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1) Now Available: Updated "CleanAll!" 

There's a new a new version available of the extremely popular "CleanAll" batch file that can scrub your hard drive clean of huge quantities of files left behind by other cleanup tools. 

After trying the new file, Plus! reader "Jeanannd1" wrote:

I downloaded the DOS cleaner BAT files you had been mentioning, and just tried them out yesterday. I had thought it would probably not get me that much space, as I use not only Microsoft's cleaning program, but some commercial and free ware programs and also manually go through the hard drive every once in a while to delete useless material.

I was WAY wrong!!! The program found and deleted 200 MB of temp files, and useless files that I had overlooked. Thank you again Fred, love your newsletter more and more each time. 

This newest batch file extends and refines the functions of the original CleanAll.Bat ( http://www.langa.com/cleanall_bat.htm ).  Like its predecessors, it can aggressively scrub your hard drive clean of many junk files, freeing up (typically) anywhere from tens to thousands of megabytes of otherwise-wasted disk space by: It cleans up all Temp files, compacts your Registry and Cookies Index, completely empties the Temporary Internet File (TIF) area, and compacts your Icon cache (by deletion/re-creation). 

But this new version now more-reliably handles circumstances where the Icon cache may not have been cleaned correctly before; and also can automatically run either Scandisk or Norton Disk Doctor at the end of the cleanup process to ensure the health of your hard drives!

In addition, I have a new PIF file to make the DOS-level batch file work correctly with Windows; and a new Registry patch to install the new cleaner into your Recycle Bin menu.

This file is specifically for Windows9x, and is a continuation of the detailed series of articles on system maintenance in the LangaList newsletters and on the WinMag.Com site; those articles comprise the documentation and fully describe the purpose, use of, and precautions about this file. The download page provides live links to all relevant documentation.

Note: With tens of thousands of people trying to access the file at the same time, things may get a little weird for a while. 8-) I apologize in advance if you encounter server congestion when you try to download the files. 

(And by the way, early, congestion-free access to files like this is one of the benefits of the Plus! editions: Plus! readers have had open access to these files for two weeks, which is why reader Jeanannd1 was already able to use and comment on them. If you'd like to be at the head of the line for future files, check out the Plus! edition at http://www.langa.com/plus.htm )

You'll find the general-access version of the CleanAll files at http://www.langa.com/clean9x.htm. Enjoy!

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2) R.I.P. SysEdit

By coincidence, two readers wrote in almost simultaneously about the late, lamented SysEdit tool--- a kind of super-notepad that used a "multiple document inteface" to open five important Windows files at once for easy, side-by-side scrutiny and editing. With a click, SysEdit would let you access and edit your Autoexc.bat, Config.Sys, Win.Ini, System.Ini, and Protocol.Ini files.

Reader Phillip Flusche is a SysEdit fan:

I noticed in the PUKA PUKA PUKA fix article ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-01-25.htm#9 ) that you recommend using a simple editor like notepad to edit the Autoexec Bat. I like to use a program that comes with windows that is found in the Window/Systems folder called SysEdit . When it starts up it brings up several files including Autoexec.bat. I find that very few techies I have talked to even know about it. The easiest way to start it is do Start/Run and type in SysEdit. (I love the Langa List and really look forward to it.)

The trouble is, SysEdit is not present in the newer versions of Windows, such as WinME. Notepad, however, is universal, and that's why I suggested it.

However, if your system does have SysEdit, once you've used it, you'll like it. For example, reader Steve Whitman says:

I am a Microsoft OEM dealer and I am testing Windows ME. I miss using the SYSEDIT command from the RUN button. Is there a replacement that does the same or better. I use the System Information utility from the Tools, but I liked SYSEDIT better. Any ideas?

SysEdit will be present on WinME machines that have been upgraded from Win9x, but is not part of new installations. Alas, I've never found a good replacement editor for systems without SysEdit. 

Absent a better system file-editor, I'll copy SysEdit from a Win9x box, or even run it across a network: SysEdit works on the files of the machine running it, not the machine where the SysEdit.Exe file physically resides.

Readers, know of a SysEdit replacement that works on all flavors of Windows? 

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3) BIOS Updates

The BIOS is the "Basic Input/Output System" of a PC--- it's one of the very first parts of a PC to "wake up" when you hit the power switch, and it handles a variety of extremely low-level functions that must be running before any operating system can load and run.

From time to time, it's a good idea to check your system vendor's home pages to see if a new BIOS is available for your system:  Sometimes, BIOSes have bugs or other deficiencies that an upgrade can fix.

In the Bad Old days, you had to physically replace a chip to upgrade a BIOS, but today almost all BIOses are software-upgradable: You download a "patch" to a floppy, and restart the machine from that floppy. The update program then re-writes the BIOS afresh, and you're done.

While upgrading a BIOS isn't hard, it's also not something you'd want to do just for the heck of it. For example, if you download the wrong patch or err in installing even a correct patch or--- worst case--- your machine hiccups or has a power failure as the new BIOS is being written, you're toast: Your machine may not be able to start at all without a time-consuming and expensive trip back to the factory.

