Recent Posts

7001

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 21, 2009, 02:28 PM »

No joy for Minefield though(FF 3.6pre)

-MilesAhead (August 21, 2009, 02:24 PM)

Did you try to install it by changing the maxVersion?

-piecu (August 21, 2009, 02:27 PM)

I have Mr Tech Toolkit.  Version checking is supposedly disabled.  I get the error "cannot find Opera" even if I browse to the opera.exe file.

7002

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 21, 2009, 02:24 PM »

No joy for Minefield though(FF 3.6pre)

edit: oh well, it motivated me to try Launchy again.  Seems to work now in 3.6pre

7003

Living Room / Re: LockHunter: Fix file-in-use problems on Windows x64 (free donationware)

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 21, 2009, 01:40 PM »

I've been using it for a few weeks now in Vista64 SP1.  Works great.  Esp. for me because sometimes I launch a 32 bit shell to use 32 bit shell extensions that wouldn't ordinarily be visible in Vista64.  Often files and folders deleted in 32 bit shell or File Manager programs don't propagate to the 64 bit shell.  You click on a folder that seems to be there but get access denied.

LockHunter gets rid of that.  As soon as you unlock the phantom folder, it disappears.  Saves a log off in those cases.

edit: so far my only suggestion would be to put some kind of version info someplace.  afaics the only way to get a version number is to look in the Programs and Features removal list.  No About box, no nuthin'.

edit2: also no version info as resource in .exe file.. so it can leave you wondering.

7004

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: USB Safely Remove for Free

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 21, 2009, 01:31 PM »

Just tried it with my USB docking station.  It tells me Volume Tracking Information service has hold of it even though Restore Points are not enabled for that drive.  Also it's not in the Windows Search indexing.  Anyone know the trick to disable/enable volume tracking logging for a drive?

7005

Living Room / Re: Free Mousepads?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 20, 2009, 05:44 PM »

Whoa!!  If I knew my Sears Mousepad was going to be a collector's item I never would have cut it!! Dang!!  Just assumed I could always buy another one.  I went to Radio Shack and the only plain mouse pad they had was like 1/32" thick!! You've got to be kidding me!!  The OfficeMax house brand ones are pretty good thickness, but the bottom surface doesn't grab to the desktop well enough.  Eventually they hang over the edge of the desk.

Next thing you know they'll be doin' away with floppy disks!! What's the world commin' to?  

7006

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: USB Safely Remove for Free

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 20, 2009, 05:40 PM »

Great find...signed up to get one. The only limitation I noticed on this free license is it is good for the current version (v4.1) only.

-Innuendo (August 20, 2009, 03:13 PM)

Yeah, but if we're lucky and there's no big bugs then we're golden.  This is one of those things like Unlocker or LockHunter that's a must have in Windows.

7007

General Software Discussion / Re: Announcement: ReOpen - Folder Cache, only betterer

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 20, 2009, 03:19 PM »

ReOpen 3.1 Now when tabbing into a ListBox with no selections, the top item is selected.  This eliminates the need to play around with the arrow keys to select the top item when tabbing into the ListBox.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Announcement: Way Simple Folder Cache for Windows

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 20, 2009, 03:18 PM »

FolderCache 3.7 Now when tabbing into a ListBox with no selections, the top item is selected.  This eliminates the need to play around with the arrow keys to select the top item when tabbing into the ListBox.

FolderCache 3.71 Added code to prevent the hotkey from opening the popup window while the About Dlg is showing.

7009

Coding Snacks / Re: Maximize Windows "partially"

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 20, 2009, 01:23 PM »

The main thing I would see with the "do it yourself" approach is you'd need to use something, maybe an .ini file, to enter params for either maximization or the area to leave open when maximized, and the previous size of the window so you could toggle it back.  Say if you did a middle mouse click on the title bar, get active window, if it's not at the custom max size, store current size and position and max it(maybe just store the window info to the .ini file or some data file of your own design or something.) If you middle click something already maxed and previous position/size info is there, restore to those settings, if no info, restore to 1/2 screen size or some default, etc..

