Mike's Mostly Tech blog

How to remove a printer and its drivers from Windows 8/10

How to remove a printer and its drivers from Windows 8

Press the keyboard shortcut Win+q. Find Printer Management in the section Administrative Tools and launch it.

Removing a printer

Open Custom Filters, All Printers, select the printer you want to remove and click on Delete.

Confirm it by clicking Yes.

Removing drivers

Go to item All Drivers. If you have installed your driver from a standalone installer, it is recommend you to Remove Driver Package… . If you have simply selected the driver from a list offered by Windows when installing the printer, it is recommend you to Delete it.

If you are trying to remove the driver without removing the printer beforehand, or the driver is used also by another printer than the one you removed, the system won’t allow you to remove the driver.

If you resolved the previous problem or you haven’t encountered it, system will show you which packages and drivers will be deleted.

After you click on the button Delete, the packages and drivers will be erased from the system. By clicking on the button OK on the summary window, the process of removing drivers will be finished.

If you removed all drivers you wanted, close the Print management.

Remove Network Printers from Windows via Registry Editor

Step 1: Click on Start, Run and then type in regedit and press Enter. This will open the registry editor.

Step 2: Navigate to the following key in the registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER – Printers – Connections

Here you should now see a list of all network printers with the server name first, then a comma, and then the name of the actual printer.

Go ahead and click on the printer in the left menu and press the Delete button or right-click and choose Delete. Unfortunately, that’s not all! You also have to delete the printer from one more location in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – SYSTEM – CurrentControlSet – Control – Print – Providers – LanMan Print Services – Servers – Printers

Now under the servers key, you should be able to expand it and see the name of the print server that actually hosts the printer you want to delete. Go ahead and expand the print server key and delete the printer from the list.

Now close the registry editor and reboot your computer. The undeletable network printer should now be gone! Note that the method above is just for network printers. If you have a local printer and want to remove it the same way via the registry, you need to go to the following registry keys below:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\ Windows NT x86\ Drivers\Version-3\

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\

Using PowerShell to Manage Windows Updates

Using PowerShell to Manage Windows Updates: PSWindowsUpdate

Often we have to update computers that have not – for whatever reason been updated in a long time. AND we often have to create new deploy images using sysprep. What usually happens is that Windows update will hang at ‘checking for updates’ for a very long time and either error out or never complete. A secret I found to deploying Windows Updates when this happens or from within Audit Mode is an excellent PowerShell module created by Michal Gajda. This module, aptly called PSWindowsUpdate, allows managing Windows Update on any computer running PowerShell 2.0 or higher. This module even enables Windows admins to check for and install updates on remote PCs and servers. PSWindowsUpdate is particularly handy for installing updates on Server Core machines that have no GUI, or in instances such as Sysprep’s Audit Mode where the Windows Update GUI doesn’t work.

· Get started by downloading the latest version of PSWindowsUpdate.zip.

· Once downloaded, extract the contents of the zip file to C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\.

Extracting files from PSWindowsUpdate.zip.

· Click Continue if a UAC prompt appears.

· When the files have been extracted into the PowerShell Modules folder, open an elevated PowerShell prompt. Change PowerShell’s Execution Policy to RemoteSigned. The RemoteSigned Execution Policy allows PowerShell scripts downloaded from the Internet to run on a PC as long as they are signed by a trusted publisher.

· Type Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned and press Enter. When prompted, confirm the change by pressing Y and then Enter.

Changing PowerShell’s execution policy

This completes the one-time configuration of the module! Now it’s time to put PSWindowsUpdate to use!

· If running PowerShell v2.0, type Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate and hit Enter. This isn’t necessary in PowerShell v3 and higher, but it doesn’t hurt anything either. This step simply guarantees that the modules cmdlets will be available to the PowerShell v2.0 session.

· Display a list of all the module’s available cmdlets by typing Get-Command –module PSWindowsUpdate and hitting Enter.

Using Get-Command -module PSWindowsUpdate.

· Possibly the most important function for getting and installing updates is Get-WUInstall. Help for each cmdlet is available, so to see full help for Get-WUInstall type Help Get-WUInstall –full and press Enter.

Looking at help for Get-WUInstall.

When applying updates, I prefer connecting to the Microsoft Update servers. Using these instead of the standard Windows Update servers allows installing updates to Office and other Microsoft products in addition to the normal Windows updates. Unfortunately, trying to connect to the Microsoft Update servers using the PSWindowsUpdate module from a fresh Windows installation will produce an error, as shown below.

