Results for Computer Softwares

The Best Ways to Edit the Windows Context Menu

February 25, 2019
Also referred to as Right Click Menu, the Context Menu is a pop-up menu that appears when you right click your desktop or an icon on your screen. Its purpose is to provide the user with a quick way to perform various actions such as copying or deleting files, deciding which program to use for opening a certain document, etc.

Why would you need to change the context menu? Either to extend its functionality or to get rid of some unused buttons. While the first is obvious, the second may need a bit of explanation: many computer programs will offer the "shell integration" feature (they will place one or more buttons in the context menu), but "forget" to remove it when you uninstall them. Depending on your tolerance level, there might come a time when your right-click menu will contain so many entries that it will slow you down instead of helping you get something done quicker, so removing some of them will be crucial.
There are two ways to modify the contents of your context menu: manually, by changing some entries in the registry editor, or by using specialized software to help you out. No mater which method you choose, if you are new to this kind of things, it's probably best to create a system backup before actually committing to any changes.
For the manual solution, you will need to open the registry editor by clicking on Start --> Run (or pressing the Windows key + R), and then typing regedit and pressing Enter. A new window will open and you'll have to navigate it the following way: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT --> * --> shellex --> ContextMenuHandlers. There you will find the entries from your context menu, and you can remove or edit whichever you want. The tricky part is that they might not have the exact same name as the text on the button, so finding the right entry might be a little difficult.
If you (understandably) consider that editing your registries is too complicated, and you would rather use a tool to help you out, here are a few applications that will make this assignment much easier:
  • ShellExView - a simple tool that will allow you to view and disable any item from your right click menu. This program is portable so you can easily copy it to an external storage device and use it on any computer you want.
  • Right Click Extender - as you've probably guessed from its name, this application is designed to help you add buttons to your context menu in order to enhance its functionality. The downside is that, as far I know, this program doesn't allow you to remove any context menu buttons except for the ones added by itself. The biggest advantage in using this tool is the fact that it helps you create system backup points directly from its interface, keeping you safe from unwanted changes.
  • FileMenu Tools - is a program that is easy to use, yet a bit more comprehensive than the ones previously mentioned. This application will allow you to remove as well as add functions to your right-click menu, configure the order in which they appear, create sub-menus and a lot more. Since it gives its users complete control and yet manages to be very intuitive, this application is the one I generally use for my context menu editing needs.
  • Ultimate Windows Customizer - I wasn't sure if I should include this application because it breaks the pattern of the other ones, but I decided to give you as many options as possible. What's different about this program is that it offers a lot more than just context menu editor. It also give you the possibility to tweak a wide variety of aspects regarding the Windows UI like the Start Button, Log-on Screen, Taskbar, etc. So, if you want to play around and do more than just modify the buttons in the context menu, you will probably find this tool appealing. However, if all you need is to edit the context menu, then you should choose one of the previous tools and keep things as simple as possible.
The Best Ways to Edit the Windows Context Menu The Best Ways to Edit the Windows Context Menu Reviewed by Wanem Club on February 25, 2019 Rating: 5

How to prevent Windows from installing unwanted programs?

February 25, 2019
Do you find annoying the fact that your PC can install some programs that you haven't even downloaded? Unfortunately, nowadays this is a frequent situation. The installer of the program you need may contain the software which sneaks into your PC without a permission. This type of programs is called Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP). PUPs are not viruses but they usually cause much inconvenience to all Windows OS users. In this article, I'd like to present a few universal ways to prevent potential problems.

