I am creating this blog, to communicate with and help people in flashing tasmota on sonoff switches.
1. FTDI adapter
2. Jumper wires
3. USB Cable
Monday, July 13, 2020
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Can't view hidden files and folders?
Symptoms
- You can't see hidden files and folders, even if you try modifying registry.
- Whenever you double click on drive icon on My Computer, it takes some time to open and always opens in new window.
- Your PC becomes a little slower.
- My APC UPS was not able to shutdown / hibernate my system when the power was down.
- My "Yahoo Messenger" would hang after I enter my username
- I was able to intiate shutdown from Command Prompt, but was not able to abort it with the command "shutdown –a" from DOS.
- The Process is packed and/or encrypted using a software packing process
- This Process Creates Other Processes On Disk
- This Process Deletes Other Processes From Disk
- Loads and Executes a System Driver File
- Writes to another Process's Virtual Memory (Process Hijacking)
- Registers a Dynamic Link Library File
- The Process is polymorphic and can change its structure
- Violates Prevx File Security Settings
- Executes a Process
- Adds a Registry Key (RUN) to auto start Programs on system start up
- The process hooks code into all running processes which could allow it to take control of the system or record keyboard input, mouse activity and screen contents
- Modifies Windows Initialization And System Settings Used On Start up
- My APC UPS was not able to shutdown / hibernate my system when the power was down
- My "Yahoo Messenger" would hang after I enter my username
- I was able to intiate shutdown from Command Prompt, but was not able to abort it with the command "shutdown –a" from DOS.
Causes
- This problem can be a caused by a backdoor/Trojan amvo.exe.
- amvo.exe is bundled with several other worms/files some of them are
a) 80avp08.com
b) dosocom.com
c) usdeiect.com
d) xfoolavp.com
e) autorun.inf
f) Nideiect.com
g) u.bat etc.. (a list of files is available here )
h) Xn1i9x.com
- These files are stored on the directories i.e. C:\, D:\ etc. and also on C:\windows\system32\amvo.exe
- You wouldn't be able to delete any of these files. Not even in Safe mode because it adds a autorun registry which loads amvo on boot
Solution:
1. Know what virus/worm has infected you and where's the file located in your hard drive:
· Scan your computer with Kaspersky Online Scanner to know what virus/worm you are infected with and where are their location on your hard drive. Write them on a paper along with their paths.
· This scan may take quite some time (My 160GB hard drive took 2hrs). After the scan it'll show you the culprit files and will ask to buy the AV software to cure those virus. Just note down the virus/worm names and their location and disconnect the internet.
2. KILL all the processes like AMVO.exe or AVPO.exe
- Type "msconfig" without quote in run and press Enter.
- Go to startup tab and uncheck any entry on amvo.
- Type "cmd" without quote in run
a. type "d:" and then press Enter
b. type autorun.inf and then press Enter
c. a file will open in notepad. this would have the name of the .exe/.bat/.com file in it, which is mounted at the boot time.
- Type "regedit" without quote in run and press Enter.
a. Press Ctrl+F and type amvo, do the search again and again and delete all the related entries.
b. Press Ctrl+F and type u.bat, do the search again and again and delete all the related entries.
c. Press Ctrl+F and type amva, do the search again and again and delete all the related entries. Generally it should be HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg\amva
d. search for the registry of file name which was entered in autorun.inf and delete all entries.
Now restart the computer. and do the following:
- Go to regedit and then HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer \Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
- Double click on the entry called CheckedValue and replace the 0 with 1
- Now Close all the windows and Press Ctrl+E to open the explorer.
- Enable the hidden option from the folder options.
- Delete all the malicious files as detected by Kaspersky Online scanner.
- Your computer is now trojan free.
- Find all the amvo related files and delete them. (some of them are amvo0.dll, amvo1.dll etc.)
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
BSNL IPTV vs Airtel Digital TV
Being a very happy and satisfied customer of BSNL and DataOne for many years, I subscribed for BSNL IPTV in November, 2009 when I was offered a 3 month free trial by BSNL. I paid Rs.1500 in cheque which I was told will be refunded if I wish to cancel my IPTV subscription anytime in these 3 month period. I thought it was an offer from BSNL and didn’t know it involved a third party called “MyWay”.
