Messages

326

DC Website Help and Extras / Re: Suggestion - Reverse Order

« on: April 14, 2009, 06:38 PM »

anishm:
Good suggestion.  I have tried rss feeds and it works for many of the topics but I still have some figuring to do on how to get others to show.  In the mean time I have found a kind of a work-around that works for me. 
At the bottom of the main forum page is the 'DonationCoder.com Forum - Info Center' showing the most current 10 post/topic replies.
To the left in the vertical column is an icon, looks kinda like a 'copy' icon in some programs, diamond shaped.  When I click on this it brings up a list of the latest 40 posts.  On the left is shown the category/area of the post/reply, post title, poster, then date and time.  At the bottom you can go page by page to 30.  If there are multiple posts of the same topic on that page, clicking the one closest to the top takes you to that one and all of the previous are above.

Not sure if this is already covered in another area of the forum or not, I just happened on it.
If I would take the time to install and learn Screenshot Captor like I should, I could have included the screen shots. 

327

Site/Forum Features / Re: New DC Member Kit Stuff

« on: April 14, 2009, 06:07 PM »

The small stickers would be nice to place on notebooks, laptops, etc.  People would see them and possibly inquire what it represents.  More exposure... more potential members.
The site says they are waterproof so they could also even be put on a bumper for those who are into bumber stickers.  I don't have any on a bumper but belong to an organization that supplies a vinyl sticker/decal that sticks on the inside of a window.  Do have a couple of those.  Sounds like these could stick on the outside. Then Cody can run up and down the asphalt highway as well as the information superhighway.  Just a thought.

328

Living Room / Re: Conficker - The Facts

« on: April 12, 2009, 11:28 AM »

Thanks for the suggestions of ways to check.
I am able to run SysInternals' Process Explorer and go to Microsoft.  So it must be the internet security package I'm running on this.  I have experienced the same thing happening, time outs & web page not loading, with other sites at times.  I probably need to change back to the previous IS package I was was using and currently running on a different computer.

bob99

329

Living Room / Re: Conficker - The Facts

« on: April 09, 2009, 09:52 AM »

Are both of these links working for everyone else?

PhilB66 – Posted on 03/30/09
Conficker Working Group's detection and repair tool list http://www.conficker...hp?n=ANY.RepairTools

app103 – Posted on 04/02/09
http://www.conficker...test/cfeyechart.html

I am getting timeouts / "...cannot display web page".
Could be my security software/settings... trying to determine.
Thought I would confirm the links were valid first.

Thanks,

330

Living Room / Re: OS Re-install Tips?

« on: April 02, 2009, 03:57 PM »

From Websters:

Quote
    Latin, from Greek, from gignesthai to be born

And don't forget the Genesis Project on Star Trek #? 
Thought it might be something along those lines.  An image with just the OS & Office = XP-Image#1, add some more = XP-Image#2, and so on.  Then you can revert back only as far as you want?

On second thought...maybe I'd better not.

Speaking from multiple experiences where I didn't learn... probably a good idea. 

331

Living Room / Re: OS Re-install Tips?

« on: April 02, 2009, 02:32 PM »

I think it's better to have an image than not have one. I keep a fairly current image of my working setup along with the genesis images.

Though it has been awhile since the fresh install I think I'll still go ahead and make one after I do a virus scan, defrag, etc.  And put it on an external drive.  Could get me out of a bind if there isn't time for a full fresh install.  I'm not real up on imaging or the genesis term.  So I have some research & reading to do too.

(BTW -could that app be Quark Xpress or AutoCad by any chance? )

No, it's a program used to monitor parameters and settings in industrial instruments for pressure, level, flow, etc. 

It should work,

Actually it is easy enough for me to find out.  Didn't think before I asked the question.  I'll image the partition, move the license key off, restore the image and see if the program runs.  If not I still have the license key and can move it back.  And I'll have learned something.

332

Living Room / Re: OS Re-install Tips?

« on: April 02, 2009, 12:13 PM »

40hz:
Thanks for the well written explanation.  Set-ups are user specific but I'd say your method would fit most most needs.
One more ques. Something I didn't do the last time was image.  It's been a few months, what would be the +/- of going ahead and doing one now instead of just after a true new install.  I also have a work program I use that requires some time and effort to re-install.
Which, sorry,  leads to another ques. regarding the image.  Could be a dumb one, but here goes.
This program has a license I have to move on and off via a 3.5 floppy.  If I make make the image with the license still in place on the partition, what are the chances it will still work when I do the recovery from the image?  It is an image, so it should be there... right?
thx again.

333

Living Room / Re: OS Re-install Tips?

