FreeDOS

FreeDOS

by: Stephen Bucaro

Before September 1995, Microsoft Windows was an MSDOS program. DOS was an easy to use command line operating system that provided you with complete ability to control and troubleshoot your computer. Microsoftกs goal was to eliminate DOS, possibly to prevent you from having complete control of your own computer.
The last standalone version of MSDOS was version 6. Unfortunately, that version is not Y2K compliant. Windows 95 and later came with MSDOS version 7. Unfortunately, that version is too integrated with the operating system. It will not work without access to your hard disk.
FreeDOS is a PC compatible Y2K compliant DOS that you can download from www.freedos.org. FreeDOS fits on a single floppy disk and can be used to boot your computer. Download and unzip the file odin7bin.zip (756KB). Unziping will create the files diskcopy.exe and fdodin07.144. Put a blank formatted floppy disk in the drive. In the Start | Run dialog box, or at a command prompt type กdiskcopy fdodin07.144 a:ก to create a bootable FreeDOS floppy disk.
Why would you want to boot your computer with DOS? Maybe you want to use Windows XP without product activation.
First make sure that the BIOS boot sequence on your computer is configured with the floppy drive as the first boot device (or at least before the C: drive). To get to the BIOS configuration screen, press the กDeleteก or กF2ก key (depending upon your BIOS) while your computer is starting.
Insert the FreeDOS floppy disk in the floppy drive and start the computer. At the A:\>_ prompt type DATE. FreeDOS will return your computerกs current date, along with a prompt to enter a new date. Enter the date that you installed Windows XP (or at least a date before the 30 day expiration date). Remove the FreeDOS floppy disk and restart your computer.
Note: This will only work if Windows XP has never been started after the 30 day expiration date. The first time Windows XP is started after the 30 day expiration date will be the last time it starts.
Every time you start your computer, start it first with FreeDOS and reset the computerกs date to the date that you installed Windows XP. Windows XP will think time has come to a standstill.
Note: Of course, Your file creation and last modified dates will not be correct, so this is not really a way for a serious user to bypass Windows XP product activation. However for certain purposes, like learning the Windows XP operating system, this can be a way to use Windows XP without product activation.
Microsoft should have made the expiration period much longer than 30 days. Maybe they want you to activate Windows XP before it crashes.

Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

About The Author

Copyright(C)2004 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to [email protected]

This article was posted on July 12, 2004

by Stephen Bucaro

How to Backup Windows XP Home Edition

How to Backup Windows XP Home Edition

by: Stephen Bucaro

Your computer cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but the computer itself is not the most valuable part. The data on the hard disk is the most valuable part. How many hours of work did you put into creating that data? One little event, like a power line spike from a lightning strike, and all that work could be lost. Unfortunately, backing up with Windows XP Home Edition is not as simple as it should be.

The first step is to choose a backup device. You might choose a tape drive or a DVD drive, but those devices might require drivers to be installed before you could restore from them. The simplest option is to install a second hard drive in your computer.

The second hard drive doesn’t have to be equal to your main hard drive. You can use an older, smaller hard drive as the backup device, as long as the backup drive has more กFree Spaceก than the main hard drive has กUsed Spaceก.

Install a Second Hard Drive

When installing a second hard drive in your computer, itกs important to configure the drives correctly. Your motherboard should have two ATA (sometimes called IDE) connectors. The primary connector should have a cable with two drive connectors. The end connector should go to your main hard drive, the middle connector can be used for a backup hard drive. The second motherboard ATA connector should go to your CDROM.

On the back of each hard drive is a jumper. The jumper on your main hard drive should be set to the กMasterก position. The jumper on your backup hard drive should be set to กSlaveก position. Most modern computers use กCable Selectก, so you can set both jumpers to the กCable Selectก position. Don’t forget the power connector for the second drive.

When you restart your computer, the second drive should be automatically recognized and be designated with the next drive letter available, usually E: (D: being used for the CDROM drive).

Format the Second Hard Drive

Generally, you will want to reformat the second hard drive after installation to remove any previously installed operating system and to remove any previous file access rights. To format the drive, select Start | Settings | Control Panel | Administration Tools | Computer Management. In the กComputer Managementก window, under กStorageก, click on กDisk Managementก.

Right click on the backup diskกs drive letter. In the popup menu, select All Tasks | Format… In the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the กYesก button. In the กFormatก dialog box, in the กFile systemก dropdown list, select NTFS. Click on the กOKก button. Again, in the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the กYesก button.

Install the Backup Utility

Windows XP Home Edition doesn’t install the Backup utility by default. Youกll need to install it manually from your Windows XP CDROM.

1. After inserting the CDROM, open Control Panelกs กAdd or Remove Programsก utility. In the กAdd or Remove Programsก utilityก, click on the กAdd New Programsก button, then click on the กCD or Floppyก button.

2. In the กRun Installation Programก dialog box that appears, navigate to the VALUEAD/MSFT/NTBACKUP folder on the CDROM and select the file NTBACKUP.MSI. Click on the กFinishก button. The Backup utility will be installed.

