The FireFox Experience : A Guide to Surfing the Internet

Roughly a year ago, a person named Jasper was using Internet Explorer, basically for the surfing of the Internet World. He was not a very knowledgeable person in using softwares, so he just installed a lot of programs, without noticing many toolbars and exploits were being placed on his computer. He thought it was some sort of bundled package freebie searchbar, and continued using, not knowing the the loopholes it created on his computer. Soon, He started seeing one of the most feared problems on the Internet World, The SYSTEM SHUTDOWN in 0:00:59.

Nooo! Problems! Viruses! Adwares! Trojans! Spywares! Help me!

Indeed, his computer was infected by viruses, from the downloading of programs and games recklessly while not checking for the reliability of such programs.

A few days later, Jasper started exploring into the world of fixing such problems, and today, He made two basic guides for RP students, after learning some knowledge on surviving in the virtual world. Indeed, one year has already passed since the online experience changed.

Firefox?

Firefox indeed. What is Firefox actually that I am referring to?

It’s the Mozilla Firefox! Currently known to be the 2nd most popular web browser in the world, to the Internet Explorer 6/7, the Mozilla Firefox has been around for quite some time already. It has been known to be much more powerful than Internet Explorer in some of its features and abilities, as I will elaborate on later in the post.

Is it free?

Yes, Mozilla Firefox is indeed a free web browser, and is readily available at the website www.mozilla.com/firefox/

What are the features available for Mozilla Firefox that is better than IE?

(Introduction from Firefox.com)

 

A Better Web Experience

Firefox 1.5 has an intuitive interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. It delivers Web pages faster than ever. And it’s easy to install and import your favorites. Packed with useful features like tabbed browsing, Live Bookmarks, and an integrated Search bar, Firefox will change the way you experience the Web, for the better.

Faster Browsing

Enjoy quick page loading as you navigate back and forward in a browsing session. Improvements to the engine that powers Firefox deliver more accurate display of complex Web sites, support for new Web standards, and better overall performance.

Automatic Updates

The new Software Update feature makes it easy to get the latest security and feature updates to Firefox. Firefox automatically downloads these small updates in the background and prompts you when they are ready to be installed.

Tabbed Browsing

Use tabbed browsing to open multiple Web pages in a single browser window, and quickly flip back and forth. Drag and drop open tabs to keep related pages together.

Improved Pop-up Blocking

Firefox’s built-in pop-up blocker has been enhanced to block more unwanted pop-up and pop-under ads.

Integrated Search

Tap into the power of the Web’s most popular search engines with the built-in Search bar, and easily add new engines.

Stronger Security

Firefox keeps you more secure when you’re browsing the Web, closing the door on spyware, worms, and viruses. The Firefox community of developers and security experts works around the clock to monitor security issues and release updates to better protect you.

Clear Private Data

Protect your privacy with the new Clear Private Data tool. With a single click, you can delete all personal data, including browsing history, cookies, Web form entries and passwords.

Live Bookmarks

Stay up to date with your favorite Web sites and blogs. Use Live Bookmarks that update themselves automatically with the latest content from the Web.

Accessibility

Firefox 1.5 delivers easier navigation for everyone, including those who are visually or motor-impaired. Firefox is the first browser to support DHTML accessibility, which, when enabled by Web authors, allows rich Web applications to be read aloud. Users may navigate with keystrokes rather than mouse clicks, reducing the tabbing required to navigate documents such as spreadsheets. Firefox 1.5 (Windows version) is also the first browser to meet US federal government requirements that software be easily accessible to users with physical impairments.

Customize Firefox

Select new button controls for your toolbars, install extensions to add new features, or change the look of your browser with themes – the way Firefox looks and works is under your control.

Next Generation Web Support

Innovative new Web applications and services deliver a richer Web experience. Support for open Web standards in Firefox ensures you can get the most out of this emerging class of Web-based tools.

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Wow!Wow indeed is the word. From a personal experience, I would say Firefox definitely has been a recommended choice to me to use for online surfing. Indeed, Firefox does meet up to what it says, for Firefox allows a user to install extensions that are great tools to prevent popup advertisements, has no requirements to install toolbars into Firefox for programs, a user-friendly interface just like IE itself, and is also a great multimedia browser like IE, basically having most of the same functions!

This sounds very interesting……

Yes indeed. Mozilla Firefox also allow users to add their own plugins, and themes that suit the users itself.

THEMES?!! Wah!

Yes. The themes function indeed, has been included in Mozilla Firefox, just like how a user customise his Desktop and settings with ThemeXP, or WindowsBlinds, Mozilla FireFox also has its own ability to have customised themes for its users.

