[Saving application/game state tool]

Process explorerwill let you suspend a process, but not save it for multiple restarts from the same point.

If the game is not too resource hungry, and particularly tricky, then vm snapshots give you more options .

[can not see any entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Micros]

I've not used PE3, but I imagine regedit by default will show you the registry of the PE, not the one on the windows install - try loading the hives manually?

There are lots of other locations to check too - try autoruns for a more complete list.

[Gs and g's and internet noise]

I bought two drives recently, and dropped one on to concrete from about 5 feet.

The un-dropped one worked fine, the other exhibited the expected "tick of death".

Next time I'll take a bag

[Server email]

There's not much you can do about it, other than to register a domain and wait until it's acknowledged by Hotmail.

Or pass your outgoing mail through your ISP's mail server, which should have a nice legit fixed IP.

[Anti-Virus Software that supports network updates]

You can download msse updates for offline use, but you'd have to script the download and install yourself.

[Good starting point for WMI programming?]

For vbs code examples, try scriptomatic (info).

[FINDSTR workaround needed]

You could try a grep port:

http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/grep.htm

or just fc if you're comparing whole files, or winmerge to do it with a gui.

[OK]

You could use mkisofs.exe -hide $OEM$

But then windows wont find it

[High IQ Society]

I'm not sure that arrangements of (string? stalks?) are factual, but they dont want me in their society either

[Boot Manager advice]

The ONLY possibly "secure" way, as I see it, is having two disks, and use a hardware switch to turn the "good" one off.

If the second drive was in a removeable drive bay, you could take it out when you're not using it, and lock it up.

Virtualisation would let you allow untrusted users admin access to a VM, but it wont be as convenient.

Or you could ditch the second HD install entirely, and do clean up / remote control from a (read-only) BartPE cd or similar.

[Boot Manager advice]

Any other boot managers that can protect the MBR from being overwritten?

Nope, but you may have an option for it in your bios.

[missing srr.exe file in win XP home edition]

Smells like malware... But at least it's missing malware

I'd make sure your protection is up to date.

You can clear out it's startup entry with autoruns.

[Login using FireFox not working]

It's not only firefox, I've had it a couple of times on IE. Searching for "login problem" might have worked, dunno.

[Format & Partition Tool Needed]

DBAN "quick" option is, well, quicker. And just as secure, Jaclaz will be in here shortly with evidence...

For your purpose you probably only need to run it for a few seconds to wipe the first few MB, then reboot.

[Just Say NO! to Microsoft Security Essentials]

Wow, that's a big home-based small business

[microsoft requires reregistration or else]

I think the above posts are about activation rather than registration. I've not seen these particular dialogs though, so I'm not qualified to correct anyone's terminology

[NT4]

I just want a server in tip-top shape

Bear in mind there's at least one unpatched vulnerability, probably more...

[hdd light on case flashing every 1-2 seconds]

Have you tried turning off the default exclusions like explorer.exe? I'm guessing it's indexing.

[Universal restore]

well, yes, it costs money

They've got to pay your wages somehow

[Cmd or script to close programs + shutdown]

If there is a process that you need to finish before the shutdown, dshutdown has lots of options:

http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/

[Install XP from a RAM loaded ISO image]

1. HOW the iso image can be sorted to have OEM folder at the end of the iso

You can use mkisofs -sort sort.txt

Cdob's boot-the-loop is an alternative to mapping counted sectors, if you can write the sizes into the cd at build time:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...amp;#entry24379

[ATI Catalyst driver question]

I had an ati 2600 pro which was a pain to make unattended on xp, I couldn't get around WFP and I didn't want to have to hack any files to do so. In the end I bodged it:

for /f "usebackq delims=" %%a in (`devcon find "@PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9587&SUBSYS_00281002&REV_00\4&DDE4802&0&0008"`) do (set b=%%a)
if "%b%"=="1 matching device(s) found." (
start "" devcon install CX_53413.inf PCI\VEN_1002
sleep 10
nircmd.exe win dlgclick title "Hardware Installation" 5303
sleep 10
nircmd.exe setdisplay 1280 1024 32 100 -updatereg
)

There are almost certainly better ways...

[No content displayed in (.chm) help and msinfo32, MBSA don't displ]

MS Help (.chm files) shows the Index and Contents in the left hand pane and that can be navigated - sadly there is never any text in the right-hand pane.

If the .chm is on a network share, try moving it to a local drive and see if the symptoms persist?

[Internet Explorer 8 Settings - Unattended]

Like Geej and maxXPsoft said, switch off first run customisation and you can apply all your preferences to the default user.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]

"DisableFirstRunCustomize"=dword:00000001

[Do both NIC need auto sense to use non crosscable ?]

Autosense is for 10Mbit vs 100Mbit, I'd definately use a crossover cable.