Keep PUPs out of your computer 

Unchecky is a great straightforward program that is designed to uncheck unnoticeable checkboxes that propose installing third-party software during the main program installation. Unchecky can also find additional hidden programs in an already-running file and notify a user of unwanted programs. Importantly, this useful and free program by Reason Company Software Inc. doesn't require any specific skills for using it and customizing its options. Almost perfect, it is also being updated automatically. To read more information about the Unchecky tool, proceed to the article by Tom Cooper and forget about annoying bundleware, once and for all. 
If you don't want to install a standalone program for performing the task, you can handle it via Windows tools. Windows 7 Ultimate and Professional, Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows 10 have the AppLocker utility which is located in Group Policy Object Editor. It allows you to create a list of applications that are banned and can't be installed uncontrollably. You can compile your own list or import a standard .xml Locker file. To find the file, run Local Security Policy (secpol.msc) as an administrator, go to Security Settings → Application Control Policies → AppLocker.  

Create a non-administrator account

There is a much easier way to stop your PC from installing unwanted programs. You can create a new Windows user account which has non-admin access to Windows functions by default. This way, you use the new account in the same confident manner as before: none PUP will be installed because your computer will request each program installation now. The slight disadvantage of this method is that you need to adjust your account from scratch and spend time regulating the programs installation by yourself.


Use sandbox security software

A sandbox is a separate mechanism for running programs, the lightweight variant of a virtual machine. The processes that you begin in the sandbox can only affect its own environment but not the host system. Thereby, you can work here with any file and if you find an unverified program safe, you can install it on your underlying operating system. If not, just perform the rollback in the sandbox.
The easiest way to create the sandbox system on your PC is Sandboxie. This is the program that lets you launch browsers, email clients, different software applications in the isolated space on your hard disk. Even if some PUPs are somehow installed, you just easily clear the sandbox and continue using your PC. Sandboxie offers multilingual support (25 languages available) for its users and protects computers from Internet-spread viruses. I should also mention that some antivirus programs have the sandbox feature too, for example avast! Internet Security or Kaspersky Internet Security. 
How to prevent Windows from installing unwanted programs? How to prevent Windows from installing unwanted programs? Reviewed by Wanem Club on February 25, 2019 Rating: 5

Open your CD-ROM tray with a keyboard shortcut

February 25, 2019
Most computers and laptops do not actually provide their users with easy access to CD-ROM drive trays. The button, that is usually pressed to open a drive, may be really difficult to notice and push on some machines. Luckily, there is a way out for those who want to optimize their work to the full: a keyboard shortcut that opens the CD-ROM tray automatically. The effective solution is delivered by a free software tool called Door Control developed by Digola.

So, if dealing with optical disk drivers you want to switch from inconvenient buttons to a specified keyboard shortcut (alternatively an icon in the system tray), you need to download and install the Door Control program at first. It won't take you much time to install the app, plus clear on-screen instructions will help you complete the process with ease.
When Door Control is launched, an eject icon appears in the system tray. Placing your cursor over it will display a tooltip which shows which drive is currently selected and that no shortcut key is defined so far. For multiple drive trays there is an option to choose which drive you want to manage with the help of Door Control. To do this, right-click the eject icon → select the Drive option at the top → and pick the necessary drive from the submenu.  



Now, to finally create your own shortcut for handling the task, you should access the popup menu again (right-clicking the Door Control icon) and select Hot Key. In the new window make sure the cursor is put in the edit box. After that, press any keys on your keyboard to make a new shortcut (for example, Alt + Q) and press OK. Ta-da! Your shortcut key for opening the CD-ROM tray is ready. From now onward, you may press it and your disc tray will open. Alternatively, you may click on the eject icon in the system tray, this action does absolutely the same. If you are afraid to forget your key combination, don't panic: cover the icon in the tray with your mouse and you will see the assigned shortcut for opening the drive tray.
Obviously, you may ask me whether Door Control may close the CD-ROM tray. Well, it depends on the hardware you use. In most cases, it does close the drive on desktop computers, but not on laptops. You should test it by yourself, just click the icon for the second time or use the shortcut combination once again.
For users who prefer bright colors, there is an option to change the color of the eject symbol: how it looks in the tray and how it looks when you click on it. The easy settings are also found in the popup menu. Bear in mind that the Reset button makes the icon color black by default.
You may set the Door Control small utility to open automatically every time your Windows starts: right-click the icon → select the Load Door Control at Startup option. By the way, if you want to learn more about the ways users manage different tools on the startup list, here is the article on how to add and manage startup programs on Windows.
Open your CD-ROM tray with a keyboard shortcut Open your CD-ROM tray with a keyboard shortcut Reviewed by Wanem Club on February 25, 2019 Rating: 5

