Turn your Windows PC into a Wi-Fi hotspot

A tweak and a free tool greatly improve Win8

Many Windows Secrets readers are moving to Win8 and encountering frustrations along the way. Here are easy fixes for some vexing problems.

Plus: Anti-malware for Kindles and other Android tablets; Microsoft Security Essentials finishes last in another test; free product-key finders for Windows and other software.

Solving some major frustrations with Windows 8

Unhappy with his recent switch to Win8, reader Theodore Huck seeks advice.

• “I’ve been using Win8.1 Pro for a few weeks now on my main computer. I’m tired of trying to dodge its ‘gotchas.’ Now I’m questioning the value of sticking with it.

  “Would it be better to go back to Win7 or XP, to prepare for the next Windows — presumably Win9?”

There’s no need to roll back to an earlier version of Windows. Almost all of Win8’s most frustrating features are easily remedied; I’ll show you how in a moment.

But first, here’s why you shouldn’t downgrade to XP or Win7.

XP is thoroughly obsolete and no longer supported by Microsoft. With no new security updates, it can be dangerous to use. Vista was more or less dead on arrival. In any case, it’s not available for sale. Windows 7 is getting long in the tooth. In just a few months — more precisely, on Jan. 15, 2015 — Win7 will reach its official End of mainstream support; there will be no more major improvements or enhancements forthcoming. It will, however, continue to receive security updates until 2020. (For more on this topic, see Microsoft’s “Windows lifecycle fact sheet” page.)

Windows 9 is due out next year (2015), though Microsoft will probably release a beta version soon — possibly within the next few weeks. If the past is any guide, the simplest, surest, fastest, least expensive upgrade path to Win9 will be from Win8. If you decide to move up to Win9, you’ll only make things harder for yourself by downgrading to, say, Win7 and then doing a direct-to-Win9 upgrade later on (skipping Win8).

Now back to your Win8 frustrations — which I assume arise mostly from the misbegotten, tile-based (aka Metro/Modern) Start screen. When I began using Win8, the tiled interface was the biggest issue for me, by far!

Tiles might work fine when you’re finger-navigating on touchscreen phones and tablets, but they’re extremely clumsy and counterproductive on mouse-based PCs with good-sized screens.

So here are my top two suggestions for making Win8 easier to use:

• Skip the Start screen: Configure Win8 to boot straight to the familiar, Win7-style Desktop.
• Restore the Start button: Third-party utilities let you restore a Win7-style Start button — complete with the traditional menus.

With these two changes, Win8 can actually be a pleasure to use!

The changes are very easy and take just a couple of minutes to implement. Here’s how:

► Boot straight to the Win8.1 Desktop: Assuming you’re running Windows 8.1 Update, click the Desktop tile on the Start screen. On the Desktop, right-click an empty spot on the Taskbar, select Properties, and then click the Navigation tab. In the Start screen section, tick the box for When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start. (See Figure 1.)

That’s all it takes!

Figure 1. With a few clicks, you can have Win8.1 boot directly to the familiar desktop.

► Restore the Win7-style Start: By default, Win8.1 has a pseudo Start button; clicking it simply takes you back to the tile-based Start screen. (Right-clicking it pops up the power-user menu [Windows key + X] plus shut-down options.)

But with free and paid third-party utilities, you can easily add a true, Win7-style Start button, complete with the traditional menus you typically find on a Win7 setup. Examples include: Start Menu 8 (free; site), Start8 (free trial, U.S. $5 to keep; site), and StartIsBack (free trial, $4 to keep; site).

I bet that bypassing the tile-based Start screen and adding back a Win7-style Start menu system will go a long, long way toward reducing your Win8 unhappiness. I know it did for me — and most, if not all, of the other Windows Secrets contributors!

For more information on Win8’s interface and navigation, see:

• Microsoft’s Win8 desktop tutorial
• “Touring through the final Windows 8.1.” (Sept. 19, 2013, Top Story)
• “What you should know about Windows 8.1 Update” (April 3 Top Story)

Anti-malware for Kindle Fire tablet?

David Miller acquired a new Android tablet, and he’s wondering about protecting it from malware.

• “A lot has been published recently about the need for antivirus programs on Android devices. Most of the superior programs I’ve looked into are oriented toward smartphones, which I don’t own. I do own a Kindle Fire and don’t need the features for phones.

  “Google sells several AV programs designed for Kindles, but I read that some have certain unwelcome features such as automatically setting permissions (which can defeat the purpose of security) or frequently downloading updates and running the battery down.

  “I’d love to see some tablet anti-malware recommendations from Windows Secrets.”

David, I think you’ve added an unnecessary complication. The functional difference between smartphones and tablets is vanishingly small. So seeking a tablet-only anti-malware app is unnecessary.

You might think there’s one major difference between the two platforms: smartphones can make phone calls and send texts via a cellular network. But Android tablets can make phone calls and send texts, too! The only difference is that tablets typically do so over ordinary Wi-Fi connections. (For a myriad of examples, do a Web search for “tablet voip phone” and “tablet sms text.”)

