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Messages - GBark [ switch to compact view ]

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1
Living Room / Re: 10th Anniversary - long time member check-in thread
« on: October 29, 2015, 09:12 PM »
I must admit to being a lost sheep! I used to drop by quite often but seem to have wandered off for some reason. I plan to correct that in the future. I have always been beyond impressed with this site. The original concept was just perfect at the time (boy, that was a while ago - eh?) and it's great to be able to say that this site's primary focus and integrity has not changed. Great job!

I've snagged a few pieces of software from here over the years and never had a complaint and I just can't say that about any other software site on the planet. I can't wait to pour some coffee and wander around awhile and see what's new.

Keep up the great work!

2
Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Pre-copy file verification utility
« on: February 06, 2008, 09:02 PM »
You guys are amazing!

Both of these utilities have earned a place in my toolbox. Each has it's own strengths though so one is better suited for some situations than the other, and vice-versa.

TeraCopy is great if you want to totally replace Window's Explorer file copy function. It's standalone function is functionally identical, just has to be manually invoked instead of picking up on drag & drop file copy/move operations automatically. It is nice, small, fast, and has a nice GUI. And, of course, it manages damaged files nicely, allowing you to skip them and come back later to deal with them. TeraCopy does have to be installed, probably so that it can integrate with Windows to replace explorer's copy/move functions.

Roadkil's Unstoppable Copier is equally fantastic. It doesn't formally "install"; it just runs. For that reason alone it will probably me my first choice when working with a dying drive. It has lots of configuration options including how hard it will work to read a damaged file. It, too, allows you to work around damaged files and return later to fight with them. This utility is also available in a Linux app. which is perfect since I'm working on a 'puter that I can only read files using a linux CD.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I feel like I've won the lottery or something.  :eusa_dance:

*************

What a hoot!

As I'm writing the above, tinjaw posts his comments saying almost exactly the same thing.  :up: As I always say: "Great minds think alike."

3
Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Pre-copy file verification utility
« on: February 06, 2008, 07:51 PM »
 :Thmbsup: WOW!  :Thmbsup:

I knew this was the place to come for answerers.  f0dder's point about further stressing a dying drive was one of my concerns as well. I just didn't know about the alternative copy utilities suggested by tinjaw & jovejupiter.

I'll check both of these programs out and see which one wins a spot in my toolbox.

Thanks for the speedy replies. I'll keep one eye on this thread while I check them out.

GBark

4
Post New Requests Here / IDEA: Pre-copy file verification utility
« on: February 05, 2008, 07:26 PM »
How about a utility that will simply verify that every selected file can be successfully read from the hard disk without a read error? The program should create a text file containing the filenames of every file that cannot be read. Besides simply giving one a warm fuzzy, it would be a tremendous help when trying to copy a bazillion files from a damaged hard drive to a replacement or backup storage device.

When trying to copy multiple files / folders in Windows, as soon as the system encounters a disk read error you are presented with an error dialog and the copy process is aborted. You then have to reselect the files beginning with the file after the one with the problem and try to copy again. This can go on and on if there are a lot of damaged files to be copied. This utility would allow one to quickly copy off the available files leaving one to either repair or give up on the damaged ones later.

I'm often asked to repair friend's computers (usually after a serious crash without backups :'( ) with the eventual question being: "Can you same these particular files?" This is usually followed by a list of favorite pictures, emails, letters to Mom, etc. Often I can either fix the problem or at least recover most data from a physically damaged disk; but since files are stored independently of the directories, simply being able to see a complete directory listing of files doesn't mean that the files themselves can be read.

I've spent time Googling and searching / scanning the coding snacks here and can't find anything that looks like it would accomplish this simple task without being an 800 pound gorilla utility that slices, dices, and darns your socks.

I figured the team here is the best place to come looking for help. Any help /suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I"m thinking of trying something myself, but I know my limits. I'm actually considering a Visual Basic routine using error handlers to process the problem files. Problem is, not every system has the runtimes installed, etc.

Thanks is advance.

Gbark


5
Best Firewall / Re: agnitum outpost v3 - the horror?
« on: December 07, 2005, 09:33 PM »
Mouser, and others watching for Outpost updates,

Agnitum has releasedv3.0 (557/437) of OutPost Pro. I plan to give it a few weeks before I renew my subscription and upgrade, but the OutPost Forums seem to be running largely in favor of the upgrade.

