How to Lock BitLocker Volume Quick and Easy

This method is for those who mostly put their PC/Laptops to hibernate or sleep and want the BitLocker volume locked when waking up the system from sleep or hibernation.
The simplest method is to create a text file (Notepad) with the following content and saving it with a .cmd extension on your desktop.

manage-bde -lock volume: -fd

-fd: ForcedDismount, use this parameter to lock the volume even if it's in use.









The above example image will lock volume E:

To lock the volume right click the .cmd file  you created and run it with Administrator privilege (If UAC (User Account Control) is set to Always Notify.
This method is to avoid launching the Windows Command Processor (cmd.exe) and typing the command  and hence saves time required to lock the volume.

To learn more about parameters for manage-bde command visit the following link,

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd875513(WS.10).aspx

Triple Boot: Ubuntu 11.10, Windows 8 (WDP), Windows 7

First of all change your default operating system through the OS selection screen displayed during the boot process to Windows 7, next boot into Windows 7 and use wubi.exe to install ubuntu 11.10 ISO image (wubi.exe and the ISO should be in the same directory) you downloaded or if you have the Ubuntu CD launch wubi.exe from within the media. Once its installed restart windows 7 and select Ubuntu to complete the installation.

A issue with having windows 8 (Windows Developer Preview) is that, you could at times not find Ubuntu in the startup boot menu, loading up Windows 7 then restarting bring Ubuntu back on the list.

Ubuntu Download:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download

Windows Installer (wubi.exe):

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/windows-installer

VMware Workstation 8 on a Local Account (Standard User)

If you get any of these errors while using VMware Workstation from a Local Account  (standard user) account on a guest (Windows 7) system,


"Could not get vmx86 driver version: The handle is invalid.
You have an incorrect version of driver "vmx86.sys". Try reinstalling VMware Player."

"Failed to initialize monitor device."

"Error while powering on: Cannot find a valid peer process to connect to"

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Adding the user you would like to be able to use the Workstation to " __vmware__ " group in windows will solve this issue.

I came upon this while reading the following blog post,

http://blogs.vmware.com/workstation/2011/09/vmware-workstation-8-running-windows-8.html

(I suggest you read the above post.)

If you are a novice user open, Control Panel-> Administrative Tools->Computer Management, in the left pane select (Left Click) look for Local Users and Groups, select (Double Click) Groups, at very bottom you will find a group named "__vmware__".

Click on the add button, type the username and do not forget to click Check Names before clicking  OK. 

This post is primarily for Windows 7 and Windows Developer Preview users but is applicable to Windows XP as well.