Soluții

Change terminal transparency in Kali

Changing terminal transparency can be helpful for:

-Aesthetics: It gives a sleek, modern look, blending the terminal with your desktop background.

-Multitasking: You can see underlying windows or notes while working in the terminal, improving productivity.

-Personal Preference: Some users find a transparent terminal easier on the eyes, allowing for customization based on comfort.

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Create low privilege users in Kali

Low-level users (non-root users) are important for the following reasons:

  • Security: Using a low-level user minimizes the risk of accidental system damage or security breaches, since this user has limited permissions compared to root.
  • Preventing Malware/Attacks: Many malicious programs require elevated privileges to harm the system. By using a low-level user, you reduce the risk of malware gaining control.
  • System Stability: Low-level users can’t accidentally modify critical system files, helping maintain system integrity.
  • Best Practice: In Linux, it’s best practice to perform regular tasks under a low-level user and only use root privileges when absolutely necessary.

This helps keep the system more secure and stable overall.

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How to (Officially) Install Windows on a Steam Deck OLED

Valve’s SteamOS is streamlined and designed with the Steam Deck in mind, but it’s hard to ignore the unending array of Windows native applications and PC-exclusive games. Thanks to some recently-released drivers, you can now give in and install Windows 11 right on your Steam Deck.

The easiest way to install and run Windows on your Steam Deck OLED is by way of a bootable microSD card. You could wipe the drive and install Windows directly on your Steam Deck’s internal SSD but going for the “fresh start” approach effectively forces you to start from scratch. This complicates the ability to reinstall SteamOS at a later date.

Using an SD card for Windows gives you the freedom to change your mind and switch back to SteamOS to overcome performance issues that are impeding your game of choice. As with any major changes to an operating system, make sure to back up your files and games before proceeding.

To kick off the installation, enable the SteamOS Beta and update your BIOS to version 3.6.9 or later. To do this, press the “Steam” button then navigate to Settings > System > Beta Participation and select “Beta” from the System Update Channel list. You’ll be invited to restart your device, after which a new update will be ready for you. Install it and you’re good to go.

Once your hardware is up-to-date, you will need an ultra-high speed microSD card (UHS-I or faster) with a minimum storage capacity of 64GB. You’ll also need a computer running Windows on which to prepare the medium.

  • The first step to creating a bootable microSD card is acquiring the Windows 11 ISO. On your PC, download the Windows 11 or Windows 10 installation media and ISO straight from Microsoft’s website. Both versions of Windows are supported on the Steam Deck, and the installation process is essentially identical.
  • Now that you have the ISO, you’ll use the free, open-source wonder Rufus to actually prepare your card. Visit the official Rufus website on your PC and download the latest version of the executable file. Once downloaded, open the executable to run Rufus.

Insert your microSD Card

Insert your microSD card into your PC’s card reader. It should be recognized by your computer, but make sure to format it if prompted.

Launch Rufus, and you should see the application’s main window open. Rufus automatically detects connected USB devices or memory cards. In the “Device” drop-down, ensure your microSD card is selected as the target device. Be careful to select the correct device, as the process will format the selected card.

Boot Selection

In the “Boot Selection” section, click on the dropdown and select “Disk or ISO image (Please select)”. After this, click the “Select” button next to the menu and locate your downloaded Windows ISO file from your system. Once found, click “Open” to load the ISO file into Rufus.

  • Now select “Windows To Go” from the “Image Option” menu.
  • Rufus Creating Boot Disc Windows 11 Iso
  • Partition Scheme and File System
  • Rufus will automatically set the “Partition Scheme” to GPT and “Target System” to UEFI (non-CSM), which is necessary for compatibility with modern systems like the Steam Deck. The “File System” should be left as NTFS (default for Windows installations).
  • Now is also the time to rename your microSD card by using the “Volume Label” field if you wish.

Windows User Experience Settings

  • Once you click the Start button, Rufus will prompt you with Windows User Experience settings. If you prefer to manually configure regional settings or use an online Microsoft account, you can leave the relevant options unchecked. However, for privacy and convenience, enabling these options is recommended.
  • Finalize Install
  • After confirming your settings, you will be met with a final warning message that all data on your microSD card will be deleted. You’ve already gone this far, click “OK” to proceed. Rufus will now install Windows on your microSD card.

Copy Windows Drivers to Your SD Card

  • With your new operating system resting calmly on your SD card, you’re ready to acquire the drivers needed to make software run smoothly on your Steam Deck. Valve’s Steam Deck: Windows Resources page has all the required files. Download the required drivers to your Windows 11 desktop and unzip the files.
  • Open up the root folder on your microSD and create a new folder. Now you can just select the folders containing the drivers and drag them into the folder you just generated for later use.

Giving SteamOS the Boot

Your freshly prepared boot disc is ready to bring the Windows 11 PC experience to your Steam Deck.

