Atlantean Forge

How to deal with manny villar's advertisements

2010-03-18T10:03:00.001+08:00

Why Are There Three Wires in Electrical Power Lines?

2010-03-08T02:26:00.000+08:00

Have you ever wondered why power transmission lines sometimes have three cables or a set of three?

The law of electricity states that for electricity to flow through a conductor, the conducting material must provide a closed path for the current to flow. A closed path can be created with only two wires. Look at the
plug of your computer or the plug of your TV. There are two metallic conductors.

Sometimes there is a third for ground.

Is it the Ground Wire?
No, it's not the ground wire. There is a fourth separate wire for the ground. Usually it is thinner and distant from the set of three. The fourth ground wire is also used to prevent lightning from striking the main power cables.

read more>>

How to Remove the RVHOST.EXE Virus

2010-03-08T02:22:00.002+08:00

The RVHOST.EXE is a worm and a possible security risk. Although there is no reported threat about the RVHOST.EXE virus, it is recommended that it be removed from your system.

RVHOST.EXE is observed to show the following behavior:

Disables task manager (taskmgr) or auto-closes the window
Auto-closes the Microsoft configuration (msconfig) folder
Adds registry entries
Adds itself in the windows start-up list (automatically starts when windows starts
Infects External Storages by creating autorun.inf files
Adds a process with image name RVHOST.EXE
Disables Registry editing

how to fix a dead computer

2010-02-22T03:24:00.001+08:00

There are many reasons why a computer won't power-on. A dead computer may seem to be dead when the power cords are loose. Check the cords first before proceeding.

Now that your computer is certified dead. Here are some of the reasons why it is dead:
1. damaged Power supply Unit(PSU)
2. loose cables(inside the case)
3. damaged processor

In any case, unless your ribbon cables are loose, a dead computer will need new hardware. read this article for a more elaborate fix.

Geomagnetic Storms

2010-02-08T02:08:00.001+08:00

Here is an article about geomagnetic storms. It also includes how the geomagnetic storms affect electronics. here is the link

How Do to remove the wingn.exe virus

2010-02-08T02:05:00.001+08:00

Here's an article on how to manually remove the wingn.exe virus. click here for the article

Sad Love quotes

2010-01-30T09:20:00.001+08:00

looking for sad love quotes? here is a site with a lot of bitter and sad quotes about love. The Sahara Project

The longer you look at it the funnier it gets

2010-01-05T09:41:00.003+08:00

Sorry Bill, I'd rather kiss my new Boss!

How to diagnose a dead computer

2010-01-02T22:28:00.001+08:00

When a computer is dead or it won't power on, there may be a number of reasons. In this article I will discuss how to identify the problem if your computer won't turn on.

Power Cables

Make sure that your computer is properly plugged in the appropriate power outlet. A computer may look dead if the power cables are loose or the outlet itself is loose. Check your connections then try switching the computer on
again.

Then try to make sure that your computer is plugged to the appropriate power rating. If your computer is rated 220 volts, plug it in a 220 outlet. If it is 110 volts put it in a 110. Plugging it in a wrong rating will cause damage and add even more problems

Also check the wires if they are not damaged. Sometimes they suddenly get damaged. One cause is rats. They tend to chomp on anything. Or if they are moved often, the wires tend to be grounded. This is more common on thinner wires.

**-Read more-**

Happy new Year!

2010-01-02T22:14:00.004+08:00

Have A great

2010!!

What Google Says about other Countries

2010-01-02T13:33:00.001+08:00

This is what google says about other countries

How to Tell If Your Charger Needs to Be Replaced

2009-12-29T20:27:00.001+08:00

Every once in a while electronic devices suddenly ceases to function properly. Most likely,

a component is fried, or in other terms dead, when this happens. But sometimes there are damages that do not involve damaged electronic components. These damages usually involve de-soldered components or wires.

This kind of damage is completely repairable. It does not require you to buy anything to replace parts. However you will need a soldering pen, a desoldering pump(sometimes), and some lead. A voltmeter will also make the job easier. Of course, you can just borrow these equipment.

So how do you find out if a damaged charger requires a new electronic component or just some rewiring and re-soldering?

First thing you should know is that if your charger blew up (something popped), released some smoke, sparked (then stopped working). An electronic component was probably short circuited and is now dead. You then need to replace your charger.

Unless of course if you can find the damaged component and get a replacement, you can have it fixed. But this is very difficult and is not worth you time and efforts. It would be easier and cheaper to get a new one.

If not then you should begin with checking all connections. Make sure that your charger is properly plugged to the right outlet. After doing so try to move the ends of the wire. If your cellular phone suddenly starts charging, you've got a wiring problem.

If nothing happens, you can opt to disassemble your charger and check the input and output terminals for any signal using a volt meter. A signal is any electric response - voltage or current. You can also use a diode to check the output. If you don't get any voltage on the output end, a component is damaged. If there is nothing on the input end (the part of the circuit where wires from the plug go to), you have a wiring problem.

When you are fixing electronic devices, be sure to use extreme caution and care. You might damage something else and it would make fixing whatever you are fixing a lot harder. Also, be sure to use the right equipment and know how to use or operate them.

Note that you should also check if it is your cellular phone that is damaged. If you had tried multiple chargers on it and it still won't charge, there is an IC in your cellular phone that is damaged.