« on: April 02, 2009, 08:58 AM »

I had to re-install  a couple of times last summer and fall while trying to figure out what was causing mine to BSOD.  Laptop with XP Pro.
I talked the tech I worked with into 2 partitions.  1 for the OS and programs and the other for data.  He didn't understand why I wanted to do this until I explained I wanted the 2nd to be strictly data for ease of backing up.  Wish I had thought of tomos' 3 partition solution.

tomos:
Any general recommendation on the sizes for partition 1 and 3?  The tech told me I needed the OS and program partition to be kept as large as possible for swap files, etc.  I have a 100 gig HD and it is set up 70/30.  70 being the OS and programs.  And right now I have a little over 50 gig still free. 
I don't intend to re-install anytime soon but want to have a plan in place if and when I have to.
thx.

334

General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook 2003 - PST file corruption. Is it X1 ?

« on: April 01, 2009, 12:04 PM »

1st I'm not affiliated with any of these companies.
I have been trying to locate just a pst viewer of some type.  Have you any experience with http://www.outlookconversion.com/
I'm sure "just a pst viewer" isn't as simple as it sounds.  Over the past year I have had to back-up and move old emails to an external drive.
On ocassion I need to go back and look for something in one of those back-ups.  I would rather not have to import all of them back looking for one or two.
Is Recovery Toolbox or Outlookconversion the way I need to go or is there something else?

335

Official Announcements / Re: MARCH 2009: It's the 4th Anniversary DonationCoder.com Fundraiser

« on: March 30, 2009, 01:20 PM »

DC is not going anywhere! 

Super... Great... Fantastic!

336

Site/Forum Features / Re: March 2009 Survey Discussion

« on: March 30, 2009, 11:59 AM »

Done.
Congratulations on the Fundraiser!

337

Site/Forum Features / Re: RSS Feeds for DonationCoder.com and this Forum

« on: March 27, 2009, 07:11 PM »

Glad it helped!
I first tried making the change in the main subscriptions folder but it didn't seem to help much.  So I looked under properties of each of the invididual sub-folders they were still checked. Unchecked a couple of those and increased the update frequency and those folders update on their own instead of waiting for the feed to come from NewsGator.
I'm sure the sync tool is a nice feature for people who want to be able to check their feeds from different computers.  But my notebook is close enough where I am at home or on the road when I want to check, so it isn't a feature I really need.
To tell whether the folder is synched, look at the lower left corner of the sub-folder.  If there is what looks like to be a small orange circle, it is still synched.  A normal looking folder, it isn't.

338

Site/Forum Features / Re: RSS Feeds for DonationCoder.com and this Forum

« on: March 25, 2009, 03:21 PM »

I was having the same problem but it seems to be better since I turned off "Synchronize this folder with NewsGator" under edit/folder properties.
I'll know better after I see if this post is picked up and how fast.  Just installed FeedDemon 2.7 earlier today.  I'm new to using RSS Feed readers so I need to make sure it isn't mostly operator error 1st. 

339

Screenshot Captor / Re: Slowed Down My PC

« on: May 07, 2008, 09:01 AM »

Carol,

I think my brain also reverts to PIO at times so let me ask...
When you say "bad blocks on discs" are you meaning blocks on the CD/DVD disc or hard drive disc?
I've heard people use "disc", "hard disk", "disc drive", etc interchangeably at times.  Do it myself if I'm not careful.
If you are meaning hard disk, could there still have been bad sectors on the hard drive chkdsk didn't report.  And I know bad sectors can pop up at any time.
I need to read up on IDE channels to get an understanding.  I am typically a pc user.  And learn "what is under the hood" as needed or when problems occur.

Thanks again!

340

Screenshot Captor / Re: Slowed Down My PC

« on: May 07, 2008, 08:07 AM »

f0dder & Carol,

Thanks to both for your tips & suggestions.  Looks like I'm back up to speed.  It was the PIO revert.
It took a while to get back to this point since backing up my data files and the chkdsk both took a reeeaal long time at the slower speed.  Close to 7 hrs total for the two.   Only 23 GB of backup on the data partition and running chkdsk on the 35 GB program partition.  Chkdsk did not indicate any bad sectors.

Now if it happens again I need to think back to what may have caused it.  In my case it may have been my CD/DVD.  I remember a little while back it did seem to be struggling while burning a CD.  In one of the tips you referred me it mentions reverting to PIO can be caused by updating the HD driver or repeated timeouts on a CD/DVD burner.  Since I haven't updated my HD drivers it only leaves the CD/DVD, I hope.

I haven't applied any of the Hotfixes yet, just did the driver uninstall for the primary IDE and let it re-install.  One place I read said XP SP3 will include this fix.  Since SP3 only came out y'day I'll wait a little while before I update.  Want to make sure SP3 fixes don't break something else.

