Recent Posts

3876

Living Room / Re: The Beatles Cover Stairway to Heaven

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 10:36 AM »

Darwin look two posts up - that is the whole Rolf version, though a rather stayed studio production.

Here is it again: http://vids.myspace....amp;videoid=17583122

To be fair, Rolf did say that when someone suggested he should release the song as a single he had never even heard of it (and didn't listen to LZ before going to the studio). He became something of a student cult figure at the time and appeared at numerous rock festivals. He's taken a lot of stick but I think he is a really genuine guy (now in his seventies) who has never taken himself seriously and has amused generation of bewildered UK children with his whaky art work and wobble-board.

Personally I think LZ should have invited him as a guest star at the reunion concert

3877

Living Room / Re: Laptop hard drive... 5400 or 7200 ?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 10:20 AM »

A friend just ordered a MacBook (I don't really understand why because all she does is web surf, email, iTunes and iPhoto but its up to her is she has money to burn) ... I was really shocked at the price they were charging for hard disc upgrades - and they were all 5400RPM.

To change from 120Gb to 160Gb (and the colour of you machine from white to black - but there are no other changes in spec I can see) they charge a whopping £120 (~$250) !

If you want to be flash and upgrade to a 250Gb drive then it will cost you £150 (~$310)

I was checking prices and you can get a new WD 250Gb 5400 drive (laptop profile) for £77 or less!!! How much are these drives actually costing Apple?

I was also shocked to see a 1Gb to 2Gb memory upgrade is £90 (~$190) ... WTF !!!

Anyway back to the question ...

I looked up laptop drives on www.dabs.com and they all seem to be 5400 RPM (except for one which was 4200RM) ... there must be a reason ???

3878

Living Room / Re: Playing FLV movies - stopped working for some?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 10:06 AM »

Strangely they seem to be OK again - I uninstalled everything Flash related, rebooted and tried again and things seem to work so far. It's all very strange. Thanks for the offer though - if it goes peculiar again I'll take you up on your offer.

What I don't understand is why only some FLV files didn't work when others did?

3879

Living Room / Re: The Beatles Cover Stairway to Heaven

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 07:17 AM »

Better definitive version site http://vids.myspace....amp;videoid=17583122

Strangley my downloads from YouTube seem to be working again ??? Very odd.

3880

Living Room / Playing FLV movies - stopped working for some?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 05:45 AM »

I have a small library of FLV files I have downloaded from YouTube.

Up until recently they played fine (in VEOH TV) but now all I get is sound.

I have installed FLV Player 2 and some of the videos work fine in that but others just hang with a message "Loading ...." and nothing else.

I have tried uninstalling/reinstalling VEOH without effect, installing the latest version of flash plugins from Adobe, the Community Codecs from community Codec Project - nothing seems to make any difference.

Anyone got any ideas how to make this work again?

3881

Living Room / Re: CHKDSK issue/Anyone understand .Net error codes? (all gobbledigook to me)

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 04:02 AM »

Thanks for the heads up - but since I don't actually have any source code to play with I don't think it helps me to solve the problem. I have sent a support ticket to Seagate so maybe they can come up with a solution.

The problem I am having is ...

I have an external NTFS formatted Seagate USB2 drive. Infrequently I get an error in my system log saying that there is a disk error (apparently related to cabling issue - which seems strange as you would have thought with USB that the cable either works or it doesn't - maybe it is an internal cable in the drive box!)

I wanted to check the drive intergrity so I opened a console window and ran CHRKDSK /R on the drive which should do the usual check plus a low level check of all file data and free space data. It gets through the usual first three stages with no problem but when it gets to checking file data sticks at 0% until I close the console with TaskManager.

There doesn't actually appear to be any problems with the data on the disk but I can't figure out why CHKDSK hangs at that point - unless it is USB drive thing.

Anyway that is why I tried to use SEATOOLS to check the drive with the above problem.

Maybe I'll try SEATOOLS on another computer and move the external drive as the .NET problem described above seems to be likely to be a system specific problem - might be worth a try anyway.

Anyone got any ideas on the CHKDSK problem?

3882

Living Room / Re: The Beatles Cover Stairway to Heaven

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 03:01 AM »

Brilliant but it isn't as definitive as http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=Cy5KjaAS7nY

Anyone any idea how to download YouTube videos - download helper doesn't seem to work any more (you just get audio)?

3883

Basic / Re: What flavors of basic?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 02:51 AM »

Yes you can download an IMG file and burn a DVD to install

3884

Living Room / Anyone understand .Net error codes? (all gobbledigook to me)

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 19, 2007, 02:03 AM »

Got a number of these evens in my system log when I was trying to run Seagate's diagnostic tools (Seatools.exe) on my external USB drive. Each time the tools bombed out while starting up and never got to a point where I could actually do any tests (though the drive was recognised).

