cgsredwin

Alright, I'm not sure if anyone owns an Xbox 360, or uses one at this forum. However, the other day, while playing video games on my 360, I came across some valuable information. If you have ever been looking to go wireless with an Xbox 360 this may help you out. You may have realized the very high cost of wirelss 360 use. The adaptor for wireless is $80+ and of course you will need a wireles router (about $30), aswell. However, while I was playing Gears of War, a popular game on the 360, I was told if you already had a laptop (with a wireless adaptor), you would not need to purchase an Official Xbox 360 Wireless Adaptor. Instead, he claimed, he used his Laptop to output, or rather, split, the wireless signal to the Xbox 360. To do this you must have a laptop recieving wireless internet, and an ethernet cable. Plug the ethernet cable from the laptops port to the Xbox 360's so they are connected, sharing a connection. Now all you have to do is go to (on your laptop, if it is wondows, I'm not sure about Macs) Control Panel -> Network and Internet Connections -> Network Connections find your wireless connection, right click it, and click "Bridge Connections". I was surprised this was so easy, I ran wires all the way from the second floor of my house to the basement so I could get onto Xbox Live, but I would never have if I knew I could use this much easier method instead. However, I'm guessing my wired connection is probably more clear than a wireless connection would have been since my wireless router has a weak signal. I hope this tutorial helps some people out, Good Day.

Probbably some of you have the same annoying problem.
I often have to boot under DOS in order to perform some maintenance things - re-format or re-partition hard disk, do virus diagnostics or recover files.
I love using fdisk, or McAfee viruscan in command line mode. I love typing "fdisk". For that, MS-DOS command line is nice.
Booting from a flashdisk is faster than floppies, and a flashdisk a lots more space than a floppy.
So, now, how to boot from a flashdisk without complicating or dangerous things ?
Here is the way I do it. Of course, I found the trick from several places on the Internet, but nobody gave the step-by-step I needed, that's why I wrote my own one, here it is.
My own USB flashdisk is a Cosk*in 2gb, from http://www.cosk-in.com/
First of all, let's see if your PC is able to boot from a flashdisk.
Let's first power off your PC (correctly shutting down Linux or Crosoft Windows)

1. Testing the hardware.
Insert your USB flashdisk in a USB port, and power on your PC. Then, go to the BIOS SETUP menu (usually it's F2).
Then look at the "BOOT" section. Depending on your BIOS version, have a look at the first boot device, it can be seen as a removable device or a hard disk. Of course, before changing anything here, you must carefully write down the initial settings in order to be able to come back in case of trouble.
If the BIOS sees your flashdisk as a removable device, choose it as first boot device.
If your flashdisk is seen as a disk, you have to put this disk as first disk.

Save your settings and exit.

2) Making the flashdisk bootable.
Now, go to a very old computer running windows 98. I know, sometimes it's rather hard to find one. Personnally, I used a vmware virtual machine on my brand new PC.
When you are on your Windows 98 or Windows Millenium system, download the drivers for your USB flashdisk. This will probably need a reboot.
As soon as your flashdisk drivers are installed, you will be able to see your flashdisk files using Microsoft Windows Explorer. Remember the name of the concerned disk. Let's let's suppose that your USB disk drive name is "U:"
Then, open a command prompt windows (for instance click Run --> Execute --> command)
At the DOS command prompt, type :

SYS U:This "sys u:" command transfers on your USB flashdisk the system files needed for booting your flashdisk, exactly like it would do it on any standard disk. One of this files you probably already know, it's the well-known "command.com" file.
The other files are IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS

That's all. You made your flashdisk bootable. And you already know it's harmless, because you simply added some files to your flashdisk. If you want to go back, simply remove these files.

Now the most interesting thing :

3) Boot from the flashdisk.

Everything is setup. While your system is powered down, insert your USB flashdisk in any free port, and power on your pc.
After a couple of seconds you will see the popular C> prompt. You may type VER in order to verify the version.
That's all you can do at that point. But if you inserted some more files (like format.com or fdisk.com) you have a working ms-dos system.
Further you may add mouse.com, or probably and autoexec.bat or and/or a config.sys file.