Best Ways to Convert PowerPoint Presentations into Videos

October 16, 2017
Whether you want to pitch a new project to the board, show your latest experiments at a conference or make a compelling case during a meeting, PowerPoint presentations are just what you need to help you out. Unfortunately, not every PC has Microsoft Office installed, so there are times when you might end up with a file that you just can't open and that can be very frustrating. As most computers are equipped with media players, a simple solution to avoid this kind of problems would be to convert your PPT presentations into videos. Here you will find out exactly how to do that.

Native solution

If you are using Office 2013 or a newer version of the software bundle, then you are in luck as Microsoft has added an option which allows you to export presentations as videos directly from PowerPoint's interface. Basically, all you need to do is finish your project and once it's completed, click on File, then go to Export (in some cases the section may be called Save & Send) and choose the Create a Video option. 
From there you can also perform some additional settings, such as deciding how much time each slide should be on the screen, the resolution that your video should have and even set up recorded timing and narrations to give your presentation a more professional look. Once you've set everything up, click the Create Video button, choose the name and desired format, then press Save and the program will start creating your video in the desired location. Depending on your system and the length of your presentation, this process may take a little time, but it displays a progress bar that indicates how far in the creation process you've gone.

Alternatives

In case you're using an older version of Microsoft Office, don't fret; there are a few alternative ways of converting PPT files into videos. (Truth be told there are more than just a few, but not all of them are worth trying out).

AuthorStream (Free)


Just so you know what you're dealing with from the beginning, AuthorStream has the big advantage of being free, but it also has a possible major drawback in the fact that it adds a watermark with the program's name on the video that it creates. Additional advantages of using this tool to convert your PPT files into video are that there is very little quality loss and that it will work even if your presentations include animations, transitions and narrations.
Unfortunately, AuthorStream is a web-based service which relies on people gaining credits by having their videos viewed by the other members of the community, so you won't be able to use it too many times for your personal goals. However, as a temporary solution, it may be just what you need.  In order to convert your file, you will need an account and to follow the steps provided by the website in order to go through the conversion.

Camtasia (Shareware)


Most of the times I've used Camtasia, it was for screen recording and creating video tutorials, but this tool can also be effectively employed for converting PPT files to various video formats. To be honest, the application can be considered expensive (though nowhere near Adobe's Captivate price), so don't buy it just for this purpose, but it does offer a free 30-day trial that you can take full advantage of. What's even better is that the output video will be watermark-free so you won't have to worry about being considered a cheap skate by the viewers of your video.
Other important advantages are the abundance of editing options which will help you make everything look perfect, the ability to use and add animations, customizable transitions, etc. All you have to do is check the PowerPoint add-in box and, after that, recording the presentation is just a piece of cake.
Best Ways to Convert PowerPoint Presentations into Videos Best Ways to Convert PowerPoint Presentations into Videos Reviewed by Wanem Club on October 16, 2017 Rating: 5

VLC for Windows 10: convert and compress video files

October 15, 2017
Everyone who watches videos on a PC has at least heard about VLC as it's not only the most popular player available, but also one that offers an impressive amount of features without asking for any money in return. Mostly known for the fact that it can play pretty much every media format out there without requiring additional codecs, VLC can perform quite a few very interesting tricks that not many people know about. For example, it can convert and compress videos.

