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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2001-01-22

A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware, 
Software, and Time Online

Please visit our sponsors and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!

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1) General DMA-dness Continues

When 150,000 readers start digging for information on a  topic, you *know* they'll turn up some interesting stuff!

Hello Fred, I've found the absolute ultimate FAQ for people with CD-Writers. It's incredible (and even addresses DMA )). The URL is below. Oh, and if you do use it and accidentally-on-purpose insert my Web site link as well, I'd be terribly grateful ) The FAQ:  http://www.fadden.com/cdrfaq/  
---Loadstar (his site: http://www.loadstar.prometeus.net/ )

[A]s reported the DMA setting can affect CD Writers as documented in several Roxio (Adaptec) EZ CD Creator and Soundstream articles. You can search (for "DMA") in their KB
http://ask.roxio.com/cgi-bin/roxio_tic/search ---Paul Clement

A good tool to check transfer rates and cpu consumption is "diskspeed32" which can be found at http://www.iop.kiev.ua/~vgrin/DiskSpeed32/ --- Phil Hochstetler

Of course, other drive speed testing tools include WinTune ( http://wintune.winmag.com/ ), PCpitstop ( http://www.pcpitstop.com/ ), and a variety of shareware/freeware tools at 
http://www.windrivers.com/utility/scripts/util.asp?cat=HardDrive&cat2=Hard%20Drive%20Utilities

You may already have some basic drive speed testing tools on your system, too. For example, Norton's "System Information" has a built-in drive speed benchmark test.

Thanks to all who write in, both to me directly, and in the discussion area associated with the original article on DMA I posted at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2001/02.htm

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2) ... And Don't Forget Win2K/NT

Although fewer LangaList readers use Windows 2000 and NT than use Win98, the Win2K/NT crowd tend to make up in savvy what they lack in raw numbers. 8-) Here's a sample of what Win2K-using readers dug up about DMA on their systems:

Perhaps the easiest way to examine DMA access in NT (and who knows, maybe in other OS's as well) is to get DMACheck from MS... http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q191/7/74.ASP --- Ed

I recently finished building my first PC for home and ran into some problems with DMA on ATA100 HDD's. I run 2 Maxtor 7200RPM ATA100 Hard drives. Device manager always showed the drives to be in PIO mode. Finally, searching thru MS knowledge bases I found http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q269/5/55.asp This article explains the problem and gives some information on contacting MS for a hotfix ( http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q260/2/33.ASP )that is due with SP2. The Plus edition is great. Glad I signed on.---Ben Turner

I was reading your latest newsletter on DMA when I remembered an extra step I had to do when setting up my win2k machine. UDMA66 mode, with intel chipsets, is disabled by default and requires an edit to the registry to use. So just choosing enable DMA when available will not mean you're gonna get UDMA66 mode. Here's the MS knowledge base http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q247/9/51.ASP ---Ben Driskill

Reader William Robison found these troubleshooting links helpful:

Clarification of Enhanced IDE under Windows NT 4.0 - Q152307
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q152/3/07.asp

Stop 0x0000000A in Atapi.sys (Post SP2) with DMA Enabled - Q174232
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q174/2/32.asp 

STOP 0x0000000A or Difficulty Recognizing IDE CD-ROM Drives - Q177257
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q177/2/57.asp 

How to enable / disable IDE DMA Bus-Mastering using ATAPI.SYS - Q158873
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q158/8/73.asp 

Thanks, guys!

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3) All Your OE5 Problems Solved?

In the last issue, I wrote about "Awesome Free Resource For Solving OE5 Problems." (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-01-18.htm#5 ). Well, two readers sent in mails that arrived within seconds of each other--- and they just may have one-upped me <g>:

Reading your item about Outlook Express information in today's newsletter reminded me that http://www.tomsterdam.com also contains a wealth of information about OE5.---Bob Coleman

I am a regular subscriber of your Langa List. I find the same quite interesting and informative.... I just read about the OE tips from the Langalist dated 18th Jan. In this connection, I would suggest that you visit Tom Koch's site at tomsterdam.com, which is a truly magnificent effort specifically relating to OE and many tips and tricks. He has also got other interesting links. Tom's site has saved many a skin and he regularly contributes to the Lockergnome newsgroups with his suggestions and ideas. Mention Tom's site and let your readers crash his webserver, if possible. Regards for a great newsletter, which I look forward to receiving.--- N Ramasubramaniam

I hadn't seen http:// www.tomsterdam.com before, and indeed, it is a very rich resource. Check it out!

