Recent Posts

1901

Living Room / Re: Hard drive shortage

« Last post by Shades on November 29, 2011, 05:12 AM »

@db90h:
About WD we are in agreement. Those disks are more reliable and quieter than Seagate disks. And I have a pile of Seagate bricks (45 or so) and 0 WD doorstops to prove it as well. Actually, I have here a database server with 2 WD disks (2,5 TByte in total) and that system runs without any issues. With the amount of power failures that this PC has experienced, that is amazing (especially if you know that I have here 5 UPS's which didn't survive these power failures).

I have another database server with 2 Seagate disks (1,5 TByte in total) and guess what, that system is a pain in the ..s.

It is my experience with WD disks, it either fails very soon after buying it or lasts "forever".

1902

General Software Discussion / Re: Mike Halsey article on firmware upgrades/updates ...

« Last post by Shades on November 27, 2011, 10:25 AM »

If it isn't broken, no repairs are required or necessary or desired or even worth losing time over.

Hmm, guess its clear which side of this fence is appropriate for me.

1903

General Software Discussion / Re: Easy Remote access to another PC?

« Last post by Shades on November 27, 2011, 10:19 AM »

Microsoft Remote Desktop is a fine solution...but aren't you taking over the problematic PC, locking out the current user?

1904

Living Room / Re: In search of ... information/opinions on VHS to DVD converters

« Last post by Shades on November 27, 2011, 10:13 AM »

If the player is from the 80's...you could mistake it for a freezer or something 

1905

General Software Discussion / Re: command line tool for pdf

« Last post by Shades on November 27, 2011, 07:05 AM »

It is highly improbable that you will find such a (commandline) tool. However, there are tools partially do what you request.

Likely you have an original PDF and you want to create a new PDF using your logo and (most of) the content from the original PDF.
In that case it might be smarter to rethink the order in which you want to do things.

01.) It would be better to first extract the content from the original PDF to file(s) in a separate folder: 
     http://pdftohtml.sourceforge.net/
02.) Again using a different (sub-)folder to strip the html content, leaving you with text file(s) only:
     http://kmachine.home.xs4all.nl/html2txt.htm
03.) Use a graphical editor in cli mode to resize/crop and save graphical content from step 1:
     http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/graphics/xv/html-docu/command-line-options.html
04.) Using a text editor in cli mode to store the differences between HTML content and the stripped text (to retain a simple HTML layout):
     http://sed.sourceforge.net/ (this appears to be the most capable text editor for command line operations)
05.) Using a text editor in cli mode to replace desired specific content inside the stripped text:
     http://sed.sourceforge.net/
06.) Using a text editor in cli mode to store the content from step 4 into a previously created HTML template (with your positioned logo):
     http://sed.sourceforge.net/
07.) Using a text editor in cli mode to store the content from step 5 into a previously created HTML template (with your positioned logo):
     http://sed.sourceforge.net/
08.) Using a text editor in cli mode to store the content from step 7 in a different (sub-)folder as HTML file(s):
     http://sed.sourceforge.net/
09.) Convert the HTML file(s) to PDF:
     http://code.google.com/p/anytopdf/ - uses the OpenOffice/LibreOffice (portable version) PDF conversion capabilities (which are awesome in my point of view)
10.) Cleanup the mess created during the conversion process from your hard drive:
     Use a BATCH script or something similar

All the above is great on simple PDF's, if you have to use complicated PDF's (heavy on layout) you will have to do things manually as preserving the layout will be practically impossible when automatizing.

Have fun puzzling with the command line options of each and every tool...

1906

Living Room / Re: In search of ... information/opinions on VHS to DVD converters

« Last post by Shades on November 25, 2011, 02:30 PM »

All is well and good, but the content from VHS tapes has usually a resolution formatted as 4:3.

How does your new screen handle that format? This could be potentially disastrous for your viewing pleasure.