StarCraft II Fact Sheet

2009-12-03T12:40:00.003+08:00

StarCraft II continues the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races will clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the legendary original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and brand-new unit types will do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival.
Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II will present a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard will again offer unparalleled online play through Battle.net, the company’s world-renowned gaming service, with several enhancements and new features to make StarCraft II the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game.
Features:
 Fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the magic of the original game
 Three completely distinct races: Protoss, Terran, and Zerg
 New units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race
 Groundbreaking single-player campaign offers replayability by giving players choices in mission path and technology
 Vibrant new 3D-graphics engine with support for dazzling visual effects and massive army sizes
 Full multiplayer support, with new competitive features and matchmaking utilities available through Battle.net
 Full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience

Discussion about Firefox using up too much resources

2009-11-26T23:00:00.002+08:00

Here is a link to a forum discussion which I think people who are experiencing problems with firefox eating up and hogging computer resources would be interested in

Firefox using up too much resources discussion

When to Replace or When not to replace your cellular phone Charger

2009-11-21T18:10:00.002+08:00

Every once in a while electronic devices suddenly ceases to function properly. Most likely, a component is fried, or in other terms dead, when this happens. But sometimes there are damages that do not involve damaged electronic components. These damages usually involve de-soldered components or wires.

This kind of damage is completely repairable. It does not require you to buy anything to replace parts. However you will need a soldering pen, a desoldering pump(sometimes), and some lead. A voltmeter will also make the job easier. Of course, you can just borrow these equipment.

So how do you find out if a damaged charger requires a new electronic component or just some rewiring and re-soldering?

First thing you should know is that if your charger blew up (something popped), released some smoke, sparked (then stopped working). An electronic component was probably short circuited and is now dead. You then need to replace your charger.

Unless of course if you can find the damaged component and get a replacement, you can have it fixed. But this is very difficult and is not worth you time and efforts. It would be easier and cheaper to get a new one.

If not then you should begin with checking all connections. Make sure that your charger is properly plugged to the right outlet. After doing so try to move the ends of the wire. If your cellular phone suddenly starts charging, you’ve got a wiring problem.

If nothing happens, you can opt to disassemble your charger and check the input and output terminals for any signal using a volt meter. A signal is any electric response – voltage or current. You can also use a diode to check the output. If you don’t get any voltage on the output end, a component is damaged. If there is nothing on the input end (the part of the circuit where wires from the plug go to), you have a wiring problem.

When you are fixing electronic devices, be sure to use extreme caution and care. You might damage something else and it would make fixing whatever you are fixing a lot harder. Also, be sure to use the right equipment and know how to use or operate them.

Note that you should also check if it is your cellular phone that is damaged. If you had tried multiple chargers on it and it still won’t charge, there is an IC in your cellular phone that is damaged.

Best Free Web Hosting Service!

2009-11-16T15:22:00.001+08:00

If you wish to have a professional shared hosting quality in a free hosting package, come and host with 000webhost.com and experience the best service you can get absolutely free.

Founded in December 2006, 000webhost.com has a trusted free hosting members base of over 60,000 members and still counting! Offering professional quality hosting, support, uptime and reliability, we have a great community of webmasters, you'd love to be a part of!

Register now and get it all free:
*** 1500 MB of disk space
*** 100 GB of data transfer
*** PHP and MySQL support with no restrictions
*** cPanel control panel
*** Website Builder
*** Absolutely no advertising!

Join us now: http://www.000webhost.com/225375.html

Plants vs zombies secret codes

2009-11-14T20:51:00.003+08:00

Enter these codes with your keyboard during gameplay for the desired effect:

* future - Futuristic sunglasses for zombies
* mustache - Zombies with stylish womb brooms
* pinata - A shower of candy when a zombie dies
* trickedout - Alternate Lawn Mower appearance
* sukhbir - Toggles the zombie's call for brains-sound
* daisies - Zombies leave small daisies behind when killed

Best.exe virus removal

2009-11-07T15:50:00.003+08:00

Here is a simple way to remove the Best.exe virus:

The Best.exe is a computer virus that is classified as a worm. A worm is a program that is a type of a virus that can spread through computers using shared files, networks and removable storages.

The Best.exe virus hides in the FILES/REMOVED/ folder in all root directories of hard drives and removable disks. It does not place a file in the system32 directory. This means that it attaches itself to an already running system process. It is also known to disable registry editing and the task manager.

To remove this virus, if the virus is not running the virus, from any hard drive, run command prompt. Do this by clicking START, then RUN, then type “cmd.” Then ENTER. Go to the root directory of the drive you want to clean up by using the “x:” command, where x is any drive letter. To go to the root directory, type in “cd /.” Then hit ENTER.

Once you are on the desired drive letter simply type the following command in command prompt:

Rmdir /s /q files

This will remove the directory and everything in it. Do not do this if you have a non-virus-related “files” folder in the root directory. It may not be the virus. Make sure you know that the folder you will be removing is the virus. Refer to the description ablove. You may also want to remove autoruns by doing the following command:

Attrib –s –h –r autorun.inf
Del autorun.inf

If the virus has already run in your computer or it is running, boot up in safe mode. To boot up in safe mode, press and hold F5 after the POST.

When you are already in safe mode the virus will not be running anymore. The commands written above can now be done. After doing so, clean up your start up objects in msconfig and your registry.

To clean the registry, run regedit and press CTRL+F then input best.exe. Then hit enter. Keep finding until all traces of best.exe is removed. If done correctly in the registry, msconfig need not to be modified.

That’s it! Your computer is clear from best.exe.

How dangerous is octopus wiring?

2009-11-07T15:18:00.003+08:00

Ever since faulty-electrical-wiring-related-fires began, electricians have advised us not to practice octopus wiring. Octopus wiring is pacing a lot of extensions to a wall socket. This is dangerous because if the total current that passes through the wires exceeds the indicated rating, it could create too much heat and start a fire (The maximum current rating is usually at 10 Amperes for household units).

