Non quis, sed quid. » Windows 2003

Curious Findings: KeePass

EvilSeph — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:46:33 +0000

Program Description
With the growing popularity of the internet and the ease at which people can publish their information, comes an increase in the number of websites we visit and register to.

Usually, when you register to a site, you need to remember a username and password in order to log back in to that account you made. If you are security conscious (which, I find, is quite rare on the internet at this moment) and have a different password for each site, this eventually adds up to a really large number of passwords you need to remember. If this sounds like you, then you'll find KeePass by Dominik Reichl very useful.

KeePass is an amazing little password manager whose databases are encrypted with the strongest encryption algorithms known (at the time of posting) - AES and Twofish - and a secure password generator (depending on your settings). Since this application is open source, you can easily look through the code yourself to see if there are any backdoors or malicious code that may compromise your security.

As a cryptography and computer security expert, I have never understood the current fuss about the open source software movement. In the cryptography world, we consider open source necessary for good security; we have for decades. Public security is always more secure than proprietary security. It's true for cryptographic algorithms, security protocols, and security source code. For us, open source isn't just a business model; it's smart engineering practice.
-Bruce Schneier, Crypto-Gram 1999/09/15

License Type
KeePass is open sourced and free.

System Requirements
KeePass runs, without downloading any additional libraries, on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP (Home & Pro, 32-bit & 64-bit), Windows 2003 and Windows Vista.

Installation

Download KeePass.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions.

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: KeePass.
Info: Check out KeePass's website.

Curious Findings: RegAlyzer

EvilSeph — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:09:13 +0000

Program Description
If you enjoy playing around with the registry and are still using regedit, you're crazy. Drop that useless application and switch to RegAlyzer by Safer Networking to take control over your registry.

There are many things that regedit lacks: a powerful search (regular expressions are useful) feature, an address-bar like feature for quickly jumping to a key, support for exotic value types, better bookmarks and a history view/management to revert changes made to the registry.

Thankfully, RegAlyzer is the perfect alternative to regedit as it includes all of the things regedit lacks.

License Type
RegAlyzer is completely free.

System Requirements
Windows is all that is required for RegAlyzer to function.

Installation

Download RegAlyzer.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions.

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: RegAlyzer.
Info: Check out RegAlyzer's website.
Info: Take a look at some RegAlyzer screenshots.

Curious Findings: Revo Uninstaller

EvilSeph — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:49:43 +0000

Program Description
If there's one thing I do not like about Windows, it's the useless Add/Remove Programs utility that I spend more time waiting for than anything else. To top it off, I only use it for a mere few minutes and then close it...which means I have to wait for it to find and list all the applications installed on my system each time I want to uninstall something.

Thankfully, there's an excellent alternative to Windows's built in install manager: Revo Uninstaller by the VS Revo Group.

Revo Uninstaller provides Windows users with an installed programs manager that is faster AND much more powerful than the built-in alternative provided with Windows. Where I usually have to wait a staggering few minutes just for Add/Remove Programs to list all the installed applications on my system, Revo Uninstaller lists them all (pretty much) instantly.

Not only is Revo Uninstaller faster than Add/Remove Programs, it is also more powerful. Where Add/Remove programs leaves junk from uninstalled programs behind, Revo Uninstaller scans your registry and your harddrive for any left overs when uninstalling an application.

License Type
Revo Uninstaller is completely free.

System Requirements
In order to use Revo Uninstaller you need either Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows XP or Windows 2000. Note: 64 Bit operating systems are NOT supported.

Installation

Download Revo Uninstaller.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions.

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: Revo Uninstaller.
Info: Check out Revo Uninstaller's website.

Curious Findings: TeraCopy

EvilSeph — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:20:57 +0000

Program Description
I've lost count of how many times a perfectly good file transfer (copying or moving from one place to another on my harddrives) is interrupted by a file being "in use" or "locked". When one file fails, the whole transfer gets stopped. Such an un-intuitive way of doing things...

Error Example Screenshot

Remember this from my previous post? Well it causes problems with file copying and moving too - and unfortunately, Unlocker isn't enough to remedy this problem.

On top of this, Windows's copy/move functionality is painstakingly slow, somewhat unreliable and it simply can't handle more than one move or copy task at one time (doing so results in an extreme slow down in transfer speed).

Both of these problems can be worked-around with the help of a little Unlocker mixed with a program developed by Code Sector called TeraCopy.

Once you've installed it, you can set TeraCopy as the default copy/move handler (turned on by default) and away it goes every time you copy or move a file. TeraCopy provides a boost in transfer speed through the use of buffers and allows for multiple transfer tasks without a performance hit. Best of all, if you hit a snag, the whole job isn't terminated - TeraCopy just moves on to the next file in the queue.

Even better, if you have Unlocker installed, TeraCopy will notify Unlocker, allowing you to unlock the file, move, rename or delete it just like you would normally do with Unlocker.

This is what TeraCopy looks like:

TeraCopy Compact Screenshot

TeraCopy Big Screenshot

License Type
Unfortunately, this is the first of possibly many applications that I'll tell you about, that is not exactly free.

TeraCopy comes in two flavours: TeraCopy and TeraCopy Pro.

