Utilities
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Another quick poll of useful utilities fellow CPians use on a regular basis. I have been purchasing a few products in the past couple of weeks and have a couple of slots that need filling but don't know what to use. I fell out of programming a few years ago and have only recently gotten back into the computer game full time. I am now more an onsite technician at small to medium businesses installing/fixing servers, desktops, networks, ADSL and the like. A lot of the time it is fixing up customer stuff ups and I am always on the lookout for better ways to do things. I recently purchased Acronis True Image, Disk Director Suite and Drive Cleanser (thrown into a bundled deal). I got these to replace my old copy of Ghost and a variety of freeware partition programs. Tonight I ordered Total Commander (why does it take them 48 hours to send me my registration code?) as Vista's explorer pisses me off and it now has the ability to load from a USB drive so I can use it out on the road. I like it when these utilities run off a CD or USB drive without needing installation so it's easy to use when onsite. So anyway on with the couple of problems in need of a solution. 1. Norton WinDoctor replacement. I have Norton SystemWorks 2007 which I use solely to run on client computers and use Norton CleanUp and Norton WinDoctor from the CD. These programs clean out the registry and all temporary files. It won't run from the CD under Vista. I can clean out the temporary files manually so can live without a replacement. The only other registry cleaner I have used recently is CCleaner and it needs to be installed to work. Is there something else out there any of you have used and like that will clean the registry and run standalone? 2. AntiVirus. Many times I get onsite to find computers that won't boot, they have been stuffed so well by the client. They always want to know what caused the problem and get their data back. If it is caused by a virus I don't want to backup infected data to my machine nor restore it back to the freshly installed computer. I can and sometimes do remove the HDD from said machine and connect to mine as a slave and scan for virii. But I am much too lazy too open a machine up every time. I want a bootable CD with AntiVirus that will update definitions on the fly and scan the disk. I remember reading of something that claimed to do this in the past few days. But can't find the article again. Anyone got a suggestion? Remember I am looking for utilities some of you have
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Another quick poll of useful utilities fellow CPians use on a regular basis. I have been purchasing a few products in the past couple of weeks and have a couple of slots that need filling but don't know what to use. I fell out of programming a few years ago and have only recently gotten back into the computer game full time. I am now more an onsite technician at small to medium businesses installing/fixing servers, desktops, networks, ADSL and the like. A lot of the time it is fixing up customer stuff ups and I am always on the lookout for better ways to do things. I recently purchased Acronis True Image, Disk Director Suite and Drive Cleanser (thrown into a bundled deal). I got these to replace my old copy of Ghost and a variety of freeware partition programs. Tonight I ordered Total Commander (why does it take them 48 hours to send me my registration code?) as Vista's explorer pisses me off and it now has the ability to load from a USB drive so I can use it out on the road. I like it when these utilities run off a CD or USB drive without needing installation so it's easy to use when onsite. So anyway on with the couple of problems in need of a solution. 1. Norton WinDoctor replacement. I have Norton SystemWorks 2007 which I use solely to run on client computers and use Norton CleanUp and Norton WinDoctor from the CD. These programs clean out the registry and all temporary files. It won't run from the CD under Vista. I can clean out the temporary files manually so can live without a replacement. The only other registry cleaner I have used recently is CCleaner and it needs to be installed to work. Is there something else out there any of you have used and like that will clean the registry and run standalone? 2. AntiVirus. Many times I get onsite to find computers that won't boot, they have been stuffed so well by the client. They always want to know what caused the problem and get their data back. If it is caused by a virus I don't want to backup infected data to my machine nor restore it back to the freshly installed computer. I can and sometimes do remove the HDD from said machine and connect to mine as a slave and scan for virii. But I am much too lazy too open a machine up every time. I want a bootable CD with AntiVirus that will update definitions on the fly and scan the disk. I remember reading of something that claimed to do this in the past few days. But can't find the article again. Anyone got a suggestion? Remember I am looking for utilities some of you have
As the title says, the following utility isn't exactly portable however it is extremely useful: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/[^] Basically, what we have here is a software KVM of sorts. Lets say you have two (or more) entirely independent but networked PC's sat next to each other. Install this app in server mode on your "main" pc, and install the app in client mode on the other(s). Once installed fiddle with the config a little, then stick the keyboard & mouse for the other pc(s) out of the way. Once you are setup, drag the mouse pointer off the main screen and it magically appears on the other screen, all mouse and keyboard input on you main device are now redirected to the other. I currently have 4 PC's all running from the same keyboard and it is, as mentioned above, extremely useful
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As the title says, the following utility isn't exactly portable however it is extremely useful: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/[^] Basically, what we have here is a software KVM of sorts. Lets say you have two (or more) entirely independent but networked PC's sat next to each other. Install this app in server mode on your "main" pc, and install the app in client mode on the other(s). Once installed fiddle with the config a little, then stick the keyboard & mouse for the other pc(s) out of the way. Once you are setup, drag the mouse pointer off the main screen and it magically appears on the other screen, all mouse and keyboard input on you main device are now redirected to the other. I currently have 4 PC's all running from the same keyboard and it is, as mentioned above, extremely useful
Synergy works great as long as you don't need to run any fullscreen apps on the main pc (never tried on a slave). The moment the cursor leaves the main PCs monitor it minimizes it. AFAIK the only program that does work with full screen applications is Multiplicity.[^] The only problem I have with the current version is that it doesn't send buttons 4+ to the 2nd PC when running a fullscreen app on the primary. The old version didn't do 4+ button mice in any circumstances so they're making progress. Unfortunately it seems to be a very low priority since the 1.2 release slipped by several months from when they first promised it on the forum, and non win32 versions have been delayed over a year now.