Of particular note is the fix to the problem of the rules wizard's custom rule dialog not automatically entering the IP of the requested host. I understand that the IP is, once again, provided in the suggested rule. There are lots of other minor fixes and the like and I'd suggest a visit to the forums to watch the proceedings.

The main page for the  forum is: http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/ The announcements thread has a changelog of sorts and is a good place to start.

I sure hope Agnitum has taken the reports of the previous release's ills to heart and made some serious fixes.

6
Best Firewall / Re: agnitum outpost v3 - the horror?
« on: December 05, 2005, 10:16 PM »
Mouser,

I think we're really on the same page here. Agnitum direct support is truly abysimal. The forum is what makes the program useable. If I wern't such a glutton for punishment, and desirous of a secure system, I'd never have stayed long enough to make it work.

I think your suggestions are exactly what Agnitum needs to do to effect a turn-around in what's left of their public image. They should have done those things years ago. They are, like aliens or something. Maybe Moulder was right; the truth is out there, but you really have to work to find it.

My license recently expired and I don't plan to renew until I read several week's worth of reviews whenever the next update is released. If they haven't fixed a lot of the known (some from several versions back) problems I'll probably just stay with version 3.0.543.5722 (431).  :-\

Ya know, I don't remember having these headaches with my Osborn-1 and it's CP/M operating system.  ;)

7
Best Firewall / Re: agnitum outpost v3 - the horror?
« on: December 05, 2005, 08:52 PM »
                                          CAUTION: long post ahead.

Mouser,

Today I decided to check out any recent updates to the Outpost Pro firewall review page and your red warning text hit me like an old Hai Karate slap! I was going to immediately slam out a scathing reply; or at least fire off a long defensive post. Fortunately I decided to follow your links to the OPP forums (where I'm a long time reader and occasional poster) and find out what happened to change your position. After all, I too have been using OP since the OP Free days and your sudden change of heart caught me way off guard.

I read your posts over at the OPP forums and the followups and then checked out the rest of the posts here. (I was beginning to calm down somewhat.) Then I factored in the other posts at the OPP forum that I've followed over the past 4-6 months (since version 3.x was released.) I don't read every thread, but I'd say probably75% make it to my eyes.

I say all that - to say that I do think that you may (I say MAY) be overstating the situation. I use OPP v3.0.543.5722 (431) running under WinME and, yes, I have some problems with the current version but nothing like BSOD's or the like. Many (most?) posters at the OPP forums run XP and have been able to get OPP to run acceptably well with a little (lot?) tweaking.

What I'm saying is that perhaps you could clarify your statement. OPP is really not for the ZoneAlarm Free type of user. I know the promos claim it works "Out of the box" and all, and I suppose it does, usually, but it really shines for people that like to "get their hands a little dirty" by refining the various system and application rules. The recent addition of the "quick-tune" plug-in and the anti-spyware plug-in do smack of ZoneAlarm's propensity for bloat, but they and any/all of the plug-ins can be turned off without any cost to system stability or resources.

I believe that most users that are willing to dig into the myriad of settings, rules options, plug-ins and the like can, (with the most excellent help of the OPP forum admins and users) get an OPP installation that will be second to none in inbound/outbound security and configurability.

Granted, there are some  hardware/software combinations that just don't work out, but is that so surprising when one factor is  as low-level as a software firewall must be? Given the simple fact that there exists such a large and ever-growing, very dedicated, OPP user following (despite Agnitum's direct support being quite possibly the worst in the industry) is direct evidence that the program is worth some effort.

Well, I guess I still ended up with a long and somewhat defensive post, but certainly different than the one I started to write. At any rate, I hope your having taken the bold step of such a recommendation will impact Agnitum in a positive way. I respect you tremendously for having taken the time to post your concerns and an explanation in a calm and reasonable way on both this forum and over at the OPP forums. I know the mods there value your input and candor.

There's certainly no doubt that OPP could be greatly improved and perhaps your involvement will help in some way. Meanwhile here's hoping that anyone who wants to "give it a go" will stop by the OPP forums (linkto:"http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum"). They make the effort a lot easier!

Sorry for the long post. Keep up the great work here!

8
Living Room / Re: Should I increase avatar size? Poll.
« on: March 27, 2005, 07:12 PM »
65 x 65 looks right for the rest of the page's format. I'd keep it as is.

Gbark

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