Need a fast way to install and activate, Microsoft office and without annoying apps like OneDrive? Create a Configutation.xml and use it from the Command Prompt. To use the Configuration.xml file, run it with the setup.exe file generated from the Office Deployment Tool.

<configuration ID="00000000-0000-0000-000000000000">
<add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="PerpetualVL2019">
<product ID="ProPlus2019Volume" PIDKEY="YOUR-KEYS-WILL-WORK-HERE">
<language ID="en-us"></language>
<excludeapp ID="Groove"></excludeapp>
<excludeapp ID="Lync"></excludeapp>
<excludeapp ID="OneDrive"></excludeapp>
</product>
</add>
<property Name="SharedComputerLicensing" Value="0"></property>
<property Name="PinIconsToTaskbar" Value="TRUE"></property>
<property Name="SCLCacheOverride" Value="0"></property>
<property Name="AUTOACTIVATE" Value="1"></property>
<property Name="FORCEAPPSHUTDOWN" Value="FALSE"></property>
<property Name="DeviceBasedLicensing" Value="0"></property>
<updates Enabled="TRUE"></updates>
<appsettings>
<setup Name="Company" Value="Sipylus"></setup>
<user Key="software\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options" Name="defaultformat" Value="51" Type="REG_DWORD" App="excel16" Id="L_SaveExcelfilesas"></user>
<user Key="software\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\options" Name="defaultformat" Value="27" Type="REG_DWORD" App="ppt16" Id="L_SavePowerPointfilesas"></user>
<user Key="software\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options" Name="defaultformat" Value="" Type="REG_SZ" App="word16" Id="L_SaveWordfilesas"></user>
</appsettings>
<display Level="Full" AcceptEULA="TRUE"></display>
</configuration>

To be able to triple boot on a single hard drive connected to an Arous, Gigabyte, or MSI motherboard, you will need to boot Clover EFI from a USB Flash Drive. Set that USB Drive with the Clover bootloader as first in your BIOS. This ensures GRUB and the Windows Boot Manager on the single hard drive will not be in conflict with the Clover bootloader. To skip the USB Flash Drive and prevent the bootloaders from clashing, you can install each OS on their own HDD or SSD for a total of three drives. To do this with two drives, install Windows (and Windows Boot manager) and then Ubuntu (and Grub) on your second drive and macOS (and Clover) on your first drive and set your BIOS to boot Clover from the primary drive.

If you are seeking a list of boot arguments for use systems that are capable of running Apple’s Operating System, I would say look no further but this is only what I have used personally over the years so I may miss some new or have that is depreciated.

sudo nvram boot-arg=”ADD BOOT ARGUMENTS HERE”

If you see Built-in Display : Nan-inch (0 x 0) while connected to another Mac on the network, it indicated that the GPU can not see the attached display as with the example below.

If you need to enable DRM, the below information should be helpful.

Chrome
To enable DRM in Google Chrome, search for “protected content” under chrome://settings and enable it. By default, it is enabled but an extension may have turned it off for your privacy.

Firefox
The Firefox browser will provide a one-click button for you to enable DRM so you do not have to hunt through all of the settings. To check to see if DRM is enabled, go to Amazon Prime Video and try to play any content.

Did you know that it is possible to install macOS from an SDXC Reader?

I had the opportunity to work on a Xerox DocuMate 3220 over the years and here are some things that you need to keep in minds.

Jam on the Automatic Document Feeder
It is possible to have a jam on the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) and it is usually caused by foreign material. The first time I supported a jam on the ADF was due to hole-punch dots that fell in from the overhead shelf which had the Xerox DocuMate 3220 underneath. The second and last time was due to a paperclip. As the user was not aware of the cause on the first incident, I told them on the second incident and encourage them to relocate the scanner which they happily agreed to. A year has passed and I have not been called back for any ADF issues.

Scanning to PDF
When scanning, you will, unfortunately, have to scan to a .BMP file by default but there is a trick to it. Install Adobe Acrobat and use the Create to PDF function. The Acrobat software will talk to your scanner and will then have all your pages scanned into one easy to share PDF file.

If the HP LaserJet 9050n printer does not turn on, there are six things to check but more than likely, it will be one of two things: The Formatter or the Power Supply Unit.

