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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2004-09-30

A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware, 
Software, and Time Online

Please visit our sponsors and help keep the LangaList S.E. free!

1) Registry-Only Backups?

Fred: Often on the Plus edition you'll talk about things being done to the registry, preceded by the words, "As always, be sure and back up your registry first."  I've looked all over the newsletter website, but I can't find any instructions for backing up a registry on XP Home edition.  Would it be possible, in your newsletter, to point us to a place where we can find out how to do that?  It might be a lifesaver for people like me who know enough about computers to be dangerous and are reluctant to touch the registry for any reason without backing it up, but just don't know how to do it?

Thanks for a fantastic newsletter, Fred.  I look forward to it.  A Sunday night without Langa List just isn't Sunday night.  And if you think I'm kidding, you should see what all I go through trying to find out what happened when you've taken some time off and I forgot you were going to.  ;-)) ---Beth Anderson

I was a bigger fan of Registry backups back in the days when systems were simpler and Win98 was top dog. But in the years since, I've stopped recommending Registry backups per se because there are many software problems (bad installations, bad removals, bad updates...) that a Registry-only repair won't cure. That's why I've been recommending full, complete, preferably "image" based backups for the last several years. They can solve *any* system software or configuration problem, including Registry problems, by rolling the system back to a known-good state. Done right, it's not time-consuming (minutes, not hours!), and gives you near 100% immunity from a whole raft of trouble. In contrast, a Registry-only backup is far more limited in what it can cure, and in fact may be more of a psychological crutch than a truly useful recovery tool. <g>

So, I think the best answer I can give you is to try to talk you out of Registry-only backups, and steer you to a much better solution: http://langa.com/backups/backups.htm

But if you truly do want a Registry-only backup, here's the answer:

How to backup the Windows XP Registry
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/registry.htm

Safekeeping the Windows XP Registry
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/expert/honeycutt_03march17.mspx

HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=322756

How To Backup, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=322755

How To Backup, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Win95/98/Me
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;322754

More info for Win98:
http://www.google.com/search?&q=windows+98+registry+backup

More info for WinME:
http://www.google.com/search?&q=windows+me+millennium+registry+backup

General Info:
http://www.google.com/search?&q=windows+registry+backup

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has helped me out of a pickle more than once.
Thanks and keep up the great job!"---Ken Larson

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2) Paper or Plastic? (SP2 Upgrade)

Hi Fred, I really need help with this.  (Remember the TV commercial:  paper or plastic?  Where the person can't decide between the two?  That's me, right now. <g>)

I have a stand-alone desktop PC, Windows XP Home (SP 1, obviously).  Up until a couple of months ago, faithfully downloading/installing all the necessary updates.  And I'm the only user.  Period.

I quit being so faithful in updating when there was a warning about potential problems with one of the updates (don't remember which one).  Because of your references (and recommendation?), I also subscribed to other newsletters, and saw some cautionary words about installing an update or two.  Then the talk turned to how great SP2 was going to be, so I thought, I'll just wait for that. Then it was how late SP2 was going to be.  Then it was ready to roll.  Nope, not yet.  Okay now!

So I procrastinated.  Now we finally have the "real" (?) SP2, and maybe some general enthusiasm about it, but there may be some apps that won't run under it....And I've read about some of the problems with some installations -- systems hang, what-not...

I've been a software junkie since before the WWW as we know it, and like to play with new freeware and shareware apps in my spare time -- 15 min here, 30 there, sometimes maybe a whole hour at a time.  It irks me that I may have to spend much of that time upgrading to SP2, then having to wait until I find something that won't work, or quits working as well in my installed apps....

Bottom line:  I don't have the time, and no longer have the enthusiasm, to keep track of what _I_ need to do to keep _my_ machine up-to-date, so that I don't have to worry about the workings of the machine. If I can't determine what's critical to me, and safe for me, why should I bother. Paper or plastic? ---<G>eorge Davis

You're not alone, George. But, if done with care, SP2 can actually be part of the solution, rather than another problem. That's because it's a roll-up of a *huge* number of separate fixes, tweaks, and updates, all in one. (See the list here: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;%5bLN%5d;811113 ) It also includes a new "Data Execution Prevention" (DEP) feature that tries to address the general problem of "buffer overruns" that have caused so many security problems in the past.