Perform a Full Backup

To perform a backup, select Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Backup to open the Backup Utility.

Note: If you don’t find Backup listed in System Tools, double click on the file name ntbackup.exe in the Windows\system32 folder.

In the กBackup or Restore Wizardก, click on the กAdvanced Modeก link. In the กBackup Utilityก dialog box, select the กBackupก tab and set the checkbox next to the drive to backup (c:) and set the checkbox next to กSystem Stateก.

In the กBackup media or file nameก text box, enter the path to the file for the backup (example E:\Backup.bkf). Click on the กStart Backupก button.

In the กBackup Job Informationก dialog box that appears, set the radio button next to ‘replace the data on the media with this backupก. Click on the กStart Backupก button. The กbackup Progressก dialog box will appear.

Even when you backup to relatively fast media like hard disk, the process can take 30 minutes or longer depending upon how much data is on the main drive.

When the backup is complete, turn off the computer and remove the data and power cables from the backup drive. It doesn’t make sense to leave the backup drive connected because if the cause of a failure is a power spike, it will take out both drives. Next time you want to backup youกll need to reinstall the cables.

How to Perform a Restore

In the unfortunate event that your computer crashes and you can’t get it back by any other means, youกll need to reinstall Windows XP from the CDROM. (Automated System Recovery is not supported in Windows XP Home Edition.) Youกll need to reinstall the Backup utility. Then youกll need to shut down the computer to install the data and power cables to the backup drive. Restart the computer and use the Backup Utility to restore Windows XP from the backup file.

When using this backup method, itกs important to be careful not to break any pins when you are removing and installing the data cable of the hard drive. And if your computer doesn’t use กcable Selectก, don’t forget to change the jumper on the main hard drive back to กSingleก.

Copyright(C) Bucaro TecHelp

Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

About The Author

Stephen Bucaro

To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp

This article was posted on September 09, 2004

by Stephen Bucaro

Are You Well Protected?

Are You Well Protected?

by: Roxie Hickman

Winter…the official start of the cold and flu season. Though, technically speaking, things got started a little early. Close to a million computers, mostly home PC users, have been infected.

For many of us our computers are our business. We keep in contact with customers and clients via email, do extensive internet research, and transmit important files electronically.

We know what to do to protect our bodies from viruses. There are some simple strategies, and even free precautions we can take to protect our businesses by keeping our PCs virus free.

Adopting the following six checkpoints will help keep your computer healthy and your business uninterrupted.

Use a Firewall

At its most basic level a firewall is a software security system that acts as a barrier between your computer and the outside world (the internet) by monitoring all incoming network traffic. A more advanced firewall will also monitor outgoing traffic. How you use your computer will determine whether basic or advanced firewall protection is needed.

What a firewall does is make your computer invisible while on the Internet. If hackers can’t see you, they cannot attack you.

Windows XP has this software installed; however, it may need to be enabled. If you have XP and would like to enable the firewall, directions are on the Microsoft website.

For non XP users, firewall software can be purchased. McAfee and Zone Alarm are two very popular products. Zone Alarm has a free downloadable firewall, basic version, available on their website, www.zonealarm.com.

Before installing a firewall, you may be interested in learning your computer’s vulnerability. This is something that can be checked for free and in just a few minutes. Visit the website of Gibson Research Corporation, www.grc.com, and under Hot Spots, click on Shields UP. It takes a little bit of scrolling to get to but is well worth the extra seconds. In minutes your PC is scanned and its vulnerability rated.

Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is the กshotก after the epidemic. This software protects your computer from known threats. Many PCs come with antivirus software already installed. Some of the more popular versions are Norton, PCCillin and McAfee.

If you have it pre installed or have purchased it, great. Please be sure to keep it constantly updated with the latest virus definitions. This is important because these definitions are formed in response to the latest viruses. If you don’t have this protection, please consider getting it.

Once this software is installed on your computer, you will be automatically notified when new virus definitions are available. Then it is just a matter of a few clicks to download the new definitions.

Likewise you will be notified when your antivirus software is about to expire. The software needs to be updated annually. The initial purchase, renewal, updates and installation can all be done online.

Spyware Eliminator

Why am I getting all of these pop ups? Certain websites that you visit or free software (shareware) that you download, and, in some cases, hardware purchased from major manufacturers will also install tracking devices on your computer (spyware). Spyware is annoying but not illegal.

An internet search will reveal the many choices available for spyware elimination software. The important thing is to get one and use it consistently. Spybot and PestPatrol are popular choices.

I really like Spybot Search and Destroy. Besides the fact that it is free, once spyware is identified, the software will provide a detailed description of just what it is. This is helpful just in case it identifies something that you don’t want to get rid of.

Backup, Backup, Backup

How often do you backup? What files/programs do you backup? What media do you backup to?

We all know the importance of backing up our information yet so many of us don’t do it. There may be a ton of reasons why itกs not done but the one reason it should be done on a regular basis is that it can be a timesaver, possibly a business saver if your computer system is corrupted for any reason.

