Multiple desktops in Windows 10

Multiple desktops are great for keeping unrelated, ongoing projects organized, or for quickly hiding from the boss that browser game you can't stop playing. To create multiple desktops: 

• On the taskbar, select Task view > New desktop .
• Open the apps you want to use on that desktop.
• To switch between desktops, select Task view again.

Wipe your Deleted Data Away: Using cipher.exe

Administrators can use Cipher.exe to encrypt and decrypt data on drives that use the NTFS file system and to view the encryption status of files and folders from a command prompt. An updated version of the Cipher tool has been released for Windows 2000, and is included with Windows XP. The updated version adds another security option. This new option is the ability to overwrite data that you have deleted so that it cannot be recovered and accessed.

When you delete files or folders, the data is not initially removed from the hard disk. Instead, the space on the disk that was occupied by the deleted data is "deallocated." After it is deallocated, the space is available for use when new data is written to the disk. Until the space is overwritten, it is possible to recover the deleted data by using a low-level disk editor or data-recovery software.

If you create files in plain text and then encrypt them, Encrypting File System (EFS) makes a backup copy of the file so that, if an error occurs during the encryption process, the data is not lost. After the encryption is complete, the backup copy is deleted. As with other deleted files, the data is not completely removed until it has been overwritten. The new version of the Cipher utility is designed to prevent unauthorized recovery of such data.

Most Windows 2000 and XP Professional users are aware of the ability to encrypt data at the file level, using the Encrypting File System (EFS). It’s easy to do through the graphical interface—as easy as checking a checkbox on the Advanced File Attributes property sheet. However, many IT pros aren’t aware that encryption can also be performed at the command line.

The cipher.exe utility is included with Microsoft’s most recent NT-based operating systems. It allows you to do the same tasks—encrypt and decrypt—that you can do through the GUI, but also allows you to do much more—all through the command line. Administrators and power users can take advantage of the cipher tool’s power to gather encryption information and more quickly perform encryption tasks.

This Daily Drill Down will introduce you to the cipher tool and walk you through the steps of using its various switches.

Why a command line encryption tool?
What’s the need for a command line encryption tool if it’s so easy to encrypt and decrypt files using the GUI (other than the fact that some of us just like the character-based interface)? While encryption and decryption are easy attributes to set through a file or folder’s property sheet, there are other encryption-related tasks that are difficult (or impossible) to accomplish through the GUI.

For example, what if a user wants to create a new file encryption key? You might think you could generate a new key pair by requesting a new EFS certificate. You would do this by invoking the Certificate Request Wizard via the Certificates MMC (if you’re in an Active Directory domain) or via the certification authority’s Web page. But the problem with this method is that the file encryption key that is generated by EFS is wrapped with the user’s public key during the encryption process. As a workaround, the cipher tool allows you to create a new encryption key by typing cipher /k.

What if you want to encrypt files that are already encrypted? There’s no way to do that through the graphical interface; you must first decrypt the file before you’re allowed to change its attribute back to encrypted. With the cipher tool, you can force encryption on all files and folders, including those that are already encrypted.

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Tip
The original version of cipher.exe that was released with Windows 2000 does not include the data overwrite function. This was added in a version of the cipher tool that Microsoft released in June 2001 (and included in Windows 2000 SP3). The drive-wiping function is included in the cipher tool that comes with Windows XP.

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The cipher.exe command is an external command that is available in the below Microsoft operating systems.

Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

Syntax

Displays or alters the encryption of directories [files] on NTFS partitions.

CIPHER [/E | /D] [/S:dir] [/A] [/I] [/F] [/Q] [/H] [/K] [pathname [...]]