-- You have to explain to them [VB coders] what you mean by "typed". their first response is likely to be something like, "Of course my code is typed. Do you think i magically project it onto the screen with the power of my mind?" --- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
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Synergy works great as long as you don't need to run any fullscreen apps on the main pc (never tried on a slave). The moment the cursor leaves the main PCs monitor it minimizes it. AFAIK the only program that does work with full screen applications is Multiplicity.[^] The only problem I have with the current version is that it doesn't send buttons 4+ to the 2nd PC when running a fullscreen app on the primary. The old version didn't do 4+ button mice in any circumstances so they're making progress. Unfortunately it seems to be a very low priority since the 1.2 release slipped by several months from when they first promised it on the forum, and non win32 versions have been delayed over a year now.
-- You have to explain to them [VB coders] what you mean by "typed". their first response is likely to be something like, "Of course my code is typed. Do you think i magically project it onto the screen with the power of my mind?" --- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
dan neely wrote:
Synergy works great as long as you don't need to run any fullscreen apps on the main pc (never tried on a slave). The moment the cursor leaves the main PCs monitor it minimizes it.
This I did not know, I can see where that could proove problematic
dan neely wrote:
AFAIK the only program that does work with full screen applications is Multiplicity.[^]
Never heard of it before after a quick read of their spec sheet it seems that it also has one piece of functionality that Synergy could really do with: File and Directory Copying - Easily move files, or entire directories between computers! (Pro Version) Certainly worth checking out, even if it is a commercial app
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dan neely wrote:
Synergy works great as long as you don't need to run any fullscreen apps on the main pc (never tried on a slave). The moment the cursor leaves the main PCs monitor it minimizes it.
This I did not know, I can see where that could proove problematic
dan neely wrote:
AFAIK the only program that does work with full screen applications is Multiplicity.[^]
Never heard of it before after a quick read of their spec sheet it seems that it also has one piece of functionality that Synergy could really do with: File and Directory Copying - Easily move files, or entire directories between computers! (Pro Version) Certainly worth checking out, even if it is a commercial app
I've been using the standard version for several months now. Works great. :)
-- You have to explain to them [VB coders] what you mean by "typed". their first response is likely to be something like, "Of course my code is typed. Do you think i magically project it onto the screen with the power of my mind?" --- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
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Another quick poll of useful utilities fellow CPians use on a regular basis. I have been purchasing a few products in the past couple of weeks and have a couple of slots that need filling but don't know what to use. I fell out of programming a few years ago and have only recently gotten back into the computer game full time. I am now more an onsite technician at small to medium businesses installing/fixing servers, desktops, networks, ADSL and the like. A lot of the time it is fixing up customer stuff ups and I am always on the lookout for better ways to do things. I recently purchased Acronis True Image, Disk Director Suite and Drive Cleanser (thrown into a bundled deal). I got these to replace my old copy of Ghost and a variety of freeware partition programs. Tonight I ordered Total Commander (why does it take them 48 hours to send me my registration code?) as Vista's explorer pisses me off and it now has the ability to load from a USB drive so I can use it out on the road. I like it when these utilities run off a CD or USB drive without needing installation so it's easy to use when onsite. So anyway on with the couple of problems in need of a solution. 1. Norton WinDoctor replacement. I have Norton SystemWorks 2007 which I use solely to run on client computers and use Norton CleanUp and Norton WinDoctor from the CD. These programs clean out the registry and all temporary files. It won't run from the CD under Vista. I can clean out the temporary files manually so can live without a replacement. The only other registry cleaner I have used recently is CCleaner and it needs to be installed to work. Is there something else out there any of you have used and like that will clean the registry and run standalone? 2. AntiVirus. Many times I get onsite to find computers that won't boot, they have been stuffed so well by the client. They always want to know what caused the problem and get their data back. If it is caused by a virus I don't want to backup infected data to my machine nor restore it back to the freshly installed computer. I can and sometimes do remove the HDD from said machine and connect to mine as a slave and scan for virii. But I am much too lazy too open a machine up every time. I want a bootable CD with AntiVirus that will update definitions on the fly and scan the disk. I remember reading of something that claimed to do this in the past few days. But can't find the article again. Anyone got a suggestion? Remember I am looking for utilities some of you have
Michael Martin wrote:
fixing up customer stuff ups
I refer to those as SUEs - Stupid User Events. There's no preventing them, as the dolts doggedly refuse to read manuals or help guides, but there's money to be made fixing them.