It's so big and far-reaching that, back in the days when Microsoft's arrogance knew no bounds, SP2 probably would have come out as a "new" version of XP--- XP2004, or some such--- and Microsoft would have charged for it. After all, that's exactly what they did with "Windows Millennium Edition", which was really just a glorified update of Win98SE.

And had it gone that way--- if SP2 were a $99 upgrade--- I'd advise against it, just as I once advised against Windows ME as not being worth the cost. But to its credit, MS didn't play games with SP2. It's offered free, and isn't renamed to make it look like a new version of Windows. (A curious aside: SP2 does strip off the word "Professional" or "Home" from the opening start-up screen: All SP2 installs simply say "Windows XP" at startup, regardless of which version they really are. Hmmm.)

As for the time required to install it, remember that Microsoft will mail you a free SP2 CD, and even pay the postage for you. A CD install eliminates the long download (especially for dial-up users); CD-based SP2 installation time is measured in tens of minutes, not hours or days. And for that investment of time, you're getting a major refresh and update of your OS.

My original reservations about SP2 were, in fact, due to that very size and complexity: It was bound to cause trouble on some systems. But SP2 has been out long enough now so that the worst problems have been identified and can be known in advance of an installation. That's hard-won information that some SP2 pioneers paid dearly for. But now, you don't have to:

Read through the resources below and, if everything checks out, make a backup of your system, and then go ahead and install SP2 via download, or by free CD. My guess is that it will be a very worthwhile update in the long run.

Free SP2 CD:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx

Known hardware, software problems with SP2; troubleshooting; step-by-step how-tos; more:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;ln;xpsp2swhw

Windows XP SP2 Info for IT Professionals
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=windowsxpsp2it

Additional technical info:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx

Non-technical (consumer) info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=windowsxpsp2

Real-Life Experiences With XP's SP2 http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=46200911

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3) Speaking of Updates...

Hi Fred, Thanks for the detailed page on InformationWeek, regarding the slipstreaming of SP2 on WinXP. ( http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=47212312 )However, there is a free tool by Neowin called Autostreamer, that does the whole thing automatically. All you need is a Windows CD and the service pack.

Supports:
- Windows 2000 (All versions)
- Windows XP (All versions)
- Windows 2003 (All versions)

V.1.029 Fixes:
- It now detects 5.1.2600.2180 as Windows XP SP2 and not Pre-SP2
- Should work with ALL languages
- Recognizes Windows XP SP1/SP1a/SP2 (Wrong OS Error)
Dl the tool here: http://mhtools.knoware.nl/raptor/autostreamer/AutoStreamer.zip
Set it up (i.e define where you want to save the file and it's name), go have a cup of coffee, and when it's done, it will create a bootable ISO image, all ready to burn. No hands, really. ---Eran Rosenmann

Thanks, Eran. Because no one tool fits everyone's needs or works in all cases, I also listed a variety of alternate ways of creating an XP setup CD that's already "prepatched" with SP2. There are live links to all those other tools at the end of the article at http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=47212312

If you want to prepatch your XP setup (and thus save maybe an hour on future installations!) check out the article above, the links at the end of the article, or the tool Eran suggests: Surely one of them will work for you!