00:00 – HP LaserJet 9050n will not power up.
00:30 – Channel Intro.
00:37 – Reset the power module and test the wall outlet.
00:44 – Test the printer Power button or switch.
00:51 – Test the power with another compatible power cord.
00:58 – Test the power without the USB cable.
01:05 – Service the printer.
01:08 – Left view of the printer.
01:13 – Unplug power and ethernet cable.
01:41 – Rosewill Tool Kit.
02:15 – Phillips Head Bit.
03:21 – Formatter.
06:37 – A torn piece of paper.
07:55 – Power Supply Unit.
10:10 – Bad printer storeroom.
11:30 – Replacement PSU from the bad printer.
12:36 – 4 black power supply screws.
13:35 – Status of the power button.
13:52 – Fan noises mean it is fixed.
14:00 – Formatter is not yet installed.
14:45 – Pending print jobs that came out.
15:20 – The printer is working successfully.

I wanted to test the compatibility of some programs so I tried installing macOS Catalina on a Fennec Hackintosh System with the date in 2025. Naturally, it failed. I then had to use the workaround I implemented when I was installing OS X Mavericks.

1. I grabbed a copy of OS X from the Internet. (2 hours over Wi-Fi)
2. I followed the tips in creating a USB Installer. (20 minutes)
3. I then use the release date workaround to install successfully. (45 minutes)
4. I completed the Fennec Hackintosh System.

With Catalina now installed, this gave me access to download Big Sur.

If your hardware is not recognized by your computing device, you will want to review my checklist and see what applies to you.

Data Cables
You will want to check all your data cables (Ethernet, USB) as they can become damaged easily.

Power Cables
Power cables rarely gets damage but they do become loose when shaken or if the length is insufficient.

When upgrading to macOS Big Sur from macOS Catalina or an earlier version, one thing that will come in handy for you is the macOS Big Sur Migration Assistant as it can save time Installing programs, their settings plus have your cookies from third-party browsers readily available.

Issues
Unfortunately, some users report that macOS Big Sur keeps doing Migration Assistant and after investigating, I see that it is caused by Apple (in their attempt to make things easy for upgrading users) and the user by not paying attention when installing as shown below.

I have had clients complain about Internet Explorer doing weird things and believe that over the years that I had seen it all but recently, I received a ticket saying that Internet Explorer’s InPrivate Browsing is not working.

Usually, when this incident occurs, it is by Chrome Users that are utilizing the CTRL + SHIFT + N keyboard combination for the Google Chrome browser instead of CTRL + SHIFT + P for the Internet Explorer and Legacy Edge browser.

Troubleshooting
To see if the issue was on their profile only, I switched to the local Administrator account and the issue was there as well. Using the tip to reinstall Windows Media Player when it has issues, I did the same for Internet Explorer by disabling it in the Control Panel but the issue returned once Internet Explorer was made enabled. My next step was to upgrade Windows 10 as it would install Microsoft Internet Explorer cleanly then import the previous settings but this could take hours and possibly import the anomaly that is causing the issue so I searched for a standalone version of Internet Explorer (for any versions of Windows 7) and was fortunate to find one which resolved the issue.

The Cause
So what caused the InPrivate function to break? The anomaly is currently unknown to me but I am attempting to recreate it randomly in my test laboratory. Some possible causes are addons/plugins, shutting down the browser or OS incorrectly, and malware.

Are you seeing a wall of text before your Clover appears? If you are using macOS High Sierra and later, you are bound to see it since APFS is becoming the new file system. In High Sierra, you can try and opt-out or not have it if using a HDD over a SDD as the boot drive but not so on Mojave.

If you update the Clover Boot Manager, the wall of text will go away but you could have other issues since Clover often introduces bugs so you will want to update the ApfsDriverLoader.efi file alone from an updated version.

It is pretty easy to Dual-boot macOS and Windows on separate drives but can you do it one one? Well, I can and I will show you how I get it done.