If you happen to be using Windows XP Professional, the backup procedure is quite simple. For users of XP Home Edition, it is a bit more involved. Complete instructions, however, are on the Microsoft website.

Typically, data files are what most people need to back up and having well organized files will certainly simplify the process.

Whether you backup to disk, zip disk, DVD, writeable CDs, external file drive or utilize one of the online services, it is important to get into the habit of backing up on a regular basis.

Weekly Updates of Windows

Windows users are automatically notified of current updates for the Windows operating system when your computer is turned on. With just a few clicks your operating system is updated.

However, when certain patches become available for your particular applications software (XP, 2000, NT, etc), as was/is the case with the recent worm viruses, a visit to Microsoftกs website is necessary.

Once there, Microsoft will scan your computer, tell you what updates are available, and you then have the option of installing them on your system. In some cases, you will need your installation CDs to complete the download.

With the recent run of viruses and with more expected, it is imperative to check for these updates weekly on the Microsoft website as well as do the automatic updates.

Be Careful of Email Attachments

Email is such a widely accepted method of communication, and this has not gone unnoticed by hackers who use email as a means of mass virus spread.

For this final checkpoint, your due diligence is the only software required.

Always delete any email from unknown senders and be very careful of any attachments you are not expecting from any known senders. As we have seen, hackers can quite easily access Outlook address books to spread viruses.

By the way, including a fake email address in your address book will not prevent your PC from spreading viruses. This is an urban legend. If you’re interested in the full story, check out this link:

www.snopes.com/computer/virus/quickfix.htm

When it comes to the health of our computers, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Effective prevention software along with plain old common sense, used consistently, can keep you protected.

About The Author

Roxie Hickman, Virtual Assistant (VA), is the owner of The Virtual Connection. The Virtual Connection (www.thevirtualconnection.net) specializes in working with the ‘sucstressed’ (successful professionals who are stressed because they’ve been doing it alone). The Virtual Connection provides offsite executive, administrative, and personal assistance (virtual assistance).

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 21, 2003

by Roxie Hickman

The Cheapest Way To Speed Up Your PC

The Cheapest Way To Speed Up Your PC

by: Matt Feichtenbiner

Is your computer running slowly but don’t have much cash? Windows XP telling you that you have low memory? Then don’t panic, adding memory to your current computer is one of the cheapest, easiest upgrades that you can do yourself! Don’t start ripping apart your PC just yet though.

Thereกs a few things you can do to make sure your getting the most out of your current hardware. For Windows XP go to control panel, system, advancded, performance settings, advancded, and then change under virtual memory. In this screen click the radio button that says Custom Size and put in the biggest number under Maximum Size that Windows will alow. Itกs based on the free space on your hard drive, mine is set at 4,096MB with an 80GB hard drive. Another thing you can do is shut off all those little programs sucking up your resources. Go to start menu and click run. Type in msconfig then click the startup tab. This is a list of all the programs that start when you turn on your PC. A few may have icons in your task bar by the clock. If you reconize any you don’t need just unselect them click apply and ok. Then youกll be prompted to restart your PC.

If your are running XP you can turn off some of those visual themes to save some memory. Simply right click any where on your desktop and select properties. Then under appearance you can change your theme to the classic sytle which will speed things up a bit if you can still stand the look of your new กoldก desktop. Speaking of extra progrmas taking your resources you will want to have a good spyware program (if you don’t already) since your computer is probably infected because your using the internet to read this! To see more on this go to: yourfreepcguide.com/security.html

Finally, the reason I wrote this article, getting the memory installed. Any new computer these days should have at least 256MB of memory. If your running an older system chances are your running on 128MB or possibly much less. Iกve still seen a few using as little as 32MB! There are many different speeds of memory to choose from but the basics are PC2100, PC2700, and P3200. PC3200 being the fastest listed here, is the best to get. To find a good price on some memory go to yourfreepcguide.com/upgrades/categories.html Be sure that the memory you purchase is compaitable with your current motherboard, check with the manufacturer to find out what you need. For instance if your motherboard only supports PC2100 (266MHz bus speed) then anything over is a wasted!

Installing your new memory is pretty straight forward. Remove your PCกs case. Locate an empty slot, or remove the older memory if there are none. To install and remove memory there are two small กhandlesก on each end that secure it into the slot, these must be lifted and then synched back down onto the new memory. Also, the memory can only go in one way, look at the grooves on it to see. Be sure to wear a antistatic strap during any procedure. The small static charges can damage the delicate electronics in your computer! To see a complete illustrated guide visit the link to my site below and go to กupgradeก in the menu.

About The Author

Matt is the Webmaster at www.yourfreepcguide.com Your Free PC Guide offers free computer info. on many computer tasks icluding building, buying, upgrading, maintaining, cleaning, and more. You can also check out the free strictly PC classifieds at yourfreepcguide.adpost.com

This article was posted on February 11

by Matt Feichtenbiner