Block incoming attacks

 Limit your exposure to the outside world by blocking incoming connections.

Click on Start > Run > Type in there "ncpa.cpl" without colons > Press Enter

Right click on "Local Area Network" And go to "Properties",In the scroll box, Click on "Internet Protocol (IP/TCP)" and then click on the "Properties" button, In the new window, Click on the "Advanced.." button, Then in the other new window go to the "Options" tab, Click on "TCP/IP Filtering" and hit "Properties", Check off "Enable TCP/IP filtering (All adapters)" next In the Above "TCP Ports" Click on the Radio button "Permit Only" and then add in the ports that you want people to be able to access... If you're running a web server add in 80, If you're running an FTP server add in 21... And so on... Then hit "OK" And close all the other windows, And reboot when it asks you too.

This way you can close the ports that you do not need to be open to the outside world.  An alternative to this tweak could be running a firewall or enabling windows built in firewall.  Please note that in order for other computers to connect to you, for example sending a file over AOL Instant Messenger or using Windows Messenger to send a file, make sure that the required port is not blocked on your system.  Otherwise, nothing will go through.

Lock Computer when Idle

Go into c:\windows and create a new shortcut.

for the path of what you want the shortcut to be, paste this without colons...

"%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation"

click next

rename it (ex. sysdll) make it sound important, because it is after all going to make your PC more secure.

click finish

now goto control panel>scheduled tasks

double click add scheduled task

click next

at the next screen, click browse

browse to your new shortcut... (ex. c:\windows\sysdll.ink)

select it

pick daily and then click next

click next

type in a password for your scheduled task

confirm

click next

click finish

now double click on the new scheduled task you just made

click the schedule tab

under scedule task: select When Idle

enter in how long you want your computer to go before it gets locked

click ok

Its dONE::.......NICE TRICK to get rid of screensaver password

Maintain a log file of logons and logoffs

Step 1: Create the following two files using Notepad : 

------logon script----
echo logon %username% %computername% %date% %time% >> \\server\share\logon.txt

-----logoff script-----
echo logoff %username% %computername% %date% %time% >> \\server\share\logoff.txt

and save them as batch file (add ".bat" ext).

Step 2: Make a folder named "share" on the server and share it.

Step 3: Update Group Policy to run the appropriate batch file.

              In Group Policy, go to:
             User Configuration-> Windows Settings-> Scripts (Logon/Logoff)-> Logon

              and add logon.bat file.

             Similarly, add the logoff.bat file.

Step 4: As users log on and off, your log file should look something like this:

logon jake comp1 Tue 22/02/2005 10:39:51.12
logoff ron comp2 Tue 22/02/2005 10:41:08.45

* make sure that the batch scripts should have the desired permissions for the domain users for the scripts to run.

System Restore in safe mode

Open command prompt and type in the following command

"%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe"

without quotes and hit Enter....:)

Restrict user to change Desktop Wallpaper

To prevent Users changing Desktop Wallpaper with Group Policy (Windows XP Professional Edition), Follow the steps below:

1. Click Start and then Run.

2. Type in gpedit.msc and click OK.

3. In Group Policy Editor, go to

Local Computer Policy -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Desktop -> Active Desktop

4. In the right panel, double click 'Active Desktop Wallpaper' to open it.

5. Select  Enable, provide the path of the desired wallpaper in ‘Wallpaper Name’ and choose the wallpaper style.

6. double click 'Enable Active Desktop' to open it.

7. Select Enable, click OK.

Note:restart to let it work.

How to speed up your slow internet connection?

How many times have you wished you could speed up your slow Internet connection? Especially if you were using an Internet Cable Modem or a Modem Connection or even an ADSL Modem.

Follow the steps given below and you will notice an instant improvement in the speed of your slow internet connection!

1. Login to your computer with administrative privileges.

2. Click on the Start button and type in gpedit.msc in the Run dialogue box (this will open the    Group Policy editor MMC)

3. Under Local Computer policy, expand Computer Configuration

4. Expand Administrative Templates

5. Expand Network

6. Select QOS Packet Scheduler

7. On the Right-hand Pane,double click on Limit Reservable Bandwidth and click on the Enabled radio button, in the Settings tab.

8. Just below that, make sure that you enter the value 0 (zero) next to Bandwidth Limit (%)

9. Click Apply and Ok and exit the Group Policy Editor.

10.Restart Computer