I want to use Firefox now!

Yes, definitely there’s no problem with getting it! You can check out these links to get Firefox!

www.mozilla.com/firefox/

www.getfirefox.com

Cool….Power…Muhahahahaha!

Yes indeed, it does seem to be that attractive, but nothing on Earth comes in perfect, or free.

Now what?

I shall guide you along to making your experience of surfing the Internet with safety and comfort, by teaching you how to install some extensions for your Mozilla Firefox that makes it quite fool-proof!

First, open up your Mozilla Firefox.

Note : The brown wood theme is the one I have downloaded for use, so it may seem different to new users why mine look different to yours.

- So now, let’s go to Extensions, at the Tools options.

- Click on that Extensions option, and it shall bring you to this part shown below.

Note: Yours would most probably empty, so click on the Get More Extensions to go to a webpage with extensions that you can install to your Firefox.

- You are at this part already, so for the extensions to make your firefox experience safe, I would like you to choose 3 extensions that are very important, mainly

- NoScript

- AdBlock

- AdBlock Filterset.G Updater

These 3 extensions are useful in helping you in minimising the number of popups you see while surfing the Internet with Mozilla Firefox.

- NoScript basically disable the Javascript/Java used by a lot of websites for their popups and supported advertisements. Although NoScript may also disable other javascripts for your internet plugins like Flash, Shockwave, you can enable them if you like. I shall show you how to install an extension now.

- After coming to the NoScript Page, you will see the Install Now Button. Click on that button, and you shall be brought to this page.

- At this point of time, there will be a countdown before you are allowed to press on the “Install Now” Button in the smaller window. Once the countdown is completed, press on “Install Now”.

- You will then be brought back to the small Extensions Window again, as you monitor the progress of the extension that you are installing. Don’t worry, it only takes a few second for small extensions.

- All Extensions are installed in the same manner, so just search for AdBlock and AdBlock Filterset.G Updater and install it in the same way shown above.

To change your Themes and see your File Download Status( Just like Internet Explorer’s downloading), go to your Tools, and select it. Themes can be downloaded and installed just like how you install your Extensions.

Compatibility Issues with Websites:

Someone once asked me whether it goes compatible with most websites. The answer is yes. For RP Students, you don’t need to worry. All the following websites work with Firefox.

- www.myrp.sg

- www.youtube.com

- www.friendster.com

- www.leo.rp.sg

- www.forum.rp.sg

- www.weblog.rp.sg

For Youtube, If you have installed NoScript, you will need to enable Javascript here, because NoScript will disable the javascript used to display the video window.

How to Enable/Disable Javascript for a website in Firefox with the Noscript Function

So for today, I have come to the end of the Firefox Experience : The Guide to Surfing the Internet. I hope you enjoyed my guide, and thank you for reading it.

Thank You all!

- StyleZ

“Play with Originality, Play with StyleZ”

A guide to removing chinese popups [www.3721.com]

Hi all, this is my second guide that I am going to do for the chinese popups problem that the RP student community have been facing. Why did I put www.3721.com in the title?

No, it’s not the website to go to, in order to fix your problem, it’s the source of the website that’s causing the problem.

Now, one may say, “Hey, I didn’t go to this website” or just a joke for guys, “Were you watching those kinds of stuff again” and laugh in a wicked manner.

From my understanding of the recent spates of viruses, don’t worry, it’s not those problems. I suspect it was the job of RavmonE.exe, when it appear dormant on your computer, and you forgot to take a notice to remove it. RavMonE.exe, as covered in the earlier guide, is actually a Trojan.Downloader, and it will un-necessarily download files to your computer as and when it likes, so more than one malware/spyware/adware may appear on your computer, causing more problems, and slowing your computer much more dramatically.

Then again, why would this guide surface?

Normal mainstream anti-spyware programs can detect it, yet cannot remove it.

Does that mean non-mainstream ones will work?

Not really. Currently I have not found any working against it yet.

Then again..why this guide?

Currently there’s only 3 alternatives, mainly

- manual removal

- system restore

- reformat

So this guide is to illustrate manual removal, if system restore does not work, or restoration can only occur on a very early date, or you do not want to go to IT-helpdesk to reformat your computer again.
Now, let’s pin down the source of all this chinese popups, mainly a process called CnsMin.dll.

So what would be the symptoms of CnsMin.dll?

It would be chinese words in your Internet Explorer Browser, as displayed in the screenshot below, chinese words will appear at the end of your address bar.