But if the bugs or deficiencies are bad enough, it's worth the small risk, and a BIOS upgrade can help. For example, here's what reader "Netsurfr" faced:

I have an Intel Pentium Pro 200. Bios AMI BIOS 1.00.04.CS1T . I want to add a second drive. My current drive is a 3.8G Quantam Fireball. One computer shop told me the maximum size I could put on this system is a 8.4G Hard Drive. I spoke to a guy in IT department at work. He said to download a BIOS update and should be able to add any size hard drive. Can you advise on BIOS updates pros and cons and where to go to get them. Is their any way of confirming what maximum size hard drive I can add to current system. Didn't find Intel site very useful as they no longer support this motherboard.

Can't afford new system at moment but would like a bit more storage space. I have the system for nearly four and half years and it has served me well with a bit more storage space it will serve me for a lot longer. BTW originally purchased from Gateway (Australia).

Ideally, the BIOS should come from your system vendor; they'll know what works best for your hardware. Dig out your original purchase paperwork or open the case and look for a motherboard serial or ID number. Using that number, you usually can search the vendor site (in this case, Gateway) for the latest BIOS.

Alternatively, you can use third-party and retail BIOSes, but you're more or less on your own in installing them:

AMI: http://www.ami.com/
Phoenix: http://www.phoenix.com/
MR BIOS: http://www.mrbios.com/
Firmware.Com: http://www.firmware.com/

Any web search will turn up other vendors, too.  

For Netsurfr's specific problem, it's worth noting that some of the makers of large drives  include special "soft BIOS' programs that you install when you install the new drive; these tools work with your existing BIOS to enable it to "see" the large drive. In effect, the disk software is a translator that lets your older system think it's talking to a drive type it knows about.

But to get this software, you must buy the full retail (consumer packaged) version of a hard drive: Some discount sales outlets sell drives packaged for OEMs and experienced system assembler use: These drives are fine, but they sometimes have little or no documentation or other goodies such as the special software. Pay a little more to get the full retail package, and you should get everything you need to get your new drive running.

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4) Another TweakUI Trick

We've recently discussed a number of useful functions found in that veritable Swiss Army Knife of free utility software, TweakUI.  Here's another:

Hi there Fred! I have a question that I haven't seen covered there before I was hoping you could help me with. When you right click an scroll down to new how can you get rid of some of the things listed there? I had Gozilla at one time on my system
and that is still there and lots of other things that are not needed. It may seem trivial to you but I am the type of person that like to keep things on my system nice and neat and having all that extra stuff seems just to add clutter. I am running Win 98. Keep up the great work on the new Plus Newsletter: I love it. --- Cindy Payne

TweakUI lets you remove items from the "New" menu with just a click.

You can download TweakUI for free via this helpful page, which includes installation instructions: http://content.techweb.com/winmag//help/sbs/2000/tweakui/default.htm 

For more of what TweakUI can do, see  http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=tweakui&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 .

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5) Speaking Of Tweakers...

Relatedly (to item #4, above) in a recent issue's "Tweaks Times Three, With Two For Free" ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-01-25.htm#2 ) we discussed several free and low-cost tweaking tools that--- among other useful tasks--- could help to remove "ghost" entries from your Add/Remove Software list in Control Panel.

That item generated a flood of email from fans of Xteq ( http://www.xteq.com/ )--- an awesome freeware tool. Xteq is so powerful and has so many options and add ons, it can take a while to discover all of which it's capable!

Put down your flamethrowers, Xteq-ers! <g> No slight was intended, and in fact, we've covered it before. (See http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=xteq&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 ) 

In the same spirit of completeness, here's what Jonathan Franklin said:

If folks have with add/remove issues, they should try the freeware Add/Remove Pro at http://www.superwin.com/  He has done a great job with this program.

And "Charly" writes:

Here's another Freebie, from Mithril Software, for Cleaning the Start Menu

  http://www.iceview.com/cleaner.html 

It's easy enough to delete entries there "manually", but this finds broken ones (no more "Windows Is Searching For...and will attempt to link it to Something Totally Unrelated") 

Thanks to all who wrote in!

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6) John J Lovas Got His Gift Certificate. Want One?

Reader John Lovas just got his no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys, and more. He got it by using the "Recommend" link at

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 .

If you use that link to recommend the LangaList to a friend, your friend may find a new source of useful information, I may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win a gift certificate, just as John did. (Full details are available via that link.) The more times you make a recommendation, the greater your chances are of winning!

Or, if you'd like to try to win $10,000 (really!), try this link (full details also available here): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1 

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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7) About The "Universal Disk Format"

A reader ran into some issues involving "UDF" when he was trying to get his CD drives to work with DMA.(See http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/2001/02.htm )

Hello Fred, do you think you could whip up something about UDF? What does it have to do with DMA? --- Colvert

According to the Techencyclopedia ( http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm?term=udf )UDF is:

Universal Disk Format: A file system for optical media developed by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA). It was designed for read-write interoperability between all the major operating systems as well as compatibility between rewritable and write-once media. DVDs are based on the UDF format, and UDF is an optional second standard for CD-R and CD-RW disks.... A CD-R and CD-RW format introduced in 1996 that allows data to be recorded in packets rather than in a continuous stream. This format is similar to a hard disk and enables small numbers of files to be added. It also eliminates underruns where the computer cannot keep up with the recording process.

