jaclaz

As long as you don't mix "defragmenting" or "compacting" with "optimizing" or "cleaning" your opinion is as good as anyone else's , but it's not like you having run Windows Operating Systems for several years is any different or better qualification than that of anyone else having run Windows Operating Systems for several years . Just as an example I have recklessly used Registry defragmenting as a periodical maintenance task and till today the "substantial risk" you depict has proved to be (at least in my case) equal exactly to 0. You don't like or think unnecessary to defragment the Registry? Good . Is it a "substantial risk"? : How do you know if you never did it? I have done it many times over the years and never lost a system, nor ever needed to reinstall any OS - EVER - if not due to hardware failure (in which case - to be accurate - I did not reinstall but rather restored a backup image). But obviously this is my anecdotal evidence which is anyway m00t, still it has the same dignity as your anecdotal evidence. You could well become a good Linux guy and assert how Ext2/3/4 need not defragmenting, or follow MS stating that while a database needs compacting, there is no need on Windows NT to defragment a hard disk (actually file system): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/288631 jaclaz

@NoelC You completely missed the point. Too bad . NTREGOPT IS NOT a "Registry cleaner", it IS NOT a "Registry optimizer", it is a Registry defragmenter or a Registry compacter. A filesystem (from time to time) is likely to work better if defragmented. A database (from time to time) is likely to work better if compacted. Whichever way you like to see the Windows Registry, it is better to do some maintenance on it (from time to time). Then, we may want to discuss the opportunity of using an actual "Registry cleaner", which may be better discussed here: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/171889-is-ccleaner-safe-to-run-on-windows-7-81/ jaclaz

You see, now? Since October 2012 everyone was convinced that there was NO WAY on Earth that anyone in his/her sane mind could actually like Windows 8 (not even with Calssic Shell/Start is back) and the good MS guys managed to prove everyone wrong: it is entirely possible to make something much worse than 8! jaclaz

NTREGOPT (JFYI) does not really-really "optimize" anything. If you see the Registry as a Filesystem, NTREGOPT is the correponding to the DEFRAG command. If you see the Registry as a Database, NTREGOPT is corresponding to the COMPACT or ZAP command. The net effect of using regopt is to have a smaller size of the files composing the Registry and, since the entries in it are re-organized it will be (in theory) a tadbit faster (in practice I doubt that it is noticeable on modern machines). @bizzibody Completely UNLIKE tested (and lesser known): http://www.winmend.com/registry-defrag/ a list of similar apps to test: http://alternativeto.net/software/puran-registry-defrag/ jaclaz

Wait until they couple your "advertising ID" with (say) your SSN .... jaclaz

Maybe though if you read that article you need to have either of: a $MFT larger than 4 Gb (which I would tag as "uncommon" ) more than 4,194,303 files on the volume (which I would tag as "very, very uncommon" )AND the problem (considering that that article has been written around the end of 2003 should be pertaining to XP Gold and SP1, probably fixed in SP1a but surely fixed in SP2. jaclaz

From the bottom up: The 0x80070005 is traditionally involving either some third party VSS providers or some antivirus/antimalware or similar or with permissions on a VSS related key: http://www.jcarle.com/2009/09/06/fixing-the-volume-shadow-copy-service/ The "The driver detected that the device \Device\Harddisk0\DR0 has its write cache enabled. Data corruption may occur." shuld be an ID32, which normally can be solved by disabling the cache on the RAID disk(s): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/811392 But since it's a DELL do check the settings in DELL Server Administrator: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/285f8cef-2a6c-4a23-ae12-a6755b2f9407/event-id-32disable-write-caching-on-the-disk The group policy error seems a lot like a "file not found" or "cannot connect to resource", i.e. it might be derived from a more generic "network" or even "disk/filesystem" issue of some kind that caused the gpt.ini to be not accessible, only you can know what/when the Group Policy is required to be applied and decide if it should actually be originated from a domain controller (and not - say - from a local copy). jaclaz

@glnz Yes, for the record if chkdsk finds an issue with file/folder permissions it attempts to fix it, but not necessarily it fixes it "right", so running it is (on the new, redeployed backup) is a very good idea , but unlikely it will be able by it's own to fix the issue. An example (not necessarily what happened or happens to you): a bit or a set of bits are corrupted on the filesystemyou cannot manually (because it throws an error) change the owner or permissions of a fileyou then run chkdsk (which will hopefully repair the $MFT or *whatever* holding the permissions data)chkdsk very likely will reset those data to a "default" that may (or may not be the desired setting)then you reattempt changing the owner/permissions of that file to the desired ones and this time it works because the underlying structure is "fixed" In theory verifying the filesystem structures is a "common enough" and "safe enough" activity, but in practice - particularly when there is a suspect of a filesystem level corruption - it is much safer to make a full backup before. The three golden rules of backup: Backup Backup another time to another media. While pondering on the duality and redundance in the essence of the previous two rules, do backup AGAIN on a third media. jaclaz

