Eraser doesn't like to install it's context menu in Windows 8, nor does it actually shred anything. I examined the code, but with it using the annoying MSI installer stuff, I ported it to Inno Setup which didn't like my messing with CLSIDs in the registry through it. Windows blocks that stuff for protection, but if setup programs should be running as Trusted Installer, why doesn't Inno Setup? Maybe only MSI can do that? Perfectly pointless as anyone can sign a package and deploy it with MSI to gain access to Trusted Installer as long as they know how to create an MSI. Maybe I'm missing something, but there are work arounds to run things as Trusted Installer. You can even log in as Trusted Installer if you want to.

Anyway, I couldn't get my installers to build and that's what's needed for entering registry keys of this caliber successfully for when you deploy a package. I'd have to write code to install it any other way and honestly I don't feel like it, mainly because I shouldn't have to. Inno Setup should run as Trusted Installer or have the option in it somewhere to do so. As that was annoying, I lost interest in getting around Windows 8's UAC annoyances by modifying the code.

Anyway, if you want something that works with Windows 8 and isn't a coding disaster like the used-to-be-famed Eraser project, you can use the free tools below. Also, getting help on the Eraser forums is out, as you can't post to them if you created a recent account apparently. Instead of posting your message, it calls anything you post, SPAM, and it refuses to let it be posted. I wrote a nice long message asking for help only to have it blocked. I couldn't PM it to a mod either, so I messaged it to a developer via FaceBook.

File Shredding for everything, but shredding the recycling bin: Download File Shredder

For shredding the recycling bin via command line (Use the batch file I made) you can use SDelete.exe: [[Link withdrawn - SDelete doesn't function properly...]]

I made the batch file able to process long paths that Recycling Bin uses and everything is nice and dynamic. By default the batch file is set to use 4 passes to wipe files. It uses DOD 5220.22-M, but it only deletes file data and not file names in free disk space. See more about SDelete on Microsoft's website.




Keywords: eraser, replacement, windows 8, sdelete, recycling bin, command line, batch file

I decided to check out how to get the CG3000D to turn on the commercial mode without seizing up on me for changing the settings. The commercial version has more features and functionality. Plus I think it might have more commands in the SSH console as well. Here's how.

You'll need:

1.) A CG3000D configured with NetBeer or have the stockware (stock firmware) that will let you turn on the SSH connection. NetBeer is actually the stock firmware that does that, but I named it NetBeer as I was going to create my own firmware originally. However, it was released as a method of putting it onto your modem with USB JTAG NT. Time Warner doesn't push firmware for this modem like Cox used to and I'm currently with TW for the time being. So, I'm able to use my modem without them screwing it up like Cox did. (Thus creating the need for NetBeer)

If you don't have the correct firmware, you'll need to read the tutorial on installing NetBeer on the CG3000D.

2.) Connect using Putty to your CG3000D via SSH. (You'll need to log into the web interface on your modem to disable and then re-enable the SSH login through LAN under Remote Management as it won't let you in otherwise.) Once you're connected and it says "login as:" on your screen, type in MSO and then the default password is "changeme." (There isn't a period in the password or quotes, but I wrote it like that as per good grammar.) If you changed the password through the web interface for MSO, then you'll enter that one instead.

3.) Now type in the following commands:

cd mso
rg_mode_switch 1

Your system will switch its mode and then reboot.

4.) When your system is up again, go to the web interface and click the "Router Settings" link on the left. You'll need to fix this screen to go online. Right now it's set up as a router that's part of a large commercial network. It's designed to talk to a CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System) owned by you I think. That or it's just meant to talk to another router that talks to a remote router. I'm not a networking tech really, but I know my way around. I just know that the way this is set up is not how you connect to your ISP through a modem. You want to make it so it talks to the ISP's CMTS system, not your own. (As you don't own one most likely.)

5.) Now that you're on the router settings page, configure your private DHCP pool. This is the range of IPs you can give out. If you have your web interface at 192.168.0.1, then it will show that and ask for the last digits. Typically you can leave this alone, but it's there if you want to change it. It has to be correct, though. Configure your DNS servers. These are resolving servers, nit for hosting domains with. If you don't know what to put there, you can use Open DNS's servers below.

208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220

NAT Service and Private DHCP should be enabled. Leave Public DHCP disabled for now or you'll get an error stating that RIP won't setup. Click save and your system will reboot. Whatever you do, don't go to "RIP Setup" and shut off RIP or your system will seize up. This is what happened to me when I played with it a few months back. If you do that, just start the process over including replacing the firmware as for some reason, a 30/30/30 reset doesn't work.

