jaclaz

Yep, I used them (Dinamic Disks) "extensively" on Windows 2000 in "mirroring" mode, aka pseudo RAID 1 (much less on XP - a small hack was needed on some system files to have them working) and never had particular issues. Over the years however I have seen quite a few people recovering from "mysterious" issues with "normal" disks. More than a few times, for *some reasons*, the 0x07 Partition ID of "normal" NTFS primary volumes (system and boot volume) *somehow* was changed to 0x42, and the disk volume became unreadable/the system couldn't boot. A direct disk edit to 0x07 solved the issue just fine. A similar example: http://reboot.pro/topic/3463-converting-a-dynamic-disk-back-to-a-basic-disk/ Of course if the disk was actually Dynamic you should also delete the info at the end of the disk. Or use TESTDISK: https://mypkb.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/how-to-non-destructively-convert-dynamic-disks-to-basic-disks/ Please note how the good MS guys want you to delete the contents to perform a conversion form Dynamic to Basic: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/change-a-dynamic-disk-back-to-a-basic-disk I never found a suitable explanation for this and MS lists (listed) only the opposite case (Dynamic Disks being *somehow* reverted to basic or "mixed mode"): https://web.archive.org/web/20080327141814/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236086 https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/320283/you-cannot-revert-a-disk-to-a-basic-disk-if-the-disk-appears-as-dynami jaclaz

After all the reason is not so different, I also was looking for a "generic" connection kit (just in case, my main interests were in the mini hub, mini-mouse and USB cable) and got those RJ45-USB adapters in the bundle, jaclaz

And that is hardly "news", as it has already been stated on this thread since 2015. jaclaz

Well, JFYI, I have actually two of those adapters + a small mouse and a number of (extensible) cables, a mini-hub and other converters all in a nice zippered bag more or less *like* these ones: https://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/3691995/usb_travel_kit_usb_travel_bag_usb_bag_usb_kit.html https://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/365382159/USB_and_Mouse_Toolkit.html I call it (connection) "preparedness" https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/07/08/plan/ jaclaz

Well, everything comes from the study by Positive Technologies, article: https://www.ptsecurity.com/ww-en/analytics/atm-vulnerabilities-2018/ Actual "paper": https://www.ptsecurity.com/upload/corporate/ww-en/analytics/ATM-Vulnerabilities-2018-eng.pdf https://regmedia.co.uk/2018/11/14/positive_tech_atm_vulnerabilities.pdf TLDR: If you can have physical access to either the machine (and its connections) or to the network it is on (preferrably on the segment between the ATM and the router), it is game over. (hardly "news"). Adding to it the "corollary" on the number of machines running XP as if it was - even remotely - relevant is the usual FUD spread by the journalists (that possibly didn't actually read the paper or even if they did, did not understand its contents). jaclaz

With TWO of them, you may do something (actually rather pointless, still ...) : https://www.delock.com/produkt/65234/pdf.html?sprache=en CAT5/CAT6 cable is actually very good to carry non-etherrnet signals too, and in some cases you can exceed USB length specifications (around 4.5 mt length without booster/repeater), very, very old example: https://web.archive.org/web/20080422023938/https://girasoli.org/?p=58 There are actually some (very few AFAIK) devices that (for *some reasons*) have an USB port in the form of an RJ45 port (and no, it is VERY unlikely that you have one of them): https://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product/TCSMCNAM3M002P/connection-cable-usb-rj45---for-connection-between-pc-and-drive/ ... where over time they will become random scraps of plastic/metal, not entirely unlike ratchet screwdrivers fruits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_races_and_species_in_The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#Ratchet_Screwdriver_Fruit jaclaz

Your "just" may appear as moving the platters to be something "easy" (it is not) and "doable by everyone" (it is not), particularly for a multi-platter disk. Personally I wouldn't even THINK of using a couple pieces of sticky tape to hold the platters "synchronized" and to lift them from the original disk (there are specific tools to do that). Something *like*: Of course the sticky tape may work, if done by a very, very, very skilled operator and using a specific kind of sticky tape. It's just like using cut outs of pill wrappings to keep heads aparts, it may work for Scott Moulton, but I would rather use (like actually in the video) a specific tool. jaclaz

All these years I thought that Dynamic Disks data were written to disk in 2000 as well, AFAIK they were introduced in Windows 2000 and while XP may have bettered the management of them there are not any registry vs. on-disk differences: https://www.z-a-recovery.com/articles/dynamic-disks.aspx I may remember it wrongly, of course, have you got any sources about your statement? jaclaz

