Comments for For Now http://fornow.wordpress.com Musings on Science, Technology and the World Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:01:45 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Digital Filing Cabinet Plus by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-digital-filing-cabinet-plus/#comment-1523 Davidya Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:01:45 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=528#comment-1523 NOTE – FileHamster is no longer presented as free. However, basic realtime backup functionality remains when the free trial period ends. You can upgrade if you want more features. They tell me it also works in Windows 7 and with 64 bit. NOTE – FileHamster is no longer presented as free. However, basic realtime backup functionality remains when the free trial period ends. You can upgrade if you want more features.

They tell me it also works in Windows 7 and with 64 bit.

]]> Comment on FileHamster realtime free backup by FileHamster – Part 2 « For Now http://fornow.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/filehamster-realtime-free-backup/#comment-1522 FileHamster – Part 2 « For Now Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:58:00 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/filehamster-realtime-free-backup/#comment-1522 [...] FileHamster – Part 2 August 3, 2007 at 10:08 am | In Backup, Software | 1 Comment I thought I’d post a quick rundown of the steps I used for FileHamster. [...] [...] FileHamster – Part 2 August 3, 2007 at 10:08 am | In Backup, Software | 1 Comment I thought I’d post a quick rundown of the steps I used for FileHamster. [...]

]]> Comment on FileHamster – Part 2 by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2007/08/03/filehamster-part-2/#comment-1521 Davidya Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:56:22 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/2007/08/03/filehamster-part-2/#comment-1521 NOTE - FileHamster is no longer presented as free. However, basic realtime backup functionality remains when the free trial period ends. You can upgrade if you want more features. They tell me it also works in Windows 7 and with 64 bit. NOTE – FileHamster is no longer presented as free. However, basic realtime backup functionality remains when the free trial period ends. You can upgrade if you want more features.

They tell me it also works in Windows 7 and with 64 bit.

]]> Comment on FileHamster realtime free backup by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/filehamster-realtime-free-backup/#comment-1520 Davidya Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:55:20 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/filehamster-realtime-free-backup/#comment-1520 NOTE - FileHamster is no longer presented as free. However, basic realtime backup functionality remains when the free trial period ends. You can upgrade if you want more features. They tell me it also works in Windows 7 and with 64 bit. NOTE – FileHamster is no longer presented as free. However, basic realtime backup functionality remains when the free trial period ends. You can upgrade if you want more features.

They tell me it also works in Windows 7 and with 64 bit.

]]> Comment on Credit-free Plastic by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/credit-free-plastic/#comment-1517 Davidya Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:40 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=647#comment-1517 Today, got a flyer in the mail for a "Visa Prepaid card" today, suggesting it as a gift - with Olympic logo and images. Interestingly, it's just a Visa card. The page also has a link to register the card to "improve its acceptance online". I assume this means give it a name and address that online forms use to further verify the number with. Enter canadapost.ca/visaprepaidcards and it forwards you to the address. Ah - "Contact the Card Issuer" takes you to VanCity, a Vancouver credit union. Actually all the links go there. "About the Card" on the Vancity page tells you about precautions and how you'll get fees and how your balance must be spent in 6 months. Like the Royal card above. It's also designed as a limited edition card so is not for long term use. But another option. Checked and Vancity offers them directly: https://www.vancity.com/VISA/GiftCards/ They charge to load them though which the BMO doesn't. Thats not as good for ongoing use. But if you have a VanCity account, it may work for you. Today, got a flyer in the mail for a “Visa Prepaid card” today, suggesting it as a gift – with Olympic logo and images.

Interestingly, it’s just a Visa card.

The page also has a link to register the card to “improve its acceptance online”. I assume this means give it a name and address that online forms use to further verify the number with.

Enter
canadapost.ca/visaprepaidcards
and it forwards you to the address.

Ah – “Contact the Card Issuer” takes you to VanCity, a Vancouver credit union. Actually all the links go there. “About the Card” on the Vancity page tells you about precautions and how you’ll get fees and how your balance must be spent in 6 months. Like the Royal card above.

It’s also designed as a limited edition card so is not for long term use. But another option.

Checked and Vancity offers them directly:
https://www.vancity.com/VISA/GiftCards/

They charge to load them though which the BMO doesn’t. Thats not as good for ongoing use. But if you have a VanCity account, it may work for you.

]]> Comment on Credit-free Plastic by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/credit-free-plastic/#comment-1516 Davidya Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:47:00 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=647#comment-1516 NOTE - without a name on the card, some online services won't work. Thus, the BMO card is better. Cheaper if used regularly too. NOTE – without a name on the card, some online services won’t work. Thus, the BMO card is better. Cheaper if used regularly too.

