Favorite Free and Cheap Apps

These are some of the programs that I install on just about any machine that I use.

First, the Free Ones:

Calibre - eBook management and conversion

http://calibre-ebook.com/

Mobipocket - eBook reader and authoring software

http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp?Language=EN

mp3DirectCut - Direct cutting and recording of MP3 files without re-encoding them

http://mpesch3.de1.cc/

mp3tag - Editor for mp3 file tag information

http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

Notetab Light - Notepad/Wordpad replacement

http://www.notetab.com/

WinDirStat - Graphical display of your disk usage

http://windirstat.info/

WinGrep - grep for Windows - Powerful file search program

http://www.wingrep.com/

WinMerge - Differencing and Merging tool for Window

http://winmerge.org/

---

And now the non-shareware apps:

AnyDVD - Removes Region encoding for DVD. This allows be to watch DVDs that have been released in Europe and Asia.

http://www.slysoft.com/en/

DiskAnalyzer Pro - Hard Disk Space Usage Analysis and Management Software

http://www.diskanalyzerpro.com/

Finale Guitar 2003 - Music Transcription software

http://www.makemusic.com/

Ipswitch WS_FTP Pro - FTP softwareused to upload/download to webservers

http://www.ipswitchft.com/products/ws_ftp_pro/index.aspx?n=1&k_id=ipshome

Readerware - catalog software for Books, Music, and Videos

http://www.readerware.com/index.php

Transcribe - "Automatic" music transcribing tool

http://www.seventhstring.com

---

Other Interesting Programs and websites:

Direct Note Access - part of Melodyne editor, it allows you to view and edit individual notes in recorded music

http://www.celemony.com/cms/index.php?id=dna

Simple Satellite Tracking from Spaceweather

http://spaceweather.com/flybys/flybys.php?zip=91709

General Windows Patches

I often get shanghaied by friends, family members and clients to "Tune-Up" their computers. The following is a brief, incomplete list of what this often entails:

Initial Setup

I like to see the menu, path, and extensions when I use Windows Explorer. The fixes below are much easier to implement if this is set properly in the "Folder Options" window. To get to there, open up Windows Explorer. [If the menus are not visible, click the ALT key to bring them up.] Click on "Tools" and select "Folder Options". Switch to the View tab and set the check boxes as shown in the picture below. In my mind, the "Hide extensions for known file types" is the most important one to fix.

Using Hosts file to block adware/spyware

One of the best tricks that I have picked up over the years is to use the hosts file to block malware and other annoying sites. A remnant of the Unix operating system, your system goes to the hosts file for DNS lookup services before asking the DNS servers on your network. By adding entries in this file to block malware/advertising IP addresses, your computer will not send requests to these sites. I like to use the list compiled by MVPs.org. Their site gives a more complete description of the process:

    http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

You can download the hosts file directly at

http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.zip

Once I load this table, many of the advertisements on web pages disappear, and the number of popup windows decreases dramatically. There can be some problems with the approach, however. Some webpages depend on one or more of these servers. College Humor, for example. To accommodate these, I have added two shortcuts to my desktop to turn this filtering on and off.

First, download the zip file and unzip it. Rename the HOSTS file to hosts.new and move it to

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\

Second, create two batch files on your desktop, BlockHosts.bat and ClearHosts.bat.

BlockHosts.bat consists of two lines:
     copy "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.new" "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts"
     ipconfig /flushdns

ClearHosts.bat consists of:
     del "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts"
     ipconfig /flushdns

[The ipconfig command in each file is important. It flushes out the cache and forces windows to query for the IP addresses anew.]
Right click click on the icons and select "Run as Administrator" to swap the hosts file in and out.

Specifying DNS servers

I have noticed that one of the most common ways that Wi-Fi network connections fail is due to DNS requests not properly being served by the router. As a solution, I add two public DNS servers to my network setup, rather than depend on the router being setup correctly. [Note: If you are on a corporate network, you may have to stay with the default settings because internal mail servers, printers, etc. may be defined by your system router and this fix could disrupt these services.]

