Speed Up File Downloads

Don't wait any longer for slow file downloads. Use this free program to accelerate them, regardless of your connection speed.

No matter how fast your Internet connection is, it's not fast enough. Whether it's a pokey dial-up or a broadband connection, you always have complaints and you always have a greater need for speed.

This is particularly true when you're downloading files, especially large ones. While there might be no way to physically change your connection speed, you can get the free Download Accelerator Plus (DAP) program from SpeedBit (http://www.speedbit.com) to speed up your downloads significantly, whether via FTP or HTTP.

The program accelerates your downloads in two ways. When you start to download a file, DAP does a mirror search of all the servers that carry the same file, identifies the fastest servers closest to you, and then starts downloading from those servers instead of the one you originally chose. It also sets up a multiconnection download, downloading portions of the file from multiple fast servers simultaneously and then reassembling the file when all the pieces are on your PC. This makes the most efficient use of your available bandwidth because normally there are pauses and hesitations when you download, and if you're downloading with multiple connections there will be fewer of those pauses.

The program also resumes broken downloads; if for some reason your connection is broken, it'll pick up where you left off when you next connect to the Internet. Also useful is the zip preview feature that lets you preview the contents of zip-compressed files before you download. And it'll schedule downloads for you as well. For example, you can schedule downloads to take place overnight, when you're away from your computer.

DAP is free, but the free version delivers ads inside the program. For $29.95 you can get a version without the ads that also includes a few minor extras, such as the ability to extract individual files from within .zip archives, instead of extracting the whole archive.

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Give Internet Explorer a Face-Lift

Don't like the way Internet Explorer looks? A better-looking browser is just a Registry edit away.

Everything about Internet Explorer screams, "Dull, dull, dull!" From its generic-looking logo to the plain background for its toolbars, you just better hope the content you're visiting is enough to keep you awake. But you don't need to be stuck with its plain-Jane looks; these Registry hacks will let you change it however you'd like.

Change the Internet Explorer Logo

Internet Explorer has both a static and an animated logo. The static logo displays when the browser is inactive, and the animated logo displays when the browser is locating a site, connecting, and actively downloading pages or images from the Web. Because you have the choice of displaying large or small icons on the Internet Explorer toolbar (to switch back and forth between the two, choose View - Toolbars - Customize - Icon Options - Large/Small icons), there are two sizes of both the static and animated logos.

Before you begin, you'll need to create new logos to replace the existing ones. You'll have to create two sets of icons in .bmp format: one set for the smaller logo and another set for the larger logo. Each set will have a static logo and an animated logo. The static logos should be 22 22 pixels for the smaller size and 38 38 pixels for the larger size. The animated logos have to be animated bitmaps, each of which should have a total of 10 frames. So, the smaller animated bitmap should be 22 pixels wide by 220 pixels high, and the larger animated bitmap should be 38 pixels wide by 380 pixels high.

Create the static bitmaps with any graphics program, including the version of Paint that comes with XP. You can also use special icon-creation programs to create your icons, such as Microangelo (http://www.microangelo.us/). (Make sure when using Microangelo to choose Tools - New Image format, which will let you create the icons with the proper pixel dimensions, as explained in the previous paragraph.)

To create the animated bitmaps, you'll need special tools. Microangelo does a great job of creating them, and that's your best bet. If you prefer, though, you can create the 10 separate frames for the animated bitmaps in a graphics program such as Paint and then stitch the 10 separate frames together using the Animated Bitmap Creator (http://jsanjuan.tripod.com/download.html), a free command-line program.

To change Internet Explorer's static logos to your new ones, run the Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Create two string values named SmallBitmap and BigBitmap and give them each the value of their filename and location, including the full pathfor example, C:\Windows\IEbiglogo.bmp and C:\Windows\IEsmalllogo.bmp. As you might guess, the SmallBitmap value points to the smaller logo, and the BigBitmap value points to the larger logo.

To use your new animated logos, go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar

Create two string values named SmBrandBitmap and BrandBitmap and give them each the value of their filename and locationfor example, C:\Windows\IEbiganimatelogo.bmp and C:\Windows\IEsmallanimatelogo.bmp. Once again, as you might guess, SmBrandBitmap is for the smaller animated logo and BrandBitmap is for the larger logo.