Better to copy the content from the VHS and store it digitally on your PC and edit (the format) if necessary with software. Put the content on memory stick (formatted as FAT32, so watch out with file sizes!) and connect it to the TV or hook the TV into your network and access the content through the TV interface.

This sounds more complicated, but in practice it isn't.

1907

General Software Discussion / Re: SoftMaker Office 2012 BETA testing

« Last post by Shades on November 20, 2011, 08:30 AM »

As the policy here does not allow me to install this beta, can someone tell me if the email client supports the same versions of MAPI than Outlook?

There is simple MAPI which is supported on practically any client. Unfortunately there is also extended MAPI and that one is only supported by Outlook...as far as my knowledge goes. And what about CAPI (cryptography)?

Thanks in advance.

1908

Living Room / Re: multiple monitors vs large monitor?

« Last post by Shades on November 16, 2011, 02:20 PM »

For most of the things I do on a PC, I could easily do with one monitor of sufficient resolution (nothing lower than 1920x1080 though). Buy a monitor with bigger resolution and you could be set as well.

Having a second monitor is also very handy, especially with applications that have to be open, but do not require 100% attention.

1909

General Software Discussion / Re: Version File (without opening)

« Last post by Shades on November 16, 2011, 12:27 PM »

When "hovering" the mouse pointer over a file in Directory Opus (v10), all kinds of info are shown about the file in a small pop-up box, including version. This is also shown in a column from the 'details view' inside DOpus if you want.

I assume that using any decent file manager will have this (basic) functionality covered.

1910

Post New Requests Here / Re: use AHK to determine CPU usgae of any given process?

« Last post by Shades on November 08, 2011, 11:21 AM »

You can also take a look at 'Prism HUD'

This tool only shows progress bars (in opaque) how much CPU a process uses as well as the total load. When there is no load the bar disappears. It does the same with Network load and disk usage. Free and portable.

1911

ProcessTamer / Re: Bug with the "below normal" , "above normal" , "real time" priorities

« Last post by Shades on October 30, 2011, 12:20 PM »

Kudos for your patience...

1912

General Software Discussion / Re: Where do i find the SATA Controller !

« Last post by Shades on October 29, 2011, 05:19 PM »

I did install Windows 2000 (+SP4) actually...on a 11 year old HP laptop, which actually runs rather fine and stable. And with 128Mb of RAM XP is not a real option, just as more recent Linux distro's. After it is booted up it consumes 64Mb RAM, leaving a whole 64 Mb RAM to play with 

And I believe that with some TLC I can get several years more out of it, running 2000. As it is not connected to the interweb, there is not a lot of reason to be afraid it will run into the ground.

Believe it or not, I worked for a company in Holland which is always on the lookout for 286 PC's. Several sections have such harsh conditions that newer processor models cannot handle. And I was parked inside those environments for 8 working hours a day. Each 30 minutes you were allowed a 5 minute break...so you would not freeze up too much.

I just want to say that for some there is literary no other option than to run old hardware and as a consequence also old O.S.'s

1913

Developer's Corner / Re: OpenCTags and Notepad++

« Last post by Shades on October 28, 2011, 08:42 AM »

Followed the installation instructions for Notepad++ from OpenCTags
After opening a tag screen in Notepad++ and clicking inside the tag screen kills the Notepad++ application completely.

Maybe the portable version of Notepad++ is not as stable as the installed version?

1914

Post New Requests Here / Re: Run defrag and Antivirus scan in background while watching movie

« Last post by Shades on October 27, 2011, 09:44 AM »

These actions take a lot of time and a lot of computational resources as well. Which is also true for watching (highdef) movies. If your PC has the "horsepower" to do all this in the background without making the movie you are watching stutter, then by all means do so.

But I fear that for most PC's the I/O throughput demanded by your request will cause a "less than optimal" viewing experience.

Windows 7 already keeps itself a lot more tidy than previous versions of Windows and by default is scheduled to run the (improved) Windows defrag software.

