Hard Drive Test Easy and Cheap, Okay, FREE

 https://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/seatools/

 

SeaTools - is a easy to use hard drive test tool that costs nothing but time. It is bootable from a USB and can run from windows via command line or GUI. 

My testing showed failure on short tests and other people experienced the same with SSHDs.

 

 

Enable Group Policy on Windows 10 Home to enable greater privacy.

enable Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) in Windows 10 Home Edition

Create a bat file and then run it as admin using the following to install the group policy editor in windows 10 home:

@echo off
pushd "%~dp0"

dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~3*.mum >List.txt
dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~3*.mum >>List.txt

for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . List.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /add-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\%%i"
pause

Turn off the Windows Customer Experience program

by Martin Brinkmann on October 26, 2016 in Windows - Last Update: February 24, 2017 - 27 comments

Microsoft introduced the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program in Windows Vista, and has made it a part of any version of Windows since.
Designed to collect information about hardware and how software and services are used, it is used by Microsoft to identify trends and usage patterns.
Microsoft states that personal identifiable information such as names or addresses are not collected.
The scope of the collected information is not clear, a common problem with many Telemetry and "phone home" features not only of Microsoft products but also of other companies.

Turn off the Windows Customer Experience Improvement program

If you don't want the information to be collected in first place, you can turn off the Windows Customer Experience Improvement program on Windows.
There are several ways to to that, the three most common ones are by using the Group Policy Editor, the Windows Task Scheduler, and the Windows Registry.

Group Policy

The Group Policy Editor is not included in Home editions of Windows. If you run Windows 10 Home, or another Home edition, skip ahead to the Registry section below.

1. Tap on the Windows-key, type gpedit.msc, and hit the Enter-key afterwards. This opens the Group Policy Editor.
2. Navigate to the following section: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Internet Communication Management > Internet Communication settings.
3. Double-click on the policy Turn off Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program.
4. Set the policy's state to enabled to disable the data collection.

The change is active right after you make it. If you want to undo the change, set the policy to "not configured" or disabled.

Windows Registry

If you don't want to or can't use the Group Policy editor to disable the feature, you may use change its state in the Windows Registry instead.

1. Tap on the Windows-key, type regedit.exe, and hit the Enter-key. This opens the Windows Registry Editor.
2. For any edition of Windows: Use the hierarchic structure on the left to navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows
3. If you use a Pro edition of Windows, this works as well: Use the hierarchic structure on the left to navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows
4. If a key does not exist, e.g. SQMClient or Windows, create it by right-clicking on the parent key and selecting New > Key from the context menu.
5. If the Dword CEIPEnable exists, double-click on it and set its value to 0.
6. If it does not exist, right-click on Windows and select New > Dword (32-bit) Value from the context menu.
7. Name it CEIPEnable.
8. Double-click on it, and set its value to 0.

Task Scheduler

It is recommended to disable the Windows Customer Experience Improvement program using the Group Policy Editor or Registry.
You may stop it dead in its track using the Task Scheduler as well. Basically, what you can do is block the data collection and uploading right there.

1. Tap on the Windows-key, type Task Scheduler, and hit the Enter-key. This opens the Windows Task Scheduler.
2. Use the folder hierarchy on the left to go to the following folder: Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Autochk.
3. The Proxy task there "collects and uploads autochck SQM data if opted-in to the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program".
4. Right-click on Proxy and select Disable from the context menu.
5. Go to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Application Experience.
6. Right-click on Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser, ProgramDataUpdater, and StartupAppTask, and disable them.

• Proxy: This task collects and uploads autochk SQM data if opted-in to the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program.
• Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser: Collects program telemetry information if opted-in to the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program.
• ProgramDataUpdater: Collects program telemetry information if opted-in to the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program
• StartupAppTask: Scans startup entries and raises notification to the user if there are too many startup entries.

The classic Control Panel

You may disable the program using the classic Control Panel as well (for as long as it is there).

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows-Pause to open the Control Panel.
2. Click on search, and type Customer Experience.
3. You should get one result under Security and Maintenance that is named "Change Customer Experience Improvement Program settings". Click on that link.
4. Select "No, I don't want to participate in the program" when the preferences window opens.

