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The LangaList
1-Nov-99
A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa About BrowserTune,
HotSpots, Columns, Tips & Tricks, and Other Activities
In This Issue:
*&@$#)(^$$ AOL!
A Quick Tip
Active Discussions
OK, Not Halon...
More Registry Backup Info
Are Your Registry Backups Missing?
And We Have A Winner!
Another "Millennium" Beta Tester Speaks Up
NT 4 Service Pack 6 Released
Just For Grins
More!
*&@$#)(^$$ AOL 5.0!
AOL hosed another system of mine. I recently tried to upgrade a system here from AOL 4 to AOL 5; I'll spare you the details, but the punchline was "Format C:\"
For beginners, AOL is a godsend--- an all-in one package that combines an Internet Service provider, organized (non-Internet) content, and software. AOL also can be good for parents with young kids because the built-in "nannyware" can help reduce (but not eliminate) the amount of sexually oriented spam that all AOL users suffer with.
For everyone else, I think AOL is the pits.
For as long as I can remember, AOL has aggressively altered the networking settings on machines it's installed on. It changes your TCP/IP settings, and may even delete (!) non-AOL settings. It installs its own "Windows Socket" (winsock) and Dial-Up Adapter, even if you have a perfectly good setup already in place. It even reinstalls some of Windows' most basic internet plumbing, overwriting or duplicating whatever you already have on your hard drive.
And it wants to make you use a customized version of Internet Explorer; that modified version of IE is notoriously troublesome: IE itself is fine, but once AOL is done diddling with it and placing it atop its own special networking plumbing, it can become an unstable mess.
AOL's own tech support admits that--- oops!---installing AOL may make your system unable to connect to other ISPs, and that--- oops!--- your internet-sharing software (such as Win98's ICS) may no longer work. But these aren't bugs. It's the software installing itself in exactly the way AOL intends. You simply have to do things the AOL way, period.
OK, forget the software--- even as a service, AOL is pretty bad. If the force-fed ads don't get you, the spam will. If the spam doesn't get you, then you'll get tripped up by AOL's proprietary and very nonstandard email system, which works well only when talking to other AOL people. (Can you say "captive audience?")
When AOL5 destroyed my system, I was seething. These problems weren't because AOL was trying to do something cutting edge and wonderful: It just wanted to alter my system its own unnecessary, hyperagressive and proprietary way. In the process of needlessly changing things it had no business changing and adding stuff it didn't need to, it reduced a perfectly good computer system to a paperweight. Sheesh. If Microsoft tried anything halfway as boneheaded as the AOL install, the peasants would light the torches and march on Redmond. But AOL gets away with it---I guess because they buy tons of ads to convince you that it's friendly, fun, and easy.
Baloney.
If you're a novice with a standalone system that has no Internet software installed, isn't on a network, will never share a connection, and (ideally) is running an older version of Windows, AOL can be a great way to get your feet wet. But almost everyone else will have better service, more control, and just plain better results with a real ISP, a real email client, and a real (unmodified) browser.
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--------------( the above is an advertisement )--------------
A Quick Tip
Reader Geoff Hooton asks:
I know there is a program somewhere that will deliver a printout of all the statistics of ones computer i.e. type of video card. Type of HD drives etc. Any idea as to where I can find it please?
Actually, it's part of Windows. Right click "my computer," then select Properties, then device manager; click Print. But have plenty of paper handy--- the printout can be very long!
Active Discussions:
A Bevy of Boot Disks: There are three kinds of boot disks, but they're not all equal. Come see what the differences are, and ensure that your boot disk is really the type you need! Click http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/1999/1025.htm
The Danger Of Stealth Executables: Various little-known or seemingly benign file types can disguise malicious viruses. Are you at risk? Get the details at http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter !
OK, Not Halon...