Error details:

Event Type:   Error
Event Source:   .NET Runtime 2.0 Error Reporting
Event Category:   None
Event ID:   5000
Date:      16/12/2007
Time:      16:35:53
User:      N/A
Computer:   LAIRDSWOOD
Description:
EventType clr20r3, P1 seatoolsforwindows.exe, P2 1.1.0.7, P3 461e8ed4, P4 mscorlib, P5 2.0.0.0, P6 461eee3d, P7 167c, P8 22, P9 system.invalidoperationexception, P10 NIL.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft....om/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 63 00 6c 00 72 00 32 00   c.l.r.2.
0008: 30 00 72 00 33 00 2c 00   0.r.3.,.
0010: 20 00 73 00 65 00 61 00    .s.e.a.
0018: 74 00 6f 00 6f 00 6c 00   t.o.o.l.
0020: 73 00 66 00 6f 00 72 00   s.f.o.r.
0028: 77 00 69 00 6e 00 64 00   w.i.n.d.
0030: 6f 00 77 00 73 00 2e 00   o.w.s...
0038: 65 00 78 00 65 00 2c 00   e.x.e.,.
0040: 20 00 31 00 2e 00 31 00    .1...1.
0048: 2e 00 30 00 2e 00 37 00   ..0...7.
0050: 2c 00 20 00 34 00 36 00   ,. .4.6.
0058: 31 00 65 00 38 00 65 00   1.e.8.e.
0060: 64 00 34 00 2c 00 20 00   d.4.,. .
0068: 6d 00 73 00 63 00 6f 00   m.s.c.o.
0070: 72 00 6c 00 69 00 62 00   r.l.i.b.
0078: 2c 00 20 00 32 00 2e 00   ,. .2...
0080: 30 00 2e 00 30 00 2e 00   0...0...
0088: 30 00 2c 00 20 00 34 00   0.,. .4.
0090: 36 00 31 00 65 00 65 00   6.1.e.e.
0098: 65 00 33 00 64 00 2c 00   e.3.d.,.
00a0: 20 00 31 00 36 00 37 00    .1.6.7.
00a8: 63 00 2c 00 20 00 32 00   c.,. .2.
00b0: 32 00 2c 00 20 00 73 00   2.,. .s.
00b8: 79 00 73 00 74 00 65 00   y.s.t.e.
00c0: 6d 00 2e 00 69 00 6e 00   m...i.n.
00c8: 76 00 61 00 6c 00 69 00   v.a.l.i.
00d0: 64 00 6f 00 70 00 65 00   d.o.p.e.
00d8: 72 00 61 00 74 00 69 00   r.a.t.i.
00e0: 6f 00 6e 00 65 00 78 00   o.n.e.x.
00e8: 63 00 65 00 70 00 74 00   c.e.p.t.
00f0: 69 00 6f 00 6e 00 20 00   i.o.n. .
00f8: 4e 00 49 00 4c 00 0d 00   N.I.L...
0100: 0a 00                     ..     

Unfortunately MS offers no further assistance on this error code (what is the point of error codes if there isn't any documentation to help?)

3885

General Software Discussion / Re: Directory Opus 9

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 09:00 PM »

Another thing I've noticed:

I tried to view a PDF file. The viewer window opens empty, then Acrobat Reader opens with the document, but mostly covered by the blank viewer window.

Strange it doesn't do that for me - the PDF file is opened in an Acrobat pane within the separate viewer window.

3886

General Software Discussion / Re: WinTasks Pro ... Windows Explorer is a trojan - yeah right!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 05:20 PM »

I think problems arose when Uniblue bought LIUtilitities (which AIUI was a one man show and he wrote some brilliant stuff). Since he sold the title of the software to Uniblue they have more or less stopped developing WinTasks (apart from a minor update to v. 5 which was probably just done to raise revenue) and have concentrated on selling security and maintenance tools. I can't comment on the strength or abilities of those tools because I don't need their anti-spyware software or their registry cleaner (I refuse to use registry cleaners any more from any company) but they seem more aimed at raising revenu through intimidation than anything else.

What a pity!

3887

General Software Discussion / Re: WinTasks Pro ... Windows Explorer is a trojan - yeah right!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 09:27 AM »

My last post has been edited with another example.

Yes it should be reported - have you ever tried contacting Microsoft?

Having said that I just found their Gold Partner website - which is basically a glorified club that MS charges for!

3888

General Software Discussion / Re: WinTasks Pro ... Windows Explorer is a trojan - yeah right!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 08:52 AM »

UniBlue (formerly LIUtilities) have numerous 'packages' that are actually bundles of utilities. Processlibrary is part of some of these apps (including WinTasks). When you click on a process in WinTasks Pro (not sure about standard) it looks up the process in processlibrary (which is actually included and updated as part of the package) and displays the details within the main screen - you can expand it and view it in a larger screen and it has links to the website.

As far as I can see the website (and the info in the database) are designed to get you to download other products. Quickly skipping through a number of common processes on my computer I get very similar messages to the one I posted at the start of this thread namely (to paraphrase) "essential do not stop this process ... registered as a trojan delete it". Seems particularly to apply to MS process but not exclusively.

Maybe I should report this behaviour to MS since they proudly display the Gold Partner label on their website since they effectively seem to be arguing that almost any essential MS process in Windows is registered as a trojan.

