Windows Update alternatives

Third-party software update services:
1) Shavlik Patch Google Gadget
2) Secunia's Personal Software Inspector
a) Secunia Online Software Inspector (OSI)
b) Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)(standalone updater)
3) Belarc Advisor

1)Shavlik Patch Google Gadget
This tool has correctly identified many programs that Microsoft's own updaters got wrong. It is advisable to uninstall Google Desktop each time you finished using the Shavlik update tool and reinstalled it only when the time came to check for patches again. This is about Google Desktop's use of your PC's resources as well as its annoying news pop-ups. Once you've installed the Shavlik Patch Google Gadget, click Begin Scan. When the scan is done, choose View details, accept the product's EULA (the first time you use it), and install any of the patches the program offers you — except WGA.
Shavlik Patch Google Gadget download page.

2)Secunia's Personal Software Inspector
a) Secunia Online Software Inspector (OSI) online version of Secunia's software-update service lets you scan your system for security patches without your having to install anything. Unfortunately, the service requires Java to run and doesn't work well within the new Internet Explorer 8, although you could try running the service in IE 8's compatibility mode. More importantly, OSI sometimes generates inconsistent results, requiring that you scan your system repeatedly. Secunia Online Software Inspector (OSI) PAGE


b) Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) standalone updater is more robust than the firm's online scanner. In addition, the installed updater constantly checks your PC to determine whether your software is fully patched. If you use PSI, it is recommended that you run Secunia's OSI online scan in addition to PSI, just to double-check the standalone scanner's results. Download - Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)

Secunia's Personal Software Inspector Features:
# Detects insecure versions of common/popular programs installed on your PC
# Verifies that all Microsoft patches are applied
# Assists you in updating, patching, and protecting your PC
# Activates additional security features in Sun Java
# Runs through your browser. No installation or download is required

3) Belarc Advisor provides information on all the software on your PC, including serial numbers and key codes. It also lists all hardware installed and other information about your system. Belarc reports only on missing Microsoft patches. If you're looking for a tool that updates only Windows and Microsoft apps, this program may be the only updater you need. However, anyone looking for a tool that identifies out-of-date third-party software should use one of the updaters described above. Download Belarc Advisor from the developer's site.


Whichever third-party updater you choose, be sure to run it on all your PCs within a few days of each Patch Tuesday — the second Tuesday of the month — when Microsoft releases new patches.

If you prefer, you can run Redmond's own Microsoft Update and then follow that scan with a Shavlik or Secunia scan to catch patches needed for non-Microsoft applications.

But today, third-party scanning programs have progressed to the point where they can keep all your Microsoft software and all your major non-Microsoft software safely patched. That's something Microsoft Update can't match.


How to patch without running WGA validation

The following steps will allow you to install all Windows security patches on a new build of XP, without installing or running WGA on the machine:

* Step 1: Install and activate XP. For XP SP2 only (not XP SP3), you must also download and install the patch described in KB article 898461, which updates the installer program and ensures that your system will receive future updates.

* Step 2: In either version of XP, click Start, Control Panel, Security Center, Automatic Updates. Choose Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them.

* Step 3: Whenever you see a yellow-shield icon in the notification area (previously known as the system tray), click the icon and then choose Custom install.

* Step 4: Scroll to the bottom of the patch window and uncheck Windows Genuine Advantage Notification (KB905474), as shown in Figure 1. (For more info, see Microsoft KB article 905474 to read the company's description of WGA Notification.)


Uncheck KB905474 to prevent WGA from being installed on the system.

* Step 5: After you click Install, check Don't notify me about these updates again in the resulting dialog to prevent WGA from being included in future Windows updates (see Figure 2). Click OK.

Don't be offered WGA in the future. From this point forward, every time you update your system, review the patches being offered to you and deselect those you don't want before proceeding with the installation.

If you've already installed WGA on XP but no longer want it, you must remove the so-called patch KB905474. In KB article 921914, Microsoft provides manual removal instructions only for the "pilot" versions of WGA Notifications: 1.5.0527.0 through 1.5.0532.2. The article says higher-numbered "release" versions cannot be uninstalled.

Note that without WGA, you can't download Windows Defender, Windows Media Player 11, Network Diagnostics tools, and other Windows extras. Microsoft describes the products that are affected by WGA on its Genuine Microsoft Software page.

If you enable Automatic Updates the WGA Notifications patch as described in KB article 905474 automatically installs empowering to act without permission. In that case, you either have to run the WGA tool the next time you reboot or press Cancel every time you start.

Related Post: AutoPatcher Comeback

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Google Blogger For Dummies

Google Blogger is a great choice for beginning bloggers, and Google Blogger For Dummies gives you the know-how to venture confidently into the blogosphere.

Get here

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RapidShare Downloader

The easiest and the fastest way to download from RapidShare
MajorShare - RapidShare Downloader; developed for downloading files from RapidShare easily. MajorShare - RapidShare Downloader, developed for downloading files from RapidShare easily.
The best thing for Free Users. You can create your download list easily, just copy and pastr the link into the downloader. You can create your download list easily, just copy and paste the link into the downloader.

You don't need to check downloading files to start next file, MajorShare.com - RapidShare Downloader makes it for you.

If you have a PREMIUM account, click on the Login button you can login to your account and then files can be download as PREMIUM PREMIUM user.

