http://skit.id.au

Making a USB Key Bootable

Spent a while today working out the best procedure to create a USB Key boot DOS, without a Floppy Drive. Below are the instructions and files that worked for me, haven’t gone into to much detail, but feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below.

!!Warning!! This procedure will delete all files from the USB key, make sure you backup all data!

1. 1. Download MSDOS Boot Files and the HP Flash Tool, Extract both to your computer
2. 2. Install the HP Flash tool using defaults, then run C:\DriveKey\HPUSBFW.EXE
3. 3. Ensure you have the right USB device selected, and check ‘Create a DOS startup disk’ also putting the location of the contents of msdos.zip in the field below.
4. 4. Click Start and then your done!
   

To test, make sure your Computer supports USB booting, plug in the USB key and reboot. You should end up with a DOS prompt. Enjoy!

How to Spot an ATM Skimmer

The Consumerist have made available a great PDF from the Commonwealth Bank giving some tips on how to spot those nasty ATM skimmers. Be sure to head over and have a read, I might save you from getting caught out and having your money stolen!

The Consumerist – How To ID An ATM Skimmer

My Essential Firefox Extensions Revisit

Back in 2007 I posted My Essential Firefox Extentions, I thought it was about time I revisted this essential list to see what’s changed in two years.

• Better Gmail 2 – Still using it 2 years on. A great collection of userscript modifications to Gmail.  Mainly used for attachment icons and making the labels collaspable like folders.
• Delicious Bookmarks – A new addition to the list, as I’ve started to use delicious a whole lot more . Have been collecting a whole lot of useful tech reference articles, basically a nice clean library of quick fixes.
• Australian English Dictionary – I didn’t have this extension installed until writing this post, how could I have forgotten! Stupid US English…
• Firebug – A great tool for the web developer, great for debugging. Admittedly I don’t do a great deal of web dev and usually have this extension disabled.
• DownThemAll! – Can’t be without this extension, found it back in 2007 and just can’t let go of it. Multi threaded downloads ftw!
• FireGestures – Replaced the extension MouseGestures from 2007. Adds Mouse Gestures to Firefox, allowing speedier control of the browser.
• Greasemonkey – The monkey is still sitting in my status bar. Not often I have a userscript loaded (thanks to extensions like Better Gmail above). Only recently installed the Twitter Fantastico user script and it remains my only one, for now.
• IE Tab – The last keeper from 2007. Basically allows quick launching of sites in IE, keeping it in Firefox as a new tab. Also keeps a list of sites to always display in an IE tab.
• Lazarus: Form Recovery – This extension is a god send. Keeps a backup copy of any form you fill in, allowing you easy right click recovery in case FF crashes or you close a tab by accident. A must have!
• Remember The Milk for Gmail - Started using RTM this year to keep track of personal projects having migrated from Outlook to Google Apps. This extension adds RTM as a sidebar to Gmail, very handy.
• UrlbarExt – Adds shortcuts in the address bar with functions like ‘Make TinyURL’, ‘Search Site’, ‘Go up one folder’, ‘Sequential Navigation’, ‘Surf Annoymously’. Rather handy

Which extensions didn’t make the cut from 2007?

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Life Update

It’s been a while since I wrote a Life blog entry, as apposed to all the techno babble I’m constantly spewing forth. Hold onto to your mouse, this’ll be a long one…

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