jaclaz

Linked to in the article on PC World (but with a broken link): http://getwired.com/2012/10/02/windows-store-charmed-im-sure/ Seemingly the EXACT OPPOSITE of what is happening (and that the "new provision" may contribute to create). Anyone willing to count (on his/her own "real" PC) HOW MANY (roughly): programs are installed programs are actually used (daily or often enough) programs you couldn't live without Mine: more than 200 35, maybe 40 10 to 15, maybe 20 jaclaz

Yep , that was by design jaclaz

My bad , I should have said "reset" TCP/IP: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299357 BUT , let me doubt the 15 years , on NT and 2K you could actually uninstall it allright: http://www.ni.com/support/vxi/network/nt_tcp.htm http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285034/en-us The mentioned tool simply saves some settings to a file and then is able to restore them, it couldn't care less about the subnet on which the IP's are, but it represents only a possible way to save some re-typing of the settings. jaclaz

Sure but you see, even knowing how much mindless might be the good MS guys and particularly the MS Office ones, logically IF they would insert a DRM (or copy protection) check that would make the single apps not work and not the shortcuts to them (I mean, come on , even if sometimes they do things that only complete morons would do , they are actually intelligent and capable programmers )... My post was however intended more as a "let's examine facts before making hypothesis of what caused them to happen" kind of suggestion. If you prefer : jaclaz

Just for the record and to (hopefully) contribute to making the terms more clear, the terms "hosed" or "botched" like in "botched Registry" or "botched filesystem" or "botched shortcuts" do not imply in any way any connection of any kind to DRM (and to any kind of DRM). More simply *something* is currently "hosed" or "botched", you choose: Registry filesystem shortcuts First you find WHICH is the culprit, and then you try to understand WHAT "botched" it (and NO, IMNSHO most probably it wasn't any kind of DRM). jaclaz

It would be logical to uninstall the TCP/IP stack and BOTH nic's and reinstall/reconfigure the whole lot. A tool like this (example): http://www.eusing.com/ipswitch/free_ip_switcher.htm might be of use, however (to save and re-apply settings). jaclaz

The basic docs/commands are mentioned in the "BIG" thread about the 7200.11. How much that info is 7200.11 specific and/or to which "series" of hard disks do apply is unknown. Some direct links to (hopefully) relevant posts: jaclaz

Well, just like the member right above you, you are failing to provide any meaningful detail to try and help you, if it is a "generic" rant is OK , if you need assistance do provide a DETAILED, EXHAUSTIVE, ACCURATE descripotion of what you have, what you did, what happened, standard litany: http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/problem-report-standard-litany.html jaclaz

Just in case , the FGA for this thread is here : jaclaz

No, I presume that it works (worked) only on NON-ACPI machines (please read as AT power supply vs. ATX ones) just like the corresponding (say) XP one, which I never recall seeing until I got on this: http://reboot.pro/topic/3717-xpsp1-with-full-commandline-and-ntfs-below-10-mb/ http://reboot.pro/topic/3717-xpsp1-with-full-commandline-and-ntfs-below-10-mb/?p=27253 jaclaz

To be fair, not ONLY car makers had these kind of hiccups: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2340-lost-translation-7-international-marketing-mishaps.html Ikea has traditionally being one of the best at it, probably due to the Swedish being so "different" , but sure while not everyone might know Thai: http://www.businessinsider.com/ikeas-product-names-were-almost-a-disaster-in-thailand-2012-6 names like (just a few): Anis, Dick, Fanny, Fartfull, Jerker, Lessebo might have raised an eyebrow or two.... SCOOP! ever thought of feeding "Windows 8" in an Ikea Name Generator? jaclaz

Maybe this one? http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/winme jaclaz

I guess that only people with a background knowledge of Italian/Latin based languages will appreciate this : http://www.giornalettismo.com/archives/825787/lapp-di-microsoft-col-nome-piu-assurdo-del-mondo/ http://www.webnews.it/2013/03/13/inkulator-app-per-windows-8-dal-nome-equivoco/ The few B) that can, will! The risk of customers using the app name for the device in a synecdoche: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche is IMHO a BIG risk for the good Redmond guys. However, the app was quickly renamed: http://surfacesoft.com/tag/inkulator/ jaclaz

