Andromeda43

Computer Security/Efficiency is my specialty. There is NO one program that will properly clean and maintain any PC. Just as no one doctor can take care of your entire body, no one program can take care of your entire PC. The best programs will specialize in one certain area. The best AV program won't edit your registry and the best Registry Cleaner won't find and remove spyware. I've spend years, scouring the WWW for the best programs for each job. To find a complete junk file remover, I had to write my own. I still use some packaged programs to back up and verify that what I do, is what needs doing. As a professional, what I use I share with my hundreds of customers. We all stay virus clean and spyware free. And, with the Weekly maintenance routine I give them, they can keep their compuiters clean of junk and running at peak performance. Most of what I've mentioned here is well covered in other threads. Good Luck, Andromeda43 B)

The best advise you're going to get is right before you. Read it again.... I've been preaching this for years, since I bought my first CD burner, a 2x external unit that weighed about ten pounds and ran off'n a special SCSI driver card in the PC. The most demanding program you'll likely ever run on your PC is Nero, to burn a DVD. It wants total access to your CPU, RAM and hard drive. Shut down ALL running programs before you even click the icon to run Nero. I use a great little utility called "End It All 2" to accomplish this task, with just a couple of mouse clicks. A while back it came up missing on the internet so I put a copy of my own on my Download Site where folks can get it. It's in the "Computer Tools" section. Set it to Allow Kill on all your AV and AS software that runs in the background. Nero will love you for it and you'll make fewer Coasters in the process. Oh, one last thing.....NEVER burn any disk, CD or DVD at the max speed. The slower the burn, the better the burn. I never burn a CD at anything faster than 16x , or a DVD at more than 4x, even though my burner is a 8X burner and my DVD's are all 8x DVD's. If you do what LLXX and I have told you here, you should never burn a Coaster ever again. Andromeda43

Make your boot floppy, then use Nero to make a bootable CD and use the floppy in A: as the boot sector information. Nero will handle the rest. I do it all the time. It's a piece of cake. Andromeda43 B)

Yup! Thaz rite! / for switches and \ in path statements. Always been that way. Always leave a space before and after a switch (/x), but never before or after a \ in a path statement. Cheers! Andromeda43 B) Geeeeezzzzz! Something just hit me....like a ton of bricks. If the tweaks have already been put into a xxxx.reg file, you only need to click on the file to run it. All that other stuff is BS. I have files like that, that peeps can download, and all they have to do is click on them after the download, to run them and perform the tweak. It don't get no easier than that. B)

I'll second this one...... I bought this product, all three grades, at a Computer Show, after I'd seen it demonstrated. It not only polishes scratches out of CD's, but it did a nice job of removing the road haze from my plastic headlight lenses on my car. It works pretty well on scratched sunglasses B) too. Good Luck, Andromeda43 B)

Of course, Windows made that a bit easier with the "search" function. Just do a search for *.ABC for instance. All files that fill the bill will be displayed on your screen for you to see. That sure makes it easy to find files of a type or name. Using a batch file, if you don't save the result to a txt file, is kind of a waste of effort. If you're going to the effort of writing a batch file, at least use it to its fullest possibility. dir C:\*.ABC /s >result.txt will not only find the filenames for you but list them in a text file that you can read or print at your leisure. For instance, when I ran: dir C:\*.wab /s >wabfiles.txt on my own PC, I got the following listing saved to a file called 'wabfiles.txt' which I could easily read with Wordpad. Volume in drive C is SATAMAINMAX Volume Serial Number is 3D3B-1CDA Directory of c:\Documents and Settings\Randy\My Documents 07/21/2006 03:39 PM 333,334 myadbook.WAB 1 File(s) 333,334 bytes Directory of c:\Documents and Settings\Randy\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book 09/10/2006 12:28 AM 453,305 Randy.wab 09/10/2006 12:28 AM 265,281 Randy.wab~ 2 File(s) 718,586 bytes Total Files Listed: 3 File(s) 1,051,920 bytes 0 Dir(s) 33,878,114,304 bytes free Good Luck, Andromeda43 B) PS: My name's NOT Randy.

I find Send To: Drive A: a real easy way to copy a file to a floppy disk. Also, Send To: Desktop and Create a Shortcut is the best way I know to make a shortcut of a file and put it on the desktop, all in one operation. maybe you CAN, remove it, but I sure wouldn't want to. Cheers! Andromeda43 B)

That's only a tiny part of the junk that builds up on a Windows HD. There's at least 20 different folders where windows put its garbage. Then there's the stuff that your Programs keep in their own cache folders. Even after people tell me that they've deleted their temporary internet files, I can usually delete up to another 2 gig's of pure crapola from their HD's. When they see me do it, they are totally blown away at what I find and remove. You need to run a much more agressive cleanup routine than just deleting temp files. Good Luck, Andromeda43 B)

