Bill Detwiler

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 Sharing
• SSDP Discovery Service
• Universal Plug and Play Device Host
• Telnet
• Windows Messenger Service

The 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.

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.

So you want to be a computer support technician. Or perhaps you are one already, but you can’t decide whether you’re just having a bad week or you’re really not cut out for the job. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler discusses several signs that you may not be cut out for IT support. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Navigating without a mouse is a forgotten skill among many users and even some support techs. But when Dr. Engelbart’s venerable rodent is ill or absent, the keyboard can be your only option. Also, using the keyboard can be faster than the mouse if you know the right key combinations. Bill Detwiler shows you some of the best keyboard shortcuts for Windows Vista. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Short of adding more RAM, there are a few things you can do to help a sluggish Windows Vista system run faster. Bill Detwiler shows you how to find and evaluate startup programs that you might want to shut down in order to get better performance from Vista. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Even though support techs often try their best to communicate honestly and clearly, sometimes they fall back on a few handy excuses or stalling tactics. Bill Detwiler takes a lighthearted look at some of the things you might hear from tech support staff and translates what they really mean. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Work in IT long enough and you’ll notice that users repeat several key phrases. Novice techs may take these expressions at face value, but IT veterans know that these phrases often have hidden meanings. Bill Detwiler takes a lighthearted look at what users say and deciphers what they often mean. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

For the second year in a row, Global Knowledge and TechRepublic partnered to create and distribute a comprehensive IT salary survey. In February, we released the result of this survey in our 2009 IT Skills and Salary Report. Bill Detwiler examines the survey’s results and discusses several factors that can increase your base salary, including the five most lucrative technical certifications. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

The switch from IPv4 to IPv6 is a hot topic on TechRepublic. If you’re still unsure what this change really means, stay tuned. Bill Detwiler shares answers from industry experts to five basic IPv6 questions. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

When you start a new help desk job, you need to get a few things straight before the calls begin rolling in, and not all of them will be covered in your training manual. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shares five tips every support tech should follow before they start a new help desk job. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

Whether you’re traveling across the city or going from one side of the building to the other, there’s nothing more irritating than being on a support call and not having the right tools. Since experience is always the best teacher, TechRepublic asked its members for advice in compiling a list of tools for IT support pros, and we received a lot of great feedback. Bill Detwiler goes over a list of items that should be in your IT repair toolkit. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.

IT pros love to share stories about the dumb things that users do, but sometimes you have to admit your own mistakes. Every admin has at least one embarrassing story about something they did to mess up their network. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler discusses several dumb mistakes that can really mess up a network, so that we can avoid them in the future. Once you’ve watched this IT Dojo video, you can find a link to the original TechRepublic article and print the tip from our IT Dojo Blog.