horus

Hi, In the last years I had this habbit fo making shortcuts for the files that I liked or wanted to recheck later. One problem that I've discovered using this method is that in many situations windows doesn't update or doesn't find the shortcut if the file was relocated. For example, on computer A in folder X I have file Y and shortcut Z that points to file Y. If I move folder X to computer B, the Y shortcut would be completely useless, as the drive and paths would change from computer A to B. Imagine that you have thousands of shortcuts like this one. You can't update them manually. in order to use a relative path. Most of my shortcuts are located in the same folder as the file that is pointed to, however, there are a few exceptions. I want to overcome this problem because I'm planning to move lots of files and their corresponding shortcuts to a NAS server. I've searched the internet for workarounds for this issue but I couldn't find anything. People are not very affected about this issue and there isn't any third party software. Hypothesys: 99% if not all of the files that I have shortcuts for are files that I wouldn't edit/modify. The only thing that I'd do to them would be to rearrange, relocate, or in worst case, rename. But the file would remain untouched. What I have in my mind: A shortcut that retains some info about the file: original name(just in case, not necesarily needed), hash value, file size. Question: What would be the smartest way to achieve this? Is there any available software that could help me out? I could do it with AutoIT and Perl, but this out take me some time as I'm not an experienced programmer. I've seen that AutoIT has some functions that can help me add a description to the shortcut where I could store the hash, name, size: http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/functions/FileCreateShortcut.htm http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/functions/FileCreateShortcut.htm I'd need a script that updates existing shortcuts with the hash/size, and one that updates the target if the pointed file was relocated. The problem is whether this description field is stored inside the .lnk file or not. Why do I ask this? I don't know much but I've read something about storing metadata, and if I recall correctly it stated something like this: In WinXP the metadata is stored outside of the file, so it would be lost when copying the file to another system. In Win7 the metadata is stored inside. The NAS server would use ZFS, and a BSD based OS and I don't know if it stores that description field. All in all, I'd prefer to skip over writing these scripts, if there is some software that helps me out with keeping shortcuts updated.

( I can't do it with a switch, it's unsafe. What happens if someone touches the switch while the PC is running.... I wouldn't risk it. What's my second best option, jaclaz? Multibooter, System Commander sounds very promising, but I can't find it. Any other boot managers that can protect the MBR from being overwritten? I just can't believe there isn't a software that could virtually split a HDD in 2 isolated zones and then allow me to select the zone that I want to use for OS install, partitioning, etc.

Yes, this is my main concern. What do you mean by using a cloned image, in a crypted container? Getting back to DigeratiPrime's post: I'm going for XP, and accounts won't provide enough security unless I sacrifice the freedom of use by a lot[do not install software, do not modify X, do not access Y, etc]. Again, I'm not going to use Vista/Win7. Truecrypt is not good against viruses, the container can be deleted/modified just like any regular file. RAID has nothing to do with what we're talking here. Or, I can't figure it out. NTFS permissions aren't flexible enough either. Anyone can understand why. I don't think there's a need to give an example. Deepfreeze/Returnil aren't good either, since the OS1 will always be in a continous movement. Every restart would take me to the beginning.

please help.

dencorso, where should I install GRUB4DOS to obtain maximum isolation/security?

The purpose of OS1 is to control some other machines from the network via RDP(yeah, it would be bad if it gets infected), and to be a fast recover/repair option, in case something happens to OS2. I don't know all the boot manager types, but if a boot manager installs itself on a OS used partition, wouldn't it be pretty easy to get exploited?(Grub4DOS installs itself in C:) What other types of boot managers are? The ones that install themselves in MBR, are they safe? Can these keep OS's completely isolated? Can they keep the MBR inaccessible for viruses/malware/etc? What about the ones that install themselves in their own separate partition?

XP1 will be used by many people, and can/will get infected easily. I really need to be 100% sure that XP2 does not get infected from XP1, and that it stays clean no matter what. So, what boot manager should I pick?

I'm sorry, I forgot to mention, both OS's will be WinXP. I also forgot to mention that the HDD is empty, so there's no problem installing a bootmanger before actually installing the OS's. I don't understand this question. Well, I want them isolated, independent, etc. They shouldn't know that there are other partitions/OS's on the HDD. They shouldn't be able to write outside their partitions. There might be some rare situations when I'd need to copy some files from OS1 to OS2, so I'd need to remove the "isolation" before booting. What I meant here? Let's say I take this HDD out of my PC and stick it into a friend's PC so he could copy some files. Could I access those files( or it would depend on the boot manager)?

Hi, I want to install 2 independent/isolated OS's on a 500GB HDD and I'm looking for a suited boot manager. OS1- 2 partitions: 30GB+120GB. OS2- 2 partitions: 30GB+250GB. and the rest of the space unallocated for the moment. I want to have the higher HDD speed on OS2, how should I partition the HDD? Which is the faster zone of a HDD? The beginning or the end? Coming back to the Boot Manager, I need a boot menu with a timer and a default Boot option(OS1), and a password protection for OS2. I also need to be able to set the isolation between the OS's. Sometimes, for a short period of time, I'd need to access OS1's partitions while booting from OS2. Also, can I partition the unallocated space later and asign the partition to one of the OS's? If the OS's are completely isolated, are there any chances that OS1 to infect OS2 by any means? Boot viruses? Anything else? Supposing I would achieve all of these requirements, let's say I'd take the HDD out, and stick it into another PC that has it's own OS. Would I be able to see the 4 partitions? Thanks in advance.