Exit the Registry and close Internet Explorer. When you next start up Internet Explorer, it should display your new logos. To revert to the default logos, simply delete the values you've created.

Change the Text of Internet Explorer's Titlebar

Internet Explorer's titlebar displays the text "Microsoft Internet Explorer," along with the title of the page you're currently visiting. However, you can change the "Microsoft Internet Explorer" text to any text you want. Run the Registry Editor and go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Add a new string value named Window Title and give it a value of whatever text you want displayed in the titlebar. Exit the Registry and close Internet Explorer if it's open. The next time you open Internet Explorer, the titlebar will have your new text.

If you want your titlebar to have no text in it, aside from the title of the page you're currently visiting, create the Window Title string value but leave the Value field empty.

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Hack Your Way Through the Interface

Use Registry hacks to make a grab bag of great interface changes.
Hidden in the mazes of the Registry are countless ways to hack XP's interface. Following are some of my favorites.

Hide All Icons in the Notification Area
The system tray, also called the notification area, is the small area on the far-right side of the taskbar, in which utilities and programs that run in the background, such as antivirus software, show their icons.
I don't find it a particularly intelligent use of screen real estate, so I prefer not to see the icons there. To hide them, run the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/Explorer. Among other things, this key controls the display of objects throughout XP. Create a new DWORD called NoTrayItemsDisplay. Assign it a value of 1. (A value of 0 will keep the icons displayed.) Exit the Registry and reboot.
While you're at the HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/Explorer key, you can also delete the My Recent Documents icon on the Start menu. Create a new DWORD called NoRecentDocsMenu. Assign it a value of 1. (A value of 0 will keep the icon displayed.) Exit the Registry and reboot.

Hide Only Certain Icons in the Notification Area
You might want to display some icons in the notification area but hide others. If so, you can hide icons on a case-by-case basis. You'll do it by delving through menus, though, not by hacking the Registry. Right-click the taskbar and choose Properties - Taskbar. The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box appears. This dialog box, as the name implies, lets you control how the taskbar and Start menu look and function.
In the Notification area of the dialog box, check the box next to "Hide inactive icons," then click Customize. The Customize Notifications dialog box appears.

Figure 1-1. Hiding inactive icons

Click the program's listing in the Behavior column, and choose from the drop-down menu to hide the icon when the program is inactive, to always hide it, or to never hide it (see Figure 1-1). Click OK twice. Your changes will take effect immediately.

Turn Off System Beeps
To me, system beeps that my PC makes when it encounters certain system errors are like balloon tipsgnatlike annoyances that I can do without. So, I turn them off using a Registry hack. Run the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Sound, and find the Beep and ExtendedSounds String values. Set each value to No. Exit the Registry and reboot. The beeps will no longer sound.

Use Your Own Graphic for Your User Account
This one isn't a Registry hack, but I couldn't resist putting it in here since it's one of the more useful ways to customize the interface. The Windows XP graphic for your user account on the Start menu might not be to your taste, and your choice of other graphics to display there isn't particularly inspiring, either. After all, not everyone wants to be pictured as a rubber ducky, a snowflake, or a pair of horses.

But you're not limited to XP-supplied pictures for your user account; you can use any picture in .gif, .jpg, .png, or .bmp format. In this hack, I'll show you how to use your own picture.

To change your User Account picture to any one that you want, from the Control Panel choose User Accounts, then pick the account you want to change and choose Change my picture - Browse for more pictures. Navigate to the picture you want to use and click OK. Figure 1-2 shows the screen you'll use to change your picture.


Figure 1-2. Changing your User Account picture

If you have a digital camera or scanner attached to your PC, a button will show up on the screen shown in Figure 1-2 that lets you take a picture with the camera, or scan a picture with the scanner, and then immediately use that picture for your user account.
For those interested in saving keystrokes, there's a quicker way to get to the screen letting you customize your picture. From the Windows XP-style Start menu, click your picture, and the screen appears.

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Speed Up Your Hard Disk by Improving Defragging

One of the simplest ways to speed up your PC is by defragmenting your hard disk. Here's how to get the most out of XP's built-in defragmenter and a third-party program that should speed up your hard disk even more.

