I came across Windows Steady State in my search for a free alternative for Faronic’s Deep Freeze. Though it is not quite as effective as deep freeze, it covers the basic task of keeping users from making changes to your computer’s setup. It does this by creating an compressed image of the hard drive and reverting back to it when it is in, for lack of a better term, the frozen state.
Here, ‘frozen’ means exactly what it sounds like – nothing changes. Ok, so that’s not exactly right. While in the frozen state, the computer allows the user to do anything he or she wants, but when it is restarted it reverts the computer and all of its settings back to the image it created when the program was installed (or the last time it was ‘thawed’ whichever is more recent).
The hardest part to this program is setting it up. Where Deep Freeze is a fairly quick and simple setup, Steady State takes 20+ minutes to setup and requires the user to check lots of boxes. Steady state runs on Windows XP & Vista, where Deep Freeze has versions out for other past Windows operating systems as well as for Mac computers.
Though Steady State is not for the average user, it does provide a fairly simple FREE way to keep users (especially useful for children) from messing up your computer. The only drawback to these programs is you have to make sure to save anything you want (unless you specify in the setup) to an external source or a separate partition on your computer.
If you have any questions reguarding this post or either of the programs mentioned, email technologysolutions4@gmail.com.
Posted by technologysolutions4 on February 28, 2009
On modern browsers, such as IE7 and Firefox, hitting Ctrl + Enter will automatically fill in the www. and the .com part of the URL. I bet every is familiar with that but do you know this.
Shift + Enter – Auto-complete *.net address
Ctrl + Shift + Enter – Auto-complete *.org address
If you add Alt to any of those key combinations, it will auto-complete and open the new address in a new tab as well. Alt+Ctrl+Enter will auto-complete a *.com address in a new tab, for instance.
Posted by technologysolutions4 on February 2, 2009
Older ways of downloading music off of iPods doesn’t work with the new iPod touch or iPhone, but a free (free to use) program that makes copying music from your iPod is now available: Music Rescue
So, have you ever been in a place (particularly a hotel) that has high-speed ethernet (where you plug your computer in) but no wireless internet? I have a simple solution to this problem: make your own wireless network. This network will have less than 100′ range due ot the limitations of the computer’s wireless card, but this is perfect for hotel rooms.
**This involves changing your computer’s wired & wireless network settings. Windows Vista
Step 1: Plug your computer in to the wired high speed port (make sure charges do not apply for using this service) and connect to the internet using the specified directions (usually involves logging in). If asked, make sure you select that this is a private network – this is very important! Also, make sure your wireless card is turned on!
Step 2: Click Start>Network (Right Side) – Then click Network and Sharing Center on the top
Step 3: Click Set up a connection or network on the left
Step 4: Click Set up a wireless ad hoc (computer-to-computer) network and click Next twice. Type a network name (remember this), Select WEP for security type and type a Security Key (remember this) then click save this network and close after it is finished.
Step 5: In Network and Sharing Center, click Manage network connections. Right-click on Local Area Connectionand click properties. Go to the sharing tab and click “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s internet connection.” Then click settings. Check FTP, (SMTP), (HTTPS), Telnet Server, (HTTP). If any windows come up, click ok. This information is irrelevant for our purposes.When finished click OK to close both windows.
Step 6: In Network Connections, Right-click Wireless Network (or wireless card, wireless connection, etc) click status then details. the IPv4 address should be 192.168.0.1 — If this is correct, your have successfully connected. You may need to log in to the internet again from your computer to finish this connection; and it may take several minutes for the computer to fully connect everything.
Congratulations! You have created your own wireless network!
Undoing the connection:
1. Network Connections: Right click Local Area Connection – Sharing – UNcheck Allow other network users to…
2. Network & Sharing Center: On the left, click Connect to a Network and chose a wireless network.
You now have your computer back to normal.
You may have to turn off your Firewalls/Security Software for this to work.
If you have any questions about this, leave a comment below or email technologysolutions4@gmail.com
I came across Windows Steady State in my search for a free alternative for Faronic’s Deep Freeze. Though it is not quite as effective as deep freeze, it covers the basic task of keeping users from making changes to your computer’s setup. It does this by creating an compressed image of the hard drive and reverting back to it when it is in, for lack of a better term, the frozen state.
