Windows registry, tweaking, utilities

Windows Annoyances

www.annoyances.org
   A site by the author of Windows 95 Annoyances and Windows 98 Annoyances, remarkable books that are full of useful information; clear and concise. This site has bug reports, Windows tips, downloadable patches and small Windows programs.

Windows Guide Network (formerly regedit.com)

www.winguides.com
   "Technical resources and support for tweaking, managing and securing the Windows operating system using the registry, scripting and security." Windows Guide Network is a very helpful site. Among other things, they produce a downloadable, compiled help file of registry tweaks and tips.

Sysinternals

www.sysinternals.com
   The makers of several one-of-a-kind utilities that can be very useful. Examples: Regmon monitors the registry and displays everything that happens in real time. Filemon monitors all file activity. TDIMon monitors TCO traffic. Etc.

Shell Extension City

shellcity.net
   Shell Extension City - a vast links site for things like registry utilities, general utilities and some rather exotic things like whole new interfaces for Windows.

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Software Installer Unpackers

The information and links in this section are for people who want to be able to unpack a software installer and look inside before they run it.

   Many people like to know what is going to be installed when they install new software. At one time most software came with a "readme" file that explained the various files in a software installation, but "readme" files have become rare and many companies are surprisingly mysterious about what is inside their software installer. Some may be hiding spyware. Some may not want you to know that their program is actually no more than a compilation of other companies' components. Many may just assume that no one is interested in the details just so long as the software works.

   In order to unpack an installer you have to know what kind of installer it is. In some cases one type of installer will be packaged inside another. For example, an MSI file is sometimes packaged inside an EXE file. In that case the secondary installer file, the real installer, is typically unpacked to the Windows\TEMP folder and must be fished out from there.

   If the installer type is not known, try checking the file properties or opening the file in a hex editor. In the case of commercial installers, such as InstallShield, Wise, or Inno Setup, the name of the company can usually be found somewhere in the file.

Self-executing ZIP or CAB files

   Some software is packaged as a simple SFX, a self-executing compressed file with an EXE file extension. All JSWare software is packaged that way. If you just rename the EXE installer to make it a ZIP file you can open the ZIP. Some software is also packaged as a self-executing CAB file. Microsoft updates often come that way. In fact, Microsoft updates are often packaged as 2 or more SFX files inside of each other. A self-executing CAB file cannot just be renamed in order to open it. See the exe2cab note on the Best Of page for information about that.

MSI Installers - unpacking

   MSI installers come either as an MSI file or as an EXE that contains an MSI file. In the latter case it can be identified by opening the Windows\TEMP folder while running the installer, to see what shows up. If an MSI file appears in the TEMP folder then that's probably the real installer.

   For MSI files see the MSI Unpacker Utility on the MSI Utilities page. That can fully unpack and document MSI installers, even telling you what the installer will add to the Registry.

Inno Setup - unpacking

   Inno Setup is a popular installer with small software companies. The word "Inno" will usually be found somewhere near the beginning of the file and a plain, generic image of a computer, like the one shown here, shows in the opening window.

   Inno Setup installers can be unpacked with Inno Unpacker, found here: http://innounp.sourceforge.net/. Inno Unpacker is a very simple command-line executable that will extract all files to the folder where the installer is. There are directions that come with the download. In addition to the basic unpacker, there is also now Inno Setup Unpacker Explorer which provides a GUI window to make things easier.

InstallShield - unpacking

   An InstallShield installer will generally say so in the file properties when the file is right clicked. For InstallShield installers use WinPack for InstallShield, available here: snoopy81.ifrance.com. WinPack is a small GUI program. InstallShield is updated often. You may need the very latest version of WinPack to unpack recently downloaded installer files.

Wise - unpacking

   A Wise installer may have "WISE" appearing in the first section of the file when viewed in a hex editor. (Look in the PE Section Table.) There are a number of programs available for unpacking Wise installers. One possibility is here: http://www-user.TU-Cottbus.DE/~kannegv. As with the InstallShield unpacker, Wise unpackers may go out of date quickly as new Wise installer versions are used.

Universal Extractor

   Universal Extractor is an open source project based on a very sensible idea: It pulls together all the tedious, command-line extraction utilities for various installers into one package and provides an easy interface for them. You just point it to an installer file and it will attempt to identify and unpack that file. It will also write a log that can be useful if the unpacking fails.

   Two notes to be aware of: 1) Universal Extractor is described as a "work in progress". The MSI unpacking doesn't seem to work at all. Some other options may also not work. This program is really just an interface for a group of other utilities. 2) A program like this will need to be updated regularly. Companies that make installer software often break compatibility, so utilities that unpack their install files often have to be updated when a new installer version is released. Nevertheless, it is much easier to check for new versions of Universal Extractor than it is to go around tracking down new versions of all the utilities that it contains.

