Messages

851

General Software Discussion / Re: Your experiences with disc catalogers and most wanted/used features

« on: March 17, 2007, 02:23 AM »

There is also Disk Explorer, shareware, at http://www.tjelinek..../main.php?section=dh

852

General Software Discussion / Re: Tools for Password Protecting Files?

« on: March 15, 2007, 09:30 AM »

Actually all I care is that it uses standard 128bit symmetric key encryption and it requires no installation, which is a huge plus when I  want to share the tools with other people.

I also use an alternative solution, but which requires installation : it's the well known archiver winrar (www.rarsoft.com) which has some unique features, like extra data added as CRC, and AES encryption, and profile management (avoids typing the password for encryption - only).

Hrm, dsCrypt uses BuzzWords® and makes pretty impossible claims ("immunity to keylogger-infested environments"). And things like "exceptional resistance to brute-force password search"? If somebody really wants to get at your data, they won't be hammering a GUI, they'll be working directly.

I wouldn't touch this

-f0dder (March 15, 2007, 04:20 AM)

853

General Software Discussion / Re: Tools for Password Protecting Files?

« on: March 15, 2007, 04:01 AM »

I have been told that folderlock is close to what you are looking for : http://www.newsoftwares.net/folderlock/.  I didn't try it myself.

Also, I would never completely lock "My Documents" since many programs tend to write files in this folder of subfolders.  You should only lock selected folders and non "system" folders.

For encrypting just a few files, with a good security level and without installing an application, I would recommend dsCrypt :
http://members.ozema...tv/freezip/freeware/

854

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Avafind mini review

« on: March 13, 2007, 02:38 AM »

I also use X1: I have 3 pst files over 1GB each and it works fine.  The only drawback is that is uses a lot of ram and virtual memory.  Copernic interface was nicer IMO, but the engine used to be really buggy and missed a lot of e-mails.  I have not tried Copernic V2. 

Microsoft has now launched several months ago its own Desktop search.  Anyone did try it ?

855

General Software Discussion / Re: Review of File Renamers — let's make a list

« on: March 09, 2007, 10:49 AM »

I use a lot the file multiple-renaming capability of Total Commander, which is very powerful (wildcards, regex - I think, and so on).  Not easy to use at first, but when one get a hand on this, it's so convenient.

To activate it : select files then press Ctrl-M

856

General Software Discussion / Re: nostalgia hour: old software you loved

« on: March 05, 2007, 04:02 PM »

There is one software I am missing a lot nowadays, even if it was designed for low speed connections  : Laplink.

You could install the software from a PC where it was running to another PC just using a crossed serial cable and typing the right commands on the target PC.  A minimal client was then downloaded and you could install the whole software on the second PC, then have hi-speed transfers between the two PCs by running Laplink on both of them.

Also, it had a unique feature for transferring files from PC "A" to PC "B".  When transferring a file from "A", if another version already existed on "B", Laplink would only transfer the difference between the "A" and "B" versions and managed to reconstruct the desired file on "B".

Todays, even with high speed networks, this might still be useful with GB size files.

857

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: doPDF (pdf creator) - Freeware

« on: March 05, 2007, 09:11 AM »

OK !  Thanks for the precision.  I was thinking it was doPDF fault since using another pdf creation tool, cutePDF (latest release), the properties were OK, even with Foxit Reader.

858

General Software Discussion / Re: nostalgia hour: old software you loved

« on: March 03, 2007, 05:06 PM »

Norton Commander for DOS.  Also the last version of Central Point Software PCTools for Windows 3.1, which had so many powerful features.

859

General Software Discussion / Re: Firewalls - please, i can't be bothered.

« on: March 03, 2007, 05:03 PM »

Even if outdated, I still find the old Sygate Personal Firewall Ok for basic use.
goto http://www.tucows.com/preview/213160

Also, sharing files and printers works OK.

The upgraded version of this firewall exists as part of V-com SystemSuite.  Unfortunately, this updated FW doesn't like at all the most recent version of CA Antivirus, so I had to find another solution. SPF was this solution.

860

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: doPDF (pdf creator) - Freeware

« on: March 02, 2007, 08:39 AM »

Will do so ASAP, that is as soon I have access to the PC where it is installed and where I have observed it, basically next week.  Just a precision also : I am using FoxReader as pdf reader.

861

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: doPDF (pdf creator) - Freeware

« on: March 02, 2007, 03:14 AM »

On my system, doPDF works fine.  The only glitch I found is when one look at the properties of the pdf file created by doPDF, the main fields are filled with strange characters, whereas one would have expected some info about Softland.

