Windows and Software Tips and Tricks - Page 4 |
Last updated on 18 October 2006
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| CONTENTS This is Page 4 of four pages of Tips and Tricks. Page 1 contains the latest additions, which appear at the top of the list. Click here! to go to Page 2 Click here! to go to Page 3 |
Scroll down the list of links below, and click an article's heading to go to that information. - Use your browser's Back button to return here.
1. - How to avoid a Product Activation request after a reinstallation of Windows XP
2. - How to remove and reinstall Windows 95/98 Dial-Up Networking and TCP/IP Files
3. - Toggle between a Windows 98/Me multi-column and a single column Programs menu
4. - Avoiding trouble with a DSL connection and a Windows 2000 network
5. - How to avoid trouble with DSL USB modems
6. - Removing a Windows 95/98/Me network password prompt box
7. - How to make password validation necessary for network access in Windows 95/98/Me
8. - How to bypass a Windows screensaver's password lock
9. - A problem burning a CD-RW disc in Windows 98/Me?
10. - How to upgrade the firmware for CD/DVD drives and writers
11. - Can you change the region code in a DVD-ROM drive, and if so, how many times?
12. - A 650MB CD-RW disk formatted with DirectCD, now has 530MB of space available. - Why?
13. - An Ultra DMA (ATA) /100 hard drive recognised as a UDMA (ATA) /33 drive. - Why?
14. - A simple way to prevent being tracked on the Internet
15. - How to improve the caching of Windows 95 and 98
| This is Page 4 of four pages of Tips and Tricks. Page 1 contains the latest additions, which appear at the top of the list. Click here! to go to Page 2 Click here! to go to Page 3 |
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The Windows Product Activation (WPA) requirement in Windows XP is turning out to be less of a problem than was anticipated. Not many people can afford or will make the six hardware changes within 120 days that are supposed make a Product Re-Activation necessary. But what will happen if, after a system crash, you have to reformat the HDD and reinstall Windows XP - on the same computer without having the option of restoring a lifesaving backup of the system? (Restoring a back-up would make the system work as before the crash.) - Will you have to reactivate XP? - Yes, because it will be like the initial installation. XP cannot know that it has been installed on a previous occasion.
When you use the WPA wizard, a WPA.DBL file is created in your System32 folder. Use Winzip to back up this file to floppy disk(s), copy it to another hard disk drive, network drive, etc., on a regular basis. Now, whenever you have to reinstall Windows XP on the same computer, you should be able to avoid the WPA process by copying WPA.DBL back to the System32 folder.
This process should work as long as you haven't changed the computer's hardware too drastically since the WPA.DBL file was created. Just make sure that you are using the most recent copy of the file, otherwise you could find yourself having to telephone Microsoft in order to obtain a new Product Activation key. For your information, Microsoft apparently does not ask too many questions before it complies with your request.
The best way to avoid having to use this method of restoration is to make regular hard copy back-ups of your whole system to good quality CD-R disks on a CD R/RW drive. However, to restore a system back-up, you would still have to reinstall Windows XP to a folder with a different name from Windows during the setup process in order to be able to run the back-up program's Restore option. The back-up program will restore Windows to the Windows folder. You can then delete the folder containing the interim installation of Windows.
This method of legitimately avoiding having to reactivate Windows after a clean, full reinstallation with a new Product Activation key will not work if you try using the WPA.DBL file in a different computer, so it cannot be used for software piracy.
The information in this MS article does not apply to Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), and should not be performed on a computer using it.
The article tells you how to remove and reinstall Windows 9.x Dial-Up Networking (DUN), and Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) if you are unable to connect to a remote computer, remote network, or the Internet using TCP/IP bound to a dial-up adapter; or you have verified the accuracy of your TCP/IP settings, and you have verified that your modem is functioning correctly. You need your original Windows CD available before acting on this advice. Moreover, if the Rna.inf file is not re-extracted correctly, the option to reinstall DUN is not available in Windows Setup. If this is the case, you must re-extract the Rna.inf file to the Windows INF folder.
To read the article visit http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=181599.
Note well - before making changes to the Windows 9.x Registry (Windows 95/98/Me), you should make a restorable backup of Windows that you know how to restore, or, at the very least backups of the two Registry files - User.dat, and System.dat, because a corrupt Registry can render the system unbootable.
With this Registry hack, you can create and then check or uncheck a checkbox to switch instantly between a multi-column and a single-column scrolling Start => Programs menu.
Open the Windows Notepad under Programs => Accessories , and copying/paste the following 11 lines of text - minus the delineating -------- lines - including the REGEDIT4, but otherwise exactly as is.
-------------------
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Advanced\Folder\StartMenuScrollPrograms]
"Type"="checkbox"
"Text"="Multi-Column Start Menu"
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced"
"ValueName"="StartMenuScrollPrograms"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000000
"UncheckedValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000000
"HelpID"="update.hlp"
-------------------
Use Notepad to save the file as something such as ToggleMenu.reg, and then double click on that file, and answer "yes" to accept the changes to the Registry. Files with a .reg ending are automatically incorporated into the Registry when double clicked and the prompt option to do so is accepted.
