|
Please visit the LangaList
Home Page
Please note: Older issues
may contain information that is now
out of date
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
An easier-to read formatted
HTML version of this newsletter is available
<a href="
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-06-09.htm ">here</a>
The
LangaList
Standard Edition
2003-06-09
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!
--- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------( the above is an advertisement )--------------
1) More CD Shrapnel!
In "Exploding CDs" (
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-05-29.htm#5 ) I wrote "Shrapnel
'blowing out the front of the drive' seems extreme--- and possibly apocryphal---
but it could happen."
Could, and did!
I
would like to tell you of 2 incidents where this happened to me. I was installing new CD-ROMs into 2 different customers machines when both
exploded with the first use after installation. What I felt was unusual was that
they were 2 different brands (both rated at 52x ) using brand new UNLABELED CDs
that had just had been thru a CD-RW to burn data. When they exploded it damn near made me change my pants cause
it sounded like a shotgun blast! Fortunately they didn't eject the bits of plastic at great velocity but it
sure was embarrassing! The good news was when the local distributor replaced both drives straight away (mind you after falling around on the
floor laughing!!) with no questions. Regards, Arthur Smith
I too had a CD disintegrate while using it. It was a MS Office set-up disk in a 52X Delta CD. The pieces didn't come out of the unit but it blew the tray door open and
knocked the tray out of its track. I was able to salvage the unit. I spoke to MS and they told me it happens sometimes. They sent me a new
office set but I had to pay $25.00 for it. Keep up the excellent work. V/R Del Paxton
Hi Fred, Oh yes! That happened to
us a few years back. I had bought a Pentium III 450 just for
the kids games. Brand new. The PC
was just a few months old. Had a 48X CD Rom. Samsung, I think. [My daughter] Kristen was
playing the game, and I was in the same room on the other side doing something,
when all of a sudden there was a sound of a loud exploding pop. Kind of like
fireworks. Large ones. And Fred, there wasn't any indication of this going to
happen. Everything sounded normal. There wasn't any excessive noise coming from
that drive. And the game
had only been running for about 10 minutes. Anyway, Kristen screamed and went
sideways off the chair away from the PC. I realized it was the computer, so I
ran across the room and turned the surge strip off and then pulled the power
plug out of the wall, grabbed Kristen and got out of the room. I waited a little
bit to make sure nothing else was going to explode, and went back in. Sure
enough, that explosion blew the whole face plate off the CD
drive itself, and the CD drawer was stuck out about 2 inches. And there it was.
All the pieces of sharp bits of the CD laying around. As I got to looking around
the room, a lot of the pieces had shot across quite some distance. I gathered
all of them up and put them in a plastic bag. The PC was sitting just to the
right of the monitor on top of a desk. Thank goodness it didn't shoot any pieces
into Kristens face. They were very sharp, with some larger, knife-like pieces.... I disconnected all the cables to the PC and took the side of the case
off and removed the whole CD Rom drive. I managed to get the drawer open
further. There were a few small pieces and a lot of sharp slivers.... I took the
plastic bag full of the remains of the CD and my receipt and the box for the
software, back to Target. Showed the girl the bag with the pieces and told her
what had happened.... They didn't have a problem at all giving me my money back. Thanks Fred! Claudia Siebenmark
Wow! Elsewhere in her note, Claudia suggested NOT to
put your system where the CD drawer is anywhere near face level. Makes good sense!
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
--- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links
Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) ---
"Dear Fred, first let me say that originally a friend introduced me to the
Langa List. At that time I was a Standard Edition subscriber, I thought I was
being thrifty by not spending any money. Eventually my friend went to the Plus
and he kept telling me about all the great stuff he was finding there. So I went for it. If I had known how much extra
information, downloads and other tidbits I was missing out on I would have
subscribed to the Plus a long, long time ago! The money was well worth
it. Keep up the good work!"
---Mike Styczinski
Thank you, Mike!
The LangaList Plus! Edition is just $1 per month, and is ad-free, spam-proof,
and contains even more content--- tips, tricks, advice, downloads....---
than the Standard Edition you're now reading.
