Messages

4726

Living Room / Re: Simple way to connect two computers (both XP) ?

« on: August 26, 2010, 12:40 PM »

@tomos:

You don't mention what version of XP is on either machine, the workgroup designation depends on the version of XP you're using, the defaults are:
XP Home - MSHOME
XP Pro    - WORKGROUP

You'll need matching workgroups if you want to be able to easily compare directories side-by-side or use a program like Beyond Compare or WinMerge, (while they can take an IP address, it is easier if you can browse to the respective directories that you want to compare using Windows Explorer).

If you want step-by-step instructions then I don't think it's going to get much more step-by-step than Lee Indy's tutorial - all 48 steps at one step per page, (makes me want to chew my arm off but hey ).

I've walked through them and it looks very simple to follow, pictures are included where necessary - there's also a tutorial for connecting via a router.

No offence but considering your level of expertise in this, after finishing transferring/comparing files/directories I would recommend you unshare ALL directories (folders) you might have shared from the respective systems.  (You really only have to share folders on one system and just use the other to browse/copy any files/folders.)

If your firewall is proving to block the connection then there is also tutorials on how to turn the most popular ones off here.  REMEMBER to turn it back on BEFORE connecting to the internet.

EDIT: He seems to be relying on APIPA, (169.254.x.x), addresses to be assigned by default, (to save the reader from delving into network settings), as such it can take 2-3 minutes before they are assigned - the amount of time XP takes to decide there really is no 'outside' world

EDIT: Boy my grammar goes to pot sometimes - corrected.

4727

General Software Discussion / Re: wireless (wifi) network connection manager with saved profiles

« on: August 25, 2010, 12:22 AM »

Found another one hiding on my pc: Eusing Free IP Switcher

4728

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 7 + NAS drive := major suckage

« on: August 23, 2010, 07:21 PM »

Anyway, sounds like a weird problem - I do suspect that it's the NAS drive that has some quirks rather than Win7, but weird it certainly is. Tried running a chkdsk on the partition?

-f0dder (August 23, 2010, 01:02 PM)

Good point, I just had 3 files on my DNS-313 that I couldn't modify/delete/update and it was because there was a disk error.  chkdsk fixed it but then I just reformatted it anyway.

@tranglos: Since it's affecting all methods of copying files perhaps the firmware update has reset something on the DNS-323, like character encoding:

I created a file named     Abc„def”  – ghi « jklm.htm  ( your file name example ) on my C: drive  and copied ( context menu ) to the NAS. 
It copied without a problem

-ljbirns (August 22, 2010, 06:58 PM)

Tried the same thing, it worked fine.

4729

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 7 + NAS drive := major suckage

« on: August 22, 2010, 08:02 PM »

I do think Win7 has something to do with it, because I did not have the problem under XP, only 2 weeks ago. The NAS drive is D-link DNS-323. What's even weirder, those clobbered filenames on the NAS are even more trouble than I thought: they cannot be renamed (read error). They can be copied back and deleted, but not renamed. The wonders!

-tranglos (August 22, 2010, 05:57 PM)

Works fine here for my D-Link DNS-313.  I don't map the drive, just browse to it via Explorer, (not normally used), or ftp via DOpus, (my normal method of access).



Normally all files copied to the DNS-313 are done by SyncBackSE using SAMBA access but they can all be viewed as full filenames without any access problems.

Perhaps you should try disabling 8.3 names on NTFS partitions?  (One of the first things I do after a new install.)

Set HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation to 1 and then reboot as per information here.  (Take note of the warnings associated with the value - I've never had a problem but YMMV.)

4730

General Software Discussion / Re: wireless (wifi) network connection manager with saved profiles

« on: August 20, 2010, 08:10 PM »

There's also NetSetMan, both a freeware and paid, (Pro), version.

I've also got MultiNetwork Manager which I believe came from GAOTD, they then offered an update to v9 later for free, which I took them up on.

But being a bit lazy I use neither, it was easier to just change the settings for the adapter and set some shares for the 2-3 places I took my computer.

Addendum: You can still get a free license for MultiNetwork Manager 9 using the instructions here.  Just tried it and it worked.

4731

General Software Discussion / Re: Shut down scheduler

« on: August 19, 2010, 11:55 PM »

Sooo... Which term is proper to describe what most ISPs are currently placing a cap on? E.g., my ISP - Comcast - tells me there is a bandwidth cap of 250 GB/month.

-J-Mac (August 19, 2010, 10:06 PM)

You have a monthly download, (they could also count upload data, some ISPs do), data quota of 250GB, after downloading that amount they will reduce your bandwidth from, to give an Australian example, ADSL2+ to 256kb/s or even 0kb/s.  When your next monthly billing period starts they return you to the bandwidth transfer rate you've paid for.