To change your Start menu type, open Windows Explorer (under Programs), and click on View => Folder Options, and then select the View tab. Scroll down to the Files and Folders area, and you will see the new checkbox there. It is described as Multi Column Start Menu. Check or uncheck it to switch instantly between multi-column and the scrolling single-column menu types.
From
Lockergnome's Weekly Windows Digest of 1 September 2001.
http://www.lockergnome.com/
DSL
Blues (Advice)
Scribbled by David Foster
I work for a small company
which sells computers, cellular phones, and pagers. We have two locations, which
I have yet to be able to successfully network over broad-band. I made the mistake
of ordering a DSL service for the downtown location, which I had hoped to setup
as the main access server. What I came to discover is that DSL SUCKS for this
type of application. The reason being that the DSL software requires using the
PPoE (Point-To-Point over Ethernet) protocol. This effectively places a second
adapter (PPoE
adapter) into the network configuration; effectively blocking
any type of routing of incoming transmissions in Windows 2000.
What's
worse, is if you are using the server as a router for the internal network, it
will confuse Windows 2000 networking to the point that network and / or internet
connectivity is only about 50% reliable. what happens is that Windows 2000 will
take so long to verify connections both internally and externally, that
connections
will time-out, or be improperly routed most of the time. This does not happen
in Windows 9.x, since 9x doe not use the same type of network verification.
I did (after numerous head-poundings) manage to circumvent the greater part
of the internal networking issues. However, I am still unable to establish any
sort of VPN connection to the DSL server, no matter what I try. I recommend that
anyone who is not a seasoned vetran at Windows NT / 2000 networking avoid DSL
service as if it were a plague. I know I could have done better with a college
education, but cable is cheaper.
[Editors Note. - Recent firmware
revisions of the Linksys CableModem / DSL Router support PPoE. This may provide
a solution for home users.]
The
editor's note means that the relevant hardware supports the PPoE protocol, and
so Windows 2000 will not install a PpoE adapter, and hence there should be none
of the interference described above.
There has been much discussion on the web concerning troubles with DSL(digital subscriber line) USB modems. Most of the contributors blame the modem's high power consumption - they tend to draw more current than the USB port can supply. If this is the case, the 'USB' light will go out - particularly during downloads.
For example, the Alcatel USB DSL modem is designed to use the USB 1.1 specification. This allows a maximum current consumption of 500 ma. A user tested 18 different Alcatel modems and found only one that used less than 500 ma. The others consumed about 5% more than 500 ma, which exceeded the point where the USB current protector cut the power. Even for these modems that draw less than 500 ma, many motherboard USB implementations cannot handle this high level of current properly. Some users have solved this problem by adding a USB hub, but others have found that the modems drew so much power that they tripped the built-in current limiter in the hub as well.
A Belkin USB PCI card is reported to be able to handle the current better than other USB implementations. But the best solution is to avoid USB modems altogether, and use ones that use the Ethernet interface instead. They are more robust and less prone to give rise to problems.
For advice on ADSL problems, visit http://www.adslguide.org.uk.
The uk.telecom.broadband newsgroup often discusses issues of this kind.
Other factors that might cause trouble with a USB modem of this sort are -
Question. - Since installing a cable modem, I am now being presented with a prompt for an MS Networking password, which I cannot find a way to bypass. I have tried the FAQ on the MS website, and made a search of this newsgroup for password information in the Google archives, but only found posts to do with the Windows start-up password, not the networking one. - Any ideas on how to bypass it?
Answer. - Click Start => Control Panel => Network (or right-click Network Neighborhood => Properties). Set the Primary Network Logon to Windows Logon. If it is not available on the drop down menu, click the Add button, click on Client, and select it from among the options given for Microsoft.
Reboot.
When the Login prompt box appears, enter a user name and leave the password blank, then click Ok, not Cancel. When asked to confirm a blank password, click Ok, not Cancel. The next time you boot you will not be asked for a network password.
Disclaimer - modifying the Registry improperly can cause serious problems that may require Windows to be reinstalled along with all of the system's applications, drivers, etc., so make the necessary backups before you make changes to the Registry.
By
default the Windows 9.x versions of Windows (Windows 95/98/Me) do
not require a valid network username and password for a user to bypass the logon
dialog box and gain access to the local machine. However, this lack of security
can be modified to require validation by the network before allowing access.
Open your Registry and locate the key given below.
Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value called "MustBeValidated", and set it to "1" to require password authentication.
MustBeValidated - REG_DWORD - 0x00000001 (1)
Restart the system for the change to take effect.
Your machine must be part of a Windows domain for this tweak to work, because the user must be authenticated by the network.
| Settings: |
| [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Network\Logon] |
Note - if you want to discover what a forgotten password is for a logon of any kind, the best site to visit is PasswordTools.com. The password-viewing software, available for most popular applications and utilities, is not free.
If you forget your Windows screensaver's password, it is easy to bypass it. All you have to do is insert a CD containing an application that can be installed from it. Run the setup program and then cancel it at one of the Next option windows. You will have bypassed the screensaver's password.
