Presidential (Day) Sysadmin Links

Yes indeed. It is Washington’s Birthday Day (a.k.a.Presidents’ Day ) here stateside.

So while I try to find balance on this odd day off (but on call), running errands around town, lightly blogging, and doing “honey-please-do-for-me’s” around the house, I thought I would “celebrate” by dropping some linkage for the sysadmin crowd.

Enjoy.

• JavaScript Has Won: Run Flash with Mozilla Shumway and Develop Silverlight in JS with Fayde - Scott Hanselman - Shumway looks more interesting to me but both projects look very clever; now if they enhance system security.
• Reimage Plus Repair - Repair Tool or snake oil? - Borns IT and Windows Blog (Google Translated) & Reimage Repair anyone too much money? - Ingo's Blog (Google Translated).
• Windows 7: ISO installation disc officially download - Borns IT and Windows Blog (Google Translated)
• Microsoft Windows 7 Software Recovery - Microsoft - allows you to use your (non-OEM) Win 7 key to create a backup of your Win 7 install media; DVD or bootable USB image. Related pages: Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool - Information and Instructions and Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool - Tool Download Page
• How Do I Learn PowerShell? - rambling cookie monster - My advice after continually trying to get started formally learning it? just do it
• Don’t Learn PowerShell, Use PowerShell - Hey, Scripting Guy! Blog. Exactly.
• Update: Autoruns v13.01- Sysinternals Site Discussion
• Autoruns for Windows - Microsoft Sysinternals - As explained by NextofWindows blog, the biggest update feature is Sysinternals Autoruns Tool Gets VirusTotal Integration. Handy.
• FreeCommander - the freeware windows file manager program which is simply the best one out there (IMHO) had gotten a public (x32 bit) release version update to FreeCommander XE 2015 build 685.

I’ve been using a very old x64 build release with no issues, but decided it was finally time to go back to the updated x32 release line. So, Saturday I downloaded the FreeCommander PortableApps version and got busy rebuilding my FreeCommanderXE + Total7zip Plugin mods. Worked just fine when I was finally done.

• DriverBackup! - SourceForge.net - New driver backup utility find.
• Double Driver - BooZet Freeware - Old standby to backup and restore installed drivers.

I mention these as while it is always a good idea to do a full system backup periodically, and make sure you have valid OS re-installation media, the core installation media will not usually have all the custom drivers for your system and unless you do a driver back up in advance, you will spend tons of time tracking down needed drives when you restore your system. Just saying.

• Kali Linux 1.1.0 Released - Kali Linux
• Korora Project - New (to me) Linux distribution project. Looks very slick and nice.
• Korora 21 Darla is finally here -- Linux fans, download the 'Fedora Remix' now! - BetaNews

Looking at the Korora project got me thinking about the many, many various Linux LiveCD and desktop project out there. I recently downloaded a “lite” distro LiveCD to give to a family friend in case the old Windows (Vista) PC they pulled out of mothballs (when their primary system got handed to me for service) didn’t load. These are the ones that I recommend and carry an ISO for around with me; just in case.

• PCLinuxOS - In KDE, LXDE, MATE, or “FullMonty” desktop editions.
• Ubuntu PC operating system -Well rounded and very compatible.
• Linux Mint - In Cinnamon, MATE, KDE, and Xfce versions
• SymphonyOS - uses the Mezzo desktop
• Kali Linux - Advanced Penetration Testing Distribution - Not for general users but is super-powerful when you need extra tools for sysadmin/sec work.

Cheers!

--Claus V.