 Yes, I know that video converter isn't the first or even second thing that you think about when you install VLC, but why download additional third-party utilities when you already have an application perfectly capable of seeing this task through? Even though I will admit that VLC isn't as straightforward as a full-time video converter, it does offer a whole lot of customization options and it even embeds batch conversion capabilities.

 To access this feature launch VLC, then click the Media button from the top left corner and select the Convert/Save option (or simply press Ctrl + R). In the new window that opens up, use the Addbutton to select the file(s) that you want converted, then choose Convert from the drop-down menu in the bottom-right corner. Now, simply select the desired format from the Profilesection, choose the location and the name of the output file and click Start. Support includes AVI, MP4, WMV, TS, ASF, MPEG and other video formats as well as MP3, FLAC, AAC, OGG and other audio formats.

 If you're someone who needs more advanced options, you have those too: you can choose the encapsulation that you want, select the desired video and audio codec or overlay subtitles directly over the output file. Furthermore, you can customize the bitrate, quality or frame rate of the video, modify the resolution and even add filters to the output file by choosing them from a comprehensive list including sepia, sharpen, motion blur, etc. Of course, shrinking and lowering the quality of the output file effectively means that you can also compress videos from the same menu.
VLC for Windows 10: convert and compress video files VLC for Windows 10: convert and compress video files Reviewed by Wanem Club on October 15, 2017 Rating: 5

Cortana gets a new set of skills and befriends

October 11, 2017

Microsoft’s annual Build 2017 conference is in full swing right now. Some of the most thrilling bits coming from Seattle are about the beloved blue holographic lady – Cortana. The Redmond team has announced a bunch of new features for their digital assistant: she got much “smarter” with the help of indie developers, moved to a variety of devices – including cars – and acquired smarthome speakers from Harman Kardon. Let's have a look!

Hey Cortana, play KEXP on TuneIn

Microsoft finally opened the doors for indie developers, who now can integrate Cortana into their apps. The list of supported apps is not very big at the moment – around fifty in total – but it is expected to grow rapidly in the near future. Among the most interesting new Cortana skills are: ordering a pizza directly from Domino’s, asking for a weather forecast from Dark Sky and turning the radio on through TuneIn. All you have to do is say a trigger phrase and she’ll do the rest. Not all of the skills are serious per se, as there’s one that gives you facts about cats. You can even ask Cortana how to mix a drink through “Bartender” or listen to a short bedtime story when the party is over.
Microsoft’s plans for expansion are very reminiscent of Google’s recent SDK release, but with a different vector. Cortana is a long-time resident of Win 10 machines and, since last summer, lives on Xbox One too, but she is cloud-based after all. The conference proved once again that Cortana can be a truly cross-platform assistant – ranging from iOS and Android handsets to cars. Pretty soon you’ll be able to trigger Cortana on newer Nissan and BMW models! Moreover, the context in which you are using the assistant will play a key role. For example when you get a large incoming message while driving – Cortana won’t read it in full. Instead, she’ll set a reminder for you to read it later, or give you a short summary of the text.

Step aside, Echo!


Finally, Microsoft demonstrated the Invokespeaker from Harman Kardon, which is a direct competitor to Amazon’s Echo and Google Home. This Cortana-powered 360-degree speaker will have all the skills and capabilities listed above and, as a neat little bonus, will be able to make and receive Skype calls from virtually any device that can run Skype. Invoke should hit the shelves this autumn. In addition, it has been confirmed that HP is also working on a smartphone device powered by Cortana, but the details are very scarce.
Cortana gets a new set of skills and befriends Cortana gets a new set of skills and befriends Reviewed by Wanem Club on October 11, 2017 Rating: 5

How to directly connect your router to a VPN

October 11, 2017

Using a VPN on a single PC is not that difficult, as there are many tools to help you out, but securing all the traffic passing through your router is a bit more complicated, so I've decided to write a guide to help you out with this task. However, unlike most of my other How To articles, this one is a bit more complicated and costly, so make sure that you actually need to do this, before embarking on such a journey.

