Blog Experience

1. Do you think your blogging experience was a success?
I’ve had a blog for over a year. I think it is successful because of what it does for me. I use it as a reference point. Sometimes I forget the steps to a process and I refer back to my blog like a reference book. In addition, I also list my blog on my resume to give employers an idea of my hobbies and interests.

2. Do you think you will continue to blog?

Yes I will continue my blog because we live in an ultra-digital world and I can see it as a platform for a variety of situations.

3. What were the most difficult things to do with your blog?
 To actively engage.

4. How easy was it to come up with new ideas everyday?
It is not difficult to come up with ideas. In fact, I thought it would be great to make this Q&A a blog post. However, it is difficult to find the time to summarize and format my ideas.

5. After this experience, do you have a new perspective on blogging?
Yes. I never thought I would have a blog because I didn't know what I wanted to share with the world. However I've learned that blogs can contain anything. Blogging is fun and rewarding and I plan to continue.

Review of the Toshiba Canvio Home Backup and Share 3TB

The Toshiba Canvio Home Backup and Share 3TB allows you centrally store and access files on your home network. The device is classified as a hard drive, but since files are accessbile on any DLNA enabled device on the network, it can also be considered Network Attached Storage. The device has a USB port, but it can only be used to connect a network printer. If you attempt to use the USB port to transfer files, the PC will not recognize the device as a hard drive. You will also need to go to the website to download the application software. There were several password prompts for administrators, users and the upload server during setup, which is a bit tedious. I did not expect to see user permissions or log features, which are characteristic of server software. For a small office or single family home, permissions provide a highly effective way to delegate access. In addition, you can also set quotas and create volumes on the drive.

Pros

User interface is easy to navigate

drive settings

Permission features

Access logs with email alerts

Cons

Cannot access files via USB
Website out of date
Documentation out of date
Android App out of date




 


However, I did encounter some issues. For example, when I tried to connect remotely, I received an error, "Cannot connect to server to obtain pin". I thought updating the application would resolve the issue, but when I attempted to update the software, it failed on the last step with an unknown error. I was sure it was not a firewall issue, because I verified that all required ports were opened. Next, I attempted to setup the Toshiba Canvio app on my phone, however the app listed in the instruction manual was not available for download in the Android App store. So, I went to Toshiba's website to look at FAQ's and although there was a link for hard drives, it gave no relevant information about Toshiba Canvio hard drives. I also tried to browse through Toshbia's website forum but did not find any relevant answers. However there was an 1800# listed that provides 24/7 technical assistance.


In the end, I was able to successfully launch the device as a media server for my smart TV and my PS3. For a basic user who wants to access local files, it is a decent product. Based on the website, applications and available documentation, I give the product 3/5 stars.

user interface

How to Add a Twitter Feed to Blogger

1.      Go to https://publish.twitter.com, enter your Twitter URL into the input field

2.      Hit enter & page down to select the “Copy Code” (copied to your clipboard)

3.      Go to Blogger & Select Layout 

4.      Select HTML/Javascript gadget. Enter your preferred Title

5.   Scroll down, click any one of the "Add a gadget" options

6.      Paste the Twitter code into the Content section

7.      Select "Save" and your done

7 Easy Steps to Partition Your Hard Drive to Dual Boot Windows

Step 1: Open Disk Management

Step 3: Right click your primary volume and shrink it

             Windows 10 requires 16GB (32bit) or 20GB (64bit), at best 20-30 GB

Step 4: Assign a Drive Letter and a Name to the Unallocated Space

Step 5: Load Boot Media

Step 6: Proceed with installation & choose the Custom Option

If you choose the Upgrade Option you can only boot from upgrade volume

Once you proceed you will be able to choose your partition

Step 7: After installation your PC will restart and you will be prompted to choose your preferred OS

PureVpn Review

PureVPN allows you to securely browse the web with anonymity. PureVPN has several benefits, like dedicated streaming, secure hotspot transmission, IP address masking and Wi-Fi security. You also have the ability to logon to servers in several countries. You are able to logon to a total of 5 simultaneous devices. In addition, you can switch to a new server on any device at any time.