In Australia ISPs rarely refer to it as a Bandwidth Cap; it's Monthly Data Allowance/Amount, Monthly Included Data, etc, to indicate a definite limit.  After that you are either shaped, (bandwidth reduction), or billed per MB/GB.

There was much 'annoyance' at ISPs here advertising Unlimited monthly downloads and then in small print saying you'd be subject to bandwidth shaping to 64kb/s or 128kb/s.  Technically, you still have unlimited download capability it's just a lot slower.
IIRC, it was deemed false advertising saying Unlimited when they clearly do limit you at some point.  Consequently, Unlimited now means Unlimited.......but at a price.

They also advise that customers who download a lot of movies use a tremendous amount of bandwidth. Is that a true statement? And if so, is that because they use a lot of data transfer speed? Or because of the amount of data being downloaded?

The first statement is sufficiently ambiguous to be used in both the correct and incorrect context of bandwidth.

If there is someone downloading movies 24/7 and Comcast' load balancing is 'poor' then that person might well be using a lot of the available bandwidth at the expense of other users.  In which case they should throttle his bandwidth at that point to allow a fairer apportionment of total available bandwidth.
They do it for Bittorrent protocol all the time here in Australia.

Technically, since you probably don't have a bandwidth of 250GB/s there's no way they can cap your usage.  But you might as well beat your head against a brick wall than try and convince a robot at the end of the phone that their terminology is wrong.

4732

Living Room / Re: How difficult/feasible to do a desktop virtualization of my home PC?

« on: August 19, 2010, 08:48 PM »

You can patch both Vista HP and 7 HP to allow RDP Host to work:

Vista HP
Windows 7 HP

I've done it to my install of W7HP x64 and it works fine, (apart from sound but not a problem for me).  Haven't tried Vista because I don't have it.

All the usual warnings apply: You screw it up, it's your fault.

4733

General Software Discussion / Re: Directory Opus 9

« on: August 19, 2010, 01:00 PM »

Thanks 4wd. I think it must have been longer than that because that was shown to me back in 2007 .....

-J-Mac (August 19, 2010, 12:29 PM)

Probably was, time becomes more fluid when you're retired

I think their wording could use some work. The one statement seems pretty unambigous; "on a single computer". I certainly consider my laptop a computer.

-edbro (August 19, 2010, 12:33 PM)

If you only have laptops then I guess you can install a Single license on two laptops you own, (in theory).  I've a Dual license and have it installed on my desktop and my two laptops.

4734

General Software Discussion / Re: Shut down scheduler

« on: August 19, 2010, 12:17 PM »

Are there any downloaders that use less bandwidth or any way to dl using less bandwidth for the poor folks like myself that get throttled by their isp?

-complearning123 (August 19, 2010, 06:58 AM)

No, there isn't.  Regardless of how slow or how fast you download "something", that "something" takes up the same amount of bandwidth.

-skwire (August 19, 2010, 09:37 AM)

I do wish people would stop referring to data allocation as bandwidth^w.

In website hosting, the term "bandwidth" is often incorrectly used to describe the amount of data transferred to or from the website or server within a prescribed period of time, for example bandwidth consumption accumulated over a month measured in gigabytes per month. The more accurate phrase used for this meaning of a maximum amount of data transfer each month or given period is monthly data transfer.

You get throttled when you use up your data allocation for the month, ie. your available bandwidth, (transfer rate), is reduced.

If you set a download at 20kB/s it does not take the same bandwidth as one at 150kB/s.  However, the amount of data transferred will be the same, it will just take longer.

The difference is the same as the one between Speed, (Bandwidth), and Distance, (Data Allocation).

4735

General Software Discussion / Re: Directory Opus 9

« on: August 19, 2010, 12:06 PM »

I don't think it has changed and I don't think multi installs are authorized. You can buy a single license or a dual license. The dual license obviously costs more but you can then install on 2 machines.

From their site:

The single install Licence allows you to install Directory Opus on a single computer.

-edbro (August 19, 2010, 10:56 AM)

The license changed a year or two ago.  See here:

Please Note:

* Multiple-install licences are only for use at a single site. The use of Opus at multiple sites requires purchase of separate licences for each site. Volume site discounts are available - please contact sales for details.
* Single, Dual and Five Install Licence packs include one free personal laptop Licence for the registered owner. In addition to the number of licensed installs the registered owner may install Opus on a single, personal laptop owned by the registered user.

* Emphasis by me.

