Fallout 3

Just wanted to share my Fallout 3 “Family” picture taken at my Tenpenny Tower Suite. From the left I have Charon who is a Ghoul from Underworld; in the middle is my female character wearing the T-51b Power Armor which I recently stole from Fort Constantine (and launched the ICBM while there). Lastly the hovering bot is Godfrey, my butler!

Anyway if you’re like me who has grown fond of a companion and would hate to see them die (cause of the limited way to control them), below are some cheat codes!

Press ~ (tilde) then enter: SetEssential <code> 1

Codes:

Jericho – a71
Charon – 156f6
Clover – 156a2
RL3 – 9426e
Dogmeat – 6a772

To end this post I leave you this little “ahem” token :D

First look at Microsoft’s Azure: Epic fail!

I was very excited coz I finally got my account approved for Azure but after logging in I never felt confused like this in my entire life! What the fuck is this?!!

The management page and the documentation page seem got stuck together then totally explodes into series of links from one domain to another as authentication tokens get passed over the URL. Currently I have access to 4 services which has 4 different management page with 4 different documentation page for a total of 8 different sites.

As far as i can remember I created 2 projects but after re-login in I'm am totally lost how to access them again.

So… Azure… are you really fucking sure what you’re doing?

Anyway Azure mostly supports .Net with a couple of Java and Ruby libraries to boast its support for open standards but a quick check on its web services schema says otherwise with whole new sets of conventions.

Oh well if MS is throwing this for free, then why not – good enough for some hobby site but I wouldn’t bet a dime on this service!

UZZAP Hack

I have received a MMS blast from Smart announcing its new service Uzzap -- although I have opted out already many times to these alerts!

It's time to teach these folks some lesson.

I downloaded the app and registered then my firewall alerted me that its trying to connect to an IP at port 5222.

Bingo it must be a Jabber server. I finished the registration and waited for the confirmation SMS and keyed in the PIN, at first the SMS didn't arrive so I have to click Resend PIN.

The UI is very mediocre so I fired up WireShark and started to sniff the Jabber packets. I need to do this to find out my JID -- WireShark didn't fail me and confirmed that its a Jabber server; it also found my complete JID.

It seems Smart bought another toy, this time from Kolipri. Why? Maybe because they wanted to kick out Chikka for the longest time already or they got envy because Globe has such an epic failure with IMEVRYWHR before that they had to top that too.

Anyway, whatever their reason is I don't really care but its time for some experiments.

I then added my JID to Trillian (you can use any other Jabber client) as a Jabber account and used the same password during registration and it works flawlessly.

Here is the settings for use with any Jabber client:

Jabber ID (JID): your_registered_username@demo.kolipri.com
Host: 125.5.109.121
Port: 5222

After login in using Trillian, Uzzap automatically gets disconnected. It seems there is an enforced single login rule in placed. That's Ok since I don't need the ugly Uzzap client anymore!

Lesson learned? Don't spam me with ads. Haha.

UPDATE:
Here is a screen shot of my Trillian Preferences showing that this hack works!

Microsoft defeated by crackers (again) Vista activation got cracked.

Since last week, rumors have surfaced about Vista's activation crack. Not until this weekend that the story was verified, its true. Vista got cracked and MS scrambled to release KB929391 WGA to patch the hole but warnings has already excalated not to apply the patch for cracked Vista.

The crack is ingenious, tit actually runs an emulated WGA authentication server and validates the Vista installation. This technique is not entirely new, using packet reverse engineering any server can actually be emulated, even Blizzard's complex WOW server has been emulated a few weeks after the game was released out of beta. Certainly MS WGA server isn't as complex as WOW server so it not surprising it was reversed that fast.

Enabling Microsoft Remote Desktop for Windows XP Pro SP2

Recently I have been working remotely most of the time so my usual Tight VNC wasn't good enough anymore, so I decided to fire up MS Terminal Service. I know there are a couple of dangers involved opening up my PC up for access but I guess I just need to monitor it closely from now on.

Enabling MSTS wasn't easy, primarily because with Windows SP2 has totaly disabled it without any option of having it turned back on! (shame). MS did provide a way to enable it again but it doesn't work, there's also another hack to enable it but IMHO its too barbaric, it involves loging into safe mode and replacing some critical files and hopes it work. Therefore i come up with a more elagant approach.