I noticed there have been quite a few reads on this post.  If anyone is experiencing the same problems give f0dder & Carol's recommendations a try.  Sure beats re-formatting and re-installing everything.

And so there is no confusion, let me repeat something I said in an earlier post.  Screenshot Captor didn't cause the problem!  It ended up just being a coincidence that the slowdown started at the same time I installed it.  I'll be re-installing it and sending in a donation.  The short time I used it, it looks to be a fantastic program and will be a big help for the needs I have in mind.

341

Screenshot Captor / Re: Slowed Down My PC

« on: May 02, 2008, 10:33 AM »

It's not continuously at 50% but while looking at the sysinternals graph I'm getting wide peaks at 40-50% for periods of time.  Then it will drop back to 0-10% range for a while with just occasional spikes.  Then again get 40-50% periods for awhile and back down.

The PIO/DMA settings articles you sent me to may be it.
Here's what I show...

Primary IDE
Device 0
Device type: Auto Detection (grayed out)
Xfer mode: DMA if avail.
Current xfer mode: PIO Mode

Device 1
Device type: Auto Detection
Xfer mode: DMA if avail.
Current xfer mode: Not avail

Secondary IDE
Device 0
Device type: Auto Detection (grayed out)
Xfer mode: DMA if avail.
Current xfer mode: Ultra DMA Mode2

Device 1
Device type: Auto Detection
Xfer mode: DMA if avail.
Current xfer mode: Not avail

Does this look like the problem to you?

Thx.

342

Screenshot Captor / Re: Slowed Down My PC

« on: May 01, 2008, 06:24 AM »

F0dder,

Thanks for the info.  It is a dual core.  I ran sysinternals Process Explorer but don't see anything hogging the CPU on a continuous basis.  At times I'm seeing interrupts of some type that will get up to 20 & 30% for a short while.  Not sure how to determine what they are.  And occasionally deferred procedure calls.  Any way of determining what the hardware interrupts are, if it is the same one every time, etc.  I AM running Norton IS 2008.  2006 was a pain and caused some problems but 2008 has been running fine since I installed it over a month ago.  I've already turned off auto-update to make sure it wasn't a conflict.

Thanks again!

343

Screenshot Captor / Re: Slowed Down My PC

« on: April 30, 2008, 02:24 PM »

Thanks for responding.  I've been involved in other things and not been able to get back to you sooner.
I wasn't sure if there may have been anything added or tweaked to assist in creating the captures.  I've heard of, & had it happen to me before, of slight conflicts between different programs when a new one is installed.  Not intended... just happens.

I checked the system performance as you mentioned (have it running now), and I my CPU usage isn't bad.  So "slowed my pc down" maybe isn't the best description?  But my programs are taking a LOT longer to load and at times process.  Even though the cpu usage never indicates over about 53%.  In one instance I tried printing a pdf document and after about 10 minutes of waiting for it to print, just cancelled it out. I was monitoring it through the task manager and it would keep toggling between no response and running.  My printer operates fine.  I had printed just before the the pdf and just after.  And the pdf is one I've printed before.

Does that make any sense, the cpu usage is normally low to a max of just over 50% and it is taking longer and longer for programs to load?
I need to try and figure out what's happeneing.  Seems like this thing is slowing more and more every day.  At times it is even slow to switch between 3 open programs/windows.

Anyway, I know this isn't the place/forum to try and diagnose the problem with my machine.  Just that the problems started after loading SC and I wanted to find out if it may have made any changes to any settings.  Ends up it is just coincidence.  If there is another site you can suggest that may help me sort this out it will be greatly appreciated.  Once I get this back up to speed I'll definitely be using SC.

Thanks!

344

Screenshot Captor / Slowed Down My PC

« on: April 25, 2008, 01:36 PM »

Somehow or another I happened across the SC page a week or so ago and viewed the demo.  I liked what I saw and downloaded a copy to try.
I loaded it two days ago and started trying it with a couple of different programs I would like to get screen shots of.  After a while of that I closed down SC and started doing other work.  I noticed that my other programs were running slower.  I re-booted to see if that would help but it didn't.  Each program I tried loaded slower and ran slower.  Outlook, Adobe, Word, etc.  Toolbars are opening slower, searches taking longer, etc.  And when I would shut down in hibernate mode it even took longer.
So I un-installed SC using SC's un-install to see if I could get everthing back to speed.  No luck.  Everything is still running noticeably slower.  I am even hearing some distortion out of the speaker at times.  Hibernate is now taking over a minute to shut down and longer to start-up than when it was pre-SC.  This is a laptop running XP Pro.
I really like the SC program and would like to donate and continue to use it.  Any suggestions on what could have caused this?  And how I can get things back to the way they were?   Thanks.