Archive for the 'Tips & Tricks' Category

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Backup WordPress Database The Easy Way

Published October 12, 2007 in Wordpress Plugin and Tips & Tricks. 0 Comments

Most web hosting providers do a daily backup on their servers. In case of any failures on the primary harddisk, there is always a backup to fall back on. However, these backups are never or at least seldom guaranteed by web hosting providers. Therefore, it is always advisable to have a backup of your database yourself.

Here are two methods where you can backup your database.

Method #1: Manual backup through cPanel (control panel)

You should be given a control panel to manage your account. The type of control panel depends on a few factors including the operating system that you are on. If you are using something else apart from cPanel, you will need to check how your control panel works.

Use cPanel to backup database

For cPanel users, click on the Backup icon. You will then be directed to the backup page where you can choose to download a backup or restore your database with your previous backup.

Download database in cPanel

Click on the link of the database that you want to download.

Method #2: Automatic backup using Wordpress Plugin (the easy way)

The Wordpress Database Backup plugin can be setup to backup your database automatically. This plugin is very useful and easy to use.

Wordpress database backup plugin error

After activating the plugin, go to “Manager … Backup”. If you see an error message such as “WARNING: Your wp-content directory is NOT writable! We cannot create the backup directory.”, you have two options to solve it. The first method is to set the permission of the wp-content folder to 777 (remember to change it to the default settings later). However, I recommend creating the backup folder manually. That way, you don’t risk leaving the permission of the folder to 777 and risk any potential attack.

The backup option page is split into two parts. The top part is used to download, save a copy in your server or send a copy of the backup to your email. The bottom half is used to configure automatic backups. You can select the frequency of the backups — never, once hourly, once daily or once weekly. The backup will be sent to your email address. Click on the submit button when you are ready.

The frequency of the backup should depend on a few factors including the number of posts you publish and the number of comments you get. If you publish a few posts daily and/or you get a lot of comments daily, it is best to backup daily. Or else, do it weekly.

Do it now

Many others have recommended this plugin as a “must have” for bloggers. Unfortunately, not everyone has taken the initiative to activate this plugin including myself. Well, I have just activated it a few hours ago and it is working like a charm. You should do it too before you lose your posts and comments to a harddisk failure.

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How To Increase BitComet Torrent Download Speed

Published October 10, 2007 in Tips & Tricks. 13 Comments

I bumped into Felix Ker’s post on how to speed up torrent downloads a while back. The guide provided to speed up your torrent downloads on popular torrent clients such as BitComet and uTorrent is available. Since my uTorrent download is stable but slow, I tested it on uTorrent instead of BitComet.

You will need to do some tweaking so be ready. You will need to setup your uTorrent client, router and computer network settings. Don’t worry, the post provides a complete walkthrough so you won’t miss anything.

After completing the setup, I tried downloading some torrent files but sadly, there was no noticeable increase in download speed. Before the change, my downloading with uTorrent usually max out at about 20kb/s. After the change, it was about the same.

I have no idea why it didn’t work out for me. My downloads with BitComet can reach up to 40+kb/s. The problem is that downloading using BitComet causes my Internet connection to drop occasionally. Anyway, I hope it works for you.

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How To Apply Public Bank Visa Electron Fast (Within 7 Working Days)

Published October 10, 2007 in Paypal and Tips & Tricks. 34 Comments

UPDATE: Sending the application form using snail mail and courier service requires different address. Check the correct address to use below.

**********

If your credit card or debit card doesn’t allow PayPal withdrawal, you may want to apply for a Public Bank Visa Electron debit card. I called up Public Bank’s customer service and was told that it will take at least three weeks before your debit card will be approved. That is very long so I asked him if there were “any other ways” to get it done faster.

He literally “lighted up” and told me there was. He sounded so cheerful and happy I thought that whatever method he was going to teach me would involve bribing or some other illegal means. I was wrong.

He helpfully told me that getting the Visa electron debit card approved is a very easy process. You can actually get it approved within a week or so, provided that you followed his advice and rushed the Public Bank’s staffs. So, here are the steps.

Step 1: Go to your nearest Public Bank branch and ask for the Visa Electron debit card application form. Grab the form and leave while smiling to the beautiful lady behind the counter. Fill up the form (of course, duh!).