You could even create a simple batch script that starts the defrag software, the antivirus software and then VLC. When you have the urge to watch a movie, use the batch script and select the movie you want to see. That would be the simplest solution where you yourself are in total control.

1915

General Software Discussion / Re: Where do i find the SATA Controller !

« Last post by Shades on October 27, 2011, 09:26 AM »

@hulkbuster
I think it would make your life easier if you downloaded a tool called nLite.

That is used to create bootable Windows CD's (nLite supports XP and Windows 2000).
What is good from this software is that it lets you alter things, it enables you to add/remove Windows applications, adjust standard folders, add/remove default drivers, add/remove service packs, unattended installation etc.

The adding/removing default driver part is interesting in your case. Don't play with the other functionality unless you really understand what you are doing and are able to reverse the damage you can do yourself.

It is all wizard driven, so if you have an original Windows 2000 installation CD, create a new one but with the driver you have downloaded. Have done the same myself (but for XP) for a computer that supported SATA, but that particular SATA controller was not recognized by Windows, requiring me to use/create a Floppy Disk with the particular driver on it.

After I was done that PC could be installed from my new bootable CD without any intervention on my part anymore.

 

1916

Developer's Corner / Re: OpenCTags and Notepad++

« Last post by Shades on October 27, 2011, 06:40 AM »

Appears to be very unstable with the portable unicode version from Notepad++ build 5.9.5...at least on my XP SPIII PC.

1917

Living Room / Re: XP computer, widescreen options

« Last post by Shades on October 22, 2011, 03:33 PM »

Working here with 1440x900 Acer and 1280x1024 Samsung monitor. Both are connected to one ATI Radeon 9600 (old!!!) and its latest driver (also old!!!) humming along just fine on the mentioned resolutions.

I think you can take the gamble.

1918

Living Room / Re: Cute jokes' thread

« Last post by Shades on October 20, 2011, 01:18 PM »

1919

General Software Discussion / Re: best Outlook replacement?

« Last post by Shades on October 15, 2011, 01:35 PM »

Planning to use the replacement with Exchange?

If the answer is yes to that one, forget about replacement, Outlook is the only one. Maybe there is a replacement, but you will not have all the features that Outlooks has. Period.

If the answer is no, Thunderbird (with Lightning plug-in) covers most of the functionality, it is fast and very stable (in my personal experience, YMMV).

Outlook (whichever version) is a piece of crap, nicely wrapped up with a ribbon (pun intended).

1920

Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by Shades on October 15, 2011, 12:21 PM »

Fred Langa recently did a piece about reinstalling Windows 7 without losing your setup, the same as he did for XP.

As I personally can attest to salvaging XP machines with his article about XP, I think it would be worth a try to do the same using his Windows 7 article.

1921

General Software Discussion / Re: modem lag. Help needed.

« Last post by Shades on October 14, 2011, 01:18 PM »

Likely there are DNS issues. What type of Modem/connection do you have (I assume ADSL)?

1922

Living Room / Re: work bathroom story

« Last post by Shades on October 06, 2011, 03:29 PM »

@Stoic Joker:
You were clearly thinking; 'Let it sink in....' 

As you have to something about the smell when the sink is full, create some sweet smelling birthday cake candles and use them as well 

1923

Living Room / Re: Death and the net: How to log off gracefully for the very last time

« Last post by Shades on October 06, 2011, 02:16 PM »

Combining the two: blaze of gory...

1924

Living Room / Re: work bathroom story

« Last post by Shades on October 06, 2011, 01:20 PM »

You are an engineer...make a toilet that freeze-dries the "content" instead of flush. Then move the content to a location where it is out of nostril reach.

O yeah, and automatically lights a match too   

1925

General Software Discussion / Re: Server for my online files

« Last post by Shades on October 06, 2011, 05:49 AM »

The main reason behind shared hosting is to keep monthly returning fees low.

Biggest disadvantages (in my book):
- You have no control with whom you are sharing
- Their lack of security is your lack of security
- Their use of network bandwidth is your lack of bandwidth.