  • First, power off your Steam Deck completely. Now Insert the SD card into the Steam Deck’s microSD card slot. Hold the “Volume Down” button and press the “Power” button, then release both buttons once you hear a sound.
  • You’ll be taken to the boot selection menu. Select your SD card and press “A” to set up Windows.
  • Once inside Windows, you can return your screen to its rightful horizontal position. Right-click and head to Desktop > Display Settings > Scale & Layout > Display Orientation > Switch to Landscape to fix the screen layout.
  • With Windows installed and booting on your OLED Steam Deck, it’s time to set up those essential drivers we left snug in the root directory of your SD card. Navigate to the folder and proceed to install each driver.

Install the APU Driver

  • Find the “setup.exe” file in the folder for the APU driver and run it to install.
  • Install the SD Card Reader Driver
  • Go to the “BayHub_SD_STOR_install” folder and run the “setup.exe” executable.
  • Install the Wi-Fi Driver
  • Navigate to the Wi-Fi driver folder, right-click the “qcwlan64.inf “file, and choose “Install.”
  • Bluetooth Driver
  • For Bluetooth, right-click “qcbtuart.inf” in the Bluetooth driver folder and select “Install”. Keep in mind, if this doesn’t work, you may not have remembered to update the BIOS for your OLED Steam Deck.

Audio Drivers

  • You will need to install three different drivers for full audio functionality: “cs35l41.inf”, “NAU88L21.inf”, “amdi2scodec.inf”. For each driver, right-click, then select “Install.”
  • Once all drivers are installed, Windows will function on your OLED Steam like the desktop you dragged to your buddy’s basement to get in some matches of Counter Strike in 2001.
  • Reverting to SteamOS
  • Since you made the wise decision to install Windows 11 on a bootable SD, it’s a breeze to return to SteamOS if you so choose.
  • First, power off your Steam Deck completely. Hold the “Volume Down button and press the “Power” button. Release both buttons once you hear a sound. You’ll be taken to the boot selection menu.
  • Select your Steam Deck’s SSD and press “A” to boot back into the intended OS.

Alternatively: Installing Windows Directly (Not Recommended)

  • If you are still hellbent on nuking the Steam Deck’s SSD in order to go “full Windows” on your handheld, it’s a similar process with just a few tweaks. Grab a USB drive that can hold at least 32GB of data and connect it to your Windows PC. Download the ISO from Microsoft’s website in the same fashion as previously mentioned, run Rufus, and choose your memory stick of choice in the “Device” window.
  • You will still choose “Disk or ISO Image (Please select)” from the “Boot Selection” menu, click the “Select” button next to it, and open the Windows ISO file. Since you are installing the operating system directly onto the hard drive, select “Standard Windows Installation” from the “Image Option” drop-down.
Windows 11 Full Install via Rufus
  • When greeted by the “Windows User Experience” window, make sure the box next to “Remove requirement for “4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0” is checked and proceed to finalize the installation.
    Optimal Rufus Settings for Windows 11 Install
  • Once you have finished setting up your USB, create a folder in the root and download the drivers, and you are ready for installation.
  • Power off your Steam Deck completely and insert your flash drive into the Steam Deck’s USB port. Hold the “Volume Down” button and press the “Power” button. Release both buttons once you hear a sound. You’ll be taken to the boot selection menu.
  • Select your USB drive and press “A” to start the Windows 11 installation process. Go through the setup and select “Custom: Install Windows Only” when prompted. When asked where to install Windows 11, delete all partitions and create a new one.

There’s no turning back now—this will delete all the information stored on your OLED Steam Deck. Choose the new partition as the installation location. You are good to go. Now fix the screen, install the drivers, and enjoy your odd-shaped Windows 11 laptop.

  • Windows on a Steam Deck is nice, but not essential. There are lots of options for playing games from the Epic Game Store on your Valve handheld that don’t involve a Windows installation.
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How to install a Wi-Fi Printer on Windows 11

Scenario 1: Install a Printer You’ve Never Connected to Your Wi-Fi Network

If you’re trying to set up a printer that you’ve never connected to your Wi-Fi network, you’ll have to use your printer’s utility to connect it to your wireless network first. How you do this depends on your printer’s manufacturer and the specific printer model. I’ll show you how to do that for a Canon MG3670 Wi-Fi printer as an example.

To start, launch a web browser on your PC and head to your printer’s manufacturer website. In my case, I’m heading to the MG3670 page on the Canon site. Click “Download” to download the utility that lets you connect your printer to your Wi-Fi network.

Then, launch the downloaded utility and choose “Yes” in the User Account Control prompt. Select “Start Setup” on the wizard’s first page.