Although you might not currently use all the available features and abilities of your tablet (such as phoning and texting), the features and functions are still there. So your tablet really needs the same protections as phones do.

This should greatly simplify your search for security software. The standard Android-based security products from the major vendors — Lookout, Avast, Kaspersky, Bitdefender, and so forth — should work fine on your Kindle (or any other Android device). Some anti-malware vendors offer versions designed for a tablet’s larger screen or optimized for brand-specific features.

You can try most of the anti-malware products for free. Most vendors offer freeware versions or free trials of their full-featured versions. If one product doesn’t work well with your Kindle Fire — too-frequent downloads, for example — you can easily move on to another. There are tons to choose from!

To get you started, the July 10 Top Story, “Mobile security: Apps to protect Android devices,” provides an overview of several leading Android security apps. That story will also give you tips on what to look for.

Another article, “Follow-up questions about Android security apps” (July 24 LangaList Plus), addresses your concerns about app permissions.

With dozens of security apps to choose from and a little experimentation, I bet you’ll find one that does just what you what!

MSE finishes last in an anti-malware test

Writing from New York, reader HB asks about a poor showing by Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE):

• “Fred, you might be surprised by the SecurityWatch article, ‘Shocking upset in independent antivirus lab test.'”

Thanks, HB. No, the results don’t surprise me at all — and they’re certainly not “shocking.”

The test only confirmed what has been known for some time: If you deliberately expose MSE to an attack from an actual malicious website, malware can infect your PC.

Three years ago, in the April 7, 2011, Top Story, “LizaM**n infection: a blow-by-blow account,” I deliberately exposed MSE to an actual malicious website by clicking one of those bogus popup anti-malware warnings — the kind that says something similar to “Message from webpage: Your system has 542 infected files! Click here to clean!”

Clicking one of those popup dialog boxes gives the website permission to install its software payload on your system — in this case, malware. Because the software is being installed with permission, MSE (and Windows in general) allows it.

That’s precisely what happened in my test. When I clicked the bogus dialog box, MSE and Windows assumed I knew what I was doing and allowed the LizaM**n malware to be installed. (The article about that experience includes information on how I cleaned up the infection — and how to avoid such infections in the first place.)

Many of today’s infections require some sort of user action such as clicking a malicious email attachment or website link. If you don’t click bogus attachments, links, or pop-up warnings — in other words, you don’t grant permission for a website to deliver a payload — that type of malware won’t be installed on your system.

Note: All of my systems had MSE installed. But only the test system — the one on which I deliberately clicked the bogus popup — became infected. All other systems remained clean.

(In fact, all my PCs have remained clean since then. My current Windows systems are protected with MSE and Malwarebytes. Once a month or so, I use a different, third-party, anti-malware scanner to verify my systems’ conditions. This month, for example, I used ESET’s excellent Online Scanner (site). All systems have checked out 100 percent clean.)

Bottom line:

• MSE can be fine for users who can recognize and avoid malicious attachments and links — or bogus malware warnings that are really nothing more than disguised requests for permission to install malware!
• MSE is not the right tool for users who are casual about Internet security or lack the experience to recognize potentially malicious links and attachments — who tend to click first and think later. (A bogus anti-malware dialog box is essentially a link to a malicious site.) Those users should download and run a more aggressive tool such as Kaspersky, ESET, Bitdefender, or whatnot.

Free product-key finders for Windows and more

Windows and most other commercial software packages require a product key to activate or unlock the software.

Software vendors provide product keys in various ways: printed on paper inserts in boxes containing installation CDs or DVDs, on stickers affixed to PCs, in messages sent via email, and so forth. On new machines with OEM versions of Windows 8 installed, the product key is permanently stored out of sight — in the system board’s firmware and accessible to Windows. No human intervention is required. (That also means you probably can’t move your primary Win8 drive to another machine.)

Losing a product key — or losing access to a key — might mean you can’t install or activate your software. You’ll have to contact tech support and offer some proof of ownership. Or you might have to buy a new key, which can cost as much as the original software!

Obviously, it’s always a good practice to note all product keys and to store that information in a safe place. If you’ve lost product keys or would like to make a fresh record of them for safekeeping, several free and low-cost tools can help:

• Belarc Advisor (free; site) can reveal Windows product keys and keys for some other applications. It also displays a ton of additional information about your hardware and software.
• Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder (free; site), despite it dorky name, is another well-regarded tool.
• Recover Keys ($25; site) claims to be able to recover the keys for over 6,500 products; it might work where others fail.
• NirSoft ProduKey (free; site) has a long history and a good reputation. (Note: NirSoft tools are sometimes flagged by anti-malware products because they can poke deep into Windows. The tools are not malware — they’re legitimate utilities.)

If you haven’t made a record of your product keys, take a moment and do it now. You just might save yourself a ton of future trouble!

Turn your Windows PC into a Wi-Fi hotspot

Using a feature built into Windows, all your Wi-Fi-based devices can access the Web through a single Internet connection — no additional hardware or software required.

This capability isn’t new; Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) has been around for years. But it’s somewhat hidden on some Win8 systems. Here’s how to find it, enable it, and use it.