You could do that fairly easily with AHK, AutoIt3 or VBS script.  In fact you might find something on this site for VBS:

http://www.planet-so...default.asp?lngWId=1

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Coding Snacks / Re: Maximize Windows "partially"

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 19, 2009, 08:16 PM »

You could do it a number of ways.  Anything that has a "Win Move" type function can move and resize the window.  It's more a matter if the normal mouse click in the maximize control has to be detected that would take some time. If you can use a hotkey or special mouse click or even a command line such as NirCmd then it would be easier.

edit: otoh I'd be very surpised if Softpedia.com or ZDNet didn't have something already debugged.

7011

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: USB Safely Remove for Free

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 19, 2009, 07:47 PM »

You reboot?  I click Remove a couple of times then pull the thing!!  

-MilesAhead (August 19, 2009, 01:28 PM)

Trouble is I have done that with a USB hard drive and ended up having to run a full CHKDSK to fix the errors caused!

-Carol Haynes (August 19, 2009, 04:29 PM)

That seems odd.  Did you have write caching enabled or folders shared over the network?  I disconnect all shares, hit the Stop thingy a couple of times, then run my UpdateEnv program a few times to try the flush the shell.  In any case, now we have the utility so cheating is no longer necessary.

edit: btw what really surprised me is the "Eject" command for BlacX USB dock seems to do nothing.  Every time I tried it I got the "windows is unable yadda yadda..."  I'll have to try this utility with it to see what happens.

7012

General Software Discussion / UpdateEnv 1.0.0.5

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 19, 2009, 02:11 PM »

This is a little program that flushes the Windows Explorer environment.  Similar to flushing disk buffers to the hard drive.  I've found on some things such as changing registry entries or disconnecting a mapped network drive, sometimes it can save you from having to log off, then back on to get Windows to let go or take note of something.

http://www.favessoft.com/UpdateEnv.zip

It's a stand-alone .exe.  It uses no registry or .ini settings.  Make a shortcut to launch from the shell or run from a command prompt.

7013

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: USB Safely Remove for Free

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 19, 2009, 01:28 PM »

Thanks for the heads up - looks like a useful tool. Nothing more frustrating than wanting to remove a USB device and having to reboot because it won't be released!

-Carol Haynes (August 19, 2009, 01:18 PM)

You reboot?  I click Remove a couple of times then pull the thing!!  

edit: just noticed this myself.  I'm waiting for license key now.

edit2: installed on both W7 32 bit and Vista64.

7014

Post New Requests Here / Re: time delay power down

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 18, 2009, 06:39 PM »

If you search sites like Softpedia you should find audio players with shutdown at end of playlist.  Or just search on AutoShutdown on Softpedia.  I'm sure there are a bunch.

Google on AutoShutdown finds this one:

http://www.konradp.c...ducts/auto_shutdown/

7015

Living Room / Re: Free Mousepads?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 18, 2009, 04:32 PM »

I've got a couple of extra mousepads but I no longer have the proper drivers for them.

-edbro (August 15, 2009, 07:34 PM)

I have a similar problem with a legal pad I use.  Works fine in Linux, but on any flavor of Windows I find I've agreed to some legal contract I can't understand. 

7016

General Software Discussion / Re: How to search specific pages from website?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 17, 2009, 06:27 PM »

I am not sure why you would use a bookmarklet and Google to search a page you are on when CTRL+F would do nicely.

-app103 (August 17, 2009, 06:07 PM)

That's cheatin' ..  too easy. 

7017

Living Room / Re: Free Mousepads?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 17, 2009, 05:52 PM »

Guess you are right.  If I was going to be inundated it would have happened by now.  I subscribe to a couple of magazines so I'm sure my info is sold off to all the lists by now.

It will be interesting to see what the thing looks like.  I hope it's a good thick pad in case I have to vibration damp something in the future.