00:00 – Disk Utility app on macOS High Sierra.
00:05 – Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF.
00:10 – Creating Windows Partition manually.
00:30 – Windows Partition successfully created.
00:35 – Formatting partition as FAT32.
00:50 – Windows Partition successfully formatted.
00:55 – Using the USB2.0 port to avoid data loss.
01:05 – Rebooting the Dell Optiplex 9020 SFF.
01:10 – Pressing F12 repeatedly.
01:25 – Locating the Windows 10 USB Installer
02:10 – The Windows 10 Installer
02:30 – Custom for Clean Installation.
02:40 – Format Windows partition from FAT32 to NTFS.
03:30 – Install normally.
03:35 – Complete the install and restart.
04:00 – Booting to Windows 10 automatically.
04:10 – Configure Windows account.
04:45 – Windows 10 desktop.
04:50 – Reboot to the BIOS.
05:00 – Delete Windows Boot Manager.
05:00 – Make Boot Drive first.
05:05 – Restart to Clover Boot Manager.
05:10 – Palindrome Boot Manager Theme.
05:25 – Checking macOS High Sierra partition.
05:55 – Dual-boot macOS and Windows in Six Minutes.

Has your Ethernet connection stopped working when using macOS exclusively? Chances are, it’s not your motherboard, data cable, or Internet connection and is due to the kernel extensions that you recently installed. We discovered that IntelMausiEthernet.kext (not to be confused with IntelMausi.kext or WOL versions) was broken and thankfully knew how to correct it since the Intel-based Bluetooth/Wi-Fi combo card that was shipped from Dell lacked support for Wi-Fi under macOS.

00:00 – Booting a HackBook.
00:20 – Login screen for macOS.
00:30 – macOS Sierra wallpaper.
00:35 – System Preferences
00:40 – Network
00:42 – Ethernet Card not working/detected with latest kexts.
00:55 – System Report

The Discovery
I have converted a few Windows laptops to HackBooks and to make things easy, I always swap out the internal Bluetooth and Wi-Fi combo card and while trying to turn a Wi-Fi router into a Wi-Fi repeater, I discovered that the Ethernet connection was no longer working.

The Solution
The best solution would be to downgrade to the last working version but since I had no clue when it happened as I was mainly on a wireless connection, the alternate thing for me now was to patch since a downgraded version would cause a constant notification from the Clover Configurator app that a newer version of the kext has been released and would cause me to accidentally download it again. Other alternatives are to make sure that FakeSMC.kext is updated (be sure to backup if there is a later version available or switch to IntelMausi.kext

The new name for Microsoft’s SkyDrive is OneDrive and Microsoft promises that it will remain the best place to store and share your content across all of your favorite devices. Please note that you may still experience some issues (Qt5Quick.dll prompts) which are relatively easy to troubleshoot and resolve.

00:00 – OneDrive.exe – Bad Image prompt.
00:15 – Checking for SmartShield by Centurion Technologies.
00:30 – Checking for Malwarebytes.
00:50 – Check my notes on QT5 DLL File errors.
01:00 – Launch the Run Window.

Are you familiar with Popcorn Time? Popcorn Time is a free streaming service that allows the user to stream movies, shows, and anime right over the Internet to their handheld (iOS devices are not included) or desktop.

Currently, the best place to download the installer is from www.popcorntime.app as other sites may provide an installer that requires you to disable Safe Watch popup on Popcorn Time so that you can watch content on Android without any redirects and interruptions.

Do you need to know how to disable Safe Watch popup on Popcorn Time for Android from the GetPopcornTime.is website? Well, you are not alone so I will show you a workaround to stop the annoyance and step-by-step written instructions. Unfortunately, if you decide to download and install the correct Popcorn Time app that does not have such a popup, but it will not load anime when you click on that category.

Bypass or Disable Safe Watch Popup
01. Launch the annoying version of the Popcorn Time app.
02. Click Outside Share The Popcorn window.
03. Press the Square on the Nav Bar.
04. Press the floating Icon for the app.
04. Choose PIN from the listed options.

That’s it! The annoying version of the Popcorn Time app is now pinned and will no longer have a chance to redirect to the Android Market when the app tries to trigger the redirect. To simply stream/play any video or download for offline viewing, use the cancel option when it is shown on the screen. That will close the popup box and proceed with the streaming or downloading of the selected video.

So, you are trying to install programs on Windows 10 Home in S mode and it is failing? Well, it is supposed to fail and congratulations on now owning an Apple iPad or iPhone as that is basically what all your Windows 10 devices are now.