Get all the details:
<a href=" http://www.langa.com/plus.htm ">Click!</a>
--------------( the above is
an advertisement )--------------
2) Question Re:
Upgrading To XP
Fred: Perhaps you can help me with this question. My computer is running
Windows ME. I want to upgrade to Windows XP. I would like to clean out the
hard drive and do a fresh install. Is there a way to do this with an Upgrade
version of Windows XP without having to reinstall ME first? ---Dan
Yes indeed. The "upgrade" version of XP (like
previous versions of Windows) usually doesn't require that a previous version of
Windows actually be installed on the hard drive, as long as you can prove that
you have the previous version of Windows, and thus do qualify to use the
less-expensive "upgrade" version of the new OS. You can use the "upgrade" CD to
install even to an empty hard drive, if you wish.
Usually, it goes like this: At some point during the setup process, you'll be
asked to
insert the original setup CD from the qualifying previous version of Windows. The new version
of Windows sniffs the old CD to see if it's
legit, and if it is, then allows the "upgrade" installation to proceed, even if
the hard drive is empty.
There can be snags and it doesn't always work. For
example, it can be hard--- or
impossible--- to upgrade some OEM (vendor) versions of Windows this way because
you won't have the actual qualifying CD to show as proof of upgrade eligibility. This is especially the
case where vendors only provide "recovery" CDs and not an actual OS CD. In
instances like that, you'll have to install at least a minimal version of the
old OS onto the clean hard drive before performing the upgrade.
And some specialty upgrade versions of Windows---
such as those on TechNet CDs--- must be installed from within a running copy
of Windows. In these cases, there is no good way to install these versions of
Windows to an empty hard drive.
But if you have the normal setup CD for a version of
Windows that qualifies for an upgrade, you're usually all set. Make a backup,
wipe the hard drive (eg fdisk), pop in the XP CD (you don't even have to
reformat the drive first), feed in the old CD when asked, and you're off and
running.
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
3) Professional Network Security
Hi Fred, I have done all the Network scanning tools out there (well most of them). We used Linux for the better part of ten years, but as the products which run on NT got better, {Linux heads please notice, I said the PROGRAMS GOT BETTER, I never said the windows PROGRAMS ARE BETTER} we slowly moved on, When I found this program, all the linux boxes were retired.
http://www.gfisoftware.com/
This program is a must have for any windows based network tech. It allows for custom reports in XML format and for network wide patch deployment, by using this program I have exposed weakness in the DOD / ANG network as well as other "HARDENED"
networks, casinos, banks, Loan companies, Doctors, Medical Billing offices. It works well over the web (VPN) as well as the local lan.
The price of Security your network should not be based on the price of the product but the value of the network you wish to secure. But Hey as an Old 2600 Phreak (hacker in today terms) I know what I can do to a network with a tiny hole, so I am always looking for that hole in my systems.
---Ryan
Most of the GFI tools (there are many) have free
trials, and some are completely free for noncommercial use. Even the commercial
versions aren't that expensive on a per-PC basis (LANguard is around $12 per
seat, for example).
Certainly worth a look. Thanks, Ryan!
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
--- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------( the above is an advertisement )--------------
4) Another HomePage
Hijacker On The Loose
They seem to come in waves--- evil sites and software
that try to take over your browser by locking it to a homepage not of your
choosing, or by forcing toolbars into the browser, or
worse. I don't know what these sites are thinking--- how can they imagine that
this behavior will win them customers? But it must somehow work, as this bad
behavior is common.
Fred: Recently we began having problems with Internet Explorer. The home page
redirects to [URL REMOVED] Originally it put all sorts of shortcuts on my desktop plus an unwanted toolbar
(one called eargckstcbl) which I cannot remove from IE or any other
Microsoft Windows program it appears in (Word, Windows Explorer). I have
controlled it by blacklisting it in my Popup Killer Software but I really want
to eliminate it from the computer altogether.
Also, we get an error message nCase Alert which when prompted to get a
"fix" redirects us again to this unwanted website. Help! What can we do to
get rid of this problem .... Anything you can do would be most appreciated. --- Al and Janice Barth
The simplest fix may not work, but it's worth a try:
Set your homepage back to where you want (via Tools/Internet Options/Home Page),
and then--- while you're in the same dialog box--- delete all temporary internet
files, including offline content; and delete all cookies. Next, click to
the "Programs" tab and select the "Reset Web Settings" button. That may help to
force things back to normal.
Close the Internet Tools dialog, and then try to
remove the toolbar by right clicking on any blank space of the toolbar area
(except the one you are trying to delete) and uncheck (deselect) the offending
toolbar.