· The reason for this error is because Windows is registered to use only the standard Windows Update servers by default. To use the Microsoft Update servers, the Microsoft Update Service must be registered on the computer. In the GUI, this is done by selecting the checkbox for Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows from the Control Panel – Windows Update – Change Settings applet.

· In the PSWindowsUpdate module, the same process is completed by using the Add-WUServiceManager cmdlet with the ServiceID for the Microsoft Update service specified. Type Add-WUServiceManager -ServiceID 7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d and press Enter. When prompted, confirm registering the service by typing Y and pressing Enter one more time.

Registering the Microsoft Update servers.

· List available updates from the Microsoft Update servers by typing Get-WUInstall –MicrosoftUpdate –ListOnly and pressing Enter. After a few moments, the system will return a list of the available updates for the current machine. No error this time!

· The same results are produced by typing Get-WUList –MicrosoftUpdate and pressing Enter.

· Type Get-WUInstall –MicrosoftUpdate and press Enter to go through the available updates, confirming installation of each one manually.

PSWindowsUpdate and Parameter Support

Another awesome feature of the PSWindowsUpdate module is its support of parameters. For example, using the –AcceptAlland the –AutoReboot parameters with the Get-WUInstall cmdlet changes the manual process into an automated one. Type Get-WUInstall –MicrosoftUpdate –AcceptAll –AutoReboot and press Enter. The system will download and install all available updates and then automatically reboot if any of the updates require a reboot.

Retrieving updates and installing automatically.

Don’t want a particular update to be installed? No problem! Use Hide-WUUpdate. Selection parameters such as –Title or –KBArticleID narrow in and hide specific updates. Feel free to use wildcards with these parameters. As an example, type Hide-WUUpdate –Title “Bing*” –KBArticleID “KB2673774” –MicrosoftUpdate –Confirm:$false and press Enter to hide the Bing Bar 7.3 update.

Hiding an unwanted update.

Notice that I used the –Confirm parameter, along with the $false switch, to automatically confirm hiding the selected update. In the future the update won’t appear when listing available updates.

Did you make a mistake and hide the wrong update? No problem! Hide-WUUpdate can unhide an update by using the –HideStatus parameter with the $false switch. To unhide the update hidden earlier, type Hide-WUUpdate –Title “Bing*” –KBArticleID “KB2673774” –MicrosoftUpdate –HideStatus:$false –Confirm:$false then press Enter. As before, I used the –Confirm:$false parameter to keep everything streamlined.

Unhiding a previously hidden update.

Once all the updates are complete make sure to open PowerShell (as Administrator) and set the Execution Policy back to ‘restricted’:

Type Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted and press Enter. Then exit

Delete all trash in Google Voice

I’ve have been using Google Voice since its inception in 2007. I have plenty of spam rules and other delete immediately rules.

This has all led to a massive trash folder.

Google’s method to delete the trash only allows for you to select 10 items at a time, then delete them then select another and so on. For me this was 3000 pages of crap!

I went on a search or method to empty this garbage once and for all. The responses from Google on their forums were pretty much ‘tough luck’ we’re not going to add that functionality. Even though for them that would be, programmatically, an INCREDIBLY simple adjustment.

I finally found a simple and working method!! Thought I’d share.

Here’s how to delete all Google voice messages in trash!

Install Tamper monkey extension in either Chrome or Firefox.

[I had best luck using Chrome for this instead of Firefox]

http://tampermonkey.net/

Then grab the script from here:

https://gist.github.com/gavinhungry/cb0a2b23fe0fd7e352cf

Download the script .zip and extract the file "gv-delete.user.js"

Then Open with text editor and copy all.

Copy the entire script in the github script window.

Open Tampermonkey interface from Chrome browser (it’ll be on the tool bar)

Click on the ‘+’ next to the ‘Installed userscripts’

Copy over (or backspace over) any code

Paste the copied script into the window

Then press Save

Now

Navigate to your Google Voice page (stay on the Inbox – don’t go to the Trash folder) :

https://www.google.com/voice

And you’ll now see a two new buttons.

One says “Delete ALL” the other “Empty Trash”

Clicking on the Empty Trash will kick off the script and begin emptying all of the items in your Trash folder of Google Voice. It will take some time if you trash is large BUT it will finish. Just minimize the window and have a cup of tea or coffee or whatever.

And viola’ all gone!

Fix Facebook Annoyances.