6.) Once your system is up again, let the web interface be for now. We need to work directly with the modem and bypass the interface in order to get the public DHCP activated so you can go online. Log back into SSH via Putty and type the following.

cd mso
dhcp_enable 1

That last command enabled both the public and private DHCP server. You can type in any command and end it with a "?" to make it show the help for the command.

7.) Your modem will reboot once more and you will be able to go online. I'm not sure if RIP will suck up any bandwidth, but I was able to disable the RIP on the "RIP Settings" page after I did that last bit in SSH without my modem seizing up on me. I did disable it one step at a time, though, in case it doesn't work for you. I turned off "Routed Subnet" on that page before I switched the public and private DHCP stuff and then after I turned on both DHCPs (see last step) I disabled RIP completely.



Now you can play with your upgraded router. Enjoy!




Keywords: CG3000D, NetBeer, NetGear, rg_mode_switch, SSH, MSO, hacking, custom firmware

UPDATE: OK so I guess this method doesn't work. If you want to give it a shot, feel free. Also, I did wuite a lot of work on this, so if you want my work from playing with the firmware, let me know. The rest of the article is from when I first wrote it thinking it would work.

-----------------

OK, well after months of hard work, I decided the best way to make NetBeer is really just modifying some settings and spitting out flash images. lol NetBeer is now just a fancy word for the stock firmware that allows Serial, SSH, and Telnet access, but will never check for firmware updates. This means that you have complete access to your modem except for the elusive USB host port that doesn't ever seem to have firmware that supports it. It has its driver and MAC address, but it doesn't work even with that. You'll never loose any console access unless you change it back to allow firmware updates. It'll work on any cable provider's system as this is the stock firmware that comes with the unit. (Hence, stock, as it comes with the unit, it's stock. lol OK, I just felt like making that sentence even more redundant. )

Now, on with the show. Below is the tutorial on how to get it on your unit and attached is the archive with the image and software that you'll need. The project requires you to buy a USB JTAG NT device, though.

On a side note, your cfg image is where your mac addresses, serial number, and root cable certificate are stored. Keep your cfg partition in tact.

PREREQUISITES:
In order to install this firmware, you'll need to buy a USB JTAG NT adapter and be comfortable soldering to your modem's board.
If you can't do this or ather have me do it, I will install the firmware for you for a service fee and I'll also need the return
shipping costs as well as a waiver stating that I'm not liable for any damages. I accept paypal for payment, or you can send a money
order for the correct amount agreed upon after discussing this with me. I need to solder a connector to your board to install it
and that takes about 20-30 minutes as they're small peices.

Contact me on this page: http://thelifemaster.com/Main/Contact

If that link doesn't work, go to http://thelifemaster.com and look for the contact link.


INSTALLATION:

DO NOT DO THIS AT 2AM! (Unless your coaxial cable is unplugged.) If you do it at 2AM, your modem might try to pull new firmware
before you have a change to block it.

1.) Follow the tutorial on the link below in order to JTAG your CG3000D or CG3100D unit.
http://thelifemaster.com/Main/Blog&ShowPost=347&postname=Here-s-how-to-JTAG-the-CG3000D-to-change-your-firmware

If that link is down, look at the guide on this one.
http://www.usbjtag.com/jtagnt/modem/CG3100D.php

2.) Now we need to install the CG3000D XML file. The USB JTAG NT software is included in this archive, but requires
registration with http://www.usbjtag.com and you get thefree registration info after you buy the required hardware. Install
that software and open the program files directory for usbjtagnt. Open the config directory in there and copy the XML file
to that directory.

3.) After you install your USB JTAG NT properly and have the unit connected to the board, open the software and on the config
screen, select Modem -> SPIFLASH -> CG3000DSPI and click OK. Click the ID button on your software to detect the chip. It
should say the following in the Output tab.

-flshdct 0
Found Address= 00000000 25FL064A

If not, check the wires. See the tutorial above for more help or contact me.

4.) Now go to the AllFlash tab and click the read button that's next to the button that says ID. It should read all the data
from the chip, onto your screen. Be sure to back up the data from each tab. (You really only need the AllFlash tab backed up,
but it makes it more convienient to have a copy of each section of the ROM.)

