This week we learned how to pin an external drive to the Windows 7 taskbar, create an eBook or PDF from Wikipedia articles for offline reading, edit the hosts file, help computer users remotely with TeamViewer, minimize applications to the system tray in the simplest way, and more.

Photo by legofenris.

Weekly Feature

Enjoy this wonderful theme featuring horses in various locations during different seasons. Definitely a nice touch for your desktop.

Photo by Asian Angel.

Horses Theme for Windows 7

Random Geek Links

Photo by tramod.

• Google sticks Wave in a box, puts a bow on top
  Google plans to expand upon the open source code that it has already released to form a more complete, standalone application known as “Wave in a Box.”
• Rogue Win7 AV Copies the Microsoft Security Essentials Site
  A new fake antivirus is imitating a number of legitimate security mitigations, the Microsoft Security Essentials website, and various graphics elements from Windows in order to trick users into installing it.
• Microsoft tool for DLL vulnerability interferes with some applications
  Microsoft’s tool to protect against the DLL hijacking vulnerability results in some programs no longer working properly.
• Microsoft continues to workaround DLL vulnerability
  Microsoft has released a ‘fix-it’ solution to help with problems encountered using some programs because of the DLL protection tool.
• Compromising Twitter’s OAuth security system
  The article explores some of the problems with Twitter’s OAuth implementation and some potential pitfalls inherent to the standard.
• Backdoor discovered in QuickTime
  An undocumented parameter in QuickTime’s ActiveX plug-in could allow attackers to inject malicious code.
• India: Hand over your data Google, Skype
  India has instructed Google and Skype to allow its government to monitor their customer data or face being banned from operating in the country.
• Without a Trace: Turn Your Flash Drive into a Portable Privacy Toolkit
  See how to set up your own personal privacy toolkit with this tutorial.
• Microsoft: Silverlight still has a future in an HTML 5 world
  Brad Becker has made the case that Silverlight is the right solution for developers looking to create premium media content, as well as content/apps that can run on multiple platforms.
• Microsoft unveils shape-shifting Arc Touch Mouse
  Redmond is touting Arc Touch as “the first mouse designed to flatten for portability and pop up for comfort.”

Geek Video of the Week

Construction paper? More like DESTRUCTION paper! Watch Mortal Kombat fatalities happen in a whole new style.

Photo by CollegeHumor.

Mortal Kombat Fatalities Paper Animation

Productive Geek Tips

Photo by ginnerobot.

• How to Avoid Computer Eye Strain and Keep Your Eyes Healthy
  Does eyestrain keep you from doing your work on the computer? Take preventative measures to avoid eyestrain—and get your work done.

Sysadmin Geek Tips

Photo by Travis Isaacs.

• Replace Text in Plain Text Files from the Command Line
  A very useful function which is missing from the Windows library of command line tools is the ability to replace text in plain text files. Our solution is a VBScript which interfaces with the Visual Basic Replace function.
• Diagnose Linux Server Load Problems with a Simple Script
  If you have ever had a situation where a server spikes in CPU use or memory utilization and/or load levels & running `top` does not give you the answer, then the following script might be able to help.
• How to Prevent Yum from Updating the Kernel
  When you’re running production servers, the one thing you don’t want to do is upgrade the kernel every time a new update comes out.
• How to Change Your Linux Hostname Without Rebooting
  See how to change the hostnames on your server to match a new naming standard without incurring downtime.
• How to Setup milter-greylist Spam Blocking in Sendmail
  Learn how to set up a milter-greylist to help combat spam in Sendmail.

The Geek on Lifehacker

Your Windows PC might be designed to make your life easier, but they often have a non-stop list of problems. Today we’ll walk through some of the more common problems and how to troubleshoot them.

Photo by xkcd.

The Basic Guide to Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Problems

Random TinyHacker Links

• Create a Password Reset Disk in Windows 7
  If you’re prone to coming up with crazy passwords and then absolutely forgetting them days later, the first thing you should do with a new Windows 7 computer is create a password reset disk.
• Repair Corrupted Excel Files
  If you have a corrupt Excel file, check out the post to learn how to recover your data.
• Fix Common Task Manager Problems
  The Task Manager in Windows is a great tool to find out information but there can be times when you run into problems like the task manager being disabled or loading with no tabs or menus. Read on to learn the fixes.
• If at first the page doesn’t load, Try, Try Again (Firefox)
  Firefox extension Try Again attempts to connect repeatedly with the server when a website is down.
• Use AutoStitch to Create Cool Panoramas
  Here’s a nice tool that lets you join multiple pictures to create cool panoramic photos.

Super User Questions

Enjoy looking through this week’s batch of hot questions from Super User.

• Wireless Signal Strength
• Is there any benefit from installing Windows 7 64-bit when you have less than 4GB or RAM?
• Should I install graphics card drivers from Windows Update?
• Should I disconnect the power cable when the battery is full?
• Blocking *.example.com at the OS (Windows) level

Latest Reviews at How-To Geek

See our latest software review.

• Postbox
  Postbox is an innovative new email program that brings the best of popular webmail features and combines it with social media and content discovery features to give you the best of both in a desktop email program.

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

Make sure to look through our best articles of the week.

• How To Disable or Enable the Homegroup Feature in Windows 7
• Use Email to Send Text Messages (SMS) to Mobile Phones for Free
• The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 7 Media Center
• How to Transfer Your iTunes Collection from One Computer to Another
• Upgrade Your old iPod with Rockbox

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

Engage in a little bit of time traveling to enjoy these articles from last year.

• Change the Windows 7 Taskbar to Work Like Vista
• Tux Paint – A Great Image Program for Your Children
• Customize the Notification Area in Windows 7 Using Local Group Policy
• Set Up User Scripts in Opera Browser
• Keep Track of New Email with Gmail Notifier

The Geek Note

That finishes things up for this week. If you are one of the lucky people getting an extra day off for the holiday, then make certain to enjoy that extra sleep! Remember to keep those great tips coming to us at tips@howtogeek.com.

Photo by WTL photos.