Octopus wiring is not dangerous if the total current that passes through the wires is less than the indicated maximum rating. If all plugs are securely placed into sockets – meaning they are not loose, and if the total load that is placed into the wall socket is small, then there is no problem.

To find out the approximate current that a appliance will draw from an outlet, find its power rating. It is usually placed at the back of each appliance. Once you got the power rating, divide it by the voltage that is supplied by your wall outlets.

This is the maximum current that will be drawn by the appliance. To compute for the total current, just add all the maximum current values that you have acquired. If it is less than the maximum current rating of your wires – again, it’s usually 10A, then the wires won’t probably cause a fire.

Why did I use the word “probably?” because electrical spikes can surge current in your system. If at the time of the surge you exceeded 10 Amperes, then you have a problem. That is why you have to keep it way below 10 Amperes. At around 80% of the maximum current rating, you are safe.

Note that a pair of electrical outlets – those that are at the same place should be considered as one in computation. That is because they use the same wire.

This is the reason why the iron and the refrigerator or the computer is never plugged on the same outlet. It could cause an overload.

This computation can also be applied in determining the total load that your electrical system can sustain. You will need to compare the computed currents with the rating of your fuse.

How to Speed Up Your Computer in Five Easy Ways

2009-11-03T09:36:00.003+08:00

If your computer is becoming slower than usual, there are a couple of things you can do to speed it up. There are some reasons why a computer may start to become sluggish. One of them is having a low disk space.

Free Up Disk Space

Your computer uses a part of your hard drive as virtual memory. It is used to compensate for your RAM if it is insufficient. It is also used to store information of idle programs.

Graphics programs like adobe photoshop and GIMP use the hard drive as storage for some of the information of the currently active image file. Other programs may also use the hard drive as swap memory.

If you have an almost full drive, you may want to free up to 2 Gigabytes of space. This would be more than enough for most programs to function properly. Having a full drive will reduce the amount of virtual memory that can be allocated for your programs. Hence, it will slow down your computer because programs would then be unloaded instead of just being placed in virtual memory.

Defragment Your Drive

The other thing that will impede the efficiency of your hard drive is file fragmentation. Files are not placed the way we see them in our computer. Sometimes they are chopped up and placed on different parts of the drive. This allows files to be continuously written, erased and written without having to move other files.

Having a fragmented drive will significantly slow down the access time of your drive. It would be like reading in a library where the books are chopped up and scattered around the shelves - very inefficient.

To defragment your drive, right click the drive you want to defragment. Then select the tools tab and click defragment. Follow through the instructions.

Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

Other than it frees up disk space, uninstalling unnecessary programs also speeds up the loading time of your operating system because when a computer starts up, some programs are loaded. And if these programs, like limewire, use up too much computer resources and you don't really use them, consider uninstalling them.

Some programs may also be running in the background and use up resources. So if they are unnecessary, like cc cleaner and tune up utilities - they are useful applications but they are not really worth keeping in the background, they are just wasting your computer resources.

Disable Unneeded Startup Objects and Services

They are similar to programs running in the background and automatically loaded applications like antivirus software. Run msconfig to view them. I cannot tell you what to disable as it differs from computer to computer.

Try looking in the startup objects tab. Look for something you can do without. As for services, you might want to consult google or msdn before trying to disable something.

Clean Up the registry

I don't really see a significant increase in speed after a registry clean-up but it's good to have a clean registry - much like having a clean room. It doesn't really speed you up but it is good to have one.

Get a registry cleaning program like tune up utilities. This is one of its good uses. Get the trial version. You'll only need to run it once.

Optimize Display

If you are using windows vista theme on a 1.0GHz intel Celeron you are definitely wasting your time. Use windows classic. It has less visual effects and will suit your computer more.

The more visual effects your theme has the slower your computer will be.

If your computer is still slow after you have done all these and you still want speed, what you'll need to do is to upgrade. We are in an advancing industry you need to keep up to stay up. Most programs written today are for computers that are about three years of tech age. So if you're still running a pentium2, you are like a guy from the stone age.

Resizing Images without Losing too much quality

2009-10-27T11:01:00.004+08:00

Sometimes, designers need a certain image in a larger format. This becomes a problem when the source file has a smaller resolution than the desired size. Or if the original image - which is large, is lost.

Sure, you can always resize the image. But not all programs are capable of doing that without losing too much image quality.

The amount of information in an image is limited. It is even more limited by it's format and how much it was compressed. This becomes a problem when you want it to resize to about 500% of the original.

Try it in photoshop. You'll see what I mean. The image will get a lot of artifacts and pixelation.

All hope is not lost! There are programs that specialize in resizing images and maintain most, if not all, of their quality.

One of such programs is Genuine Fractals. It uses fractal algorithm to "guess" the missing information in your image to resize it to a larger image. But it's not free.

If you are looking for a free resizer, you might want to try Reshade. So far, it's the best free resizer I have used.

NOTE: Always save your images in the highest resolution possible to avoid losing image quality. You'll never know when you'll need a larger resolution.

Shooting for stock photography

2009-10-27T07:30:00.003+08:00

A great way to earn money and learn a lot in the internet is participating in stock photography. Stock photography has been around for a while. And there are a lot of great stock sites that sell photographs for a reasonable price.

Just how and what should you shoot to be able to participate in stock photography?

Photographers say you should have a concept. But the very first thing you should do is to know your equipment. I literally spent ten times more time trying to know how my camera works than thinking of something to shoot.

Stock photography is a very demanding industry. It’s as close as you’ll get to professional photography. It requires you to be able to produce images of the highest quality. That is because this industry is very competitive.

