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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2001-05-07

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) More CPU-Slowdown Sleuthing

Many readers suggested additional possible causes for the strange case of the the CPU that slowed down over time. (See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-04-30.htm#3 for the description of the problem, and several likely causes/cures.) Here are representative letters:

I suspect that his CMOS battery is giving out, and his system is reverting to BIOS defaults. Other symptoms usually associated with a tired battery are incorrect system dates and unbootable hard drives. If it is a lithium battery (button-shape held by a clip), it is easy to replace. If it is a Nickel-Cadmium battery (usually a short, fat, black or blue barrel soldered to the board), the easy solution is to buy a battery pack that plugs in to the header. In this case, you must move a jumper to select the external battery. The select jumper header is 3 pins, and the external battery connection header is 4 pins. Any 3V battery pack with the proper connector will work--lithium or 2 alkaline AA for example. The purpose is just to keep the CMOS memory powered when the machine is off so your configuration settings are not lost. ---Michael Genin

On the CPU slowdown problem, I have had this problem many times in our 5 lab computers of various vintage and the most common problem I've seen is internal CPU fan failure. I don't know if processors self-protect when they get hot by slowing down, or if it's just what happens, but symptoms are slow speeds, failure to communicate or print. The majority of these small fans don't last much more than a year in my experience.--- Art Rumpf [Yes, some systems can slow down the CPU when it overheats. See also: http://www.informationweek.com/LP/columnists/langa/2001/06.htm --- Fred]

In the old days we used to have to periodically 're-seat' jumpers and cards to restore intermittent connections. I know that it is a rare and unlikely occurrence these days. But, it doesn't take much to interfere with a lowly 5 volt signal. (Or, 3.3v if that's the section of bus the jumpers are on.) Tin plated jumpers more so than gold, and then dust... If a jumper connection is intermittent and read wrong when the bios 'interrogates' the jumper settings the bios will load the wrong multiplication factor. There are programs that let you adjust the CPU's clock multiplier after boot. That may be a cure. Especially if the MB part that buffers the jumpers is actually bad. May buy some time. So, before panic, the reader might try carefully re-seating all the jumpers by removing them one at a time and replacing them exactly where they were before. --- Mike Druckenmiller

It may be the hard disk. I have spent much time with an HP Pavilion that runs brutally slow (25 seconds to open Windows explorer). The only problem seemed to be that Win98 System Monitor showed the machine using a lot of cpu even when it was doing nothing. Generally 35% busy when doing nothing, sometimes even 80% busy doing nothing. The only programs running were Systray, Explorer and System Monitor. Much time was spent on this from the software side to avail. Eventually, I ran the hard disk health check software from Maxtor the vendor of the hard disk. It reported a problem, the S.M.A.R.T. self-test failed. Other SMART hard disk software also showed problems. I'm still waiting to hear back from both HP and Maxtor, my problem is not fully resolved or explained, but there seems to be no question that the high cpu usage and general system slowness (and I mean REAL slow) is due to the hard disk. --- Michael Horowitz

Thanks, guys!

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2) More Free Spell-Checkers

In "Spell Check Almost *Anything!*" ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-05-03.htm#2 ) we discussed a free tool that let you add spell-checking to many apps and tools that lack that feature on their own. Well, as usual, other readers know of other tools, and were kind enough to share their knowledge. For example:

Hi Fred: For some time now I've used Michael Quinion's Spell Checker For Edit Boxes: http://www.quinion.com/mqa/spell.htm
An invaluable free tool, download the program and the dictionary of your choice. Many thanks for your excellent newsletter, the archives are a goldmine. --- Adrian Beckerleg

Fred: Here's a link that is used from within the UBB/Forums/BBS software that may provide some readers with a useable option. The 'Front Page' says it's free... http://www.spellchecker.net/  ---Mike Druckenmiller

Thanks, guys. The latter item is available in two versions: free (adware, using banner ads to pay the bills); and a $50/year version. But note that it's a web site tool: a webmaster adds it to pages and forms at the web site, and users then have access to the web-based spell-checker. It's not something that runs locally on your own PC.

See also:
http://www.aspwatch.com/c/200107/d3889BA85FEAA11D4AF1400A0C9E95208.asp
http://www.wintertree-software.com/dev/cgispell/index.html
http://www.xde.net/products/product_SpellChecker.htm
and
http://www.google.com/search?q=spell+check+free+add

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3) Free: Hide Folder Contents From Prying Eyes

Dear Fred, I have been reading your newsletter for over a year and I always look forward to opening your email, as opposed to opening most of the other email that I receive. I was reading today's newsletter when I noticed the section at the bottom where users suggest freeware products. And I just realized that the company that I work for has a freeware product that your users might be interested in receiving. (I am not sure if it is proper to submit software from the company I work for, but I think it works well and use it at home.)

Encryption Plus Folders Freeware is a fast easy-to-use program that performs on-the-fly encryption. You just put your confidential files in a single folder and point-and-click. You don't have to think about security or remember anything except your password. Folders Freeware does all the work behind the scenes, encrypting and decrypting your files automatically and transparently as you use them. Super easy-to-use. Windows 95/98/ME and Windows NT/2000 compatible.

I hope you like it as much as I do. --- Adam Cadieux

http://www.pcguardian.com/folders_download/index.html

Thanks, Adam!

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4) DSL, Cable, RASPPPoE & WinPoET

Steve Dyson wrote:

I noted with interest that a reader is having problems with his DSL modem with Earthlink as his provider. I too had some slow speeds and agonizingly slow download speeds and access speeds..that is until I found out about the RASppOe client. What a hair-saver! I was using WinPoet that came with Earthlink DSL service and finally traced that as my problem (with ME and Win2K) so i downloaded the RASppOe and it fixed all my problems!here is the URL: http://sympaticousers.org/links/downloads.htm#raspppoe

Thanks, Steve.

