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/2003/2003-06-23.htm ">here</a>

The LangaList
Standard Edition

2003-06-23

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!

0) Item Zero?

Yes--- it's a quick update, intended not to interrupt the normal issue (below).

Last week's refresh of our six servers went well, and things are about as good as they can be without tearing everything down and starting over from scratch--- which I emphatically do not want to do! <g>

I also tried a lot of new software I've been meaning to catch up with, including new versions of ZoneAlarm Pro; Sygate's Home Network (internet-access sharing tool); an extremely powerful boot manager that finally tamed a "who owns the boot record?" conflict I was having on one system that no other boot manager could resolve (of the six or so that I tried); and the new Drive Image 7 and Partition Magic 8.

I'll have fuller reports in coming issues, but let me save you some money right now: DO NOT buy the new Drive Image and Partition Magic, as they currently exist. What disappointments! It really looks like PowerQuest peaked some time ago; the new versions are a real letdown: PM8 is a weak upgrade at best, and DI7 feels to me more like a late beta than a shippable product. My experience with their tech support also was less than stellar, taking a week to resolve what should have been a simple problem. Sigh.

Fortunately, I found an amazing replacement that combines the functions of PowerQuest's Partition Magic, Drive Image and Boot Magic--- software that PowerQuest sells on multiple CDs for $140. This alternative tool fits on a *single floppy* and costs just $35! I'll have a complete report soon, but this looks like it could be the software find of the year!

I also made good progress on BrowserTune, although the last tests in the Level Three series are still not 100% finished. Maybe if I give up sleeping for a week or so...  8-)

Anyway, on with the show!

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

return to top of page

1) The Perfect PC Rescue Tool

Imagine: You hit the power switch on your Windows or Linux PC, and the system starts to boot, but stalls. The power's on, the hard drive is spinning, but nothing's happening. You restart the PC, but the same thing occurs. What next?

You might try booting from your original operating system setup CD, or the "recovery CD" that some system vendors provide, or a generic preconfigured bootable CD such as those you can download from several online sites, or you could even try a classic, old-fashioned "boot floppy;" a floppy disk that contains just the essential files for a bare-bones restart of your PC.

But all those approaches have major problems. The preconfigured CDs steer you in the directions their creators intend. For example, OS CDs steer you towards reinstalling the OS, and possibly losing your current setups or customizations. Vendor "Recovery" CDs steer you towards reinstalling the factory configuration, possibly losing not only your setup, but all your user data as well. Preconfigured bootable CDs give you the tools the CD creators thought you'd want, meaning it's a shot in the dark as to whether the tools will do what you need or not. And floppies--- while very handy--- hardly have room for any serious software at all, so you end up having to build a separate software library of floppy-based repair/diagnostic tools that could end up filling an entire drawer.

There's a better way: A custom boot CD that you make yourself.

It's not hard to do, and you end up with one slender CD that contains not only the necessary files to get your PC started, but that also contains everything you need to diagnose and repair almost any kind of system trouble. In fact, it can be packed with potentially as much as about 500 floppies' worth of software, all in one place, right at your fingertips. What's more, the CD isn't some kind of cookie-cutter, lowest-common-denominator tool, but one that suits your own specific preferences and needs; one that's customized for your own unique combination of hardware, software and skill level.

In my own case, supporting about a dozen mixed Windows and Linux PCs, I've built customized DOS boot CDs that contain not only a full range--- hundreds of megabytes--- of diagnostic/repair/setup tools, but also hold copies of the drivers used by my PCs; plus copies of all my environment-specific configuration files and data.

Here's a small example of how this can help: I have nine different brands of network cards in use on my office systems. My boot CD toolkit has a folder called NICS that contains nine subfolders, each holding all the driver files for one of the network card types. No matter what PC I'm working on, and no matter what OS is on any given machine, or what OS I may switch to, I have the correct network drivers instantly at hand.

Same for audio, video, motherboard chipset, and other drivers; BIOS flash updates; and more. Everything--- and I mean everything--- is there on one CD. What a time saver!

There are three major steps to the process of creating your own custom boot-CD toolkit, and I've written out the whole process in a two-part article that's running at http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=10700681 .

The *last* step is actually burning everything onto a CD, and making it bootable: We'll cover that in Part Two (the next column), paying special attention to one way of creating a boot CD that helps ensure it can work properly even on older PCs that were among the first to support "boot from CD."

The middle step is to gather the diagnostic/repair and other tools you want to put on the CD. We'll get to that later in the current InformationWeek column.

But the first step, and the one we'll spend the most time on now, is picking the right kinds of boot files, and making them perfectly suit your needs. We'll focus on DOS-based boot setups because they'll allow low-level access to the hardware on any standard PC, running any OS; and because DOS based boot floppies are frankly simpler and easier to create and use than Linux floppies. (But if you wish, you can also build Linux-based boot disks, using similar general principles.)

The easiest way to gather the files you need for your boot CD is to start by making a customized boot floppy from whichever version of Windows you have available. We'll show you, step-by-step, how to make custom DOS boot floppies for all versions of Windows--- Win98, WinME, Windows 2000 and XP.

Yes, even the non-DOS versions of Windows can create DOS-based boot floppies, if you know how; and if you know which additional files you'll need; and where to get them. We'll give you all that information, and more, using all 100% legal and legitimate sources for the software. (Many "boot floppy" sites simply offer pirated versions of copyrighted DOS files. That's not OK, and we won't do that. The methods I'll show you are totally above board, non-pirated, and totally legitimate.)

