Run Check Disk from the Command Line to Find and Fix Errors

Open up command prompt

1. Go to windows search on the bottom left hand side type in "command prompt"
click on the icon that looks like this:

2. When comand prompt opens up type in the following: chkdsk C:  (C represents the drive letter you are looking to check disk on) and click enter this will give you the intergirty of the drive, for example in this case it's NTFS file format 

The process will look like this when it's running: 

3. To find and repair errors that are found in the E drive, use the following command: chkdsk C:  /f  Check Disk can’t repair volumes that are in use. If the volume is in use, Check Disk displays a prompt that asks if you want to schedule the volume to be checked the next time you restart the system. Click Yes to schedule this. 

My Downloads are taking forever!!! Please help

Many times users think the reason for the slowness is their computer, however were we need to look when you experience this type of issue, is normally your internet connection. They have slowness problems when streaming a video, browsing sites or uploading files.

I recommend browsing to the following website to perform a speed test: http://speedtest.net
follow the link and click the green button to perform the speed test make sure you click in the right place as they have some other tools to check your system diagnostics, keep in mind this is a web-based application so if you are prompted to download something you can go ahead and cancel that.

Speedtest.net is a great resource to check your internet connection, when you're having connectivity problems or experiencing slowness downloading, uploading or browsing the internet. Run a speed test to see what your download and upload.

ad speeds are accurate with your current internet connection it should be pretty close around 60+ or higher of what they are promising to provide. Other things like other users on the same network or background applications that are connecting to the internet and downloading or uploading data.

Some of the applications that you want to look out for are file sharing applications like:
File sharing:
DropBox.com , Box.com
Any torrent applications
for example:  Utorrent, Bittorent and others...
picture sharing applications
for example: Shutterfly, snapfish
Also any cloud backup applications can cause your internet to run extremely slow.
These applications some times run quietly in the background, shutting them off in the task manager or changing the applications settings can great improve your connectivity issues.

My computer is running slow but has a good processor and plenty of RAM

Dell vistro 64-Bit Operating System

Windows 7 

4 GB RAM i7 

2 Hardrives

Computer was running extremely slow I tried adding some extra RAM but the PC wouldn't pick it up. I checked the processes and there was no unknown applications running so here are the steps I took to resolve this issue. 

I removed the 2 extra sticks of RAM in case they were corrupt since it seems that the PC was not able to identify them. 

I did a DELL system test and it did report some errors on the secondary hard drive. I ran a check disk and all seemed to check out ok. However I still went ahead and removed the second hard drive and everything seemed to go back to normal. 

I also did a disk defrag and a disk clean up, when I did a disk clean up there was a huge amount of system memory error logs and were taking up 230GB of space on the computer I cleaned that up and the computer when completely back to normal.

How can I check if a file or a running process has a virus?

Go to https://www.virustotal.com/ ​you will be able to upload the file for scanning right on the website or you can download the application, you can also check the curent running windows processes if you download the desktop application. It's a small application however it has several great uses. 

You can go to the website here:  Virus total official website

The simple way to enable Wordpress post by email on a self hosted website (yahoo,gmail,exchange,pop,imap)

ISSUE: I want to be able to email my posts into an email address and have them post automatically to my Wordpress site.

There are a tons of sites that talk about this subject and many different ways on how to do it, there are actually some plugins that can set this up for you, but I wanted to simplify this process since many of the users that use wordpress don't know how or want to edit the code.

SOLUTION:  First we need to understand how this actually works.

When you send a post by email what happens is that it goes into the inbox of that address wordpress will then run a job to pull those emails into the wordpress site.

When I first set this up my biggest misconception was that I was actually emailing the wordpress site directly and that is completely incorrect.

What actually happens is that Wordpress connects to the mailbox and pulls the messages into your website as a POST

STEPS:

Wordpress and Wordfence Security is the best solution for Invalid Login, Server Errors, Slowness and DDoS attacks on your WordPress Website or Blog

ISSUE: If you own a wordpress site you know its a constant battle to prevent Robots and Spammers some of the key issues are Preventing Invalid Login, Server Errors, Slowness and DDoS attacks. and scanning harmful links

SOLUTION: After searching for several anti-virus plugin for WordPress I finally found one that protects all my websites, form these attacks in addition it also has a falcon setting to increase the speed of your website.

You can download a copy of the plugin here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/

The settings I suggest is after 5 invalid logins, or password recovery attempts block the user for 6 hours, enable the falcon settings under performance and enable auto update. 

These settings have prevented a huge number of attacks on my sites. 