Eventhough most of the reviews here about BSNL IPTV were negetive, advicing me not to go for it, I opted for this only because: Firstly it was free for 3 months to try, Secondly I would get my old Dataone modem (Type-I with only one USB and one RJ-45 slot) exchanged for a new Type-II modem(4 RJ-45 slots and wireless) for Rs. 400 extra.
I own Airtel Digital TV at home, so am comparing IPTV with Airtel Digital TV here.
Advantages of IPTV over DTH:
Programs and Services :
I really loved the "Video on Demand" option of IPTV. Here we can see few old hindi movies for free, pause them and continue from where left after a while. We can browse internet on TV. For now, I could only check my gmail. Most of the new movies however are paid. There are some old TV serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Mahabharat, Ramdev Yoga episodes, which you can see randomly any episode, Pause & Play for free.
TV on your computer/laptop without TV tuner:
One important and interesting feature of IPTV is, you can see all the channels on your computer, even if your TV is off and you don’t have TV tuner card. You’ll need to use VLC player and know the ip address of each channel by trial and error changing the last digits in the IP address. (VLC settings: UDP, port 2001, IP address eg: 225.225.225.101, 225.225.225.99, 225.225.225.156)
Disadvantages of IPTV:
Always on Modem:
The connection is as follows: phone line --> Type-II modem-->IPTV set-top box and computer via LAN cables. That implies, whether or not you need internet, your modem has to be powered on, if you want to see IPTV.
All or none service :
Phone, Dataone internet, IPTV all run via a single phone line. Though using all at once doesn’t impact or slow down the other servcie, if your phone happens to get dead, then, you’ll loose 3 services all at a time. Beleive me, its a nightmare. I experienced it once.
Quality of transmission :
I own Airtel DTH for my LG 42" Plasma TV and I am very satisfied with its quality. I compared many channels side by side, like Discovery, NGC, Animal planet, etc. b/w Airtel DTH and BSNL IPTV. The Airtel TV is crystal clear and far better than BSNL IPTV. The IPTV showed blured and pixellated images of the same channel, while DTH was very clear for the same channel. The volume is far less in IPTV. BSNL IPTV transmission is in mpeg-2 while Airtel DTH is mpeg-4 DVB-S2.
Conclusion/My Suggestion :
Though, there are many advantages of IPTV compared to other DTH, the very purpose of TV is not served. It may look nice on normal CRT TV, but definetly not better than Airtel/any DTH on a bigger LCD/Plasma TV.
You are happy until you do not get to call customer care, but if you have to seek its customer care help, then it will be a hell. If you dont believe me, read the following "My plight with Myway".
So for IPTV is strictly NO, even if they offer you freely.
AC buying guide
So, you are looking for a new AC. I am a first time AC user and was all the same confused to buy one. With so many overwhelming brands and models, its really difficult to choose. Do your research before going to the showroom, as you’ll be more aware of what features you are looking for and you can get your doubts cleared with the salesmen.
Window AC or Split?
If you are in a rented house and have a provision in the wall or window for AC, then window AC will be better for you. Pros: Low cost, easy installation. Cons: Comparatively noisier, safety risk (burglars may break in).
If you have own house, concerned about neat interiors and noise of the AC, then go for split AC. Pros: Good looks, less noise Cons: Costly, technical installation must
Which tonnage? This is critical
A higher capacity AC will turn on and off too frequently, resulting in improper dehumidification and higher current bills. An AC that is too small will continue to run constantly and may not be able to adequately cool the room, resulting in higher current bills. If you don’t want all the considerations and are in a hurry, then simply follow this table (for Indian climate)
Room size 120 sft – 0.8 Ton – approx. 9000 BTU/hr;
Room size 120-150 sft – 1 Ton – approx. 12000 BTU/hr;
Room size 150-200 sft – 1.5 Ton – approx. 18000 BTU/hr;
Room size 200 sft – 2 Ton – approx. 24000 BTU/hr;
If you want to know the details, read on:
Apart from room size, many other factors like location of room, persons using the room, heat generating equipment in room like bulbs, PC; no. of windows, walls facing the sun, windows facing the sun etc. also should be considered. So, if you are using your ac only in nights or if you are in some temperate country, then 1 ton is enough for 150-200sft.