Many readers, some of them professional firefighters, wrote in after reading last week's item on putting out computer fires and how the use of the wrong type of extinguisher ruined the National Weather Service's supercomputer! (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/oct-28-99.htm#nws )
I'd mentioned Halon as a noncorrosive alternative, but I'd forgotten that Halon is an ozone-depleting CFC-based compound. It's great for putting out fires, but is environmentally quite unfriendly. In the US, it carries a steep "green tax" to discourage its use.
Carbon dioxide from an extinguisher is environmentally neutral, noncorrosive and nontoxic (although it will displace oxygen; a room where a CO2 extinguisher has been set off needs to be ventilated immediately). Alas, the gases emerging from a CO2 extinguisher are very, very cold, and can crack hot computer parts.
So: there's no perfect answer. Dry chemicals are corrosive (and a horror to clean up!), Halon helps destroy the ozone layer, and carbon dioxide may cause damaging thermal stresses. But of the three, I guess I'll go for CO2 for my computer gear.
-------------( Please Visit This LangaList Sponsor!) ------------
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )-------------- Last week's discussion of
registry backup tips ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/oct-28-99.htm#reg
) brought a surprising flood of email. (Thanks to all who wrote!) Here are two of the best letters;
some of the information is usable as-is; some (such as the exact path and drive
names) might have to be slightly modified to work on your particular setup. But
all the ideas here are worthwhile, and may spark ideas for better ways to manage
your registry backups. Also, be careful with line
breaks---your email reader may wrap these lines when they shouldn't be. To see
the lines in the correct format, check out the HTML version of this newsletter,
which lives in the What's New section at www.langa.com.
(The HTML version isn't yet available via email---sorry.) Bill Korbet: There seem to be many
ways to backup the registry. The method I use seems to be fool-proof and I use
it all the time. I backup in Windows, but I ONLY Restore in DOS (with no Win
Files running!) These Batch Files live
in the "REGISTRY" Folder on my C Drive.File names follow the 8.3 DOS
filename.ext routine. This is what I have been
using to backup my registry: File Name:Rbackup.bat @ATTRIB -R -H
D:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT This is what I have been
using to restore my registry: File Name:Rrestore.bat CLS This is what I use to
Optimize my registry: File Name: Ropt.bat cls Thanks, Bill! Reader Kevin Jakubowski (who
calls himself "Kevin The Tech Dude") writes: Howdy, Fred. Just wanted
to drop this note. I work for a large computer company that provides phone
support for their systems. A lot of techs will have folks run MSCONFIG and under
the general tab have them place a dot in selective startup and remove the check
mark from enable the startup menu for common troubleshooting methods but they
forget to place the check mark back in and win 98 this disables the auto backup
of the registry of boot. Then when they call back in another tech goes to
restore the registry and there is no valid backup. I thought you might want
to add this as a footnote in your next letter to have the users make sure that
if selective startup is checked that so is enable the startup menu and under the
startup tab that there is a check in the scanreg line. Thanks, Kevin! Congratulations to reader "DDevita"
who won a free copy of "Poor Richard's E-Mail Publishing: Creating
Newsletters, Bulletins, Discussion Groups and Other Powerful Communications
Tools." This $29.95 book has been described as "An excellent,
straightforward manual on email publishing, banner ads, driving traffic and
especially ethics." (Full details also available via the link that
follows.) All DDevita had to do was
recommend the LangaList to a friend using the form at http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 Once a month or so, I draw one
name, at random, from among those who have used the recommendation form, and
award a prize. (Note that this isn't some big-company sweepstakes: It's just my
informal way of saying thanks for your help in spreading the word about this
newsletter.) If you think the LangaList is a
worthwhile read, just use the link above to recommend the LangaList to a friend.
Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a
new subscriber; and you just may win a book! Or, if you'd rather try to win a
Palm III organizer, use this link instead: http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1
(Full details on both giveaways are available via the links.) Either way, thank you, and good
luck! Several beta testers of the
follow-on to Windows 98, code-named "Millennium," have shared their
impressions of the new OS in past issues. (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/sep-13-99.htm#millenium
, http://www.langa.com/newsletters/oct-21-99.htm#milly
and http://www.langa.com/newsletters/oct-25-99.htm#milly
) This week, another wrote in: I enjoy your newsletter
and enjoy the extra parcels of technical information it provides every week.
However, the input of one of your contacts this week troubled me somewhat. I
refer to the comments made by your friend, the Millennium beta tester. I agree, in some ways,
with her (I gathered from a previous column that the author is female?) concerns
about having to purchase a new version of Windows, which in reality may simply
be a needed upgrade or "service pack," if you will. However, the
author proceeds to some troubling comments about a new user interface (UI). I
understand that the current beta of "milly" lacks a new UI and this
disappoints the author and many others. To some extent this is understandable,
but the author goes way too far. I understand the
excitement that can accompany a new product, especially when it looks completely
new. However, I certainly do not want Microsoft investing money and the time of
its engineers to develop a new UI to placate the "boredom" of this
author and her colleagues. As an IT professional, I am certainly concerned with
the appearance of the Windows desktop as it relates to implementing it for my
users and customers. I want a product, an operating system from Microsoft that
makes my job and the jobs of my users and clients easier. For me, the computer
remains a "tool," and not just a source of entertainment for the
computer enthusiast. Again, the author makes
good points. Most IT professionals would welcome OS enhancements and an improved
UI in a Windows product. Unfortunately, Microsoft tends to assert its inclusion
of such items while instead providing a bloated product with as many problems as
and few if any improvements over the last version. Few people would argue with
Microsoft's business strategy, but as an IT professional and a user with some
technical understanding of operating systems and their implementations, I
applaud an Microsoft effort concerned more with internal improvements than
superficial changes. I apologize if I have
come down a bit hard on your colleague. It just seems that we often complain
about Microsoft's shallow progress and new progress. At the same time, the
author's comment exhibits why Microsoft can get away with pushing cosmetic and
gaudy, if you will, improvements. Thanks for your time.
Again, you produce an interesting, insightful,and useful column. -------------(
Only 8 weeks left!) ------------
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )-------------- NT4 SP6 is being released:
According to Microsoft, it "provides an updated set of fixes for Windows NT
Server 4.0, Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition and Windows NT Workstation
4.0" "It is important to point
out that SP6 is not a required upgrade. Microsoft recommends that
customers investigate SP6's documentation, and then determine whether to
deploy SP6 based on the specific fixes and their environments, state of
Y2K lockdown, etc. For more information on specific issues and fixes,
please visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/servicepacks
" Not computer related, but these
are (supposedly) real newspaper headlines: 1.
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says -------------( Please Visit This
LangaList Sponsor!) ------------
--------------( the above is an
advertisement )-------------- See you next issue! Best, (Please recommend
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available in the "what's new" section of http://www.langa.com.
(The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [GMT-5] of the
issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available via the same link. Why are you getting this newsletter? There are
only two ways to get on the list (direct email request or via the WinMag mail
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through one of those channels. SUBSCRIBE (it's free!): Send email to subscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net About
the advertisers: Langa Consulting LLC will never knowingly accept
advertising for a fraudulent product, company or service. However, Langa Consulting LLC makes no implied or explicit warranty, recommendation or endorsement
of or for the products, companies or services mentioned in the ads. Disclaimer:
The tips and other information given in the newsletter are researched and are
believed to be accurate, but we cannot and do not guarantee that all the
information here will work on all systems, for all users, all the time. All
information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. Neither
Langa Consulting LLC, nor its employees nor contributors are responsible for any
loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application of
any information presented here. This newsletter is a free service of Langa Consulting LLC and is Copyright © 1999 Langa Consulting LLC. All rights reserved.More
Registry Backup Info
@ATTRIB -R -H D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
@attrib -r -h k:\registry\user.dat
@attrib -r -h k:\registry\system.dat
COPY D:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT k:\registry\user.dat
COPY D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT k:\registry\system.dat
COPY D:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI k:\registry\win.ini
COPY D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI k:\registry\system.ini
COPY D:\WINDOWS\PROTOCOL.INI k:\registry\protocol.ini
@ATTRIB +R +H D:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
@ATTRIB +R +H D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
@attrib +r +h k:\registry\user.dat
@attrib +r +h k:\registry\system.dat
COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS k:\registry\config.sys
COPY C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT k:\registry\autoexec.bat
@echo Run this (rrestore.bat) in Safe Mode Command Prompt ONLY!