4736

General Software Discussion / Re: Shut down scheduler

« on: August 19, 2010, 07:55 AM »

Are there any downloaders that use less bandwidth or any way to dl using less bandwidth for the poor folks like myself that get throttled by their isp?

-complearning123 (August 19, 2010, 06:58 AM)

I don't know of any download managers that don't allow you to set the maximum transfer rate.

eg. Wellget, (an oldie but still my favourite), has 3 modes: Unlimited, Automatic and Manual.

Manual mode will limit transfer rate to what you specify here.

4737

General Software Discussion / Re: Shut down scheduler

« on: August 19, 2010, 06:39 AM »

It sounds to me like the problem is that the sites the OP is downloading from do not accept the multiple connections that download managers tend to use - thus the Shutdown-on-finish won't work because he can't use DAP with its multiple connections.

However, some download managers allow you specify sites where the number of connections will be restricted, (ie. to one), Orbit is one of them and I think FDM can also do it.

I know I have used Orbit without any problems on fileshare sites, you can also have it identify itself as a browser, (IIRC - haven't needed to use it recently).

Otherwise, if you want to keep your current downloader then have a look at DShutdown which can be triggered when your WAN transfer rate drops below a certain level as well as at a certain time.

4738

Living Room / Re: ultimate insult from fraudulent ebay seller tries to sell me iPhone 4

« on: August 16, 2010, 12:46 PM »

Paypal has the option to send one time login codes to a mobile phone, (SMS), US$5 cheaper than ordering another gizmo you need to cart around.

That said, I do have one of their Key cards since their SMS would not send me a code no matter how many times I told it to - maybe it had to do with me not being in my home country at the time.
Even though my bank uses the same method, (SMS code), and it works perfectly anywhere on the planet I can get a signal.

paypal has an incredibly cool hardware security key that generates one-time-use login codes; it's like a $5 onetime fee and i love mine.

-mouser (August 16, 2010, 10:20 AM)

Also, it isn't a onetime fee, it's US$5 per Key - they have a life of around 2 years.  Whereas the SMS to your phone shouldn't cost anything.

Don't forget to activate it for use with your ebay account too.



You can also log in a little faster by entering your normal password followed by the code at the password prompt, (eg. password123456).  This works for Paypal and ebay.

4739

Living Room / Re: Lists of Forums with help on home contractor problems (roof, heating, etc.)

« on: August 14, 2010, 05:48 AM »

In Australia we have to do a 4 year apprenticeship and our work has to be to a pretty good standard to pass.

-Fred Nerd (August 14, 2010, 04:13 AM)

Now if only they taught the buggers that you don't need to broadcast a radio for a 500 metre radius because you'll never hear it over the power tools anyway.

Apologies if you are the exception.

4740

General Software Discussion / Re: Which archive software are we using in 2010 (and why)?

« on: August 11, 2010, 04:47 AM »

WinRAR for rar archives for really only one reason - the ability to keep broken files.  Something no other archiver I've tried seems to be able to do, is it really that hard to not have the program delete temporary files?

Otherwise, I use IZArc2Go because it can handle some archives that WinRAR can't and I generally create zip archives using DOpus, (or IZArcCC from a button in DOpus).

4741

General Software Discussion / Re: Anyone have a nice, clean XP theme that I can download?

« on: August 10, 2010, 07:23 PM »

I do like what you've done on the left there..what is that, by the way?  Are those drives?  Did you just take the drive buttons and stack them vertically?

-superboyac (August 10, 2010, 12:17 PM)

Just drag the appropriate toolbar to wherever you'd like it in the lister - you need to make sure the toolbar drag bars are turned on.

it looks like you have a couple of things there that are not drives.  how did you do that?

See my post here for my drive toolbar which adds things that aren't drives.

EDIT: To turn on toolbar drag bars you need to unlock the toolbars, ie. Right-click on a vacant spot on a toolbar and untick 'Lock the Toolbars'.

4742

General Software Discussion / Re: Best app ore method to restore a Win7 system? (not a disk image)

« on: August 07, 2010, 11:54 PM »

Another thread hijack:

I thought I'd try Shark007's codec pack since it seemed people were saying good things about it........stupid me, (will I never learn?) 

A file that before installation I had no trouble playing in MPC-HC, no longer would play the video even though MPC-HC is set to use it's internal filters.

The config interface for Shark007's codec pack is confusing compared to ffdshow, IMO, or maybe I'm just used to ffdshow.

So, after all of 20 minutes Shark007 got removed and I went back to XviD 1.22 (x86) and ffdshow x64 - and everything works again.

Codec packs - BAH!

