http://www.bootdisk.com/ 160 June 2004
The BootLIST Welcome to the 160th Edition of The BootLIST
INDEX
1) Codec Resources
2) What Is svchost.exe And What Does It Do?
3) When I Click On A Link In OE Nothing Happens
4) Need To Open Ports To Run FTP Server
5) Web Page Plug-Ins May Include Spyware As Well
6) Where Is msconfig In Windows 2000?
7) FAT32 Or NTSF
8) Can I Turn Off Hibernation?
9) Old HDD Not Seen On Same IDE Channel As New HDD
10) Odds And Ends
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1) Codec ResourcesPuppyKatt asks - My dad and I are networked, both running XP Home, and we both use Windows Media Player for watching movies, etc. Some of the stuff we have play okay, but not all. For example, .avi only play the sound, not the movies, and .divx do not play at all.
1) Dad downloaded and installed A1 Video Converter so he can change the .avi stuff to .mpeg, but each attempt gives him the following error message: Video format unsupported. He went through the help files, and double-checked his settings, but no such luck at converting anything. He can't even convert from mpeg to avi. Is there a better program that will convert?
2) I downloaded a movie in .divx format, and each time I attempt to play it, I get a message saying error trying to download codecs. How can I play this format? What codecs do I need, and where can I get them from?
Unk points to:
Codec resources and alternatives:
http://home.hccnet.nl/h.edskes/finalbuilds.htmFirst, download and run "Gspot". Then use it to open the file and determine the exact codec needed:
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/DivX 3.11:
http://www.divx-digest.com/software/divxcodec.htmlDivX 5.x:
http://www.divx.com/divx/MPEG2 Decoder Package:
http://www.elecard.com/download/http://video-codec.8m.com/codecs.htm
http://www.xvid.org/
http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec/Nimo pack:
http://www.divx-digest.com/software/nimo_pack.htmlFFDSHOW:
http://www.divx-digest.com/software/ffdshow.htmlDownload the MS-MPEG-4v3 codec fix (Win9x/NT4) from:
http://www.moviecodec.com/download/codecs.shtmlCompression Codecs (Huge list):
http://dshow.narod.ru/ACE Mega Codec Pack Professional Edition has practically every codec you need or ever wanted:
http://www.click-now.net/downloads.htmhttp://abmefaq.net
for all your Multimedia answersAudio Codecs Resources:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm
*** Personally I recommend only installing the codec you need.
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2) What Is svchost.exe And What Does It Do?Paul posts - Hi, can anyone tell me what SVCHOST.EXE is and what is does. Should there be more than one in my task manager? One of them was using a crazy amount of CPU? What does it mean?
Duane A. explains:
Svchost is used by NT based O/S(s)such as Win NT 4.0, 2K, XP and 2K3 to perform many tasks. One of its many tasks is communications to allow programs to connect and talk to each other (over the Internet). Also, svchost can be used by programs that are not part of the O/S such as Trojans and spyware.Svchost is the messenger and you should always be aware of what is using Svchost (the messenger) when it's connecting to unknown IP(s) over the Internet.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314056
If Svchost.exe is not running out of C:\WinNT\System32 for Win NT 4.0 and 2K or C:\Windows\System32 Win XP and 2K3 (not from any other directory or a subdirectory of System32, then it is a Trojan.
You can use Active Ports and Process Explorer both are free to help you determine what's happening on the machine.
*** Note that multiple instances of svchost running is normal in XP and doesn't necessarily mean that you have a nasty.
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3) When I Click On A Link In Outlook Express Nothing HappensJeff M. inquires - Can anyone tell me why it is that when I click on a link contained within an e-mail nothing happens. Outlook express is the e-mail client.
Unk responds:
Click Tools, Internet Options or Start, Settings, Control Panel, Internet Options, under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files, check delete all offline content, click OK, OK.Click Start, Run. In the run box, type regsvr32 urlmon.dll and press Enter. Then open Internet Explorer and go to Tools,Internet Options, Programs tab, and click on Reset Web Settings, click Apply, OK.
Now try it again. If it still fails to work, then look here:
OLEXP: Nothing Happens When You Click a Link in Outlook Express: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=176581
OLEXP Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Do Not Start Web Browser:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=177054You Cannot Open New Internet Explorer Window or Nothing Happens After You Click a Link:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=281679OLEXP: Outlook Express Is Slow to Open Mail Messages and Links to Web Pages:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=311030Section on OUTLOOK: Hyperlinks - Shortcut (About 2/3 way down the page):
http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/eroutlok.htm#OELINKSHow to get HTTP hyperlinks in OE to open IE when you click them:
http://www.oehelp.com/ielnk.aspxNothing happens when you click a link:
http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/nolinks.htmSend To and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=306098When you add a link to a Web page in an Outlook Express message and then click the link, nothing may happen:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;176581
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4) Need To Open Ports To Run FTP ServerWendell writes - My current isp does not support ftp except for me, the client. I downloaded bullet proof server but could not get it to allow access from outside of the lan. Across the lan it works fine. Could [it] be a firewall problem?