If you want the actual Brinks-3D6H-SD3B.ISO, find it attached jaclaz Brinks-3D6H-SD3B.ISO

As a matter of fact, that particular argument is tougher to win, EXACTLY because in those environments those specialized application are actually NEEDED to do some actual work (as opposed to ordering random crap on Amazon or e-bay, watching youtube videos of lolcats, etc.). This said, in those cases (of still using XP in a corporate environment), the use of XP is generally (rightly) limited to PC's that need not an internet connection, and curiously enough an XP install (and programs of XP era) tend to have much less *need* to be internet connected. Surely, I never heard of XP reversing from Pro to Home (which in a networked environment should equate more or less to complete havoc), like seemingly Windows 10 has started doing today (JFYI): https://msfn.org/board/topic/174896-official-windows-10-worst-crap-ever/?page=78&tab=comments#comment-1156138 jaclaz

Fresh of today: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-bug-is-deactivating-windows-10-pro-licenses-and-downgrading-to-home/ No comment needed I believe. jaclaz

@JodyT Come on, it all started again because of a simple misunderstanding For *some* reasons there has been some form of miscommunication, some members seemingly expected that "awhile" was a lot longer than 1 year. jaclaz

Yep , though the curiosity question was about the "number" of users, I wanted to undersatand if the following (unsolicited) advice/opinion was applicable to your case. Like I believe everyone else (and possibly much before almost everyone else) I was very interested to these "indistinguishible from magic" unattended installs both from a theoretical and a practical viewpoint. While the theoretical part remained unscathed and remains till today very interesting (to me at least), I lost a lot of faith in the practical part. If you have hundreds (or thousands or more) "users", spending tens of hours of your time to make a silent/unattended install "perfect" (or however keeping one of your brain "slots" focused to such a minor thing) may be not fully wasteful. But if the number of users is a bunch of friends or relatives, then it makes more sense to - once you have it working - to write a small set of instructions to complete manually the install and call it a day. Another question (as well of no actual relevance, only curiosity) is: WHY Daemon Tools? I mean, ten years ago there weren't probably that many alternatives, but today there are quite a few AFAICT. If you prefer (as above curiosity only, no actual urge to reply): WHICH particular features of Daemon Tools (not available in similar software) did you choose them for? jaclaz

Sure you don't sell them, that's clearly a CAAS (Combs As A Service) approach. I cannot say about dencorso, but jaclaz tends to be often intentionally provocative (though not intentionally aggressive) ... Fun fact, set aside rotary dials, at least here in Italy so-called toll-free numbers (starting by 800) tend to be actually toll free only from a land line (and not reachable from cellular), and most firms that provide such numbers have a separate number (with a small, but still not-free) fee. (and when the stupid[1] answering system doesn't offer the actual option you need -which is nearly always - and you actually need to talk to an operator, it is not unusual to wait for several minutes on hold). Back to the actual JodyT question/doubt, and only as an example, I somehow managed to survive (till today) without Mozilla and their stupid[2] browser by using a combination of Opera (the real thing, Presto Engine), Iron and QTweb. I do actually find - from time to time - stupidly[3] configured/designed websites that I cannot easily access with the above, and here is where a line should be drawn: is the site offering ONLY a service (of any kind) that requires some form of login, subscription or similar (including payment, etc.)? If yes, then the owners have all the right in the world (+1) to implement as much safe browsing, exclusive use of the latest technology and what not to secure the exchange of data. If no, and the site is only a (virtual) windows shop, it should be as plain (and fast) as possible, and accessible by *anything* (you don't open a shop in a gated alley inside a private compound, you open it in a place as visible and as trafficked as possible). When I find this latter kind, (besides making the usual consideration about how humanity is doomed to extinction by its own stupidity) I often take the time to write them telling them how I might have been interested in the whatever product(s) they offer, but that since I couldn't see anything about it easily, with the poor tools I have at my dispoosal, I strated looking elsewhere. In a nutshell, at the moment (today) you (actually I) can still survive with XP (and without Firefox/Mozilla) with only a very minor number of annoyances. Tomorrow is another day. jaclaz [1] here I actually mean "stupid" [2] here I mean "stupid" only in the sense of the countless number of artificial limitations, often absurd presets and more generally the "new" attitude of "we are doing this for your own good". [3] and here I mean "stupidly" as in BOTH the above meanings