What is VPN and why would you use it?


Let’s start things out with a simple explanation about what a VPN actually is. A Virtual Private Network is a tool which masks the origin of your Internet traffic. Every website you visit, every search you perform will appear to originate from another part of the world, so it’s going to be a lot harder to track it down back to you. A lot of people use this kind of online privacy protection to bypass censorship (websites that are blocked by the local government) or to access content that would otherwise be inaccessible in their region (like YouTube videos not available in their country).
However, when you are dealing with serious Internet censorship from the local government, using a simple VPN is not enough. There are times when you or a guest may forget to use the secure connection, and that can mean a lot of trouble. Directly connecting your router to a VPN is a great way to solve this issue, as all the Internet traffic coming from your network will be completely protected, even from your ISP. The main downside of using this kind of systems is that you lose some of your bandwidth (usually somewhere around 10%), so your websites will load slower. Moreover, you should, be careful about what you download when trying to stay hidden on the Internet, as saving stuff on your computer means that it can be tracked down to your real IP address.

Requirements


As I said in the beginning, connecting a router directly to a VPN is not only somewhat difficult, but also costly. Why? Because not all the routers on the market offer this capability by default. Even if you purchase a router which states that it does so, many of these can only act as VPN servers (which allow you to connect to your network from remote locations) and not as VPN clients (which is actually what you need).
So, if you want to purchase a router for this purpose, make sure that its technical details specify that it can act as a VPN client. (Additionally, stay clear of the products which have NAT components (firewall/Network Address Translation) and those that offer “PPTP Pass-Through” or something along those lines, as these are not suitable for your task. Being totally honest, I suggest that you ask for assistance from qualified personnel from the shop in case if you wish to purchase a router that can be directly connected to a Virtual Private Network. However, as far as I know, all the newer ASUS routers allow you to connect them to a VPN, so you can start your search there.
And, as my last piece of advice on the matter, when selecting a VPN to connect through, go to a paid service used by a lot of people as the free, shadier ones may not offer the level of security you require. Furthermore, make sure that the service’s terms of use specify that it can be installed on a router and that it provides multiple exit nodes in the country you’re interested in.

Flashing your router

The good news is that if you can’t find a device that fits the bill, or you don’t have enough money for a new router, you can flash your existing one (or purchase one that is comes pre-flashed out of the box). Just remember that using a VPN tunnel takes up a lot of your router’s power, so the newer your devices is, the better your Internet speed will be.
If you’ve decided to flash your router, I recommend using third-party firmware called DD-WRT which isn’t only free, but also effective and reliable. The first thing you will need to do is check if your device is compatible with the firmware, and you can do this by clicking this link, then entering the name of your product in the search box. If you router is supported (and it generally will be), you will see its name along with a downloadable file and additional information appear in the results.
 Read the additional information carefully, then download the file and make sure to use the Flash version named VPN or Mega, as it will provide you with the functionality you’re looking for. A tutorial on how to flash can be found in the additional info file, so all you have to do is follow the steps written there.