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Software Installers - Problems

   This section has been added to help with what seems to be an increasing problem: Half-baked software installers with nonsensical limitations. A surprising number of software installers, even some from large, well known companies, can create problems. That's especially true for people using older versions of Windows that some companies are no longer supporting.

   Many software installers have minor problems. There's the Firefox installer that won't let you do without 3 shortcuts, regardless of which checkboxes you uncheck. There's the Hewlett Packard printer drivers package that won't let you choose not to install a large pile of questionable graphics software that you probably don't need. (In fact, many installers for large software packages neglect to provide partial install options at all, or ignore the options that you select.) And there is the increasingly common problem of software installers that want to install "registration" and "live update" software, which is usually just euphemisms for corporate spyware.

   A list of specific solutions is being started here, in hopes that it may be of help to some people.

Internet Explorer - Frivolous Version Requirements

   An increasing number of software installers have minimum requirements for the installed version of Internet Explorer. In most cases these programs don't even directly use Internet Explorer. And most people would not want to run the risk of destabilizing their system with an Internet Explorer update just to satisfy a badly-designed software installer. Perhaps Microsoft is behind this problem. Microsoft has, after all, been increasingly aggressive about trying to push people into buying newer versions of their software. And cooking up compatibility problems is a good way to make people think their software is out of date. Or the problem may simply be a case of incompetence on the part of software companies. Whatever the case, the following information may be helpful if you are trying to install software that complains about your version of IE. When an installer checks for existing versions of Internet Explorer there are at least two ways it can do that, which are explained here.

1) Registry settings: Hewlett Packard printer software presents a case of a badly designed installer that requires specific Internet Explorer versions for no reason and refuses to install drivers if the "wrong" IE version is listed in the Registry! If you have this problem open Regedit to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

Check the Version value listed there. If you are dealing with a problem software installer this might be the easiest thing to try first. Just change the Version value to something your installer finds more palatable: 5.5, 6, 7, ....18 ....whatever.

2) File checks: The Adobe Acrobat Reader 7 installer, a notably faulty piece of work, provides a good example of installation file checks. Despite the fact that Acrobat Reader 7 only runs on Windows XP (which has Internet Explorer 6), the installer requires at least v. 5.01 of Internet Explorer. (If you don't know about the v. 7 limitations and try to install Acrobat Reader 7 on Windows 98, you'll first be told to update Internet Explorer. Then once you've done that you'll be informed that...woops...this version of Acrobat Reader doesn't work on your system anyway.)

   Acrobat Reader 7 is one of an increasing number of programs that installs via an MSI database file. The installer MSI file can be opened in an MSI editor. (See the MSI code page.) Doing so reveals that the Acrobat Reader installer is checking the version of SHDOCVW.DLL (Internet Explorer). SHDOCVW.DLL is a system file that is best not to fiddle with because it's only one of several files that are updated together when IE is updated. However, it may be possible to alter the "required" version of IE - or other programs - in an MSI installer database, rather than changing the file itself. In the case of Acrobat Reader 7, the IE version requirement can be changed by changing the SHDOCVW.DLL value in the MSI file's Signature table, which stores specific information about file versions involved with an installation.
   If you have an MSI installer file causing problems, and the solution is not found in the Signature table, check the AppSearch, LaunchCondition and Condition tables for signs of unnecessary limitations that may have been built into the install.

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Firewall Software

   Note: With any firewall program configuration is necessary. Some programs may come with pre-set default permissions. Be sure to carefully adjust settings before using a firewall. In particluar, be sure to check which, if any, programs have been given permission to access the Internet.

Windows Firewall

   Windows XP has a firewall built in. As of SP2 that firewall is enabled by default. Unfortunately, the WinXP firewall does not even monitor outgoing traffic, making it useless against spyware, undesired cookies, and "trojan horse" infections. If you have the Windows firewall enabled it might be a good idea to download another firewall program.
   (There has been a rumor that the Windows XP firewall was improved in Service Pack 2. That is not true. The SP2 firewall still does not monitor outbound activity.)

Norton Internet Security

   There had been a link on the 'Best Of' page for AtGuard, a well-regarded firewall/ad-blocker program that cost $30. AtGuard was one of the best firewalls ever created, offering detailed control over ads, script, Internet connections and information sent to visited websites by the browser. Unfortunately, AtGuard has been licensed to Symantec, with no further tech. support for AtGuard users. Symantec has made several versions of their firewall from the original AtGuard program.

   Note: If you use the Norton firewall check the default firewall rules. Atguard had 8 default rules, of which only 4 were normally necessary: Inbound DNS, Outbound DNS, Inbound Bootp and OutboundBootp. (In most cases NetBIOS, included among those 8 defaults, should NOT be enabled. See the ShieldsUp site for details.)

   Unless it has been since fixed, the Norton firewall has over 800 default rules! In other words, over 800 programs and components may be pre-configured to be allowed through the firewall...making it no firewall at all.
  