Thank you for your reply, MrJinje. I have to admit that it's an interesting solution, but I can't afford it. It's too expensive. Also, I don't like SOHO routers, due to their limited number of simultaneous connections, stability, limited speeds,etc, port-forwarding stuff that needs to be configured on some apps, etc.

Am I talking gibberish?

First of all, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Secondly, I need your help to solve this problem. In the near future, I'll have 2 internet connections(connection "1" and "2") and 2 PCs(computer "A"-main computer and "B"-family computer). I want to use connection 1 only for computer A. Connection 2 will be either routed between A and B, either switched/commuted by priority. I'd preffer routing, but I'm thinking that there might be some situations that need extra care and the members of my family won't know what to do(router reset, ports forwarding, etc). The other way would be to hard-switch the connection when computer B doesn't use it. I could build an Y-hardwired switch or...I'm wondering if there are managed switches that could block ports by priority, like this: There are 2 PCs, having identical IP addresses(for the internet connection to work), but different MAC addresses. When B is powered on, the switch blocks the port for A, and allows B to use the ISP connection. When B is off, the switch allows A to use the ISP connection. Is this possible? Finally, I want to be able to use a RDP program to control computer A from computer B, from time to time. The thing that worries me the most is the security of this "ramshackle house". Computer B might get infected from time to time due to family use and I want to be able to maintain computer A clean and the network's security untouched. IMHO, there are 3 solutions: 1)the router solution -I'm worried about those situations(router reset,ports forwarding, etc) 2)the Y switch solution -requires need 3 NICs on PC A, and 2 NICs on B 3)the managed switch solution -dunno yet if a managed switch can block/unblock ports by a MAC/port priority rule. There are some other questions, but I'll add them later, because I feel that I already have stuffed too many things in this post.

Thank you for your support, guys! I really appreciate it.

I've found these: http://labs.idefense.com/software/malcode....ore_sysanalyzer http://www.hex-rays.com/idapro/overview.htm Haven't had the time to check them out, because other problems that annoy me are popping up everywhere.

I've tried with another PSU, same thing. It might also have been from the power button, but I've inverted it with the reset one, and no luck. Oh, did I mention that the PSUs don't even start[their fans]? Only give power to light up a LED from the Mainboard.

Hi, I had the chance to upgrade my CPU for my old PC. I had a Duron 900Mhz and I swapped it with an 1700+ XP. Everything worked fine until today, when the PC did not start anymore. I've tried everything, and my conclusion is that the motherboard is dead. The CPU cooler isn't moving at all, the PSU doesn't start, there's no beep,etc. only a green LED that turns on. The motherboard is an ECS K7VZA Rev3.0[7 years old, never abused, did not work 24/7]. It has 9 or 11 inflated capacitors(I think). They look like this one: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/120329818_0e20370795_m.jpg I have 3 HDDs that had OS's in this system, 2 with WinXP, and one with WinMe. I want to change the motherboard or the whole platform, but I'm desperate to maintain the OS's untouched[desktop arrangement/history/settings/every single bit has to be intact]. Can I achieve this? How? Has anyone ever tried it?

Yes something like a debugger, only that I'm not programming that exe file. It has alread been programmed. I just want to know every action that it does.

I've discovered it, too. Anything else, that would allow step by step confirmations of every action?

Is there a software that monitors actions for a specific executable? What does it try to do? What registry line does it want to modify and with what? What files does it try to modify and how?

Ok, seems that TeraCopy doesn't move the rest of the files, if an overwriting has been skipped. I've tried RichCopy again, and it seems to work with these settings: It seems to work(I've tested it on a small number of files), except that it doesn't move files with "~" in their name. Can someone confirm that it does what I want, before I destroy 20k files?

I really appreciate your interest, and your willing to help CharlotteTheHarlot, your idea is clever, but it's way too complicated, as I have to do it ~20times. There's this software, RichCopy, it should be able to do what I want, but I can't find any good explanations for its settings. http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=1210 For example:"Availability: Check if the file exists in destination. " What does this involve? A file having the same name or a file having the same name, identical bit by bit, same date stamp, etc. I remember that I've done some tests with the program, and it seemed to do what I want, but when I went to real files......fiasco....it overwrote a few dozen....and ofc....I wasn't very happy about that. LE:I'm testing TeraCopy right now. From my tests, I think that it's able to move structures of folders without overwriting existing files. Someone please confirm[just to be double assured], before I'll do any stupid things on 20000+ files.

How can I find folders that have the same content(same files, same name, same size, identical bit by bit)?

I need your help.

Interesting trick, however, I think that there's a problem. I'm interested to integrate B with A, without overwriting, but I'm also interested to separate the files from B that would cause overwriting. The algorithm is like this, move all the files, along with their folder structure, from B to A, as long as they don't cause any overwriting. In the end, I'll get a beefed up, structured A, and a skinny B, containing only the files that would cause overwriting, along with their folder structure. About "No to all trick", I believe we can agree that it only works at the first level of subfolders, right? It doesn't check deeper into the folder structure.

Structure A is like this: C:\\A\1\1\1 C:\\A\1\1\2 ..... C:\\A\1\1\100 C:\\A\1\2\1 C:\\A\1\2\2 .... C:\\A\1\2\100 Structure B is similar, and of course, WinXP's cut/paste doesn't work well, because it will overwrite all the files, or it won't copy more than one folder level[when clicking No for overwriting].