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4) Stubborn Script Error

Dear Fred: I have tried for three days to fix a problem in Outlook Express (IE 6). I get a script error every time I try to print in OE that references <res://c:\windows\system32\shdoclc.dll/preview.dlg> along with the familiar "Line __, Character __, Error ___, Code __. designation. How do I fix this? ---Don

This site offers a wide variety of scripting error problem-solvers--- very handy! Odds are you'll find your solution here: http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/scriptex.htm

If not, try the time-tested way of Googling for a solution by using parts of the error message as search terms. For example, "script error" and "preview.dlg:"
http://www.google.com/search?q=script+error+preview%2Edlg

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5) Reader Saved By BootIt

Hello Fred, After using many versions of PowerQuest Drive Image over the years, I disregarded your advice and used Drive Image 7 but you were absolutely right; it is awkward and sometimes unpredictable. So I downloaded Boot It. Again you were right on all counts. Boot It is a wonderful program but it is very "geeky" mostly because the manual manages to leave out the most essential information. I copied an image of the system drive to an external DVD drive, something Drive 7 refuses to do. But when I checked to see whether I could restore the image, Boot It  refused and said I had to boot from the diskette. Of course I had always booted Boot It from a floppy. I finally Emailed Terabyte technical support and got the answer within 24 hours. If the Boot It file is on the system drive, you have to restore from the "Maintenance" mode rather than the regular way. Score one for technical support, but a big fat zero for the manual which has no explanation of how to use "Maintenance" to work with partitions. Four days later my computer crashed bigtime; I could not even get to Safe Mode or Last Good Configuration. Boot It worked like a charm, and I was soon back in business without having to reinstall Windows XP. Needless to say, I immediately registered the product but only after another contretemps. The instructions from Digibuy said to go to "Maintenance" in order to register.  It is exactly the other around. You use the Boot It version on the hard drive to register.  Fortunately I am used to such nonsense; I bought my first PC in 1982 so nothing surprises me.

As so many readers know, it pays to read your newsletter, and also to take it very seriously. Regards, Eli Kaminsky

Thanks for the kind words, Eli.

Indeed, BootIt's menus are, um, odd at best, and you sometimes have to click around to find what you want, at least at first. You also need to spend some time with the online manual, and with the various BootIt options and features, until you get a handle on its funky way of working.

But considering that you get a boot manager; partitioning tool; partitioning manager; and a powerful, fast disk imaging tool (for making bulletproof backups on disk, on CD, or on DVD); all in one $35 bundle; and all of it, combined, small enough to fit on one floppy; well, to me it's worth putting up with a few rough edges. <g> In my case, that one $35 floppy replaced over a hundred megabytes of other software costing $150. BootIt isn't for everyone, but you can try it for free at http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html . Highly recommended.

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6) Last Day To Enter September's FREE Drawing

At the end of the day, I'll randomly choose three more winners of the FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS to the LangaList Plus! edition given each month. (If your name is drawn and you're already a Plus! subscriber, your current subscription will be extended by a full year.)

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 FREE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION! (Full details also available via this link): http://langa.com/recommend.htm

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7) Final (?) Words On Quiet Cooling

Mr. Langa, I recently became tired of my noisy computer.  I looked at water cooling as a method of making the system quieter.  The Zalman "Reserator 1" is the perfect solution.  It knocked eleven degrees Celsius off the idle temp and almost twenty off the full load temperature.  It is silent because there is no fan.  The pump is contained in the reservoir, so I can only hear it if the computer is off. Another feature of this system is that when I power off the computer, I can keep the cooling running a little while longer.  Just because we power off does not mean the CPU is suddenly cool.  With the Reserator I can spend a little time removing the last bit of heat. The Reserator is not necessarily for overclockers, but with a couple of modifications it could be. If you have room for the massive heatsink/reservoir; The Reserator is definitely a component for the quieter PC.---Delwin Shaughnessy

Hi Fred: Here are some tried tips for your article "Quiet As A Library Whisper!"
The grill on the power supply fan... has four legs, and with a cutter cut three of them, bend the grill outwards and now listen. The sound gets reduced. This can be compared with the noise a fan produces mounted on top of Pentium chip, since it has no grille. Though the components are designed thoughtfully, the slight vibration... gets passed on to  the cabinet. Use of rubber grommets/washers for the [fan mounting] screws [also helps.] Other tips are: give at least a  foot of distance from any surrounding objects (behind the power supply fan); put the PC cabinet on a soft surface (e.g. a cloth). Last, if nothing seems to work out, put another fan inside your  room (size does not matter) and then you can forget hearing any  noise from the pc. At least in India, in summers we don't hear any  noise, in winters, yes, the problem does bother and we found out these tips. It is almost two years reading your wonderful newsletter, only one of a kind. Keep up the good work.--- Milind Padhye