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4) And A Specific Reader-Generated OE Tip 

Patrick L. Mills had a problem with OE5's handling of newsgroup messages, and his solution may help others with similar problems:

I'm a subscriber to your Plus edition. Thanks for a great newsletter. If I could only keep one, yours would definitely be my first choice! Regarding your information about OE5, I have a tip I haven't seen elsewhere that may be of interest to your readers who use OE5 as a newsgroup reader.

Somewhere along about version 5.0 or so of OE, Microsoft, for no reason I've been able to discover, eliminated the ability to directly delete individual downloaded newsgroup messages by just pressing the "delete" key or right-clicking on the message's line in the list of messages and choosing "delete." (Note that I'm *not* talking about the ability to delete a message off of the newsgroup server - that's a different kind of thing altogether - I'm referring to your ability to delete the local message copy in OE.) The ability to drag and drop newsgroup messages into the "Deleted items" folder was also removed.

[Off-topic, offensive, or incorrectly dated/posted messages are just some of the reasons why you might want to delete specific posts within a thread, while retaining the overall thread.]

Using version 5 or greater of OE (after the ability to directly delete a newsgroup message was removed), you can delete a downloaded newsgroup message with the following procedure:

* Click on the newsgroup containing the message.
* Pull up OE's "Find Message" dialog box (Edit/Find/Message...).
* Enter search criteria that will find the message you want to delete (it doesn't matter if other messages are found along with it).
* After the list of found messages appears, right-click on the message you want to delete in that list (you can choose multiple messages here, if desired, using the standard shift- or control-click techniques).
* At this point, your available right-click menu choices may be different in different versions of OE. In OE5.5, the "Delete" choice may be unavailable.

If it is, choose "Move to folder..." and select the "Deleted items" folder in the displayed list of folders. If you have a version of OE that gives you the choice to "Delete" the message, just choose that.

Why Microsoft is choosing to slowly eliminate our ability to delete newsgroup messages from our own private downloaded lists of messages is hard for me to understand, but, at least so far, they have been incompetent enough at that goal to leave us a way to do it, although the process is becoming increasingly more complex with each version of OE.

Thanks, Patrick!

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5) Want Your Own Copy Of Every LangaList Ever Published?

The LangaList started in 1997: Over the years, the format changed many times, but I've always tried to include useful and interesting information--- along with a few things that are just plain cool or fun. With almost 100 issues a year for the last several years, it's added up to a hefty mini-library of information.

As a "thank you" to those who subscribe to the LangaList Plus! edition, I'll soon be making available a complete archive (in compact, ZIP-file format) of every issue of the LangaList ever published, exactly as they originally appeared in both plain text and HTML format. 

Although all readers can go online and search the HTML back issues (at http://www.langa.com/search.htm ), Plus! subscribers will have local copies of both the plain text and HTML versions that they can search on their own hard drives at top speed, using any search tool they wish. (Windows' own Find function works fine!) 

In additiona, Plus! subscribers will receive periodic archive updates of all new issues through the year, so their local archives will always stay up-to-date.

No more "where did I see that?" frustrations; no more cutting and pasting of portions of the newsletter you want to save. Now, as a Plus! subscriber, all the contents of every issue will be right at your fingertips.

And this is in addition to the other Plus! benefits--- choice of formats, earlier delivery, no ads--- etc etc. 

The back-issue archive offer is time-limited, and will end soon. If having your own back-issue library sounds like something you'd find useful, drop over to http://www.langa.com/plus.htm to check it out.

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6) Don’t Make Me Beg! 8-)

If you think the LangaList is a worthwhile read, just use the following link 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 $10,000 for your trouble (full details also available via this link):

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1

Or, win a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys... and more. To have a shot at winning, just use the following link 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 $30 Gift Certificate! (Full details also available via this link):

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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7) Promising New Free Firewall!

Peter Whitman wrote:

Been a long time user of Zonealarm and came across a newcomer called Freedom. It *appears* as though it will give the other firewalls a run for the money. I dumped BlackIce because of stability problems it caused on my system. Might want to mention this to the readers....

http://www.freedom.net/

Indeed, Peter, thanks.

"Freedom" actually is more than a firewall; it's an entire suite of free tools including a Firewall, a Form Filler (to speed up and secure online registrations and transactions), a Cookie Manager, an Ad Manager, and a "Keyword Alert" that watches for user-specificed information (say, your phone number, or credit card numbers) in outbound traffic so it can be flagged for your approval before it departs your system.

There's also a premium version with even more features.