Many dealers and wholesalers around the country got stuck with original copies of the older OS's. They are very anxious to get rid of them and you'll find quite a few copies for sale on eBay. Your local, independent, computer dealer may even have some. Yup, that's the best way to go about it. Good Luck, Andromeda43 B)

The internet forums are full of people asking how to recover their (dead) computers after they've tried to 'readjust' something that Windows is designed to take care of. If you're a computer design engineer, have at it. But then, you wouldn't be here asking for help, would you? The best advise I could give would be, "leave it the way the engineers at MS designed it" and just run it and enjoy it. Cheers! Andromeda43

Very well put. I really enjoy reading such a conclusive and INclusive response to a question. Bartender!.....More RAM! Andromeda43 B)

A "Total Package" that I make available to all my hundreds of customers includes, but is NOT limited to: Mozilla Firefox, as the primary Browser, blocks popups and doesn't have the inherited security problems that I.E. has. I.E. is actually a part of Windows and is still there if you ever really need it, like for Windows Updates. AdAware SE/personal, Spybot S&D and Spyware Blaster as Spyware preventers and removers, (all, must be constantly kept up to date for maximum effectiveness. Daily, if at all possible) Mike Burgess's custom hosts file, for additional bad site blocking (a must-have addition to PC's operated by children) It prevents you from being redirected from a good site to a bad one, or being on a good site and getting a box ad or banner leading you to a bad site. I have no children in my home, but I still use it. Good Luck and Happy Computing Andromeda43 B)

Duh, Since you don't have the 'puter any more, isn't this a bit redundant? What has "boyfriend" done with the unit? Or are you no longer speaking? A hard drive crash would have to be my own thoughts too. As a Computer tech, I've seen more of those than I even want to think about. Screeching, squeeling, or clicking from a HD is the "Kiss of Death". Just replace it and reload the OS and go on. Hopefully, all data and critical info is backed up somewhere. After setting up a laptop for one of my customers, I always try to make them A Ghost Backup on DVD of the hard drive, all set up, ready to go online and tweaked and customized as they want it. That precludes ever having to start from scratch again if (actually WHEN) the HD crashes. Cheers! Andromeda43 B) PS: Remember, hard drive crashes are never a matter of "IF", but just a matter of "When". Be ready for it, with appropriate Backups and it may ruin your day, but not your whole life. I back up my whole C: drive several times a week with Norton's Ghost 2003. It's cheap, simple to use and very effective.

Ditto!! I always make new folders by going to the location where I want the folder and then just Right Clicking and selecting "New" and then "Folder" from the drop down menu. Job done. It don't get no better'n that. Cheers Mates! Andromeda43 B)

Dr Chris, Welcome to the forum. My first question would have to be "WHY"? Starting Services and finding the right place in RAM for them is one of those "Magic" things handled by Windows. You might be able to start something later, by putting it in your "Startup" folder, but I know of NO way to start something any sooner than windows starts it. Cheers! Andromeda43 B)

That would put most new computers "Out of Range" instantly. Because many new vid cards and flat panel monitors won't even go that low. Heck.....I've seen new computers that won't even go down to 800x600. (1024x768 is the bare minimum.) Getting into that user via safe mode and resetting the screen resolution to the same as you have set on other users (whatever that is) should solve the problem. Good Luck and Happy Computing Andromeda43 B)

One of the selling features of Windows over DOS was the "Virtual memory" feature, where windows would make more RAM on the fly by taking over some hard drive space and declaring it "RAM". Back in the old'n days when ram was a dollar a meg (or more), this was a huge plus for Microsoft. The engineers at M$ designed Windows to increase or decrease the size of this "Virtual RAM" as required by program needs. For years it's worked flawlessly. Now we have nerds, geeks and tech wannabees that think they know more than the engineers at M$ and wanna futz around with their "Virtual Memory". Bad News! Windows will usually set the VM at 1.5x the size of your physical ram from Boot Up. If you're getting an Out of Virtual Memory error message, then you've done something just VERY wrong. IMHO You've either tried to second guess the MS Engineers and futzed around with the VM size or you've allowed your HD to get so full of crapola, that VM has no room to grow as it needs to. In case one, put VM back to automatic, like it was designed to run. In case two, (God, I just love saying this) "Clean up your MESS!". That is to say, 'clean every file out of your HD that don't need to be there.' There are many good programs that will do this for you if you don't know how. Even the "Disk Cleanup" program that comes with Windows, does a pretty good job. I wrote my own, "XPCleanup.bat", but I still use "Safe Clean Utilities" a program written years ago, which goes into every folder on your HD and pulls out the temp files, etc. that get stuck there when programs run. Then make sure you don't still have any of those Trials or Demo's that come with factory made PC's. If you do, then UN-Install them in "Add-Remove Programs" in your Control Panel. And anything else installed there, that you don't need or use. When tuning up a customers PC for the first time, I can usually remove several gigabytes of just plain old junk from their HD. Then I install my XPCleanup.bat program in their Startup folder for a Daily Cleanup. And, I give them a Weekly Maintenance Routine, which includes XPCleanup, Disk Cleanup and Safe Clean Utilities, and of course "Defrag", to keep the HD clean and running at peak performance. With everything clean and set up RIGHT, there's no reason in the world to ever get an "out of VM" error message. IMHO Good Luck and Happy Computing, Andromeda43

Why?, would anyone want to?

