Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003 23:59:00 -0400 From: "fred@langa.com" <fred@langa.com> To: chat@freebsd.org Subject: [langalist] LangaList Standard Edition 2003-06-09 Message-ID: <LYRIS-28011777-10764510-2003.06.09-00.00.05--chat#freebsd.org@lyris.dundee.net>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
You are currently subscribed as: chat@freebsd.org UNSUBSCRIBE: Click <a href=" http://lyris.dundee.net/u?id=28011777C&n=T&l=langalist ">here.</a> ADDRESS CHANGE / OTHER PROBLEMS: See info at the end of this note. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156. Advertising rates and info available at http://www.langa.com/ratecard.htm . Questions about the advertisers? See the end of this note. Please also see the legal info at the end of this note. Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! See http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm ! Want the HTML edition (and more) delivered right to your mailbox? See <a href=" http://www.langa.com/plus.htm ">this.</a> To read it online, click <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! Contents: 1) More CD Shrapnel! 2) Question Re: Upgrading To XP 3) Professional Network Security 4) Another HomePage Hijacker On The Loose 5) Looking For Easy, Lightweight Rollback Tools 6) Is This Information Useful? 7) Outpost Firewall Updated 8) They Just Keep Coming And Coming... 9) Another Way To Remove System Files (XP, 2K) 10) Just For Grins 11) Plus! Edition Highlights: "Platform for Privacy Preferences" When To Give Up On A Problem Revealed: All(?) Hidden Google Options --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) --- Free tech support! Free shipping! Limited lifetime warranty! Compatibility guarantee! "Dear Fred: As a subscriber of yours I have to say that your comments about Crucial are not enough. I have Crucial memory in all my computers and they are just the greatest company and the very best place to purchase memory. Their tech dept. even clued me in to a go around to install 768 MB RAM in Win 98 SE which normally does not like over 512, but the go-around works. They are the greatest!--- Marsh Pomroy" <a href=" http://www.langa.com/sponsors/crucial.htm ">Click!</a> --------------( 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 --- ( 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 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 --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) --- Have You Noticed The Repeat Advertisers In The LangaList? Many advertisers come back issue after issue because advertising in the LangaList is both EFFECTIVE and AFFORDABLE. Give it a try for your product, service, web site or organization. It costs less than you think and you'll like the results! <a href=" http://www.langa.com/ratecard.htm ">Click!</a> --------------( 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 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 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 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 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 --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) --- CyberGuys! Your LOW COST, Nationwide Computer Accessory & Supply Source! Check out the great deals now: <a href=" http://www.langa.com/sponsors/cyberguys.htm ">Click here!</a> --------------( 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 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 --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) --- 50-80% OFF RETAIL! Computer Closeouts! Overstocks! Liquidations! Free Stuff, Too! <a href=" http://www.langa.com/sponsors/cso.htm ">Click!</a> --------------( 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 Click to email this item to a friend http://www.langa.com/sendit.htm See you next issue! Best, Fred ( Editor@Langa.Com ) --- Need Help? Have A problem? UNSUBSCRIBE: From your chat@freebsd.org mail account (this is the account you used to sign up with), send an email to leave-langalist-28011777C@lyris.dundee.net , or click <a href=" http://lyris.dundee.net/u?id=28011777C&n=T&l=langalist ">here.</a> 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, 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 free service of Langa Consulting and is Copyright (c) 2003 Fred Langa / Langa Consulting LLC. All worldwide rights reserved. LangaList: ISSN 1533-1156. See website for formal legal notices.
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?LYRIS-28011777-10764510-2003.06.09-00.00.05--chat#freebsd.org>