Indeed, the commonly-distributed versions of WinPoET don't work with Windows ME. (Just one more reason not to like that particular version of Windows...) A new version is in the works.

What are WinPoET and RASPPPoE? Well, we have to lapse a bit into geek-speak:

First, you need to know about something called PPPoE, or "Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet." It's described as "specifying how a host personal computer (PC) interacts with a broadband modem (that is xDSL, cable, wireless) to achieve access to the growing number of high-speed data networks." Its big advantage is that it's relatively easy to configure, usually requiring no special knowledge on the part of the end-user about the networking address, protocols, etc., in use.

WinPoET is one of the very first implementations of "Windows-based PPPoE." It's implemented in a way that looks and feels like ordinary Dial-up Networking (for familiarity purposes), but that actually communicates over high-speed broadband cable/dsl/etc connections, rather than standard modems. RASPPPoE (Remote Access Service PPoE) is conceptually similar, but based on different code.

DSL and cable hookups don't automatically require WinPoET or RASPPPoE--- I use an ordinary networking setup for my cable modem, for example--- but many broadband ISPs are using one or the other. If yours is one, or if you're thinking about broadband in the future, Steve's note and link may help you avoid hassles. If you have trouble with one client, you can try the other.

And for more general information on PPoE and WinPoET, see:
Fact sheet: http://www.wrs.com/ivasion/html/factsheet.html
FAQ: http://www.wrs.com/ivasion/html/winpoet_faq.html

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5) Could You Use An Extra $10,000?

The Recommend-It site gives away up to $10,000 as an incentive to use their service to recommend newsletters like this one!

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 or other prizes from the folks at "Recommend-It:" http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=143182

Or, win a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys... and more. (Full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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6) New: 181.6 Gigs In A Single Hard Drive!

That's not a typo: There really is a *one hundred eighty one point six gigabyte* hard drive available from Seagate:
http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/discsales/marketing/detail/0,1121,362,00.html

It's not for standard PCs--- yet--- but shows that we're not even close to the end of the line for desktop-format hard drives. Amazing!

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7) Reader Sites Are Back!

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 From Among All Listed
http://www.langa.com/randomlink.htm

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

Jason Levine's Site (Freeware, etc.)
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/

Web Design (And More) by RB Design Studio
http://www.rhonda-web.com/index.htm

Ragged Edge Racing
http://rerteam.tripod.com/

Personal Site
http://www.justinsloan.addr.com/

Genealogy Tips
http://rerteam.tripod.com/

A Fast, Easy, free way to get answers to all of your computer questions
http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/webpage?webpage_id=triadtechtalk

WebHead Jessie
http://www.webheadjessie.com/

BIOS Web Design & HTML Tutorial
http://www.biosdesign.com/index.asp

Cap'n Billy
http://www.capnbilly.com/

Stars and Celebrities (Canadian)
http://www.glacombe.com/

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8) Meihem in ce Klasrum

I've said it before and I'll say it again: there's *nothing*--- no subject on earth--- that LangaList readers can't comment knowledgeably upon! 8-)

For example, in response to last issue's "Just For Grins" on "A New English Language" ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-05-03.htm#10 ) reader Stanley Skirvin wrote:

Hi Fred, The "Just for Grins" portion of Langalist for 2001-05-03 appears, to my aging memory, to be a noted essay, "Meihem in ze Klasrum" (sp?) which appeared in the mid-fifties in the magazine which I believe was still named "Astounding Science Fiction" (although it may already have changed to "Analog - Science Fact - Science Fiction").

The major difference which I recall from the old essay was that the author, Dolton Edwards (I believe), suggested a new annual holiday for the USA justified by the time that would be saved by his proposed spelling reforms.

With Stanley's lead, I was able to do a Google search ( http://www.google.com/search?q=Meihem+in+ze+Klasrum ) and found that "Meihem in ce Klasrum" ("mayhem in the classroom") was indeed printed in "Astounding" in September of 1946.

What a feat of memory, Stanley! Thanks--- it's good to be able to attribute that gem to it's original author.

(P.S. reader Gary G. Taylor also wrote in, and offered this link: http://www.ecphorizer.com/Eck%20articles/meihem.html . Thnx!)

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9) Just For Grins

Jerry Slaff dug a very, very weird item out of the Microsoft Knowledgebase:

If you log on to an MIT realm, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, click Change Password, type your existing MIT password, and then type a new password... you get the error

Error Message: Your Password Must Be at Least 18770 Characters and Cannot Repeat Any of Your Previous 30689 Passwords

Wow: 18,770 characters. Now, *that's* a password!

The Knowledgebase offers a fix, but not before noting helpfully: "Note that the number of required characters changes from 17,145 to 18,770 with the installation of SP1."

If you want to read the item in all its weird glory, it's at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q276/3/04.ASP

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Fred's Own Reference Shelf--- And 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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10) Free "MacroAngel," WinMag Article Index, Peltier Cooling, More...

Today's LangaList Plus! Edition contains all nine items in this Standard Edition plus about 30% more content including: a free macro tools that equals some I've seen costing $50; an early look at an easily-clickable index of popular WinMag articles, updated to point to their new locations; reader experiences with "Peltier" active CPU cooling devices; and more. As always, all this extra content is available for just one thin dime. 8-)

Plus! Edition info: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 

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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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SUBSCRIBE (it's free!): Create and send a new email address it to subscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net

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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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