Currently (2016), 1 month of service is $9.95, there is also an option to select service for 1 year or 6 months. In keeping with anonymity, the service allows you to pay with BitPay or gift cards from major retailers. However, there is an additional charge added to gift cards payments, to which I could not find the specifics. There was no way to obtain the total amount until after entering the gift card information. After you enter your gift card information, then you will magically receive a final total on the checkout page. Next, submit your payment. Since Pure VPN is a Hong Kong based company, if you pay with a credit card or via Pay Pal, your purchase will be subject to a foreign transaction fee. I did not try any other methods of payment.

Although device support is limited, you can also configure PureVpn on your router. However all routers are not supported, so check the site support for more info. I read reviews of users in China not being able to fully obtain anonymity, because access to certain websites were still inaccessible. I experienced no such issues. When I verified my IP address on a handful of sites it remained hidden.

Install and setup time was around 5 minutes. The service was very easy to use and exactly what it claimed: secure, reliable with a reasonable connection speed. I used the service to optimize my bandwidth for media streaming. They offer the option to choose an optimal server, in order to best meet your needs. I did not notice a significant lack of speed between servers and video transmission was great. I also liked the fact that your ISP cant throttle your download speed based on caps because of anonymity. So check it out at purevpn.com.

Boot to CD Fix on HP x64bit - UEFI PC

My Windows 10 PC would not go into restore or repair mode. So I decided to reinstall the OS. I had a repair disc for Windows 10 and a Windows 10 system image. Neither of them worked. Every time I attempted an install, repair or restore, the computer would restart normally.

I searched the Internet and the findings were roundabout, because instructions differed depending on the model of computer. I determined that how your primary disc is partitioned, governs whether you boot into BIOS or UEFI. The Microsoft article, “Boot to UEFI or Legacy Mode”¹ explained that if your hard drive is GPT you should boot using UEFI. In contrast, if your hard drive is partitioned to use MBR you should use BIOS. Choosing the wrong option could cause installation or boot failures.  I also found some posts of users that experienced issues with Secure Boot and installation. Secure boot protects your computer from manipulation by allowing only trusted software to load at startup.

So I began to troubleshoot the Secure Boot scenario. First, I disabled Secure Boot and enabled Legacy Support, however my installation failed. Next, I disabled Secure Boot, enabled Legacy Support then booted into UEFI. However my installation failed. Finally, I enabled Secure Boot, disabled Legacy Support, restarted and booted directly into UEFI using the F9 button. I knew I was successful when I got press any key to boot screen.

So if you are experiencing issues booting to a CD, first determine if you are booting to UEFI or BIOS.  The “Boot to UEFI Mode or Legacy Bios Mode”² article has the best set of instructions I found to change the boot mode. Since the function key varies depending on your model, you’ll either have to guess or consult your manufacturer’s website for more information.

  

1https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825112.aspx

2 https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh825112.aspx

Keyboard With AES Encryption

I was looking to purchase a new keyboard and realized some were sold with AES encryption and some were not. I never really thought about encrypting data from my keyboard until I needed a new one. HTTPS allows secure transmission over the network, but what about secure transmission on your computer? Keylogger programs and wireless transmission sniffing are definitely security concerns. Encryption allows the information you type, like passwords, credit card numbers to be securely transmitted to your computer. AES is an advanced encryption standard. There are no major differences in style, price or aesthetics versus non-encrypted keyboards. Microsoft has been selling keyboards with AES encryption since 2011. Other manufacturers do offer AES but the vast majority are sold without advanced encryption. So if you are in the market for a wireless keyboard make sure it has advanced encryption.

A+ Certified

CompTIA A+ ce Certified
CompTIA
January 2016

I've learned a lot about installation, repair and configuration. My A+ certification simply verifies those skills.