The fully functional router built into Windows

Introduced way back with Windows 98 SE, Internet Connection Sharing is a virtual router built into all versions of Windows. With ICS, you can set up an ad-hoc, on-the-fly network at any time and place — and then use the network to share one Internet connection among multiple Wi-Fi-equipped devices.

Those devices can be running other operating systems such as Android, Apple, or Linux. All that’s required is a Windows PC equipped with at least two network adapters. One provides the connection to the Internet and the second provides the Wi-Fi connection for the other devices.

You might be surprised to know that most PCs have two or more network adapters. It’s common knowledge that nearly all laptop PCs have separate Ethernet and Wi-Fi adapters, but even desktops typically have USB and Bluetooth support that can qualify as network adapters.

The ICS technology is impressive. Set up properly, it lets your PC act just like a high-quality, standalone router. ICS provides full network address translation (NAT) protection and automatic dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP; more info) services to all connected devices. It also supports WPA2/PSK encryption for secure Wi-Fi connections.

Applications for Internet Connection Sharing

ICS is ideal for setting up ad-hoc Wi-Fi networks outside the home or office. I’ve used it in hotel rooms, conference centers, vacation cabins, campgrounds, and even in my car.

But ICS can also be a kind of digital lifeboat anytime there’s a problem with your router, cable service, or other primary means of Internet access.

Recently, for example, my cable-based Internet connection went down. I was, of course, on deadline — which meant I was desperately in need of Internet access. I quickly got my primary Win8 PC back online via my smartphone’s 4G connection and a USB networking adapter. (See the May 16, 2013, Top Story, “Use your smartphone to take Windows online.”) I then used ICS to turn my Win8 PC into a wireless router/hotspot for my tablets and phones.

It worked great; my Android devices and all my other Wi-Fi-equipped PCs could connect to the Web via the shared Wi-Fi-to-4G connection. And when my workday was done, I even streamed a movie to my TV.

You might also use ICS to temporarily extend Wi-Fi to an area of your home or office that has a weak signal from your standalone router. All you need is an Ethernet connection to a nearby Windows PC.

In short: To set up a Web-connected, ad-hoc wireless network, all you need is a Windows PC with at least two network adapters and a working link to the Internet.

The missing Sharing tab in Windows 8

ICS is supposed to be easy to access, via a Sharing tab in the Windows networking-properties box. You can easily check whether it’s currently available on your Vista, Win7, or Win8 system using the following steps:

• Click Control Panel (category view)/Network and Internet/Network and Sharing Center
• On the left side of the dialog box, click Change adapter settings.
• When the Network Connections window opens, right-click any of the connections shown and select Properties. If your PC has two or more networking adapters, you should see the Sharing tab, as shown in Figure 1.
  

  Figure 1. In current versions of Windows, ICS should be easily accessed via the connection properties Sharing tab.

Unfortunately, on some Win8 systems with multiple networking adapters, the sharing tab is missing in action. For example, one of my Win8 PCs has four network adapters. But as Figure 2 shows, there’s no Sharing tab on the machine’s network-properties dialog box. The tab is available, but a few steps are needed to make it visible.

Figure 2. On some Win8 systems, the Sharing tab for setting up ICS is hidden.

The missing tab seems to be a common problem with Windows 8 systems; there are numerous complaints about it online. Below, I’ll show you how to find and enable ICS on Windows 8 — and how to use ICS on any current version of Windows.

For this article, I’ll describe the setup I used — Win8 PC, USB, and smartphone — to get back online during my cable outage. But with a few modifications to the following steps, you can create a shared Internet connection using other combinations of Ethernet, Bluetooth, USB, and Wi-Fi.

On Vista and Win7 systems, the techniques are nearly identical to those used for Win8. Microsoft offers concise information on using ICS in Vista and Win7. See, for example, the online article, “Using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).”

Regardless of the Windows version, you’ll be glad to know that setting up connection-sharing via Wi-Fi isn’t hard. It might take 10 to 15 minutes your first time through; but once you know how to do it, setting up an ad-hoc network with Internet sharing should take only a minute or two.

Before we begin, some ICS-hotspot preliminaries

As already noted, your PC must have at least two networking adapters to use ICS. One of the adapters provides the connection to the Internet, and the other supports the connections to the other devices. (You can’t use the same adapter for both purposes.)

To start, make sure your PC has a working Internet connection. As mentioned, my host PC was connected to the Internet via a smartphone (again, described in detail in the May 16, 2013, Top Story, “Use your smartphone to take Windows online.”) You can try the same technique I used for my cable-outage emergency, or the host PC can be connected to the Internet via Ethernet or other means — anything except Wi-Fi.

Keep in mind that when using a PC to create an ad-hoc wireless network/virtual router/hotspot, its Wi-Fi adapter can connect only to other devices on the local wireless network. The adapter can’t make a wireless connection to the Internet, too. For example, you can’t create a wireless network in your hotel room and simultaneously connect to the hotel’s Wi-Fi net via the same network adapter.

Again, make sure your PC’s Wi-Fi is working, but don’t have it actually connected to a router or hotspot.