In a nutshell, you are in this situation (but on Win2K): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/914222 because your modified browseui.dll is not accepted, which should mean that *something* is wrong in your modified file. Maybe you could adopt an approach similar to this: http://www.virtualplastic.net/html/mod_xmpl.html and try the edited browseui.dll after each change you make (or a few of them) until you find which one makes it invalid. jaclaz

Yep , the symptoms are similar to those connected with access permissions/security settings *somehow* changed/corrupted and generically resetting them by running the given command line may solve the issue, the point is that there is a risk in running that command, so your plan of testing the backup first sounds perfectly appropriate . Remember that you SHOULD NOT have connected at the same time two hard disks with a same signature (i.e. the original disk and the one to which you restore the backup through the WinPE) as the Windows OS will - silently and at boot time - change the Disk Signature of one of the two disk to a different one (to avoid conflicts in the enumeratign of the devices) or have anyway a separate backup of the MBR (or just jolt down the current disk signature) in case it is needed to restore it. jaclaz

Interesting , this is where our experience diverges, I have more often than not seen "later builds" become an increasing amount of bloat or of (unneeded) dependencies or both, JFYI, this recent experience seemed to lead to an awful amount of work needed in newer VS editions to make things simpler: http://reboot.pro/topic/19942-vmdk-proxy-for-imdisk/ http://reboot.pro/topic/20467-use-libyal-libraries-with-devio-and-imdisk/ but of course the scope here is/was to get at the end of the day something as portable as possible and with as few dependencies as possible because the main use will be in a PE or however in compact, reduced environments. jaclaz

My bad , I was sure to have posted this piece of info (while I evidently only thought about it): You can take the actual C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\NTUSER.DAT and C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\NTUSER.DAT from your old backup, normally these profiles don't change. You will need of course to replace those while offline (like when booted to another install or from a PE). My previous post revolved around the idea that something in the "current user" (i.e. MYNAMEA) may be causing the issue, because it "lost" some permissions/authorizations/whatever, and creating (temporarily) a new user might be a way to see if that is the case and possibly "reset" the settings. In the end, it is possible that there is no need for anything above and all that is needed is a https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/873148 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/313222 secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb /verbosebut I would attempt that only once you have a good backup of your current situation, which is anyway better than (possibly) a non working system. jaclaz .

With all due respect, "may yield" sounds to me more like wishful thinking than actually tested and verified facts. Unless I miss something obvious (very likely ) the "all important" function: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dn905474(v=vs.85).aspx is basically only useful to limit the use of the complied executable on a "lower platform", i.e. I presume it might be used by people writing programs expressly targeted to Windows 10 or later, the good ol' GetVersion/GetversionEx still seemingly work fine for all practical purposes, and even if you jump to the Version Helper API, I still have to understand the exact reason why the (to me much more logical) "generic" IsWindowsVersionOrGreater function: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dn424964(v=vs.85).aspx is advised as "do not use": jaclaz

@glnz It seems to me like the "base" issue is a corrupted user profile. Before anything else, I would see if the machine works fine with a new user. Then I would try making a duplicate user from the old one to the new one: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/dupprofile.htm jaclaz

Just asking , but what is the need to "upgrade" the building environment to VS2015? Is it "better" in any way (when compared to any among VS2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013)? Does it produce "better" (faster, leaner, etc.) .exe's? Does a .exe compiled under VS2015 do the whatever it is supposed to do "better"? As an example would a program called "compass" compiled with VS2015 draw rounder circles or more circles per millisecond? Or would it have exactly the same functionalities and the difference would be only that it will come packed in a larger case? jaclaz

Happy we have another happy bunny: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/128727-cant-access-repair-my-pc-option-via-f8-startup/?p=828512 Once you have retrieved the data, it's up to you, my advice is in last paragraph of point #5 of the READ ME FIRST: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/143880-seagate-barracuda-720011-read-me-first/ Basically: perform manufacturer test update (if needed) firmware perform again manufacturer testIf the tests come out successfully then the disk is in theory as reliable as any other disk, in practice it is better to use it only as secondary backup. If the tests come out with an error simply throw away the disk. jaclaz

Well, among the "portable devices" we have here both an EEEPC and an Acer One, and though they do have smallish screens and a tiny keyboard, they are not at all that bad, when I am on the move I use either of them with very little difficulties (though I do carry with me also a - tiny as well - mouse, as the trackpad is - at least to me - an "emergency only" pointing device). The biggest hurdle as reported here: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/172826-windows-10-first-impressions/?p=1098622 on the iPad or similar devices are the accented/specific language characters. jaclaz