5.) Keep the read data in the software and then switch to the Image0 tab. In the left pane of the software is a way to browse
for another directory. Browse for the directory with the Image1.bin file in it from this archive. Now in the lower part of the
pane, you'll see Image1.bin. Double click that and it will fill the Image0.bin with the contents of that file.

6.) Switch to the Image1 tab and double click Image1.bin to fill Image1 with that data as well. This makes both images the same.

7.) Go to the AllFlash tab and click the write button at the top. Write the data to the chip and then when it says "Program pass"
at the bottom, you can unplug the modem, then the USB cable from the computer, then disconnect the USB JTAG NT device from the modem.

8.) Plug your modem back in and while its booting up, install PuTTY and run it. Click the SSH radio button for the connection type
and enter 192.168.0.1 for the Host Name/IP. Make sure its at port 22 and then type a name in "Saved Sessions" and then click "Save."

9.) Before opening the SSH console, you'll need to go to 192.168.0.1 and log in as user MSO with password changeme. Go to the "Remote
management" tab on the side and make sure that "through LAN interface" is checked under the Telnet and SSH options at the bottom.
Click apply.

10.) Now open PuTTY and double click your saved session. It will open a console window. Enter MSO for the user and changeme for the
pass. You'll see the prompt show up. Type the following commands.

cd /non-vol/snmp_cm
max_dload_tries 0

The default is 4 for max_dload_tries, but setting it to 0 will disable it from getting firmware updates that lock your modem down. You
can copy and pase the lines above. Just copy 3 lines including the blank line after max_dload_tries 0 and it will automatically execute
that for you. I don't think you need to reboot, but now you have permanant SSH, Telnet, and Serial port access. The USB Hub I couldn't
get to work. Sorry.

Download NetBeer




Keywords: NetBeer, download, CG3000D, firmware, console access

cd /non-vol/halif

mac_addres 1 (Use this to show mac_address 1)
mac_address 2 00:00:00:00:00:00 (Change 00:00:00:00:00:00 to the mac address you want to set for mac_address 1.)


mac_address 1 - This is the main MAC address. Its the one on the back of your unit and you give that to the cable company when you register your modem with them.

mac_address 2 - I'm not sure what its for, but its the same on all modems.

mac_address 3 - This is your USB MAC address

mac_address 4 to mac_address 8 - I'm not sure what its for. (mac_address 6, 7, and 8 are all the same on all modems.)



You can use the following to show or set your mac addresses as well.

local_bt_mac_address - This is your local bluetooth mac address. (I don't thing the CG3000D does bluetooth, though.)

remote_bt_mac_address - This is your remote bluetooth mac address.

usb_mac_address - This is your USB MAC address.




Your modem has a total of 11 different mac addresses. I left the dummy addresses at 2, 6, 7, and 8 at the stock mac addresses as they're the same on all modems.
You need to change 1, 3, 4, and 5. 1 Is the number on the back of your modem. 3 Is one number or letter higher, 4 is one number or letter higher than 3, and 5 is one number or letter higher than 4. If you don't know the hex number system, you'll need to use a calculator online.

Change your serial number this way:

cd /non-vol/snmp_cm
docsDevSerialNumber SN000000




Keywords: mac address, cg3000d, netgear, modem, router

I think I found out an easy way to make NetBeer work! I'm no longer trying to compile firmware for it, but the point of NetBeer was to allow console access, USB host port access, and not allow the cable company's software to be downloaded to replace NetBeer.

Console access - Check! Serial port, Telnet, and SSH are all enabled in the stock firmware.

No firmware downloading to the unit to replace NetBeer - Check! It took me a bit, but as dload allows your modem to start pulling new firmware, I needed to disable it. I logged into the serial console and did:

cd /non-vol/snmp_cm
max_dload_tries 0

max_dload_tries was originally set to 4, but in setting it to 0, it disables dload altogether. I tested it by doing dload and it says that its max tries were exceeded.

USB host port access - This one is the last bit to do and it has a mac address and a driver on the stock firmware. I need to figure out how to make it fully work, though.


After I make the USB host port work, then I'll release NetBeer as a flashable image via USB JTAG NT. I'll provide a tutorial and I'll also be allowing people to send me their units to flash it on there for them for a $20 service fee and return shipping. I'll also require a waiver to be signed to say that I'm not responsible for any damages. This way people who don't know how to flash it on, can have me do it for them.

I also made the firmware the commercial version using rg_mode_switch.




Keywords: NetBeer, release