Try shooting the same subject with different settings. You should know how your camera reacts with different kinds of light. You should also know how it responds to different levels of illumination. Note the differences you see and keep them in mind.

Next you need a concept. Your images should present an idea, a thought or an expression. Consider a photograph of a man typing on a computer. What is he doing? Why is he typing? Is he working? Is he Blogging? Or just playing?

Designers buy stock images because of the concept they present – not because they look good. Stock photos are used in web sites, brochures, magazines, publications, advertisements, and almost anything that has a print.

So you need to have an image that has a concept that satisfies the needs of the would-be buyers of your pictures.

Then, you need a lot of light. Stock photos require that images have the right level of illumination and contrast. They need to be clear. If you can’t afford a big set-up, you can always use desk lamps or even the sun.

You’ll also need a computer and two kinds of programs: noise reduction tool and a photo editing application. Most stock photographs go through a noise reduction process. They also get a little tweaking in color, contrast and brightness.

Stock photographs need to be as close to perfect as possible. It’s like what they say in the computer graphics industry: “it does not matter how you do it as long as you get the job done.” Don’t think that editing a photo in your pc is cheating. That only goes for journalism.

The next is pretty simple. You need a stock agency to upload your images to. Or you can showcase your work in your own site. Uploading in stock agencies is better. That is because you can find out where and how to improve. Use their powerful community to find out your weakness and strengths as a photographer.

Then when you have all this, what you need to do next is to be consistent and improve and improve and improve. You need to keep up with the ever demanding industries. If you don’t, you’ll get left behind.

How to Fix an Infected Flash Disk Without an Anti-Virus Software

2009-10-26T20:57:00.002+08:00

The most common method people do to an infected flash disk to disinfect it is to reformat the drive. It may be due to the virus being undetectable. Or it may be because their anti-virus software is not updated.

But this is not necessary. It is never necessary for a removable storage. Viruses attach itself to a flash disk much less complicated than how you think.

The method that will be presented here will not use any of the reformatting technique. It will use simple commands that are available in Window's command prompt.

Here is the procedure:

1. Open up command prompt by pressing start then run. Then type "cmd" then ENTER.
2. Go to the drive letter of your flash disk. Type "f:" if it is in F, "g:" if it is in G, and so on.
3. Type "attrib" or "attrib >>log.txt" if there are a lot of files that it cannot be viewed entirely in the command prompt window.
4. If you chose the latter, type "log.txt."
5. Look for files that have the attribute "SHR."
6. If it is an autorun.inf file type "type autorun.inf." This will give a clue as to where and what the virus is.
7. Proceed to delete the file by going to the directory of the file using the "cd [directory]" command. Once you are there use the "attrib -s -h -r" command. Then use the "del [filename] " command.
8. Delete the autorun.inf file and other files with "SHR" attributes.
9. Find any other hidden files by using "attrib /s /d >> log.txt" command.
10. Type "log.txt"
11. Look for and delete all files and directories with an "SHR" attribute.

NOTE: There is a case where a virus will put an "SHR" attribute on all directories in the root folder of your flash disk. Then it will replace them with an executable file with the format [directory].exe - adds the .exe to the name of your directory. To cure this do the following:

1. Delete the autorun.inf file using the procedure mentioned above.
2. Remove all executables you know that is not a virus from the root directory. Copy it somewhere using the "copy [location] [destination]" command.
3. Then after you have done this and you are sure that there is no executable file of value in that directory type this command: "del *.exe"
4. Remove any unwanted folders created by the virus.

NOTE: If the files you have just deleted keep on coming back - like the undead, your computer is definitely infected. And the virus is currently running.

What you just did is pretty self explanatory. Here are the descriptions of the commands you just used:

"Attrib" - lists all the files in the directory and its attributes.

"Attrib /s /d >>log.txt" - lists in a file named "log.txt" all the files in the directory and subdirectory and its attributes.

"del" - deletes a file or directory.

"cd [directory]" - changes the directory to the specified directory.

"copy [location] [destination]" - copies a specified file to a specified location.

Type "help" in command prompt for more information.

How does a clogged drive slow down a computer?

2009-10-26T20:10:00.003+08:00

Each year, the computer industry improves the capacity of hard drives. But with each year, as technology becomes more demanding, file size increase and the number of files needed to run a program increase. The industry gets demanding too. The amount of programs needed to work, especially in graphics, also increase.

The result is a clogged drive. Sure you can always upgrade. Or even buy a new one. But people with a limited budget cannot always do that.

What most people with a small budget (this also goes for home computers) do is burn some files into a DVD or CD. Then they erase the copy on the hard drive. This ultimately solves the low disk space problem.

However, doing this too often without maintenance creates another problem – drive fragmentation.

Files in a hard drive are stored in tracks, sectors and cylinders. They are like books in a book shelf. But how the files are arranged is a lot more complicated. They are not arranged the way you see them in your computer. They are placed in a drive more differently.

Using the book shelf analogy, consider a blank drive to be an empty library. When you first place in books the library would be in complete and absolute order. This is when you first install your operating system. Adding more books and finding them is very easy. It takes little time to find what you need.

The problem begins when people starts using your library. Books get misplaced. The order is disturbed. The same goes for files in a hard drive.

When a drive is nearly full (meaning less than 15% of free space), files are placed here and there. The files that are used together are placed away from each other. This makes it harder for your computer to load a program. Hence, there is a longer reading time.

Or the worse can happen, when you place a large file in a drive and there isn’t any chunk of free space it could completely fit into, your computer “cuts” or more accurately termed fragments the file.