Setting up a Windows ICS-based, Wi-Fi hotspot

In Microsoft parlance, an ad-hoc Wi-Fi hotspot is a type of hosted network. Almost all current Wi-Fi setups support hosted networking (I’ve never seen one that doesn’t), but it takes only a minute to verify. Here’s how:

• Open an administrator-level command prompt by whatever method you prefer. For example, press Windows key + X and then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu that appears.
• Enter (or copy/right-click/paste) the following string at the command prompt:

  netsh wlan show drivers

  A long list of results should appear. If the Hosted network supported: line says Yes, you’re good to go. (See Figure 3.)

  

  Figure 3. The "netsh" command will tell you whether your PC can share an Internet connection via its Wi-Fi.

  If your wireless drivers don’t support hosted networks, you can’t share an Internet connection via the PC’s Wi-Fi. Visit your hardware vendor’s site to see whether updated or alternate drivers are available.

  Again, most current Wi-Fi drivers do provide proper support.

• Next, still working in the same admin-level command window, create a hosted network with this command:

  netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid={name} key={8_characters}

  Replace {name} with the SSID name you want your shared Wi-Fi connection to broadcast. Replace {8_characters} with the eight-character security key/passphrase of your choice.

  For example, to create a hosted network with SSID windowssecretsdemo and security key/passphrase 12345678, enter:

  netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=windowssecretsdemo key=12345678

  If you’ve entered the command properly, Windows will report:

  The hosted network mode has been set to allow.

  The SSID of the hosted network has been successfully changed.

  The user key passphrase of the hosted network has been successfully changed.

  If Windows reports The hosted network couldn’t be started, disable your current wireless network device and then re-enable it. If it still doesn’t work, obtain new drivers from your hardware vendor and try again.

• Once the hosted network has been set up, activate it with this command:

  netsh wlan start hostednetwork

With the hosted network started, you’re ready to actually share the connection.

Enable Internet sharing with just a few clicks

Click Control Panel/Network and Internet/Network and Sharing Center (or right-click the networking icon in the taskbar’s notification area) and then select Open Network and Sharing Center.

On the left side of the Network and Sharing Center, click Change adapter settings. When the Network Connections window opens, it will list your PC’s network connections and adapters.

Your new hosted network connection should be identified as Local Area Network Connection* {X} — where “X” is some number that varies from system to system. (It might also be identified as Wireless Network Connection X.) The device hosting this new connection is typically called a Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter.

(Usually, the virtual adapter will display Identifying … for a moment or two; then Windows will assign the chosen SSID name.)

In my case, for example, the SSID was windowssecretsdemo on Local Area Network Connection* 5 (see Figure 4). The exact details of your setup will probably differ from mine.

Figure 4. With a hosted network enabled, Windows' Networking Connections will list the new virtual adapter.

Next, in the Network Connections window, locate the network adapter that’s connected to the Internet — the connection you want to share. It might be your Ethernet adapter, but in my case, it was through my smartphone, via an EasyTether USB connection. As you can see in Figure 4, Windows has identified this as Ethernet 2.

Again, your setup will likely differ. That’s OK — just identify whichever adapter is supporting your live Internet connection.

Right-click the adapter that’s connected to the Internet and select Properties. Click the Sharing tab, as shown in Figure 5. (If your PC didn’t previously have the tab, it should be there now.) Figure 5 also shows the properties of my system’s Internet connection.

Figure 5. If your PC did not previously display the Sharing tab, it should be visible now.

On the Sharing tab, select Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection. Then, under the Home networking connection: section, select the Local Area Network Connection* {X} (Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual…) listed in the Network Connections window.

In my case, I selected Local Area Connection* 5 (see Figure 6).

Figure 6. The basic settings for setting up shared Wi-Fi and an Internet connection

Click OK; your Internet-connected adapter will then display Shared (see Figure 7), indicating that it’s correctly connected to the new virtual Wi-Fi router. The PC is now a Wi-Fi hotspot!

Figure 7. The word Shared indicates that other devices can connect to the Internet through this adapter.

You should now be able to connect any standard Wi-Fi device to your shared Internet connection using the SSID name and passphrase you established earlier (for example, SSID windowssecretsdemo and key 12345678).

Figures 8 and 9 show screen captures from my Android tablet, as it was connecting to the Internet via my Win8 PC’s ICS setup.

Figure 8. Connecting my Android device to the host PC — and to the Internet — via Wi-Fi

Figure 9. My Android is now connected to Windows' virtual router.

ICS-based Wi-Fi connections are usually as strong, stable, and secure as those of conventional wireless routers. Any Wi-Fi device — Android, Apple, Linux, Windows, etc. — can use the connection.

Troubleshooting and removing ICS sharing

Note that business PCs — those connected to a corporate domain — might have ICS disabled through Group Policies. You’ll probably have to consult your IT department to enable sharing.

If you have trouble connecting to your new hotspot, open an admin-level command window on the host PC and re-enter the command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

This will refresh the hosted network settings you previously entered and possibly overcome whatever was causing the trouble. If you still run into difficulty, give yourself a completely fresh start by entering the command:

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

Then re-work the setup steps from the beginning.

