How To Subscribe and Unsubscribe is at the end of this note. Mailing List Trouble? See http://www.langa.com/help.htm
Questions about the advertisers? See the end of this note. Please also see legal notices at the end of this note. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156

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

An easier-to read formatted HTML version of this newsletter is available
<a href=" http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-09-23.htm ">here</a>

The LangaList
Standard Edition

2002-09-23

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!

1) XP SP1: Proceed With Caution

Although there are some reports of trouble with XP's Service Pack 1 coming in, there seem to be few patterns that would indicate fundamental problems.

There are very specific instances where SP1 may not be a good idea; for example, if you access a corporate network via Terminal Services Client over VPN, or need to connect to a Terminal Services computer from a Web page, then you may have trouble (see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q328002 ; and thanks to Reader Tim Wise for pointing this out). But this kind of issue affects very few people in the first place, and is resolvable even in those cases where it does happen.

Reader T A Williams found a minor problem in viewing images on web pages, after installing SP1. This turns out to be a documented issue with Norton Personal Firewall and is easily worked around (see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q309287 ).

Other readers reported other problems and oddities, including some issues with Outlook Express. While these may be major headaches for those affected, the percentage of people so affected seems to be small, at least so far.

Columnist Scot Finnie has been looking into SP1 in some depth, and has reached a this conclusion: "I've been running the beta [SP1] for several months and the shipping version of SP1 for the last week, and it's been 100-percent smooth sailing for me. So if you want this thing, get it. I think it'll work fine for you."

In fact, Scot devoted a major chunk of his last newsletter to the topic:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WINDOWS XP SERVICE PACK 1
* Service Pack 1 Is Out
* What's in Windows XP SP1?
* Hiding Microsoft Apps
* Download and Installation Options
* Important SP1 Resources
* SP1 Word of Warning

You can read that, and access all of Scot's past issues, at http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/31.htm

As usual with any software installation, it's smart to make a "just in case" backup before you install SP1, so you can put things back the way they were before, in the event of trouble. It's also smart to make sure your system is as trouble-free as possible before layering in *any* new software: You always want to built on a solid foundation. With these basic caveats, chances are SP1 will work fine for you.

And if you decide NOT to install SP1, please see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-09-19.htm#1 for a fast, free way to plug a major security hole in XP, without having to install the full Service Pack.

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

2) Shutdown Woes

Dear Fred: I run a Windows 98 machine at home for the wife and kids. Over the last couple of months, we have been unable to get the computer to do a complete shutdown. When selecting "Start/Shutdown/Shutdown" from the desktop, I get the familiar "Windows is shutting down..." logo screen, but the CPU cycles and starts back up again. I have done some checking with the startup group, the load and run sections of the win.ini, and the run and run services keys in the registry, but I've had no success. I have attempted to make sure all programs have been terminated before shutting down, but that also has no effect. I have been unable to locate anything specific to this issue on the Microsoft knowledgebase (although it's quite possible I've missed it). Any help you or your readers could give would be greatly appreciated.  (I started with the regular list a few months ago, then upgraded to the Plus list because I'm so impressed. Keep up the great work.) Thank you,  Ron Finer

Although this problem is fairly rare in NT/2K/XP, its *extremely* common in Win9x (and WinME, which is really just a glorified version of Win98).

Part of the problem in Win98 is architectural: In an attempt to make it safer, it was designed not to power off until all running components and modules sent an "OK to kill me" message to the OS, indicating that they had finished whatever they were doing; and that no user data was at risk. Trouble was, if any component or module didn't send that message (for example, if a component had been disabled through power-management), Windows would sit there forever at the "Windows is shutting down..." screen, waiting for a go-ahead message that would never come.

In fact, power-management issues can cause many shutdown (and startup) problems, and yet power management remains somewhat of a mystery to most users. For example, did you know that there are six separate power states available to most current PCs? Don't feel bad if you don't: They all behave differently, different vendors may call them by different names, and your PC may prevent easy access to them all. (More on this in a moment.)

Win98 shutdown problems also can be caused by seemingly unrelated factors, such as the size of your hard drive (!): You see, by default, Windows sets aside a percentage of your hard drive for temporary file areas, trash, and such--- an approach that worked OK when drives were small. But once large hard drives became common, Windows suddenly was having to wade through literally gigabytes of "temporary" files and trash. Sometimes, either through the sheer volume of crud the OS was dealing with, or though improperly cleaned-up installations, patches, and upgrades in these cluttered file areas, Windows would end up with trouble that would manifest itself as the inability to shut down.