Actually, no, it's exactly the same, only you have found a condition in which the solution you managed to get working doesn't work. Yes, but you cannot make lemon juice from cucumbers, i.e. you can squeeze cucumbers alright, but you will get cucumber juice (and NOT lemonade) as a result. There is NO such function in NT 4.00, maybe, just maybe, one of the third party tools/programs for which you were given a link, specifically for the task of unlocking a locked workstation, may : http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/16197/Remotely-Unlock-a-Windows-Workstation http://www.rohitab.com/discuss/topic/32164-autounlockpc/page__p__10052092#entry10052092 http://www.softtreetech.com/24x7/archive/51.htm If you are concerned about security, try using those same approaches and write your own tool. See above, there isn't one. No need to be sorry, but you have to realize how when you have an issue you should really ask about the issue, and not about the way you think it should be solved, the risk is that of slipping on a chocolate covered banana: http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/put-down-the-chocolate-covered-banana.html You seemingly have not properly tested psshutdown, and in any case, if you really are concerned with third party software because of security issues, we are all losing our time . Please, also, consider how these are not necessarily true equations: Microsoft built-in fundctions/tools = Secure Third Party Tools = Security risks jaclaz

Actually I was trying to defend poor, old AT.EXE that it seemed to me you were bad mouthing. Of course it is not the best thing that was ever invented, but as said, when it worked and within it's limits, it has been working alright. That's all. And SCHTASKS and Task Manager have as well more than one quirk, guess why exactly there are so many third-party providers for "Job scheduler software" , not only "centralized". Sure, and if the connection - for any reason - drops, the task won't be executed. Rest assured that Murphy's Law will present itself there as soon as such a setup is implemented (and - by definition - if the task at hand is a local backup - the only case of a disk catching fire you would ever see will happen the sheer moment the task was not executed, for *any* reason) Naaah, I may even agree with you specifically, just to show how you are wrong on this . Yep, as said, there never was a particular praise for the easy of use, feature list, flexibility or logging capabilities of AT.EXE , but it's not like people using NT 3.51 or NT 4.00 before the advent of the Service Pack that adds Task Manager were setting alarm clocks pointed at (say) 2:00 AM to wake themselves and get to the PC to perform a task while offices were closed. It was rudimental, it had all the quirks you can imagine and even one more, and (practical example): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138340/en-us in the good ol' days you simply couldn't live without the NT Resource Kit, good batch scripting capabilities, and some fantasy, besides hard work, we had to write bytes by hand on a scrap of paper bit by bit.... Why, in my day.... http://reboot.pro/topic/1908-why-in-my-day/ .... and we LIKED it ! jaclaz

Yesterday's experience: brand new Verbatim external 2.5" 500 Gb USB 3.0 disk <- bought to make a sort of "backup" (actually disk images) to be sent phisically to another location very old install XP machine NOT connected to the internet since several years (no reasons to, simply used for office work) As soon as you connect the USB disk, a FULL SCREEN menu comes out (Autoplay) with some basic info, thanking for having bought this nice product, etc., etc. (and besides being abnormally "slow", the thing hangs and you need Task Manager to get rid of it. The (500 GB in size, I repeat) disk is formatted in a single FAT32 partition and has a few folders with "software" for Windows an Mac (OK), I decide to copy these folders to a local disk (just in case) and see (in the big FULL SCREEN thingy that I re-run to see the instructions) that a special formatting tool is among the tools provided. The thingy is called Verbatim Hard Disk Formatter and is smartly named (actual .exe and referred to) as VHDformatter (just imagine how long will it take before you completely forget about the thing and believe it is a soecific tool for VHD images/files ) but all in all, still OK. Thinking that it might be needed for *any* reason, I try running it, and the thingy reveals being some crappy Adobe based mix between a document, a web page and a PDF wrapping around (I presume) the built-in FORMAT command, however it doesn't work as (obviously) the whatever Adobe related components on that PC are outdated and wants to connect to the internet (which I have NOT available) to download the new ones. Task Manager again, killed the stupid thingy, re-formatted as NTFS "normally", data saved, everything OK. jaclaz

Just to utterly disagree: when it works, AT works alright. (and no it's not a truism) And the Task Scheduler in NT 4.00 (besides the IE related issues) is far from "perfect": http://www.piclist.com/techref/os/win/winnt/cron.htm Relying on an "external" machine to run tasks (if they are "critical") represent a good way to invite Murphy's Law at dinner for a live demonstration Another day, another tool/approach (scheduled unlock) : http://www.softtreetech.com/24x7/archive/51.htm jaclaz

Hmmm. now really OT, meanwhile in the UK: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schoolscapital/buildingsanddesign/baseline http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/03/uk-government-bans-curved-school-buildings/ the future of (public school) architecture and design is doomed (you see, you start by making windows flat, and see where it brings you), the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) promptly emitting their concerns, that are really worth some comment (just the first three): Cannot say about developments in pedagogy , but I can tell you about a couple things on the light of technology ones, which seems pretty dim. I wonder how the heck did we survive all those years in cubic/rectangular school buildings without getting chokied to death in occasion of a serious congestion , and without being killed/harmed by bullying practices, inevitable wherever concealed stairs are in use. Well-ventilated well-lit classroom (that can BTW be made in any normal rectangular building) are essential for kids to concentrate on angrybirds or chatting online (the two main activities currently carried on in school classrooms). NO, seriously, meanwhile in London.... jaclaz