Sure but I think that the good MS guys or their advertisers (as often happens) have a mixed attitude. It seems like the spot is about attempting to sell a stupid (and stupidly expensive): http://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-surface-3/ device as a replacement for a laptop, or rather a tiny 10.8" screen netbook,something that you can normally buy for anything between 300 an 400 US$, since the final message is "The tablet that can replace your laptop", and it is offered including Office 365, so in theory the base assumption is that the intended target ALREADY has a laptop and plausibly he/she has a laptop because he/she does on it things that can be and are often done on a laptop. It would be consequent that in order to sell this new device one would show how great it is when used as used as a laptop, let's say showing a middle aged, balding accountant sitting at a table in a badly lighted airport bar inputting numbers on the keyboard (optional keyboard that you can buy separately for a mere US$ 129 BTW ). Frankly it would be a far less entertaining spot, but what they show in the spot is instead some senseless (or hipster according to you ) use of it as a tablet, that would be consistent if the scope and catch phrase was "The tablet that can replace your tablet" . jaclaz

Well, I see no reason why something cannot be hip fine without being confusing, deceiving or plainly stupid. But, according to the mouth of the wolf: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/join-domain-workgroup-homegroup jaclaz

Please, READ again point #6 of the READ-ME-FIRST! If - no matter because you do not understand English or you are not familiar with electronics - you have difficulties with it, see if you can find a friend that can help you . It is NOT POSSIBLE to convert USB to Serial (nor serial to TTL nor USB to TTL) by simply changing pinouts, they are DIFFERENT communication protocols, additionally using DIFFERENT voltage levels. GOOD: Your PC's Serial Port->RS232 to TTL[1] converter->Hard disk Your PC's USB port ->USB to TTL[1] converter->Hard disk Your PC's USB port ->USB to RS232 converter->RS232 to TTL[1] converter->Hard disk BAD: Anything not listed under "GOOD" above. YOU CANNOT build yourself *anything* until you understand the BASICS of this matter, and if you understand the BASICS of this matter you wouldn't be here asking crazy questions. See if you understand better reading this : http://www.robotizando.com.br/artigo_conversor_ttl_pg2.php jaclaz [1] TTL at 3.3 V level AND NOT TTL at 5V level.

Yes, of course. Right now you have 5 options in your menu.lst title Grldr Loading BOOTMGRtitle Grldr loading second disktitle Grldr loading second disk and exchangetitle Grldr loading first part on 2nd disktitle Grldr loading first part on 2nd disk and exchangeAFAICT all of them should lead to successfully boot the Windows 7 on the second disk, but you have to check that, then you choose just one, let's say the first one. You can then have a very simple menu.lst like: Which should simply boot to the Windows 7, which can be even simplified to: or maybe a "boot" command is needed in this last case, i.e.: And yes, sure, exception made for C: and D: you can use disk manager to change drive letters of all other volumes the way you wish, of course you will need to do it twice, once in XP's Disk Manager and once in t the 7's Disk Manager. (drive letter assignment is stored in the Registry of each OS) jaclaz

So basically, if I set up a friend's PC (or a stolen one ) or a leased one I have to lie? I know I am picky, mainly because I am very picky, but all this time I thought that ownership and possession are not the same thing. Particularly in times of (senseless) BYOD, I guess it will manage to have a lot of grown ups (good, honest people) cry, being it additionally "reinforced" by the : In 2015 IMHO: the choice should be NOT at all importantit should be trivial to switch from "that ID" (which one? ) to anyone else, any timeit should be NOT MS business to ensure that I have access to important company resources or somehow prevent it jaclaz

Look at it this way. The thing depicted in the image you posted is a translator. It understands Portuguese and translates it in German and viceversa. The hard disk speaks and understands Portuguese only, the serial (RS-232) speaks and understands German only and the USB speaks and understand English only. So: If your computers speaks German (through a Serial port), that thingy should be able to translate the German to the Portuguese the hard disk understands and back. If your computer speaks English (through a USB port) you CANNOT connect to it that thingy, and you will need between PC and that another translator (the USB to RS-232 converter) translating from English to German and back OR a different translator that directly understands English (USB) and can translate to Portuguese (TTL) and viceversa. The hard disk is particularly picky and while it speaks Portuguese (TTL) it only speaks the 3.3V level variant (let's say Brazilian Portuguese) and NOT the 5 V level variant (European Portuguese). There is no way I can tell from your photo if that RS-232 to TTL adapter is 3.3V or 5V level. A 3.3V TTL level will SURELY work. A 5V TTL level will most likely NOT work. It is not a very difficult concept, the idea is to communicate and in order to do so you need devices that talk between them a same language, if you have doubts maybe you can find a friend which is more familiar with the matter (or with English, or both) that may be able to assist you, reading point #6 and following, it is all written there, in an as plain manner as I could manage. jaclaz

The whole point here is not about what you use or what you use for what knowingly (being it "normal" or "abnormal"), it is about what data the good MS guys think fair getting from you unknowingly. jaclaz

@mcsoba That is a SERIAL (or RS-232) to TTL adapter. You need a SERIAL port on your computer (better) OR a SERIAL to USB converter, something *like* these: http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Cables/USBRS232.htm OR, alternatively, you need a USB to TTL converter, something *like*: http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Cables/USBTTLSerial.htm Please, DO READ the READ-ME-FIRST, FIRST, particularly points #6 and #10 : http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/143880-seagate-barracuda-720011-read-me-first/ jaclaz