Note: Your shared ICS connection and virtual router will remain in place until you remove them. (They’ll even survive a reboot.) When you no longer need or want the shared connection, enter the command:

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

This will delete both the shared Internet connection and the ad-hoc wireless network.

With ICS and the above information, you now have the ability to get all your devices — Android, Apple, Linux, Windows, etc. — online at any time and in any place — as long as there is one active Internet connection available!

Mysteries never cease: "Magic" fixes

Forum member Oldtechie was mystified by the divergent behavior of Yahoo Mail in IE 11 on two different machines — one a desktop and the other a laptop.

Compatibility and Internet configurations were the same for both machines. But on the desktop, the full version of the mail program worked while on the laptop, only the basic version ran.

Yahoo techs were stumped — and fellow Loungers couldn’t guess why, either. But a few days later, the full version of Yahoo mail suddenly worked on the laptop as well as the desktop. If you have a clue about it, feel free to head over to the Non-Outlook Email forum thread and weigh in.

The following links are this week’s most interesting Lounge threads, including several new questions for which you might have answers:

Office Applications
General Productivity	Macro help: Creating text box in Word from another application
Word Processing	Tool to display all important Word-file locations?
Spreadsheets	Modifying a macro
Databases	Access 2007 column reports only 18 digits but prints 20 digits on labels
Microsoft Outlook	Stubborn message drafts won’t go away
Non-Outlook E-mail	IE 11 and Yahoo Mail
Windows
General Windows	Finding specific words in documents identified from Google search
Windows 8	Prepare Surface Pro for sale
Windows 7	Can’t connect to other computers
Windows XP	Two network-connection icons in Control Panel
Internet/Connectivity
Internet Explorer	Internet Explorer stopped working
Networking	Wi-Fi adapter working but icons missing
Software Development
Web Design & Development	Help determining input-string meaning
Other Technologies
Security & Scams	Fun with tech support
Maintenance	Using Backup or restore your files tool
Hardware	No sound on PC
Graphics/Multimedia	Need help re-creating iPhone error message
Other Applications	KeyScrambler error

starred posts: particularly useful

If you’re not already a Lounge member, use the quick registration form to sign up for free. The ability to post comments and take advantage of other Lounge features is available only to registered members.

If you’re already registered, you can jump right into today’s discussions in the Lounge.

Technology advances: How to read a bookbook

Just so you know, Windows Secrets is not endorsing Ikea products — other than one of its ads, a delicious parody of an Apple-style advertising campaign. In this video, catch a glimpse of digital-world conventions that have become — well — conventional, in their new familiarity. In this view, the adage “everything old becomes new again” comes to mind. Click below or go to the original YouTube video.

Sync browser settings across multiple computers

Using the same Web browser on multiple devices can easily result in a mishmash of shortcuts, add-ins, settings, and even passwords.

Using built-in synching tools can help keep your browsers consistent across those devices — at least within the same brand of browser. Here’s how.

The hardest-working app on your digital devices?

Web browsers might now rank as the most important application — even more so on our PCs than on our digital devices. A browser is like a good operating system. Add-ins let us enhance a browser’s capabilities, regular updates help protect us from malware, and numerous settings customize the browser to suit our preferences.

Our browsers probably know more about us than an operating system does. Browsers typically record where we go on the Web, making it easier to return to sites we’ve visited but failed to bookmark. (Arguably, our browsers know too much about us, thanks to the cookies and histories they collect. If that scares you, use the browser’s privacy mode and a good cookie crusher.)

More so than most applications, browsers are generally platform-independent. Google Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, for example, work with Windows, OS X, and various flavors of Linux. And you can run Chrome and Opera Coast on Apple iPads and iPhones. If you use the same browser on more than one computer, you typically want some uniformity across platforms. If you bookmark a favorite site on your Windows desktop, you’d like it to show up automatically on your laptop, tablet, and phone, too.

The leading browsers can give you a common browsing experience on all your devices, but you have to configure them to do so. Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer include built-in synching tools, though IE’s is limited mostly to Windows 8. (There is, however, a workaround for earlier versions of IE.)

All three browsers also let you control what is synched between your devices. You might, for instance, decide to match up your bookmarks but not your browsing history or passwords.

Synching also extends to iOS and Android devices, though your options are far more limited. You should at least be able to sync your bookmarks.

For this article, I’ll stick to synching Chrome, Firefox, and IE between computers.

Google’s Chrome: Simple, flexible synching

Synching your various installations of Chrome can be extremely easy — especially if you typically live and work in the Google universe.

Assuming you’re signed in to a Google account (a Gmail or Google Drive account will do), click Chrome’s three-bar menu icon and select Settings. If you don’t have an account, you’ll have to set one up. I recommend enabling Google’s two-step sign-in verification (more info).

In the Sign in section of Chrome’s Settings page, click the Advanced sync settings button (see Figure 1). That opens a dialog box with numerous options (Figure 2), most of which are self-evident. However, take note of the two encryption options in the lower portion of the dialog box; they affect all passwords you’ve stored in Chrome.

Figure 1. Chrome's advanced synching settings option is in the Settings page.