1. Disable MSTS if its running. My Computer > Properties > Remote > Allow users to connect remotely to this computer (disable checkbox)


2. Download SP1 version of termsrv.dll and save it to your Windows folder (C:\Windows).


3. Run the regisry editor (Regedit.exe)


4. Edit key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
   \Mup\DisableDFS and set its value to 0


5. Edit key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
   \TerminalService\Parameters\ServiceDll and set its value to %SystemRoot%\termsrv.dll


6. Re-enable MSTS. My Computer > Properties > Remote > Allow users to connect remotely to this computer (enable checkbox). Add up some users also that would be allowed remote access.


7. Reboot your PC.


8. Test your MSTS connection and make sure that the firewall is configured to allow accress via TCP/UDP port 3389

Windows defense handcuffs good guys

A story on Digg: "Microsoft's PatchGuard is designed to keep out malicious code. Security firms complain it's keeping them at bay, but not intruders."

Looks like another bad idea, MS seems to be streaking lately on "bad".. bad design, bad idea, bad code. Or maybe people just became wiser.





read more | digg story

NEW Internet Explorer Exploit

This one is VERY VERY Bad Phiser's are using it already! Digg This so Others can do the Test, Click on the Link and go to the "Start Test" link on the page

read more | digg story

Microsoft Vista: Not 'People Ready'

The new programs are phenomenally complex, with scores of buttons and pull-down menus and myriad connections among various applications.

read more | digg story

Bill Gates makes Fun of Himself (video)

Bill Gates recently gave a keynote at Mix '06, where he got on YouTube and did a search for "Bill Gates".

read more | digg story

What Windows Vista will do for PC gaming

The launch of Windows Vista will not only fatten the pockets of Gates' but it will also bring with it DirectX 10. "It will offer six to eight times the graphics performance of DirectX 9.0"

read more | digg story

Microsoft Vista: Microsoft loses confidence in .NET

Microsoft appears to have concentrated their development effort in Vista on native code development. In contrast to PDC03LH, Vista has no services implemented in .NET and Windows Explorer does not host the runtime, which means that the Vista desktop shell is not based on the .NET runtime.

read more | digg story

WinXP on a Mac! Finally!

So it appears, someone has cracked the Mac. Sources indicate that a solution has been submitted for review to claim the now $12,000 prize. Furthermore, it appears the source is enlisting additional testers. Guess, its not impossible after all!

read more | digg story

MS to release 6 Versions of Vista

Yes you heard me, SIX versions of Vista! Now in IMHO that means 720 ways to have incompatible systems on a network (6! = 720 permutations).

This story is from informationweek.com. To Quote:

"Microsoft plans to disclose the lineup for Vista Monday, after it inadvertently posted information about its packaging plans for the software on its Web site last week. Microsoft's new PC operating system will arrive in two editions for business customers, three editions for home users, and a special low-priced "starter" edition for sale in India, Russia, Mexico, and other developing countries."

"As a result, each edition for Vista, except for the starter edition, will include 64-bit functionality out of the box, and every edition, except the starter and basic home editions, will include technology from today's Tablet PC and Media Center versions of Windows."

- Windows Vista Enterprise, available to Microsoft's largest corporate customers, adds new BitLocker hard-drive encryption, a virtual PC program for running software written for other platforms, and a new subsystem for running Unix apps.

- Windows Vista Home Premium is designed for the majority of home PC users and includes the ability to show photos on a large-screen TV, play music on a home stereo, write and copy DVDs, and edit high-definition video. It also includes the ability to sync files between two computers.

- Windows Vista Ultimate combines all the features of the Vista Business and Home Premium editions -- it's designed for corporate employees who often work on company projects from home.

- Windows Vista Home Basic is aimed at users who mainly read and send E-mail and surf the Web. It doesn't include the Tablet PC, Media Center, photography and music software in Vista Home Premium.

- Windows Vista Starter will retail only in emerging markets such as India, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, and Indonesia. It won't be available in the United States or Europe, and runs only in 32-bit mode.

Microsoft on black-propaganda ADS

I ripped this screen shot from INQ7.net's website, another classic example on how desperate Microsoft is to fight Open Source Movements. I think this AD would be more effective if they give away Ipods and PS3s per click :))

The full url of the flash AD banner is found here.