uid0

If you swap from fixed IP addresses back to dhcp, then you should be able to use the web again, and still have local file sharing. If you have to use fixed IPs, then make sure you are using the same range as the router, although dhcp is probably easier. I've not used zonealarm for a long time, but there used to be a setting called "trusted local zone" or something to allow local traffic.

(In order of decreasing convenience) you could look at windows steadystate, or surf from within a virtual machine, or boot an OS from CD or into a ramdisk. Or you could put your stuff in a Truecrypt volume, although you probably couldn't encrypt the whole disk if you have to share the machine with others. None of these will hide your traffic from your ISP of course.

What I meant was, is it going to be a class teaching word processing, or 200 gamers playing the latest release? These will have vastly different requirements.

You should probably specify what software the party will be using

You could try something like this: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ; Remove Recycle bin from desktop [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}] [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}] ; Remove My documents from desktop [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu] "{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}"=dword:00000001 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel] "{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}"=dword:00000001 ; remove my computer [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu] "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000001 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel] "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000001 ; remove network places [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu] "{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000001 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel] "{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000001 See http://www.msfn.org/board/RegTweaks-Collec...v04-t85466.html

If you have a seagate or maxtor drive, discwizard or maxblast are free to download, cut down versions of acronis trueimage 10.

make sure you post photos or video when the death ray is up and running

Cut down on caffeine, try reading a book, but not too good a book... Definitely switch off the machines, TV, you'll soon get used to the quiet. Make sure the cat can't get in

Try this site for batch commands: http://www.robvanderwoude.com/if.html

Better to put "SOLVED" than closed. That way in the unlikely event that someone else is looking for the same thing, they wont think this is a dubious spam / warez / hacking thread that actually got closed by the mods.

(requires online registration) http://www.acronis.co.uk/mag/pcpro/ati8pe Sign in to manage your products, then the 21mb download is available. Edit: Actually, it looks like a bit of a step back from the previously free v7 - it won't backup or restore from network drives, or do incremental images. Think I'll stick with discwizard.

You want to load PE, just to load another OS? There are plenty of boot managers for CDs or HDs, what is it that you are trying to do? If POST takes a long time you can probably set it to "quick" in the bios.

Or another option: http://smithii.com/slipstream_xpsp2

I use wget to backup files from an ftp server to a windows box. Here's another windows port: http://unxutils.sourceforge.net/

right under my nose...

This is a good scripting site, covers IcemanND's favoured OS too... http://www.robvanderwoude.com/

I use the "View new posts" function on several forums, but have a problem. If I visit one of these forums while searching for something, then I must either use "view new posts" there and then, or the list of new posts gets truncated to that time. Alternatives would seem to be: Look through each forum / subforum manually Turn off cookies Am I missing a better way?

Also StripMyRights http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/StripMyRights.htm

Vmware has smbios.reflecthost = "true"

If your machine is actually going to use swap space, I'd stick it on the 500gb drives, which should be much quicker. I'd also practice restoring / and /boot before going live, if they're only going to be on one drive.

For non-commercial use there is also Belarc Advisor, which will let you know which hotfixes are missing: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

There is an xp offline update script here: http://smithii.com/slipstream_xpsp2 (not tried it)

http://www.ss64.com/bash/chmod.html

Or if you have a seagate or maxtor drive, there is discwizard: http://www.msfn.org/board/Free_Seagate_Dis...las_t98368.html Or for a full list of software there is IcemanND's topic: http://www.msfn.org/board/Disk_Imaging_Software_t100299.html

The licence I read said "you may not use this for backing up" - has this been relaxed?