If this doesn't work, you can try using Regedit to
search the Registry for any instance of the bad homepage's name or URL; and for
the name "eargckstcbl" or any other obvious word uniquely associated
with the unwanted home page or toolbar. Delete any such references.
Spybot (
http://beam.to/spybotsd ), AdAware (
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) and PestPatrol (
http://www.safersite.com/ ) all may
help, too:
These links may also help:
http://www.google.com/search?q=unwanted+toolbar+ie
http://www.google.com/search?q=unwanted+toolbar
http://www.langa.com/iereg.htm
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-07-10.htm#2
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
5) Looking For Easy,
Lightweight Rollback Tools
Hi Fred! Thanks for providing such a great service. LangaList is the only
newsletter I find worth subscribing to.
I'm still using Win98, but my laptop is now way past its prime and a new one is
in the cards. I intend to move to XP, but hope you can provide an XP suitable alternative to my favorite program, Powerquest's Second Chance. I know this is no substitute for regular backups, so I keep those. But, for everyday use, installing test programs, drivers, config changes, reg patches, etc. it is a godsend. I keep my system running reasonably slickly, reverting to a previous state every week or so, keeping only the new files I've created, or downloaded. New programs only get a permanent place when they've earned it. If I get 'crashes' or conflicts, I'll do a revert and things are back to normal.
I am severely disabled, so plugging in CD writers and backup discs is a big issue, so reverting to proper backups isn't easy. In fact, I've only had to do it once.
Now, I'm looking for the same facility using XP. System Restore only keeps the system files in order. Backup and mirror programs have their place, but don't allow an easy complete reversion, with a simple method to highlight and keep changes I like. What can you suggest? I'm not buying a new laptop until I've heard your ideas! Thanks, Tony
Well, a lot of people like Roxio's GoBack (
http://www.google.com/search?q=goback ), which provides an intermediate
level of protection--- more than System
Restore, less than a full backup. It can be a space and cpu hog, but if you need
that kind of intermediate capability, and if you keep it in check (don't let it chew on everything, all the
time), and don't expect it to take the place of full, regular backups or images,
it can be OK.
Symantec/Norton offers various Registry
snapshot/backup tools that can monitor changes, and also help you undo deleterious
ones.
There also are many, many other tools in this
category:
http://www.google.com/search?q=system+snapshot
http://www.google.com/search?q=system+rollback
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
6) Is This
Information Useful?
If you think the LangaList is a worthwhile read,
maybe a friend would find it useful too! Just use the following link to
recommend the LangaList---your friend may find a new source of useful
information and you just may win one of three FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS to the
LangaList Plus! edition given each month. (If your name is drawn and you're
already a Plus! subscriber, your current subscription will be extended by a full
year.)
Check out the details at
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm
. Thanks for recommending the LangaList--- and good luck!
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
7) Outpost Firewall
Updated
We've mentioned Agnitum and its "Outpost" firewall
many times (see
http://www.google.com/search?as_q=agnitum&as_sitesearch=langa.com ). Now,
there's a new version:
Fred, I thought you would be interested to know that Agnitum
http://www.agnitum.com , the developer of
Outpost personal firewall has just released their new version 2.0. It's been
nearly a year in development and revision and I must say that it is without
rival. Outpost Pro has set a new standard for what a personal firewall should be
and I'm sure their competition is going to be scrambling to try and keep up.
Current users of Outpost Pro v.1 are entitled to a free upgrade even if their
license has expired. This in itself is a strong indication of the type of
company Agnitum is and how they value their customers. The "Pro" version is
available as an upgrade or you can download it as a 30-day Trial. The free
version 2 has yet to be released but it should be out shortly.---Jeff
Outpost Firewall Version 2 Security Features:
New Anti-Leak feature monitors components of each
application you run.
New Stateful Inspection firewall technology provides superior security to
packet filtering.
New Windows Boot-up protection defends your system before any malicious
programs can be loaded.
System and application level filtering define broad and precise restrictions.
TCP, UDP and ICMP level filtering define access for data packet
transmissions.
Internet attack blocking (nuke, etc.) averts attacks that can cause system
crashes.
Port scan detection denies access to intruders.
Stealth mode Support makes your computer invisible to attackers.
