HB blog

Lenovo is shipping new ThinkPads preinstalled with huge amount of software you do not really need.

This slows the boot process to the levels new computer should not be.

Here is the list of software I removed from T61:

• All MS Office related (trial) - Later I’ll install the products we have license for
• SQL server (yes it is installed) related
• Windows Live toolbar
• Norton Internet Security - Will replace it with Norton Endpoint Protection

Other option is to reinstall the system from scratch.

Excellent tutorial on how to do it

Tip: Do not connect the system to internet until you are ready to. It starts right away to download and install windows updates and will slow down the machine.

Recently after installing Office 2007 using default installation options I saw unusual entry in my task manager processes.

GrooveMonitor.exe

It took almost 8M of my memory so I started search on what it is.

Quickly I discovered that  it is part of MS Office 2007 and is used to share files and work on projects with other Microsoft Office Groove users.

It sounds nice, but I do not use it at all so I start searshing the ways to remove it from the system.

After looking to standard kill process and erase the  startup entry process I tried add/remove program–>Office 2007 –> change and for my surprise I saw Groove entry.

So I unchecked it and that removed it. Strange, but it worked.

Credits

Interesting here is that you can create this image while working on your computer and avoid the use of Bootable cd and text based utilities.

The tool needed can be found here and good tutorial how to use it here.

Even emergencies are not everyday event (except probably for firefighters or people with similar profession) for the people, but sooner or later they happen.

curbly blog gives several advices in their:

How To Be Prepared in a Blackout (or other emergency).

What you may need is:

• plan
• water
• food
• matches
• flashlight
• some cash
• telephone
  

A tip from Metacafe about making safety pin if you have only pliers and paper clip.

Make Safty Pin From A Paperclip! - Watch the best video clips here

If your system is running slowly and you are concerned if it is connecting to some web sites the tip from Digital Inspiration will be very useful to you:

1. Type cmd in your Windows Run box.

2. Type “netstat -b 5 > activity.txt” and press enter. After say 2 minutes, press Ctrl+C.

3. Type “activity.txt” on the command line to open the log file in notepad (or your default text editor)

Then you will see all connections made from your computer to other servers.

TIP: When running the command better close you web browser and other programs connecting to internet known to you. Wait around a minute and start the test. This will reduce your false positives.

Many users still do it the old fashion style.

1. Open terminal
2. CD to the directory

Now the shortcut:

1. Right click desired folder in Nautilus and choose Open in terminal

It is simpler and saves some typing. Requires that nautilus-open-terminal package is installed.

Here is video of how to create inexpensive car tracking system.

It cheap an ingenious simple.

You will need old but functioning cell phone or prepaid phone, car charger, creativity and probably some long wires.

You connect cell phone to the car battery via car charger and hide it on place where it will have connection to cell towers.

Then when you car is stolen you can give cell phone IMEA number to authorities and with the help of your cell phone provider they can easily trace current car location.

Here is the instructional video:

In the era of increasing gas prices everybody are interested how to increase their MPG (miles per gallon - used in USA) or respectively decrease gas consumption l/km (Used in Europe and most of the world).

This is not a simple task and it is mostly a function  of how car is driven. Here are some tips.

• Take a look at car consumption that manufacturer put in your manual. Usually this is the optimum value you can reach - so inform yourself about it before you buy the car.
• Try carrying as less as possible “useless” stuff in your car - heavier your car is more it will consume
• Avoid putting stuff on the rooftop such as car-tops if you do not need them.
• If you have 2 cars try to use them appropriately - do not use SUV for your shopping when you can do it with your hatchback (SUV consumes usually 2+ l/100km more than compact class car)
• Maintain your car according to manufacturer instructions - inflate your tires to nominal pressure, change your oil regularly,replace your air filter, maintain your ignition system (change spark plugs and cables) etc.
• Do not use A/C when you can open your window
• Do not drive on highway with full open windows - This will break car aerodynamics (true for 60km/h+)
• Do not speed - most of the cars are manufactured to be fuel efficient at the speed around the speed limit and if you drive faster you consumption increases.
• …..

Some of those “tricks” are common sense, but thinking about them when driving will allow you to safe money….