I like to use OpenDNS and Google as my servers.

http://www.opendns.com/

http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Changing DNS server settings

1. Go the Network and Sharing Center, either through your control panel or by clicking on the network icon in your system tray. (In Windows 8, you get there by selecting More Settings from the
2. Click on the network connection that you want to adjust. (You can also select the "Change Adapter settings" link to view all connections.)
3. Click on "properties" and select the select the "Networking" tab.
4. Select "Internet Protocol Version 4" and click "properties"
5. Select the "Use the Following DNS server addresses" radio button and fill in the new server addresses. (If these have already been filled in, make sure to write the existing settings down before proceeding.) Google and OpenDNS both provide two servers, I like to use one of each so that if one fails, the other is there to back them up.

Google servers:
    8.8.8.8
    8.8.4.4
OpenDNS servers:
    208.67.222.222
    208.67.220.220
So I use 208.67.222.222 and 8.8.8.8

6. Click OK and the repeat this process for Protocol Version 6" but use the IPv6 servers

Google servers:
    2001:4860:4860::8888
    2001:4860:4860::8844
OpenDNS servers:
    2620:0:ccc::2
    2620:0:ccd::2

You can check your settings by opening up a command window and typing:
      ipconfig /all

This will give you all the gory details about your network configuration.



Stop Flash Autoplay in Firefox

Have you noticed that when you surf around the web, pages insist upon automatically loading and play Flash videos? Netticat had created a Firefox addon that blocked this. Until recently, his addon could be found on the Mozilla website. To get a copy now, you need to go to his website and install it directly. (It appears that someone else has taken over maintaining it.) This StopAutoPlay link is ¾ down the page at

http://netticat.ath.cx/MyAddons/MyAddons.htm

I only wish that they had something like this for IE.

Windows 8 Developers’ Preview

Go to

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516

and download the 64-bin copy with developer tools. The installation is straight forward, just install it on the second partition that you created earlier. I found that the easiest method was to burn a dual layer DVD-ROM and boot off of that. You can select which OS will load by default once the computer boots up after the installation is complete. I recommend that you choose the Preview OS, since the startup option screen for Windows 7 is fairly plain and it is confusing to switch back.

Manually check for updates as soon as you get it installed. There have already been several important improvements. Go to "Control Panel", "More Settings", "Windows Update" to get the familiar Windows Update panel.

[I noticed that the “Microsoft Confidential” message appears and disappears from my desktop with no rhyme nor reason:

“Unauthorized use or disclosure in any manner may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment (in the case of employees), termination of an assignment or contract (in the case of contingent staff), and potential civil and criminal liability.”

How this applies to something that is readily available to the public puzzles me.]

You will want to turn on file name extensions and show hidden files. In Windows 8, you find these options by opening up Windows Explorer, opening the ribbon, and selecting the “View” tab. The appropriate check boxes are on the right.

"Missing" Buttons

One of the most important “hidden” items in the new OS is the shutdown button. You can find it by swiping the right edge and tapping the Settings icon. A better solution is to make your own icons and add them to the Start Menu. 

You will need to go to your desktop and create three shortcuts, Shutdown, Sleep, and Lock.When you create the Shutdown shortcut, use as the location:

shutdown.exe –s –t 00

The location for Sleep is:

rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0

and the location for Lock is:

rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

Select appropriate icons for each. Runell32.exe does not have interesting icons. You can find better ones in

%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll

[These instructions and others came from: http://www.howtogeek.com/77061/how-to-add-shutdown-restart-sleep-to-the-windows-8-metro-start-screen/ ]

Changing Start Menu

Another useful tweak is a program to switch between the Metro Start Screen and the Classic Start Menu -  w8smt.exe. I placed a copy in the “Program Files” directory and pinned it to my taskbar. You can find it at:

http://solo-dev.deviantart.com/art/Windows-8-Start-Menu-Toggle-258422929

I haven’t figured out yet the relationship between programs on your classic start menu, and those on the Metro Start Screen. Most of your familiar ones, like Notepad, Paint, Journal, etc. are still there but don't seem to show up on Metro. This app gives you access to those that don’t automatically appear on the Metro screen.

