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Using Acronis True Image to Back Up to DVD’s

terry — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:49:38 +0000

In a recent article about how I use Acronis True Image to back up of my computer, I wrote about using Acronis True Image to make an image of my C: drive (my C: partition) to an external drive or to another computer, so that I can reinstall it in its entirety. This saves me from having to reinstall Windows, find all my device driver disks, find all my program disks and reinstall the programs, locating and installing all the add-ons that I want to use in Firefox, and many more such tedious tasks.

In a comment on my Terry’s Computer Tips blog, a subscriber requested that I write about how to use Acronis True Image to back up to CDROM’s or to DVD’s, as many people don’t have home networks.

Rather than recreate all the images that are common between the “Schedule Task Wizard” (which I used last week) and the “Create Backup Wizard” that I’m using for the DVD example, I’m just changing the images that are different. (it doesn’t make sense to me to use the scheduler for DVD backups, since I wouldn’t be there to change DVD’s when needed.)

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Using Multiple Tabs in Firefox

terry — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:33:32 +0000

Opera was the first web browser to offer its users multiple tabs, so that we could have multiple web pages open within one browser window. Well, I think it was the first — it was certainly the first one I found. I loved that feature.

The latest browser to add tabs is Internet Explorer 7, which has implemented tab functions similar to those of Opera, and only a small portion of the functionality that Firefox has.

In IE7, if you hover over a link or bookmark and click your mouse’s scroll button, the new link will open in a new tab. That’s the same thing that happens in Opera. It also happens in Firefox, but Firefox can do more, too.

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Accessing and Reading Usenet Newsgroups

terry — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:00:03 +0000

Reader Greg H. wrote recently to ask for help solving his inability to access the Usenet newsgroups on Verison’s servers.

For those not familiar with Usenet newsgroups, think of them as a mailing list type of system that has been around for well over 25 years. Rather than emails sent to our computers, though, the postings stored in special servers at the Internet Service Providers or at companies that specialize in serving newsgroups (I use GigaNews as my Usenet newsgroups provider).

The postings to the newsgroups are readable by special newsreader software, but some more ubiquitous software like Outlook Express, Opera and Netscape also read newsgroups. They’re also readable via Google Groups, as are other groups that are available only via Google Groups.

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Security versus the Open Wireless Network

terry — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:25:44 +0000

After a recent email newsletter article on securing your wireless network, Clif (of the Clif Notes Newsletter that I enjoy) wrote to yank my leg a little and to ask:

Hi Terry,

I appreciate your tips on securing the router. Most of the wifis in my neighborhood are wide open. That’s nice when my cable goes out and my neighbor’s dsl is still running … I just hop on the neighbor’s wifi for a quick ride. Do you think I should tell them?

I use a different method to secure my wifi. I use a “trusted stations” list in my router that only allows PCs with a MAC address that I’ve entered there. My network looks wide open, but they can’t log onto it.

How does that sound?

Clif

Clif already knows my thoughts about open networks and why they should be closed — that’s why he included a grinning smiley face. While an open wireless network can be handy for use by others, there are security risks for both the network operator and the person connecting through the open network.

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Backing Up Your Files

terry — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:25:33 +0000

EJ wrote to ask about backing up his computer:

Terry, what program do you use to back up your files

I use two programs routinely.

First, every evening, I use Karen’s Replicator (www.karenware.com, free for personal, non-business use) to copy my data files to another computer across my home network. Not only does this give me a backup copy in case of the inevitable, accidental error (such as editing a file, saving it, and then realizing that I forgot to save it with a different file name), it also gives me a backup in case of a failure of my hard drive.

Replicator lets me set up multiple tasks and specify the day of the week and the time for them to be performed. If I set several for the same time, they will run in the order listed.

I also use Replicator to make a backup of certain files on my hard drive to another location on my hard drive. This gives me an easily accessible copy for that brain-freeze error.

Then, on a weekly basis, I use Acronis True Image Home 11 to make an image of my C: drive. I have True Image set to store that image on another computer on my home network.

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Creating a Home Computer Network

terry — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:54:44 +0000

If you don’t already have a home computer network and want to set up one, it’s easy. In fact, it’s so easy that I recommend that ANYONE using a high-speed Internet connection should use a router for the added security that it gives their computer.

A wired or wireless router (wireless routers normally have 4 wired Ethernet ports, also, in addition to being able to communicate wirelesly) is pretty much a plug-and-play device.

Most of the time, you don’t really need the directions provided with the cable/dsl wired or wireless router, except for configuring wireless security settings — or if you have a DSL connection.

If you have a cable Internet connection (at home) or an Ethernet connection (at home in some areas…

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Choosing to Send Plain Text or HTML in Outlook Emails

terry — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:27:33 +0000

One of the first things many people do, when they find that Outlook will let them use different fonts and stationery in their emails, is to start experimenting.

While personal friends may think these are cute, we quickly realize that many others don’t want to all the glitz and glitter — they read emails and mailing lists for information. In some cases, the email programs display all the formatting codes in addition to the text we wrote, so the message effectively becomes unreadable. By he way, these emails are formatted using HTML (the language of web browsers like Internet Explorer) by default.

Fortunately, Outlook allows us to easily…

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VIPRE Does Vista!

terry — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:54:20 +0000

Sunbelt Software’s VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware does Windows Vista — not just Vista home, not just Vista 32-bit. VIPRE does Vista!

According to the VIPRE requirements page, it supports the following operating systems:
# Windows 2000 SP4 RollUp 1
# Windows Server 2003
# Windows Server 2008
# Windows XP SP1, SP2, SP3 (Home, Pro, Media Center, Tablet) 32 and 64-bit
# Windows Vista+ (All flavors) 32 and 64-bit

Read my review of VIPRE or click here for more information

Adding a Computer to an Existing Home Network

terry — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:39:32 +0000

OK, you have a new computer and you’ve made the decision to keep your old computer, and you want your spouse and children to be able to do email and surf the web without demanding your computer.

Let’s assume you already have an existing home computer network — if you don’t, the first article in this week’s online newsletter is for you…

There are two basic ways that computers on home networks can get the IP addresses and other network data they need in order to communicate with each other: we can enter the data into the configuration screens, if we want to use static (unchanging) IP addresses, or we can set the router to assign IP addresses dynamically using DHCP.

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Speeding Up the Windows Boot Process

terry — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:37:15 +0000

I recently made some boot changes to a notebook computer that resulted in a remarkable increase in the boot speed.

It was a small, light Sony — one of the 12-inch monitor models.

Tech Humor
With notebooks, you can get small, light, fast and cheap.
Pick any two…

In this particular case, the notebook took 4.5 minutes to boot, and it’s owner wanted it to be much faster.

I referred to my favorite tool to get his boot process under control — Winpatrol Plus.

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