I used to use the Firefox and Chrome extension called SocialFixer to unF**k my Facebook.
Sadly however, that extension has not been updated in some time.

I’ve found another extension that works nearly as admirably – F.B. Purity
Check it out if you’d like to wrest back control of your Facebook experience.

I can’t even post this on FB because they don’t like the plugin!!

I’ve removed so much FB crap from my feed it’s actually usable again!

Check it out. install extension, go to FBP options and start hiding (by checking) loads of annoying crap. You’ll be amazed!

SERIOUS OpenID and OAth2.0 flaw revealed

Okay folks ANOTHER security issue you should be aware of.
A bug has been found in OpenID and OAuth 2.0, two authentication programs that let you log into web sites using your Google, Facebook, and other major accounts. Read here and here too

OAuth—and its alternative OpenID—let you log into sites or apps using your Google, Twitter, Facebook, or other credentials, without having to create yet another account or give the app more permission than necessary. OAuth and OpenID, in essence, authenticate you with the site or tell the site you are who you say you are and let you log in without having to enter a username and password.

For example; logging into LinkedIn you are asked if you’d like to use your Google or Facebook account credentials. Then you enter said credentials (FB or Google) and you can then get on because they then ‘authenticate/use’ your other credentials. You see this all the time on news sites and blogs – if you’d like to comment or post you’re asked for some sort of ‘authentication’ usually Google, Yahoo, Hotmail or Facebook etc..

THAT’S why I live by the mantra – use different credentials (username AND passwords) for EVERY site you login to!! AND NEVER ‘LINK’ ANY ACCOUNTS!
Though this may seem difficult given the amount of our lives that are now ‘online’ it is not that hard if you use an app/service like LastPass or KeePass. I NEVER use any ‘other’ account to login to any services – ever. Every account gets it’s own credentials. That way if one is compromised no other one will be.

Please be safe out there folks!

My current physical fitness routine(s) and some opinions and observations.

I recently spent some time chatting with an old friend and roommate and the conversation got around to working out and the gym. He knew I have been fairly active and into fitness from way back and asked me what I’m currently doing to stave off ‘middle age’ ‘hood. Smile He’s started going to check out some CrossFit classes and gyms. I was very encouraging and let him know that that is a good start. Heck, just walking 30 minutes a day will have marked benefits for anyone; especially those who currently do no real exercise now. He was very excited to get back into weight training (CrossFit and such) because he hasn’t done anything like that since his military service days and asked about my opinions, recommendations and what I’m doing now. And if I’d send him over my current routine. I told him I would, but I had to preface that with the fact that where I’m at has taken a little while to get to. But he could take my routine, cut down weight amounts and add some other/different excises to make it his own. Remember that as long as you do anything more than you’re doing now you’ll see benefits. I recommended he start with CrossFit classes but be careful to not over exert himself and choose his trainers/gym very carefully. But he wanted details, specifics and some of my reasoning leading to my opinions and observations.

Nearly everyone is looking for that magic pill, diet or routine that will ‘instantly’ get them fit, thin and healthily with NO WORK, SACRAFICE OR EFFORT. Guess what? No shakes, no juicing, no ‘super routine’, no pills, no machine will do that! ONLY CONSISTANT, DISCIPLINED ACTION USING PROVEN TECHNIQUES AND GOOD DIET WILL! PERIOD.

So, this is what I’ve been doing for months now to get back in top form. My strength is increasing as is my endurance strength (power over time). I’ve got some pretty bad lingering injuries that will require surgery(shoulders), probably this year, but I’m working on keeping the stresses and motions from furthering those through exercise selections and proper form. And at the same time I’m working to build supporting tissues in preparation of anticipated recovery therapies.

Here is my current routines:

I use a modified 5 X 5 lifting routine to achieve strength improvements and endurance. I lift at a given weight and over a few weeks or month and as I improve I shorten the rest period between sets.

Then I’ll go up small amount in weight every few months or so and lengthen rest; then shorten as strength increases. Rinse repeat.

I lift with high intensity and move between exercises and reps fairly quickly.

This method has been used AND proven effective for decades! Reg Park (being one of the most famous advocates long ago) and many professional (especially current MMA practitioners) and Olympic athletes use these methods. I also incorporate Tabata / HIIT work into my cardio for a real power and a good heart blast.

It’s been decades since I’ve been in the ring and haven’t sparred much in a while, but I still practice loads of techniques and do bag work in addition to my lifting and cardio. I have had plenty of real world (street and field) experiences that have proved my skills and saved my life. A few close friends and family can corroborate (or provide alibis) as needed.