Step 2: Photocopy the front and back of your IC. Cross it out and state that it is for Public Bank use only. That way, it won’t be misused for other illegal purposes.

Step 3: Write a check payable to “Public Bank Berhad“. The amount should be at least RM25. Write your full name and IC number behind the check. If you do not have a check book, don’t worry. Just send the application form and your photocopied IC. They will provide you with a bank account where you can transfer the money into later.

Step 4: Send your application form, photocopied IC and check (if any) to the address below. To shorten the time needed for the delivery, I will be sending it using overnight postal service like ABX Express.

If you plan to send using overnight courier service (eg. ABX Express, NationWide express, etc), send it to the following address:

Public Bank Credit Card Centre
10th Floor, Menara Public Bank
146, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur

If you are sending using normal snail mail, send it to this address:

Public Bank Card Services
10th Floor, Menara Public Bank
146, Jalan Ampang
P.O. Box 11722
50754 Kuala Lumpur

Note: The address was given to me by the call centre staff and matches the address given in the Public Bank website. However, the address printed at the bottom of the application form shows that the postcode is 50754 instead. I will send it to the address above.

Step 5: Phone 03-21768000 to ask if they have received your application form. Tell them to process your application ASAP because it is urgent.

It will take at least 5 working days for your application to be approved. Phone them on the fifth day to check your application status again.

Your Visa Electron application should be approved within 7 working days (the quickest) if there are no other problems. I will be sending mine tomorrow.

* If you find this article useful, please share it. Thanks! *

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How To Search For MP3 In Google The Easy Way

Published October 3, 2007 in Tips & Tricks. 2 Comments

Google is the big brother of all search engines. If something is uploaded into the Internet, sooner or later it will be crawled and indexed by the Google bot. This is inevitable unless there are preventive measures taken to ensure the content is not accessible to the Google bot.

Although sharing some types of MP3 files is considered illegal, there are still people who have uploaded them. We can always use Google to search for these MP3 files, provided you know the complex codes that are required. I stumbled upon two websites that enables us to easily search for MP3 files on the Internet.

Website #1: Download browser
There are four steps that you need to follow in this instruction. Just follow them and you should be fine.

Website #2: GP2
This is an easier alternative. You can search for other items apart from songs using this website.

Note: I do not recommend/advice/support illegal MP3 downloading or uploading. Not all MP3s are illegal. You can use this method to easily search for LEGAL MP3s on the Internet. Whatever you do with this knowledge is totally up to your own wisdom.

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How To Remember Over 10 Different Passwords

Published October 1, 2007 in Tips & Tricks. 2 Comments

I used to have two or three username-password combinations in the past. I will be using these username and password for all of the online services that I sign up to — web based email service, online games, forums, etc. However, I make it a rule to use a different set of password for online banking and other important services.

When I started blogging, I had to create more accounts from the various services that I signed up to. Being the paranoid freak that I am, I made an effort to use different sets of username and password combination for each and every account that I signed up to. Currently, I am using more than 10 different sets of username and passwords. So, just how in the world am I able to remember all of them?

At first, I remember these username and passwords by writing them down on a few pieces of papers. I still keep them now, in case I forgotten and needed to recover it.

Note: Do not leave your username and passwords written on a piece of paper in your office or house where outsiders may be able to view it. I live with my family so it is probably safe :-P

Anyway, I used to read the username and passwords needed from the paper when I first started. However, after a few weeks of using them, I have unconsciously memorized most of them. So, how exactly am I able to memorize over 10 different sets of username and passwords?

I realized that I do not remember them “visually”. If I am requested to write them down on a piece of paper, I may not be able to do it. In fact, a few days ago I was trying to login to my blog admin but failed because I “forgotten” my password! At that time, I was holding a piece of bread while munching on it and typing with the other hand. That is when I realized I “remember” my passwords through something that I will just refer to as “feel-and-type”.

I am a touch typist

I am a touch typist; therefore I feel when I type, instead of looking at what keys that I am hitting. It is like how some people remember phone numbers. When you ask them to write it or say it out, they may find difficulty in doing so. That’s when you see them trying to imagine pressing the telephone key pads in their heads. You may even notice some of them moving their fingers while “pressing an invisible keypad” in the air.

I later “recovered” my password by relaxing for a minute and resume to login typing with both hands like how I was used to. As if my fingers have their own brain, the password was typed on screen as usual.

Strange but true.

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