Perhaps the simplest way to speed up your PC is to use a disk defragmenter, which will help you open applications and files more quickly. As you use applications and files, they get spread out in fragments across your hard disk. The next time you go to use them, they take longer to open because your hard disk has to find each of those disparate fragments so they can be assembled when you open the file. A disk defragmenter stores files and applications contiguous to one another so that they can be fetched much more quickly than if they were spread out across your whole disk.

XP includes a built-in defragmentation program (sometimes called a defragger), which you can run by choosing Control Panel - Performance and Maintenance - "Rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster." But there are ways you can use it more effectively, and there are third-party programs that do a more effective job of defragmentation as well.

Defragment Boot Files

One of the biggest improvements of XP's defragger over previous Windows versions is that it can perform a boot defragment, placing all boot files contiguous to one another so that you boot faster. The boot defragment option is usually enabled by default, but there's a possibility that it could be disabled, or enabled improperly. You can make sure it's enabled, using a Registry hack. Run the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction. Find the Enable string. If the String value is set to N, change it to Y. If it is Y, leave it as it is, since that means boot defragmentation is enabled. Exit the Registry and reboot. When you next defragment your disk, the boot files will be defragmented.

Run Disk Defragmenter from the Command Line

If you prefer the command line to the graphical interface, you can avoid maneuvering through menus and dialog screens to defragment your hard drive. (Using the command line also gives you greater control over the defragmentation process.) To defragment a hard drive, type defrag C: at a command prompt, where C is the hard drive you want to defragment. When you use the command line, you won't see a visual display of the defragmentation process, and you won't be able to pause it or cancel it.

defrag also does work invisibly in the background to make sure that your programs load more quickly. It's set up so that every three days, when your computer is otherwise idle, it moves program code to the outside of the disk to make programs load more quickly. You can force it to do that manually, without having to do a full defragment, by using the -b switch, like this:

defrag C: -b

It takes only a few minutes for defrag to do this, in contrast with a full defragmentation, which can easily take more than 20 minutes, depending on how defragmented your system is and the speed of your processor.

There are several other command-line switches you can use with the defrag command:

/A

Analyzes the drive you want to defragment and shows you a brief analysis report, summarizing the hard disk size and total fragmentation. It only displays the report, however; it does not defragment the drive.

/V

Analyzes the drive you want to defragment and shows you a comprehensive analysis report, detailing the size of the hard disk, percent of free and used space, total fragmentation, and total number of fragments, among other details. It gives the analysis report, defragments the hard disk, and then gives an analysis of the hard disk after defragmentation.

/F

Forces the drive to be defragmented, even if there isn't a certain minimum amount of space. Normally, you can defragment the drive only if your hard disk has at least 15% space free.

What to Do if the Disk Defragmenter Won't Defragment Your Drive

There will be times when the Disk Defragmenter won't defragment your drive, or will defragment it only partially. It won't defragment your drive if you don't have at least 15% of the drive's space free. To solve the problem, as explained previously, type defrag C: /F at the command line, where C is your hard drive.

There are also certain files and areas that the Disk Defragmenter won't defragment: the Recycle Bin, the Windows page file, Bootsect.dos, Safeboot.fs, Saveboot.rsv, Hiberfil.sys, and Memory.dmp. There's not much you can do about it, though it's a good idea to empty the Recycle Bin before defragmenting.

Often, the Disk Defragmenter won't defragment every file on the first pass. Your best bet here is to use brute force: run it again until it defragments the files it missed the first time around. Also, keep in mind that the Disk Defragmenter won't defragment any files that are currently in use, so make sure to close all programs; if there are files that won't defragment, it might be because they're being used by an open program. Sometimes, programs may seem to be shut down, but in fact may be running in a kind of phantom mode. For example, Outlook sometimes stays running even after you've shut it down. To make sure your programs are completely shut down before running the Disk Defragmenter, run the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete or right-clicking on the Taskbar and choosing Task Manager. Check both the Applications and Processes tabs to see if any programs, like Word for Windows (Winword.exe) or Outlook (Outlook.exe), are still running. These two programs sometimes continue running even after you've shut them down.