Other Microsoft applications

Other Microsoft applications may have the Customer Experience Improvement Program enabled by default as well. This is the case for Windows Media Player or Microsoft Office programs for instance.
To give you one example:

1. Open Windows Media Player on your Windows machine.
2. Select Tools > Options from the menu.
3. When the options window opens, switch to Privacy.
4. There you find the entry "Windows Media Player Customer Experience Improvement Program". If you want to disable it, make sure the box next to "I want to help make Microsoft software and services better by sending Player usage data to Microsoft" is unchecked.

Now You: What is your take on the Microsoft Customer Experience program?

Root and Mod the Galaxy S5 verizon SM-G900V

Here is a YouTube Video that works and expalins it all.

I am going to change up some of the links for faster more reliable downloads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W58XKp0FFew

Instructions written:
http://www.w0lfdroid.com/2014/04/How-to-Flash-Restore-Galaxy-S5-All-Variants-to-Stock-ROM-Using-Odin3.html


Files Needed

Image File:
https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=24438995911970571

http://www.droidviews.com/download-odin-tool-for-samsung-galaxy-devices-all-versions/

JITBIT Macro Recorder - for people with better things to do with their time. It just works.

https://www.jitbit.com/macro-recorder/mouse-recorder/

and

Jitbit Helpdesk

Sometimes if you dig deep enough you find treasure. After searching and searching and installing multiple questionable applications from questionable developers I found JITBIT Macro Recorder. If you are not a programmer and like macros for gaming you will love this for all the right reasons. After trying so many other similar applications I have learned the most important feature. It has to work, work right and work every time.

JITBIT has it all. It has the ability to record, edit, and playback flawlessly. The resulting script is easy to follow and understand if tweaking is needed. Oddly enough my script ran flawlessly every time from the recorded version. The script hotkeys work and start and stop as intended while in the Game window. Most programs like this fail right out the gate, others are janky. Some worked but the editing process is either a nightmare or all together impossible.
The mouse positions can be screen or windows based coordinates that allows you to run a script on a window regardless of the previous recorded position.

While JITBIT is functioning, it gets out of the way, and has a simple but informative process bar that runs in the top left corner of the screen.

 




I have written programs to do what this does and the concept is simple. I was wrestling with updating my old program using a XML script file for easy editing. After running JITBIT there is no need for anything else.

This doesn't just record mouse movements and clicks. Here is a list of Macro commands supported:Macro Recorder: automation commands

• Close Window command - Macro recorder will attempt to close a window with the specified title.

• Comment command - Comment - is a just a text note for your convenience.

• Copy File command - Copy File command copies a file from and to specified locations.

• CSharp command - Execute the following C#-code.

• Delay command - Delay command suspends the execution of the current macro for a specified interval, expressed in milliseconds.

• Delete File command - Delete File command simply deletes a file

• File Open command - This command executes a program or opens a file.

• Find Image command - This command searches for a image on your screen (pixel by pixel) and moves the mouse to it.

• Find Pixel command - This command searches for a pixel of a specific color and moves the mouse to it.

• Goto command - The GOTO statement transfers the macro execution control directly to the specified label.

• If Clipboard equals command - Checks if the clipboard content is equal (not equal) to the given value (or contains the value, or greater than the value). If it does, the IF Statement evaluates to TRUE, otherwise FALSE.

• If Current Iteration Equals command - Checks if the number of current iteration equals to the given number. Works only inside a REPEAT statement.

• If File Exists command - Checks if a file exists. If it does, the IF Statement evaluates to TRUE, otherwise FALSE.

• If Image Found command - Checks if a given image can be found on the screen (pixel by pixel)

• If Message command - Displays a YES/NO message box that contains text, YES button and NO button. The result of this messagebox (user\'s choice) will be treated as an IF statement condition.

• If Pixel Color command - Checks if pixel color at given coordinates equals a given color.

• If Pixel Found command - TRUE if a pixel of a specific color if found within a rectangle.

• If Process Exists command - Checks if a process exists. If it does, the IF Statement evaluates to TRUE, otherwise FALSE.

• If Text Cursor command - This command tries to extract the text under the mouse cursor, and checks if it equals to the text specified

• If Window Exists command - Checks if a window exists. If it does, the IF Statement evaluates to TRUE, otherwise FALSE.

• If Window In Focus command - Checks if the foreground window has the specified caption.

• Increment Clipboard command - This command increments clipboard by a specified value (works only if clipboard contains a numeric integer value)

• Keyboard command - This command send keystrokes to the currently active window

• Label command - Add a label to a macro, and use it with GOTO statements.

• Message Box command - Displays a message box that contains text and an "OK" button.