@echo.
@echo Do the following:
@echo Re-Boot the Computer and hold down the "F8" key until you see
the
@echo "MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98 STARTUP MENU"
@echo Now select "OPTION 6" which is the SAFE MODE COMMAND PROMPT ONLY
@echo At the Command Prompt, Type "rrestore" (DO NOT TYPE IN THE
QUOTATION
MARKS)
@echo.
@echo !!! W A R N I N G !!!
@echo.
@echo If you are reading this in "WINDOWS" then CLOSE THIS PROGRAM
NOW!
@echo Click the "X" in the upper right of this DOS WINDOW
@echo TOTALLY DISREGUARD THE WINDOWS WARNING POP-UP ON CLOSING THIS PROGRAM
@echo Then Click "YES" in this "WARNING POP-UP"
@echo !!! DO NOT PRESS ANY KEYS UNDER ANY CONDITIONS !!!
@echo.
@ECHO This Program SHOULD ONLY be run in "Option 6" (SAFE MODE COMMAND
PROMPT ONLY)
@ECHO If you did BOOT your Computer in "Option 6" (SAFE MODE COMMAND
PROMPT ONLY)
@echo then you can "PRESS ANY KEY" to continue
Pause
CLS
ATTRIB -R -H D:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
ATTRIB -R -H D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
attrib -r -h k:\registry\user.dat
attrib -r -h k:\registry\system.dat
copy k:\registry\user.dat D:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
copy k:\registry\system.dat D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
copy k:\registry\win.ini D:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI
copy k:\registry\system.ini D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI
copy k:\registry\protocol.ini D:\WINDOWS\PROTOCOL.INI
copy k:\registry\config.sys C:\CONFIG.SYS
copy k:\registry\autoexec.bat C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
ATTRIB +R +H D:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
ATTRIB +R +H D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
attrib +r +h k:\registry\user.dat
attrib +r +h k:\registry\system.dat
Pause
CLS
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo Your Computer has just replaced the Old Registry with a possible(?) Good
Backup
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo.
@echo Now Press "Ctrl-Alt-Del" and let your Computer re-boot normally
REGEDIT /E TOTAL.TXT
REGEDIT /C TOTAL.TXTAre
Your Registry Backups Missing?
And
We Have A Winner!
Another
"Millennium" Beta Tester Speaks Up
NT
4 Service Pack 6 Released
Just
For Grins
2. Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
3. Safety Experts Say School Bus Passengers Should
Be Belted
4. Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case
5. Survivor of Siamese Twins Joins Parents
6. Farmer Bill Dies in House
7. Iraqi Head Seeks Arms
8. Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?
9. Stud Tires Out
10. Prostitutes Appeal to Pope
11. Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
12. Soviet Virgin Lands Short of Goal Again
13. British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands
14. Lung Cancer in Women Mushrooms
15. Eye Drops off Shelf
16. Teacher Strikes Idle Kids
17. Reagan Wins on Budget, But More Lies Ahead
18. Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim
19. Shot Off Woman's Leg Helps Nicklaus to 66
20. Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Ax
21. Plane Too Close to Ground, Crash Probe Told
Fred
(fred@langa.com)
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