Do this a couple of hundred or more times without erasing something then you get a fragmented drive.

Reading a fragmented file is like reading a book in a library where each chapter is scattered throughout the library shelves. It takes a lot more time to get the entire book than if it was not fragmented. This is what your computer experiences when it is fragmented.

To fix this problem, defragment your hard drive. This does not only speed up the access time of your drive, it also frees up some space. The extra space consumed is used by the extra information placed in each fragment that identifies the location of the next fragment.

Defragment occasionally to prevent this from happening. Also scan for errors after each defragmenting session.

Prevent FireFox from Using up too much System Resources

2009-10-23T09:23:00.018+08:00

Firefox is known to be the fastest web browser on the planet. But like all things, even the best has its disadvantages.

Firefox is notoriously known to eat up a lot of system resources. It uses up RAM that prevents other open applications from running efficiently. This usually when you have multiple tabs open. And in the hopes of multitasking, you just slow everything down.

Of course, the degree will be different from computer to computer. Their specs vary which determine how much data can be dumped by Firefox into the System Memory. The larger your RAM, the longer it takes before you start feeling the problem. And again, you will eventually feel the problem.
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Computer time Freezer

2009-10-22T23:51:00.003+08:00

A super simple batch script that will freeze your computer time to a specified time.
Code Begin:

@echo off
:mark
time xx:xx:xx.xx
goto mark

As usual it is military time with xx:xx:xx.xx as the time. Save as *.bat.

It does not freeze the date. CMOS has it's own clock and it cannot be messed up with in a batch script.

As for the purpose of the script, I dunno. PVZ? Try removing the goto command and time xx:xx:xx with date mm-dd-yy. Then register the script under the run key in HKLM registry so you could freeze your friend's computer time. If he

Computer Time Speeder Code

2009-10-22T09:59:00.004+08:00

This is a batch script that will speed up your computer time. The rate of increase depends on how fast your command prompt processes a batch script.

The code makes your computer time start at 00:00:00.00 military time. That's 12 AM. Then it makes it step at one second per cycle. Replace the initial variables with the time you want, if you want. This is an iteration script and it will not likely cause any processor time use-ups.

Here is the code:

@echo on
set /a seconds = 0
set /a minutes = 0
set /a hours = 0
:mark
time %hours%:%minutes%:%seconds%
set /a seconds = %seconds% + 1
if %seconds% GEQ 60 (
set /a seconds = 0
set /a minutes = %minutes% + 1
)
if %minutes% GEQ 60 (
set /a minutes = 0
set /a hours = %hours% + 1
)
if %hours% GEQ 24 set /a hours = 0

goto mark

Save this as a *.bat file.

Note that this does not change the date. It simply sends the time back to 12AM when it reaches past 11:59:59 PM

I still do not know what it's for but it's nice to have one coded.

Plants vs. Zombies cheat

2009-10-20T12:26:00.006+08:00

Gamers always wanted to hack the games they were playing after they are through with it. After playing Plants versus Zombies for some time, I found out that some game functions utilize the system time. This includes the duration of the effects of chocolates, phonograph, and bug spray.

I thought of a quick way to freeze the time so that chocolates would have an infinite duration. This will use batch commands or batch scripting.

Type the following code in notepad:

@echo on
:mark
time hh:mm:ss
goto mark

Then save it as anyfilenameyouwant.bat

>>READ MORE HERE

Gears

2009-10-19T04:35:00.004+08:00

Bronze gears. Download full resolution at www.dreamstime.com

Created with lightwave 9.6. Surface of the gears are monotonous. Conductor material was used with maximum roughness. Backdrop was pure black. Full resolution size: 5MP.

Why is your computer slowing down?

2009-10-17T20:26:00.001+08:00

People sometimes wonder why their computers slow down. Computers are made to be fast but sometimes mistakes in its use are made which causes it to slow down. Too often they think it is caused by a virus or a malicious code running in their computer or the hard disk, nearing its maximum capacity, being clogged up with files. Sometimes they are right.

Here is a list of possible reasons why your computer is slowing down with some quick and easy ways to solve them. I won’t go into computer specs being the main reason for slowing down.

Malicious Code. Usually a computer in good condition will be as fast as the time you bought it but when it slows down unexpectedly, you might want to try to check if you have a virus. Viruses consume processor time and computer resources and hence, slow down the performance of your pc. Try getting an antivirus and update it then perform a computer scan. You can also check in msconfig if you have a viruses but this is only recommended for advance users. I won’t explain how since if you know about msconfig, you probably know what it’s for and how it works.

Low Disk Space and File Fragmentation. This two usually go along with each other. When your disk space is low, chances are your drive is fragmented. These two slow a computer by increasing the access time of a hard drive. So, applications take longer time to load and if your have a small RAM and your computer depend too much on virtual memory, this is really a problem. Try clearing up space and defragmenting. Also check for drive errors.

Minimum Requirements Barely Met. If you have a computer that only meets the minimum requirements of a specific application expect it to slow down when you run the application. Minimum requirement is minimum required computer specifications for the program to run on your system. Try getting an earlier version which definitely have lower requirements or try upgrading your PC.

Demanding Anti-virus or Anti-malware. If you installed a 2009 anti-virus or anti-malware or anti-spyware program in a 2GHz 256Mb RAM computer, expect serious slow downs. These programs are designed for computers made two years before its release not for antiques. If you can’t upgrade your computer, look for earlier versions of the software.