Still, at the time of posting, the difference between the two versions wasn't too much and TeraCopy is generally all people need anyway. TeraCopy is free for home users and TeraCopy Pro will cost you $19.95 (which isn't too bad of a price).

System Requirements
I believe this works on all versions of Windows but I don't think this works on 64-bit. If I recall correctly, 64-bit support was added in to version 2 (which is in beta at the time of posting).

Installation

Download TeraCopy.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: TeraCopy.
Info: Check out TeraCopy's website.

Curious Findings: Unlocker

EvilSeph — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:40:49 +0000

Program Description
How many times have you tried to delete a file only to be told it's in use?

I believe I've lost count of how many times _a day_ I encounter these errors. Well, enter Unlocker.

Unlocker is a really nifty application that tries to give you a way around a file being "in use" or "locked". Whenever that nasty error comes up, Unlocker comes into play and offers you a few ways to get around it: Kill the locking process or Unlock the file. It really is that easy and it really does work most of the time.

Alternatively, you can choose to delete, rename, move or copy the locked file too.

License Type

Unlocker is completely free and will always remain free, which means you can use it free of charge for any purposes. If you are satisfied with Unlocker and want to help Unlocker improve or motivate the development of other quality programs, any amount of donation small or large will be welcome and gratefully appreciated.

System Requirements
Windows is required in order for this application to function.

Installation

Download Unlocker.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: Unlocker.
Info: Check out Unlocker's website.

Curious Findings: HashTab

EvilSeph — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:10:38 +0000

Program Description
The best way to verify if a file is what you're expecting is to check if the unknown file's hash matches the hash of the file you're expecting (usually given to you on the download page of a program, for example).

HashTab Screenshot

Since this is the internet, everyone and their dog can start up a website for a small fee - or no fee at all - which brings to question the validity of the majority of the internet's information. This is where file hashes come into play.

As you may or may not know, I'm quite into the PSP Scene and as such often find myself updating to the latest custom firmware available or what not which usually requires official Sony update eboots.

Unfortunately, some sites feel it is necessary to upload corrupted eboots (or they do it by mistake?), upload the wrong file and name it something else...or whatever. They just like to deceive you. Or I could just be paranoid and your download could just be corrupted for another reason . The only way for you to really check how valid a file someone offers to you is, is by checking its file hash against the hash provided by the author.

And here's where HashTab (developed by Cody Batt) helps us out. After you install HashTab, whenever you view a files properties, you will now see a new File Hashes tab where you can easily calculate the files various hashes.

HashTab supports more hash types than what is shown in the screenshot, just right click the area where the hashes are displayed and click on "Settings..." to choose the types of hashes you'd like to see.

Another useful feature HashTab provides is an interface to choose a file to compare against the current file you are dealing with. No need to type hashes out or copy and paste them, just choose the file and HashTab does the work for you.

License Type
HashTab is completely free, all you have to do is agree that "HashTab is the coolest thing ever."

System Requirements
Windows is required in order for this application to function.

Installation

Download HashTab.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: HashTab.
Info: Check out HashTab's website.

Curious Findings: IrfanView

EvilSeph — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:19:51 +0000

Program Description
People come across images every day on the internet. Sometimes you save them, sometimes you share them and other times you need to customize them for your site or blog.

Well, there is one program I can't envision myself having to manage a blog or website without: IrfanView.

IrfanView is what people might consider a "universal" viewer program as it allows you to view pretty much anything - but please remember, IrfanView is really supposed to be a graphic viewer. When you install this application, it takes over from Windows' default image handler and provides you with powerful tools to manipulate your images with.

This amazing application allows you to view, convert, optimize, batch process...and do much, much more to files of a surprisingly large number of different types.

If the default supported filetypes isn't enough for you, you can always take a look at the plugins available for IrfanView.

What do I primarily use IrfanView for? Well, apart from allowing it to replace the Windows default graphic viewer, I am constantly using IrfanView to resize images to post on this blog.

License Type
IrfanView is completely free for non-commercial use! If you do find IrfanView useful, I suggest looking into donating to its developer.

System Requirements
Windows is required in order for this application to function.

Installation

Download IrfanView.
Run the setup program you downloaded and follow the on screen instructions

Uninstallation

Use Add or Remove Programs to uninstall it just like any other application.

Download: IrfanView.
Info: Check out IrfanView's website.

Curious Findings: Flashnote

EvilSeph — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:14:00 +0000

Program Description
If you find yourself taking notes often, then you’ll find this program useful - you save paper too.

Flashnote Screenshot

Think of this as a quick-loading notepad except you don't need to save entries, you just type notes as if you were writing them on a piece of paper with a pencil.

For me, Flashnote was the application I used all the time to write up forum posts or news articles prior to submitting them until I found Microsoft Office OneNote (which is like this program on steroids).

I can't even remember the number of times I have lost a reply I was writing on a forum when my browser crashed, I submitted it and the server had issues or I accidentally pressed the back button on my mouse. If this sounds like you, this program is truly a godsend.

Flashnote, created by SoftVoile, is a fast, easily accessible (through a click on the disableable system tray icon or by pressing alt+S) way to take notes.

License Type
Flashnote is a completely free application!

System Requirements
Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows XP or Windows Vista is required for this program to function.