- constant popups from this website

3721.com was actually a previous form of chinese input software, so RP students who understand chinese, will actually see that the website is still promoting chinese software.

- and for users who have used antispywares to run scans, it will detect Yahoo! Assistant from a china yahoo website, as the founders of 3721 Beijing Technology, has been acquired by Yahoo! China indeed.

- At the same time, open up your Task Manager, and see if the process “CnsMin.dll” is running.

- So how do I remove it?

today’s guide involves using the Command Prompt, and at the same time, it also involves our good ol registry editor.

HUH?!

What is the Command Prompt?

If you have seen computers that exist before Windows 95, you should have heard of something they called DOS Prompt. Command Prompt is actually like a minimised size of DOS that allows you to issue commands by typing in a certain word.

How should I run it?

like the usual method, press the start button, and go to run…

- but this time, to start the Command Prompt, type in cmd, and press enter.

- The Command Prompt looks like a small version of a DOS.

- At this point of time, you have indeed come a long step. The real technical stuff’s gonna begin, prepare!

type in this : cd “%WinDir%\Downloaded Program Files”

- you should be seeing this in your Command prompt.

- at this point of time, you can see the starting of your command change.

[Interesting isn't it, allows you to issue direct commands to files once the folder you are at]

- What to do now?

We are in the process of renaming the file Cnsmin.dll to another name, since the file actually cannot be deleted, it will return itself in a infinite loop, which you will never be able to remove.

- so type in ren CnsMin.dll CnsDel.dll and press enter.

Now that was complicated, am I done yet?

umm..not really, it continues on.

So what shall I do now?

- Now, we restart the computer.

- After restarting, go to your command prompt again.

- this time, type in the same command again, cd “%WinDir%\Downloaded Program Files”

- getting to the same folder again, now type in this : del cns*.*

- that sure looks weird, but it is indeed typing in del cns*.*, i know that thing looks like a emotion, that *.* thing, but you really need to type in that.

- Wah, am I done yet….

Sorry, No again. Now to edit your Registry Editor, as we commonly know as the regedit we use in the “Run…”

What am I suppose to delete this time?

- It’s gonna be quite abit of registry keys to delete, and at 3 locations, mainly

- hkey_classes_root

- hkey_current_user

- hkey_local_machine

Let’s begin our hkey_classes_root section.

The first key is at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\ {B83FC273-3522-4CC6-92EC-75CC86678DA4}

How do I access it? ( for first time users)

1st: press on the “+” button of hkey_classes_roots. (after pressing that, you are surely amazed by the number of stuff in this program. Press Ctrl + F, and put in CLSID. You should be at this folder after finding it(as shown in the image below)

OMG! How am I suppose to find this key {B83FC273-3522-4CC6-92EC-75CC86678DA4} ?

Tip : Press Ctrl + F. It actually activate the “Search” Function, so copy and paste part of the registry key, to get to that section easily.

- like usual, once you found the registry key, delete it, by selecting its folder, and press the delete key on your keyboard.

- If ask for confirmation to delete, choose yes.

- to continue, under the hkey_class_roots, there are a few more keys to delete, which are

 

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D157330A-9EF3-49F8-9A67-4141AC41ADD4}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CnsHelper.CH
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CnsHelper.CH.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CnsMinHK.CnsHook
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CnsMinHK.CnsHook.1

For the hkey_current_user section, the registry key to look out for would be
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\3721

For the Hkey_local_Machine section, the registry key to look out for would be

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\3721
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\InterChina
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\AdvancedOptions\!CNS
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\ {5D73EE86-05F1-49ed-B850-E423120EC338}

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\
Extensions\{ECF2E268-F28C-48d2-9AB7-8F69C11CCB71}
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{FD00D911-7529-4084-9946-A29F1BDF4FE5}-

-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\CnsMin

-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Uninstall \CnsMin

Finally, Restart your computer again, check for all the cnsmin.dll symptoms I mentioned earlier on. Indeed, your job of removal is finally complete. It may be difficult to remove, for china malwares such as these are on the loose, and are known to be big problems.

Note : This method currently only applies to those affected by popups under www.3721.com, and cnsmin.dll. I will be looking into different china malwares, but this is currently my alternative for the one circulating the internet, targeting RP users affected by RavMonE.exe.
The Internet Tips & Tricks of Surfing Guide shall be released tomorrow, with the introduction of the Firefox Browser(The NeXt mainstream browser).

Thank you for reading this guide.

- StyleZ
“Play with Originality, Play with StyleZ”