CIPHER /W:directory

CIPHER /X[:efsfile] [filename]

/E	Encrypts the specified directories. Directories will be marked so that files added afterward will be encrypted.
/D	Decrypts the specified directories. Directories will be marked so that files added afterward will not be encrypted.
/S	Performs the specified operation on directories in the given directory and all subdirectories.
/A	Operation for files as well as directories. The encrypted file could become decrypted when it is modified if the parent directory is not encrypted. It is recommended that you encrypt the file and the parent directory.
/I	Continues performing the specified operation even after errors have occurred. By default, CIPHER stops when an error is encountered.
/F	Forces the encryption operation on all specified objects, even those that are already encrypted. Already-encrypted objects are skipped by default.
/Q	Reports only the most essential information.
/H	Displays files with the hidden or system attributes. These files are omitted by default.
/K	Create new file encryption key for the user running CIPHER. If this option is chosen, all the other options will be ignored.
/W	Removes data from available unused disk space on the entire volume. If this option is chosen, all other options are ignored. The directory specified can be anywhere in a local volume. If it is a mount point or points to a directory in another volume, the data on that volume will be removed.
/X	Backup EFS certificate and keys into file filename. If efsfile is provided, the current user's certificate(s) used to encrypt the file will be backed up. Otherwise, the user's current EFS certificate and keys will be backed up.
dir	A directory path.
pathname	Specifies a pattern, file or directory.
efsfile	An encrypted file path.

Used without parameters, CIPHER displays the encryption state of the current directory and any files it contains. You may use multiple directory names and wildcards. You must put spaces between multiple parameters.

To overwrite deleted data on a volume by using Cipher.exe, use the /w switch with the cipher command. Use the following steps:

1. Quit all programs.
2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.
3. Type cipher /w:driveletter:\foldername, and then press ENTER. Specify the drive and the folder that identifies the volume that contains the deleted data that you want to overwrite. Data that is not allocated to files or folders will be overwritten. This permanently removes the data. This can take a long time if you are overwriting a large space.

   The /w switch is used to overwrite data in unallocated space on the disk.

   Note With mount points in Windows 2000, you can mount a volume on any empty folder on an NTFS volume. When you do this, the mounted volume does not have a drive letter of its own. The only way to address that volume is by using the path where you created the mount point. Therefore, the /w switch requests a path of a folder, and from that, it determines the associated volume to wipe. Because of the way the file system works, the whole volume must be wiped. A file can be written anywhere on the volume at any time. A folder does not address a specific physical location on disk but is a logical container for file entries in the volume's table of contents (MFT or FAT). To make sure that there is no leftover data in unallocated space, all unallocated space on the volume must be wiped.

For more details, look into following links:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/cipher.mspx?mfr=true

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315672

http://www.computerhope.com/cipher.htm

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/use-cipherexe-for-command-line-encryption/5030732

http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/using-cipherexe.html

Using Batch Files to Automate Networking Tasks - PART3

How to Restart Services On All Domain Controllers Within a Domain

To restart service on all domain controllers within a domain, perform the following steps: 

1. Create the Restart.bat and Restart2.bat files listed below.
2. Run the Restart.bat Service Name from a computer running Windows NT using administrator privileges. The Restart.bat file issues the Windows NT Resource Kit utility NETDOM to create a file called Netdom.txt. The Netdom.txt file gets parsed using the FOR command (part of Windows NT command extensions). Each \\DomainControllerName gets passed to the Restart2.bat file where the Windows NT Resource Kit utility NETSVC command gets issued to stop and start the Service Name entered at the command prompt.

Filename: RESTART.BAT 

echo off
cls
if (%1)==() goto NoParams
netdom bdc > netdom.txt
for /F "skip=6 tokens=4" %%a in (netdom.txt) do call restart2.bat
%%a %1
echo ---------
echo - Done! -
echo ---------
goto bottom
:NoParams
echo usage: RESTART "Service Name"
echo.
echo. i.e.- RESTART "License Logging Service"
echo.
:bottom
    

Filename: RESTART2.BAT 

echo Restarting %2 on %1
netsvc %2 %1 /stop
netsvc %2 %1 /start
echo.
  