Fix mobile usability issues found on your website http://xxxxxxx.xx

ISSUE: Seems like google Webmaster tools is running a huge email blast to notify their users if a website is compatible with mobile devices, even though 98% if my websites are currently using wordpress. I  have a few sites still using the DotNetNuke CMS system. I plan to migrate them over soon here is a copy of the email that I got form them

Fix mobile usability issues found on

http://yourwebsite.com/

To: webmaster of http://yourwebsite.com/
Google systems have tested XXX pages from your site and found that 100% of them have critical mobile usability errors. The errors on these XXX pages severely affect how mobile users are able to experience your website. These pages will not be seen as mobile-friendly by Google Search, and will therefore be displayed and ranked appropriately for smartphone users.

I will update this post after my migration is complete, and see if I hit any bumps on the road my current migration would be from Managed.com (aka PowerDNN) using DotNetNuke to Godaddy.com using Wordpress.

How to remove the comments TEXT BOX from your WORDPRESS pages

ISSUE: When creating new pages in wordpress they show the following comments box. If you are like me you will not see any reason why someone would allow comments on a static wordpress page, here is what shows up at the bottom of all your wordpress pages:

SOLUTION:

1. Login to your wordpress site

2. go under PAGES > ALL PAGES 

3. hover over or select all the pages you want to make the change to

4. click "Quick Edit" 

5. unheck the box for "Allow comments" 

Strange that this option is nowhere else in WordPress but here: 

I hope this helps anyone that is having a problem locating that option. I had to search all over the place to find it. 

The simple way to publish an MP3 audio file in to youtube, as a youtube video with a JPEG cover and TEXT

There are many different ways to do this.

ISSUE:

My friends ask me all the time about how to do this, How do i upload a mp3 file into youtube? so they can share it online.


QUICK SIMPLE SOLUTION:

I found the quickest way instead of downloading any software or using windows media to convert the file into a video is simply to use a webbased online application here are a few of them and they tend to work great!

http://www.youtube-mp3.org/
http://www.vidtomp3.com/
http://convert2mp3.net/en/

The third one: http://convert2mp3.net/en/ i find to be the best, some actually allow you to upload the file directly into your youtube account bypassing the possibility of having to download and then upload the mp3 witch now is a mpeg4, avi or another video format.

The Google Policy Team - We have now verified that we are no longer detecting PII

ISSUE: Got this strange email unexpectedly from Google Adsense

Publisher ID: ca-pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dear Publisher,

We have now verified that we are no longer detecting PII being passed to Google from the account(s) under your control.

Thank you for helping to resolve this matter.

Regards,

The Google Policy Team

NOTES: I got this email after enabling the Google Adsense Plugin, I also added a few new sites to webmaster tools so I'm not sure why I got the email 

RESEARCH DONE: 

It seems like the notifications were sent in error overall but my own personal feeling is that it does come from Webmaster tools, not google adsense and it has to do with connecting your website to a wordpress plugin or another app that transfers your personal google account across the internet.

SOLUTION: 

I don't think this is a publishers security breach. I would love to hear what anyone else has to say about this issue for the time being I'm going to leave this one as resolved on my end and will blog more if I get any follow up notifications

Godaddy Timming out when trying to access Hosting Account

Here is the error when trying to access the hosting account using Google Chrome:

Google Chrome could not load the webpage because gateway.godaddy.com took too long to respond. The website may be down, or you may be experiencing issues with your Internet connection.

Check your Internet connection

Check any cables and reboot any routers, modems, or other network devices you may be using.

Allow Chrome to access the network in your firewall or antivirus settings.

If it is already listed as a program allowed to access the network, try removing it from the list and adding it again.

If you use a proxy server...

Check your proxy settings or contact your network administrator to make sure the proxy server is working. If you don't believe you should be using a proxy server: Go to the Chrome menu > Settings > Show advanced settings... > Change proxy settings... > LAN Settings and deselect "Use a proxy server for your LAN".

Error code: ERR_TIMED_OUT

REASON:

Browser Cache issue

ISP/Internet connectivity issue reaching the site

Godaddy is having an issue Overload etc..

ANSWERS: 

1. Try flushing your DNS locally on your computer 

by opening up command prompt>ipconfig /flushdns

That will refresh the DNS cache

2. Try a different Internet Browser

3. Reset your Internet connection

4. The one that fixed it for me is waiting about 10 minutes and trying again

Google Adsense and Wordpress Removing the yellow background from your ads

QUESTION: Some of my ads have a yellow background when they don't cover the whole space.

QUICK FIX: This is a quick simple fix in the Style Sheet .css page just do a find (Control + F) for fff9c0 and replace it with any color you like I changed mines to white by adding ffffff  

How to see your own end of the Year Facebook post

Facebook has recently released the ability to create a end of the Year post, I see many of my friends doing it and was wondering how to do it? The steps are pretty simple, just scroll to the bottom of a friends end year post and you will see a blue button to see your own...