Please click over to http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=10700681 for this info, and for links to hundreds of DOS-based tools that can let you diagnose and repair almost any problem your PC is likely to run into. See you there!

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

return to top of page

2) Win98 Scripting Issues?

Frequent contributor Robert Perry (see http://www.google.com/search?as_q=robert+perry&as_sitesearch=langa.com ) writes about a problem that seems very specific, but that actually has much wider implications:

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

return to top of page

3) AVG, Avast, NOD32...

Hi Fred, I just finished reading today's Plus Letter and Alan Reeves' heads-up re Avast. This past winter, I was having some concerns with my Norton Antivirus. I had a good run with it and it did what was required of it, but I had problems with the auto-updating feature to the point that I turned it off and pulled down the updates manually, Then I discovered AVG (Through LangaList!). I pulled Norton and replaced it with AVG. The auto-updates worked great. I just had one not so small reservation. AVG does not support my Netscape POP e-mail client. From their FAQ page

" The E-mail scanner button is inactive.

The AVG E-mail scanner does not support every E-mail client. Supported clients are MS Exchange, MS Outlook and Qualcomm Eudora which use the MAPI protocol. If you are using a different client be assured that you are fully protected by the AVG resident shield.

The number of supported E-mail clients is growing, so make sure that you get the latest update."

Naturally, I clicked on the Avast link and hooked their Freeware avast! 4 Home Edition page where I found this

"E-mail protection consists of two independent modules; first, there is a generic scanner working on the SMTP/POP3/IMAP4 protocol level. It is capable of protecting any existing e-mail client that uses these protocol"

The download has been completed and as soon as I sign off on this e-mail, I'll be doing an install. <g>

Thanks for the excellent Plus! newsletter. Its well worth the $12/yr.---Wally Bamberger

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

return to top of page

4) "Tools That I Love"

Kent Dyer wanted to get his oars in the waters of our ongoing discussion of "great free tools" (see http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=8800348 ), and sent along this list, which he simply titled "Tools that I love." 'Nough said!

Nice list, Kent, thanks!

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

return to top of page

5) Anti-Hijacking Tools

Several readers made the same suggestion regarding the browser hijackers we recently covered (see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-06-09.htm#4 ). Usually, when multiple readers recommend the same resources, it means the tools there are worthwhile. For example:

Thanks, Tom, and the others who suggested the same site.

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

return to top of page

6) Recommend This Newsletter And Win!

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) Add XP's Tray Action To Win98

One of the many nice touches in XP is the way it automatically hides inactive items in your system "tray"--- the notification area near the clock. The inactive icons are still accessible with a click, but they're out of the way when they're asleep or unneeded.

We mentioned some tray utilities that can bring this action, or something like it, to non-XP version of Windows in http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-06-12.htm#4 . Now, reader "Cyberbaer" points to "Tray Magician," a similar free tool:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Tray+Magician

"Is your system tray so full of icons that there's no room for your task bar buttons? TrayMagician can hide the system tray icons so you can more easily read the buttons on your taskbar. To make the system tray reappear, simply place the mouse cursor at the edge of the task bar where the system tray is hidden. If you need to, you can use TrayMagician's context menu to disable the program without unloading it.... Tray Magician also adds another useful feature to Windows. It lets you move a window by clicking and dragging anywhere inside it, not just on its title bar. Just hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys, and then click anywhere inside a window to move it...."

Thanks, Cyberbaer!

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

return to top of page

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/randomlink.htm

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

UK Humor Site
http://www.almosttrue.co.uk/

vitality computer
http://www.vitalitycomputer.com/

The Singing Nuns
http://www.singingnuns.com/

Tom's Digital Photography
http://tomchipps.homestead.com/

Electric Scooters and Parts
http://scootersupport.com/

attechnical
http://attechnical.com/home.html

Ernie's Page
http://1badstud.50megs.com/

Desyree's House
http://www.desyreeproductions.com/

Jevon (blog and...)
http://www.jevon.org/

Woodworking
http://home.earthlink.net/~stevewoolley/wooddesigns/index.htm

NightskyHosting
http://www.nightskyhosting.com/

Crew News
http://www.crew-news.com/Racing/

The Jacksonville Rose Society
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=63779&ck

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

return to top of page

9) Geek Glossary

Fred, Ran across this and thought other subscribers might find it useful. Good stuff and some humorous tidbits here and there.

http://www.zeusprod.com/glossary/index.html

---Jim

We've featured other tech dictionaries/lexicons/glossaries in the past, including these:

http://www.acronymfinder.com
http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/
http://www.siliconvalleyslang.com/ (recently moved; being rebuilt)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/support/glossary/default.asp
http://xxx.lanl.gov/archive/cs/intro.html

But ZeusProd's is useful too; I've added it to my list of reference sites. Thanks, Jim!

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

return to top of page

10) Just For Grins

Australian reader Greg Weeks sends these along:

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

return to top of page

11) Plus! Edition Highlights:

• More Tips re: Upgrading To XP
      (step-by-step advice)
• Benchmarks From Russian Site
      (tools for monitors, hard drives, cpus...)
• How To Merge Two Partitions Into One
      (... without losing any data)

Plus! edition subscribers not only get much more content in every issue (like the above), but also have access to a private web site with over 100,000 words of special content and features not found in *any* issue of the newsletter; along with dozens of private downloads and much more--- all for just $1 per month!

Check out: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 

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

return to top of page

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