1. Steps for Premium Users Steps for Premium Users Login to your RapidShare Premium account by using "Internet Explorer".(You must use IE, not FireFox etc.) Login to your RapidShare premium account by using "Internet Explorer". (You must use IE, not FireFox etc.)
2. Run RapidShare Downloader. Run RapidShare Downloader.
3. Click "Premium Login" button. Click "Premium Login" button.
4. You will see three buttons at "Premium Login" window.
5. Click on "OK" button to continue downloading as Premium User.

If your PREMIUM daily limit is full, RapidShare Downloader detect it in the process will continue as the Free User.

Download latest version at Developer Page

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Easy WiFi Connections

A1) Easy WIFI Radar
Easy WiFi Radar helps you to find and connect to free wireless access points with a single mouseclick. Its WiFi for Dummies. It will connect to open hotspots automatically and shows you exactly what it is doing in a cool animated radar screen.

Works on Windows XP and Windows Mobile, not on Vista.

If youve ever tried to use Windows XP's built-in connection manager, you know what a hassle it can be to quickly check your mail or browse the web on the go. You need to browse through a list of access points, find one that you can connect to, manually try to connect to it, confirm the connection and then wait. Even if it says thats it connected, often it doesn't open a webpage or you mail will stall.

When connected - This feature is only available in the paid version, not in the free version. It allows you to set the webpage that Easy WiFi radar opens when it finds and connects succesfully to an access point. If you need this feature, you can buy a version of Easy WiFi Radar that allows that. For example, you can set it to connect to your webmail when it finds a free wifi connection. Also paid version NEW Easy WiFi Radar Pro

* Shows more free hotspots in your area on an interactive map

* Lets you set your own landing page (no more ads)

* Automatically gets your email when connected

* Allows you to set a home or office WEP-key

Free Version at Homepage
Manual Easy WiFi Radar
Easy WiFi Radar Pro 1.0.0
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A2) WiFi Hopper
A WLAN utility that combines the features of a Network Discovery and Site Survey tool with a Connection Manager. WiFi Hopper includes a NDIS driver to ensure that it has the exclusive access it needs to manage the wireless cards. Irrespective or the state of other wireless network management programs, WiFi Hopper always has the proper access rights to the wireless hardware device. All information displayed on WiFi Hopper is as current as it gets!

WiFi Hopper automatically connects to open wireless networks based on present and past signal strengths! As soon as a wireless network becomes unavailable or its signal strength starts dropping rapidly, WiFi Hopper automatically jumps to the next available network for you!

Requirements:

Windows 2K / XP / 2003 / Vista

· Wireless Networking Device is required for any scanning or connectivity operation.
· Wireless Device must have drivers that support WPA to connect to WPA-PSK networks.
· Wireless Device must have drivers that support WPA2 to connect to WPA2-PSK networks.
· Wireless Device must support 802.11a to scan for or connect to 802.11a based networks.
· GPS support requires a GPS device capable of providing NMEA 0183 sentences on a serial port.

Developer Page
Wifi Hopper1.2 download
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B1) PassMark WirelessMon - Wireless 802.11 WiFi monitoring software

WirelessMon can log the information collected into a file, provides comprehensive graphing of signal level and real time IP and 802.11 WiFi statistics.

WirelessMon is an application that will allow you to monitor the status of wireless WiFi adapter(s) and gather important information about nearby wireless access points and hot spots in real time.

Developer Page


* Verify 802.11 network configuration is correct.
* Test WiFi hardware and device drivers are functioning correctly.
* Check signal levels from your local WiFi network and nearby networks.
* Help locate sources of interference to your network.
* Scan for hot spots in your local area (wardriving)
* Create signal strength maps of an area
* GPS support for logging and mapping signal strength
* Correctly locate your wireless antenna (especially important for directional antennas).
* Verify the security settings for local access points.
* Measure network speed & throughput and view available data rates.
* Help check Wifi network coverage and range


Portable WirelessMon Pro v3.0 Build 1002

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Windows 7 Release In Fourth Quarter

Microsoft Monday May 11, 2009 that the company will release the new version of its flagship operating system in the fourth quarter of 2009. However no exact release date has been set. According to a recent report, an executive with computer manufacturer Acer has said the company plans to begin selling laptops running Windows 7 by Oct. 23. Microsoft also announced that Windows Server 2008 R2, the server companion to Windows 7, will be available in the same time frame as the client operating system.

Microsoft recommends at least a 1-GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of available disk space, a DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver for Windows 7, and a chipset with hardware virtualization for XP Mode. You'll be delighted with two significant new features in Windows 7 in managing and sharing files. These new capabilities, called Libraries and Homegroups, make finding files and connecting with resources on other PCs as easy you're using a Mac! The Libraries feature brings much-needed generality to the problem of organizing and finding files; and the Homegroups capability makes it easy to share files and hardware on a network, obviating the old obfuscation.


VIA
VIA 2

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Microsoft may soon drop Vista

Vista, originally expected to replace Windows XP and remain available for years to come, was never a hit among consumers or businesses. Many people complained that Vista was simply too bloated and includes too many annoying security prompts that are not necessary for every day use. General Manager Richard Francis of U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp quoted Microsoft Corp is "still not sure if (computer manufacturers) will be able to ship Vista once Windows 7 is made available," That is Microsoft may stop selling its Windows Vista operating system as soon as Windows 7 is available.

Microsoft customers complained that the Vista system was slow and included cumbersome prompts that required granting permission for various tasks. Basing on the hardware that most customers have without any hardware upgrade Windows 7 will actually run better (than the previous version. Furthermore, Microsoft has received criticism for Vista on all sides, and most likely just wants consumers to forget about it as soon as possible. Everybody is waiting on the final release of Win 7 as it is much faster and less annoying.
VIA

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