Awesome Tumblr blogs!

I am in love with the microblogging platform Tumblr! Honestly, I was not very sure what was its function. I mean, how was it so different from Blogger or Wordpress? But now I totally get it and it's one of my best discoveries. :)

Here are two very cool Tumblr blogs related to books:
http://prettybooks.tumblr.com/
http://lifeonprint.tumblr.com/

I'm sure there are more but I was completely overwhelmed with the content and pictures from both blogs I just had to share with you guys.

Books aside, here's a Tumblr blog on fashion!
http://fashionsociety.tumblr.com/

Who would say no to colourful fashion pictures right? ;)

Now I'm thinking. Should I start my own Tumblr blog? If yes, what would it be about?

Total Security Nightmare

Imagine the horror when I realized that there was a very troublesome spyware which managed to steal its way into my computer a couple of days ago. The spyware Total Security is an impostor. It pretends to be an anti-virus programme and suggests "solutions" for you.

Beware!!! Do not keep it too long in your computer or it'll slow everything down. I have no idea how it got in my computer in the first place. Perhaps I got it by visiting some malicious website and the spyware had the chance to invade my computer system. It looked like a normal anti-virus software and it even displayed the number of "infections" in my computer.



It also had the same display as my Windows Security Center. The Firewall and Automatic Updates were shown as "On" but my Virus Protection was "Off". It said that my Total Security anti-virus was unregistered or something, I don't remember but it prompted me to do something to fix the problem. Then it got irritating as it kept popping up small windows asking me to run updates.

The nightmare was that it's difficult to delete it! I went to Program Files and tried to delete the tsc.exe file but it refused to be deleted. I searched high and low on the Internet and found a number of websites dedicated to the removal of this spyware.

Okay, here's how I finally got rid of it:

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to open up Windows Task Manager. Under the Applications tab, I clicked on the Total Security task and ended it. I quickly went to Program Files to delete the TS file. Still can't be deleted.


2. I opened up Windows Task Manager again and ended the Total Security task again. Then, under the Processes tab, I simply clicked on an image name that was similar to tsc. Of course, this was somewhat dangerous but it was a risk I was willing to take. :D


3. So I immediately went back to Program Files and tried to delete the TS file. To my relief, the file disappeared. The small TS icons on the bottom right of my desktop also went off.

Here are two websites that I visited to get information on how to remove this Total Security spyware:

Remove Total Security 2009 fake antispyware
Remove Total Security 2009 Total Security Removal Guide

But the comments in this site helped me the most:
How to remove Total Security Protection Center

I also downloaded the Spyware Doctor security software hoping that it'd remove Total Security but all it did was scan my computer for infected files. For it to protect my computer and to remove TS, I'd need to buy the USD29.95 full version. Well, looks like I don't need it anymore!

Streamyx Installation Successful

Yay!!! Finally, I managed to install Streamyx by myself. I chose the RM66 package without modem and also without installation help which costs RM88. However, my Streamyx agent wasn't so helpful. I had to find some things out by myself.

First there was the router problem. Then, my router page couldn't be opened. I sent e-mails to both Aztech and Prolink help support. Prolink replied me almost immediately! That was a pleasant surprise. The guy told me to check the proxy settings, IP address, the firewall...

That time, I was using my Maxis broadband to go online and therefore, the IP address wasn't Prolink's! So, I disconnected the Maxis broadband and connected to the Prolink wireless connection instead and voila! Prolink's IP address appeared. And Prolink's router page opened miraculously. I could finally set in my Streamyx username and password.

Okay, so I tried to sign in to MSN. Failed. What's wrong now? Ah, I tried to connect the phone line to the router. The little computer icon at the bottom right of my screen started blinking blue. Connected! Really connected. Finally!

Now, I just need to find the microfilter so that I can connect the main phone line, the phone and the router with one another.

Sigh...I really don't like all this tech stuff.

