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LangaList 2003-05-19 Please visit our sponsors and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!
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--------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- 1) Updates From HellThere's good news, there's bad news, and then there's even worse news. Microsoft has promised a new version of the patch (it could even be out by the time you read this), but there's no guarantee that the new patch will be any better. And in the meantime, Microsoft offers only two weak workarounds to try to resolve the immediate problem--- but each workaround causes yet *more* problems! Of course, all the above is the result of just one bad patch, so this leads us
squarely to the broader question of what to do about Microsoft updates in
general. How can we avoid the time-wasting problems caused by bad patches?
Indeed, how can you tell whether a patch is worth installing in the first place? But what's *your experience?* Do you accept the default/recommended settings
and let Windows manage its own updates, automatically? If so, has the process
been reliable, or have you ever had to undo an update? If you opt for manual
updates, how often do you check for updates, and how do you evaluate whether a
given patch or update is both worthwhile and safe? Let's pool our knowledge, and
see if we can lay out a strategy that yields the benefits of having an updated
operating system, but without undue risks of system slowdowns or other problems!
Join in the discussion at Click to email this item to a
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--------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- 2) Recover A Crashed No-Floppy System
Alas, this kind of setup--- no floppy--- does make it harder to recover a crashed system if the OS gets munged. I'll discuss a possible fix for any version of Windows in a moment, but
here's one that's specific to Win2000 and XP: You may be able to recover from software-only problems by installing
the Recovery Console on the hard drive. This at least gives you some limited
options in the event that Windows won't fully boot, but the hard drive still
works and the core system files are intact: If you have a full, retail copy of your setup CD, you may be able to use the Recovery Console from that: Boot from the CD, and see if you're given that option. A simpler form of Linux might also serve you better than the "kitchen sink" distributions like Knoppix. See the recovery CDs we've discussed here, for example: http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-04-24.htm#4 Here's an option that can work on any version of Windows: If you have access to a CDR, you
also can make your own custom boot emergency CDs. I've done this, starting with
the contents of a basic Windows 98 DOS boot floppy, and adding my favorite
DOS maintenance/recovery tools. I turn it into a bootable CD that loads Win98's
version of DOS, and that has all my DOS-based tools available. (See this ancient
series on DOS for more info: Having all those tools on a single, bootable CD has been a lifesaver--- and is far easier than carrying around a caddy full of floppies! Click to email this item to a
friend 3) Macy-Jean's HandprintsRemember Macy-Jean Calinawan, from the Philippines? We first met her here ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/meet_macy_jean.htm ) , and a while later saw how much she's been growing. ( http://www.langa.com/images/macy_jean200210a.jpg ) Macy Jean was the sixth child (of eight, so far, all around the world) sponsored on an ongoing basis by LangaList Plus! subscribers. Macy Jean's still too young to write, so the aid workers in her village had her make ink handprints on some rough paper, and then sent the pudgy little prints to me. <g> I scanned them, scaled the image down to keep the file size reasonable, and posted it here for you to share: Public server: What's this all about? Those of us with computers and Internet access are vastly better off than most of the world's population. Because of this, I decided that a portion of the LangaList Plus! subscription fees would be donated to registered/legitimate charities helping the underprivileged around the world. The contribution does not increase the cost of a Plus! subscription in any way; the donation is taken "off the top" of any profits. (This is described in the pages at http://www.langa.com/plus.htm ) Macy-Jean is the sixth child sponsored on an ongoing basis (via an international relief agency) by the collective generosity of LangaList subscribers. LangaList Plus! subscribers also have collectively contributed to emergency earthquake relief efforts in India and to funds to assist those hurt in the Sept 11th terrorist attacks on the US.. (To see all the donations so far, click to http://www.langa.com/plus2.htm#kids ) As the year goes on, and as more readers sign up for Plus! subscriptions, I hope we'll be able to sponsor more children and assist other charities around the world. Graham Greene once said, "There is always a moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in...." If you're already a LangaList Plus subscriber, thank you! You can feel good about giving back a little to those less fortunate, and opening "a door to the future" for a child in otherwise-desperate circumstances. If you're not yet a Plus! subscriber check it out: With a Plus! subscription, you can not only help yourself make the most of your hardware, software and time online with expanded content and no advertising--- but you also can help those less fortunate (like Macy-Jean) make the most of their very lives. Thanks for your help! Click to email this item to a
friend --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) --- Fred's Own Reference
Shelf--- And Up To 20% Discounts! --------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- 4) Changing Drive Letters (All Windows Versions)
Actually, it's not bizarre at all, but can be a common problem in all versions of Windows, as a quick look at the Microsoft Knowledgebase shows:http://tinyurl.com/brhf orhttp://snurl.com/1cvz Problems can happen fairly easily when upgrading from one version of Windows to another, or adding a new device (USB, ZIP drive, new CD, etc) to a system where the drive letters are already mapped. But there's plenty of help available online. Here are some of the best links I've found: A specific How-To on drive letter assignments in XP is here: Similar info for Win2000: Similar info for Win98/ME: General Info: Click to email this item to a
friend 5) Mailbox Full...