Unk answers:
Any firewall (including the one in a router) blocks ports 20 and 21. You need to open those ports to run an FTP server.
*** You may have to open these ports as well for some games and other apps like pcAnywhere, etc.
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5) Web Page Plug-Ins May Include Spyware As WellLai H. complains - When I was visiting the Web-site http://www.**************.com I was asked to install a IE Plugin called mp3.plugin.exe. When I the next day started Internet Explorer I got a new toolbar and the startpage had become http://www.**************.com.
Whatever I do [to change it] the startpage [still] remains **************.com. Can anyone out there tell me how [do] I remove the plug in that now longer lets me decide what startpage I want in my browser? How do I remove the toolbar that the plug in gave me?
Ionizer answers:
Have a look in Add/Remove Programs just on the off chance that the items are listed there. If not, consider the freeware version of AdAware which will likely remove both items for you, along with a bunch of other [junk] you didn't even realize was on your system:http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/
Update AdAware before running it for the first time.
*** This is just one example of what may happen when a webpage asks you to install a file or plugin as the page downloads. Unless its something standard like shockwave, assuming you dont have it already, I'd always say NO.If you say YES, chances are you'll end up with way more than what you expect. A single instance of installing a single file can result in 30 new spyware items and bring your PC to a crawl. Some web pages are real tricky and can fool lots of people when they say [you need application XXX to view this page] Again, say NO.
Of course there are exceptions to this for many legit big name multi-media sites like news or stock services sites etc. Even so, you may still end up with spyware so be sure to use a scanner on a regular basis. Then you may discover that when you remove the spyware components that have nothing to do with the, lets say, video plugin that your news service requires you to have installed to see their movies, the plug-in wont work anymore.
Then it'd be up to you to decide on whether or not you really need that app. and sacrifice your privacy in the meantime.
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6) Where Is msconfig In Windows 2000?pel asks - Please can you tell me where [can] I find windows 2000 configuration, I want to disable some startup programs on a friends machine. If I type msconfig it says a bad path [or filename] ,so I figure its not like win xp.
*** It's my understanding that msconfig is not part ot W2K. However, it's also my understanding that the XP version of msconfig will work on a W2K box:http://www.thetechguide.com/downloads/msconfig.zip
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7) FAT32 Or NTSFJosh inquires - FAT32 or NTSF. Can someone shed some light on which is the best way to format a drive? Is one faster, etc?
Bruce C. says:
Personally, I wouldn't even consider using FAT32 when NTFS is an option. FAT32 has no security capabilities, no compression capabilities, no fault tolerance, and a lot of wasted hard drive space on volumes larger than 8 Gb in size. But your computing needs may vary, and there is no hard and fast answer.To answer your questions without getting too technical is difficult, but has been handled quite well by Alex Nichol in the article here:
FAT & NTFS File Systems in Windows XP:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/ntfs.phpSomewhat more technical information is here:
Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314463Choosing Between File Systems:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/tips/techrep/filesyst.mspx
*** Let's entertain a counter opinion:It's 9:00 PM and Mr. Customer calls and says his daughter has spent days working on a project for school in Word and his XP in NTFS has suddenly crashed. She needs the project printed out for tomorrow.
What are your options to get the data back asap? Use a bootdisk? No, it wont see NTFS so you wont be able copy the .doc to it. What if there is no A: drive and you use a bootable win9x dos cd? OK, but you still wont see NTFS and besides, you cant burn in dos to copy the file even if you used a utility like:
http://www.bootdisk.com/kay/readntfs.zip
http://www.bootdisk.com/txtfiles/readntfs.htmWasted space? Does it really matter with the super large hard drives these days? Sure it matters with small Internet cache files but they can be cleaned on a regular basis. Besides, you can limit the size of the cache folder anyway.
Hmm you think, lets spend over an hour first trying a Repair Install and cross our fingers and hope it works which it often doesn't if the OS is too damaged. Or, after that spend an additional hour or two doing an Overlay Install [without format]. Ever read the notice that My Documents will be overwrote? Yes one may overcome that niggle if you use a different User name then you did originally and yes your XP key will still work.
Now compare above to XP in FAT32 where any win98 bootdisk will see the .doc and be able to copy it to a floppy, or, if no floppy, boot with a win9x cd [you're actually in dos] and use your LPT zip drive or whatever to get the data off the hard drive.