Some background on my philosophy and some opinions for those that asked and reasoning for my methods:

As for the current CrossFit rage I have a few opinions. [Like any opinion many will agree and disagree. I don’t care, I’m not debating a point simply stating my view and how I arrived at it and how I use my methods. My buddy, and you too, if you’re reading this for that matter don’t have to agree or do anything.] The trademark name CrossFit arose out of many cross training workouts already used by elite athletes (and armed forces) for decades that were then updated and ‘codified’ into a fantastic movement by Greg Glassman. He got smart and trademarked and marketed the sh&t out of it. Bully for him! It’s freaking capitalism at it’s best! [damn, wish I thought of it!]. CrossFit’s basic philosophy is very sound: …"it’s a strength and conditioning program as “constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad modal and time domains,"[8] with the stated goal of improving fitness, which it defines as "work capacity across broad time and modal domains."

First, I believe that CrossFit has done more to bring true all around physical fitness – strength, power and endurance to the masses than anything in the last decade or longer! It has been the greatest introduction to having real body strength and endurance to those who might otherwise have scoffed at power lifting and ‘extreme cross training’ and the benefits of both.

Second, for someone trying to lose weight quickly and get into shape or a novice physical fitness person, CrossFit provides a great all around routine to quickly get in shape, gain some real useable strength and endurance.

Third, the benefit of having other people to workout with you and provide for encouragement and motivation can be a huge plus. Especially beginners.

Fourth, the other side…. As a guy who’s been heavily involved in physical fitness and athletic performance for nearly all my life, I worry that too many people who’ve never been fit ever, are beginning ‘extreme’ routines without having built up any underlying strength in their tendons, ligaments and bones. And then there are some not too well trained ‘trainers’ who do not know proper (read SAFE) lifting form, pushing novices way beyond their limits. Many new practitioners get ‘motivated’ to just hammer out a ‘WOD’ (workout of the day) with as heavy as weights and short as time possible without caring for proper form or safety. For a novice, safety should be the main concern so technique (form if you will) is the MOST important thing when doing compound lifting exercises. Many, out of hast lift poorly or worse dangerously, jump while too fatigues or otherwise hurt themselves because of poor attention to safety. This can be attested to by emergency room physicians seeing loads more cases of blown knees, broken wrists and wrenched backs. A very well trained trainer is a must.

Please, don’t get me wrong, I love CrossFit for bringing real training to the masses. I hope that more people get involved and see how much a difference proper weight training along with cardio and sports specific training can improve one’s health and lifestyle. CrossFit can be an HUGE asset to any regular training regime for whatever sport or goals you wish to achieve. And I highly encourage all to add it to your overall routines.

And as a buy who’s been in the E.R and had way more surgeries on broken/torn/ripped body parts than most, I surely know the dangers involved in pushing things to the limit. [Although I don’t think I got the limit switch myself. ]

I have always incorporated cross training into my physical fitness; whether it be interval speed drills, table jumping, mountain climbing, motocross, mountain biking, swimming, fighting/sparring, wrestling (jiujitsu etc.). Strength training/lifting with High Intensity Interval Training, is by far the best way to improve all around physical fitness and sports performance. BUT I train to do those things and not the other way around.

So, below a link to my current routine. [Reason for the link to the document is it changes as I add remove and improve. ]

For My Current routine click here.

OS X Mavericks Update and Security Fixes

I recently wrote about the major security whole in the latest version of OS X – read my last post. It appears Apple has released the fix finally. Although the ‘fix’ comes not in a simple ‘patch’ but in an entire Operating System upgrade!

After several months of testing, Apple has released OS X version 10.9.2. The MAJOR (and very dangerous) SSL bug isn’t mentioned in the release notes that appear in Software Update, but the bug is mentioned on Apple’s security page for the update. Seems Apple is being their usual shity selves when it comes to security – hide or lie about it, sort of hiding the fact that this is so important.

To be a ‘little’ fair, this update does add some features but over all is really a bug fix of many major issues with the new Operating System. In Windows terms it would be called a full Service Pack.

As with any large Operating System upgrade/update you should of course back up your system – Use Time Machine or any other method I’ve described in previous posts.

Run the Software Update to update your system to 10.9.2 and if any other software shows updates available, select them too. If you’d like you can grab the full Combo update here.

If you have Mountain Lion it too has an update available – run Software Update to get it.

