I just purchased a new laptop.
:)
I didn't realize they were so powerful! The last one I looked at was about 7 years ago, there almost desktop specification now!!
I got XP home with mine, I hadn't used XP but had heard a lot of bad things about it. I don't know why everyone was telling me it was so bad, I really like it, the new interface is cool and I like the content sensitive side panels in the folders. The tile view is pretty cool too! I've turned off some of the fetures though as being a laptop I need XP set up for best perfomance.
One of the things I was looking at was using 'classic' appearance. Would this mean XP uses less memory? Does this option mean XP stops using 'skins' or whatever M$ calls the system that changes the appearance of the desktop or would it mean that skins would still be used, just a skin that made the desktop look like windows used to?
Also I got Office XP Small Business Ed. with the laptop too. I have to register either by phone or Internet as I only have 50 uses before this is forced upon me. Does anyone know what they do to register it? Once it's registered are they going to assume that I'll never need to reinstall windows (lmao :D)? Would I be able to re-register it if or when I need to reinstall XP?
Also it's called Office XP. Is this just to show that it's newer then Office 2000 (which I have on Win2K Desktop)? Does it mean that it can only function on XP? Would I be able to install Office XP SBE on Win 2K?
Is there away of adding items to the My computer folder in the 'Other' section? Or adding items to th start menu below the control panel icon? Dell preinstalled XP and it's got an Icon from them under control panel on the right hand side of the start menu. They also put an AOL icon in the 'Other' section of My Computer.
Lastly, the laptop came preinstalled with XP. I was looking at the disk management and saw that in front of C: is a small 30-40mb FAT partition described as being EISA partition. I can't access it or display an icon for it in my computer. Does anyone know what this is for? Or why Dell would have made it?
Tommie_tt,
I menat the menu bar at the top of the explorer window. If you open the control panel (rather then browsing there through the start menu) the explorer window has an extra menu option called Advanced), this is what I ment by menu.
Greetings David
And a big welcome back!I was actually hoping that you would reply as you have the same system as mine!I posed the question to RISC OS as I saw the thread and noticed he was here on the forum and could give me an answer wiythout waiting.
I have read that thread and others and have tried everything suggested before but I have to agree that NetBIOS as my screen shot shows,is still active!
Could you please tell me why Gibson's unbinder does not work with my XP?
Hello RISC OS and others
I am also an XP Home owner of 6 months now.Very good OS so far!
I have a nagging problem which I am looking for suggesstions.This may not be the right thread for it but direct me please if otherwise.
The situation.....
I have read most of the threads on this forum in regards to NetBIOS.I have it disabled according to advice from various people.I even went to grc.com at the suggesstion of some posters here.I also have passed the pcflank.com tests .All indicate that my computer is ok for safe surfing!
This is my problem...
How do I get NetBIOS to stop showing on my OP screens?
I have screenshot to show what I mean.
Also why can't I use Gibson's NetBIOS method to unbind NetBIOS?I am stand alone computer with Sympatico HSE.
This is only to start the discussion but I have more to say.
Hi Tommie,
I must apologize. The best that I can do this evening is give you a GIF showing the screen where you should make sure there is no check besides 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks.' If this does not solve the issue, I may have to put a more extensive package of GIFs together for you. The package will unfortunately be too large to post here, so I may have to send them to an e-mail address of your choosing. There are just too many settings for me to outline in a text message in this forum and I think the pictures would be easier. If we need to do that, just go to my Profile in Agnitum by clicking on my name and forward your e-mail address to me by 'Private Message'.
If I need to send you that package, it will probably be tomorrow night before I do so. I am running out of time this evening due to arriving home a bit late tonight. Again, I apologize that I cannot get that to you tonight. I will try to make sure that you have a settings package with pictures by tomorrow evening. :)
Have a good night Tommie. :)
It was nice chatting with you again. :)
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Sorry I missed the screen shot.Tried to include it in the edit but could not .
By the way,Here are the stats for the Blocked OP session.Iam typing them so as not to put two screen shots in the sme post....
Block NetBIOS traffic *NetBIOS 12.06.10 169.254.255.255 NETBIOS_DGM Outbound UDP NETBIOS LocalHost
The same for the next NetBios (substituting _NS for_DGM)
As you see they are blocked by OP but still showing in logs.