4) Discussion.
I love this method because it's simple and harmless. You do almost nothing special on your flashdisk, you just add a couple of files.
I used some other more sophisticated tools from the internet, they started by a flashdisk reformat (and I lost all my favourite files) and then they did not work.
That's why I love this way using an old win95 system and just type "sys U:"

I want to know about php editors, where can i get a good editor for php?I need to work with php.regardschristian

Here's my Story ::



Alright .. now is the headache .. there is no way that I could get the drive to work normally .. it was detected by WinXP but cannot be read .. worst .. I can't format it ..

Tried to use Partition Magic to format but it can only detect HDDs .. can't think of an other ideas ..

Hope someone can help suggest some ::
1) Software
2) TEchnic
to solve this problem ..

Thanks
*



Found the Solution in another forum ::

1) Clik on "START"
2) Move Cursor to "My Document"
3) Right Clik (clik on the right button on the mouse)
4) A Menu will drop down .. choose "Manage"
.. .. A new window will appear ..
5) Clik on the "+" left of "Storage"
6) Clik on the "+" left of "Disk Management"
.. .. The right Panel will show all the Drives
7) Clik on your thumb drive (The words "Removable" will be there)
8) Right Clik and choose .. Oops I forgot .. something that is along the line of adding or creating a partition ..
9) Choose accordingly .. if in doubt .. just choose the default option ..

.. Yippeee .. Finally contributed something useful .. and also this will be my 10th post ..

How to repair a broken computer.



Use a structured approach.


The fastest and best way to repair a broken computer is to use a structured approach. With a structured approach is ment an approach in which each component of the computer is delt with each after the other.

Ways to make sure a component is not the part that causes the trouble are:
1. Use software to test the component of the computer.
2. Use a new component in stead of the studied component.
3. Use another component out of a working computer.
4. Place the studied component of the computer in another working computer.

ad 1. There is software to test computer components. The test software for memory units is well known. Most builders of hard discs have test programs available on their website to test the health of the hard disc. Most of the time the results of these tests are needed before an order for a return of the hard disc can be made and an RMA-number can be asked for.

I'm sure 95 % of you are running your system with one monitor. Primarily because that is the default for any computer. What if i told you that running your system with dual monitors or even triple monitors will increase your user performance extensively?

Ways it helps:
- can play some games while instant messaging, writing emails, watching movie on other screen, looking up something online, etc...
- Helps with working on websites or other programming, because code can be on one side, while the preview image is on the other monitor.
- Spreads the space out so you have more table top room, which allows you to use it more efficiently.
- Working on essays: you can have your word processor on one side and your source on the other monitor.

their are an exponensial amount of pro's to having dual/trip monitors.

this is how to get it working:

in order for all of this to work, you obviously need another monitor or a tv next to your computer.

Step 1:
- check your computer hardware guide to see what kind of graphic card your computer supports (AGP, or PCI).
- after checking which kind of port your computer offers buy a video card, a good place to do research for one is http://www.tomshardware.com/ and an excelent place to buy is http://www.newegg.com/
- Nvidia is better w/ dual monitors than Radeon are more effective w/ games.

Step 2:
- now that you have your video card, it's time to install it.
- Make sure your computer is turned off for this next step.
- take the case off of your computer and your motherboard manual should show you where the video card port is.
- it should click right in.
- after the hardware is installed into your computer, you now must instal the software required to run it.

Step 3: FOR A MONITOR
- plug the primary monitor into the video card monitor port, and plug the secondary monitor into the default computer monitor port.

Step 3:FOR A TV WITH SVIDEO
- if you don't have an svideo chord that can reach from your tv to your computer then buy one or move your tv closer.
- plug the chord into the svideo input in the video card, then plug the other end into the tv svideo input.

Step 3: FOR A TV W/OUT SVIDEO OPTION
- buy an Svideo --> RCA male/IN adapter, at radioshack and best buy they are about 20 dollars, but i bought one on ebay fro 99 cents w/out shipping.
- then plug the svideo chord to the svideo option in the video card panel, then plug the other end to the adapter, then the adapter to one of your rca inputs.

Step 4:
- turn on your computer, a prompt should come up saying your computer has revieled new hardware. put in the software installation cd, which should be included, if not go to the website of your video card manufacturer and download the driver for the specified video card.
- after the driver/software is installed install any extra required programs, i.e. upgraded directX version... restart your computer.