Remote host said: 554 5.1.0 Sender denied

If you get the following when sending a message to someone using exchange 2007 or higher. 

Remote host said: 554 5.1.0 Sender denied

Seems like a server side error but actually now outlook or OWA on the application can cause this issue. If a user adds the email address or domain to the block list it will come back with Sender Denied. 

 

Request download of facebook account

Most people don't know that you can request a complete download of your facebook profile, I advise that you do this at least ounce a year specially if you have many pictures that you are afraid to loose and want to back up, the process is really simple:

How can I download my information from Facebook?

You can download your information from your settings. To download your information:

1. Click  at the top right of any Facebook page and select Settings
2. Click Download a copy of your Facebook data below your General Account Settings
3. Click Start My Archive

Because this download contains your profile information, you should keep it secure and be careful when storing, sending or uploading it to any other services.

Getting 554 Denied Error when sending an email message

If you get this error it means the message failed permanently, at the receivers server normally it will generate a bounce bounce back to the sender....and will not be re-delivered or re-tried.
example:

554 Denied - Denied for Spam Content

Solution:

If you believe that the message is legitimate and should be delivered, contact the recipient and let them know what you are seeing and request that they Whitelist / Allow your sending address.

Why this happens? 
Although any spam filtering, Firewall or Mail Server can reply with a similar type of error this normally happens when the recipients server is using some type of spam filtering service.

Here are some of the common Spam Filtering service that are know to send back a 554 Denied

MXLogic AKA McAfee

Example Error

host domain.com.inbound15.mxlogic.net[208.65.144.12] said: 554 Denied (Mode:normal) (in reply to end of DATA command)

Resolution/Workaround

For McAfee SaaS Customers, please do one or more of the following:

1. Place the sending domain on the User or Domain-Level allow list in the Control Console.  For instructions on how to do this, please refer to Adding to Domain-level Sender Allow List
see full description here:  https://support.mcafeesaas.com/MCAFEE/_cs/AnswerDetail.aspx?sSessionID&aid=155


Godaddy

554 This IP has been temporarily blocked for attempting to send too many messages containing content judged to be spam by the Internet community. IB110
for the full details click here: https://support.godaddy.com/help/article/3568/dealing-with-email-bouncebacks



TIP: In some cases if you get 554 Denied "RELAY is NOT ALLOWED" then the issue is actually on the sending end normally means that when you try to send the message the sending server didn't trust your message and bounced it back, this normally happens if your IP or Domain is not recognized by the sending server as valid. 

Motorola Droid MAXX how to take a screen shot / Take a picture of your screen

I searched all over several online support forums on how to do this so I figure I add a quick article about how to do this.

all you have to do is hold down the "Power" button and the "Volume Down" button at the same time for 2-3 seconds the key thing is you have to hit them and hold both down for a few seconds I think that's the worse place to put a hidden gem, because if not done properly it makes the volume on your phone go all the way down or bring you to the sleep screen.

A nation divided against itself - The Ferguson Michael Brown Shooting

Here are some of the articles and quotes from around the United States that I have read, I'm not going to give my personal opinion on this issue but wanted to share some of the things the media is putting out there:

"I want to give the residents of ‪#‎Ferguson‬ the knowledge that there are some police that do support them.”

- HuffPost Politics

Largely peaceful marches took place in cities around the country from New York City and San Diego. Vandalism broke out in Oakland. The latest on ‪#‎Ferguson‬:

- The Wall Street Journal

City Hall windows were smashed, a police cruiser was torched and at least 44 people were arrested in ‪#‎Ferguson‬ last night.

It was "generally a much better night," St. Louis police chief Jon Belmar said.

- 

USA TODAY

Read: ‪#‎Ferguson‬ ruling: the key documents from the grand jury's report.‪#‎MikeBrown‬

- Anonomys Facebook user

“Real change comes but it comes from people who work, who stand up...and work toward a vision of justice that inspires others to work with them.”

Juan Williams explains why the street violence and riots in ‪#‎Ferguson‬won’t incite the type of change America needs.

-

Fox News

Violence Erupts in ‪#‎Ferguson‬. Post your thoughts about protester's reactions!

- Anonomys Facebook user

‪#‎NationalGuard‬ reinforcements helped contain the latest protests in‪#‎Ferguson‬, preventing a second night of the chaos that led to arson and looting after a grand jury decided not to indict the white police officer who killed ‪#‎MichaelBrown‬.

- Yahoo News

He was in fear of his life. It was Michael Brown or him', says relative of‪#‎Ferguson‬ cop Darren Wilson.