users ? I believe your post is related to this thread (only to keep things as together as possible and to give context): https://msfn.org/board/topic/89382-why-cant-you-install-sptdsys-without-rebooting/ Besides the curiosity about the (number of) users that would want to install XP unattended (including Daemon Tools) in 2018, which is of course ONLY a curiosity of very little importance, are you using the AutoIt ot the AutoHotKey "helper"? Maybe the issue is with either AutoIt or AutoHotKey not available/not running correctly at the time you run the SFX. I would try using a "Hello world" compiled script to check if there are issues with either of them, and also check if the runonce entry is created in the Registry. The original script by MHZ works (or it should, or at least there was not anyone reporting it did not in the last 10 years) so maybe it is the changes you made? jaclaz

Luckily (thank goodness) the newer Windows is not really representative of today either. I mean, just imagine if the real world was as awful/crappy as Windows 10 (and its updates ) . In the morning your alarm clock doesn't ring because of an issue with permissions or policies, you cannot find your clothes (as a glitch in your CLAAS - Clothes & Laundry As A Service - managed to collect your dirty ones but failed to deliver your cleaned ones), your internet connected coffee machine has issues verifying the DRM of your (orignal BTW) coffee capsule, as you manage to get, very late and coffeless in your car in your bathrobe and slippers, the huge screen console of your car greets you with the message "Downloading update, car will reboot and be available for starting in 1:05:48 ..." jaclaz

But it fails Occam's Razor test (besides having less information available than SwiftSearch or *any other* $MFT parsing based program). There is already a good, fast, surely updated in real-time or near real-time, solid database of all files on a volume, with all the information about a file, which is the $MFT. Creating a new database with the names only is not IMHO that much an advantage, see also old discussion here: jaclaz

No, not the duct tape in itself. It is the specific pattern you used (a large X© ) that is protected by copyright. If you make a W or Y shaped patch, it would be fine jaclaz

Not "non-Microsoft", rather "non-Microsoft Windows 7/8/10", I can get the .iso from XP without any browser spoofing. jaclaz

I would rather try with a "plain" CD with SP4 only: https://msfn.org/board/topic/177837-the-usb-does-not-work-in-windows-2000-intel-3rd-gen/ https://msfn.org/board/topic/156521-unofficial-sp-52-for-microsoft-windows-2000-wip/?page=28&tab=comments#comment-1033054 before anything else (it may work or it may not, but before changing the motherboard ...). It would also be interesting to know (if possible) which kind of damage the PS/2 ports on that motherboard have, Very often it happens (happened) that a small fuse on the keyboard bus blows up (it depends on the motherboard, some are traditional fuses some are auto-rearming ones) or that a cold solder on the connector got loose. Replacing the fuse or re-soldering the connector are the kind of "electronics repairs" that can be performed even without much experience. jaclaz

The BIOS time is "kept" by an internal battery, capable (for months, years) to run an internal to the motherboard clock. If your BIOS time is reset when the power goes out (and it does the same at every reboot and/or switch off/switch on cycle) it means that this battery is exhausted and needs to be replaced (or the motherboard is defective, but it is rare). For desktops it is very easy to replace the battery (usually it is a CR2032): https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000239.htm for laptops not-so-easy (some are soldered and anyway in some cases you need disassembling the laptop, which is usually problematic). jaclaz

Allow me to doubt your uploading skills, however . Out of tens, hundreds or maybe thousands of free file hosting sites that work just fine, you chose one that needs to be accessed with an adblocker on? If one has ublock 1.18 than he/she download ublock 1.18, nice Catch 22. Anyway, with the simpler QTweb and javascript off the file is downloadable just fine, and I just re-uploaded it to a non-sucking free host file: http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=26973106326766156236 jaclaz

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/10/microsofts-problem-isnt-shipping-windows-updates-its-developing-them/ just sayin ... jaclaz

You do understand the pleonastic nature of "now", dont you? I have them on the list since 2001[1], JFYI. jaclaz [1] killing of Windows 2000 in favour of XP, if you ask, but they were tentatively put there around 1999 with the infamous Windows 2000 trial CD that silently killed the NTFS of not updated NT 4.00 and anyway killed its CHKDISK even on updated ones.

Maybe it is useful to someone else, this thread dates back to 2006, and about XP and Outlook 2003. jaclaz