Figure 2. Chrome's robust selection of synchronization settings

Using your browser to store passwords — and especially synching them via the cloud — can be dangerous. Anyone who successfully hacks your Gmail account could gain access to all your other accounts. Here are three ways to fix that:

• In the Choose what to sync section, uncheck Passwords. That way, your browser-stored passwords won’t be in the cloud.
• Select Encrypt all synced data with your own sync passphrase. Your personal information will be locked with a separate password — not the password used for your general Google account (i.e., the default setting).
• Don’t save passwords in your browser. Instead, use a standalone password manager, as detailed in the Jan. 9 Best Software article, “Why and how to use an open-source password manager.”

Firefox: Works great; requires JavaScript

Synching Firefox information, settings, and passwords is similar to doing the same in Chrome. You just sign in to your account on each computer, and Firefox does the rest. Of course, you’re signing in to a Firefox account — which you might not have previously set up. (Unlike with a Google account, there is really no other reason to set up a Firefox account.)

To start, click Firefox’s three-bar menu icon and select Sign in to Sync. When you click the big, blue Get started button, one of two things will happen. Either you’ll get a form to create a Firefox account (Figure 3), or you’ll be informed that “Firefox Accounts requires JavaScript.”

Figure 3. Firefox's new-account signup box

(If you’ve set up a Firefox account on another system, click the Already have an account? link at the bottom of the sign-up form.)

If you get the “Firefox Accounts requires JavaScript” message, enter about:config in the browser’s URL address box. Yes, it doesn’t look like a URL, but Firefox will know what to do with it. When you’re warned that the following actions might void your warranty, click I’ll be careful, I promise!

In the search bar at the top of the browser’s extensive configurations page, type in “JavaScript.enabled” and press Enter. Double-click the JavaScript.enabled entry (see Figure 4), and the Value field will change from “false” to “true.” There’s no OK or Save button; simply click to some other site.

Figure 4. Firefox's advanced settings page lets you enable JavaScript.

Once you’ve filled out Firefox’s account-creation form, the browser displays a Welcome to Sync box and a big, blue Manage button. You don’t need to set up a new account on each system running Firefox; simply click the menu icon, select Options, and click the Sync tab. Select the Sign in link and enter the Firefox account credentials you created earlier.

The Manage button takes you directly to the Options/Sync settings page. Firefox’s synching options here aren’t as finely chosen as Chrome’s, but they’re sufficient.

Figure 5. Firefox's list of synchronization settings

There’s one major gotcha for Firefox synching. You might notice that Passwords is unchecked and grayed out by default. Firefox does not let you sync passwords if you’ve set a master password for your browser — and you absolutely should. If you don’t set a master password, anyone who sits down at your PC can view all saved passwords. To sync passwords, you must temporarily disable the master password.

Internet Explorer, Part 1: Windows 8 only

Microsoft didn’t see fit to add sync capabilities to its browser until Windows 8, when synching became an important part of the operating system. So I’ve separated Internet Explorer synching into two sections. I’ll start with Windows 8 versions in Part 1; then, in Part 2, I’ll cover all other versions of IE — which, in theory, you can’t sync at all.

If all your computers use Windows 8 or 8.1, Internet Explorer will almost certainly sync automatically — as long as the systems are signed in to an MS account.

As I noted in the May 15 Best Practices article, “Tips for setting up a new Windows PC,” Microsoft really wants you tied to a Microsoft account. You’re not required to, but the Win8 installation process does a lot to keep you on the Microsoft path.

One benefit of an MS account is automatic synching across all Windows 8 machines you sign in to with the same account. This isn’t limited to your browser; it extends to your system wallpaper, color scheme, Start screen layout, and taskbar.

That said, synching options for IE are limited, compared to Chrome and Firefox.

To make changes, type “sync” into the Win8 Search bar and select Sync settings. Scroll down the Sync settings page to the Other settings section. (Yes, Microsoft doesn’t seem to consider browser settings important enough to have their own section.) You’ll find only two browser-related settings: Web browser and Passwords. You might want to consider turning off Passwords.

Figure 6. Windows 8 gives minimal control over what gets synched in IE.

IE, Part 2: The other-versions workaround

Use this trick for IE on Vista and Windows 7 systems — even if you want to sync them with a Windows 8 PC.

You can’t properly sync everything in pre-Win8 versions of IE, but a workaround lets you match up bookmarks (or, as IE calls them, “Favorites”). Synching works because Windows treats Favorites like a library — it’s a special folder that can be moved, but Windows keeps track of where it is.

To start, you need a cloud-based storage and synching service. I used Dropbox, but OneDrive, Google Drive, iDrive, and similar services will work, too.

Next, you need to use a specific technique to move your Windows Favorites folder into the folder dedicated to your cloud-storage account (such as Dropbox). Here’s how to do it:

• Click Start and then click your name at the top of the right pane. (Win8 alternative: In the Search charm, type %userprofile% and select the name that appears in the search-results list.)
• Find and right-click the Favorites folder; select Properties.
• In the properties dialog box, click the Location tab.
• Click the Move button (Figure 7) and select a folder inside your Dropbox, Google Drive, or other synching service. (That folder essentially becomes the new Favorites folder, as far as Windows is concerned.) Once you’ve selected the folder, click OK or Apply.
  