Using Batch Files to Automate Networking Tasks - PART2

How to Add Files to Many Users' Home Directories

To add files to many users' home directories, perform the following steps: 

1. Create the Addfile.bat and Addfile2.bat files listed below.
2. Run Addfile.bat <Parent Directory> <File to Add> with administrative privileges from a computer running Windows NT. The Addfile.bat file simply issues a DIR command and redirects the output to a file, which in turn gets parsed using the FOR command (part of Windows NT command extensions). The Addfile2.bat file gets called once for each directory name listed in the Dir.txt file. The Addfile2.bat file issues a copy command to copy the file to each user directories.

Filename: ADDFILE.BAT

v
echo off
cls
IF (%1)==() GOTO NoParams
IF (%2)==() GOTO NoParams
Echo Creating directory listing...
dir %1 > dir.txt
for /F "skip=7 tokens=4" %%a in (dir.txt) do call addfile2.bat %%a
%1 %2
echo ---------
echo - Done! -
echo ---------
GOTO Bottom
:NoParams
ECHO usage: ADDFILE [Parent Directory] [File to Add]
ECHO.
ECHO  i.e.- ADDFILE C:\PROFILES MyFile.lnk
ECHO.
:Bottom
    

Filename: ADDFILE2.BAT 

if (%1)==() goto bottom
if (%1)==(bytes) goto bottom
copy %3 %2\%1
:bottom
    

Using Batch Files to Automate Networking Tasks - PART1

This article demonstrates a few ways to use Windows NT command extensions in conjunction with Windows NT Resource Kit utilities within batch files to automate common networking tasks. 

The following tasks will be illustrated: 

• How to automate the addition of Domain\Domain Users global group to each of the member servers Change the system time user right.
• How to add files to many users' home directories.
• How to restart services on all domain controllers within a domain.

How to Automate the Addition of Domain\Domain Users

How to automate the addition of "Domain\Domain Users" global group to each of the member servers "Change the system time" user right. 

1. Create the Addtime.bat and Addtime2.BAT files listed below.
2. Run Addtime.bat with administrator privileges from a computer running Windows NT. This batch file creates a list of member servers using the Windows NT Resource Kit utility Netdom.exe. The output of NETDOM gets redirected to a file, which in turn, gets parsed using the FOR command (part of Windows NT command extensions). The Addtime2.bat file gets called for each instance of \\ServerName within the Netdom.txt file. The Addtime2.bat file then issues the Windows NT Resource Kit utility Ntrights.exe to add Domain\Domain Users global group to each of the member servers Change the system time user right. The output of NTRIGHTS gets written to a file called Log.txt.

Filename: Addtime.bat 

echo off
cls
echo Creating a list of member servers.
echo.
netdom member > netdom.txt
echo Adding "Change System Time" right to Member Servers...
echo.
if exist log.txt del log.txt
for /F "skip=6 tokens=4" %%a in (netdom.txt) do 
   call ADDTIME2.bat %%a
echo.
echo ----------------------------------------------
echo - Done! Check LOG.TXT for status information.-
echo ----------------------------------------------
    

Filename: ADDTIME2.BAT 

echo Adding right to %1...
ntrights -u "domain users" -m %1 +r SeSystemTimePrivilege >> log.txt
    

20 of the Best Tips and Tricks for Getting the Most out of the Windows Command Line

Do you use the command line in Windows to get things done? If you are more comfortable typing commands to accomplish tasks than using the mouse, we have compiled 20 of the best Windows command line tips and tricks to help you become a command line guru.

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Copy to the Clipboard from the Windows Command Prompt

There may be times you need to copy text from the Windows command prompt and email it to someone for help with a problem or save it to a file for later reference. The following article shows you two methods of copying text from the command prompt to the clipboard for pasting into other programs.

Copy To the Clipboard From the Windows Command Prompt

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Copy Output Text from the Command Line to the Windows Clipboard the Easy Way

The previous tip showed you two methods for copying text from the command line to the clipboard. The following article shows you an easier method using the clip.exe utility which is built into Windows 7 and Vista. If you are using Windows XP, the article provides a link so you can download the utility and tells you where to put it.

