First we need to understand what causes these prompts.  User Account Control or UAC is a new security feature in Windows Vista that gives applications only standard user privileges when they run. This helps to prevent applications and malware from destroying critical operating system components that they would otherwise be able to do with administrative rights. The annoying side effect of this, however, is that each time an application needs administrative rights, you are presented with a “Windows needs your permission to continue” prompt.

Windows Vista does have the option of disabling UAC completely. Disabling UAC will suppress the prompts but also disables all of the other positive effects associated with UAC such as running applications with standard user rights, running Internet Explorer in protected mode, etc. When you disable UAC, you are essentially running Windows Vista with the same type of security as Windows XP. You can disable UAC in Vista by performing the following steps.

Step 1: Click the Start menu and in the Start Search box, type msconfig and hit enter. If you receive a security warning, click “Continue.”

Step 2: Click the “Tools” tab.

Step 3: Select “Disable UAC” and click “Launch.”

Step 4: Close out of the command prompt window and the msconfig window. Now reboot the computer for settings to take effect.

A better option is to switch UAC into “Quiet Mode” using TweakUAC or WinCleaner UAC Switch. Quiet mode allows you to still experience the positive effects of UAC but disables the prompts when an application needs administrative rights. In this mode you are giving control back to the computer, and in a sense, the computer is hitting the continue button for you when an application needs administrative rights.

Both of these options get rid of the annoying prompts but do not offer the full protection that UAC was designed to give. You should only follow these steps if you are an experienced user and are not worried about malware.

TechTool Protogo

TechTool Protogo is a Mac repair program suite which contains three of Micromat’s best Mac repair tools; TechTool Pro 4, TechTool Pro Classic, and DiskStudio. Protogo creates a bootable Mac repair toolbox with these tools as well as any of your own tools on a portable hard drive or flash drive. You can then boot from this drive, bypassing the OS, and run diagnostics on a computer to determine problems. Protogo also allows you to repair and recover data from problematic hard drives as well as defragment, optimize, and securely delete data. If you do not want to use your own portable drive, you can also purchase TechTool Protege which includes all of the same tools but comes on a FireWire based bootable flash drive.

Cost: $135.00

Memtest OS X

Memtest OS X is a memory testing program for Mac OS X. It is a command line utility so it can be ran in OS X or in Single-User Mode if your Mac will not boot. It is great for testing intermittent system problems when you are having trouble determining if it is a memory problem. If you prefer memtest with a GUI front-end, then be sure to check out Rember. Rember will run in OS X but will not work in Single-User Mode so Memtest OS X is the better option.

Cost: $1.39

DiskWarrior 4

DiskWarrior is arguably one of the best hard drive repair programs for the Mac. It works differently than other data repair programs. Instead of trying to rebuild the damaged data itself, DiskWarrior builds replacement data based off of the original data. It then verifies the new data structure based on the original to make sure it is error free. You can also use DiskWarrior as a preventative maintenance utility for hard disks. When ran, it rebuilds your directory eliminating any damage that you may not be aware of. It also optimizes the directory for better performance.

Cost: $99.95

OnyX

Onyx is a maintenance, optimization, and personalization utility for Mac OS X. It allows you to run hard drive diagnostics, run system maintenance tasks, delete caches, and configure tons of OS X hidden features. Even if you aren’t using it as a repair utility, it is a great application to help keep your Mac running in top shape.

Cost: Free!

Data Rescue II

Data Rescue II is a data recovery program that focuses purely on recovering data from corrupt drives instead of hard drive repair. It scans the corrupt drive analyzing all of its contents and allows you to choose which data you would like to recover. It even scans for deleted files. Data Rescue II restores the data to a separate drive leaving the original data intact. It comes with an emergency boot CD that you can use to recover data when the computer will not boot and it also works on drives that won’t mount.