The two screenshots were taken at the same time.
Hello again David
I must apologise to RISC OS asI seem to have taken over his thread with an unrelated matter.
I will keep my comments brief and will await your arrival this evening with your settings for comparison with mine.
I do have all the settings as required or suggested.
Am aware that Gibson's site is a bit aged on that subject but wanted your idea anyway as another XP Home user.
Again ,sorry RISC OS and others.
Hello David
see you got my email address but did you also get the email message?
RISC OS is trying to direct me to a setting for Network Connections but I am at a lost.Is this the same as in my screen shot?If not ,Could you indicate how to get there please?
Any of you know why my network isn't working?
I have a LAN all ready setup 2k to 2K I want to add my lap top to the lan too but none of the 2K pcs can access my laptop and my laptop can't access my lan.
How do you set up lan with XP?
Hi again RISC OS,
Here is another link that gives details on adding an XP PC to an existing LAN. Information on XP Home and XP Pro is provided.
MusicXP.net > Home::
Advice and guidance on optimizing Windows XP for professional audio and music applications.
http://www.musicxp.net/HOME |
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/addxp.htm
I hope this helps. By the way, PracticallyNetworked is an excellent site for all kinds of info. If you have time, look it over. You won't be disappointed!
For more information on the "crippled" nature of XP Home, see the following PC Mag article on how sharing and permissions are implemented in XP Home.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,2741,00.asp
As you can see, XP Home is different from all other Microsoft implementations.
Hi Tommie,
Sorry, I had to go get lunch.
It is very strange that you still see NetBIOS in your logs as it seems that you have clearly followed the instructions that I gave to disable NetBIOS on Windows XP. I guess that I can only offer the following comments at the moment.
1. Reboot your system after you make the changes to your Network Settings to disable NetBIOS.
2. Make sure that you have 'File and Printer Sharing' disabled.
3. Make sure that under the Outpost menu Options -> System that 'Allow NetBIOS Communication is NOT checked.
4. Currently it seems that you have NetBIOS connections or connection attempts showing up in your 'Outgoing' logs. To be safe, make sure that the NetBIOS items also show up in your 'Blocked' connections log of Outpost.
As I said, I am confused about why NetBIOS is still showing up in your logs. I will check my system when I arrive home this evening and if I find anything interesting about my settings, I will post the information here. I may post my configuration anyway so that you can compare it to your Network Configuration on XP.
P.S. I have no idea about Steve Gibson's unbinder. And, I am not even sure that the steps he lists apply to XP. It has been some time since I read this portion of his site, but I do not think it has been updated to reflect methods for eliminating NetBIOS on more modern operating systems. However, although the steps may have changed with the new operating systems, Steve Gibson's general strategy of network bindings would still apply.
I think that if I have to re-install it again I can use the same code. All I have to do before installing office and running it would be to set my system clock to the date I installed it.Good investigating!
Not any more! Loads of call centre companies (even big co.s like BT) here are setting up their operators in foreign countries like India because they can pay them less.....Very interesting!
It's abit annoying I have to do this :(, I paid for Office, I should be able to install it on the lap top as often as I want. Also it's been my experience that M$ only provide a free phone number for people in the US. Everyone else has to pay ....
Well, we've got casual copiers and software pirates to thank for that! In South Africa, the calls are toll free and everytime I've phoned I seem to end up with a MS operator in the UK (the English accent is obvious)! I'll have a look at the EULA.
Hi Tommie,
If you still have NetBIOS showing up in your logs, it is difficult to believe that you have actually disabled it. I just followed the instructions in this thread and I do not have NetBIOS ports listening or showing up in my Oupost logs. Please view these instructions and verify that you have disabled NetBIOS on your system. I also use XP Home.
http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3976
On another note, we have chatted before and I just wanted to say that I hope that your experiences with Outpost have been good ones so far. Have a nice day Tommie and please reply back if that thread does not help you. :)
RISC OS
Did you try using TweakUI XP to disable the "extra" icons on the start panel and in My Computer?
Don't worry about taking over this thread tommie_tt, its titled just 'XP' so anything to do with XP's OK.