Get a Better Disk Defragmenter

For most purposes, XP's Disk Defragmenter works fine. But if you're a system administrator who needs to defragment multiple machines or defragment servers, you'll be better off with a better defragmenter. Even single users of XP might want a better disk defragmenter for purposes such as easy scheduling of defragmenting and the ability to defragment files that XP's defragmenter can't handle. Two of the best XP defragmenters are available as try-before-you-buy software:

Diskeeper

This defragmenter can automatically defragment a disk on bootup, allows you to remotely schedule boot-time defragmentation on multiple machines, will let system administrators create different defragmentation schedules for different groups of machines, will defragment disks that have little free disk space, and makes it easy to deploy on multiple machines. Get it at http://www.execsoft.com. It's free to download and try, but you'll have to pay if you decide to keep it. There's also a free version available, called Diskeeper Lite Freeware, which allows you to defragment only one volume at a time and doesn't allow scheduling.

PerfectDisk2000

Like Diskeeper, this defragmenter allows administrators to schedule defragmentation of machines across a network, and it can defragment disks with little free hard disk space. It can defragment files that XP's built-in defragmenter can't, such as the Windows page file. It also offers boot-time defragmentation. You can get it at http://www.raxco.com. It's free to download and try.

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Build a Better Backup Strategy

Don't be blindsided by disk crashes and other disasters. Here's how to have a backup ready at any time for any reason.

I used to use 3.5-inch disks for backup; to back up my hard drive using that method today would require approximately 98,000 disks. Granted, we don't use disks for major backup procedures anymore; nonetheless, a lot of the thinking that goes into a backup is still pretty ancient.

I don't believe any users actually set out on a given day to destroy a functional operating system, but you know as well as I do that it happens. A little tweak here, a Registry edit there, a power surge or perhaps a badly behaved application that trashes the computer. We've all been there and when it happens, I can almost guarantee you that if you listen closely you'll hear something approximating, "Darn. I meant to _ _ _ _ _," where the blank is whatever backup task you have been putting off.

In addition to making yourself do the backup, there are a few steps I recommend to make your backup procedure easier, more convenient, and more effective.

Map Out a Backup Plan

I recommend separating the operating system and programs from the data when it's backed up. All three components operating systems, programs, and data have become huge over the years. In most cases, lumping them into a single, large backup is a waste of time, especially for home users.

Before you actually back up anything you need to ask yourself some questions:

• How will the backup be saved?
• Many of today's computers come with devices that are suitable for backups; CD-R and CD-RW drives, tape drives, removable cartridge drives, and even a second hard drive can be used to store backups. With the exception of the second hard drive, any of those mentioned can be removed from the site where the system is located, and even the hard drive can be relocated by using specialty cradles that allow it to be plugged in and removed easily. There are a number of web-based hosting services that can be used for offsite storage for a monthly subscription fee. Business users normally back up to a company server, either local or remote, and the IS department takes over from that point.
• The best system is one you think you'll actually use so that you'll have the backup.
• Where will the backup be stored once it's created?
• If fire, flood, or theft should strike where the system is located, the backup should be available from another location to restore the system and datafiles. Unfortunately, safe storage of the backup can be hard to get on-site. If you don't use an off-site service, consider storing your backups in one of the small fireproof chests that can be purchased at most department or office supply stores.
• What files should be backed up?
• At one time, it was accepted, if not almost reasonable, to back up everything on a system at one time. But the amount of data and the size of applications make that procedure very outdated. Here are three categories of data:

System files

There is no need for the average user to back up operating system files. What is important is to protect the original media (i.e., the Windows XP CD and all your program installation discs). Windows XP comes with System Restore, which backs up all your system files automatically, or you can create a restore point whenever you prefer. System Restore is specifically designed to act in concert with the operating system to restore it in case of a system problem.

If you don't like or trust System Restore, a number of programs is available that image the system and allow you to reinstall it in a fraction of the normal time. Ghost by Symantec is one of the popular choices (http://www.symantec.com/ghost).

Archive files

These are files acquired through any number of methods, either downloaded or created by you, that don't change once they have been created. Image and audio files are good examples in this category. They are looked at and listened to for enjoyment, but as a rule they seldom, if ever, receive any modification once they have been added to your system. Don't back these up more than once.

