Recent Posts

2126

General Software Discussion / Re: Chrome Portable in a RamDisk = decadence?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 29, 2015, 07:41 AM »

^^ what your analysis neglects is the case where the HD is busy. Often a browser will not get off the dime if the HD is doing something non trivial.  That's the main reason for the RamDisk.  FF portable with cache set to 0 uses ram.  Like about 2 GB on my system.  That's where it gets its speed.  It seems like with each version increase the speed and responsiveness decreases though.  But it's a dog off the HD even when the HD is quiet.  If the HD is busy and you like FF it is better to just minimize it to tray if you don't like Ram drives.

Chrome is faster because it launches about 8 instances to do about:blank.
As soon as a page is there it's rendered.

2127

General Software Discussion / Chrome Portable in a RamDisk = decadence?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 29, 2015, 07:05 AM »

I was doing the old Firefox Portable in a RamDisk routine again when I noticed even in a ramdisk FF 37.02 Portable isn't all that snappy.  So I deleted that and made one with Version 42.0.2311.90 of Chrome from PortableApps.com.

I made a 1/2 GB FAT32 RamDisk using DiskMaster Free and just dragged and dropped the ChromePortable folder from the HD into it.  This technique has the pita that if you want to make any durable changes like setting up forum cookies to auto logon, you have to do it running out of the HD folder.  But doing it that way rather than saving the image allows you to just chuck it when rebooting or shutting down.

The other consideration with chrome is limiting the disk cache.  I didn't want to make a huge ramdisk so I used these command line switches in the shortcut to limit the cache size to 20MB and locate it on the RamDisk:  --disk-cache-dir="r:\cache" --disk-cache-size=20971520

Also I took advantage of the RamDisk feature to locate the system Temp folder on it.  Hopefully applications know enough to check available disk space before trying to park giant temp files, like for m2ts muxing.  

So far it feels very snappy.  My main disappointment was I could not figure out how to copy extensions from the installed chrome to the portable.  But I don't have that many. I did it the hard way and just installed them into the portable run from the HD.

2128

General Software Discussion / Re: Need an Easy fix for annoying problem with sorting in Windows

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 29, 2015, 06:50 AM »

But of course, questorfla wanted something to help him work on other people's computers,

-Curt (April 29, 2015, 01:17 AM)

For finding the 5 system icons in the mess it may be simpler to open the control that lists the system folders to show on desktop and enable/disable them so that they "blink."  Then you could create a folder and stick them in there until you give the customer the machine back.

Might sound dumb but if there really are 200 icons on the desktop I could see that search slowing things down.

2129

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 05:44 PM »

And speaking lines at the DMV...

-Renegade (April 28, 2015, 05:19 PM)

Some people will try anything to cut to the front. 

2130

General Software Discussion / Re: Tweaking.com Registry Backup

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 02:30 PM »

The link in my first post has a good explanation... It is worth reading I think.

-MilesAhead (April 28, 2015, 12:26 PM)

I had already read those pages but there are technical terms I don't know/understand (API? In my zone API are bees.   ).

I thought Regedit was a distinctive program.

-Giampy (April 28, 2015, 02:09 PM)

API = Application Programmer Interface

The OS provides function calls for the application programmer to do stuff, like open files, change screen mode etc..

Other than this utility I've seen other write-ups why Regedit methods aren't that great to use.  Also the fact that I tried exporting and importing using it and it never worked as expected.

But the main reason to use Shadow Copy is so that the files do not get corrupted.  Once the snapshot is made processes writing to the Registry do not alter the files in the snapshot.  It's the same mechanism used by some of the Sandbox programs like ToolWiz TimeFreeze.  Programs or viruses that think they are writing to C: partition are really writing to a cache file on C: set up by the TimeFreeze program.  It is virtualized.

Regedit is better than using nothing.  But I like the Shadow Copy approach.  Even though it is dated ERUNT still provides some backup.  But it doesn't cost anything to use Shadow Copy.  It just does a better job.