Too Many Installed Programs. Too many installed programs mean too many registry entries. Meaning longer registry access and longer response times for programs involving the use of the computer registry. How many is too many? It depends on your computer specifications and the nature of your program. Even if the program is already uninstalled it may still contribute to the size of your registry because not all registry values are deleted upon uninstall. Again, if you can’t upgrade try cleaning up. You can also clean up your registry by using registry cleaning programs.

Too Many Startup Objects. Start-up objects are programs automatically run by the computer. To find out how many are run by your computer, press CTRL+ALT+DEL to open task manager. Click the process tab and there you go. All the processes are startup objects and modules. When you install programs sometimes they automate themselves to run at start-up. Greatest offender is LimeWire. I really had to place that since it uses too much computer resources. Having a lot of programs running in the background uses up a lot of processor time and RAM. Once again, if you can’t upgrade your computer you can either uninstall or modify msconfig.

Bad Computer Configuration. Some computers are bought to be network computers, some for gaming, some are for office work, etc. These jobs require your computer to have specific configurations so that these types of work can be done efficiently. However all for each type of job cannot be met. To understand more, download a computer management program like Tune Up Utilities and use their program. You can get a free trial version on the web. There is really no need to buy. Once you are happy with your settings, you can uninstall it to save computer resources.

The ones listed above are just some of the simple ways to speed up your computer. However, the most effective way to increase performance is to upgrade your computer.

Fit and Right, Right?

2009-10-17T17:52:00.004+08:00

Del Monte's new product called "Fit and Right" among with other fitness goodies claims to make someone who eats or drinks them lose weight. As seen on the packaging, it says you can loose weight in six weeks but with a proper diet and a regular exercise. Here is another example of the falacies of advertisements where companies prey on those who are not very familiar with a specific area of anything.

Every health fan knows that proper diet and regular exercise is the formula to losing weight. You don't need a drink that claims to have L-carnitine.

Perhaps you should keep this in mind when buying this product with the intent of losing weight.

How to Destroy a Perfectly Good Computer Installed With Deep Freeze

2009-10-10T18:25:00.003+08:00

How to destroy a perfectly good computer installed with deep freeze

Introduction:
So you have been to a computer shop where you are asked to pay about half a buck or more for every hour of using their computers and internet. You sit down thinking you would get your money’s worth. You ran your favorite browser when things started to slow down and slow down and slow down until your computer hangs. You ask the shop keeper what’s wrong then they just send you to another slow computer.

It’s definitely not the computer units. It’s their internet connection. So why do they bother putting up a lot of units in their shop even if when all of them access the net, the entire network slows down? Are they too cheap to upgrade the connection?

Anyway, it’s not your problem. You pay right but you don’t get served with the proper service.

So it’s payback time.

The Problem:
Most computer shops utilize the very popular deep freeze. Deep freeze “freezes” the hard drives so that any changes done in it will be reverted. Hence, all of your payload will be useless.

Also, an added layer of defense is done by some shops. It involves limiting the user’s access to certain parts of the computer including restricting the programs that can be run. This defense is very hard to bypass but almost all shops I know that uses this kind of protection gives a very good internet connection – even if all of their units are used. So, there is no problem with this kind. Our main concern now is taking care of those cheapo shops.

The Solution:
Before we send the nukes, we take out the SAMs.

To disable deep freeze you need to first, revert the time at least two years back (when it was not yet programmed). Then you need to end the process with an image name of DFServEx.exe.

To do these you should access the date and time setting of your computer. It can be found in the control panel or just double click the clock display on your taskbar. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to access task manager. Go to the process tab then find DFServEx.exe. End task it.

Now that the Deep Freeze process is down, you can now concentrate on planting your nuke. You could get creative any way you want: damage the drivers, remove important program folders ESPECIALLY the Deep Freeze folder, place in a virus, or maybe a Trojan, erase all documents including backups, and my favorite: mess up the operating system.

Before leaving, make sure the computer shuts down or restarts so that your payload takes full effect. You can press the power switch or just restart it from the task bar but I prefer to task kill svccvhost.exe. Type “taskkill /IM svchost.exe –f” When you do this the computer will restart in 60 seconds. It would be nice to format other drives while it does this. Have fun and don’t mess with high tech shops.

Fast Light Box Tutorial

2009-10-05T02:38:00.005+08:00

If you want to get that evenly distributed diffused lighting and cannot afford a light tent or soft box, or you just want something cheap, then you need to make a light box. This is the simplest and fastest way to make a very efficient light box. This apparatus will help you in your isolated photography to make a very beautiful white background. Note that this is very small and uses little resources. This is unlike the big hard heavy ones that costs alot. This is more suited for amateur work.

You will need the following:

one box (the size depends on how big you want your light box to be)
two lamps (at least two: very bright)
some bond paper
cutter
tape

First, take your box and remove the upper covering. Then, create a huge hole on either side of the box. These openings will be covered with bond paper and will be the entry point of light from your lamps. The bond paper will diffuse the light to prevent "hard" light from appearing on your photographs. After making those holes, create an even larger one - this will be your window. It will be where your camera will "see through" to take shots of your subjects. Overall, you should have three big holes. After that, cover the top and side holes with bond paper. Then cover the interior with bond paper evenly so that post processing your images to remove the slits resulting from the presence of the bond paper or the edges of the box. Or you could just use a larger type of paper or the opposite side of a gift wrapper. Use your tape to secure the parts.

This is the simplest light box. You could of course create a bigger better one but it will take more time, energy and resources and money. Take this solution as a "band aid." The bigger your setup is, the better.

From Starcraft to Starcraft2

2009-09-15T01:30:00.001+08:00

It was 1998 when Blizzard Entertainment released one of the most popular Real Time Strategy game or RTS which was Starcraft. Eleven years have passed and still, some players continue to play and get addicted to this simple yet challenging game.