  
  

  Figure 7. Use Windows' Move button to relocate the Favorites folder.

  

  Figure 8. Moving Favorites to a cloud-based sync/storage service (Dropbox, in this example)

• When asked whether you want to move your files, click Yes.

Repeat the process on your other PCs — but with one caveat: If you don’t want to save the favorites already in that particular computer, click No when asked if you want to move your files.

Once set up inside your cloud-service folder, the contents of the Favorites folder will sync between your various PCs.

Make your browsing experience predictable. Synching your browser bookmarks and settings across multiple computers will simplify your surfing significantly. Why make things harder for yourself?

Recovering from a rough August Patch Tuesday

In the U.S., September is the traditional back-to-school time of year. It might be time for Microsoft to go back to school to learn how to handle updates.

Numerous September patches are fixes for August updates. Fortunately, the load of security patches is light.

MS14-052 (2977629)

Malicious hackers now looking for EMET

In a July 31 MS TechNet blog post, Microsoft announced the release of Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit 5.0. EMET is an excellent tool for guarding against malware — so good that it appears some attackers are testing for EMET installations, using vulnerability CVE-2013-7331 (more info), before initiating an exploit.

KB 2977629 is September’s critical update for Internet Explorer. It fixes a whopping 37 newly reported vulnerabilities in the browser — including CVE-2013-7331. Fortunately, the EMET exploit appears to be the only vulnerability of the group currently being used in the wild.

As usual, this update is for all supported Windows systems and platforms, except some Windows Server 2008 and 2012 Server Core installations. The patch applies to all versions of Internet Explorer, from IE 6 on.

Typically, we would see Adobe updates on Patch Tuesday. But it seems the company is having its own patch-quality issues. According to the Sept. 4 Adobe Security Bulletin, updates for Adobe Reader and Acrobat are delayed a week due to quality concerns.

What to do: Install KB 2977629 (MS14-052) as soon as possible.

IE gets promised ActiveX/Java blocking

August’s Internet Explorer update installed code that lets the browser automatically block out-of-data Java-based Active X controls. But to give large businesses time to test the new feature, Microsoft waited until this month to initiate blocking. As noted in an Aug. 6 IEBlog post, Java exploits in 2013 represented 84.6 percent to 98.5 percent of detected exploit kits each month (more info).

This blocking mechanism will impact only IE’s Internet Zone security — not the Local Intranet Zone or the Trusted Sites Zone. So if a website or internal Web application suddenly fails to work, try putting its URL on IE’s trusted-site list. If the now problematic site is public, contact the publisher and ask why they’re still using out-of-date, Java-based, ActiveX components.

What to do: Review your key websites to ensure they work as expected.

MS14-054 (2988948)

Windows Task Scheduler used in privilege attacks

A common form of cyber attack is “elevation of privileges.” This type of exploit isn’t typically effective by itself — it usually requires tricking a legitimate user into allowing access — but is often used in a cocktail of exploits that allow a malicious hacker to take control of a system.

KB 2988948, rated important, fixes a flaw in the Windows Task Scheduler that could allow an elevation-of-privileges exploit. The patch affects all versions of Windows 8.x, Windows RT, Windows RT 8.1, and Server 2012.

What to do: KB 2988948 (MS14-045) ensures that Scheduler can’t be used against you. Install this update as soon as possible.

MS14-053

Quashing a .NET denial-of-service threat

At times, I wish Windows Update were a bit smarter. It should be able to look into your system and determine whether it’s running Internet Information Services (IIS; more info) for ASP.NET applications. IIS is used to host websites — something few Windows Secrets readers use their PCs for.

Unfortunately, Windows Update isn’t all that smart. So Microsoft is releasing a series of IIS-related .NET updates to all Windows users. This means most of us are updating our systems to protect against a threat we’ll never see.

If any of the following .NET updates causes problems, don’t give it a second chance. Simply hide the update (in Windows Update, right-click the update and select Hide update). You might see the following:

Server 2003

• 2972207 – .NET 1.1
• 2972214 – .NET 2.0 SP2
• 2972215 – .NET 4.0
• 2973115 – .NET 3.0 SP2

Vista and Server 2008

• 2972215 – .NET 4.0
• 2972216 – .NET 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2
• 2974268 – .NET 2.0 SP2
• 2974269 – .NET 3.0 SP2

Windows 7 and Server 2008

• 2972211 – .NET 3.5.1
• 2973112 – .NET 3.5.1
• 2972215 – .NET 4.0
• 2972216 – .NET 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2

Patches for Windows 8, 8.1, Server 2012, and Server 2012 R2:

• 2972212 – .NET 3.5.1
• 2972213 – .NET 3.5
• 2973113 – .NET 3.5.1
• 2973114 – .NET 3.5.1
• 2977765 – .NET 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2
• 2977766 – .NET 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2

What to do: Install the .NET updates listed in MS14-053 at your leisure.