You’ll need to exercise your brain and learn some terminology. Better take a look at this page http://www.cromaretail.com/help-me-buy/airconditioner.html. Try the calculators from Blue Star, Daikin & Hitachi websites, as they are for India.
Which brand to buy?
I am sorry to say, that no brand is devoid of complaints. Like water purifiers, ACs are not what you buy, fit and forget. You need periodic maintenance. So, after-sale-service is very important consideration. After an exhaustive search, user reviews, forums, I finally narrowed down to the following ACs in the order of priority considering cooling efficiency, user features, power consumption, durability and ignoring the price. That is 1. O General, 2. Hitachi, 3. Voltas, and 4. Carrier.
Cost: Among these O General and Hitachi are premium range with costs ranging from 30-33k for 1 Ton and 38-43k for 1.5 Ton. Voltas/Carrier and many other brands would cost you around 25k for 1Ton and 29k for 1.5Ton.
Product Vs Service: O General and Hitachi are international brands and are said to be superior machines in terms of product quality, efficiency and durability. However, there are many complaints on their service. Voltas being a Tata product, service is not a big issue with wide spread dealership. Moreover, Voltas has gone international and provides AC needs for Abu Dhabi, UAE in parallel with Hitachi.
Star Rating: I hope you know about the BEE Star ratings. Simply in a layman terms, higher the star rating, the more energy efficient your product will be and lesser will be your power bill. Check bee.gov.in
Where to buy?
Not only for ACs, for any product, first look at their official website. Study the product features and decide which model to buy. Then note down the nearest address and phone numbers of their official dealers from their website. Its always better to purchase from exclusive dealers rather than retailers as the former give good bargain and reliable service.
Prior Installation :
Before the AC technician comes to fit the AC, you should arrange for a 16 Amps power socket. If you don’t have that provision in your bedroom, you may need to spend around 2k for wiring with 720 wire, AC distribution box, 20amps MCB (Anchor-Rs.280). Any local electrician will do this work. The AC technician will not do this. The AC cord is hardly 2mts, so see that the power socket is not too far from AC position. During installation, a wall mountable stabilizer will be hung on the wall. When you are not using the AC for longer time, you’ll need to switch off the MCB, so keep it lower and handynd handy, rather than fitting them up beside the AC. (See my pictures). You can hide the AC dis box and stabilizer behind the cot and your Indoor unit will look better.
After installation:
AC technician will make an opening through the depth of the wall. Most of the AC cords are shorter and you may need to extend the wires. So, you may need to use simple concealing strips as I did. If you are too aesthetic, you can go for wall panelling. Make sure you pack the outside of the opening made, using white cement later to prevent any creatures or rain water entering inside.
Let the AC run in full cool mode and full speed for 30min before the technician leaves to see if everything is working fine. They may not help you with all the remote features; you’ll have to consult the manual. Use thermocol (available in stationary shops) to close the ventilators if open.
Use AC judiciously. Be aware that whenever you are using AC, you are contributing for global warming. Never sleep in the way of direct airflow of AC due to health reasons.
So, which brand did I buy atlast?
Check out my other reviews to find out.
Window AC or Split?
If you are in a rented house and have a provision in the wall or window for AC, then window AC will be better for you. Pros: Low cost, easy installation. Cons: Comparatively noisier, safety risk (burglars may break in).
If you have own house, concerned about neat interiors and noise of the AC, then go for split AC. Pros: Good looks, less noise Cons: Costly, technical installation must
Which tonnage? This is critical
A higher capacity AC will turn on and off too frequently, resulting in improper dehumidification and higher current bills. An AC that is too small will continue to run constantly and may not be able to adequately cool the room, resulting in higher current bills. If you don’t want all the considerations and are in a hurry, then simply follow this table (for Indian climate)
Room size 120 sft – 0.8 Ton – approx. 9000 BTU/hr;
Room size 120-150 sft – 1 Ton – approx. 12000 BTU/hr;
Room size 150-200 sft – 1.5 Ton – approx. 18000 BTU/hr;
Room size 200 sft – 2 Ton – approx. 24000 BTU/hr;
If you want to know the details, read on:
Apart from room size, many other factors like location of room, persons using the room, heat generating equipment in room like bulbs, PC; no. of windows, walls facing the sun, windows facing the sun etc. also should be considered. So, if you are using your ac only in nights or if you are in some temperate country, then 1 ton is enough for 150-200sft.