There are two "types" of Reinstall CD's (yes the one that came with your PC or that you "burned" from the recovery partition): first type is an "ordinary" XP install CD that the good Dell guys in their simplicity couldn't leave alone, changing senselessly a few settings second type is an image (or backup, or whatever you call it) of an installed system If it is the first type, fixing (if needed) the few things that were changed is easy. If it is the second, things may become more complex. If I get you right, currently that Dell 755 is running (I mean it doesn't bluescreen, it boots more or less normally as you can run Belarc Advisor) right? In any case, get a second opinion: Very basically, all MS cd's are the same, and only a few files determine if the CD is OEM, "Retail" or "VLK" (put in double quote as to avoid someone to chime in saying that "Retail" and/or "VLK" are not the proper terms, etc.). A key (your current key as seen with the mentioned tools) is only valid for an OEM source (and won't work if you install from your "other CD" which is "Retail"). You won't have problems if you install from OEM source CD with the key gathered from the mentioned utilities, and your Vista COA/Sticker is OK, as it is within the Vista Eula - I believe - one of your rights to "downgrade" to XP (a misnomer meaning actually "install a better OS version" ). So the whole point is understanding what exactly is on the DELL OEM Cd you have, as said it is possible that it is "good as is" (bar the need to create a new one with the needed SP and possibly integrate some needed drivers) or that one needs to re-create a valid "install/repair" CD. Easy, open a command prompt and in it (provided that your CD/DVD drive is E:\ ) do: DIR /S E:\>C:\mydellcd.dir compress the resulting file to mydellcd.zip and attach it to your next post. It is also possible that your 755 has the (in)famous DELL recovery partition, which may as well contain some needed files. Have a quick peek at these: to have an idea of the procedure to rebuild an install CD (if needed) jaclaz

Hey mates , how many posts are actually ON Topic lately? Too many! Here is an Off Topic , but not much one: http://phetdreams.tumblr.com/post/42959902001/massive-google-play-privacy-issue More here: http://www.benedelman.org/news/021913-1.html jaclaz

If I may, forget about nlite (not that is not good, simply it is not a tool suited IMHO for this). If I were you I would use the Dell source (which normally is a synonym of "troubles") to create manually a "standard" install disk, then integrate the SP3 (if that is what you have) and the needed drivers. About the floppy drive (or lack of it ) you can use grub4dos together with a floppy image and a ramdisk driver to replace the "real" floppy with a "virtual" one. jaclaz

Nice one . Besides the main ones and the nice conclusion: B) I particularly appreciated the Bonus Rant about the ribbon interface, and the possible issues with the "average Suzie secretary" needing to fight with .XML. jaclaz

RE: Windows 8 Accounts Some more interesting points: http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/the-hidden-danger-of-windows-8-microsoft-accounts-191185 http://community.skype.com/t5/Windows-8-from-Windows-Store/Windows-8-Disconnecting-a-Microsoft-Account-and-a-Skype-account/td-p/1148638 http://www.infinitechusa.net/blog/2012/04/24/windows-8-microsoft-account/ Please do notice the dates of the above, I hope the good MS guys won't come back saying "you talked, we listened" or "noone ever told us that" .... The same user that started the thread Tripredacus referenced: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w8itproinstall/thread/8124f5da-dd2f-4866-85de-5d369abe1450/ also posted: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w8itproinstall/thread/78ab2085-e3b7-4e28-9805-a2a07026e04b/ For the record, in Preview there were some issues and a tool was actually released, looking at the checks that the thingy does with a critical eye some items appear to be worth a raised eyebrow: http://www.ghacks.net/2012/07/04/windows-8-troubleshoot-microsoft-accounts-issues/ I mean, if there should be an issue *somewhere* in a connection it seems like issues may arise: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w8itprosecurity/thread/8c9dad97-1eb7-4960-91ca-0755f0bb2e44/ And of course there are issues even on the non-business use, check the point "The one that got away" here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013667/8-worst-windows-8-irritations-and-how-to-fix-them.html jaclaz

Yep , BTW sometimes reading the stickies does help: http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/8-windows-9x-me/ Don't forget to also check : jaclaz

Nice move so now the links I posted are invalid Correcting them. jaclaz