• Mouse command - Mouse Command moves the mouse cursor to the specified coordinates

• Move Window command - Macro recorder will attempt to move/resize a window with the specified title

• Play Macro command - This command executes a macro-file, saved to disk

• Dial Connection command - This command activates a VPN connection or a Dial-Up connection by a name.

• Repeat command - Use "REPEAT X TIMES" statement if you want to run a block of commands a number of times. Put a "REPEAT" command at the beginning of the block, and an "END REPEAT" at the end.

• Set Clipboard command - This command saves the specified text/number to the Clipboard

• Shutdown command - Shutdown macro command properties

• Switch To Window command - Switch to a window with a specified title

• Type Date command - Macro Recorder will type the system date in the specified format.

• Type Environment Variable command - Macro Recorder will type an evironment variable by its name, into the active window

• Type Text command - Enter some text and Macro Recorder will type it during playback. The text will be entered into the active window.

• URL command - Launch a web site from your macro

• Wait For User Activity command - This command suspends macro execution and waits for user to press a hotkey (keyboard shortcut) to resume macro execution

• Wait For Window command - By adding a WAIT FOR WINDOW statement you instruct the macro engine to wait for a particular window to appear or disappear.

• Wait For Process command - By adding a WAIT FOR PROCESS statement you instruct the macro engine to wait for a particular process to appear or disappear.

• 
  
  Researching the company before I make a purchase I see that the company supports a business solution for a customer care ticketing system. This gives me a better feeling about the  origin of the product and explains why this is such a well polish product compared to the competition.
  
  Jitbit Helpdesk

Put Lineage OS android 7.1.2 on Samsung Galaxy Pro 12.2 T900

Installation instructions

First install/Clean Flash

Download latest ROM zip file
(https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=file-thanks&fid=673368273298963934&mid=70&download_id=k1jvurbsrbfvpfgfecpis1ihp0&tid=1497665176&hc=8d539eed1ea05aea55acc04fa10c0ceb89380286215e260d579903cbf8f3e535)


Download GApps Arm 7.1   http://opengapps.org/
(Download latest TWRP and install it) - T900 users need to use a special TWRP linked in Downloads section
T900 use link

Root the device with CF root.
 http://androidcentral.us/2014/03/root-samsung-galaxy-note-pro-12-2/

Reboot into recovery    home + volup + power

Make Nandroid backup (recommended)

--I have built a new version of TWRP with the MM kernel. MTP, Vibations, ADB now work and there are performance increases. Link
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxqoBZiUYroBZ0tmbXg2ampBb1U?usp=sharing

I used the playstore to flash this file using the official TWRP app. It won't work until rooted
The file from the link above can be selected and flashed or it can be flashed from Odin

Wipe Data, System and (Dalvik) Cache (factory reset is all that is needed)

Flash ROM and GApps from TWRP app in recovery mode.
Reboot into recovery    home + volup + power
Reboot
Enjoy Resurrection Remix!

Update/Dirty Flash

Download latest ROM zip file
Reboot into recovery
Make Nandroid backup (not needed in most cases, but better to be save if something went wrong)
Flash ROM
Reboot
Enjoy the update!

Picture and Fax viewer is back like magic

Picture and fax viewer disappeared in windows 10. You can get it back with some changes to the registry.

Download and run this:

1. Copy the code from into Notepad and save it as a REG file (call it whatever you like, maybe photoviewer.reg).

2. Double-click on your new REG file to merge it with your Windows Registry. You will need to click through the User Account Control and a few other windows to allow the file to make changes to the Registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open]
"MuiVerb"="@photoviewer.dll,-3043"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{60fd46de-f830-4894-a628-6fa81bc0190d}"

Removing or repairing a Windows 8 or 10 built in app

Removing or repairing a Windows 8 or 10 built in app


From CMD you want to know what package to remove:
Mail and Calendar are called windows communication apps. The rest are easier to correlate.

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps>dir
 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is 5A4E-ED39

 Directory of C:\Program Files\WindowsApps

...
12/31/2015  07:28 AM              microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.6525.42271.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
12/31/2015  07:28 AM              microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_2015.6525.42271.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
...

               0 File(s)              0 bytes
             122 Dir(s)  50,681,364,480 bytes free


Get the names of the packages to remove


From powershell you remove it:

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Remove-AppxPackage microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_17.6525.42271.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Remove-AppxPackage microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_2015.6525.42271.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe