Subscribe RSS

Archive for the ‘Offline’ Category

How to use a split archive over multiple hard drives

April 18th, 2011 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | No Comments | Filed in How Tos, Offline, Tech

This is something I’d wondered about for quite a while, and wasn’t able to do until now!

With Windows 7 there are a number of changes to how folders work.  You are now able to make ‘symbolic’ folder links among other cool things.

This allows you to congregate files from multiple locations and have windows recognize them as actually being in a location different than the one they are actually in (for example if you have a split archive with different parts on different hard drives you’d be able to make a “symbolic folder” to view them as if they were all on the same hard drive).

  1. You’ll need a tool called Link Shell Extension.  This will add shell context menus to your right click context menus in Windows Explorer (giving you an option to make Symbolic Links and folders etc).   While this feature is new in windows 7 it is kind of buried and you would normally need to use the command line to utilize it.  Link Shell Extension provides a graphical front end to make this tool more useable in everyday situations.
  2. Second of all, you will need to create a target folder to “paste” your symbolic links into, so Windows will be “tricked” into thinking that your files are actually there.  I guess that’s the best way of explaining it.
  3. After creating your target folder wherever, navigate back to where your file is actually stored, and then right click and select Pick Link Source.
  4. Navigate to your target folder and select Drop As and then select Junction (this was in instructions for linking folders; for your files you may need to try other options).
  5. In your target folder you will see your file again with a little overlay icon. 
  6. Repeat for all other parts of your archive.

Thanks to unifex from SevenForums.com for providing me with this knowledge!

Share

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hilarious Scam I got in the Actual Snail MAIL!

October 1st, 2010 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 3 Comments | Filed in Offline

We got a wierd letter in the mail from, of all places, Tanzania!

I opened it up to find a typical hilarious scam email.  It’s one thing to recieve spam in your email inbox, but it’s another thing to recieve it in the actual physical snail mail!

And it’s complete with the usual typos and everything (*facepalm*).  You’d expect if they were paying all the money for this postage they’d work on their sales pitch at least a little!

Let’s hope some gullible person doesn’t fall for this crap!

Share

Tags: , , , ,

Get a GNOME look in Windows XP

December 17th, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 5 Comments | Filed in Offline

GNOME is a popular *NIX desktop environment, which has a very soft, simple, and user-friendly interface many have tried to emulate.  It is possible to get GNOME themes for Windows XP by using a hacked uxtheme.dll file.

Let’s install our hacked DLL file:

  1. Download a small tool called Replacer. Let’s extract Replacer to the desktop.
  2. Run the file replacer.cmd
  3. Open up C:\Windows\system32 and find uxtheme.dll. Drag the file into the command prompt window. Hit enter.
  4. Drag that unlocked uxtheme.dll file you found earlier into the command prompt window.  Hit enter.
  5. Agree to replace the file, and when the tool finishes, restart your computer.

Done!  Now lets get some awesome GNOME visual styles.

To install these styles, extract them to (C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes).  The name of the msstyles file should match the name of the folder it’s in.

Enjoy your newly skinned Windows XP!

wingnomexp

Share

Tags: , , , ,

Screenshots in Mac OS X

October 18th, 2009 by Austin McBrine-Ellis | No Comments | Filed in How Tos, Offline, Tech

A great feature of Mac OS X is the Screenshot feature.  It is more highly developed than Window’s rudimentary Print Screen, and the combinations in which you can use it make the possibilities endless. This does not need any download what so ever, which is great!

Here’s the 3 screenshot keystrokes for Mac OS X.  All of the screenshots you take will show up on your desktop.

  1. This takes  picture of your whole screen (does the same thing as Print Screen, but I think it’s superior because it saves the file at the same time instead of just copying it to the clipboard).
    Apple Key + Shift + 3
  2. Select an custom sized area by dragging with the mouse – select any area of your desktop.
    Apple Key + Shift + 4
  3. Your cursor will appear as a camera.  It takes pictures of the blue selected area that shows up when you hover over certain items.  It’s very handy for taking a picture of just one window or a certain area of the screen.
    Apple Key + Shift + 4 + Space
Share

Tags: ,

Fast Dial – Clone of Opera’s Speed Dial

May 29th, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 4 Comments | Filed in Apps, Offline, Tech

Fast Dial displays a list of thumbnails of your favorite sites in new tabs.  It is a sleek, easy way to access you favorite sites with each new tab you open.  Opera, an excellent browser, first pioneered this feature, along with it’s famous sidebar.  Opera’s Speed Dial looks a bit different from Fast dial, but Fast Dial still gets the job done.  Fast Dial also has a little search box at the top of the page, which is a nice added touch.