It features three unique races that have its won set of units that have their own statistics, abilities and skills. The game can either be played as a campaign, single player custom game or multiplayer custom game.

The campaign mode is relatively challenging (if you are new to the game). It covers the story of the Terran dominion, the Protoss Empire and the Zerg swarm. Throughout the campaign storyline, these three races continuously fight for the colonization of the universe. The story revolves around these characters: James Raynor -a renegade confederate marshal. Sarah Kerrigan - a confederate ghost abandoned and was infested by the zerg then turned to a powerful being and made queen to the zerg swarm, Artanis - a protoss templar dedicated to the protection of his home planet and race. Tassadar - Sacrificed himself to kill the overmind. Arcturus Mengsk - A Terran dominion emperor who is against the protoss and the zerg.

The game-play of StarCraft is simple and easy to learn and understand. You control your own army and create bases near resources. The game utilizes the mouse to control units and the keyboard, for shortcuts like most RTS games today. It only takes a little while to get a hang of the game and if you are a gamer, you'll quickly understand its interface.

The objective in standard custom games is to eliminate all your opponents' buildings. You can attain this goal by many ways but the most important concept in skirmish games is to build your base, expand your base, create a solid defense and make a massive army of units that work along with each other.

The graphics of the game, if compared to today's modern games, resembles more like a cartoon than a three dimensional game. It is a two dimensional game however the method used to create the graphics is through three dimensional objects. The game is 2-dimensional since the graphics data files are composed of pre-rendered 2d stills. But even with its low technology engine (it doesn't even use directX); it is one of the best games ever made. It is simple and fun. It is unlike other games that tend to be complex.

However, it looses its appeal if you have played it far too many times. When you reach this point and if you just love the game, you'll try out something new. First, you will start making your own maps. When that gets too boring, you'll then explore more Starcraft's campaign editor then you'll start making your own scripts. After a while, you already have your own scenario. Still bored? Make your own campaign with its own story and multiple episodes. And if all that is not yet enough, modify the game.

Most games sold in the market, not those free-wares, attach a "no-reverse-engineering" agreement in the End User License agreement but as for Starcraft, Blizzard even helped gamers who modify their games to modify it. There are a lot of modified versions of Starcraft around the net. Two of the most popular of them are Starcraft: Gundam and Starcraft: Fallen Angel. Most people stop here. They either get bored or fully satisfied but for some gamers they even push further by modifying Starcraft themselves. You can create and apply your own graphics, sounds, movies, backgrounds, map tiles, unit speech and even the standard unit statistics. Modification tools and tutorials are available at starcraft.org and campaigncreations.org including some cool maps, modifications, and campaigns. But let's not forget the official page of Starcraft which is www.starcraft.com.

Overall, the game is a must play. Whether you are a hardcore gamer or just the occasional play-to-relax person, if you haven't played this game, you are missing a part of the world.

Today, Blizzard Entertainment is about to finish the most awaited game by gamers and Starcraft fans. The much awaited sequel to the once very popular game has its beta opt-in program on-going. Last year, rumors were already around about the release date of starcraft2. The most frequently heard was October 2008. As October swiftly flew, there was no clue form Blizzard as to when the real release date was. Most gamers got disappointed. Yes it was wrong to believe in rumors but everyone is excited. Now, October is coming up again and many are hoping for the October 2008 rumor to become the October 2009 announced release date.

Starcraft2 takes all of Blizzard's game style, graphics and core engine one step higher: From its unit graphics to the realistic debris-gravity effects. The game engine was overhauled and many more features are announced to come. There will be more units, skills and a lot of mix-and-matching for players to create their own unique playing style.

Even the cinematic movies are greatly improved. Starcraft2's trailer, according to an Insider interview with Nick Carpenter, boasts of a five million polygon count - a very high number for a video game production. The cinematic trailers are even better than Starcraft's in-game cinematics. The 3d models are more detailed and are more realistic.

As for the game-play, not much can be said since Blizzard's development team is constantly modifying many aspects of the game to achieve proper balance between the three races which are: The Terrans, The Protoss and The Zerg. However, sneak peeks are placed online for fans to see. From these, we can really expect a lot from Starcraft2.

A lot of players are already waiting on Blizzard's main page for the official announcement. The time is drawing near so better save up for a faster box '" if you haven't got one yet, and for one of Blizzard's best games yet to be one of the first people outside Blizzard to ever play the game.

Five Rock Bands For the Depressed

2009-08-24T01:20:00.001+08:00

Have you ever felt like screaming or shouting out loud when feeling lonely, sad or depressed? Or do you just want to listen to some soothing music that might make you feel better and happier? Or do you just want an output for all your sorrows?

Here are a list of bands that are a must-listen-to when depressed, sad, lonely or when you are just not feeling well. Most bands follow a specific genre and style so most of their music should accomplish similar mood effects. The following are not arranged in any order.

Linkin Park. Ever tried shouting your sadness out? Scream out with Linkin Park as you listen to their old albums: Meteora, Hybrid theory, and Reanimation. Or if you feel more like listening to softer music that are lonely, you will want to listen to Minutes to Midnight. Linkin Park has evolved from hard rock and hip hop to a mix of alternative and rock. Every release of their album, the band tries out something new to take their musicality up a higher level. But each song has its similarities: they are songs that are taken from emotions deep inside the heart and then spilled out in the form of music. So if you want to just spill everything out, listen to this band.