You’ll need to exercise your brain and learn some terminology. Better take a look at this page http://www.cromaretail.com/help-me-buy/airconditioner.html. Try the calculators from Blue Star, Daikin & Hitachi websites, as they are for India.
Which brand to buy?
I am sorry to say, that no brand is devoid of complaints. Like water purifiers, ACs are not what you buy, fit and forget. You need periodic maintenance. So, after-sale-service is very important consideration. After an exhaustive search, user reviews, forums, I finally narrowed down to the following ACs in the order of priority considering cooling efficiency, user features, power consumption, durability and ignoring the price. That is 1. O General, 2. Hitachi, 3. Voltas, and 4. Carrier.
Cost: Among these O General and Hitachi are premium range with costs ranging from 30-33k for 1 Ton and 38-43k for 1.5 Ton. Voltas/Carrier and many other brands would cost you around 25k for 1Ton and 29k for 1.5Ton.
Product Vs Service: O General and Hitachi are international brands and are said to be superior machines in terms of product quality, efficiency and durability. However, there are many complaints on their service. Voltas being a Tata product, service is not a big issue with wide spread dealership. Moreover, Voltas has gone international and provides AC needs for Abu Dhabi, UAE in parallel with Hitachi.
Star Rating: I hope you know about the BEE Star ratings. Simply in a layman terms, higher the star rating, the more energy efficient your product will be and lesser will be your power bill. Check bee.gov.in
Where to buy?
Not only for ACs, for any product, first look at their official website. Study the product features and decide which model to buy. Then note down the nearest address and phone numbers of their official dealers from their website. Its always better to purchase from exclusive dealers rather than retailers as the former give good bargain and reliable service.
Prior Installation :
Before the AC technician comes to fit the AC, you should arrange for a 16 Amps power socket. If you don’t have that provision in your bedroom, you may need to spend around 2k for wiring with 720 wire, AC distribution box, 20amps MCB (Anchor-Rs.280). Any local electrician will do this work. The AC technician will not do this. The AC cord is hardly 2mts, so see that the power socket is not too far from AC position. During installation, a wall mountable stabilizer will be hung on the wall. When you are not using the AC for longer time, you’ll need to switch off the MCB, so keep it lower and handynd handy, rather than fitting them up beside the AC. (See my pictures). You can hide the AC dis box and stabilizer behind the cot and your Indoor unit will look better.
After installation:
AC technician will make an opening through the depth of the wall. Most of the AC cords are shorter and you may need to extend the wires. So, you may need to use simple concealing strips as I did. If you are too aesthetic, you can go for wall panelling. Make sure you pack the outside of the opening made, using white cement later to prevent any creatures or rain water entering inside.
Let the AC run in full cool mode and full speed for 30min before the technician leaves to see if everything is working fine. They may not help you with all the remote features; you’ll have to consult the manual. Use thermocol (available in stationary shops) to close the ventilators if open.
Use AC judiciously. Be aware that whenever you are using AC, you are contributing for global warming. Never sleep in the way of direct airflow of AC due to health reasons.
So, which brand did I buy atlast?
Check out my other reviews to find out.
Hitachi ACE Follow Me 1.2T
In continuation with my review “AC buying guide”...
I have requirement of 2 ACs for my 120sft and 156sft rooms. I planned for 5 star rated 1.2 T(Hitachi doesn’t have 1T models) and 1.5T costing about Rs.34k and Rs.39K resp. Though its out of my budget, I was attracted by their EMI option.
EMI Offer: Hitachi website advertises “Triple Zero” offer meaning zero down payment, zero interest and zero processing fee. This is provided by Future group (Home Town, Big Bazaar, eZone). Baja financeprovides zero interest finance, but you’ll need to pay 1/3rd of AC cost + installation charges + stabilizer cost as down payment, and the rest 2/3rd in 8 EMIs.
EMI Offer: Hitachi website advertises “Triple Zero” offer meaning zero down payment, zero interest and zero processing fee. This is provided by Future group (Home Town, Big Bazaar, eZone). Baja financeprovides zero interest finance, but you’ll need to pay 1/3rd of AC cost + installation charges + stabilizer cost as down payment, and the rest 2/3rd in 8 EMIs.