Michael Martin wrote:
Norton WinDoctor replacement
Norton was great before the sale to Symantec, but I wouldn't touch a competitor's computer with anything released by that crowd. RegClean used to do a great job, but I haven't seen it since Win98SE. I don't know if it has ever been upgraded, but it's worth a look.
Michael Martin wrote:
AntiVirus.
I've been using Computer Associates' AV products for many years and find them to be far above the better known herd. There was a free version for a while that I used to carry with me on a CD to quick scan customers' PCs. It wasn't eligible for regular updates, but the free download got upgraded regularly and it wasn't too much trouble downloading a fresh copy once in a while. Naturally, I convinced many customers whose data was saved by the product to buy the full retail version. Check into it. Nice to see you getting back into the groove, Michael...:-D
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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Mohawke's Best of the Best Free and Open Source Software Collection[^]
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
El Corazon wrote:
Mohawke's Best of the Best Free and Open Source Software Collection[^]
What big corazon heart! Thank you!:-D
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.(John 3:16) :badger:
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Another quick poll of useful utilities fellow CPians use on a regular basis. I have been purchasing a few products in the past couple of weeks and have a couple of slots that need filling but don't know what to use. I fell out of programming a few years ago and have only recently gotten back into the computer game full time. I am now more an onsite technician at small to medium businesses installing/fixing servers, desktops, networks, ADSL and the like. A lot of the time it is fixing up customer stuff ups and I am always on the lookout for better ways to do things. I recently purchased Acronis True Image, Disk Director Suite and Drive Cleanser (thrown into a bundled deal). I got these to replace my old copy of Ghost and a variety of freeware partition programs. Tonight I ordered Total Commander (why does it take them 48 hours to send me my registration code?) as Vista's explorer pisses me off and it now has the ability to load from a USB drive so I can use it out on the road. I like it when these utilities run off a CD or USB drive without needing installation so it's easy to use when onsite. So anyway on with the couple of problems in need of a solution. 1. Norton WinDoctor replacement. I have Norton SystemWorks 2007 which I use solely to run on client computers and use Norton CleanUp and Norton WinDoctor from the CD. These programs clean out the registry and all temporary files. It won't run from the CD under Vista. I can clean out the temporary files manually so can live without a replacement. The only other registry cleaner I have used recently is CCleaner and it needs to be installed to work. Is there something else out there any of you have used and like that will clean the registry and run standalone? 2. AntiVirus. Many times I get onsite to find computers that won't boot, they have been stuffed so well by the client. They always want to know what caused the problem and get their data back. If it is caused by a virus I don't want to backup infected data to my machine nor restore it back to the freshly installed computer. I can and sometimes do remove the HDD from said machine and connect to mine as a slave and scan for virii. But I am much too lazy too open a machine up every time. I want a bootable CD with AntiVirus that will update definitions on the fly and scan the disk. I remember reading of something that claimed to do this in the past few days. But can't find the article again. Anyone got a suggestion? Remember I am looking for utilities some of you have
I am not sure about the license, but WinPE might be useful. It is a CD bootable version of XP. I have mostly used it for Windows Embedded work. You can get it from the Windows Embedded CD. I don't know if you will be able to run AntiVirus or other tools. But you could at least get files from the drive.