How to Copy Output Text from the Command Line to the Windows Clipboard

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How to Enable Ctrl+V for Pasting in the Windows Command Prompt

If you copy a command from another program in Windows and want to paste it in the command prompt window, it generally requires using the mouse. If you prefer using Ctrl + V to paste text into the command prompt window, the following article shows you how to set up an AutoHotkey script to enable using the Ctrl + V keyboard combination on the command line.

How to Enable Ctrl+V for Pasting in the Windows Command Prompt

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How to Print or Save a Directory Listing to a File

If you need to print a listing of a directory containing a lot of files, such as music or video files, it is very easy to do using the command line. The following article shows you how use the command line to save time when printing a directory listing.

How to Print or Save a Directory Listing to a File

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Hide Flashing Command Line and Batch File Windows on Startup

If you run a lot of batch files or scripts that use the command line, you have probably encountered the flashing command prompt window. The following article shows you how to use a utility, called Hidden Start, or hstart, that hides the command line window when you run a batch file or script outside of the command prompt window.

Hide Flashing Command Line and Batch File Windows On Startup

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Open a Command Prompt From the Desktop Right-Click Menu

Instead of manually opening the command prompt and typing a path to open a directory at the command prompt, there is an easier and quicker way to do this. The following article shows you how to open a command prompt window to a specific directory from within Windows Explorer.

Stupid Geek Tricks: Open a Command Prompt From the Desktop Right-Click Menu

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Open a File Browser From Your Current Command Prompt/Terminal Directory

The previous tip showed you how to easily open a command prompt window to a specific directory. However, you may discover that you are doing something that would be easier to do using the mouse. Well, there’s an easy way to go the other way. The following article shows you how to open a Windows Explorer window to a specific directory from within a command prompt window.

Open a File Browser From Your Current Command Prompt/Terminal Directory

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How to Personalize the Windows Command Prompt

The Command Prompt window is boring white text on a black background, by default, unlike the rest of Windows which is splashed with color and a variety of wallpaper options. The following article shows you how to customize the command prompt window with your choice of color.

How To Personalize the Windows Command Prompt

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Enable More Fonts for the Windows Command Prompt

While we’re on the topic of customizing the command prompt window, there is an easy way to enable more fonts for use in the window. The following article shows you how to enable alternative fonts you can use to customize the command prompt window, such as some fonts used in Office 2007 and some fixed width fonts.

Stupid Geek Tricks: Enable More Fonts for the Windows Command Prompt

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How to Make the Windows Command Prompt Wider

There are some commands used at the command prompt that produce very wide results. It’s frustrating when you have to scroll to the right to see the rest of the text in the window. You may think you can’t make the window wider to view all the text at once, but there is a way to do it, that’s the same in Windows 7, Vista, and even XP. The following article shows you how.

How to Make the Windows Command Prompt Wider

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How to Create, Modify and Delete Scheduled Tasks from the Command Line

Do you use the Scheduled Tasks tool in Windows? There’s a SchTasks command you can use on the command line that allows you to control all aspects of your scheduled tasks. You can use this command to automatically manipulate tasks in batch scripts and in custom programs to communicate with the Task Scheduler. The following article shows you some example of using the SchTasks command.

How to Create, Modify and Delete Scheduled Tasks from the Command Line

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Kill Processes from the Windows Command Line

Generally, in Windows, you use the Task Manager to kill tasks. However, if you’ve used Linux before, you are probably familiar with the ability to kill and start tasks from the command line. Wish you could do the same thing in Windows? The following article shows you how to use the Command line Process Viewer/Killer/Suspender utility to view a list of processes, kill processes, and even to change the priority of a process.

Kill Processes from the Windows Command Line

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How Do I Kill All the iexplore.exe Processes at Once?

While we’re on the topic of killing tasks, how do you quickly kill the dozen or so iexplore.exe tasks running? Selecting each one in Task Manager and clicking End Process for each can be time consuming. The following article shows you how to use a command, called taskkill, to kill all the iexplore.exe processes by name. We even show you how to create a shortcut that will kill all the processes just by clicking on it. This utility will also work for other programs that open many processes.

