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 a prize!)

An easier-to read formatted HTML version of this newsletter is available
<a href=" http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-02-09.htm ">here</a>

The LangaList
Standard Edition

2004-02-09

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!

1) BIOS Update: Not As Scary As It Seems

Fred, I recently built a computer with the Intel D865PERL motherboard and the ATI All in Wonder 9600 Pro Graphics card with remote. Both items were new in 2003 so they have minor problems. I'm supposed to flash the BIOS for the Motherboard so I contacted Intel to see if I could simply purchase a new updated  BIOS. They said no. I don't want to go through the process. Could you sometime write an article on firms that will copy a BIOS and sell it to an end user? Thanks. ---Gary Bloomquist

There are many places to get replacement BIOSes, but let's step back for a minute: Years ago, updating a BIOS was nerve-wracking, but today it's easy and usually quite safe. It also usually only takes literally a minute or two to complete.

The BIOS--- the Basic Input-Output System--- in a PC is low-level code that controls what happens when a PC is first turned on, before the operating system loads. When the PC wakes up, the BIOS code lets the PC figure out how much RAM it has, what drives are available, and so on; and then the BIOS finds the "boot device" (usually your hard drive), loads the operating system, and then more or less recedes into the background while the operating system is in control.

The BIOS code is stored in a chip that contains a small amount of very rugged, semi-permanent memory that normally retains its data even when the PC is turned off. However, this memory can be erased and re-written. This process is called "flashing," and the memory is sometimes called "flash memory."

Interesting aside #1: Today, flash memory is usually erased and reprogrammed electrically, like any other chip. But it's called "flashing" because the early versions of this kind of memory used ultraviolet light as the energy source to erase the stored data. You'd remove the chip, and place it in a special device that would shine a bright flash of UV light inside the chip (flash chips actually had little quartz windows built into them for this purpose!). The UV light would reset the chip and make it ready to store new code.

Interesting aside #2: The current Mars rovers use a kind of electrically-programmable flash memory to store some of their data and software. The rover "Spirit" had a problem with its flash memory, which NASA cured by erasing and reprogramming the memory from 100 million miles away! If NASA can do it under those conditions, surely you can do it on your desktop! <g>

To update a BIOS, you download special software from the system vendor, motherboard maker, or BIOS maker's site. Usually, the software creates a boot floppy for you, although sometimes, you have to create a boot floppy on your own first. (The vendor's instructions will tell you exactly what's needed.)

You then start your PC, using the special boot floppy. The software usually does a basic compatibility check to make sure it's being run on the right kind of PC and BIOS; and then starts the flashing process. First, it electrically erases the old BIOS information. Then, it burns in the new code. It usually only takes a minute or two.

When you're done, you remove the floppy and reboot. The PC then wakes up, and usually takes you into the BIOS setup software so you can make sure everything's set up just the way you want.

There are only two major trouble areas you really need to watch out for. First--- and this is pretty obvious--- you need to make sure you're using the right flash code for your motherboard and BIOS. Your system or motherboard or BIOS vendor will have all the tools and info you need to make sure you get the right upgrade.

The second main concern is a loss of power midway through the flash process. If the power went out before the flash was complete,  it might leave your PC half-programmed and unbootable. But (1) it's very low odds in the first place and (2) you can negate even this small risk through the use of an uninterruptible power supply.

Assuming you employ the usual safeguards--- make a backup first!--- flashing a BIOS takes only a couple minutes and isn't hard. Over the years, I've probably flashed 15 or 20 BIOSes, and have never had a serious problem.

But if you want a new BIOS, or if something does go wrong and you need a replacement, there are plenty of sources:
http://www.google.com/search?q=bios+replacement

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

return to top of page

2) Gone, But Not Deleted

Hi Fred, I am looking for a good undelete tool, what would you recommend? ---Lori Leary

Well, it depends. 8-)

For the simplest form of undeletes, the built-in Windows recycle bin does fine: Normally, when you "delete" something in Windows, the operating system simply moves the file to the "Recycle Bin," which is just a special kind of system folder. As long as the file remains in the Bin, it can be "restored," which sounds fancy but really is nothing more than copying it back to its original location.

Things get a little more complex when you empty the Recycle Bin, or when the Bin empties itself because it's full or because the files are old. Then, the OS erases the file's name from the directory, and marks the file's space as available for reuse. But note that at this point, all that's gone is the file's name: The data is still there.