Router configuration

Once you’re router is ready to act as a VPN client, you will need to configure it accordingly. Most of the actions you will perform will require the DD-RWT administration control panel so that’s where you should be while reading this.
The first thing you should do is make a backup of your current settings, so that you won’t waste time in case if something goes wrong and you need to revert to the original configuration. To do this, go to DD-WRT Administration and find the tab named Backup (in my case it was the last one on the second row). Once there, click the Backup button, give the file a name that will be easy to recognize (for future use), and you’re done.
The next thing you will need to do is mask your DNS address. This can be done by going to the Setup section in the DD-RWT console, then clicking on Basic and afterwards going to the Network Setup part. Once there, change the numbers in the static DNS sections to one of the following: 8.8.8.8, 4.4.4.4 (Google DNS), 209.244.0.3, 209.244.0.4 (Level 3 DNS), 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220 (Open DNS). Since there should be three addresses that you can fill out, I suggest using one from each provider, so that if one service goes down, you can fall back to the other one. Additionally, for this to actually work, you must make sure that the boxes named Use DNSMasq for DHCP, Use DNSMasq for DNS, DHCP-Authoritative, and Forced DNS Redirection are all checked. Click on Save and Apply Settings to finish this step.
Another thing you shouldn’t forget about is disabling the IPv6 protocol. If you’re looking for privacy this protocol will give you away so you should go to Setup, then click on IPv6, make sure it’s turned off, then save and apply the changes.
Now enable the DNS lookup from the Services section of the console, switch from WLAN to LAN & WLANand make sure that the boxes named DNSMasq, Local DNS and No DNS Rebind (in the DNSMasq section) are all enabled.
The last step is to actually enable the VPN usage and make the necessary configurations. Go to Services, click on VPN then check the Enabled box under the OpenVPN Client section and a bunch of new options should show up.
  • Copy-paste the address of your VPN server in the section marked Server / IP name.
  • Unless specifically told otherwise, the port should be the default one: 1194.
  • Tunnel device: TUN.
  • Tunnel protocol: UDP.
  • Encryption: Blowfish CBC.
  • Hash Algorithm: SHA1.
  • User Pass Authentication: Enable.
  • Fill in the username and password fields with the data from your VPN service.
  • Advanced options: Enable.
  • TLS cipher: None.
  • LZO Compression: Yes.
  • NAT: Enable.
Make sure your DNS service didn’t specify any other kind of settings. (These are the ones I used for mine, and most of them should be the same.)
Now go to Additional Config (it should be downwards along the page) and add these commands for the OpenVPN server:
persist-key
persist-tun
tls-client
remote-cert-tls server
Finally, download the OpenVPN certificate from your VPN’s website, extract it (it should be a ZIP file) and open it with a plain text editor such as notepad. Copy everything between “—–BEGIN CERTIFICATE—–” and “—–END CERTIFICATE—–“ (including the dashes and the “begin certificate” and “end certificate” parts) and paste them in the box named CA Cert (at the end of the VPN configuration page in the DD-RWT console). Now save and apply the settings.
How to directly connect your router to a VPN How to directly connect your router to a VPN Reviewed by Wanem Club on October 11, 2017 Rating: 5

Mozilla's upcoming Firefox Quantum to be faster than Chrome

October 11, 2017

Mozilla has recently announced that it will no longer stand idly by while Google takes the crown for the most popular web browser in the world and, starting next year, Firefox is going to become a lot faster than Chrome. Firefox 57 or, as the company dubs it, Firefox Quantum will be twice as fast as the Firefox versions launched last year and, even in its current beta state, it still loads pages faster than Chrome. Furthermore, it also requires 30% less memory than Google's browser.

 From what I understand, Firefox Quantum should be officially launched early next year (currently, Mozilla's browser has reached its 55th version), but if you want to test out its features, you can already do so by installing Firefox Nightly. Besides a redesigned architecture, Firefox 57 will also include performance enhancements known as Quantum Flow and something called Stylo, which allows for faster website formatting. Additionally, there's a redesigned user interface called Photon which differentiates itself from the previous one through the addition of a "Page actions" menu and the lack of rounded corners for tabs. Lastly, Firefox Quantum will also include a screenshot capturing tool, which automatically generates URLs for easier image sharing.

Of course, the Firefox Quantum projects isn't the only thing that Mozilla is focusing on. As you probably know, just last month the company has added WebVR support to Firefox, which was a huge step forward if you take into account the current tendencies of the virtual world.
Mozilla's upcoming Firefox Quantum to be faster than Chrome Mozilla's upcoming Firefox Quantum to be faster than Chrome Reviewed by Wanem Club on October 11, 2017 Rating: 5
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