Please make sure if you run an Apple desktop or laptop computer that you update as soon as possible.

Be safe, Peace.

Serious OS-X and iOS Security Vulnerability Completely Opens Up Your ALL Your Secure Communications

It had been know for MONTHS that there was a serious security flaw in iOS and possibly the latest version of OS X that could allow attackers to surreptitiously circumvent the most prevalent Internet security protocol – TLS/SSL and and Security Certificate validations. The issue is a “fundamental bug in Apple’s SSL implementation,” This can allow attackers to view ANY of your ‘secure’ Web communications. This includes e-mail, banking sites. Facebook etc..

Apple finally released an ‘emergency patch’ to the latest version of iOS last week, but it appears that the flaw affects more than just Apple’s mobile platforms. It actually affects the latest versions of OS X – Apples latest desktop Operating System too!!

If you have an iDevice I’d recommend backing it up; via iTunes or any of the other methods I’ve previously recommended. Then checking for any System Updates. Tap Settings > General > Software Update. Then download and Install to download the update. [Updates might download automatically while your device is connected to Wi-Fi and a power source.]

As for you Desktop computer, well there lies the rub. Apple appears to have at first done the usual – deny, then downplay, then finally admit there is a serious problem and ‘promise a quick fix/patch’. [It’s really crazy that they are able to get away with this so often; I guess those reporting are too busy licking Apple sack….but I digress]

So what to do..

If you use the Desktop Apple Operating System – OS X you should always use the latest versions of Chrome or Firefox for internet browsing to help mitigate some of the possible exposure. [I NEVER use Safari and always recommend to all my clients that they don’t either]. Even if you’ve take the latest update on your iDevice I’d still recommend I’d recommend Chrome for iOS.

Here one of the latest articles I’ve found with a VERY good explanation. You should at least read this! But I’d recommend hitting all my sources.

Be safe folks!

Sources to read 1, 2, 3

Zero Day Adobe and Microsoft Exploits

Adobe has released (for the second time this month) an emergency update for its widely used Flash Player to combat active attacks that exploit a previously unknown security bug that hackers are actively exploiting to surreptitiously install malware on end-user computers.

Attackers are already exploiting it!

Please apply this patch and stay secure.
If your version of Flash on Chrome (on either Windows, Mac or Linux) is not yet updated, you may just need to close and restart the browser. The version of Chrome that includes this fix is v. 33.0.1750.117 for Windows, Mac, and Linux. To learn what version of Chrome you have, click the stacked bars to the right at of the address bar, and select “About Google Chrome” from the drop down menu (the option to apply any pending updates should appear here as well).

The most recent versions of Flash are available from the Adobe download center here, but beware potentially unwanted add-ons, like McAfee Security Scan, Chrome browser etc..). To avoid this, uncheck the pre-checked box before downloading, or grab your OS-specific Flash download from here. Windows users who browse the Web with anything other than Internet Explorer will need to apply this patch twice, once with IE and again using the alternative browser (Firefox, Opera, e.g.).

AND..

Microsoft has released a stop-gap fix for a previously unknown zero-day vulnerability in Internet Explorer versions 9 and 10 to combat a separate zero-day campaign. IF possible (many users cannot because of other ‘line of business software’ that requires versions 9 or 10) to update to version 11 of IE, since it contains exploit mitigations not available in earlier releases. Those who are prevented from running version 11 should install the Microsoft fix as soon as possible.

Microsoft site explanation is here

Actual ‘Fix-It tool is here

If you run it make sure you ‘right-click’ on the file after it’s downloaded and ‘Run As Administrator’

Be safe folks, Peace.

BlackPOS breach

So here is a story about the recent MASSIVE thefts at Target Neiman Marcus and other retailers.

What is by far the most scary is this line,
“…said it was possible for Target and Neiman Marcus to be hacked after the software tried several easy passwords to remotely hack the stores’ registers, and added that the malware, called BlackPOS..”

We are finding out the breach occurred because of poor Security practices! Easily guessed or worse, standard passwords at the gates!

This is totally unacceptable and, in my opinion, everyone involved from the top to bottom of these IT chains should be fired and also be part of any litigation directed at the companies.

You know you hear it from me and just about everyone else: use complex Usernames and especially passwords. NEVER use a default username or password. Never use the same password for different accounts.

So I’ll say this again to everyone. Please change your passwords to something complex (that includes Upper and lower case letters, numbers AND symbols) and do NOT use that same password for different accounts.

Well that is all. Peace out.