That last bit is the most pertinent part for this discussion: UDF "Packet Writing," is used by some software to write directly to a CDR or CDRW: For example, Drive Image uses Packet Writing when you ask it to "burn" a CD directly from DOS.

More info: http://www.emediapro.net/MayEM/mcmurdie5.html 

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8) They Loaded The Code

Do you have a home page or website? (It doesn't matter what size.) Please click over to http://www.langa.com/code.htm , and maybe you can join the hundreds and hundreds of LangaList readers who have "Loaded the Code!" (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

David's Music Page
http://www.geocities.com/dmrogers01/ 

Boyes Links
http://michael.homepage.dk/home.html

Sprick.Net
http://www.sprick.net/

Chef Baum's Web Page
http://www.angelfire.com/extreme/chefbaum/

Computer Solutions (KY)
http://sites.netscape.net/csolutionsky/homepage

LaGiraffa's Freeware
http://www.lagiraffa.com/Links-FreewareSites.html

Elvis Lives
http://elvisthekingofhearts.homestead.com/ElvisPresley.html

Common Sense Inc
http://www.common-sense-inc.com/

The MICHAEL GIER Webpage
http://www.michaelgier.com/

Art DeLuxe (Netherlands; some nudity--- skip if this offends you)
http://www.heeroom.uwnet.nl/willem.html

Steve's Home Page (UK)
http://www.sdutton.co.uk/ 

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Fred's Own Reference Shelf--- At Up To 20% Discounts!

Check out computer-related books
personally selected and recommended by Fred Langa
and available at Amazon.COM's deepest discounts!

http://www.langa.com/books.htm 

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9) I Want My NGI

My first online experience was 20-ish years ago with a 300 bps (that's 0.3 kbps) acoustic modem I'd clamp onto the ear- and mouthpiece of my phone. It seemed cool and high-tech at the time. <g>

Today, my cable company has an all-digital  fiber-optic network drop at my curb, with a beefy, highly-shielded metal cable running from curbside to my house carrying data to and from my cable modem--- and, oh by the way, about 500 cable TV channels too. It seems fairly cool and high-tech now, but I'm sure in 20 years it'll seem as antiquated as that cheesy 300 bps modems does today.

The "Next Generation Internet" and its spinoffs (such as "Internet2") offer a current glimpse into that future world--- with both its overt positives and implied negatives, as reader David Lange suggests:

Dear Fred: Your Byte article on the NGI is simply fabs man! - one big eye-opener. ( http://www.byte.com/column/BYT20010119S0009 ) And the resources given therein are a treasure trove for what will be reality not too far away in time. I have yet to check out those sites one by one. 

Which makes me wonder whether ordinary guys like me will be able to cope with the NGI. Because it's one big hassle dealing with the present one, I think.

What, does the prospect of live, full color, interactive, high-resolution 3D virtual reality spam alarm you? <g> Seriously, there may be new problem that will acompany the new benefits of the highly connected future--- but pro or con, it's better to know what's coming than not.

Check it out at http://www.byte.com/column/BYT20010119S0009 !

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10) Just For Grins

Several readers sent along this delicious parody of the kind of fuzzy thinking, bad analysis, and pseudo-scientific arguments that crop up all too often today:

Bread Kills!

1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users.
   

2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests.

3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were unacceptably high; many women died in childbirth; and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, and influenza ravaged whole nations.
   

4. Every piece of bread you eat brings you nearer to death.
   

5. Bread is associated with all the major diseases of the body. For example, nearly all sick people have eaten bread. The effects are obviously cumulative:

   • 99.9% of all people who die from cancer have eaten bread.

   • 100% of all soldiers have eaten bread.

   • 96.9% of all Communist sympathizers have eaten bread.

   • 99.7% of the people involved in air and auto accidents ate bread within 6 months preceding the accident.

   • 93.1% of juvenile delinquents came from homes where bread is served frequently.
     

6. Evidence points to the long-term effects of bread eating: Of all the people born since 1839 who later dined on bread, there has been a 100% mortality rate.
   

7. Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as a teaspoon of dough can be used to suffocate a lab rat. The average American eats more bread than that in one day!
   

8. Primitive tribal societies that have no bread exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and osteoporosis.
   

9. Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat begged for bread after as little as two days.
   

10. Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter, and even cold cuts.
    

11. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person.
    

12. Newborn babies can choke on bread.
    

13. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute.
    

14. Most bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling.

In light of these frightening statistics, we propose the following bread restrictions:

1. No sale of bread to minors.

2. A nationwide "Just Say No To Toast" campaign, complete celebrity TV spots and bumper stickers.

3. A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to pay for all the societal ills we might associate with bread.

4. No animal or human images, nor any primary colors (which may appeal to children) may be used to promote bread usage.

5. The establishment of "Bread-free" zones around schools.

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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:

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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 service of Langa Consulting LLC and is Copyright © 1997-2005Langa Consulting LLC. All rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156

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