Running SandboxIE on a RAM disk

Why

A virtual machine (VM) is like a second computer running inside your machine.

This is done for security (so that if it's compromised you can delete it) but you likely see a performance decrease because it shares the same resources as the rest of the computer.

While running Chrome on Windows 10 64 bit clean install, I noticed a slow down in opening and browsing that was enough to have me contemplate buying a new PC.

32 bit OS would not be advisable since RAM is limited to less than 4 gigs

The Pieces

Super Talent USB RamDisk (but I'm sure you can find a free RAM disk software alternative, I had already purchased this previously)

SandboxIE (but I'm sure you can choose another option, even a full VM)

Google Chrome (for the saving of settings on Googles server but this is possible with other browsers as well)

The Process

Install Chrome as you normally would, run it once, login and let it sync all your settings.

Why a USB flash drive? Technically that doesn't have anything to do with this. This product touts itself as having the software to make a RAM disk (why isn't this already in Windows?) and backs up the RAM disk to the flash drive every so often and at shutdown.
Create the RAM drive. I created one of 2.76 Gigs and it works fine, not even close to being full (I usually don't have more than 10 tabs open at a time and shut off my PC every night)

In SandboxIE choose Sandbox > Set Container Folder and point it at the RAM disk
Create a Sandbox and right click on it to choose Sandbox Settings
Delete > Delete Invocation: Never remove this Sandbox or  delete it's contents
Program Start > Forced Folders: I paid $20 a year for the licensed version of  SandboxIE (I wanted to test it before purchasing a lifetime license) so that whenever any executable within C:\Program Files (x86)\Google launches, it will run within this Sandbox

The RAM disk is automatically created at every boot (this fails enough to not have me set this up on a non-technical users computer since Chrome won't open if it the RAM disk isn't there)

By clicking any Chrome shortcut, it automatically opens in the Sandbox, even in Incognito mode

Bonus Chrome Tip

Set Flash as "Click to Run". Settings > Advanced > Content Settings > Plugins = Choose Let me choose when to run plugin content; then click "Manage Individual Plugins" and click Enable to Disable them all

More research into airline safety please

So the news of the moment is about a security researcher making reference to how insecure airline systems are while on a flight. An article at ZDNet inspired this tweet from @Wh1t3Rabbit

Jokers, hackers, and airline safety | ZDNet | perfectly written, and explains why this was not ok. http://t.co/EThIQ7Z7VA
— Rafał Łoś (@Wh1t3Rabbit) April 20, 2015

I read the article, retweeted the tweet, and replied wondering why there wasn't more research going into this.


The response I got back was surprising, especially coming from a security researcher who knows way more about this than I do.

@imkilo @jmthecm So what happens when they find a massive hole? Every flight grounded? Not knowing (evidence) is the only way to go...scary.
— Rafał Łoś (@Wh1t3Rabbit) April 20, 2015

I find this surprising because it's not like massive security holes haven't been found and fixed in systems before, and it seemed like that kind of response is about less research, not more.


Curious, perhaps he has his reasons.

@imkilo @jmthecm please stop
— Rafał Łoś (@Wh1t3Rabbit) April 20, 2015

Idea - Using SQRL to authorize payments in person

What if your bank had you download an app, enter your website login and password, setup a PIN, and then when you open the app it will prompt for a PIN then display a QR code that is a link to the banks servers plus your account number, the merchant scans it and you get a prompt of "Authorize merchant xyz a one time deduction of $##.## from account ****####?". Then you click "Authorize", and the merchant gets a message that it went through.

It's kinda "SQRL in reverse" or "SQRL for in person transactions". And I would be more excited, if I didn't google "using qr code to authenticate payments" and hear about a few services that may offer something VERY similar like: "E-num", "Seamless", "SEQR", and "CardlessPay".

Set Startup Programs for Delayed Start with Scheduled Task - Windows7

I leave my computer at home off when I'm at work, and I log off my work computer at the end of the day.
On my way home, or to work, I usually have a thought of "As soon as I log into my computer I need to do xyz."
However, I have all these programs that normally run in the background, and as soon as I log into my computer, they would all start and the computer would run a little slower right as I'm trying to do something I'm in a hurry for.

What I like to do, is to set all these "always on" programs, to wait until after I login to launch themselves. This also works great if all I need to do is change one setting and then reboot again, I don't have all those wasted cycles of launching a program, or an even longer delay if it needs to connect to the internet to check for an update.

While you are at it, go ahead and stagger the launches so 30 minutes in, you don't have the computer just freeze as it tries to launch several programs.

First I have the Instant Messenger program I use wait 15 minutes, Dropbox waits 20 minutes, Juice waits 25 minutes, and Hoekey waits 30 minutes. So by 30 minutes after login; everything is normal.

While writing this article I opened up my "Task Scheduler Library" and found that Google and Adobe have some programs that will check for updates at login, and then check every single hour for updates after that. I modified them both to wait 40 minutes after login to run their check for updates.

A description on setting a scheduled task to only trigger "After Logon" is on Microsoft's site:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Schedule-a-task

When is your outfit no longer a cosplay?