Cost: $99.00

AppCleaner

AppCleaner may not be classified as a repair tool but it can be used as one. When you are having trouble with an application in OS X, you can simply remove it by dragging it to the Trash. However, this still leaves behind the applications preferences, caches, and other files that could still cause the same problem after you reinstall it. AppCleaner will remove all of these files making sure that the app is completely gone before you attempt a reinstall.

Cost: Free!

Drive Genius 2

Drive Genius 2 is a disk utility application for Macs. Its main features include defragmenting, running benchtests, directory repair, integrity checks, surface scans, repartitioning, cloning, shredding data, and more. This is actually the same program used to defrag Macs at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores. Drive Genius also comes on a bootable DVD so you can run it even when a Mac will not boot.

Cost: $99.00

Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner is a simple yet very effective backup utility for the Mac. Like most other backup utilities, it can be scheduled to backup your Mac on a regular basis. The best part, however, is its ability to completely clone a hard drive with it still being bootable. This tool comes in very handy when you are replacing hard drives, setting up multiple Macs, or recovering from a system crash. Carbon Copy Cloner is donation-ware so you can download it for free without any restrictions. You can also check out SuperDuper which has more features but costs $27.95. However, if you just need a simple backup and cloning utility, Carbon Copy Cloner does a great job.

Cost: Free! (donation-ware)

AppleJack

AppleJack is a troubleshooting utility for Mac OS X. It runs under Single-User Mode so it can be used even when OS X will not boot. AppleJack will repair disks, repair permissions, cleanup cache files, validate preference files, and remove swap files. You can select these tasks individually or have AppleJack run all of them and even reboot when finished. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article, AppleJack is not yet compatible with Leopard but a new version is in the works. Be sure to check their page frequently for an update because this is an invaluable tool.

Cost: Free! (open-source)

Hardware Monitor

Hardware Monitor is a utility that allows you to view data from the hardware sensors in a Mac. It currently has support for temperature readings, battery data, voltage, current, fan speed, power and load, ambient light, as well as user-defined artificial sensors. It’s a great utility to use when simply trying to find out if your hardware is malfunctioning.

Cost: € 7.00 (can also be purchased with U.S. Dollars)

What Mac OS X repair tools do you like?

The Microsoft Software Inventory Analyzer will scan a network and give you a report of which Microsoft products are currently installed on each computer. You can then use this report to figure out how many licenses you will need to purchase or how many extra licenses you have. In the following tutorial, I would like to guide you through the step by step process of using this tool.

Before We Begin:

Download and run the Microsoft Software Inventory Analyzer. 

Step 1:

After you run the program, you will be presented with the welcome screen. Click “Next.”

Step 2:

You will now choose your scan settings. You have two options.  You can choose “Scan using Custom settings” if you plan on scanning the network frequently or “Scan using wizard” for just a one time scan. For now lets just choose “Scan using wizard.” Click “Next.”

Step 3:

Next you will choose the type of scan. Choose “Network” to scan a network.  If you are not logged into the network with administrator rights then click “Login As…” to put in your username and password. Click “Next.”

Step 4:

Now you will choose which machines on the network to scan. For this tutorial, I am going to select “Specify the range of IP addresses” because not all of the computers on this network log into the domain. Click “Next.”

Step 5:

Now enter the range of IP addresses that you want to scan. When finished, click “Next.”

Step 6:

Now you will choose which types of Microsoft products you want to scan for. You can choose individual products are all Microsoft products. When finished, click “Next.”

Step 7:

Choose the type of format that you want to generate your report in as well as where you would like the report to be saved. Click “Next.”

Step 8:

You now have the options of consolidating this report with other reports you have generated. Click “Next.”

Step 9:

You will now confirm your settings. You can even have the report emailed to someone including yourself if you like.  You can also save these settings as default settings so they come up next time you run MSIA. When finished, click “Next.”

Step 10:

MSIA will now scan the computers on your network for the Microsoft products you specified.  When the scan is finished, you will be presented with a list of machines that MSIA failed to scan and the reason why it couldn’t scan them. You can attempt to fix the problems with the machines and rescan them by selecting the check box next to them or skip them by just clicking “Next.”