It is FAR easier to arrange the tiles on you Metro Start screen using a mouse or pen. I had just about given up on tailoring it using my finger when I discovered this.

Software Tweaks [Updated]

Take advantage of the Touch Login. You can find it on the Program Menu in the Samsung Folder. You will also find the User's Guide there. Read it cover to cover. There is lots of useful info there.

You can turn your Wireless and Bluetooth on and off (to save power) using the "Easy Settings" app under the Samsung Folder. (This setting does NOT carry over to the Windows 8 Preview. I am still searching for info on these settings in that OS.)

I have found that the adaptive Brightness Control on this Slate causes real problems. You can turn it off in both Win 7 and Win 8 in the advanced power options.

Samba Connections Problems

If you have ever tried to implement user/password validation on a RAID or other linux/samba based NAS product when using Windows Vista or later, you have discovered that it doesn't work as advertised. This is not a problem with storage box, it arose when Microsoft changed the default network authentication protocol starting with Vista. It is fairly easy to fix:

1. Run secpol.msc either from a command prompt or from the run/search box on the start menu
2. Open up "Local Policies" ==> "Security Options"
3. Scroll down to "Network security: LAN Manager authentication level"
4. Set it to "Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated"
5. Exit from the Local Security Policy window

Now you can set the username/passwords in your RAID control panel to restrict access to the device. Any computer with an OS later than XP that wants to access the drive will need to make these changes. (Of course, if you do not password protect your drive, then this is not needed.)

Ink Crosswords

I don’t know if any of you had the Tablet Edition PCs, but one of my favorite applications was the Ink Crossword that came with the Experience Pack. Several years ago, Microsoft released an updated version of the Experience Pack for Vista, and with a little tweaking, you can get it to run on your Slate. Download it from

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=7529

If you try to run the installer, you will get an error message saying that it only works for Windows Vista. Don’t you believe it! First, create a directory to store the installation files. I used D:\Temp. Then open a command prompt as Administrator. In the window, type

msiexec /a ExperiencePackUpdate.msi

You will be asked for a network location for the files, just use the one that you just created, above (D:\Temp in my case). The data files will be found in

D:\Temp\EP\CmApFldr\Microsoft\Microsoft Ink Crossword\data

and the program is in

D:\Temp\EP\PFiles\Microsoft Experience Pack for Windows Vista\Ink Crossword

If you run the program, you get an error message when you try to download the Daily Puzzle. You can fix this by creating the needed path, and giving it the correct properties. Create the following path, and copy the contents of the data directory there.

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Microsoft Ink Crossword\data

You will need to set the user authorization to allow the program to access this directory.

1. Right click on the folder, select “Properties”
2. Select the “Security” tab
3. Press “advanced”
4. Press “Change Permissions”
5. Select “everyone”
6. Press “edit”
7. give Full Control
8. Press “OK”
9. check the box “Replace all child permissions…”
10. Press “OK” repeatedly, until you are back at the folder view.

 Create a folder in C:\Program Files (x86) and copy InkCrossword.exe and InkCrossword.chm files there. Make a shortcut to the exe file on your desktop. I renamed mine to “Ink Crosswords”. You can then move the shortcut to its final location

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Games

(The OS won’t let you create the shortcut on the start menu directly.) After that, you can drag the program from the Games folder on your start menu to the Games icon on the right half of your Start Menu.

Similar steps work for Windows 8 as well.

The other apps from the Experience Pack seem to cause problems, so I only recommend installing Ink Crosswords.