2131

General Software Discussion / Re: Need an Easy fix for annoying problem with sorting in Windows

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 02:22 PM »

It seems like it should be easy.  But I've looked at quite a few desktop icon utilities since one of my first Shell Extensions was a position save/restore utility stolen from Jeffrey Richter's example in one of his books.

The trouble is the desktop is a ListView Control.  Manipulating it is very cumbersome.

From the description this $5 utility looks like one of the better ones:
http://alternativeto...luid-icon-organizer/

But I'm not sure even that one will have all the features you want.

The ones like Fences I haven't looked at in any detail.  I'm guessing the individual lock feature will be the one least likely to be found.  I wrote one program that uses a ListView and I wrote it in AHK just because the ListView manipulation in that language was better than that available in AutoIt3.  Generally speaking the control is a pita to program.

Plus there are so many icon save/restore freewares(many programmers read Richter's book I think)    that nobody wants to pay for them.

2132

Living Room / Re: The 2015 10th Anniversary DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Cheer for Victory Thread!

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 12:32 PM »

(April 31 last day)

-mouser (April 28, 2015, 11:48 AM)

A little late for April Fools.  Or is it Leap year? 
Anyway, the thermometer looks good. 

2133

General Software Discussion / Re: Tweaking.com Registry Backup

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 12:28 PM »

...www.foolishit.com...

-Giampy (April 28, 2015, 08:33 AM)

 

-tomos (April 28, 2015, 09:28 AM)

It's unfortunate the way http lower cases everything. 

2134

General Software Discussion / Re: Tweaking.com Registry Backup

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 12:26 PM »

I copy the registry even by Regedit of Windows.
What about this method? Is it reliable? Does it export the whole registry just like the VSS method?

-Giampy (April 28, 2015, 08:40 AM)

The link in my first post has a good explanation.  Just like when you do an image backup with Macrium Reflect a snapshot is taken to avoid conflicts with other software writing keys etc..  It is worth reading I think.

2135

Living Room / Re: Automakers Want to Outlaw Gearheads From Working on Their Own Cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 08:01 AM »

^^ One of the biggest downers to me as I became competent fixing cars was the "Classic Movement" or whatever one wants to call it.  The main advantage of being willing to crawl around under cars in nearly freezing weather, enduring icy water dripping down your neck when doing front end alignments, and putting up with too hot engines(lean burn) when doing tune ups, was the fact you could pick up a car with some years and miles on it and make it run well on the cheap.

Once the "Classic Movement" kicked in the asking price for jalopies that ran like crap went way up just because they were more than x years old. They got the money out of you on the front end of the deal.  Takes all the fun out of it. 

I'm glad you got to tinker with a nice machine though.  It is a weird experience when you open a hood and can actually put your hand on anything you want without sliding it between hoses and foil tubes.  All that open space to work in! 

2136

General Software Discussion / Re: Tweaking.com Registry Backup

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 07:49 AM »

Why backing up just the registry instead of taking an image of the boot partition?

Registry backup won't save much, and a restore will likely cause more problems than it may fix. The DLLs etc. on the system would have changed by the time you restored an old registry backup, so you would get problems which do not present any intelligible symptoms. I guess it would just be asking for trouble.

-eleman (April 28, 2015, 07:26 AM)

I don't see them as mutually exclusive options.  Restoring a backup image doesn't always work.  Also it's overkill if you corrupted a registry setting and could just restore it by running a registry restore.  Typically Registry backup is done every day as it only takes about 250 MB of space.  So I don't know why the "Dlls would change" in that time.

Also some uninstallers, notably those that come with Anti-Virus programs, and other software like Nero don't take out all the Registry stuff their installers put in.  One way to right the ship, especially with these things being sneaky installed piggy backed on other software, is to do a Registry Restore.  Then you can install the wanted software taking care to disallow all the PUPs.

2137

General Software Discussion / Tweaking.com Registry Backup

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 28, 2015, 07:23 AM »

I have used ERUNT to back up my Registry since NT server 4.0.  But it is time to take advantage of a program that utilizes Shadow Copy Services to make complete Registry Backups.