There are some caveats: Freedom won't work with :

• AOL and CompuServe 2000
• IPX/SPX network protocols; Novell Netware Client32
• Free ISPs that require mandatory proxies for advertising
• Conceal Private Desktop/McAfee Personal Firewall
• Macintosh and NT4
• WinPoET when running on Windows 2000
• all Internet connection sharing software (Freedom requires a direct connection to the Internet)
• other firewalls if they are configured to deny access to certain data ports

I've only just now downloaded Freedom, and have begun to see what it can do. But the feature list is so promising I wanted to alert you to it now, in case you wanted to get a jump on it right away. If it can do what it says it can do, it'll be great!

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8) They Just Keep Coming And Coming and Coming...

Well over 1,000 of your fellow readers have "Loaded the code." Please click over to http://www.langa.com/code.htm , and maybe you can join them! (If you've already "Loaded The Code" and are wondering if your site will appear here or on the Langa.Com web site, please see http://www.langa.com/link.txt  )

Speaking of which: Here's another eclectic sample of reader sites--- some professional, some very personal:

View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site
http://www.langa.com/cgi-local/rand_link.pl 

Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm 

Spent Angel Press (underground poetry)
http://www.spentangel.com/

Darrell Knowles
http://www.dknowles.com/

Omens, Signs and Portents of Things to Come
http://members.tripod.com/~patricko_connell/chaos.html

The PROVENZANO FAMILY Home Page
http://people.ne.mediaone.net/provenza/index.html

Maine Animal Control Association
http://www.macamaine.org/

BrotherGate
http://www.brothergate.com/

Phil J Gold's Main Page
http://philjgold.home.mindspring.com/htmls/main.html

School Advisory Councils
http://florida-family.net/SAC/index.htm 

Welcome to Midnight Oil Graphic Design
http://www.midnightoilgraphicdesign.com/

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9) Another (Limited) Way To Prevent Internet Fraud

Some time ago, we discussed several steps you can take and agencies you can use to help protect yourself from--- or react to--- instances of Internet fraud. (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-10-16.htm#7 )

Most credit-card issuers already offer a good level of user-protection, including protection against all or most fraudulent charges that might be made on your card. The usual worst case, rarely applied anymore, is that you're charged for the first $50 of fraudulent activity, no matter what the total is. But more often, if you're truly a victim of fraud, the card issuer simply forgives the charges entirely.

I don't use American Express myself, but reader Gene Plantz does, and he wrote to tell me of an interesting service Amex offers its users:

American Express has a new service that allows you to obtain a one-time use credit card number that can be used at any location that accepts AMEX. After that number is used, it expires (or after a predetermined period of time). All a cardholder needs to do before completing a sales transaction online is to go to the AMEX web site and request a one-time-use number and then use that number.

This prevents the cases where a merchant's database is hacked (or given away) to outside forces. The number you used is dead after the transaction and you never used your real card number.

http://www.americanexpress.com/privatepayments

Thanks, Gene!

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10) Just For Grins

Here in New Hampshire, we're having one of the best ski seasons in recent memory: lots of snow, and in frequent moderate increments to keep the surfaces fresh and  powdery.

Reader Gerry Vrbensky probably isn't from NH--- his ISP is Canadian--- but his ski tips could be:

Ski Season Warm-Up

10. Visit your local butcher and pay $30 to sit in the walk-in freezer for half an hour. Afterwards, burn two $50 dollar bills to warm up.

9. Go to the nearest hockey rink and walk across the ice 20 times in your ski boots carrying two pairs of skis, accessory bag and poles. Pretend you are looking for your car.

8. For ski boot simulation at home, put a pebble in each of your street shoes and tighten a C-clamps around your toes.

7. Buy a pair of gloves and immediately throw one away.

6. Go to McDonald's and insist on paying $6.50 for a hamburger. Be sure to wait in the longest line.

5. Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket and ride a motorcycle fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face.

4. Drive slowly for five hours - anywhere - as long as it's in a snowstorm and you're following an 18 wheeler.

3. Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray blast your face. You'd almost believe you're skiing in front of a snowmaker!

2. Dress up in as many clothes as you can and then proceed to take them off because you have to go to the bathroom.

1. Repeat all of the above every Saturday and Sunday.

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See you next issue!

Best,

Fred
(fred@langa.com)

Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I)

An easier-to read formatted HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section of http://www.langa.com.  (The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [UT-5] of the issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available at the Langa.Com site.

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Administrivia:

Why are you getting this newsletter? This is a 100% OPT-IN newsletter: There are only three ways to get on the list--- signup via direct email request from you, or signup via the WinMag newsletter page or signup via BrowserTune's email-notification service. If you're getting this newsletter; your name came to me through one of those signup channels. At signup, you also received a confirmation email from my list software---no one is signed up secretly or against their will.

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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: (Please see full disclaimer here: http://www.langa.com/legal.htm.) Abbreviated version: 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 © 1997-2005Langa Consulting LLC. All rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156

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