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Another quick poll of useful utilities fellow CPians use on a regular basis. I have been purchasing a few products in the past couple of weeks and have a couple of slots that need filling but don't know what to use. I fell out of programming a few years ago and have only recently gotten back into the computer game full time. I am now more an onsite technician at small to medium businesses installing/fixing servers, desktops, networks, ADSL and the like. A lot of the time it is fixing up customer stuff ups and I am always on the lookout for better ways to do things. I recently purchased Acronis True Image, Disk Director Suite and Drive Cleanser (thrown into a bundled deal). I got these to replace my old copy of Ghost and a variety of freeware partition programs. Tonight I ordered Total Commander (why does it take them 48 hours to send me my registration code?) as Vista's explorer pisses me off and it now has the ability to load from a USB drive so I can use it out on the road. I like it when these utilities run off a CD or USB drive without needing installation so it's easy to use when onsite. So anyway on with the couple of problems in need of a solution. 1. Norton WinDoctor replacement. I have Norton SystemWorks 2007 which I use solely to run on client computers and use Norton CleanUp and Norton WinDoctor from the CD. These programs clean out the registry and all temporary files. It won't run from the CD under Vista. I can clean out the temporary files manually so can live without a replacement. The only other registry cleaner I have used recently is CCleaner and it needs to be installed to work. Is there something else out there any of you have used and like that will clean the registry and run standalone? 2. AntiVirus. Many times I get onsite to find computers that won't boot, they have been stuffed so well by the client. They always want to know what caused the problem and get their data back. If it is caused by a virus I don't want to backup infected data to my machine nor restore it back to the freshly installed computer. I can and sometimes do remove the HDD from said machine and connect to mine as a slave and scan for virii. But I am much too lazy too open a machine up every time. I want a bootable CD with AntiVirus that will update definitions on the fly and scan the disk. I remember reading of something that claimed to do this in the past few days. But can't find the article again. Anyone got a suggestion? Remember I am looking for utilities some of you have
Independent comparison: http://www.av-comparatives.org
Best wishes, Hans
[CodeProject Forum Guidelines] [How To Ask A Question] [My Articles]
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Another quick poll of useful utilities fellow CPians use on a regular basis. I have been purchasing a few products in the past couple of weeks and have a couple of slots that need filling but don't know what to use. I fell out of programming a few years ago and have only recently gotten back into the computer game full time. I am now more an onsite technician at small to medium businesses installing/fixing servers, desktops, networks, ADSL and the like. A lot of the time it is fixing up customer stuff ups and I am always on the lookout for better ways to do things. I recently purchased Acronis True Image, Disk Director Suite and Drive Cleanser (thrown into a bundled deal). I got these to replace my old copy of Ghost and a variety of freeware partition programs. Tonight I ordered Total Commander (why does it take them 48 hours to send me my registration code?) as Vista's explorer pisses me off and it now has the ability to load from a USB drive so I can use it out on the road. I like it when these utilities run off a CD or USB drive without needing installation so it's easy to use when onsite. So anyway on with the couple of problems in need of a solution. 1. Norton WinDoctor replacement. I have Norton SystemWorks 2007 which I use solely to run on client computers and use Norton CleanUp and Norton WinDoctor from the CD. These programs clean out the registry and all temporary files. It won't run from the CD under Vista. I can clean out the temporary files manually so can live without a replacement. The only other registry cleaner I have used recently is CCleaner and it needs to be installed to work. Is there something else out there any of you have used and like that will clean the registry and run standalone? 2. AntiVirus. Many times I get onsite to find computers that won't boot, they have been stuffed so well by the client. They always want to know what caused the problem and get their data back. If it is caused by a virus I don't want to backup infected data to my machine nor restore it back to the freshly installed computer. I can and sometimes do remove the HDD from said machine and connect to mine as a slave and scan for virii. But I am much too lazy too open a machine up every time. I want a bootable CD with AntiVirus that will update definitions on the fly and scan the disk. I remember reading of something that claimed to do this in the past few days. But can't find the article again. Anyone got a suggestion? Remember I am looking for utilities some of you have
Registry Mechanic. I highly recommend it.
Best wishes, Hans
[CodeProject Forum Guidelines] [How To Ask A Question] [My Articles]
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Independent comparison: http://www.av-comparatives.org
Best wishes, Hans
[CodeProject Forum Guidelines] [How To Ask A Question] [My Articles]
They forgot to compare it with "being smarter than an ice cube to avoid getting viri in the first place". :)
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