4743

General Software Discussion / Re: Media players

« on: August 05, 2010, 09:50 AM »

-thanks, 4wd 

-Curt (August 05, 2010, 02:25 AM)

No problem - I just found where I picked up a later build.

Nightly builds are available from XhmikosR >here< - use the msvc2008 builds.

4744

General Software Discussion / Re: Media players

« on: August 04, 2010, 07:26 PM »

Yet, it hasn't been updated since 28-Aug/2009.

-Curt (July 27, 2010, 03:37 PM)

You can find later SVN builds of MPC-HC here, (Russian) - the latest is 1.3.2099.0 on 03 Jul 2010.

Take note that you need the latest DirectX 9 build for it to work properly.

4745

Living Room / Re: Router Q: Bandwidth thottling

« on: August 02, 2010, 09:55 PM »

Quite a lot of the Zyxel modem and router range support Media Bandwidth Management - they can throttle the bandwidth used depending on the traffic/IP/port/etc applicable to WAN/LAN/WLAN independently on a Priority or Fairness based model.

I use it to give priority to WLAN traffic and also throttle my downloader pc when there's HTML/email/etc traffic happening.

Otherwise, there is also cFosSpeed which I've used for years.  You can install it on all PCs and it will co-operatively prioritise the bandwidth among them giving P2P and other bulk protocols a lower priority.  It can also do online budgets based on time or volume, traffic analysis, usage graph and prioritise to favour ping time or bandwidth.

Personally, I think it's a great program and it certainly works for my network setup but you can try it for free for 30 days to see if it's suitable for your circumstances.

NOTE: I'm only a happy user of cFosSpeed, not in any way associated with the company.  I got my license for free, (by providing traffic data for my hardware/ISP), but I also bought another license.

4746

Living Room / Re: Learning from Cats -- My New Strategy for Dealing with Things I Don't Understand

« on: August 02, 2010, 09:17 PM »

Honestly, that's S.O.P. #1 in anything technical that's not acting like it should.

ie. HIT IT!  Preferably with the biggest hammer you can find - if the fault was intermittent before, it's now permanent.....which makes it a LOT easier to diagnose

4747

Living Room / Re: Build a $200 Linux PC -- How-to by ExtremeTech

« on: July 28, 2010, 02:54 AM »

I checked, and didn't see anything like that. It looks like it's still free.

-Renegade (July 27, 2010, 09:39 PM)

Free download - from what I can see in the License Agreement, it's as Zaine said, you have to buy a Service Contract after 90 days.

Solaris 10 Download Customers
Obtaining an Entitlement Document is simple. On the Solaris 10 Get It page, select the platform and format you desire from the drop-down menus, and then click the Download Solaris 10 button. When you arrive at the Sun Download Center, either sign in or register, ensuring that a valid e-mail address is part of your Sun Download Center account to receive the Entitlement Document. Fill out the Solaris download survey, specifying the number of systems on which you are installing the software. Once you have completed the survey, you will be redirected to the Solaris 10 download page for downloading, and your Entitlement Document will be sent to your registered e-mail address. Please remember, your right to use Solaris acquired as a download is limited to a trial of 90 days, unless you acquire a service contract for the downloaded Software.

However, OpenSolaris seems to be free to download and use - perhaps that is the version you alluded too?

4748

General Software Discussion / Re: Problem: The connection to the server was reset ...

« on: July 28, 2010, 02:43 AM »

Perhaps WireShark ?

I used it find out where my connection was going awry with respect to gaming servers on my previous ISP, (turned out they ran all the HTTP traffic through their proxy and you had to specifically request a destination IP bypass otherwise the packets just never got through).

Have it monitor the connection and log everything, (keep the logs smallish ~2MB and only the last few), pause it's logging when it happens and see what it says - IIRC, the log was pretty easy to understand.

4749

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« on: July 19, 2010, 03:26 AM »

Otherwise, freecommander will let you Rename/Add/Delete/Quickview files within ZIP archives.

-4wd (July 19, 2010, 02:35 AM)

And extract as well, I suppose?

-DonL (July 19, 2010, 03:00 AM)

eerrrr, yes....knew I forgot something  

4750

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« on: July 19, 2010, 02:35 AM »

Hmm, this ZIP demand seems to get stronger recently. Can you point me to a free file manager that supports it? I have a couple of questions concerning the functionality and seeing the feature at work would easily answer all of them.

-DonL (July 19, 2010, 01:22 AM)

While not free, you can use DOpus for 60 days, fully functional, on a trial license  

Otherwise, freecommander will let you Rename/Add/Delete/Quickview files within ZIP archives.