TR Dojo

View as list
View as grid

TR Videos

Online video from TechRepublic features quick peeks at new technologies and hot products, tips and hacks for improving IT and digital living, and technology news and analysis from ZDNet.

IT Dojo: Control users' temporary Internet files and browser history

July 7, 2008, 9:39am PDT

Monitoring your users' Internet activity is an often unwelcome part of an IT professional's job. Few of us want to be the secret police. However, many companies require some level of Internet monitoring to ensure compliance with usage policies and to track problem users.If monitoring software is too costly for your IT department's budget, you may want to consider a technique that uses existing Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 functionality. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you a simple monitoring solution that uses Windows Server 2003 Group Policy.Before watching the video, you should realize this tip isn't right for every situation. This method uses Windows XP and Internet Explorer's local browsing history. To view the history files, you must physically visit each machine, remotely access the machine, or copy the files to a network location with a script. Furthermore, a sophisticated end-user could easily navigate to and delete the browser history. This monitoring technique is best suited when monitoring a small number of users, or better yet, a single, problem user. If you're looking for a more robust Internet monitoring solution, I recommend you go with a commercial service or application.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional remote support and administration resources from our IT Dojo Blog.
IT Dojo: Five Cisco IOS tips to make you more efficient

June 30, 2008, 9:17am PDT

Working with Cisco routers and switches is a part of almost every network administrator's job. Keeping your Cisco equipment configured for optimal performance can be a time-consuming process, but there are a few general rules that will make you a more efficient administrator. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler demonstrates the following time-saving tips for the Cisco IOS: 1. Shortening commands to their fewest unique characters 2. Using timestamps to generate better logs 3. Quickly returning an interface to its default configuration with the default interface command 4. Using the begin or include commands to filter command output 5. Running Privileged Mode commands from Global Configuration prompts with the do command Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional remote support and administration resources from our IT Dojo Blog.
IT Dojo: Reset Windows passwords with the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor

June 23, 2008, 9:09am PDT | 8 | Latest comment by Wasabi093

Windows passwords are a necessary evil. They help protect our systems, but they can also be a real pain in the neck. Employees leave, IT workers quit, IT consultants fail to properly document deployments. Regardless of the cause, you're left with a locked account and perhaps a locked system. In this IT Dojo video, I demonstrate how quickly and easily reset local account passwords, including Administrator, on most Windows systems. The Offline NT Password and Registry Editor is a Linux-based utility that can reset passwords on Windows-NT based systems that use NTFS, including Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista. The tool creates a boot environment through which you can reset passwords via a series of text menus. The Offline NT Password and Registry Editor isn't the most polished utility, but it is effective. Hacker tool? Before anyone starts flaming me in this video's discussion for sharing "hacking advice", let me make the following point. First, it is possible for unscrupulous individuals to bypass security measures with tools such as this. But, there are also plenty of legitimate, work-related reasons to reset a Windows password. The Offline NT Password and Registry Editor is just another tool in the IT professional's arsenal. Use the tool at your own risk! There are also risks associated with using this tool. As it is editing the Windows registry, the Offline NT Password and Registry Editor could easily render a system unbootable and even destroy existing data. This is especially true of accounts that use the Encrypting File System (EFS). Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional remote support and administration resources from our IT Dojo Blog.
IT Dojo: Take control of any Windows PC on the Internet with CrossLoop

May 12, 2008, 10:49am PDT | 3 | Latest comment by pierre3787@...

Remotely controlling an end user's PC across the Internet can be complicated. Remote support tools, like Windows Remote Desktop and VNC, simplify the process, but even these programs can trip up a frustrated, novice user. Add firewalls and routers to the mix, and remote support becomes a real headache. CrossLoop might be the cure.CrossLoop is a remote control application that distills connecting two PCs via the Internet into a simple one-button interface. The program works through firewalls and routers, making it easy to connect two computers on different networks. CrossLoop uses GPL-licensed TightVNC, which protects all transferred data with 128-bit encryption.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler demonstrates how easily you can establish a remote connection with CrossLoop. He also shares his personal experience using CrossLoop to support the technically-challenged. To run CrossLoop yourself, you'll need a machine running Windows 98 or later, with a Pentium 500 MHz or better processor, at least 128 MB of RAM, 2 MB of free hard drive space, and a high-speed Internet connection.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to additional remote support and administration resources from our IT Dojo Blog.
IT Dojo: Simplify admin tasks by exporting Active Directory data with CSVDE

May 8, 2008, 9:09am PDT

Active Directory can hold valuable user data, including contact information, their departments, and even office locations. Using this data source for administrative purposes can save you time when performing everyday tasks like auditing user accounts and checking software licenses. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you an easy way to extract the data stored in Active Directory using the Comma Separated Value Data Exchange (CSVDE) command.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, and get links to more Active Directory advice from our IT Dojo Blog.