MD5 authentication offers added protection for encrypted messages.
E-mail protection guards against dangerous attachments and worms.
Firewall engine resides on the lowest possible level of the operating system...
[much more info on site]
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...
Almost 3,000 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/randomlink.htm
Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date
Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm
Camsul--- "nuclear web browsing"
http://www.camsul.com/
7th Squadron 17th Air Cavalry
http://www.ruthlessriders.net/
Mike Works-4-bandwidth
http://work4bandwidth.blogspot.com/
Disney Vacation
Packages
http://www.thevacationplace.com/vacation_packages.htm
ARIZONA DESERT GARDENING
http://myweb.cableone.net/tfcox/
Barb's Cozy Computer Computer Corner
http://home.insightbb.com/~sassykitts/home.html
2800 doorknob-hanging signs
http://doorknobsigns.sohounion.com/
Barbara Feldman: Welcome to my Office
http://www.barbarafeldman.com/
Lombard Flowers (Oregon)
http://www.lombardflowers.com/
Smartzone for Webmasters
http://www.aussiebattler.com/smartzone/webmasters.htm
CQ Systems
http://www.cqsystems.net/index.html
Karl's Driver Site
http://www.karlsforums.com/
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
--- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------( the above is an advertisement )--------------
-
9) Another Way To
Remove System Files (XP, 2K)
After reading "Adding Optional System Files, After
Install" (
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-05-29.htm#7 ), reader Richard
Dent suggested another way to get at some normally hard-to-remove files in XP
and Win2000:
Fred, In answer to Roy Bird's question related to adding and removing optional Windows components I think it's worth mentioning the file SYSOC.INF located in either c:\winnt\inf\ or c:\windows\inf\ in Windows 2000 and XP.
This is the file that stores the list of optional components that can be installed or removed and you'll notice that quite a few items have the word HIDE next to them which means these items won't appear as options when you go to the add/remove screen.
I like to edit sysoc.inf to remove all occurrences of HIDE - leave all the commas there - so I can see a complete list of optional components.
What are the HIDEs doing there in the first place? Perhaps it's Microsoft protecting us from ourselves or from the mistaken belief, some of us have, that we can get along without Windows Messenger on our system.
---Richard Dent
Thanks, Richard. We mentioned the SYSOC trick some
time ago (
http://www.google.com/search?as_q=sysoc&as_sitesearch=langa.com ). Indeed,
it can be used to reveal a number of normally-hidden system components, making
them easier to control.
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
10) Just For Grins
Reader "kdt15" sends in this two-part gem:
We've all been interviewed for jobs. And, we've all
spent most of those interviews thinking about what not to do. Don't bite your
nails. Don't fidget. Don't interrupt. Don't belch. If we did any of the
don'ts, we knew we'd disqualify ourselves instantly. But some job applicants
go light years beyond this. We surveyed top personnel executives of 100 major
American corporations and asked for stories of unusual behavior by job
applicants.
The lowlights:
1. "... stretched out on the floor to fill out the
job application."
2. "She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the
same time."
3. " A balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few
minutes later, wearing a hairpiece."
4. "... asked to see interviewers resume to see if the personnel executive was
qualified to judge the candidate."
5. "... announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and
French fries in the interviewers office - wiping the ketchup on her sleeve"
6. "Stated that, if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having
the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm."
7. "Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific
interview questions."
8. "When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing
around my office."
9. "At the end of the interview, while I stood there dumbstruck, he went
through my purse, took out a brush, brushed his hair, and left."
(continued next issue...)
Click to email this item to a
friend
http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm
return to top of page
--- ( Your
Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList Free! ) ---
--------------( the above is an advertisement )--------------
11) Plus! Edition Highlights:
-
"Platform
for Privacy Preferences"
(how to use it; or add it to your site)
-
When To Give Up On A
Problem
(sometimes, starting over is the best choice)
-
Reference To Many
Hidden Google Options
(free download guides you to tons of little-known options)
Just 14 cents an issue--- a dollar a month--- gets
you additional special features, 30% extra content and special links on a
private web site. All that, plus a money-back guarantee!
Full Plus! Edition info:
http://www.langa.com/plus.htm
See you next issue!
Best,
Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )
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 © 2003
Fred Langa / Langa Consulting LLC. All worldwide rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN
1533-1156
return to top
of page |