Set "Date Taken" As Default Sort Order

Running MS Windows 8.1 Pro, I prefer to have folders containing camera pictures to sort by "Date taken".  When I created new folders for my pictures, I had to manually add the column and sort option.  While this was easy, it cried out for automation.

How to set "Date taken" as default sort order for new picture folders in MS Windows 8:

1. Open File Explorer
2. On the left side, look for Desktop and Libraries.  Go to the Libraries folder.
3. Go the the Pictures folder.  File explorer title bar should now show: Libraries\Pictures
4. Right click and set your column and sorting preferences.




5. Other folders inside this folder will inherit the same preferences. 

Note: If you change the folder settings, those new settings will dynamically be applied to child folders.

Microsoft Windows Disk Encryption

As a backup and scratch space, I purchased a 3 terabyte external USB drive.  To try encryption, I considered using the Microsoft Windows 8 BitLocker drive encryption.  With Microsoft giving user information to the NSA, I am weary of placing trust in Microsoft.  Looking for alternatives, I tried TrueCrypt disk encryption.

Installing TrueCrypt on a Microsoft Windows 8 disk:

While not explicitly supported, download and install the package.
Read the beginner tutorial and run the program.

Which Display for Windows 8 Start Screen?

In Microsoft Windows 8, the "Start" screen can be moved from monitor 1 to monitor 2.

Press the Windows logo key to make the Start screen visible.
Press the Windows logo key +PgUp.  The Start screen will move to the second monitor.

Website Opt Outs

Tired of slow web page loading because of external includes? 

Opt out of social sharing buttons that clutter websites.  It will place an addthis.com opt out cookie.

Opt out of InviteMedia for DoubleClick.

Add Features to Windows 8

This post described upgrading Windows Vista to Windows 8.

After completing the form for the free Media Center upgrade, I applied the key.  The upgrade was quick, with a reboot.

Performance results:

For a limited time, get a free Windows Media Center to Windows 8 Pro upgrade.

Find Microsoft Windows Files with Linux

The rainbow tables were unable to crack the password of the account with administrator access, though it did crack password for a non-administrator account.  The next approach, which will always work, is to boot the machine from another operating system that can mount the ntfs file system.  Then read every file.

Download Knoppix Live-CD and and create a bootable CD.

Turn on the PC and bring up the boot order menu.  This could be a press of the <esc> key or a function key.  Refer to your machine manual for the proper key press.

In a later step, an sftp server is useful.  If you need an sftp server for MS Windows, try Xlight FTP Server.

Allow Knoppix to boot into the windowing environment.
Mount the Windows filesystem.  Open File Manager (lower left corner) and click to "/media/sd2/Windows".

Open Terminal emulator (lower left corner).
cd /media/sda2/Windows
mkdir test
cd test

The following find will show errors when it finds the file it just copied.  Ignore those errors or send to /dev/null.  If desired, add lines for additional file name extensions.
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.bmp -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.jpg -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.jpeg -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.pic -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.pict -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.png -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.psp -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.tif -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.tiff -exec cp '{}' . \;

find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.avi -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.mov -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.mp4 -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.mpg -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.vob -exec cp '{}' . \;
find /media/sda2/Windows -name \*.wmv -exec cp '{}' . \;


Create compressed file.
zip imgfiles *
ls -l imgfiles.zip

Transfer the file to another machine.  
Use the network if hardwired or wireless is configured.  Midnight Commander, a GUI ftp, is available on Knoppix.  Or use sftp.
mc
sftp <ipnumber>

Recover Windows Vista Password

A friend had two laptops from his son (who died).  He didn't know the passwords and wants to retrieve the photos on the laptops.

Download the free Ophcrack live CD and burn it with ISO Recorder.  ISO Recorder can be found by right-clicking the file iso file to burn:

Boot the Ophcrack CD and let it run.  It can quickly use rainbow tables, those this won't break every possible password.  Brute force is needed to break every possible password.  If it doesn't find a password, make sure all of the tables are installed.

Microsoft Windows 8 Upgrade

A desktop 4 core PC has Windows Vista (virus) so it suffers from frequent hangs for no apparent reason.  No amount of patching and disabling services has cured it.

Microsoft Windows 8 upgrade is currently offered at $39.99, including Media Center upgrade to play DVDs.  The upgrade was surprisingly pleasant.  As promised, data files were saved and everything else was removed during the clean install.  After the install, don't forget to request the Media Center upgrade key.


Screen shots of the Windows 8 upgrade process.

Checking compatibility

Price and license agreement

Choose to create media or download on the fly

Choice to keep personal files and settings

Install

Personalize color scheme

 Express settings, or not

Sign in means to sign in to web account.  Downloading apps through web store will require this account.

Installation complete

Begin re-installing applications and customizing.