Step 11:

Your scan is now complete. Click “Finish” to view your report.

You will now see a report of all the Microsoft Products you scanned for that are installed on the computers on the network. By default, MSIA will tell you that each product has a license deficiency until you tell MSIA how many licenses you own. MSIA will even tell you which Service Pack is installed so it can also aid you in discovering which machines need updating.

Feel free to share your experience with MSIA or any other similar programs.

The Windows XP Setup Simulator allows you to practice installing Windows as much as you want on any computer. Just simply run the program and you are guided through the setup process just as if you were actually installing Windows on a computer.

The simulator is self-contained so it doesn’t interfere with your current Windows installation in any way. You can also use it to practice your Windows 2003 installations because the process is very similar.

The simulator also comes packaged with a guide that explains every step in the Windows XP setup process.

Unfortuantely, there isn’t a Windows Vista or 2008 Setup Simulator available yet that I know of.  For now, you can just follow Installing Windows Vista: A How-To Guide and How to Install Windows 2008 Server Step by Step.

Before we get started, it might be helpful for you to first understand what a batch file is.  A batch file is a simple text file that can run a series of DOS commands when executed.  They can be created using Windows Notepad or any other plain text editor.  You simply enter the DOS commands that you would like to run and save the file with a .bat extension.  You can then execute it by simply double clicking on it.

Lets get started.

Step 1:  Click on the “Start” menu and go to “All Programs”.  Go to “Accessories” and open “Notepad”.

Step 2:  In Notepad, type in the following commands which will be run to refresh a computer’s network settings.

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew

It should look like this.

The “release” switch will release your current IP address settings.  The “flushdns” switch will flush the DNS resolver cache.  The “renew” switch will renew your IP address settings.

Step 3:  Now click on the “File” menu and select “Save As”.  Change the “Save As Type” field to “All Files” located near the bottom of the window.  Now enter a “File Name” such as “Refresh.bat” without the quotes.  It is important that you put the .bat extension on the end of the file name or you will not be able to execute it as a batch file.  Choose a “Save In” location and click the “Save” button to save it.

Step 4:  Now you can run your new batch file by double clicking on it.

After the batch file has finished executing, the computer’s network settings will be refreshed.

You can put this file on your desktop for quick access or on a flash drive to use on other computers.  It can be run on any Windows machine including XP and Vista.  Remember, these commands will only work if the computer is set up to obtain an IP address automatically and will not work if the computer has a hard-coded IP address.

If you have any experience using batch files, please feel free to share what you use them for.

Learn Where to Find the Answers

Being a good tech doesn’t necessarily mean knowing all the answers but it does mean knowing where to find them.  Google is your best friend.  Study the Google Cheat Sheet and learn how to effectively use operators.  For example, putting quotes around a specific error message and searching for it will usually lead you to articles on how to fix it.  Also check out 15 Online Tools That You Will Come to Love As a Tech.

Build a Computer

If you want to be a computer tech then you need to learn how to build a computer from the ground up.  Even if you don’t have the money, put one together with any spare parts you can find.  And be sure to install Windows on it after it’s up.  You will be doing a lot of this when you finally do become a tech.  For step by step instructions, check out How to Build a Computer.

Break Your Computer

No, not physically, but feel free to destroy your Windows installation and then attempt to repair it.  I learn the most when I have hands on experience with troubleshooting problems and so will you.  Just make sure you have your recovery disks and a good backup first.

Get Your A+ Certification

The CompTIA A+ Certification is one of the most widely sought after certifications for entry level tech jobs.  Many IT recruiters look at this certification as validation that you at least know the basics of being a computer technician.  To become A+ Certified, you must pass two exams which cost around $160 a piece but it is well worth it.  Check out Cramsession.com for free study guides and training material.