Thanks, Delwin and Milind. We'll leave this subject for now, as I think we've covered just about everything worth covering. Bottom line: You don't have to put up with a noisy PC! It's easy to remedy, and doesn't have to cost much at all. <g>

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8) Code Load Success Story

After his site was listed in the last "Load The Code" section, code-loader Garrett Prescott wrote:

Just wanted to write and say "Thank You" for listing my website on "Have you loaded the Code". [In less than 24 hours] since your newsletter came out Sunday I have had over 500 hits.... Again "Thank You"!---Garrett

Do you have a home page or website? (It doesn't matter what size.) Please click over to http://langa.com/code.htm , and maybe you can join the thousands of LangaList readers who have "Loaded the Code!" (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://langa.com/link.txt )

Speaking of which: Here's another eclectic sample of reader sites--- some professional, some very personal:

View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site
http://langa.com/randomlink.htm

Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At
http://langa.com/readersites.htm

Geek Hangout
http://www.freewebs.com/thegeekhangout/

paintings by Jean-Marie Cahard
http://jmcmade.free.fr/web-gallery/

Village house for rent in Provence
http://www.tordinateur.com

Fake Eyes for $10
http://brianaala.tripod.com/eyes.html

LST Decals
http://home.mchsi.com/~broccardoships/

Lemoto's Lair
http://www.lemoto.myby.co.uk/corel.htm#pagend

Gadgets
http://www.affiliatepool.com/

kibbutz volunteer
http://www.kibbutzvolunteer.com/

Gabby and Cathy's Web Pages
http://webpages.charter.net/rfriend/

The Crashing PC
http://www.the-crashing-pc.org/

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Fred's Own Reference Shelf--- And Up To 20% Discounts!

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personally selected and recommended by Fred Langa
and available at Amazon.COM's deepest discounts!

http://langa.com/books.htm

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9) Learn By Viewing Examples (Free)

Hello Fred, As part of a class I teach on "Protecting Your Computer," I put up a web page with sample "bad" emails (those containing viruses, phishing, hoaxes and SPAM) along with some advice for dealing with them. ( http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/bademails.html ) On the theory that a picture is worth a thousand words, it might be useful for people not yet aware how dangerous email can be. I realize that readers of your newsletter probably know this already, but they may have friends and relatives that do not.  ---Michael Horowitz

Thanks, Michael!

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10) Just For Grins

Here's a suggestion for "Just for Grins": Titanic in thirty seconds-http://www.angryalien.com/0604/titanicbuns.swf  It's silly but it made me laugh. -Dave

The whole AngryAlien site there is silly, Dave, and parts are quite funny. (I personally think their "The Exorcist in 30 seconds" is one of the best. <g>)

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11) Plus! Edition Highlights:

• A Little Extra Security (Free)
     (simple steps can thwart local snoops)
• Scanned Images Are Wrong Size?
     (here's why!)
• Which Encryption Standard To Use?
     (AES, DES, Skipjack, Blowfish...?)

Plus! edition subscribers not only get much more content in every issue (like the above), but also have access to a private web site with over 100,000 words of special content and features not found in *any* issue of the newsletter; along with dozens of private downloads and much more-
-- all for just $1 per month!

Plus! Edition info: http://langa.com/plus.htm 

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(Give a gift subscription to the LangaList Plus edition!
Click <a href= " http://langa.com/plus_gift.htm ">here</a>)

See you next issue, 2004-10-04!

Best,

Fred
( Editor@Langa.Com )

Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win a prize!)

An easier-to read formatted HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section of http://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.

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