Note they don't say 'potential target for trojans and other malware' - which would be a more reasonable approach - they actually advocate removal of core windows functions like Explorer!! Anyone using this library that isn't tech savvy is going to have a hard time understanding what is required of them - and that it is actually impossible if you want your computer to function.

LIGHT GOES ON

Ah! What they are actually saying is WinTasks as a security app recommends the removal of Windows from your system - that makes sense!

This one is even more classic:



So far all the MS processes I have looked at are labelled in similar ways ... some (like this one) even more severely than explorer.exe.

3889

General Software Discussion / Re: WinTasks Pro ... Windows Explorer is a trojan - yeah right!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 07:17 AM »

I don't think SFC would react on an explorer.exe that doesn't overwrite the original... you could drop it in system32\drivers to make it appear legit.

I thought SFC maintained some sort of hash check on the installed version of EXPLORER.EXE and the one in use in memory. To spoof explorer wouldn't it have to load into memory and replace the standard version? I thought this sort of live spoof checking was introduced in Windows XP (or possible Win 2k) so that files are rolled back to standard versions automatically if they are tampered with?

3890

General Software Discussion / Re: WinTasks Pro ... Windows Explorer is a trojan - yeah right!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 06:00 AM »

Actually what you will see on that webpage is that it is a marketing scam - and personally I would expect better from Uniblue/LIUtilities.

I am not disputing that explorer.exe could be spoofed/hacked as a trojan (though I would expect Windows SFC to notice that such a core module of the operating system has been modified illegally - that is what SFC is for after all) but the purpose of the warning is to get you to download two Uniblue products, install them and then buy them.

WinTasks is not and never has been a security tool - if it was it would have had some updates in the last 18 months to keep up with current issues. It is really a TaskManager replacement/extension with a few nice features (like the use of profiles to disable/enable groups of processes by a one click method). Selling it on the current basis that it offers some security advantages is pure marketing of paranoia (like most of the bogus security software out there).

As a security tool the only advantage it has ove Windows built in TaskManager is access to a library of information relating to common processes. This is lamentably poor (IMHO) as for most tasks it just reads the info in the EXE file as supplied by the programmer - and so doesn't add any value added info. For those items in its database it mostly seeks to worry you into download completely unnecessary extra software for a 'free scan' - which basically means download trial versions of their own software - so it less security related than marketing - and that marketing is based on fear - shoddy IMHO.

3891

General Software Discussion / WinTasks Pro ... Windows Explorer is a trojan - yeah right!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 03:59 AM »

I used to use WinTasks Pro a lot but haven't had it installed for a while now. I though I would check for updates and install it again.

Surprisingly Uniblue have not updated the app since August 2005 (at least that is when I downloaded the last update)!

They now seem to be marketing it as a security tool and have updated the 'Process Library' which provides information relating to common running processes on your system.

This one amused me:



I wonder what Microsoft would think about their Gold Partner Status in light of this ....

3892

Living Room / Re: 100,000 users!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 02:50 AM »

The real sexual joke has run away ....

3893

Living Room / Re: Firewire/iLink speeds set to increase to 3.2Gb/s

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 18, 2007, 02:48 AM »

The other advantage of Firewire is that it can supply more power to devices directly.

3894

Living Room / Re: 100,000 users!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 06:39 PM »

Sorry number 77 is ajcam who has so far not posted here.

But Darwin is 377 if that helps 

3895

General Software Discussion / Re: Acronis release new version of TrueImage Workstation

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 06:37 PM »

Mmmmm popcorn ...

(Actually I prefer cookies too - see I can even speak American)

3896

Living Room / Firewire/iLink speeds set to increase to 3.2Gb/s

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 06:35 PM »

A new standard is emerging which is faster than eSATA and even faster than HDMI transfer for uncompressed HiDef video.

See article at: http://news.zdnet.co...102.html?tag=nl.e550

This will make external storage really rock - how long until USB catches up?

3897

Living Room / Re: Find secret Amazon discounts with Deallocker

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 12:02 PM »

Don't think it is working on UK site - I looked for DVDs with a minimum discount of 70% and the first one that appeared had no discount at all - unless it includes Marketplace prices ???

3898

General Software Discussion / Re: Fantastic: XsX Alphablended Cursors

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 11:51 AM »

Hey - this lot is fun - really like all the sets pointed out. I have never bothered with custom sets before because I couldn't quite be bothered (or see the point) but I really like these - esp. XsX with shadows! 

3899

General Software Discussion / Re: Acronis release new version of TrueImage Workstation

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 09:30 AM »

Coward ...

3900

Living Room / Re: 100,000 users!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on December 17, 2007, 09:21 AM »

That sounds like a challenge. Do you think I cant be like you and carol and reply to every topic?: ;-) I only reply when I have input I feel would add value to the topic ;-) I am not a spammer like YOU!!!!

</joking>

By the way, ralf, click on your username next to a post and it will be in the address bar.

-Josh (December 17, 2007, 09:11 AM)

Nah - you just don't try hard enough Josh .... you have been a member just longer than me by the looks of it but you have some catching up to do (must be all those waffles I eat)