Tweaking.com Registry Backup is a freeware that does just that.  So far I have made 2 backups.  I haven't done a Registry Restore yet.  Maybe I'll take the plunge later today.  

There is a good explanation on the site why using Shadow Copy is superior to the individual key backup API approach used by ERUNT.  So far the only "inconvenience" of using the program is that it takes a minute or so for the shadow service to make a snapshop.

If anyone has any experience using the utility I'd be curious to read it.  

Edit: The program uses manual mode by default.  But it has a mechanism for using Task Scheduler.  Generally I try to keep my distance from scheduled tasks as my experience has not been care free in the past.  For this reason I have only tried the manual mode.

2138

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 27, 2015, 02:50 PM »

(see attachment in previous post)

-crabby3 (April 26, 2015, 08:53 PM)

(Employees must wash hands)

This is when they try to make signs "efficient". The one I remember finding funny was "Shirt and shoes required."

It didn't say anything about pants!


But I didn't test it!
And the Google effect of those kinds of news stories now far outweighs the actual penalties of the misdemeanors!

-TaoPhoenix (April 27, 2015, 02:05 PM)

I think if I owned a fast food hangout, like at the beach I would have a specific policy for hot chicks.
"No Shirt.  No shoes.  No charge. "   

2139

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 27, 2015, 11:20 AM »

Okay, Now ^That's Funny!

-Stoic Joker (April 27, 2015, 11:15 AM)

I just hope the autopilot isn't named Cortana. 

2140

Living Room / Re: Automakers Want to Outlaw Gearheads From Working on Their Own Cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 27, 2015, 07:28 AM »

^^  Interesting.  I have to agree that electronic spark advance has to be more accurate than spring, vacuum and flywheel schemes.  However, once you can no longer see how something works with the naked eye(even if it must be disassembled to do so) then by definition it starts working in invisible ways.  At that point not everything being done can be detected.  The operator is no longer in control.

2141

Living Room / Re: Interested in doing my own car maintenance.. Advice?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 27, 2015, 05:34 AM »

I remember the name Zep.  But not what it was like using it.

Edit: come to think of it, I seem to remember this was the green stuff with abrasive.  Like a green mud.  I remember the dual opening can described.

Goop, if that's what it was, was a strong lye based soap.  But at least it didn't have abrasives.  Anyway, none of the stuff worked if you had to bust tires.  Some of the tire changers wore gloves.  But I needed more control.  I was a thin guy and not strong back then.  (Now I'm a fat not strong guy.  Progress! ) I had to rely on timing.  I never changed a split rim truck tire the whole time.  That was better side-stepped in my estimation.  The store where I did my first stint as an official mechanic there was a tire cage with two of the bars bent out from one of the rims going off during inflation.  It was like that when I got there.  Anyway the managers didn't push it since they could see how slight of build I was.

2142

Living Room / Re: Interested in doing my own car maintenance.. Advice?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 26, 2015, 09:41 AM »

Anyone remember the name of this mechanic's hand soap?  It came in a can with a blue label.  It looked just like Crisco.  Like a white lard.  Or like the white part of Dannon :fruit on the bottom" yogurt.

It escapes my memory.   

-MilesAhead (April 25, 2015, 06:00 AM)

Maybe Gojo?

-crabby3 (April 25, 2015, 07:50 PM)

I would have remembered that name once mentioned.  It must have been goop.  I remember it had Lanolin.  That was back before anyone knew how good aloe was. 

2143

Living Room / Re: Interesting "stuff"

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 25, 2015, 02:26 PM »

A drink with a severed human toe. In Canada. In the Yukon.


Cabin fever at its finest!

-Renegade (April 25, 2015, 08:08 AM)

There's a literalist in every crowd.  When another drinker challenged the guy to go toe to toe he put his foot in his mouth I'd say.  

2144

Living Room / Re: Interested in doing my own car maintenance.. Advice?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 25, 2015, 09:51 AM »

^ Are you talking about Goop?