Perhaps the best single source for resolving all these and other common shutdown issues is James A. Eshelman's "WINDOWS SHUTDOWN & RESTART CENTER" at http://www.aumha.org/a/shutdown.htm .

We've also covered shutdown issues many times in past issues of this newsletter: http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=shutdown&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 . Proper setup and tuneup (to prevent problems with things like gigantic "temporary file" and trash areas) are covered for win98 here http://content.techweb.com/winmag/windows/features/98runbetter/default.htm and for WinME here http://content.techweb.com/winmag/windows/features/merunbetter/default.htm . (XP setup info is at http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20011204S0009 , although XP usually doesn't have the shutdown problems common to Win98.)

Power management is a huge topic in itself. It affects far more than just shutdown issues, and far more than just Win98. Stay tuned for major coverage in an upcoming issue!

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

3) Reader *Loves* Atomica Personal Search

Dear Fred: A couple days ago, I again searched the internet for a 'pop up thesaurus freeware' program that is WinXP compatible. I have been performing this search periodically during the six-month period that I have owned my new pc ... with zero success [the problem is with WinXP compatible]. This time was different ... I stumbled across a most amazing free [for individual use] application called Atomica Personal. It is located at http://Atomica.com .

The product used to be named GuruNet, and a search of your site reveals that you touched on a discussion of that software in February 2000. Perhaps an update is in order.

Rather than me trying to list the many useful features of Atomica Personal, I encourage you to read a short article published in the Wall Street Journal by Walter S. Mossberg ... click to http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/mailbox-20020404.html  . Also, for your reference, Atomica lists the benefits, requirements, and such at http://www.atomica.com/solutions_products_pc.html . I was impressed when I found out that IBM has teamed with Atomica to distribute a version of this application ... click to InfoWorld at http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/01/08/27/010827hnibmtags.xml . Finally, for more articles in various publications, please see In The News at Atomica.com, at http://www.atomica.com/new_news.html#ibm . I must note that I was quite dubious of the claims of Atomica until I read several of the above referenced articles ... if newspapers / magazines say it is great, then it must be great ... right ? Well, anyway ...  my testing and use of this very user-friendly product over the last few days has convinced me that this may be the most useful free software I have ever come across. Sincerely, Jim Bledsoe

Thanks, Jim. Normally, to supplement a reader's info, I have to hunt around for additional  links myself--- but you've done all the work for us. <g> Thanks!

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

I'm glad you mentioned http://www.spywareinfo.com/ , Lee; we've discussed it previously in the newsletter, but it's a very good site and well worth revisiting.

And "Spybot Search and Destroy" is good, too, although it tends to over-report, treating some harmless (or nearly so) items as if they were major threats.

For example, any part of your system that keeps a record of your past activity--- including helpful lists of "most recently used/opened" files and such--- is reported as a possible spyware issue. While it's true that this info can theoretically be used for tracking, for the most part it's just plain useful. For example, if you open your word processor, the list of files you recently worked actually helps you get back to your previous work more easily. Yet SpyBot reports things like this on an equal footing with true spyware and malicious cookies. Because of this, I think a lot of users will be needlessly alarmed by some of what Spybot initially reports--- their systems will seem to be cesspits of spyware, when in fact many of the reported items will actually be quite harmless.

That said, Spybot can be a useful tool, as long as you read its reports thoroughly, item by item, and don't automatically assume that everything it finds truly is spyware in need of immediate removal. <g> In fact, when you see essentially harmless items detected as spy threats, you can tell SpyBot not to warn you about them in the future--- a good idea.

Thanks Lee!

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

5) Hubs Vs Switches

Hi Fred, Your newsletter was the first Internet service I subscribed to (when was that, 1997?), and the first service that I voluntarily paid for. Thanks for bringing so many important issues to our attention....

I've noticed a lot of confusion about hubs and switches. They are not the same thing. Switches are much better, more versatile, and have become so much cheaper lately, that it hardly makes sense to buy hubs. Here is a wonderful illustration of the difference http://www.proxim.com/learn/library/guides/gd2001-07-17.html

The page is an example of making HTML work perfectly within itself-- it's not an imitation of a printed page nor a debilitated video clip. There really are legitimate uses of animated GIFs. ;-) ttfn, jg

Nice, JG. It's a wonderful example of a picture being worth a kiloword: A quick look at the illustration, and you can *see* the difference between a hub and a switch in seconds. Excellent!