Eventually, when the OS needs the space used by the "deleted" file, the file's data will get overwritten with new data from another file. Then, it will be difficult to recover the old data, often requiring the use of special and expensive lab equipment.

But prior to that, before the old data is overwritten, it's actually not that hard to get it back, although the process can take some time. I use an older version of the Norton Disk Editor, which can search a disk sector by sector for the words or phrases in a deleted file. Once you find that word/phrase, you can search nearby sectors for the rest of the file. If you've kept your disk defragged, chances are good that the rest of the file is nearby.

If your disk wasn't defragged, then pieces of the file may be in widely scattered locations. It's still not hard to recover the data, but tracking down all the pieces can take a very long time: Not difficult per se, but mind-numbingly laborious.

This is one of the reasons why I'm such a nut about system maintenance: With good backups, it's very rare truly to lose anything important. If you accidentally delete an important file, it's probably recoverable from the Recycle Bin, at least for a while. If not, then it's probably in your backups. But if not that, then a well-ordered, defragged disk will make finding the deleted file's pieces much easier than otherwise.

There are many undelete tools available:
http://www.google.com/search?q=undelete
http://www.google.com/search?q=file+recover

And you even can sometimes recover from format or fdisk operations, too:
http://www.google.com/search?q=unformat+recover+fdisk

So: It's actually rather hard truly to delete information from a hard drive. "Deleting" a file usually just makes the data harder to get at than otherwise. And, until the data's been overwritten, it's actually not very hard at all to get back!

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

return to top of page

3) IE6 Repairs, By The Book

Hello Fred.... Still enjoying Langalist Plus.....
 
Have been searching each issue for a reliable routine to "Repair" IE6....IE6 SP-1.
 
Have tried everything out there...and have not found anything that works.  Under Win XP Pro, IE6 does not show up in the Add/Remove Programs display.....and by George no other place (that I can find).....
 
Don't know if this would be a "biggie" for your readers...but for this ole' boy from Mississippi, it would be a godsend....cause I have clients that regularly need some remedy, rather than doing the full Montie repair.
 
Thanks for your time...and keep up the good work.. Windy Wes McIngvale

You're not alone, Wes. In fact, enough people have been looking for this that Microsoft posted a Knowledgebase item: "How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP:" http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=318378

There's third-party help available too, via:
http://www.google.com/search?q=repair+ie+explorer+6+xp

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

return to top of page

4) Critical Update Also Quietly Fixes Minor Annoyance

Last week, Microsoft released "Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer;" the item also was updated several days later. ( http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS04-004.asp )

It's worth installing for its face value: It plugs a hole by which a malicious hacker could cause your PC to run code of the hacker's choosing.

But it also corrects a scroll-bar buglet that was introduced by another patch late last year. We discussed it in "Has Your Scrollbar Behavior Changed?" at http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-12-04.htm#3 :

The vertical scroll bar--- sometimes called the "elevator" bar--- is now distance sensitive. If you click near the slider, you'll scroll up or down one screen, as before. If you click farther away from the slider, you'll advance two screens.

It makes a kind of sense, unless--- like millions of users, including me--- you're used to parking the mouse at the top or bottom of the scroll area and clicking on that one spot to read through a document one page at a time. Now, that no longer works, and you have to reposition the mouse after each click.

The new patch seems to correct this problem, at least on the PC's I've tried it on here. Now, the scroll bar works in the old, familiar way.

Thanks to reader John Cletheroe for being first to point this out!

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

return to top of page

5) Collaborative Bookmarks

Fred: There is a new program that is out free in Beta.  I have no idea what it will cost when it goes to release.  It is a way of bookmarking (actually more than bookmarking) anything on the internet so that you or anyone else can recall it. The URL of Furl is http://www.furl.net .  Really helps in recalling research.

Go to http://www.phphpqc.org/quphdata.htm and you can see how I use for my research on prostate cancer for my mailing lists and web site. --- Don

Thanks, Don. There are lots of bookmark managers, and many collaboration tools. But this seems like a nice hybrid.

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) "Install To..." Anywhere!