MS14-055 (2990928)

The tedious process of Lync Server updating

If you’re a Lync Server admin, you deserve a patching Purple Heart medal. Lync is not easy to patch. For example, the installation instructions for this patch warn that you should not shut down or restart all front-end servers at the same time. If you do, you might have problems restarting the services.

There’s also a specific way that updates need to be installed. Lync admins need to upgrade one domain at a time, and they must upgrade each front-end server in each domain. That means taking one server in an upgraded domain offline, upgrading the server, and then restarting it. The admin repeats this process for each server in the upgraded domain.

What to do: Next time you complain about Windows updates, think about the poor Lync Server admin.

MS14-045 (2993651)

Problematic updates get a green light

By any standards, August was a rough month for Windows updates. Several were recalled, including the much anticipated but ultimately disappointing update to Windows 8.1.

It took two tries, but it appears that Microsoft got August’s Windows kernel update (MS14-045) right. Shortly after KB 2982791 was released on August’s Patch Tuesday, there were reports of BSoDs on Windows 7 systems. As noted in MS14-045, several other issues revealed themselves. Microsoft soon pulled the patch out of Windows Update.

On Aug. 27, Microsoft reissued the problematic patch as KB 2993651. In the Aug. 28 Patch Watch column, I recommended putting this replacement patch on hold — Windows Secrets readers didn’t need to be the beta testers for Version 2. Since that column was published, I’ve installed KB 2993651 on my systems and not run up against any significant problems.

August’s other troublesome updates have also been reissued and appear to be solid. They include:

• KB 2970228 – Support for the new Russian-ruble symbol in Windows
• KB 2975331 – Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Server 2012; rollup update
• KB 2975719 – Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2; rollup update
• KB 2976897 – the other kernel update released in August

What to do: KBs 2993651 and 2976897 are security updates and should be installed along with September’s security fixes. The Windows 8/8.1 rollups are nonsecurity updates; install them after you’ve installed the current security updates and had time to ensure they’re problem-free.

September’s list of nonsecurity updates

The number of nonsecurity updates this month is relatively modest. Either Microsoft is finally getting a handle on Office 2013, or it’s been distracted by the batch of faulty August updates.

Based on the updates’ descriptions, there are two subplots running through the following list: updates that fix issues with earlier updates, and numerous updates that most of us simply don’t need — such as local language fixes.

Here’s a good reason why we put nonsecurity updates on hold. According to a Sept. 10 Microsoft Office Sustained Engineering Team post, Microsoft has discovered problems with KB 2889866, a library-synching fix for OneDrive for Business, and pulled it from Windows Update. The patch will undoubtedly be reissued at some later date.

For the full list of September nonsecurity updates, see the Office Sustained Engineering Team post.

Windows 7

• 2952664 – Improves operating-system upgrades
• 2977728 – After installing KB 2670838, computer low-on-memory error with video preview
• 2985461 – After installing KB 2857650, “0x800401f0” error when using RemoteApp and Desktop Connections feeds

Windows 8/8.1

• 2979501 – Windows 8; digital-camera file formats
• 2984005 – Windows 8, Windows RT, Server 2012; rollup update
• 2984006 – Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1; rollup update
• 2989540 – Windows 8, Server 2012; Windows Update connects to URL instead of WSUS servers
• 2989647 – Windows 8.1, Server 2012 R2; servicing-stack update

Office 2007/2010

• 982726 – Outlook 2010; junk-mail filter definitions
• 2889836 – Excel 2010; after installing KB 2881057, formula bar disabled after selecting chart area
• 2889914 – Outlook 2007 junk-mail filter

Office 2013

• 2760587 – Outlook junk-mail filter definitions
• 2881001 – Office; credential prompt
• 2881039 – OneDrive crashes
• 2881081 – Office 2013 on Win7; Segoe UI symbol error
• 2889847 – PowerPoint; pasted objects become active automatically
• 2889848 – Office; language-localization fixes
• 2889852 – Word; corrects Kirgiz language translations
• 2889861 – Excel crashes when multiple workbooks open
• 2889862 – Office; MS Office Upload Center crashes when running Office Click-to-Run and OneDrive for Business simultaneously

Other nonsecurity updates

• 2978092 – Most current Windows versions; after installing KB 2670838, apps using software-based graphic rendering crash.
• 2883054 – Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013; improve translations
• 2889849 – Visio 2013; corrects Portuguese and Thai translations
• 2889860 – Lync 2013; credential prompt
• 2889864 – SharePoint Server 2013; corrects Portuguese and Thai translations
• 2889865 – SharePoint Server 2013; corrects Danish in Newsfeed
• 2981685 – Windows Server 2012; security updates won’t install if BitLocker not installed
• 2989956 – Active Directory Federation Services server; various problems after installing KB 2843638 and KB 2843639

What to do: Hide any nonsecurity updates you don’t need and save the rest for the next Patch Watch.

Regularly updated problem-patch chart

For Microsoft’s list of recently released patches, go to the MS Security TechCenter page. See our “Windows Secrets master Patch Watch chart” post for a more extensive list of recent updates.

Status recommendations: Skip — patch not needed; Hold — do not install until its problems are resolved; Wait — hold off temporarily while the patch is tested; Optional — not critical, use if wanted; Install — OK to apply.