]]> Comment on The Ghosts of Computing Past – Part 1 by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/the-ghosts-of-computing-past-part-1/#comment-1515 Davidya Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:36:18 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=690#comment-1515 A couple of notes on #3 startup. You can boot your computer with F8 and Enable Boot Logging. This records the loading drivers to ntbootlog.txt in the Windows directory. http://www.watchingthenet.com/how-to-enable-boot-logging-for-fixing-startup-problems-in-windows.html reviews how to use it to fix drivers that are hanging your computer during boot. It also helps for removing some malware. And you can simply run it to see whats not loading. A couple of things about this: Autoruns (linked above) will show some of the same things not loading, with tricks for researching & managing them. It also shows some different ones. Some of them are Windows defaults, available for example if a Citrix client or SCSI CD drive is installed. Some people delete or (better) disable them with Autoruns but one has to remember such tweaking. Like disabling Services, such changes can cause surprises in future updates as you have a non-standard configuration. If you forget you've done this, things that should work may not. The more tweaked you are, the more it is to maintain. As this forum post reviews - some remove all 'not load's with no issues, some advice against messing with some of them. http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11781&PN=3 Always make a registry backup before you play in that sandbox. I wrote a whole article on cleaning up the boot log but this is an area where a lot of research is required or you can cause hard to trace issues later. Sometimes, the best things is KISS A couple of notes on #3 startup.
You can boot your computer with F8 and Enable Boot Logging. This records the loading drivers to ntbootlog.txt in the Windows directory.
http://www.watchingthenet.com/how-to-enable-boot-logging-for-fixing-startup-problems-in-windows.html
reviews how to use it to fix drivers that are hanging your computer during boot. It also helps for removing some malware. And you can simply run it to see whats not loading.

A couple of things about this:
Autoruns (linked above) will show some of the same things not loading, with tricks for researching & managing them. It also shows some different ones. Some of them are Windows defaults, available for example if a Citrix client or SCSI CD drive is installed. Some people delete or (better) disable them with Autoruns but one has to remember such tweaking. Like disabling Services, such changes can cause surprises in future updates as you have a non-standard configuration. If you forget you’ve done this, things that should work may not. The more tweaked you are, the more it is to maintain.

As this forum post reviews – some remove all ‘not load’s with no issues, some advice against messing with some of them.
http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11781&PN=3

Always make a registry backup before you play in that sandbox.

I wrote a whole article on cleaning up the boot log but this is an area where a lot of research is required or you can cause hard to trace issues later. Sometimes, the best things is KISS

]]> Comment on File Management + by Davidya http://fornow.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/file-management/#comment-1507 Davidya Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:12:53 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=246#comment-1507 I've stopped using FileBox extender but have become a big fan of QTTabbar. (tip - to save a Group right click a tab, new, and select the checkbox. Groups can be managed after in Options) Here's an extensive article on it: http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/more-about-qttabbar.htm The New QTAddressBar can replace the exiting address bar, but with breadcrumbs, each with its own dropdown. (View, Toolbars) You can add a search toolbar or a variety of other features with plugins. Another neat trick is BaxBex Folderbox. Turn it on in View, Explorer Bar. You a Windows 3.1-esq 2nd window inside the first. much easier to move files from and to. http://www.baxbex.com/products.html Other things on the page I use too, including bxNewFolder for adding a New Folder button to Explorer. I’ve stopped using FileBox extender but have become a big fan of QTTabbar. (tip – to save a Group right click a tab, new, and select the checkbox. Groups can be managed after in Options)

Here’s an extensive article on it:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/more-about-qttabbar.htm

The New QTAddressBar can replace the exiting address bar, but with breadcrumbs, each with its own dropdown. (View, Toolbars)
You can add a search toolbar or a variety of other features with plugins.

Another neat trick is BaxBex Folderbox. Turn it on in View, Explorer Bar. You a Windows 3.1-esq 2nd window inside the first. much easier to move files from and to.
http://www.baxbex.com/products.html
Other things on the page I use too, including bxNewFolder for adding a New Folder button to Explorer.

]]> Comment on The Digital Filing Cabinet Plus by Faster Saving and Opening « For Now http://fornow.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-digital-filing-cabinet-plus/#comment-1506 Faster Saving and Opening « For Now Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:22:47 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=528#comment-1506 [...] | Leave a Comment I’ve spoken before about Windows Documents. How to set up your own Digital File Cabinet, and so forth. With XP, they introduced a great idea, with a default location for saving your files [...] [...] | Leave a Comment I’ve spoken before about Windows Documents. How to set up your own Digital File Cabinet, and so forth. With XP, they introduced a great idea, with a default location for saving your files [...]

]]> Comment on Backup that works by Loosing FAT for NTFS « For Now http://fornow.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/backup-that-works/#comment-1505 Loosing FAT for NTFS « For Now Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:24:36 +0000 http://fornow.wordpress.com/?p=221#comment-1505 [...] the Boot system: - do a standard Image backup. (if you need to recover from this, it will be back to FAT32) - align for NTFS per aumha.org [...] [...] the Boot system: – do a standard Image backup. (if you need to recover from this, it will be back to FAT32) – align for NTFS per aumha.org [...]

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