Step 5:
- both monitors should be working when the computer is rebooted. If not then right click on the desktop--> properties --> settings --> click on the video card monitor should be a little box w/ monitors, activate the check box that say "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor." if already activated, go to the other monitor.
- if there is only one monitor click "advanced" --> click the tab of the video card --> dual displays or display settings.

any questions just pm me or email me

thanks,
matt

There are several ways to erase the contents of a hard drive. But the technique you use will depend on what you want to use the hard drive for afterwards. For instance, if you just plan on reinstalling Windows, it isn’t necessary to do a Department of Defense level shredding of your data
 
Erase your hard drive for reinstalling Windows
In newer versions of Windows, you can simply boot to the Windows CD and during the setup process, tell Windows to delete the current partition and install on the new partition. This will wipe out what you already had and replace it with a fresh, shiny Windows installation. Brand name computers--such as Dell, HP, Compaq and Sony—will ship with a recovery disk. You can use that recovery disk in place of a Windows CD to format and reinstall automatically.

Erase you hard drive and sell it on Ebay
If you plan on selling the computer or hard drive on Ebay or even at a yard sale, you must use a shredding utility that will thoroughly erase the data on the hard drive. Actually, these programs write 1s and 0s over every sector of the hard drive several times so the data that had been there is most certainly gone forever. You can then reinstall Windows, if you wish. The problem with the first method is that even though the drive has been formatted, there are tools available that can recover the data that had been erased. Using a program like Darik’s Boot and Nuke (or DBaN) will make that data unrecoverable.

Discarding a dead hard drive
If your computer has failed and the hard drive is no good, you must destroy the hard drive before tossing it in the trash. Sophisticated tools can be used to recover the data on hard drives that no longer work. If you plan on recycling the computer or putting it in the landfill (shame on you), you have to remove the drive and carefully destroy it by whatever means necessary. You can remove the platters by opening the hard drive shell. Whether you plan on drilling holes in it, smashing it with a hammer or driving over it with your car, be sure to wear protective goggles and gloves.
 
So there are different reasons for erasing your hard drive and different methods based on those reasons. You can find hard drive utilities on our Software Downloads section or contact us on our forums for more advice on how to handle data on your hard drive.

Hello, Working in computers for the last 13 years, I have noticed one thingover and over and over. Too many PC's die simply because the hotair inside them had no where to go. In general computers generate a good ammount of heat, and this sameheat will cause failure in your componets very early on in their life. So what we want to do is this, we want to make sure that your PC has afresh supply of clean cool air.(Note!!!! This does require you are inside you PC case... Stay groundedand try not to touch anything you dont need to touch)(Second Note!!! This is aimed at ATX Mid-Tower cases. The layout is fairly standard for this layout.)First things first, unplug your computer from the wall. Ok if you take the case side off your PC, usually on the left side, with twoscrews holding it on. If you remove this you will notice most likely that yourpower supply is at the top back of the case, (big silver box likely) and yourCPU is right underneath it. Now these two items generate the majority ofthe heat in your system. Not all, but most of it. So what we want to do isdirect this heat out of the case in the most direct route. Most ATX power supplies have an 80mm fan in the back. On MOST of themthis fan blows air out into the room. If this is not the case you should take apartyour power supply and turn the fan around so it blows out. Also if your powersupply has long slots cut into the case all the way around, you can take a flat head screwdriver and bend every other fin out. Do this by placeing the flatheadbehind a fin and slightly turning it each direction. You will see the fin buckle outand the fin next to it buckle in. Do this all the way around. Do so will allow moreair into your power supply. Now on the front bottom of your case SHOULD be a place or two for mountingan 80mm fan or two. you will notice it by the perforated metal and 4 screw holes.If so great, put 1 or 2 80mm fans in this location, with them pulling air in from the outside front of the case. If you case does not have a spot for these, a quickgoogle search will bring up many how-to's on drilling your case for a new fan.On the back of your case, beside your back panel for all your ports is likely a spotfor another 80mm fan. If so place a fan or two there, blowing out again. What thisdoes is create a path of fresh air that flows over your motherboard and CPU pullingthe heat along behind it.Quick and Dirty I know, but this gives you the basic information with which tostart your own computer case mods.ViriiGuy