Hi Fred,   Love the articles you send out, I am a plus subscriber and I was reading your Feb 1, 2004 article about partitions and how to install programs to another one. ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2004/2004-02-02.htm#1 ) There is also another quick solution for letting your computer do it. I got this idea from the Screen Savers show on TechTv..

Change the default location for program installation

Click the Start button.
Click the Run command.
Type "regedit" in the Open text box.
Click OK. This launches the Registry Editor.
In the Registry Editor, go to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

In the right pane of the console, right-click the ProgramFilesDir entry.
Click Modify.
In the Edit String dialog box, type in a new path, such as "F:\Program Files" (that would set the new default location as the Program Files folder on the F: drive).
Click OK.
Close the Registry Editor.

Maybe you can use this Fred, I know I like it. ---Wayne

Thanks, Wayne. Indeed, there are many ways, and many tools, to let you change the "install to..." and other default locations in Windows. (See, for one example http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/1137/ )

I personally prefer to use a Custom install for each program, however, as it lets me control each program on a case-by-case basis, and sometimes offers many additional options besides simply choosing where the files will be placed.

But as with so many things, there's no "right" and "wrong" here. It depends on how much control you want, and what you're looking to do!

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

Barefoot Bay Computers
http://www.barefootbay.net/

Flying Dog
http://dyer.greg.home.comcast.net/

Bible Site
http://7times.org/

Ed's Hangar
http://enewbold.sabren.com/

"Brainwave" CDs
http://www.stress-busting-cd.co.uk/

Tolkien inspired writings
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/fibber.mcgee/index.html

Dakota Pokes
http://www.dakotapokes.com/

"My E-Books"
http://www.mye-books.com/

Velkommen til Guide til Athen
http://www.adc.mobilixnet.dk/

Drag Strip Racing
http://www.u-will-lose.com/index.html

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

return to top of page

9) EasyCleaner Set Free Again

EasyCleaner had been free for a long time, but then required a modest annual subscription. That turned out not to be the doing of the software's author, who has now started a new site, where the software is again free: http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/

Dear Fred, In the last edition you mentioned EasyCleaner is no longer freeware.  Toni has had some problems with those who were trying to help him and cover his bandwidth costs.  He has since severed that tie - from what I understand  - and the product remains free.  Though I and others I am sure continue to help him with PayPal ;) Respectfully, Richard Manley-Tannis

That's a good thing, and the software's author, Toni Helenius, is to be commended.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch--- or free software. When you get something for "free," someone, somewhere, is footing the bill. It only makes sense to kick in a little to help maintain the products and services you rely on--- and it's the right thing to do, besides.

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

return to top of page

10) Just For Grins

Hi Fred, I know this isn't exactly "on topic", but I wondered if you had heard about what is going on over at http://www.5yearmission.com ? They have put together a fan created project that, in premise, picks up where the original Star Trek series left off. The project is being done for charity and is in their own words "a labor of love". They have links that will allow people to download the entire first episode (which has been divided into 4 acts plus a teaser that opens the episode). The downloads are free. Note that I am in no way affiliated with this project or anyone involved with it. I stumbled on this quite by accident. The acting is, well, let's just say there probably aren't any Emmy Awards in the near future, but it is a lot of fun and frankly I was impressed with what they were able to accomplish being non-professionals. It's definitely worth a look.
 
Regards James (no - not the "James" who plays Captain Kirk)

What an incredible amount of work went into those clips. Amazing. Of course, some of the acting is quite, um, Shatner-esque. But go see for yourself. 8-)

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

return to top of page

11) Plus! Edition Highlights:

• Reader-Recommended Popup Stoppers
      (a great collection!)

• Users, Groups and the "Management Console"
      (step-by-step...)

• "Administrators Only" Error?
      (ways around Update problems)

Access to over 100,000 additional words in special features, extra content and private links, all on a private web site--- plus 30% more content in every issue, for just a dollar a month!

Full Plus! Edition info: 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

(Give a gift subscription to the LangaList Plus edition!
Click <a href= " http://www.langa.com/plus_gift.htm ">here</a>)

See you next issue!

Best,

Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )

Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win a prize!)

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 (instant removal!): http://www.langa.com/leave_langalist.htm

SUBSCRIBE (it's free!): http://www.langa.com/join_langalist.htm

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 © 2004 Fred Langa / Langa Consulting LLC. All worldwide rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156

return to top of page