Norton AntiVirus and delete all files that are detected as W32.Badtrans.B@mm
                    Run the LiveUpdate to make sure that you have the most recent virus definitions
                    Make sure that you are configured to scan all files – then run a full system scan and delete all files
                            that are detected as W32.Badtrans.B@mm
        3. Remove the value that it added to the registry.
                    Be very careful when you edit the registry because your changes could result in
                            permanent data loss or corrupted files. Be sure to modify only the keys that are specified.
                    Click START, and click RUN. Type REGEDIT and then click OK.
                    When the registry editor opens, look for the
                            HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\currentversion\RunOn
                    In the right pane, delete the following value:
                            Kernel32 kernel32.exe
                    Exit the registry editor.
*** Just as another reminder ----- You should NOT open any email that has an attachment in which the second extension is .pif or .scr. Any email that has such an attachment should be deleted. ***
        If you are running Internet Explorer 5.01 or 5.5 should go to Windows Update and install a patch for Incorrect MIME Header that can cause Internet Explorer to execute email attachment.
        MIME is an acronym for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. It is a widely used Internet standard for encoding binary files as email attachments.
Password in BIOS
        If you have lost your computer BIOS password (thereby making it impossible to access your computer), you will need to find a way to clear the BIOS password by trying some of these suggestions – this is not something that is guaranteed to work and is best left to someone who knows what they are doing.
        Try generic BIOS passwords. You might be able to find a listing of these passwords at the BIOS’ website.
        On the computer motherboard, locate the BIOS clear / password jumper or dipswitch and change its position. Once this jumper has been changed, turn on the computer and the password should by cleared. Once cleared, turn the computer off and return the jumper or dipswitch to its original position. The location of the jumpers or dipswitches may vary, however here are general locations where these jumpers / dipswitch may be located.
        1.On the edge of the motherboard - Most jumpers are located on the side of the motherboard for easy accessibility, verify by looking at all visible edges of the motherboard.
        2.By the CMOS battery - Some manufacturers will place the jumper to clear the CMOS / BIOS password by the actual CMOS battery.
        3.By the processor - Some manufacturers will place the jumpers by the processor of the computer. However note that in some cases these jumpers will be to change the processor and not the password.
        4.Under the keyboard or bottom of laptop - If you are working on a computer laptop the location of the dipswitch (almost never a jumper) can be under the keyboard or on the bottom of the laptop in a compartment such as the memory compartment.
        5.Other visible location - While it is possible that the jumpers / dipswitches may not be in a visible location, most manufacturers try to make things easier by placing the jumpers / dipswitches in another visible location.
        6. Additionally, when looking for the jumper / dipswitch the label of that switch can be anything however in most cases will be labeled CLEAR - CLEAR CMOS - CLR - CLRPWD - PASSWD - PASSWORD - PWD.
        7. On the computer motherboard locate and remove the CMOS battery for at least 10 minutes allowing the computer to loose its information. Note: this will not work on all computers. If your manufacturer has a bypass password this can be entered and allow you access to the BIOS and or computer. Because of the security risk of a bypass password generally only older computers will have this option. In addition it is likely that this information will only be able to be obtained from the computer, motherboard or BIOS manufacturer. 8. On the computer motherboard locate the CMOS solder beads and jump the solder beads to clear the password. The identification and location of these solder beads can vary and if not available in computer documentation is generally only obtainable through the computer manufacturer.
Windows Networking Password
        I found this information on the internet and have not tested it. But it is worth a try for those trying to get rid of always logging on to Windows Networking.
        Click on START, then SETTINGS, then CONTROL PANEL. Double click on the passwords icon, and then after the next window opens click on the button marked "Change Windows Password". This will then give you a window that contains the words Microsoft Networking. Click on that, and then click OK. Tab all the way through these windows (old password, new password, confirm new password)and then click OK. Close as you normally would.
        Restart your computer to see if the Windows Networking Password prompt is gone.