Current datafiles

More than anything else on your system, these are the files you most want backed up and protected on a regular basis. The list of included files will vary by user, but a few examples are text documents, spreadsheets, financial records, databases, email, Internet favorites, personal information managers (PIMs), web site projects, and any other type of data you create and work with or modify on a regular basis.

If the thought of losing one day's work makes the hair on the back of your neck stand upright, you'd better have a tightly structured backup plan and ensure that it's adhered to without fail. If you have a computer full of spam and Freecell stats, it doesn't make much difference when, or even if, you back up.

System Organization Aids the Backup Process

How you organize your system can make backup a relatively painless process. Structuring the system so that your datafiles are organized in one area facilitates pointing the backup program to one area instead of having to gather files from widespread locations. In Windows XP, the My Documents folder is an excellent choice for this purpose. Many programs default to saving created files in this location, including Office XP.

Many power users don't use My Documents because of its corny name; however, some of us have realized it's a nice shortcut to have (along with My Pictures); because the applications default to these locations, you have less chance of spreading your documents and photos around the computer trying to find your chosen folder. If you don't like the name, change it. Or, if you'd rather use your own organization structure but want to designate one of your folders as "My Documents," you can do that, too.

Whatever location you choose, the important point is to use it for all the data you create and work with or modify on a regular basis that will be a part of the backup.

The Backup Utilities in Windows XP

While it isn't absolutely essential to have a utility specifically designed for backing up a computer system, it can make life easier. Both Windows XP Home and Professional come with what Microsoft calls the Backup and Restore Utility, better known as NTBackup. Unfortunately for XP Home users, Backup and Restore is not installed by default, nor is it as fully functional as the version installed by default in XP Professional. Supposedly, the reason it's not installed by default in XP Home is because XP Home does not support Automated System Recovery (ASR), which is a part of Backup and Restore. This in no way prevents you from making a full backup in Home Edition, but it does limit the recovery or restore options. Bottom line: if you have XP Professional, you're ready to go. If you have XP Home, follow these directions to install the Backup Utility manually:

1. Insert the Windows installation CD into your CD drive and navigate to <CD Drive>:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP, where <CD Drive> is replaced by E: or whatever letter represents your CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file to start the wizard that installs the Backup Utility.
3. When the wizard is complete, click Finish.

Here are a few things every hacker should know about NTBackup.

I want my CDs!

This really should go under the "you've got to be kidding me" category, but NTBackup does not allow you to back up directly to a CD-R or CD-RW drive. Allegedly the best, most stable and advanced operating system Microsoft has offered, XP, has no CD burner support in backup. The solution is to back up to an alternative drive and then copy it to CD. Many alternative backup programs are available that do support direct backups to CD-R and CD-RW. Microsoft says it's by design. I say it's from a lack of design. Considering how popular CD-Rs and CD-RWs have become as backup media and how inexpensive they are this lack of design presents a major problem for most people.

However, there is a way to store your backups on CDs (or DVDs, if you're in the early-adopter wave and already have a DVD burner). First, back up as you would normally, and then copy the resulting file to a CD-R or CD-RW. If you have to restore a backup from the CD-R or CD-RW, you'll be able to do that directly; you won't have to copy the file to another medium first.

One problem you'll run across is that your backup might be larger than the 650MB or 700MB that CDs hold. To solve the problem, create two or more backup sets, each smaller than 650MB or 700MB (depending on your CD's capacity). Separating data from programs or operating system files as suggested earlier will help you do this. Then copy each resulting set individually to a different CD.

Restoring a backup

When a backup is created the data is not saved in the same way you see it in the backup window where you select the files and folders. A backup is a single file that has to be broken apart during the restore process. To do so, it's necessary to use the same program that created the backup file to restore it to your system. Normally this is not a problem, except in one special circumstance. Restore will want to return your data to the location it occupied during the original backup. For example, if you backed up data from D:\ and no longer have a drive D:\ when you want to restore, the process will fail.