Disturbed. If exerting your anger makes you feel better, then Disturbed is the band you should listen to. The loud guitars and rhythmic drums will definitely drive you into forcing your feelings out. Disturbed is a metal rock band that is very good at music that can make the listener feel how the song "feels." Shout, Hell, Inside the fire, Down with the sickness, Stricken, and Indestructible are just some of the band's songs that take out that very lonely feeling and replace it with adrenaline rush.

The Used. Emotional bands are now very popular. So if making yourself listen to lonely, sad and gloomy songs makes you feel better then crank up your radio's volume then prepare yourself for a barrage of emo-core songs from The Used. This emo band specializes, of course, in emotional
songs. The Used is the band for the broken hearted. If that loneliness, sadness and depression is caused by someone you love, then listen to The Used's All that I've got, Let it Bleed and the Taste of Ink. The Used even has scream-o songs that are definitely going to drive your loneliness away. "If you feel like dying, you might want to sing."

Switchfoot. If you are the person who would rather listen to songs that have this feel-good mood then listening to this Christian Rock band will help you in your depressed state. Christian songs are always known to lift up the heart. This band does that really well. One of the best songs of Switchfoot that are really a must-listen-to are: Dare you to Move, Gone, Meant to live, Stars, You, On Fire and Oh! Gravity. And of course, don't forget to visit your local church.

Nickelback. Do you love love songs? If love songs make your mood shoot from rock bottom to sky high, then Nickelback's songs are the ones for you. This band's songs will definitely make anyone feel blissful because of its happy and lively mood. If you are just broken out of love or just simply lonely, listening to Nickelback will turn your rain clouds to bright blue skies. Among their best songs are: Photograph, How You Remind Me, Gotta Be Somebody, If Everyone Cared and Far Away. And for those seeking love, as one of their song says: "there's gotta be somebody for me like that."

Always remember, the answer to depression and sadness will never be alcohol or drugs. Listen to the right kind of music and you will feel better.

PHP Guestbook code/script

2009-08-04T13:40:00.002+08:00

This is a simple guestbook code/script written from scratch. Just copy and paste but replace the server,username and password values to your own.
Note: You'll need a host with a php service for this to work - meaning it won't work here on blogger.


$con = mysql_connect("server","username","password");
if(!$con){                                          /*----- verify connection -------*/
die("could not connect" . mysql_error());
}

mysql_select_db("database", $con);           /*----- locate database --------*/

$result = mysql_query("SELECT id FROM post");       /*----- select table -----*/

while($id = mysql_fetch_array($result)){           /*----- return array   ------*/
$num = $id['id'];
}



$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM post ORDER BY id DESC");

while($id = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
echo "
";
echo "" . $id['id'] . "." . $id['name'];
echo "said @" ;
echo "" .  $id['date'] . ":
";
echo " ". "" . $id['msg'] . "
";echo "";echo "
";}mysql_close($con);?>alert('Please put a name')";die();}if(!$_POST[msg]){echo "";die();}filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'name', FILTER_SANITIZE_SPECIAL_CHARS); /*---sanitize inputs-----*/filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'url', FILTER_SANITIZE_URL);            /*---sanitize inputs-----*/filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'msg', FILTER_SANITIZE_SPECIAL_CHARS);  /*---sanitize inputs-----*/$con = mysql_connect("server","username","password");if(!$con){                                          /*----- verify connection -------*/die("could not connect" . mysql_error());}mysql_select_db("database", $con);           /*----- locate database --------*/$sql="INSERT INTO post (name, url, msg)VALUES('$_POST[name]','$_POST[url]','$_POST[msg]')";if (!mysql_query($sql,$con)){die('Error: ' . mysql_error());}$time = mktime(date("h")+16,date("i")+14,0,date("m"),date("d"),date("Y"));$result = mysql_query("SELECT id FROM post");while($id = mysql_fetch_array($result)){           /*----- return array   ------*/$num = $id['id'];}echo $num;$dt = date('MdY H:i',$time);echo $dt;$sql = "UPDATE post SET date='$dt' WHERE id=$num";if (!mysql_query($sql,$con)){die('Error: ' . mysql_error());}mysql_close($con);echo "";?>

How to remove the NintenD.exe virus

2009-07-15T17:28:00.005+08:00

This is a simple instruction that removes the NintenD.exe virus from your computer and flash disk. Here are the instructions.

How to use Email Spammers to your advantage

2009-06-25T13:19:00.002+08:00

This one is pretty simple. Let's say you wanted someone, maybe somebody you hate or your ex, to receive lots and lots of spam mails. Here's how to use the spammers for your own personal use.

Things you need:
- your own webpage where you can edit the html data
- html knowledge
- a brain and an arm =D
- Target email address

Here's the concept.
Some email spammers use web crawlers to locate email addresses throughout the world wide web. Email addresses are very distinct from other strings of characters because of the @ sign. Web crawlers find for this string and record all of what they get to their spamming list.

Your goal would be to put someone's email address to that list. So use your website and put your target's email ad anywhere. You might as well put it in a meta tag. hiding it in the meta tag helps you hide your intent to expose the address. It may take a while before web crawlers find the address and be sure that you can see the email ad when you "view source" your page). Really simple yet effective stuff.

Pilipinas T-shirt

2009-06-05T19:22:00.001+08:00

PILIPINAS T-shirt

Php200 only.

The first post

2009-06-01T14:41:00.000+08:00

The first post of the blog. As usual it's titled first post and there's nothing in it.

The Life Saver

2008-03-08T22:34:00.001+08:00

Ang Bandang Victoria

2008-03-03T21:30:00.000+08:00

The Shirt

2007-12-12T00:00:00.001+08:00

Soak the red dot in vinegar

2007-10-10T17:59:00.000+08:00

Soak the red dot in vinegar