Notes on Initial Setup

Swap a white pen nib (included in the small zip-lock with your stylus) for the black one that comes pre-installed. The black one wears out faster and you probably will not notice the difference on the smooth screen. You can buy more nibs from Wacom. (http:www.wacom.com) 

You will want a USB hub, wired mouse & keyboard, external CD-ROM drive, and external Hard Drive. These aren’t needed for day-to-day operations, but will be helpful when you install software, perform backups, etc. For maintenance purposes, a wired mouse and keyboard are preferred because they do not require the Bluetooth drivers and work with the BIOS.

Speaking of BIOS, you will want access to it so that you can change the boot order to boot off the CD-ROM. You do this by holding the home button on your slate down when you press the power button to start the system. The volume buttons and the rotation lock button are used to move about the menus.

BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP  –  I cannot stress how important this is. Something WILL go wrong and you will thank yourself. I backed up the entire drive using Acronis TrueImage. I booted off the CD-ROM so that I would get a clean copy of the drive. I stored it on two different archive drives. Next, I used the Samsung Recovery Solutions program to back up the System Software to a DVD. I then backed up the entire system to another Hard drive using the Samsung software, and finally backed it up again on to 6 DVD disks. You need to do this last because if your system goes completely belly up, you can boot off the DVDs and restore your system and the Recovery Partition. Validate your backups at every step!! (As you can tell, I am rather paranoid about backups.)

Once you have done all this, the next step is to remove the Recovery Partition. I know Samsung warns against this, but 30GB is a large chunk to take away from your 120GB SSD. If you have performed the above steps, then you can safely do this. I tested it for myself by disk, and then restoring from the Acronis backup. Deleting the Recovery partition is not easy, and Samsung Tech Support does not know very much about this unit at this time. Disk Manager  will not let you touch it. Check the help instructions in Samsung Recovery Manager for full instructions. (Rather than risk steering you wrong, I leave it to you to get the latest instructions from your own slate.) Once this is removed, you can shrink/expand your system partition at will. I adjusted the space so that I had two 60 GB partitions and installed the Windows 8 Preview in the second. (More about this later.)

It's Arrived!

Wednesday, I picked up my Samsung Series 7 Slate from the Costa Mesa Microsoft Store. Yeah!!!

[Before I go further, I need to thank the staff of the Costa Mesa Store. I have bought several computers from the Microsoft Store over the past couple years (both for myself and for work) and Scott, Daniel and the rest of the sales staff there are among the best I’ve met. They know their products and go out of their way to assist you in finding the right computer for your needs. They quickly work through any snafus and they follow up with you after the sale to make sure that everything is going OK. The store is also really good about keeping you informed about upcoming events and sales.]

[I am writing this post to document what I am going through to set this up and to post my impressions. I do not claim to originate these steps, I will try to document where this info came from. I apologize in advance if I miss crediting anybody. I realize that I am starting this after the fact, but I wanted to make sure that I followed through enough to make it worth it.

I am also using this blog as a repository of information that I use when I set up new conputers.]

 

I bought a model XE700T1A-A04US. Here are the specs:  (They differ from those on the Samsung Site)

·         11.6 in SuperBright LED-backlit HD (1366 x 768)

·         Intel Core i5-2467M 1.60 GHz

·         4 GB DDR3

·         128 GB SSD

·         Windows 7 Professional

·         MicroSD slot

·         1 USB 2.0

·         Micro HDMI

·         Microphone input

·         Bluetooth

 

I bought a 32 GB Micro SDHC card for my document storage and temp files. I also picked up a Micro HDMI to HDMI cable and I have the Dock on order. Fry's has an inexpensive 12" neoprene case made by Case Logic. I can hardly wait until they get the Slate layout added to their Skin design software and for third parties to make cases designed for this.

If you buy a Slate, make sure that you get one with a 128 GB drive. 64 GB is just not enough space, especially if you are planning to dual boot the Windows 8 Preview.