XP Home, NTBackup, and ASR

Windows XP Home Edition does not support ASR. I've been told this is why NTBackup is not installed by default in Home, but if that's the case, why include the item on the Home CD in the value-added directory? Whatever the reason, it's something you need to be aware of, in spite of the option for ASR that appears in NTBackup when installed on an XP Home machine. XP Professional users are good to go with ASR.

Get a Better Backup Program

XP's built-in backup program leaves a lot to be desired. But there are downloadable try-before-you-buy backup programs that offer you more features. Two of the best are Backup Plus and NTI Backup NOW! Deluxe:

Backup Plus

One of the strengths of this program is its simplicity, particularly when restoring backups. Even though the program stores its backup file with a .bac extension, in fact, the backup files are .zip files. So, if you want to restore files or folders, you only need to rename the backup file so that it has a .zip extension and then open the file with an unzipping program, such as WinZip, the one built into Windows. Once you open the file, you can unzip it as you would any normal .zip file. The program also lets you schedule backups and, unlike XP's backup program, will back up to any kind of media, including CD-Rs and CR-RWs. Backup Plus is try-before-you-buy software. You can download it from http://www.backupplus.net and try it for free.

NTI Backup NOW! Deluxe

This is one of the more powerful and flexible backup programs you can find. It can back up to any media (including DVD-Rs), includes password protection for backup jobs, can span media and drives when backing up, and lets you make a complete image of your hard disk so that you can restore your entire system. NTI Backup NOW! Deluxe is try-before-you-buy software. You can download it from http://www.ntius.com and try it for free.

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Repair and Recover with the Recovery Console

If Windows won't start, use the DOS-like Recovery Console to make repairs.

The Recovery Console is one of the last-ditch tools you can use if your Windows installation doesn't start up at all. Before you resort to the Recovery Console, if Windows starts up make sure you've already tried System Restore (especially if you've recently changed your hardware).

To run System Restore, choose Control Panel - Performance and Maintenance -System Restore.

If it won't start, try running the Windows XP Setup Wizard from the installation CD and choosing its Repair option, or try starting Windows in Safe Mode.

If none of these easier paths works, you're stuck using the DOS-like Recovery Console to figure out what's wrong with Windows, your system or boot partition, or your disk's master boot record (MBR). You can use its DOS-like commands to look at the files and folders that make up Windows, and possibly to repair them. You can also repair the master boot record and boot sector.

You can configure the Recovery Console not to require the administrator password on login. In the Registry Editor, set the value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole\SecurityLevel key to 1.

Starting the Recovery Console

To start the Recovery Console, boot your computer from the Windows XP installation CD and follow the prompts. When it asks which Windows installation you want, type the number of the installation (1, if Windows XP is the only operating system installed) and press Enter. Type the password for the Administrator account. When the Recovery Console is running, you see the prompt D:\WINDOWS>, which tells you the name of the current folder (directory).

If you plan to use the Recovery Console often, add it to your boot menu (the menu that appears if you have a multiboot system). You must be logged in as an administrator. Choose Start Run and type the command d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons (replace d: with your CD drive's letter if it's not D). The Recovery Console occupies about 7MB of disk space and stores its program files in \Comdcons on your system drive.

Now you can type commands and press Enter, just like in the good old days of DOS! However, not all DOS commands work, and you can't examine files in all folders. You are restricted to the Windows program folder (C:\Windows on most systems), its subfolders, the root folder of the Windows partition (C:\ on most systems), removable drives (including disk, zip, and CD drives but these are read-only), and the \Cmdcons folder (which contains the Recovery Console program itself, if you have added it to your boot menu).

If you know DOS, the Recovery Console's commands look familiar, though only a few are available and some work differently. To see a list of all the available commands, type help and press Enter. To find out how a specific command works, type the command, followed by a space and /? (for example, expand /?). When you are done using the Recovery Console, type exit and press Enter to reboot your computer.

Fixing the MBR, Boot Sector, or Boot Menu

If your system can't find a partition from which to boot, try fixing the MBR. Type fixmbr to rewrite the MBR on the boot partition (the drive or partition from which the computer starts up).

If the system finds the boot partition but the Windows boot sector is fouled up on the Windows partition (the drive or partition where Windows is installed), rewrite the Windows boot sector by typing fixboot. To specify which drive is the Windows partition, you can add the drive letter (e.g., fixboot c:).