Choose your country from the drop-down menu and select “Next.” Agree to the terms and conditions and keep following the on-screen instructions. When asked to choose the connection method, select “Wireless LAN Connection” and choose “Next.”

Select “Connect via Wireless Router (Recommended)” and select “Next.” Turn on your printer if it isn’t already and wait for the wizard to find the printer. Then, select your printer on the list and choose “Next.”

Follow the on-screen instructions to finish connecting and installing the printer on your PC.

Scenario 2: Install a Printer That’s Already Connected to Your Wi-Fi Network

If the printer you want to add to your PC is already connected to your Wi-Fi network, install the printer automatically or manually using the following methods.

Method 1: Automatically add the Printer from Settings

Launch Windows 11’s Settings app by pressing Windows+i. From the left sidebar, select “Bluetooth & Devices.” On the right pane, choose “Printers & Scanners”.

At the top of the screen, select “Add Device”. You’ll see your printer listed on the list. Next to the printer, click “Add Device.” Windows 11 will add the selected printer to the system. You can now start using this printer with your PC.

Method 2: Add the Printer Manually

If Settings can’t automatically find your printer, manually find the printer’s IP address and add it to your system.

Step 1: Find Your Printer’s IP Address

To install a wireless printer manually, first, find the printer’s IP address. This is how your PC will locate your printer on the network. To do that, use a free IP scanner app like Advanced IP Scanner or Angry IP Scanner. I’ll use the former one.

Download and run Advanced IP Scanner on your PC. When asked to install the app, choose “Run,” which lets you use the app without installing it. When you see the app’s main interface, at the top, click the large “Scan” button. This initiates the scan process for your Wi-Fi network. You’ll see the discovered devices on the list. The “Manufacturer” column will help you find your printer. Once you find your specific printer on the list, note its IP address.

Step 2: Add the Printer to Your PC

  • Open Settings by pressing Windows+i. From the left sidebar, choose “Bluetooth & Devices.” On the right pane, select “Printers & Scanners.”
  • Choose “Add Device” and select “Add Manually.”
  • On the Add Printer window, select “Add a Printer Using an IP Address or Hostname” and choose “Next.”
  • Click the “Device Type” drop-down menu and choose “Autodetect.” Select the “Hostname or IP Address” field and type the printer’s IP address you noted earlier. Then, click “Next.”
  • Select the “Printer Name” field and type a name for your printer, then choose “Next.”
  • Select “Do Not Share This Printer” and choose “Next.”

Finish installing the printer, and it’ll be ready for use.

Print a Test Page With the Newly-Added Wireless Printer

To check if the printer is working correctly, print a test page with it. Do that by opening Windows Search, typing Printers & Scanners, and selecting the item with that name.

  • On the open window, select the printer. Then, choose “Print Test Page.”
  • Your printer will begin printing the test page.

Troubleshoot Issues With the Wireless Printer

If you run into issues installing or using your Wi-Fi printer with your PC, here are a few troubleshooting tips to use.

Restart your Windows 11 PC

If your printer doesn’t appear on the printer list even after adding it, give your Windows 11 PC a reboot. The reboot will refresh the system, making the installed printer available to use. To do that, press the Windows key, select the Power icon, and choose “Restart”

To use a wireless printer with your Windows 11 PC, your printer must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your PC. If that’s not the case, connect your printer to your network first.

Windows 11 may not always install all the drivers for your printer. If you can’t use certain printer functions, download the additional drivers for your Canon, HP, Epson, Brother, or another printer and install those drivers. Make sure to restart your PC to bring the changes into effect.

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iOS 18: Send messages without a Wi-Fi or cellular connection

In iOS 18, Apple further enhanced its satellite connectivity features for iPhone users with the introduction of Messages via satellite. Keep reading to learn how it works.

Available in the United States and Canada to owners of iPhone 14 models and newer, Messages via satellite enables users to exchange iMessages and SMS texts, including emoji and Tapbacks, through satellite connections when traditional networks are unavailable.

Apple is using the infrastructure that it set up for Emergency SOS via satellite for this feature, but you don’t need to be in an emergency situation to use it, and the service is currently offered at no additional charge.

When an iPhone detects it’s out of cellular or Wi-Fi range, it prompts users with an alert offering quick access to satellite-enabled services. These include Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Find My, and Messages. Users can also access the feature directly from the Messages app when off the grid, with iOS providing on-screen guidance to help point the iPhone toward an available satellite.

iMessages sent via satellite are end-to-end encrypted. However, it’s worth noting that while iMessage functionality is fully supported, SMS capabilities are more limited to prevent abuse from automated systems. Emergency contacts and designated family members can initiate SMS contact at any time, but for other contacts, the iPhone user must send the first satellite SMS to enable responses.

To familiarize yourself with this potentially life-saving feature, Apple has included a demo mode in iOS 18. You can access this demonstration by following these steps:

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