- Daily Mail

Watch ‪#‎Ferguson‬ live stream here

- Russell Simmons

A place that Michael Brown’s family loved dearly has been burned to the ground. ‪#‎Ferguson‬

- Opposing Views

Police kill. They get away with it. They kill again. ‪#‎Ferguson‬ is yet another example of this system.-VICE

The evidence from the grand jury investigation reveals mistakes and holes in the investigation. ‪#‎JoeMadison‬ ‪#‎SiriusXM‬ ‪#‎UrbanView‬ ‪#‎GrandJury‬‪#‎Ferguson‬ ‪#‎MichaelBrown‬ ‪#‎DarrenWilson‬ SiriusXM Urban View

-Joe Madison - "The Black Eagle"

Quotation of the Day: "People who try to stop these things are heroes, in my mind. I was disappointed that some members of the community resorted to violence." -- Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., on arson and vandalism by some after a ‪#‎Ferguson‬ grand jury decision.

-The New York Times

#‎Ferguson‬ – Did you ever wonder why race hustlers champion victims such as Trayvon or Michael Brown?

-Alex Jones

Dozens of calls of shots fired, looting, police cars on fire, an AR-15 stolen from a police car. ‪#‎Ferguson‬ is erupting.

Here's a post of multiple live feeds broadcasting from the ground.

Eden Rose - Lil Red Danger

Circle of blood that convinced ‪#‎Ferguson‬ grand jury NOT to indict Darren Wilson.

Daily Mail

System Restore for Windows 7 HOW TO GUIDE & FAQs

Using the System Restore Tool in Windows 7 is Easy! 

FAQ:

What can it fix?

Registry issues, Driver installation problems, Corrupt downloads or Installations.

What can it improve? 

system restore can solve problems that are making your computer slow.

When should I create a system restore point and what is it set too by default?

Depending on the settings you have setup or haven't set up for system Restore you can pick a restore point, many applications will prompt you to create a system restore point before installing just in case something goes wrong, by default windows creates  system restore about ounce a month, and for the past few days or normally when there is a major change or installation. 

HOW TO DO IT in Windows 7:

1. Navigate to the Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools program group.
    
2. Click on the System Restore program icon.
    
   

1. Click Next > on the Restore system files and settings window.
    
2. Choose the restore point that you want to use.
   
   Note: Check the Show more restore points checkbox to see more than the most recent restore points.
    
3. Click Next >.
    
4. Click Finish on the Confirm your restore point window to begin the System Restore.
   
    
5. Click Yes to the Once started, System Restore cannot be interrupted. Do you want to continue? dialog box.
    
6. System Restore will now restore Windows 7 to the state that was recorded in the restore point you chose in Step 4.
   
   The restore process can take a few minutes or up to an hour depending on the speed of your computer 

TIP: You can also click the option to see what programs will be effected

SPF Record error when sending mail 551 5.0.0 Rejected

If you get the following error when sending a message, as a bounce back NDR notification
Remote Server returned '<mx.mail.google.com #5.0.0 smtp; 551 5.0.0 Rejected, look at http://www.openspf.org/why.html?sender=al@topel.com&ip=69.84.129.239&receiver=mailin1-trm.thomsonreuters.com>'

This means that the recipient server is doing an SPF record check and it doesn't match. 

What needs to match? 

The IP of the server you are using needs to be added to the SPF record also known as a TXT record in your DNS you can perform an SPF look-up by going to: 

http://mxtoolbox.com/SuperTool.aspx?action=spf%3a&run=networktools

Explained: 

Sender Policy Framework Why

Why did SPF cause my mail to be rejected? What is SPF? SPF is an extension to Internet e-mail. It prevents unauthorized people from forging your e-mail address (see the introduction). But for it to work, your own or your e-mail service provider's setup may need to be adjusted. Otherwise, the system may mistake you for an unauthorized sender. Note that there is no central institution that enforces SPF. If a message of yours gets blocked due to SPF, this is because (1) your domain has declared an SPF policy that forbids you to send through the mail server through which you sent the message, and (2) the recipient's mail server detected this and blocked the message. mailin1-trm.thomsonreuters.com rejected a message that claimed an envelope sender address of al@topel.com. mailin1-trm.thomsonreuters.com received a message from zixvpm03.reflexion.net (69.84.129.239) that claimed an envelope sender address of al@topel.com. The domain topel.com has not published an SPF policy. It is possible that the receiving mail server refuses all mail from domains that do not have an SPF policy. How can I reference this web page for explaining SPF results? This web page is a public service of the SPF project. SPF implementations can (and do) use it to help explain the results of SPF checks by presenting to users a parameterized link to this page. See the "Why?" page documentation for details on how this works. Edit text of this page | View other revisions Last edited 2008-04-04 13:27 (UTC) by Frank Ellermann (diff)