I like XP so much I think I may install it on my Desktop too and get rid of 2K. I tried re-installing it on my laptop to see if I got asked to provide any registration details which I heard people say you have to do with XP but I haven't had to do this, it didn't ask for any special code and comes pre-registered to me. I guess dell have already registered the copy, so I figure as it's pre-registered I won't have any problems putting it on my desktop.
If you go into the control panel and open Network connections, the network connections window has an extra menu item called Advanced. Select Advanced -> Advanced Settings...' and a window will apear with al your network connections. You can then toggle check boxes to bind/unbind protocols. This seems the easiest way to me to diable filesharing on connections.
My only problem now is some bloody feature called Auto Dial. I've told it countless times not to auto dial, but at evrey logon I get asked to connect to my brothers PC via a dial up connection (my default for Internet). How do you disable it perm., I don't want it to keep trying to dial (which is odd as my prothers pc is accessed over LAN).
Hello RISCO OS
Greetings my friend and thanks for the reassurance about the posting on the thread.
I would have replied sooner but was awaiting David's reply with his settings.
Welcome to the XP Home 'club' :)
To disable my Auto Dial feature I went into the Registry-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE,searched for the AUTO Dial among those and deleted it!But be careful NOT to delete --
Dialler.You already know how to exercise caution in the Registry I hope!
It will surprise you to hear that when I go to Network settings and look for advanced I get a blank screen!It mark (empty)!!I believed it is a result of my aggresive deleting earlier when I didn't know any better!Whatever, I no longer have a Network Connections there.
Thank you for your help Taco, much appreciated :)
It was my fault the lan wasn't working. I forgot to give the networkcard a fixed IP. :o
Hi Tommie,
Got the message, to the e-mail address, created the GIFS, created an instructional text file, zipped them, and sent them. All you need to know should be in the e-mail. You can reply to that e-mail address if you have any more questions. :)
Have a great weekend Tommie. :)
Well there was free number except it wasn't valid, I asked the operator how much it would cost to dial and got told it wasn't even a valid number. So I had to dial the national rate line :mad:
I got my code, it was all automated and took less then 5 minutes. I think I may be able to install it again without problems. When you register by phone a screen in a wizard shows you what date it is and what code to give the operator. I think this code must be date based as next to the bit displaying todays date is an option to set the date to another date and time. So I made a note of my date and and the code to give the operator, and just for safety sake I took a snapshot of the window too.
I tried closing the wizard at this point and seeing if the number it generated was affected by the number of times I had run an office app without registering, I have 50 times before registration is mandatory. The code when I had 48 use left was the same as when I had 49 so it's probably just generated partly by the date. I have a copy of the code given to me by M$ when I spoke to there registration machine.
I think that if I have to re-install it again I can use the same code. All I have to do before installing office and running it would be to set my system clock to the date I installed it.
Hello David
Here is a screen shot of the NetBios off according to the information on that thread and this has been like that for ages.I had it like this from advice in a magazine soon after starting the system in January.
Also have NetBios disabled in OP as seen in other threads here.I have very diligently followed all advice gleaned from this forum and other sites because I want to see my protection like other peoples'.If they are able to stop NetBIOS from appearing in their logs and I am having the same system I want to erase mine also!
And thanks for your help again.Yes ,My experience with Op is very good and I'm learning to appreciate it more each day!
Hello David
Thanks for your reply I just missed you last night!
Email address sent.I already have the same settings as your screen shot shows.
I think the problem lies in my configuration somewhere.The thing is a one by one approach which cannot be done on this Forum or thread.
This shot is for RISC OS....
Originally posted by Mark
Office XP activation is similar to Windows XP activation and can be done via the internet very easily. You don't need to supply any personal information if you don't wish to. If you reinstall Office XP you may not be able to activate it again over the internet and then you simply call the toll free number, explain to the operator why you are reactivating the product and give him/her the code supplied by Office XP when you attempt to reactivate. You, in turn, are given a key to type in the appropriate place and your copy is then reactivated. It's all simple and painless in my experience.
It's abit annoying I have to do this :(, I paid for Office, I should be able to install it on the lap top as often as I want. Also it's been my experience that M$ only provide a free phone number for people in the US. Everyone else has to pay, I guess that's why more and more European and Asian countries are switching to Linux, if only they could make Linux as easy to use as XP with the same nice interface, I'd give up on M$ tomorrow :) well except for games ;)
I read somewhere that if you actually read the eulas in M$ products your discover that your actually only renting microsoft products, you don't actually own them. Anyone know anything about this?