If you're having problems recording to CD-R or CD-RW disks under Windows 95/98, it may be that your DMA settings are too fast for the burning process. On the desktop, use the right mouse button to click My Computer => Properties, and click the Device Manager tab. Click the + beside CD-ROM and double-click the model for your CD-R or CD-RW drive. Click Properties, and then click the Settings tab. Look for the DMA check-box under Options. If the DMA box is checked, uncheck it and hit OK until you are prompted to restart your computer. Once you have restarted, you should be able to successfully format your CD-R or CD-RW disks. If you have certain busmaster IDE drivers installed, you may not have a DMA check-box. This is the case for VIA drivers. However, VIA installs a DMATool utility that can be assessed via the Start => Programs menu. All of the IDE devices will be listed with a check-box for each to enable or disable DMA. If DMA is not already enabled for some drives, the chances are that it should not be enabled. If DMA is enabled for a drive, you can safely disable it by unchecking the relevant box and rebooting.
Problems with a particular CD/DVD drive or writer can be cured by flashing it with the latest firmware from the drive-manufacturer's website.
Most CD/DVD drives and writers have upgradable operating software, usually called firmware, stored in flash ROM (read-only memory) inside the drive itself. Upgrading this firmware to the latest version can often solve problems such as the inability to read certain kinds of disks, or errors when burning CDs/DVDs.
To find out what the driver version is, open the Device Manager, find the entry for your CD/DVD drive. In Windows XP, double-click on it and open the Driver tab followed by the Driver details button. Compare the firmware version and drive model number listed there with the latest version available on your drive manufacturer's website, and, if a newer version exists, download and install it.
If the drive is old, it may no longer be supported with new firmware, or it may not be supported at all if, say, it was made by a no-name manufacturer in the Far East. Follow the instructions that should accompany the download, or that are made available on the same site, to reflash the firmware precisely, or you may render the drive useless.
Note that some companies, such as Creative and Iomega, that purchase their drives from various drive manufacturers, probably won't be good at producing firmware updates.
Take great care when flashing firmware - flashing the wrong file (designed for another product) can kill a CD/DVD drive.
Hollywood had a big impact on the development of DVD technology.
Since videos are not released simultaneously everywhere in the world, DVD movies
are made for particular regions; each region of the world has been assigned its
own code. That way, a DVD movie can be played only in a drive configured for the
same region. There are six major regions: (1) North America and Canada; (2) Europe,
Middle East, Japan, and South Africa; (3) Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and
Korea; (4) Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America; (5) Africa, Russia, India,
and Pakistan; and (6) China.
Older DVD-ROM drives have an embedded region
code that can't be changed; you can play only DVD movies corresponding to the
drive's region. Most contemporary DVD-ROM drives and DVD players are RPC II (Regional
Playback Control) compliant, a mandatory requirement for units sold or manufactured
after January 1, 2000. Under RPC-II, a drive's region code is not set at the time
of manufacture. The first time you play a DVD movie, the drive's region code is
set to the disc's code. The drive's region may be changed four more times before
it is permanently locked to a region.
DirectCD software sets aside about 120MB of space when a CD-RW disk is formatted; this is a necessary part of the rewriteability feature offered by DirectCD. In some cases, even more space is set aside. DirectCD formats CD-RWs in fixed-length packets and can randomly record and erase any individual sector (typically 32K in size), just like a floppy disk or a hard drive. However, to create this fixed structure, a certain amount of disk space must be set aside to keep track of the directory and the file structure. Don't plan on more than 500MB to 550MB of available space on the disc once it's formatted. If you need more space, use CD-R media.
There are two likely reasons. First, some UDMA/100 hard drives are not enabled for UDMA/100 operation right out of the box. You may need to run a software utility (usually on a floppy disk accompanying the hard drive) to activate the UDMA/100 mode; check the drive's installation instructions. Second, make sure you're using the proper cable for high-speed data transfers. An ordinary 40-pin IDE cable is inappropriate for UDMA/100 units; faster drives require a 40-pin/80-wire cable. Most new hard drives come with a suitable cable.
As long as you are online, you will be tracked. When you click on a link, the website's server logs it. It also logs the IP address you have been assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or your network's Internet IP address. Most ISP's use dynamic addressing - they assign you a different IP address every time you log on, so any particular website's server will only be able to log which ISP you are using. Only your ISP's secure logs will be able to translate the information third party servers log into a name and address. All the same, if you do not want anyone to know how you got from point A to point B, simply mail the URL (http://www...) to yourself. When you click on it from your e-mail client, its server's logs will record: "No Referrer." You can also launch a link from a website, or use the Windows Start => Run command line and achieve the same results.
Follow this path - Control Panel => System => Performance => File System button, and then change the setting Desktop computer to Network server in the Typical role of the machine dialog box. The settings are automatically set in the Registry. This is safe to do, and will improve the performance of Windows 9.x systems by quite a bit, because a server uses more caching than a desktop machine.
| This is Page 4 of four pages of Tips and Tricks. Page 1 contains the latest additions, which appear at the top of the list. Click here! to go to Page 2 Click here! to go to Page 3 |
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PC Buyer Beware! Copyright © Eric Legge 2004-2008. All rights reserved.