How Do I Kill All the iexplore.exe Processes at Once?

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How to Automate FTP Uploads from the Windows Command Line

If you create and maintain websites locally on your computer and then upload the files to the remote FTP server, wouldn’t it be handy to be able to automate the task? The following article shows you how to create a batch file to automate the task of uploading files to a remote FTP server.

How to automate FTP uploads from the Windows Command Line

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Access Google Services from the Command Line

This tip may not be that useful, but it’s fun if you’re a geek. If you use Google Docs or create posts for Blogger, there’s a Python command line application, called GoogleCL, that allows you to access various Google services from the command line in Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X. The following article shows you how to use the command in Windows 7, and you can use it the same way on Linux and Mac OS X systems.

Access Google Services From the Command Line

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Replace Text in Plain Text Files from the Command Line

There are a variety of practical uses for a command line utility that allows you to easily and quickly replace text in plain text files. However, this utility is not available on the Windows command line. The following article shows you a VBScript that uses the Visual Basic Replace function and lists some practical uses for the script. You can also download the script.

Replace Text in Plain Text Files from the Command Line

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How to Figure Out Your PC’s Host Name From the Command Prompt

If you’re setting up a home network or you if you manage or maintain a work network, there will be times when you need to find out the name of a computer. The following article shows you an easier way to find this out using the command line, rather than the Control Panel.

How To Figure Out Your PC’s Host Name From the Command Prompt

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Generate a List of Installed Drivers from the Command Line

There’s a variety of third-party tools available for generating a list of installed drivers on your computer. However, what do you do if you need to generate a list of drivers on a computer without any of these tools and on which you cannot install software? The following article shows you how to use a command line utility that comes with Windows 7, Vista, and XP to view a list of installed drivers and how to save that list to a text file.

Generate a List of Installed Drivers from the Command Line

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Display a list of Started Services from the Windows Command Line

Generally, to view a list of services running on your computer, you must access the Services tool through the Administrative Tools in the Control Panel. However, Windows also contains the Net utility that allows you to view the Services panel from the command line. The following article shows you how to use this utility to display a list of services started on your computer from the command line.

Display a list of Started Services from the Command Line (Windows)

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How to Delete a System File in Windows 7 or Vista

This last tip is something we strongly suggest you DO NOT do. Deleting system files is dangerous and can severely mess up your system. Windows does not allow you to delete system files, even as administrator. However, if you absolutely have to delete a system file, there is a way around this limitation. The following article shows you how to take ownership of the file to be deleted and assign rights to delete or modify the file.

How to Delete a System File in Windows 7 or Vista

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The command line is a very useful tool for quickly performing many tasks or even automating tasks using batch scripts. We hope these tips help you become more a more savvy Windows command line user.

Link from:

http://www.howtogeek.com

Drag and Drop Not Working in Windows 7

Applies To: Windows | Windows 7 | Performance and Maintenance

Scenario:-

I have a new problem that has cropped up just in the last week or two. I can no longer drag and drop my files and folders in Windows Explorer. I have Windows 7 on a HP Notebook. It came installed on the computer last December when I bought it (09). I've never had an issue with it since then, and I'm not sure how to find the settings to enable drag and drop or re-enable it. I know I've done it before on this machine, many times- and just noticed it first in  Thunderbird, (my email desktop application) then in explorer. I did recently install the SP1 (spelling??) a few weeks ago, and have installed a few other odds and ends programs, but I'm pretty sure drag and drop was working okay until a few days ago. 

Any help would be appreciated. As a genealogy writer, that's a must have feature. 

Most Helpful Reply in this webpage: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/drag-and-drop-not-working-in-windows-7/f6dcfa11-8c51-e011-8dfc-68b599b31bf5

In Windows Explorer, click a file with the left mouse button and keep the button held down. Then press the Escape key. Drag and drop is miraculously re-enabled.


I got this from http://it.thelibrarie.com/weblog/2010/06/drag-and-drop-stops-working/