862

General Software Discussion / Re: New First-ever Streaming Flash Video and MP3 recorder

« on: February 25, 2007, 05:00 PM »

Actually Replay Media Catcher from Applian is commercial continuation of a freeware that was talked about a lot, MySpaceMp3Gopher.  The author tells (almost) all on :

http://blog.myspace....amp;blogID=231231431

The demo version is very efficient and the installation process seems self-contained enough (no messing with basic XP dll, like other software from the same publisher do).

863

Word Processor Roundup / Re: Find a link to the Word Processor Review? Post it here!

« on: February 22, 2007, 04:31 AM »

http://www.anova.org...software/index01.htm
After reading this I bought from Ashampoo the softmaker product and I appreciate them a lot so far, especially since I had a discount price (12€ or so, being an upgrade from Ashampoo Office 2005).

864

General Software Discussion / Re: Need some help in recovery data from a damaged external HDD

« on: February 16, 2007, 09:04 AM »

Thanks for the quick reply.

Actually I am afraid I have also done much worse than a simple delete restore with BING : since the restore was immediate and produced no effect, I decided to delete and clear the MBR from the deleted partition.  This time undelete didn't work so I just created a new entry in the MBR (I didn't format it of course) in order to have tools such as GetDataBack scan only the required disk zone.  Not the smartest thing to do I suppose, still it's a good way to learn... what not to do

The tool you propose seems really the kind of software that might do the trick.  Also, it supposedly manages physically damaged drive, so it's nice to have a single tools for this other situation.  Too bad DC doesn't have a rebate for it. 

Regarding the cause, I begin to suspect the enclosure itself or a USB problem (I use another enclosure since the crash) : a few months ago, after having connected another external USB HDD, I got an XP error message saying : cannot update $MFT on P: and Q:

At first I thought the drive was physically damaged, but actually everything was fine after a reboot and having removed the second HDD.  As soon as I reconnected the second HDD, the problem reappeared, and only with this second HDD (I have a few of them...).  Since then, I was careful not to have both activated and everything was fine.  Yesterday, when the problem appeared, I had not anything else attached to the USB ports.  What I find really surprising is that both partitions were hit, and both at the MFT+mirrors.

Another track to explore : I have been using a new HDD defragmenter, JkDefrag, which does something to the MFT, and its mirror, to optimize file access.  I have used it on all my partitions and several PCs, so far I had no problems.  Maybe this + an USB problem are the cause.  Still, if the MFT mirror had been damaged by JkDefrag, chkdsk would have told me so.  I usually check my partition on a regular basis, but of course I cannot remember if I did it after or before JkDefrag.

Thanks again,

865

General Software Discussion / Need some help in recovery data from a damaged external HDD

« on: February 16, 2007, 07:52 AM »

Hi,

Yesterday, I just came across a strange problem on an external HDD : it is a 200 GB 3"1/2 Maxtor HDD, located in an IDE/USB2 enclosure.  There were 2 primary NTFS partition, P: and Q:.  I was using Q: to store freshly recorded content from DVB-T and Cable TV.  I have a XP Home system.

I was burning, as I do quite often, some MPEG2 files on a DVD, when suddenly, during the verify phase, lots of errors appeared and the verification failed.  I then tried to access Q: when I realize P: and Q: were somehow not reachable any longer, hence the verification error.

Chkdsk returned a strange message saying the MFT was missing on both partitions.  Looking further with tools such as testdisk (opensource), I came to the conclusion that both the MFT and the MFT mirror are gone.  I also ran a HDD surface verification tool for the first sectors, and the surface seems OK, so it doesn't seem like a H/W problem.

I have tried to delete then undelete the partition with Terabyteunlimited's BootItNG (it has helped me in the past for more or less similar situations), to no avail, chkdsk still refused to do anything.

I have tried the demo version of File Scavenger which, after quite some time, managed to find files on the damaged partitions, but for Q:, their names are lost, which complexifies the recovery process.

I have two questions :

1/ which software would you recommend to recover data from this HDD considering its current state
2/ does anyone has a clue as to what could have happened for having MFT+MFT mirrors both damaged on 2 partitions from a same drive.

I know there is a thread on this forum talking about file recovery, https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=5242.0, but since its already more than 3 months old, there may be new solutions.

Thanks.