Zone Alarm

   Free for personal use, Zone Alarm has been well reviewed in the past. However, there are problems with later versions. One minor problem is that the program has become somewhat overproduced, adding unnecessary complexity. Version 2.x worked with WinXP. Yet at the time of this writing Zone Alarm has gone through numerous versions and is currently all the way up to v. 5.5, adding email filtering, anti-virus, popup blocking, etc. One of the newer additions in later versions is separate settings for "Internet Zone" and "Trusted Zone". What are those? Are those the same zones that Internet Explorer uses?....The same zones that add to the security problems and configuration difficulties that Internet Explorer has? There is nothing to prevent software or viruses from modifying the list of websites in the IE "Trusted Zone", so there is no reason to allow lighter security there. Adding the same zones to Zone Alarm is just adding to the confusion.

   Another problem with later versions of Zone Alarm is that it has become spyware. Zone Alarm now clandestinely tries to contact register.zonelabs.com without asking and without adding itself to the Zone Alarm list of allowed programs. On the one hand, ZoneLabs is offering free personal use of ZoneAlarm and it may seem reasonable to think that the collection of user information is a small price to pay for that. On the other hand, this is a firewall. The whole point of it is to provide control over Internet communication. And Zonelabs has been deliberately misleading about the phone-home functionality. There are even settings in the program that specifically imply that you control your privacy. There is a checkbox marked: "Don't alert me the next time I am about to send information to ZoneLabs". And there is another checkbox marked: "Whenever I request information from ZoneLabs:....Alert me with a popup before I make contact."
   Those settings options lead one to believe that contact with ZoneLabs is optional and may be controlled, yet they have no effect on the program's attempt to phone home.

   The most serious problem with later versions of Zone Alarm, if you happen to use Windows XP, is that it allows XP spyware functionality and XP services through the firewall without asking, and it provides no way to change that. Moreover, several Windows services that run by default are security risks. If you are using Zone Alarm on XP, check the list of enabled programs in the settings. You will probably find svchost.exe there, even though you were never asked about it. Svchost.exe runs a number of Windows services. And some of those services are security risks. So if you are using Windows XP you should seriously consider using a firewall program other than Zone Alarm - one that does what a firewall is supposed to do: enabling you to control what goes in and out.

   If you want to use any version of Zone Alarm, there is one especially important thing to know about: Once installed and running, open the "Control Center" from the taskbar icon and find the list of enabled programs. These are the programs that have tried to go online and have some kind of rule applied to them. (In newer versions, if you allowed Zone Alarm to set up defaults when installing then those programs may not be listed until they are used.)

   Make sure that only specifically needed programs are enabled to access the Internet. Do not allow any program to act as a server unless absolutely necessary. Acting as a server means that the program can be contacted and activated from a remote location. In genereal there is no reason to allow any program to do that. If you have a later version of Zone Alarm with the "Trusted Zone" setting then be sure to set Trusted Zone security level at the same as Internet Zone security level. Otherwise you will be introducing possible loopholes into your security settings.

Black Ice

   Like the Windows firewall, Black Ice ($40) does not block outbound activity, making it ineffective with cookies, trojan horses, web bugs, spyware bugs, etc.

ShieldsUp

grc.com
   ShieldsUp/Steve Gibson - explains and reviews several popular firewall programs. GRC.com also has information about safety issues in regard to network configuration. A comparison chart of various firewalls is here.

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Drivers, Patches, Utilities, Info.

Axcel216's Max Speeed Windows

Axcel216's Max Speeed Windows
   A VERY extensive listing of Windows information - tweaks, tips, links to the latest updates, patches and drivers, links to all sorts of utilities for Windows.....

Drivers:

   There used to be a number of websites that listed numerous hardware drivers for all Windows versions. Now, most of those sites have closed. To confuse matters, Microsoft has instituted their "End of Life" schedule - a strategy to disable older versions of Windows by refusing to support them. Many hardware and software companies are cooperating with Microsoft's deplorable version of customer service. As a result, it may be difficult to find drivers for some hardware if you are using Win95, Win98 or NT4.

   If you have drivers for your hardware it is a good idea to make backup copies for future use. If you need drivers, the first thing to try is a search for the exact model name of your hardware. You can also go to the manufacturer's website and look for the support or downloads link.

   If you don't know how to find the company website for your hardware, these two sites provide links:

HelpDrivers.com
SimplyTheBest.net

   If the manufacturer's website does not have the drivers you need, you may still be able to get them from a driver listing site. The following two sites are free but require that you sign up as a member before you can download drivers:

DriverFiles.net
DriverGuide.com

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Hardware, tech., etc.

Tweak It
Hardware Central
Motherboard World
Pc Mechanic
Anand-tech
X86.ORG
Ars Technica
Maximum PC
Tom's Hardware
Sysopt - hdwr. reviews

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