Category Archives ⇒ Fixes

Firefox 3.6.2 Fixes Critical Security Hole

· Brandon Hann

This one is for all you Firefox users out there. It looks like no browser is safe from the threat of viruses and other threats. And yet another reason why I love my MacBook and Google Chrome browser. Together, they’re a strong team. If you’re using Internet Explorer or Safari, you too should consider Chrome.

Anyway, if you do use Firefox you should consider updating because this bit of information just came out:

Mozilla addressed a critical security vulnerability with a minor Firefox update, bringing the browser to version 3.6.2. The vulnerability could potentially allow an attacker to “crash a victim’s browser and execute arbitrary code on his/her system.”

Users of Firefox 3.6 will have this update automatically downloaded and installed, but you can also manually apply it by selecting “Check for Updates…” from the Help menu.

The release notes for Firefox 3.6.2 can be found here.

-Originally posted here at Mashable.com

For those of you who switched to Firefox because you didn’t like Internet Explorer, now you can switch to Chrome, a far better browser (at least until someone hacks it too).

IMAP on iPhone

· Brandon Hann

It seems like a simple task and for the most part it is, but what happens if you set up your IMAP email account and then you get an error message stating this when trying to delete messages:

Unable to Move Message

Well first, let me send you over to an awesome guide for setting up IMAP email on iPhone alongside the Mac app, Mail. The link for this guide can be found here and it contains a very detailed look at the configuration from beginning to end. I only have one piece to add to it.

If you’re getting the message above, it’s simply because by default, iPhone wants to use the Trash, Sent and Draft folders on the phone rather than the same folders on your mail server. What this means is when you try to delete a message, you get an error saying it can’t be moved. For whatever reason, iPhone does not allow you to throw email away in your phone’s trash. My best guess on this would be that it defeats the purpose of IMAP, which is to completely map ALL folders on the server to each of your email devices.

At any rate, the fix is very simple. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the iPhone Settings
  2. Tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars
  3. Tap on the email account you wish to edit
  4. Scroll down to Advanced
  5. Under the header ‘Mailbox Behaviors’, tap on each of the three mailbox folders and check off the identical box under the ‘On the Server’ header.

You’ll see that you’ve changed the folder from being ‘On My iPhone’ to ‘On the Server’. Once the changes have been made, you’ll be in business!

Fix Windows XP Log On/Log Off Loop

· Brandon Hann

I’ve run into this issue so many times while fixing client computers and it seems like every time I do a search for a fix, I get a different answer each time and sometimes, the fix works, sometimes it doesn’t. Well today, my troubles are over! And hopefully yours as well.

I found this ridiculously organized and thorough tutorial over at DanFischbach.com that should fix this problem 99% of the time. In fact, if it can’t fix this issue, you’re better off restoring your system. When you’re done with that, give your pc to your little cousin and buy yourself a Mac. 😉

Anyway, moving on…this guide was written by Dan Fischbach way back in 2006, but for all you Vista-haters out there, it’ll still hold up today. I’m not going to re-post the multi-page guide here, but I will provide a mirror for at least one of the large downloads required for the repair to work.

To see the guide, click here. To download the needed disc images, see below.

Windows Vista Recovery Disc (Direct download removed due to Microsoft copyright claim) — 120Mb
Save Me Disc — For good reasons, I won’t be posting a download of the second disc. As it often changes, it would be a much better idea to download it directly from the source.

*If the link above is not there, the mirror is not available at the moment. Try again later.

Continue reading →

Get your ip even when DNS is down

· Brandon Hann

I’ve come across this problem many times before where I’ll be fixing a computer and the internet works when using ip addresses but not hostnames. This is likely caused by a downed DNS server or incorrect settings. This post is more for my information, but it may serve someone in the future.

To get your public ip address without having to type in whatismyipaddress.com, just go to: http://67.203.139.152/. You’ll see a blank screen that just shows your ip address.

For testing purposes on a Windows machine, if you need to ping Google, use one of their ip addresses:

72.14.207.99
216.239.51.104
64.233.167.99

Also, as a quick check, make sure that the DNS service is running if you’re not on a corporate network (or any network where there’s a DNS server): type in services.msc into the Run command and check for DNS to make sure it’s started.

Windows Vista installed on MacBook – crackling audio

· Brandon Hann

I recently bought a new MacBook (the aluminum one) and installed Vista 32bit using BootCamp. The process was insanely easy and there wasn’t much I needed to do other than insert some discs when it asked me to. Anyway, the only problem I’ve noticed so far was that when Vista loads, there are some audio problems in which the sound will crackle and pop. This happens with all Windows sounds as well as music and videos.

I traced the problem back to the WiFi card because if you disable wireless, the problem stops. So after a few hours of looking online for a fix to this problem, I came up with this:

1. Download new [DRIVERS NO LONGER AVAILABLE] and extract.
2. Access the Windows control panel.
3. Open device manager and right click on the wireless adapter.
4. Update the driver files using the ones in the newly extracted folder.

And you’re done! Enjoy the fixed sound!

UPDATE — This fix no longer applies since Apple has corrected the issue with newer drivers and a newer version of BootCamp.

WSAStartup Problem

· Brandon Hann

I recently found an issue on one of my client’s computers stating that there was an error with WSASTARTUP and the actual error was: Either the application hasn’t called WSAStartup or
WSAStartup failed. This error, if you have it can be seen right away when trying to use certain services such as the internet, Windows themes and a host of other items. Also, the computer will take much longer to boot up than normal.

Usually, you can solve the problem by performing a simple Winsock fix using [download#2]. If that doesn’t work, try using these manual instructions:

1. Backup and delete the following registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesWinsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesWinsock2

2. Reboot

3. Go to the network connections folder, right click the icon for your network connection, and select properties.

4. Click install, choose “protocol”, and click “add…”

5. Click “Have Disk…”, enter “windowsinf”, click OK

6. Select “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), click OK

7. When the process in complete, reboot