Where to buy :
When I went to Home Town, JD electronics, Reliance Digital, etc, though they provide EMI option, I could only get the old model “ACE Cutout” but not “Follow Me”. Though only the Follow Me feature is added in the new model, as the price difference is only Rs.500, I preferred Follow ME. I went to the Hitachi Hyd Sales Manager, after looking for their address in their website. He said that only Hitachi Exclusive dealers can provide Follow Me as its part of business understanding. And, these dealers don’t provide EMI option.
When I went to Home Town, JD electronics, Reliance Digital, etc, though they provide EMI option, I could only get the old model “ACE Cutout” but not “Follow Me”. Though only the Follow Me feature is added in the new model, as the price difference is only Rs.500, I preferred Follow ME. I went to the Hitachi Hyd Sales Manager, after looking for their address in their website. He said that only Hitachi Exclusive dealers can provide Follow Me as its part of business understanding. And, these dealers don’t provide EMI option.
Service:
Hitachi has many complaints about their after-sale-service. I discussed about this with the area manager. “He says that Hitachi has 2 service divisions. If you buy Hitachi ACs in retail from Reliance Digital, Home Town, etc, then the installation and after sale service is provided by their service team only and not by Hitachi team . But if you buy from our “Service Dealers ” (Hitachi Exclusive) like RS Enterprises, hyd(Authorized Hitachi Sales and Service), we’ll take care of the service. And, all the bad things you heard about service and delay is mostly from ACs bought in retail from Reliance Digital, HomeTown as they have heavy service calls and take care of all brands they sell. Service dealers are more loyal to Hitachi as they deal only Hitachi and have a lesser no. of service calls.” My only concern about Hitachi was after-sale-service. Though I can get Rs.1000 discount in retail, I preferred Hitachi service only. As, I couldn’t get finance from Service dealers , I bought only 1 AC from Hitachi. Its 1.2T ACE Follow ME for my 120 sft room.
Hitachi has many complaints about their after-sale-service. I discussed about this with the area manager. “He says that Hitachi has 2 service divisions. If you buy Hitachi ACs in retail from Reliance Digital, Home Town, etc, then the installation and after sale service is provided by their service team only and not by Hitachi team . But if you buy from our “Service Dealers ” (Hitachi Exclusive) like RS Enterprises, hyd(Authorized Hitachi Sales and Service), we’ll take care of the service. And, all the bad things you heard about service and delay is mostly from ACs bought in retail from Reliance Digital, HomeTown as they have heavy service calls and take care of all brands they sell. Service dealers are more loyal to Hitachi as they deal only Hitachi and have a lesser no. of service calls.” My only concern about Hitachi was after-sale-service. Though I can get Rs.1000 discount in retail, I preferred Hitachi service only. As, I couldn’t get finance from Service dealers , I bought only 1 AC from Hitachi. Its 1.2T ACE Follow ME for my 120 sft room.
My Hitachi experience : I bought 1.2T Hitachi Follow ME ( Model No. RAU014EQD ) Cost : I was charged Rs. 33,500 (but after the AC was delivered, on the box it was -> MRP Rs.33,000 all incl.). The price is inclusive of AC cost, 4KVA Real Guard Stabilizer and installation charges. Installation : The product was delivered and installed next day. I would give 3/5 for installation skills of the technicians. They couldn’t cut a clean opening and left chipped off wall on the back side. I’ll need to get some minor cement work done to fix it.
Voltas Vs Hitachi:
I have 1.5T Voltas for 156sft room and I feel, Voltas has more powerful fan and cools faster than Hitachi. However, Hitachi has many useful features like, Timer On/Off, Customizable user modes, Vertical louvers control, dust filter cleaning indicator, follow me feature. I’ll have to see, which one fairs better in the long run. The Voltas outdoor unitmakes comparatively more noise than the Hitachi ODU.
I have 1.5T Voltas for 156sft room and I feel, Voltas has more powerful fan and cools faster than Hitachi. However, Hitachi has many useful features like, Timer On/Off, Customizable user modes, Vertical louvers control, dust filter cleaning indicator, follow me feature. I’ll have to see, which one fairs better in the long run. The Voltas outdoor unitmakes comparatively more noise than the Hitachi ODU.
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