Falling right into the "must label everything" trap. I got into a conversation about "professional cosplayers", and could it really be thought of as "play" if you were being paid. We finally decided that what made it "play" vs "pro" was if you picked out the costume. If someone else picks out your costume, you're an actor; if you picked it out yourself (even if you only purchased it yourself) then it could be considered "playing".

Which bring me to another point. We sure do like to label things, and then let other people know if we don't agree on the way they label something versus the way we label something. We should probably stop worrying about it so much.

Checking out books to the Kindle App from the Phoenix Public Library

Walk into a Public Library, and get a Library card, and register it with your name.
Get an Amazon.com account.
Download the Kindle App to your device (or just get a Kindle).
To see a listing of Phoenix Public Library eBooks that are currently available, go to:

http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/controller.jsp?browse=true&Ns=Availability&N=6594+6606

After selecting a book, choose the "Kindle Option" to add to book bag, then "Checkout".

When prompted, use your Phoenix Library Card# and Last Name

It will then take you to Amazon, where you can select the Kindle from the drop down list on the right you want it sent to ("iPhone" I assume) then login with amazon user/pass

Then open the kindle app on the iPhone. It should take a minute to sync, then the title should show up at the top.

After 14 days, it deletes itself.

Fixing a failing hard drive from 2 states away

The "trick" in this story, is that the user had two hard drives in their computer and the second hard drive was large enough to accept all the system/data from the first hard drive.

I get a call from a relative of mine "I need the Helpdesk, my computer is giving me an error saying that my hard drive is in imminent failure. Also, when I turned it on there was a black screen that in white letters said that the S M A R T system detected a failing hard drive."

For most users, this means a trip to the computer store to buy a new hard drive, and pay for a technician to install the OS and copy the data over, and unless you are friends/family, that's what I'd recommend you do as well.

So I fire up TeamViewer8 http://www.teamviewer.com/ (free for personal use), which allows me to remote into his machine, and see the error message he is getting; and click around to further check out the situation.

(X) Microsoft Windows
(X) Windows detected a hard disk problem
Back up your files immediately to prevent information loss, and then contact the computer manufacturer to determine if you need to repiar or replace the disk.
(Clicking "Details" indicates it's the Disk Name "HDS722020ALA330" and Volume C:\ D:\

He lets me know that when he turned on his computer that day, it also had a black screen with white text say that "SMART" was reporting the drive was bad and prompting him to either enter setup or continue.

Just to make sure (in hind site, I probably should have skipped this step) I download and installed HD Tune http://www.hdtune.com/ (free trial), ran an Error Scan and several sectors were returned as "Damaged". I also went to the HP website to check if the machine was in warranty, it had expired 3 months prior.

Ain't that always the way?

Since I had TeamViewer8; and was able to see what was going on with his computer and poke and prod it myself, I picked up on the fact that he had two hard drives, which is somewhat unusual in a home system, and honestly if we had only been speaking on the phone; I wouldn't have though to ask and check for this.

The first drive was 1 partition at 160 gigs of data and two more HP recovery partitions totalling less than 175 gigs. The second drive said "No files" and listed itself as 400 gigabytes free.

I had just heard the guys on the "DogHouse Systems" podcast http://www.doghousesystems.com/ Episode64 talk about an Acronis product being able to clone a system disk by rebooting the computer and entering a special boot mode and doing the boot automatically there.

So on my computer, I go to Acronis http://www.acronis.com/ and see that they are selling "True Image 2013" and giving away a copy of "Disk Director 11" with purchase; assuming True Image will do what I need, I purchase it, then skim the user guides about disk cloning and notice that the Disk Director is really more what fits this situation.

Acronis gives you a link to download Disk Director after purchase, so I email that to my relative, and open the email on their computer; download the program, install it; then tell Disk Director to clone drive 1, onto drive 2; resize, and "Copy NT Signature" (to make it bootable), "turn off computer when done". Then I "commit" the actions, and it prompts to reboot the computer, which I do, and of course TeamViewer8 has to shut down as well.

The relative did have to click past the "S M A R T" error message that comes on before the computer boots. And sure enough, he reported that the special boot mode was entered, and it took most of the night to copy the data (probably because the drive was damaged in some places).

I send the relative a text message saying to call me tomorrow before turning the computer, so we can go into the BIOS and turn off drive 1 so the computer will boot from driver 2.

The next day I get a text message saying that the error is still coming up. I know this is because we haven't turned off drive 1 in the BIOS, but I go ahead and fire up TeamViewer8 again and verify that the copy went through to the other hard drive.

So then I fire up Apple's FaceTime for a phone call, and have him reboot the computer and enter the BIOS by pressing a button as the computer booted up (F10 as I recall for an HP E-490t model) and then I visually walked him through turning of drive 1 in the BIOS. A "Save and Exit" later, and we were back in what looked identical to his previous setup, but now without an error message about a drive failing.

Amazing times we live in.

Is there a device that I could remote into to use a computer (move the mouse, type into it, see what's being displayed), even in the BIOS? If so, please comment and depending on how much it costs, I'll buy it and install it on every relatives computer. I'll pay more if it will let me remotely cut the power to force a reboot of a frozen system. Then I'll get two so in case one freezes, I can reboot the other one :-)