866

General Software Discussion / Re: VirtualBox: VM software for home and enterprise use

« on: February 16, 2007, 07:24 AM »

Thanks.  The problem of software license is indeed to take into account, I wouldn't want to have some software disabled on the "real" PC because the Publisher has detected another use with the same license on the virtual PC.

The best way is probably to install a fresh system...

867

General Software Discussion / Re: VirtualBox: VM software for home and enterprise use

« on: February 14, 2007, 02:30 PM »

Can you "clone" your current system into a VirtualBox system, so you don't have to reinstall everything ?

Thanks !

868

General Software Discussion / Re: needed: tool to sync two HDs/folders

« on: February 13, 2007, 10:52 AM »

Total Commander (www.ghisler.com) has a really impressive sync feature.  If you always sync the same folders, you might also look at SyncbackSE (http://www.2brightsp...ck/syncback-hub.html), which is supposed to backup open files.

869

General Software Discussion / Re: CD Ripping

« on: February 13, 2007, 06:48 AM »

It seems no one has mentioned iTunes !!! It includes a CD-Ripper, you can either chose AAC format (ipod only) or mp3 (ipod and all other players - but less compact than AAC for the same quality).

Besides, you usually need iTunes to transfer tracks to your ipod.

870

Living Room / Re: Good email adress for ShareIt!

« on: February 11, 2007, 04:37 AM »

Hi,

Pubbox.net seems to be unreachable from web browser, though the mail service continue to work.  Do you by chance have any info about it ?  Thanks !

871

The Getting Organized Experiment of 2006 / Re: Do wallpapers aid your productivity?

« on: February 08, 2007, 01:43 AM »

Here is mine.  Actually I found it on a Linux distribution (Linspire ?).  I like the fact it's almost a uniform background so I can better see the icons and their name.

872

Living Room / Re: password-protect external HD (USB)?

« on: February 05, 2007, 06:31 AM »

See also Cryptainer from Cypherix : http://www.cypherix.co.uk/index.htm 
I use it on a regular basis with no problem.  There a limited version, that only handles small containers (lockers) which is free.

Also have a look at FolderLock, http://www.newsoftwares.net/folderlock/.  Seems interesting.

873

General Software Discussion / Re: How to clone large HDDs?

« on: January 30, 2007, 03:52 AM »

Also have a look at Drive Snapshot, http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/, which allows for this kind of cloning.  There is a 30 fully functionnal version available, you can always try.

Snapshot has the unique ability to be able to exclude files/directory from the saved image, handy if you have a lot of multimedia files you want to backup separately or transfer elsewhere, while retaining the structure of your original HDD.  At restore, excluded files are created, but only contain zeros.

The differential mode of snapshot is also extremely powerful.

Last benefit : it doesn't require an install, the executable is 190 kB large and fully functionnal.

874

General Software Discussion / Re: "Word" liscence query

« on: January 17, 2007, 07:53 AM »

Also distributed by "Ashampoo" :

http://www.ashampoo....=2&idstring=0138

Where you can get a working demo for 30-40 days I think.

I you only use WP occasionally why not just use WordPad ? It does most things needed for quickly typing a letter etc. and it is on your computer anyway.

-Carol Haynes (December 29, 2006, 11:15 AM)

tried it but even though I dont use it often, I want to be able to make tables, see where the page ends &, I dont know - have more control ( I must ... have control ...     )

I installed the trial version of Textmaker
http://www.softmaker...m/english/ofw_en.htm
(SoftMakerOffice - with Word & Excel replacements)

I was having trouble, or rather I should say someone else was having trouble with an OpenOffice word .doc I made - when they opened it in the latest Word all the colour-highlighting was gone.
Sorted that out in textmaker.

You can also open OpenOffice documents.
It seems to hold the original layout much better than with OOo/Word or AbiWord/Word or OOo/AbiWord.
I read somewhere but cant find it now (should be working ) that you can install it on a USB stick.

But the most impressive thing - for a lot of people here anyway, is that you can get an Academic/Student/Teacher liscence for €14 - i dunno - but estimate conversion @ around $16 & (my god, theres no Pound symbol on my keyboard) maybe 7Pounds sterling or so.
(You do need to prove your studenthood or academic status.)

They may as well give it away, well, unfortunately I dont qualify
- it's still under €70 full price so certainly compared to MS it's a bargain.

See Zaine's review (below the Open Office one)
http://www.anova.org...are/index01.htm#word

-tomos (January 15, 2007, 04:10 AM)

875

Living Room / Re: A mathematical formula for procrastination

« on: January 17, 2007, 07:44 AM »

Thanks, I'll read that tomorrow ...