Download Fast Dial

Share

Tags: , , , ,

Flash in Firefox without Admin Privileges

May 20th, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 6 Comments | Filed in Apps, How Tos, Offline, Tech

If you’re trying to either install Adobe Flash into a Firefox install on a computer you don’t have admin rights on, or install it into Portable Firefox, then you’re probably having trouble.  The solution is relatively simple considering Adobe Flash runs off of only just two files!  Just copy those files and you’re set.

Download the flash installer, then use a program such as WinRAR or PeaZip to “extract the .EXE file”.

Then find the files flashplayer.xpt and NPSWF32.dll which you already extracted, and copy those to the folder Moziilla Firefox/plugins.

Restart Firefox, and it’s really as simple as that!

Another option if for some reason this doesn’t work though it should, is to download this extension and install it inside firefox: http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/xpi/current/flashplayer-win.xpi

Share

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Introducing Sandboxie: a complete testbed solution

April 18th, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 5 Comments | Filed in Apps, Offline, Tech
Sandboxie Screenshot

Sandboxie Control

Sandboxie is an all-in one solution to trying out stuff on your computer that you don’t trust at all.  It is a brilliant idea, because it basically acts as a middleman between your PC and any programs and applications that are running on it, and it runs them inside a restricted environment, while still allowing regular interaction with the operating system.

This is a definite alternative to the virtual machine I have been using for years, and I’ll probably switch over due to the speed of not having to emulate a whole computer.

A brilliant idea overall!

Download it now! (Freeware)

Share

Instant Boss: The Perfect Work and Break Alarm

March 25th, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 4 Comments | Filed in Apps, Offline, Tech

Instant Boss, my new favorite app for the time being, is great for procrastinators and the easily distracted (myself, in other words).

It is the perfect solution to people who get distracted and are constantly thinking about something other than their work – thus creating the perfect solution – work for ten minutes, then a window pops up and says Take a Break.

Watch out now – the boss is coming ;)

This is good because it gives you a visual notification that pops up and reminds you.  One feature could be a firewall that blocks all except work sites until the break ;) .

Other than that, this is a great neat little too that is good for when you are doing work sessions – at work, or at home!

(App made in Borland Delphi)

Share

Tags: , , , , ,

Kernel Panic when mounting DMGs in OSX86

February 27th, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 8 Comments | Filed in How Tos, Offline, Tech

The way to fix this is if you have 10.5.6, then download the seatbelt.kext from the 10.5.5 release then this will probably fix it!

I experienced this problem with iDeneb 1.4, and this easily fixed the problem.

Thanks to Pere from uphuck.ggrn.de forums for link to solution!

Share

Tags: , , , , , ,

Cracked LegitLibM.dll for Windows Media Player 11

February 3rd, 2009 by Connor McBrine-Ellis | 56 Comments | Filed in How Tos, Offline, Online, Tech

Still having trouble downloading Windows Media Player??  Here’s how to download and install it easily.

Download Windows Media Player 11 here without any WGA validation requests.

After doing that, you have your Windows Media Player Installer.  Install a program like WinRAR and then right click on the WMP installer and click on ‘Extract To’.

more

Now open the new wmp11 folder that appears, not the original .exe.

The folder will look like this (the important files are circled):

more2

You need to replace LegitLibM.dll with the cracked one.  Download the cracked LegitLibM.dll and then drag it into the directory.  Windows will ask you if you really want to replace the file – replace it.

more21
more3

Click yes to replace it, and then go into the folder and launch setup_wm.exe as you saw in the above folder picture.

Enjoy Windows Media Player 11!

Share

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,