Windows XP includes a boot menu that allows you to choose which operating system to start up. (It doesn't appear if your system has only one operating system.) To fix the boot menu, use the bootscan command. Type bootcfg /scan to look at all your partitions and drives and scan for Windows installations. Type bootcfg /list to list the entries in boot.ini (the file that contains your boot menu entries).

Fixing Windows

If something is wrong with your Windows installation, use these commands to modify or replace the problematic files:

attrib filename flag

Changes the attribute of a file (filename). The flag is + (adds, or turns on) or - (removes, or turns off), followed by r (read-only), s (system), or h (hidden).

chkdsk drive

Checks and repairs files and folders on drive. Add the /p switch to check the drive even if no problems are marked.

copy sourcepath1 sourcepath2

Copies the file from sourcepath1 and names the new file sourcepath2. The asterisk wildcard (*) doesn't work, so you can copy only one file at a time.

diskpart

Lets you add or delete partitions, though you can't resize or move them. (For that, you need a program like PartitionMagic; go to http://www.partitionmagic.com.)

expand pathname

Decompresses files from a .cab file and puts the result in the current folder. If the .cab file contains more than one file, add /f:* to extract all the files. Or add /f:* /d to list all the files in the .cab, and then use the expand pathname /f:filename command to extract just the one you want.

Hacking the Hack

By default, the Recovery Console doesn't allow you to use wildcards, copy files from local drives to removable media, or use the cd command to list files in subfolders in all folders on all local disks. It also issues a warning message every time you copy files that overwrite existing files.

However, if you have XP Professional Edition, you can change that behavior using the Group Policy Editor. At a command prompt, type gpedit.msc to run the Group Policy Editor. Go to Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options. In the list of policies on the right, double-click "Recover console: Allow floppy copy and access to all drives and all folders." Select the Enabled option and click OK.

Doing this won't actually make the changes; at this point, you'll have to use the Recovery Console itself to do that. Open the Recovery Console and use the following commands to customize its behavior:

set allowwildcards = true

This command lets you use the * and ? wildcards with the Recovery Console commands.

set allowallpaths = true

This command lets you use the cd command to list all files and subfolders on all folders on all local disks.

set allowremovablemedia = true

This command lets you copy files from local drives to removable media.

set nocopyprompt = true

This command lets you copy files that overwrite existing files without getting a warning prompt.

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Protecting Against Computer Viruses

An outside computer attack isn't the only bad thing that can happen to your system. Far more likely is an attack from within, in the form of a computer virus infection.

In many ways, a computer virus actually is similar to a biological virus. A biological virus invades your body's system and replicates itself, causing all sorts of damage to the host (you). Likewise, a computer virus invades your computer's system, replicates itself, and causes untold damage to the host (your computer).

Like biological viruses, computer viruses can be destructive, or they can simply be annoying. Just as you try to protect your own body from biological viruses and find a cure when you become infected, you want to protect your computer from computer viruses—and find a cure if its system ever becomes infected.

Bottom line? A computer virus is a computer program that places copies of itself in other programs on your system, or somehow manipulates other files on your system.

Are You Infected?

Computer viruses can infect program files, the macro code found in some data files, or the HTML code used to create a Web page. Plain-text e-mail messages are not capable of being infected, although HTML e-mail and e-mail attachments can contain viruses.

How do you know whether your computer system has been infected with a virus? You may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

• Your system begins to act sluggish.

• Your system fails to boot.

• Normally well-behaved programs start operating erratically or crash intermittently.

• Friends report that they've received a strange e-mail message from you—and the message came with a suspicious file attached.

• Files you know you haven't erased turn up missing.

• Common program files appear to have grown in size since your last analysis.

• Strange messages or graphics appear on your computer's screen.

If your computer exhibits one or more of these symptoms—especially if you've just downloaded a file or received a suspicious e-mail message—the prognosis is not good. Your computer is probably infected.