IT Dojo: Five services you can turn off in Windows Server 2003

April 29, 2008, 7:26am PDT

Disabling unnecessary Windows Server 2003 services can strengthen your server security. Unfortunately, there are over 100 services to consider. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you how to disable Windows Server 2003 services and discusses the following five services that you may want to turn off: 1 .ERSvc - Error Reporting Service 2. HidServ - Human Interface Device Access 3. IsmServ - Intersite Messaging 4. ScardSvr - Smart Card Access 5. LMHosts - TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper The five services Bill mentions in this video are just the beginning. You can download our complete list of Windows Server 2003 services that can be disabled from the IT Dojo blog. This download contains a complete list of Windows Server 2003 services that can be disabled. The reference sheet lists each service, describes its function, specifies whether you can safely disable the service, and outlines the ramifications of doing so. The spreadsheet also lists each service's default configuration for specific server roles--domain controller, DHCP server, File server, mail server, and so forth.
IT Dojo: Quickly map drive letters in Windows XP with SUBST, PUSHD, and POPD

April 29, 2008, 7:18am PDT

Mapping drive letters in Windows XP is a common task. It's not a complicated process, but you can save time with a few easy shortcuts. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler demonstrates three old DOS commands that making mapping folders and network shares a snap. First, Bill looks at the SUBST command. SUBST lets you quickly and easily map a local, nested folder to a drive letter. Second, he examines the POPD and PUSHD commands. PUSHD lets you quickly map a network share from a Windows command prompt and POPD disconnects the drive. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic articles, print the tips, and learn more ways to manage files and folders within Windows in the IT Dojo blog.
IT Dojo: Five services you can turn off in Windows XP

April 29, 2008, 7:12am PDT

Running unnecessary Windows XP services can increase your vulnerability to exploits that might use those services as attack vectors. Disabling unnecessary services can be an important step in securing Windows XP. However, the typical Windows XP system has more than 80 services. Knowing which ones you can safely turn off can be tricky.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, Head Technology Editor, shows you how to disable Windows XP services and discusses the following five services that you may want to disable:Simple File SharingSSDP Discovery ServiceUniversal Plug and Play Device HostTelnetWindows Messenger ServiceThe five services Bill mentions in this video are just the beginning. You can download our complete list of Windows XP services that can be disabled from the IT Dojo blog. This reference sheet lists each Windows XP service, describes each service's function, specifies whether you can safely disable the service, and outlines the ramifications of doing so.
IT Dojo: Change the Windows XP product key

April 28, 2008, 12:52pm PDT | 5 | Latest comment by gabecomputers

Unless you're working in a geographic region with a high rate of counterfeit software, it's unlikely the Windows XP machines you support will have invalid licenses. However even in the best-run IT shops, unauthorized software can find its way onto the desktop. An end-user may have installed a pirated copy of XP but now wants to go legal. An organization may have installed 100 pirated copies of XP but now has a legitimate volume-licensing key. When you come across an invalid product key problem, changing Windows XP's product key is often the most practical solution. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic's Head Technology Editor, demonstrates a quick and easy registry hack that replaces an invalid Windows XP key with a legitimate one. Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, print the tip, find out where to get a WMI script that automates the process, and learn more ways to resolve Windows product key problems in our IT Dojo Blog.
IT Dojo: Disable USB storage under OS X or Windows

April 28, 2008, 11:50am PDT | 2 | Latest comment by BFilmFan

Hollywood would have IT pros believe that the biggest threat to network security comes from international super hackers or high school kids trying to download games like global thermonuclear war. In reality, we face a more mundane threat--our end users, particularly those wielding USB storage devices.These pocket-sized devices can store a large amount of data. But even if your users aren't planning to cart off sensitive company files, USB storage devices (external hard drives, camera, memory stick, MP3 players, etc.) can be a headache in other ways. Employees may use your networks to download music to their USB-based MP3 players. New USB flash drives, such as SanDisk's U3 smart drives, can even run software directly from the device--a perfect tool for the end-user who wants to run unauthorized software on your network.If your concerned about USB storage devices on your network and don’t feel a written policy alone will protect your data, disabling the devices is your next step.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic's Head Technology Editor, shows you how to disable USB storage devices on both Apple OS X and Windows. The United States National Security Agency (NSA) described the process in a March 2008 document from the agency's Information Assurance Directorate.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, download PDF version of this tip, and learn more about mitigating the risks poses by USB storage devices from our IT Dojo blog.
IT Dojo: Create your own bootable USB flash drive for Windows XP

April 28, 2008, 11:38am PDT | 16 | Latest comment by still3298965

Booting Windows XP from a USB Flash drive gives you great IT support tool. For example, you can make a troubleshooting toolkit for booting and analyzing seemingly dead PCs. Or you could always have your favorite support applications at your fingertips.In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic's Head Technology Editor, explains the process and pitfalls of creating a bootable Windows XP USB flash drive. You'll learn how to configure a computer's BIOS to boot from a USB drive, how to download and use the free software to create a bootable drive, and how to installed Windows XP on the drive.Once you've watched this IT Dojo video, you can read the original TechRepublic article, walk through the process in a screenshot gallery, and download a PDF version of the tip from our IT Dojo blog.