If it's on your ISP's server, what usually happens is your mail box fills up to its allowed limit (sometimes as little as 2MB or so), and then all further emails are bounced back to the sender with a "mailbox full" message. The old mail just sits there (for as long as you pay your ISP bills) while no new mail is delivered. Even when the mailbox limits are higher, you still can run into trouble of you get a lot of mail, or mail with large attachments. That's why it's generally NOT a good idea to store old mail or attachments on the mail server because they'll clog your mailbox and may cause new mail to bounce. Instead, download the mail and attachments and store everything locally, on a hard drive. Even though my website has generous email allowances, I can max out the online storage in just a couple days, if I don't keep up with the mail. (My mailbox stats show I got 44,511 inbound emails just last month; and the email volume is climbing steadily.) If I take a vacation or even break for a weekend, I have to leave a PC running just to grab the mail periodically and keep the server unclogged. No matter what size your online mailbox is, it's smart NOT to let it fill up! Click to email this item to a
friend 6) Don't Make Me Beg! 8-)If you think the LangaList is a worthwhile read, just use the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win $10,000 for your trouble (full details also available via this link): http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=143182 Or, win a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys... and more. To have a shot at winning, just use the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win a $30 Gift Certificate! (Full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm Either way, thank you, and good luck! Click to email this item to a
friend 7) New "Replicator"We've mentioned Karen Kenworthy's "Replicator" before: I use it to keep my
laptop files in synch with my main PC; and it's even done heavy-duty work in the
IT department of Public Radio International! (See Karen has just released a brand-new, enhanced version of Replicator. As before, it's free. You can read about it--- and download it--- athttp://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp If you'd like to help keep Karen online and producing tools like this, check out her CD tool collection, too: http://www.karenware.com/cd.asp Click to email this item to a
friend 8) They Just Keep Coming And Coming...Over two thousand seven hundred of your fellow readers have "Loaded the
code." Please click over to
http://www.langa.com/code.htm , and maybe you can join them! (If
you've already "Loaded The Code" and are wondering if your site will appear here
or on the Langa.Com web site, please see
http://www.langa.com/link.txt ) Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At digital thermostats PARK PLACE Jeff Szymanski Zone Funduc Software Gurus Online CCI/Russia Jim Doppelhammer John R. Tucker trinity alliance Cedar Hollow Computers (Canada) Click to email this item to a
friend --- ( Your Clicks On Ad Links Help Keep The LangaList S.E. Free! ) --- Archives to the Rescue! "Fred, Thank you for all the articles and especially for the LangaList Archives... I had a virus that just kept coming back, even though it was supposedly eradicated. I was pulling my hair out for a solution. I didn't want to re-format and start over, as even a back-up may have had the virus!! [The article with the fix] was found with a quick Archives search and the words of wisdom cured my computer headache. Regards, Dave Fullerton" Glad you found it useful, Dave. The Plus!
Archives are indeed offered free It gives nearly instant answers to any question Get all the details on The LangaList Plus! Edition, (and the Archives!): --------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- 9) New, Free Online Firewall Test
Thanks, Sam. Looks like that could be a good addition to the mix of other, similar sites we've previously covered: Good And Bad Online Security Check-Ups: The Best PC Help, Reference, And Test Sites: Click to email this item to a
friend 10) Just For GrinsReader Gary Spring sends along these fictitious units of measurement...
Click to email this item to a
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--------------( the above is an advertisement )-------------- 11) Plus! Edition Highlights:
The Plus! edition offers tons of extra info for just a dollar a month, and even has a MONEY BACK satisfaction guarantee: You can't lose! Complete Plus! Edition info: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm Click to email this item to a
friend PLEASE NOTE: See you next issue! Best, Pleaserecommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I) An easier-to read formatted HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section ofhttp://www.langa.com. (The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [UT-5] of the issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available at the Langa.Com site. UNSUBSCRIBE: From the same email account you
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