How to Catch a Virus

Whenever you share data with another computer or computer user, you risk exposing your computer to potential viruses. There are many ways you can share data, and many ways a virus can be transmitted, including:

• Opening files attached to an e-mail message—even a message that appears to come from someone you know

• Opening a file that was downloaded from the Internet

• Reading an HTML e-mail message

• Viewing a Web page in your Web browser

• Sharing a file with someone else on your network

• Sharing a data disk with another user

In other words, practically anything you do with your computer on a regular basis can be a means to transmit a virus.

Scary, isn't it?

Practicing Safe Computing

Because you're not going to completely quit doing any of these activities, you'll never be 100% safe from the threat of computer viruses. There are, however, some steps you can take to reduce your risk:

• Don't open unsolicited e-mail attachments, especially from people you don't know. If you get an unsolicited e-mail message from someone you've never heard of, and that message includes an attachment (a Word document, or an executable program), don't open the attachment! The attached Word file could contain a macro virus, and the attached program could wipe out your entire hard disk. In fact, I caution against opening unsolicited attachments from anyone—even people you know. That's because some viruses are set up to replicate themselves through e-mail messages that are sent out without the user's knowledge; the message might look like it's coming from a friend or colleague, but in reality be from a virus-infected computer. (In other words, don't open any attachments you weren't expecting.) And if you want to be even safer, configure Outlook Express to reject any potentially virus-bearing attachments.

• Download programs only from reliable sites. If you're connecting to a non-commercial Web site run out of some guy's basement, avoid the temptation to download any files from that site. If you must download files from the Internet, use only those established and reliable Web sites (such as CNET's Download.com or the ZDNet Software Library) that actually check their files for viruses before they post them for downloading.

• Don't execute programs you find in Usenet newsgroups. Newsgroup postings often contain attachments of various types. Executing a program "blind" from an anonymous newsgroup poster is just asking for trouble.

• Don't execute programs sent to you via instant messaging or in chat rooms. Along the same lines, virus writers like to use instant messaging to spread their infectious programs—or send viruses to unwitting users in online chat rooms. This is especially dangerous, because you often don't know who exactly it is you're chatting with. The best approach is to just say no—and never, ever accept files when chatting.

• Use antivirus software. Antivirus programs protect you against all types of viruses—including both executable and macro viruses. Purchase, install, and run a program such as Norton AntiVirus or McAfee VirusScan, and then let the antivirus program check all new files downloaded to or copied to your system.

• Share disks and files only with users you know and trust. If you don't know where a disk comes from, don't stick it in your computer's disk drive. The same with files sent over your network, or via e-mail. Unless you know for sure that the file is safe, delete it.

These precautions, taken together, should provide good insurance against the threat of computer viruses.

Using an Antivirus Program

Antivirus software programs are capable of detecting known viruses and protecting your system against new, unknown viruses. These programs check your system for viruses each time your system is booted, and can be configured to check any programs you download from the Internet.

Unfortunately, Windows XP doesn't include a built-in antivirus utility. (It includes everything else—and I'd much rather have antivirus protection than online photo finishing!) Fortunately, you can find several popular antivirus programs at your local computer software retailer, or online. My favorites are McAfee VirusScan (www.mcafee.com) and Kaspersky AntiVirus (www.kaspersky.com). But installing the antivirus program isn't enough—you also have to religiously download the program's definition updates, to keep the database of known viruses up-to-date. With new viruses being written every week, it's no good to have an antivirus program that's several months out of date!

Recovering from a Virus Attack

What should you do if a virus has infected your computer? A lot depends on the type of virus you've been blessed with, and the damage that it has done.

TIP

One way to avoid spyware is to not use peer-to-peer file trading networks; their file-trading software is often infested with spyware.

If your system is still working and you have full access to your hard disk, you can use one of the antivirus programs to "clean" infected files on your system. If specific files can't be cleaned, then they should be deleted.

If you can't start your system or access your hard disk, then you'll have to take your system into a repair center that can use a hard disk utility program to repair/rebuild/restore your hard disk. After your system is up-and-running again, you should also run an antivirus program to perform additional cleaning.

Even if you can get your system up-and-running again, you still run the risk of losing key data files. If your system has been hit, you may have to essentially start from scratch with a "fresh" system, meaning you'd lose any data that wasn't previously backed up. That's one of the main reasons everyone hates viruses.

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