Of course, you did say [But your computing needs may vary, and there is no hard and fast answer.] In addition, one can of course make multiple partitions for the NTFS security features to protect certain files. But a proprietary compression routine? Not recommended whatsoever for any reason.
CS adds:
There are certainly good reasons for using NTFS over FAT-32. But I have found that the majority of new users who do have problems with systems that are formatted to NTFS wind up re-installing or re-formatting.I have to agree with [You] (ugh, I hate to say I agree with [You] on anything). Recovering [data] from FAT-32 is far easier than NTFS. As for journaling and committing the changes to disk, a mucked up MFT is far worse than a mucked up FAT table. Been there before.
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8) Can I Turn Off Hibernation?malnuman requests - Is it safe to turn off the hibernate function in xp? [I've] read conflicting issues on this.
Ken B. says:
It's entirely safe. If you never use hibernation, having it on is wasteful.
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9) Old HDD Not Seen On Same IDE Channel As New HDDDonnelly posts - My first hard drive has bad sectors and had to be replaced. I am setting it up as secondary drive to transfer as much data as I can to the new drive. The OS is Windows XP.
The old drive is a 60 Gig seagate, but when I go into the BIOS I can't seem to get the computer to recognize it as a primary slave. The jumpers are correct and cables are snug. I tried to manually add the settings. I also tried auto. Is there a step I'm missing?
*** Chances are that it just cant get along on the same channel as your brand new drive. This is a very common problem. Connect an IDE cable to it and set the jumpers for master/single, pull out the secondary IDE cable from your motherboard and connect it there.You might have to mark any additional bad sectors bad to use it tho, depending on what apps. you employ to recover the [good] data that's NOT in bad sectors.
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10) Odds And EndsBob A. writes in regards to the newegg article last issue:
I myself use newegg for all my online pc parts. I do pc repair out of the house and these guys are great for service, price and selection. I have seen a few places cheaper but they seem like fly by night places that wont work with me if there is a problem and that's not the case with newegg.
I had a motherboard go out on last week I had bought in dec. not a big deal it happens from time to time I sent it back and they did not have that one so the offered me a better one or my money back. Was very pleased. I tell everyone I know to shop there.
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IAN G. wrote - I`m trying to send my friend an email with an attachment but his provider rejects it. I winziped it up and this would not show up. Any ideas?
*** Can he/she receive other attachments you send? ie a small one? Or is this the only one?
For example, my partners email service limits the size of an incoming email including attachments to 500K. I have to drive over any larger files to his house. He has cable also. I think they do this so folks dont send tons of mp3s, music videos and such over email to conserve email server resources and/or so their email box doesn't fill up to capacity.
On the other hand, some ISPs limit the size on any incoming email to 50K. This is to combat the many emailing trojans out there that send a 100K or so attachment so your email box doesn't fill up to the predetermined hard drive allowance with garbage so your legit text emails can still get through.
The other thing is the email service most likely has a max size on the mailbox. Some of the free email web based services only give you 2 or 4 meg. And some of the web-based email services I've used in the past you could set a max. size on the mail to a nice small size to essentially prevent any attachment from making it to your inbox, including the now very popular dozen or so 30K trojans which are making the rounds.
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KerplunKuK wrote - I have a cordless optical mouse which I use on a desk top. I have noticed that the desk gets dirty from 10+ hours of mouse use a day. Can anyone recommend a good mouse mat, that allows precision and speed?
*** I use file folders. Nice as I can write on them also with notes. As they get dirty I simply turn it over and use the other side. And when that gets toasted I use the other two sides.
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I've heard of the PayPal email scam before but I was never lucky enough to actually get one until today. Since I use an email program that does text by default it was easy to see how it works and see the scam:
We recently reviewed your account, and suspect that your PayPal account may have been accessed by an unauthorized third party. Protecting the security of your account and of the PayPal network is our primary concern. Therefore, as a preventative measure, we have temporarily limited access to sensitive PayPal account features.
[snip]
onmouseover="window.status='https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run'; return true"
onmouseout="window.status='https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run'"
href="http://milanfabricators.com/hide/index2.htm"What happens however if you read the mail using standard html email clients you'll only see the [legit] paypal URL, and when you click on the link you'll also see what looks like an [legit] paypal page with the [proper] URL also listed in the address bar. The graphics and everything else is perfect.
The trick is that the real URL you are at is hidden and you will actually be sending your username and password to the party who owns the milanfabricators or other domain. What is complicating the problem is that PayPal has in the last few weeks been sending out legit emails to their users asking for similar information and including working hyperlinks in their mail also.
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