Can't Open 192.168.1.254

I'm trying to self-install Streamyx. Now what I need to do is set in my username and password inside my router page. The problem is I can't open it at all! I'm currently trying to use Prolink Hurricane 9000G 802.11g ADSL router with VPN and Firewall. Before this, I've tried Aztech DSL600EW but I couldn't find the installation CD so now I'm going ahead with Prolink!

Does anyone know how to open http://192.168.1.254? I've even tried to put it as one of the trusted sites in my IE browser but still can't open it. :(

I appreciate any help or advice! Thanks!

***

Alright, here was what my Streamyx installation problem was and how I solved it:

The ADSL light was stable on my router and Streamyx was already activated. All I needed to do was to set in my username and password inside my router's page. I couldn't open the router page. So, I sent an e-mail to the Prolink help and support people and Tan Chee Seng from Prolink replied almost immediately.

This was what he wrote to me:

To access you will need to enter http://192.168.1.254 at the address bar.

If you can’t access, please check if you have any proxy settings set.

Click tools, internet option, connection, lan settings. Is the proxy ticked? If yes, please untick it.

Check that you are able to get an IP address from the H9000G.

Click start, run. Type cmd and click ok. Type ipconfig then hit enter. Do you get an IP address like 192.168.1.x?

Also check if you have any software firewall installed. If you do, try to disable the firewall. If still cannot access, you may need to uninstall your firewall.

So, I went to Start -> Run -> Type 'cmd' -> Check IP address

IP address wasn't Prolink's because I didn't connect to Prolink! I was actually connected to my Maxis broadband, which was what I was using before Streamyx. No wonder it's a different IP address. So, I disconnected the Maxis broadband and connected to Prolink. Finally, Prolink's IP address showed up. After that, I could open the router page to set in my Streamyx username and password.

After setting in my Streamyx username and password, I could go online. Everything was fine. Before that, the balloon that appeared on the bottom right of the page said that the Internet connection was excellent but I couldn't open any webpages. Silly me!

So, problem solved!

***

ETA: Book giveaways at the following places:

Camy's Loft (August 28, 2008)
Reading Room (August 25, 2008)

I Want To Abandon My Maxis Broadband

It's because I won't be needing it anymore. Who's interested in becoming the new owner of my Maxis Wireless USB Modem at RM138/month? I've been using it since December 2007. I'll pay the RM50 transfer fees. The transferring can be done at the Maxis store in Penang since I'm from there (Penang).

And there's no more 18-month contract. You can terminate it anytime you want now but at a fee of RM200. That is why I'm trying to transfer ownership instead.

If you're interested, send me an e-mail at josettebooks[at]yahoo[dot]com

Thanks!

P.S. Preferably for those living in Penang only. The transfering would be easier.

What Happened To Project Petaling Street?

Did they forget to renew their webhosting or something? This is what I got when I just went there.




Hmm...I guess there won't be any pings for a while.

Which Web Host To Use?

I'm planning to switch web host. I've heard of Exabytes and they have a student plan for students too, which isn't that bad. It's cheap too. Anyone using Exabytes who would like to comment on their service? Are they good? I've read somewhere that their customer support is kinda excellent. They work round the clock if I'm not mistaken and they reply to e-mails like the flash of lightning.

How? How? How? I am at a loss. I want good and cheap. That's what most people want too, right? =p

RSS explained the easy way!

I was always so blur about what RSS is and how it works. I just know that it's supposed to help popularize blogs, that's all. How it works its magic, I do not know, unfortunately. I found out that RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and that's it.

After all my searches throughout the web, I finally came across this blog, 'Back in skinny jeans' and the author explained how RSS works in a simple and thoroughly understandable way. Not like how the other techie people tried to explain with all the big, unfamiliar words.

I'm so glad I found this blog! At least, I know something extra now.

So, for those who are still in the dark about this RSS thing, you may very well go here. =) Happy RSSing!