7018

Living Room / Re: Free Mousepads?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 17, 2009, 03:59 PM »

Just get yourself a throw away email address and have some fun.

http://www.google.co...&q=free+mousepad

-app103 (August 17, 2009, 12:38 PM)

So they only email bomb you, not snail mail??

7019

Living Room / Re: 32X32 icons in start menu

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 09:34 PM »

I tried some 3rd party start menu programs for awhile.  Like Vista Start Menu. Also there's a freeware that categorizes your start menu.  Over time I had developed a folder on the desktop with 6 subfolders I used to categorize shortcuts.  What I ended up doing was putting this folder inside my Documents folder, so that there wouldn't even be an icon on my desktop. I used a custom icon for each subfolder so that I could recognize the category without a label.  Then I just dragged the 6 subfolders onto RocketDock.

One reason I went this far is I found out with VistaGlazz themes, no icon position restore programs worked.  Be that as it may, here's a screenshot of RocketDock with my subfoders in case you might find the idea interesting. The area indicated by the arrow span is the subfolders for shortcuts.  As it is I just used what was in the browser under customize icon, but one of these days I may use some Vista icons to make it look a bit better.

7020

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Time Sync Differences?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 09:24 PM »

If you are willing to run it manually and infrequently, it may be just easier to google terms - united states atomic time

you'll get a few time servers such as nist

usually it has a map of the US and you click your area to compensate for time zone daylight time etc..

7021

General Software Discussion / Re: Multi OS Boot Loading

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 09:14 PM »

Also there should be some grub how-tos or equivalent on the web.  If you use as a search term one of the newer Windows OSs like Vista, that should filter out the old grub how-tos from the 90s.

7022

General Software Discussion / Re: Multi OS Boot Loading

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 06:11 PM »

If you have ESata another approach might be to configure the OS to run from one of those docking stations.  When you want to change OS, eject the drive and insert a new one.  If the machine will boot from an external Sata that is.  I'm not sure how those options go.

7023

Living Room / Re: Free Mousepads?

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 05:56 PM »

That sounds pretty creative mouser.  I noticed you're good at bookshelves too.  Somebody made a set for me where the heavy computer books made them sag towards the front.  Touch something carelessly and everything slides off onto the floor... but maybe it wasn't so accidental after all.  Could be it was a revenge time-bomb!!  

Anyway have you thought of getting a van and doing on-site shelves to order?

edit: actually I'm trying to do away with bookcases altogether.  What would really fix me up are those old CD Jewel Case holders Fellowes used to make.  $70 got you a wooden pre-assembled twirly that held 240 standard size cases.  Unfortunately Fellowes doesn't make them anymore.  Anything similar costs over $200.  I'm putting all my videos in DJ cases but it just takes forever to enter the stuff in a video database. Still, I can't be stacking jewel cases to the ceiling.  I have to leave some room for the other clutter.

7024

Post New Requests Here / Re: Remember removed programs

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 05:48 PM »

On this vbscript site, the entry List Installed Programs shows how to get the list.  But the automatic monitoring implied seems problematic.  It may be simpler to keep a log using something like TreePad where you can add a program and its description when you install it, then make a note that it's no longer installed when you uninstall it.  Otherwise you'd either have to chain into everything that can install and uninstall programs, or run the MyUninstall as skwire noted and then run some kind of diff comparison.

Seems like it could all be done with note taking to me.

edit: btw I do agree that since MyUninstall has all the functionality, if you could get the author to add a feature to permanently log uninstalls with the program name and description, that seems like the best solution.

7025

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox --3.5-- Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on August 16, 2009, 01:51 PM »

Man this thing is stupid!!  I read in Location bar docs that domain guessing won't be invoked if Internet Keyword Search is enabled.  Great.  I enable Internet Keyword Search.  Now if I type "crapola" into the Location bar, it doesn't add 'www' or '.com' but it converts it to this: http://crapola/ and does a DNS lookup!!!!  Guess I'll keep using the search engine input!!