OK, I thought the entire world already knew this, but here goes. You're NOT going to download Windows (anything) from microsoft or anyplace else.....LEGALLY! You must get a CD.....either from MS or a friend, which by the way, would be your best bet. You will have to have the Key that came with your system and its install of windows. If you have the key (25 digit number) then you can use any CD with the exact same version of Windows on it as is installed on your PC. The registration Key is NOT on the CD, only on a sticker that comes with it. To discuss anything that could be considered as Piracy, is against the forum rules, for this and most all Internet Forums. OK? Good Luck, Andromeda43 For phone numbers, contact your Directory Assistance operator.

You're kind of on the right track, although possibly making some incorrect assumptions. The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your child from being redirected to bad web sites is the Custom Hosts file from Mike Burgess. Here's his eMail message, sent out every two weeks. ************************************ The MVPS HOSTS file was updated [08-25-06] http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm Download: hosts.zip (121 kb) http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.zip How To: Download and Extract the HOSTS file http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts2.htm HOSTS File - Frequently Asked Questions http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hostsfaq.htm Note: the "text" version makes a great resource for determining possible culprits ... (493 kb) http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt Sign up for HOSTS file update notices http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm#contribute Mike Burgess Microsoft MVP "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" **************************************** Mike writes a very inclusive Custom Hosts File, which I and thousands of other people use every day. It gets updated every two weeks, or sometimes more often and you can sign up to receive an eMail every time a new update is posted. If it blocks a site that you absolutely MUST get to,,,,you can always edit out that line in the file. No problemo. I use it, and I also use Defender (although I'm not quite sure why. ) and the two do not affect each other. The next thing you might well consider is to STOP using the most UNSafe browser on the planet. I.E. has more holes in it than a screen door. I and 200+ million other users gave up on I.E. a long time ago and went to Mozilla Firefox. It has a great little popup blocker. Something to consider.......right? Andromeda43 ( a Computer Security Specialist) B)

Just for grins and giggles, and MUCH Safety, never leave secondary drives hooked up when setting up a new drive. With just one little slip, you could be formatting the wrong drive. If you FDISk and Format the new drive with a Windows ME boot Disk, for instance (that's all that I use), then you will have a HD set up for FAT-32. That's the only way I ever set up a new HD. At least by then, you know that the drive is working and being seen properly by the mobo. Then when you install XP from an Install CD, it will generally ask you if you want to keep the current format or create a NTFS format. (something I would NEVER do) Then the install should procede normally. NO Problemo! Cheers! Andromeda43 B)

Burn What? And, with what program are you trying to burn to the CD? And, is this a CD-R or CD-RW? And, are you getting any kind of error messages? A CD burner that won't burn is nothing new. I've got a huge pile of them in my storage closet. If its been working fine and all of a sudden one day it doesn't.....then you just replace it and go on. NO problem. Just saying "it don't work" gives us really Nothing to go on. Comprende?

It's a well known fact that WGA errors about 20% of the time and reports invalid keys where none exist. I've had three customers, so far, that have experienced this. WGA can just be removed from your PC and then blocked from downloading again. I wrote a little batch file to do the dirty deed. (removing WGA) @Echo off Cls rd "c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Windows Genuine Advantage\" /S /Q rd "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Windows Genuine Advantage\" /S /Q rem The above lines remove Genuine Advantage from the HD. del "%windir%\System32\WgaTray.exe" /S /F Echo: Now, reboot your system to finish the job. pause copy the blue lines above into a new Wordpad document and save as KillWGA.bat Do a system backup or la least make a new Registry restore point before you run the program. Disable auto updates. Do a manual update and when it offers to download the WGA program, DE-Select it. Once de-selected, you'll have to tell MS Update to NOT bother you about it again. This can't legitimize a bogus install of Windows, but it sure gets rid of the obnoxious WGA warning popup. Cheers, Andromeda43

While Windows displays the Welcome screen, it's also busy loading Services, Drivers and startup programs in the background. Have you tried booting up in SAFE mode, to bypass most of that peripheral BS? Don't rule out a Virus, Trojan or Spyware at this early stage. But try SAFE mode first and report back. We'll go from there. Andromeda43

And still they use "Internet Exploder" ....... ????????? Just for grins and giggles, have you tried Mozilla Firefox? It solves many problems that people have with I.E. Most of the time, fixing problems in I.E. just ain't worth the time and effort. Firefox Rocks!!! Andromeda43