-Vurbal (April 25, 2015, 09:12 AM)

If it looks like solid Crisco then that must be it.  It's been a long time since I had a roll-around toolbox.  I got out of the racket in the 1980s.  I remember it was considered expensive by the management.  So they would substitute this cheap green stuff with abrasive.  Not good during the winter at all. 

2145

Living Room / Re: Interested in doing my own car maintenance.. Advice?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 25, 2015, 06:00 AM »

Anyone remember the name of this mechanic's hand soap?  It came in a can with a blue label.  It looked just like Crisco.  Like a white lard.  Or like the white part of Dannon :fruit on the bottom" yogurt.

It escapes my memory.   

2146

General Software Discussion / Re: What to use on a 32GB flash drive?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 24, 2015, 05:45 PM »

If any customers have newer systems with W8 you may want to set up another stick for UEFI boot(you can turn off secure boot on the customer's machine temporarily) and GPT.  I've just been playing around with bootable USB and even W7 Pro x64 will not boot from the stick when everything is properly formatted.  It gets to the Starting Windows and hangs.

You may want to put some W8 utilities or a UEFI bootable Linux on the stick to service those on W8 and later,

I haven't played around with changing the setting to Legacy Boot because I want VHDs that will boot from the boot manager screen on startup.

2147

Living Room / Re: Interesting "stuff"

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 24, 2015, 05:35 PM »

Why C is the Default Hard Drive Letter in Many Computers

-Arizona Hot (April 24, 2015, 01:38 PM)

This one I would have answered in one sentence.  "The hard drive was C: because A: and B: were used by floppy drives."

But now that I've posted the wrong answer on the internet...   

I remember Gary Kildall talking about it(the IBM deal) on Computer Chronicles or some documentary shown on CC.  He basically said the agreement IBM wanted was one where they could slit his throat at their whim by enforcing the drastic sections.  That always made me believe the wording was such that only Bill Gates would accept the terms.

But anyway..  it might be fun to watch some of those CC episodes again.

2148

Living Room / Re: Interested in doing my own car maintenance.. Advice?

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 23, 2015, 05:33 PM »

With a cheater bar over the breaker bar.

-MilesAhead (April 23, 2015, 06:52 AM)

If by cheater bar you mean a piece of pipe then yes, I've done both. Actually motorcycle front fork tubes work wonderfully for that. (Speaking of which...) Did you know that the lug nuts on the passenger side of a 64 Dodge polara are left hand thread?? I didn't ... And I snapped 2 Craftsman 1/2" ratchets and split 3 sockets before I figured it out.

-Stoic Joker (April 23, 2015, 05:05 PM)

Yeah, for a long time Chrysler corp. had this weird idea that if the lugs were Left Hand Thread on one side and Right Hand Thread on the other somehow loose lugs would be less likely to spin all the way off while driving.  A bizarre idea.  It was a real pita because every time you trained a new guy to bust tires you had to watch out for him snapping a couple of lugs off the LHT side of those cars with the impact wrench.  Some of those engineers must have been ahead of the curve when it came to water pipe usage.  

2149

Living Room / Re: Automakers Want to Outlaw Gearheads From Working on Their Own Cars

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 23, 2015, 09:03 AM »

Go back to points plugs condenser.  No solid state, no software/firmware under the hood.  No copyright. No problems.  Cars need not be programmed.  Just tuned every few years. 

2150

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by MilesAhead on April 23, 2015, 06:58 AM »

So, this guy just got caught cheating

-Arizona Hot (April 23, 2015, 03:47 AM)

Once the silly humor threads are over, doesn't the guy now have a counter statement to his former gf?

"Hey jerk, you were cheating on me!"
"Hi babe. You've got an arrest charge of damage to my property!"

-TaoPhoenix (April 23, 2015, 06:26 AM)

They should have a new "Scared Straight" series "Hot Chicks Go To Prison Too."  For some reason hot chicks think they can do anything if they are angry.  They need to be shown Hot Chicks Behind Bars.  Not some old film starring Linda Blair.  But real nitty gritty showing what hot chicks behind bars have to do to get hair conditioner and nail polish.  

That might make them think twice before chucking a guy's stuff out the 12th floor window.