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

6) PR Budget = $0.00

Long-time readers know this newsletter is a one-person private project of mine: It's not part of some publishing empire's stable of publications. There's no budget, staff or facility to handle outreach and promotions. The newsletter depends on word of mouth to grow.

And that's where you come in: Each issue, I try to offer you useful, interesting and amusing factoids to help you with your hardware, software, and time online. Can you take just a minute to help me out in return?

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 "Recommend It" link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1 The "Recommend-It" service is an ad-based site (you’ll see banners and such). The advantages to you of using the Recommend-It service are that you can win $10,000 and that you can add a personal message to your LangaList recommendation.

But if you’d rather use the tried-and-true, ad-free recommendation form, you’ll find it at: http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 . That option gives you a shot at winning a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys, and more.

Either way, thank you for helping to spread the word about the LangaList!

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

7) Stuck CD

Dear Fred, I have been a subscriber for about 2 years and have learned a lot from your articles. But... My problem is this I cannot open my CD-ROM drive (internal).

Here is what I can tell you.

(1) I hear the drive trying to open, or whatever; i.e., it whirrs a little when I press the button.

(2) In "My Computer" if I click on Drive Information I get a message that says, "D:\ The Directory name is invalid." (Even though it has always been D:\ )

(3) When I tried to scan the drive with Norton AV (don't ask me why), I got the following message "The drive is locked by a disc utility. Scan later when it is unlocked."

Fred, as Austin Powers would say, could you throw me a frikken bone, here? I need a clue! Thanks, Bill Nilsen

A lot depends on whether or not there's already a disc in there. Sometimes with a bad or damaged CD, or a CDR disc that's not yet "finalized" or "closed," a CD drive can end up in limbo, with the reader or burner software stuck in a loop or otherwise hung.

One simple fix for this is to reboot your computer and press the CD drive's Eject button as your PC begins to restart: No software will yet have taken control of the CD, and the eject button should work.

If it doesn't, you can eject a stuck CD purely mechanically: Use a straightened paper clip (or similar thin, stiff wire) and gently insert it into the small hole in the CD drive's front panel (not the headphone jack, but a small, often unmarked hole that's about the diameter of, well, paper clip wire.). Pushing the paper clip into that hole lets you manually move the ejection mechanism (that's what the hole is for). This in turn opens the drive door and pushes the CD tray out so you can grab it with your fingers.

If removing the stuck CD doesn't help, I'd suggest that you uninstall your drive via the control panel's system/hardware applet. (You don't have to physically remove the drive; you're just telling Windows to act as if the drive had never been installed in the first place.) If the drive is a CDR or CDRW, also uninstall the burner software. Then reboot. Windows should re-detect and reinstall the hardware upon restart; and you then can reinstall any burner software.

If you have repeated trouble with the drive, it may simply be wearing out: Basic CD drives seem to last forever, but CDRs seem to have a much shorter life. Fortunately, you can get a basic CD drive for under $20; or a basic CDR drive for under $50. So even a worst-case where you have to replace the drive doesn't have to be a huge deal. Plus, for a few dollars more, you can probably get a drive that's many times faster than what you know have  For example, 48x speed CDR drives are commonplace now, letting you burn a full CD in literally just a couple minutes.

A final note: Any CD that causes your drive to hang in the first place may be damaged: You might want to copy its contents to a new CD ASAP.

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

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

Well over two thousand 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/randomlink.htm

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

Balloon Safaris
http://balloonsafaris.hypermart.net/

Blue Quill Angler, Evergreen, Colorado
http://www.bluequillangler.com/

Art Shop
http://www.artshopnc.com/index.html

Self family web site
http://www.gbronline.com/mikes/default.htm

NY Pins
http://www.nypins.com/

Low Price Posters
http://www.hitechcreations.net/

Pick Pocket Proof Wallets, Other Products
http://www.charliesezbiz.com/

Awards and Top sites portal
http://atopqualitysite.com/index.htm

Computerfairy - tips and tricks
http://www.beepworld.de/members34/computerfairy/

Watching Microsoft Like A Hawk
http://www.watchingmicrosoftlikeahawk.com

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

9) New Low In "ScareWare?"

