VMware Workstation Pro

 The hardest part is finding it 😂

Log in first

[https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/productdownloads?subfamily=VMware Workstation Pro&freeDownloads=true]

Windows Update "Handled by Organization"

Tweaking software often adds registry entries to modify update functions.

This is how I cleared them.

This doesn't need to exist. The entire AU can be deleted.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

UX appears to be a legit entry. Delete every item in  Settings

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings

Restarting should return full control to Update.

AnyDesk Settings

My tray icon read "no service"

There were no AnyDesk entries in the Outbound Firewall rules.

AnyDesk could not directly access on the local network and was forced to use remote servers.

Step 1: Create the Outbound Rule for the Application

This allows AnyDesk.exe to send data out. 

In the left pane, click Outbound Rules. 

In the right pane, click New Rule.... 

Rule Type: Select Program and click Next. 

Program: Select This program path and browse to: C:\Program Files (x86)\AnyDesk\AnyDesk.exe (If installed elsewhere, browse to your specific location). Click Next.

Action: Select Allow the connection.  Click Next.

Profile: Check Domain, Private, and Public. Click Next.

Name: Name it AnyDesk Outbound App and click Finish. 

Step 2: Create the Outbound Rule for the Domain (*.net.anydesk.com)

Windows Firewall doesn't have a direct "Domain Name" field in the basic wizard, so we use the Scope or a Custom Policy method.  The most reliable method in the standard wizard is to allow the ports used by that domain. 

Click New Rule... again in the Outbound Rules pane.

Rule Type: Select Port and click Next. 

Protocol and Ports:

Select TCP.

Select Specific remote ports.

Enter: 80, 443, 6568

Click Next.

Action: Select Allow the connection.  Click Next.

Profile: Check Domain, Private, and Public.  Click Next.

Name: Name it AnyDesk Outbound Ports (net.anydesk.com) and click Finish. 

WSL Create a windows_backup Folder in Ubuntu

 I used WSL Ubuntu to make a Ventoy Persistance file. I needed a folder in Ubuntu that Windows could access the file.

Here are the commands.

# Create a destination folder in your Linux home (if needed)

mkdir -p ~/windows_backup/

# Now set ownership and permissions - these WILL work

sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ~/windows_backup/

chmod -R 755 ~/windows_backup/

In Windows File Explorer

\\wsl$

Or you may have a Linux Icon in the list on the left in Explorer

Now you can copy/paste files in that Ubuntu folder.

Plex Setup

File Structure and Naming

C:\TV Shows\

└── Bull\

    ├── Bull - S01E01.mp4

    └── Bull - S01E02.mp4   

My Bookmarks

Facebook

X

Inoreader

Google Maps

Live Gold & Silver Spot Price Charts | APMEX

Cryptocurrency Prices, Charts, and Crypto Market Cap | CoinGecko

Pandora

NCH MyChart

Lee MyChart

Athenahealth

Urology

Alexa

BentoPDF

Notepad

SMS

ShareX Set To Irfanview

I like ShareX to open a snip with IrfanView. Sometimes when updating, I lose that setting.

This is one way to restore it.

What likely changed is the default app to open the snip. Go to default apps and IrfanView and set jpg or png or whatever to IrfanView default. I like this way best.

Or you can set up a "task" "action"

Streaming, APKs, and Whatever

Stuff I want to remember.

I had APK files that would not delete on my Fire TV Stick. DefSquid did it.

Stremio:

1. Install on PC first and set it up.

2. Create an account.

3. Go to Torrentio, and set it up

remove some of the addons, remove camera links, sort by seeders, limit 15GB

now install Torrentio

When you install Stremio on a streaming device, it will install the way you set it up on the PC.

Some links

Kevin Porteous

Magic Wormhole File Transfer With Rymdport

Magic Wormhole File Transfer With Rymdport

  Why use Rymdport

Magic Wormhole requires Python and is run in the Command Prompt.

Rymdport is a Magic Wormhole GUI written in Go, so it contains everything to run and is cross-platform.

  Where to get it

Rymdport is a GitHub project and can be downloaded from there.

Or it can be installed with Winget: winget install Jacalz.Rymdport

  How to run it

After install you could search for the exe file located in AppData to start it.

Rymdport is added to the environment variables, so typing Rymdport in CMD will run it.

Eventually, it should show up in the start menu.

  The Passphrase

It will create a passphrase, or you can create a custom passphrase.

The passphrase must contain numbers like "123" separated by a hyphen - and some letters "abc"

If I'm using it on my own PCs, I use a simple phrase that is easy to remember and type.

If I am sending to someone, I would use the phrase Rymdport creates and send it to the person receiving.

  How does it work?

It creates a peer-to-peer connection, zips the files and sends.

This is why you can send a folder or multiple folders.

  Does it work?

It is simple and lightning fast.

I have not used it on huge files yet, so I don't know if it chokes on big ones.

Ok, I just transferred a Win11.iso from Minnesota to Florida. I was no speed demon, but it didn't choke.

I need to try it the other direction. In MN I have Spectrum with slow upload. In Florida I have fiber that uploads at 700+ even over wireless.

ShareX My Favorite Snipping Tool

I may want to say something about it.

Nothing replaces it.

Text Extraction

No default hotkey is set up.

Go to the hotkey section and add

OCR > Ctrl + Alt + Print Screen

Windows has added text extraction to it's Snipping Tool but it is miserable. Too many clicks.

PowerToys text extraction is good and sometimes even better under some circumstances.