Go to School

I can’t stress this one enough.  Even if you don’t want to go into a four year program, at least look into a tech school.  Most offer two year programs and have lots of hands on experience.  And if you don’t want to get a degree then at least take a class or two.  Any education is better than none.  For help with finding a school, check out CollegeBoard.com.

Work for Free

That’s right, for free with no strings attached.  Volunteer whenever the opportunity is available whether it be at a school or your friends house.  Not only will you need the hands on experience, but you will also need something to put on your resume.  And you never know, one of these opportunities could eventually turn into a job.

Create an “ATS Friendly” Resume

Lots of IT recruiters add resumes to an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) and then search through all of them using specific keywords.  The use of keywords in your resume will increase the chances of your resume showing up when they do a search.  Check out 10 Ways to Tweak Your Tech Resume for more help.  Also check out 5 Articles That Will Help You Write An Impressive Tech Resume.

Study

And while you have some free time, feel free to study.  Read tech books, tech blogs, tech news, and anything else you can get your hands on.  Study your acronyms and know what they mean.  Don’t be caught off guard when someone asks you what TCP/IP stands for in an interview.  Check out The Tech Terms Computer Dictionary for a full list.

Accept Any Offer

Apply for every entry level tech job that you see.  And if you get an offer, take it.  The market is very competitive and at this point you just need to get your foot in the door.  After you gain some experience, you can always move on to something better.

Following these tips does not guarantee you a job, but they are sure to help.  If you are already a tech then please feel free to add your own tips.

TechBargains not only offers the ability to find great tech deals, but also an assurance in the products they recommend and the companies that are selling them. All of the deals listed on their site are personally recommended by their staff based on research and reader feedback.

Dealnews, just like the name, is a site for finding the latest news on deals from reputable merchants. It was created in 1999 by the same people who created Dealmac. Although the site now focuses on a wide variety of deals, it is still a great place to search for the latest tech deals.

xpBargains offers a wide variety of tech deals but specializes in deals on desktops and notebooks. They list all of the latest deals on their front page and have a huge coupon section with coupons for all of the major computer manufacturers.

Dealmac is a bargain hunting site by the creators of Dealnews but with a focus on Apple and Apple related products. This site is a great place to search for the latest deals on new and used macs, ipods and other Apple products as well as other things you as a mac user might need.

Ben’s Bargains is a bargain hunting site that was created by Ben Chui in 2000. New bargains are frequently listed on the front page and can be made popular by the amount of clicks, comments, bookmarks, and views.

Slickdeals.net is a user driven site where users submit deals and coupons to their forums. When the thread gets a high enough rating, the post will be promoted to the front page. This site has a huge community which makes it a great place to search for tech deals.

DealsPlus is a social shopping community where users submit and vote on their favorite deals. It was created by Ben Chui of Ben’s Bargains. Think of it as Digg but for deals. When a deal gets enough votes, it appears on the front page. This site might not have as many users as some of the others but it is still my personal favorite.

JellyFish is a search engine for buying things. They call themselves the Internet’s first buying engine. The best part, however, is that JellyFish shares their commission. When you purchase a product that you found through them, they will credit you back part of the commission they get from the sale.

Techdeals.net is a blog focused purely on tech deals. New deals are frequently posted to the front page where they can be viewed and commented on.

FatWallet is a large forum centered deal hunting website where users find and post deals in their forums. The site also offers cash back rewards when visitors purchase items through their referral links.

Now I would like your input. Please share with me the sites that you use when hunting for tech deals.

This little utility is called Unknown Devices and it works with Windows 95, 98, 98se, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista. It’s also a portable application so it requires no installation. 

When you run it, Unknown Devices immediately lists out all of the devices that Windows cannot find a driver for and tells you what each one is.

In this example I have a modem that I cannot locate the driver for because I don’t know who the manufacturer is.

When I run Unknown Devices, it tells me that the device is made by Context Systems.

I am now able to use this information to download the appropriate driver from the computer manufacturer’s website.

If you have experience with other utilities like this or other methods of determining unknown devices, please feel free to share.