Just like an Apple iPad or iPhone is restricted (unless jailbroken) in installing a program unless it is from the App Store and access to the App Store is restricted only to users with an active iCloud account, your Windows 10 devices are now required to have an active Microsoft Account to be able to remove the restriction and install programs not included from (HP, Dell, etc) the computer manufacturer. Once the restriction is removed, you may install any program that is designed with Windows 10 in mind or will be fine in compatibility mode.

Why You Should Disable
You will want to disable S mode if you need Google Chrome and Zoom Client for Meetings as these are not in the Windows App Store. Google Chrome (sort of) was once available from the Windows Store but was just an app that linked to Google’s servers to download the version that you see today. It was removed and banned by Microsoft as it is against their terms of service.

Why You Should Keep Enable
You should keep S mode enabled if the Windows 10 device will be used mainly for a child in your household. It will keep the device safer but note that if it is used for school, the child may have difficulty keeping up with their lessons if the class requires training software (or even Zoom) to be added. The child can even create their Microsoft account to bypass or ask their Academic IT Department to help them do so so talk to the child about proper internet use.

Removing the Restriction
Easy Way: To simply remove or disable the restriction, you will need Windows 10 to show you the warning window then click the “see how” link where it will provide a special link to the Windows App Store and to login with a Microsoft Account (which is required when you plan on installing Microsoft Whiteboard) and other programs. You do not have to have an account of your own and can borrow from a family member. I have had clients with HP laptops that do not yet want to create a Microsoft account and I have used mine to remove the restriction. Just remember to sign out or disassociate the borrowed account when done so the device does not remain listed to you.

Hard Way: If you are up for a challenge, press and hold down the “Windows” key on the keyboard along with the “I” key to bring up the Settings windows where you can go to “Update & Security” then “Activation” followed by “Go to the Store” so that it can be disabled.

Enabling the Restriction
From what I have seen so far, it does not appear that there is a way to enable the feature once it is removed or disabled. This may change in the future but from what I can infer, it may be a deterrent to keep Windows 10 users from removing as they will feel that their system is now vulnerable. On Android devices, if it is rooted to install software, to remove the rooted feature, we must factory reset the Android device so this is one possibility to do on a Windows 10 device but you will incur data loss (including the programs) if the data is not backed up to free online storage before doing so.

Hello, I work as a Private Investigator.
Our agency received a case with an objective of hacking into your email, phone, cloud storage, network and collecting intelligence.
We work with hackers from China for tasks like that, and they are the best. As you can see, they did a good job. Your accounts and devices are compromised.
But we do have an ethical protocol in place.
After checking the background of the person who paid for the hacking and investigation on you, I have decided to come forward and offer you to buy the information about that person (name, contacts, emails and other proof).
You will also get a report on yourself (including a list of compromised accounts, devices, logs, screenshots, photos and documents).
Normally, we do not disclose sensitive information about our clients, but in this case we will be.

Upon reviewing this case, I found that something illegal was planned against you.
The materials we have collected on you are very sensitive and can be easily used to blackmail you.
We usually address personal and corporate espionage cases, but this case is different.

We have received a prepayment of 50% for your case from that person (total agreed upon cost was 12500 USD).
However, I will give you a discount (without any profit for the agency), if you decide to buy this information.
After we get the payment, I will get back to you. You have 2 business days to make the transfer. It will cost you 40% of the unpaid balance.

We will process $2,500 payment through bitcoin. In case you have trouble with bitcoin, google how to fund it.
Send BTC to this wallet [REMOVED]

It will be up to you what to do after you get the information. We will delete all files. The original client will get nothing and will never know about our deal.
Please keep in mind, because I need to pay Chinese contractors, and if you decline this offer, I will have to go to the original client and send all intel to cover the costs.
But at least you know that now and have a free heads up of what’s coming.

This is a fresh installation of macOS Big Sur.

Have you ever wondered how a Boot Pack for TransMac for Windows is created so that you can have a Hackintosh or HackBook in a few hours instead of months? Probably not. You may think that it is simple (and it is) but don’t forget that the creator has to take their time to have a working machine first then take the time to make it available for non-Mac users to utilize through Microsoft Windows.