Reader "Al" sent this link along:

How is this for using scare tactics ???
http://www.evidence-eliminator.com/d2w/intro/server.d2w

Man, how low can some companies go? Like some of the other sites we've discussed (see, for example,
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-08-29.htm#3  or http://www.informationweek.com/843/langa.htm or http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-07-02.htm#1 or
http://www.informationweek.com/840/langa.htm ) this site uses totally harmless, routinely available information about a web connection to try to make the gullible think they're somehow at risk. This page even tries to make it look as though your ISP is "investigating" you; and (like many other scam sites) that they can see what's on your hard drive. It's utter rubbish.

I continue to believe that any product that needs deceptive scare tactics to make sales can't be any good; and that this kind of sales technique borders on outright fraud.

Thanks, Al, for helping to expose these vermin.

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

10) Just For Grins

Reader "jbeard" asked about the famous "face on Mars" hoax:

Dear Fred: I am aware that most crop circles are hoaxes but I would like your response to the information contained on this web site:
http://www.enterprisemission.com/glyph.htm

I know it seems long... but perusing the entire article may give you thoughts to consider. I will look forward with anticipation to your answer for these "Crop Circles." thank you

The above site references some clever crop art that mimics several other well-known images or artifacts; most of the page refers to a crop drawing that (wonderfully!) looks something like the famous "face on Mars:"  a Martian mountain photographed in 1976 by the Viking orbiter. Some people say the face is a message, carved by putative Martians, as a sign to us.

If only it were true. Alas, the "face" on Mars was an artifact of the low-resolution camera used to take it. The much-circulated photo of the "face" is actually a doctored image, altered and enhanced by the true believers to bring out details that really aren't there.

Because of the "face" controversy, NASA actually tasked later spacecraft to look at the same spot with better cameras. Guess what? It's just a mountain. Here are side-by-side comparisons, from the NASA archives:
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/extended_may2001/face/ .  Predictably, the true believers now state that NASA is part of the conspiracy to cover up this "proof of alien civilizations." They believe the doctored low-res image is real, and that the later, high-resolution photos are the fakes.

As to the face in the wheat: I love it! Someone is having grand fun, building a new hoax upon an old hoax. It's actually a very, very clever thing; my compliments to the hoaxers!

BTW: These visually-interesting NASA sites will tell you everything you possibly want to know about the Martian "face:"

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast24may_1.htm
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mgs_cydonia.html
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-mars.html
http://www.msss.com/education/facepage/face.html

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm

return to top of page

11) Plus! Edition Highlights:

• New Improved Version Of Archives Is Here!
• Archives Download (Automatically-Installing Version)
• Archives Download (Manually-Installing Version)

Today's LangaList Plus! Edition contains all ten items above, plus about 30% more content including: Complete information about and free download access to self-contained archives that place all the LangaLists ever published (from 1997 through 2002-08-26) right at your fingertips.

Best of all, thanks to the efforts of Plus! subscriber Bronson C. Elliott, they're packaged as a highly-compressed Windows Help File that can be self-searched using the Windows Help Engine's standard (and familiar) interface. It takes only seconds to find whatever you're looking for, no matter how long ago it was published in the LangaList!

These archives are available only to Plus! edition subscribers; they're one of the many benefits of subscribing. Plus! Edition info and access: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 

Click to email this item to a friend
  http://www.langa.com/sendit2.htm

return to top of page

See you next issue!

Best,

Fred
( Editor@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.

return to top of page

Administrivia:

UNSUBSCRIBE: From the same email account you used to sign up with), send an email to
unsubscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net

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

CHANGE ADDRESS? LIST TROUBLE? HAVE QUESTIONS? OTHER PROBLEM? NEED HELP? See http://www.langa.com/help.htm

This newsletter is SPAM PROOF and requires two levels of subscriber confirmation before delivery begins: See http://www.langa.com/info.htm

About the advertisers: http://www.langa.com/privacy.htm#ads

Disclaimer: http://www.langa.com/legal.htm  In brief: 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 your choosing to use any information presented here.

This newsletter is a service of Langa Consulting LLC and is Copyright © 1997-2005 Fred Langa/ Langa Consulting LLC. All worldwide rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156

return to top of page