Originally posted by Mark
Have you tried deleting the AOL stuff by right-clicking on the offending items and selecting delete?
Yes, I got rid of the AOL stuff, but they added icons to My computer so there must be away for me to do the same.
Hi Tommie,
I have your e-mail address and will begin getting screenshots of all my network configurations tonight. I will send them by e-mail when I am finished.
Talk to you later Tommie. :)
Hi RISC OS,
First, you may have problems with XP Home in a LAN setup. If you can upgrade to XP Pro, I'd highly recommend that you do so. Home is somewhat crippled with respect to networking. The following network comments apply to XP Pro (I do not have a running version of XP Home). Nevertheless, If you are having trouble accessing the XP laptop, here are some suggestions that may help. Be sure to disable XP's Internet Connection Firewall (I'm sure you have already done this but to be safe I'm mentioning it for completeness).
Also turn off "Simple File Sharing". I know this sounds weird but it is necessary. NOTE: this is not an option for XP Home! The following link discusses this:
http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?PR=1&scid=kb;en-us;Q307874
Make sure that the XP computer is in the same Workgroup (or Domain) as your W2K PCs. It also helps if you set the logon on all LAN PCs to the same value.
Here are some other Windows XP Tips you may find of use:
1. After XP activation, find the wpa.dbl file in the system32 folder and copy it to a safe backup place. If you have to reformat or reinstall just copy it back and you're up and running without having to reactivate the software.
2. Check to see if you're already activated by:
Start-->Run--> "oobe/msoobe /a" without the quotation marks.
3. One of the best configuration tools is hidden! To run the Local Group Policy Editor:
Start-->Run--> "gpedit.msc" without the quotation marks.
4. New renaming feature:
Select several files at once in Explorer. Press F2 and rename one of the files; all the selected files will get renamed to the new name plus a number added to the end.
When you want to free some memory on XP you can swith of some of the services. A good "lineup" of services that can be switched of can be found on the Techspot site (http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/winxp_services/index.shtml) (well, a lot of reading there but very interesting).
Also take a look at XP anti spy (http://www.xp-antispy.de/) that let's you disable some built-in update and authetication 'features' in WindowsXP.
Not yet, but I found the options window for setting up the start menu had an option to remove the manufacturers icon.
This worked and I unistaled AOL.
Originally posted by Mark
the English accent is obvious Not any more! Loads of call centre companies (even big co.s like BT) here are setting up their operators in foreign countries like India because they can pay them less. They go to such extremes that they teach them to speak in an English accent, they will even get them to follow football and cricket so that they can ask people calling them if they 'saw the football match last night' and so on to make it seem more like they are in England. The operators have to follow UK politics too, there must be alot of bored phone operators in India!
They mask the number you are actually dialing, so you dial a number thinking it's in the UK and it gets patched through to whatever country the call centre is in (although of course you don't get charged at International rate).
RISC OS,
To answer some of your questions.
In my opinion, most of the bad rap Windows XP gets is pure hearsay. I prefer to make up my own mind. I've used XP for about ten months now and, on my system, I've found it to be faster and more stable than Windows 2000.
The Windows "classic" interface doesn't use the new MS Visual Styles at all and looks a lot like the old Windows 2000 or Me interface. This interface uses less memory but, in my experience, use of the new Luna style doesn't involve a noticeable performance hit.
Office XP activation is similar to Windows XP activation and can be done via the internet very easily. You don't need to supply any personal information if you don't wish to. If you reinstall Office XP you may not be able to activate it again over the internet and then you simply call the toll free number, explain to the operator why you are reactivating the product and give him/her the code supplied by Office XP when you attempt to reactivate. You, in turn, are given a key to type in the appropriate place and your copy is then reactivated. It's all simple and painless in my experience.
Office XP can be installed on your Windows 2000 machine but you'll probably need an additional licence (not sure here). You won't be able to activate it on a second computer without calling Microsoft.
Have you tried deleting the AOL stuff by right-clicking on the offending items and selecting delete?
Perhaps the small FAT partition is a hidden boot partition.
Enjoy the new laptop!
Regards,
Mark
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