Recent content by AlexWade

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    Best Freeware Backup Software for External HD

    SyncToy 2.0.
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    What is the best Anti-Virus software?

    I find that Norton does a good job of detecting viruses but a pitiful job detecting malware. Even with Norton 2009, I've seen computers loaded with scareware and spyware. The same with McAfee, except McAfee is a bloated and slow. McAfee had the brilliant idea of replacing the efficient Microsoft...
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    Any way to extract recorded programming from my Cable Box DVR?

    I have the exact same DVR. There is no way to get the file off. The SA8300HD uses an unique file system not recognized by Windows. I never tried in Linux. You can transfer them. However, the FireWire interface only works on unencrypted channels and you really need a Mac otherwise the FireWire...
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    what's the easiest way to back up my files?

    Try Microsoft's SyncToy. It does not back up the registry, but it works great for backing up documents. And best of all, its free! I use it to back up to a network hard drive nightly. SyncToy has several options, but the one I use is to mirror the changes on my local hard drive. SyncToy then...
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    Problem playing videos from CBS.com

    Do you have any ad-blocking going on with your router or security software? If you do, it does block videos.
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    Got a bad virus, how screwed am I?

    If you can't access antivirus sites, you have a rootkit. Download the sysinternals.com rootkit revealer, print the results, and google the suspicious ones. To be most accurate, don't use your computer while using rootkit revealer because if something gets deleted or modified, it shows up and...
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    XP OEM reinstall questions

    The thing about Windows XP is that OEM keys are only good on OEM discs. The same for retail and upgrade versions. There is one file that specifies all this information. It is the \i386\setupp.ini file. Read this link and you may be able to fix your problem...
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    In your opinion, which was a bigger jump in terms of wow factor and quality?

    VHS to DVD. Mainly because VHS tapes slowly degraded over time and with DVD its all-or-nothing for its quality. I made the mistake of buying an older movie on HD DVD, specifically Apollo 13 which wasn't that old. The improvement in picture quality was so slight that I had to pause the movie...
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    HDMI cable scam.

    Monster is so full of crap. I want them to explain to me how you can improve an all-or-nothing signal.
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    Car Dealerships

    http://www.beatthecarsalesman.com/ I love that website. The best part is the guilt trip some dealers put on him. Some of these dealers act like it is one of the 7 deadly sins to haggle. Just remember that a cornered animal is the most dangerous one. These guys have been exposed, and like a...
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    Car head unit reviews

    I love my Pioneer head unit. What I like best about it is the Premier series has "Premier" displayed boldly, but Pioneer is hard to find. Who wants to steal a Premier brand of car stereo? That sounds like a Wal-Mart brand. As another perk, the Premier series has a longer warranty, higher pre-amp...
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    Who's owned a convertible?

    I have a Nissan 350z roadster. I love it. When the temperatures are just right, there is no greater joy in driving that with the top down. I found with my Z that I get better gas mileage with my top off than with it on, even when I'm not running the AC. Therefore, unless it is 80+ or 65-...
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    I'm reasonably certain Fox is trying to singlehandedly destroy Blu-Ray

    Hmm ... Well, Fox was a hair-trigger away from dumping Blu-Ray for HD DVD, but the BDA bribe got the better of them. However, Fox is not trying to make Blu-Ray fail, Fox is just being Fox. That is to say, being stupid. Remember, this is the same Fox that canceled Futurama and Firefly, two of the...
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    AMD's Webcast Phenom II "Deneb"

    The more I read about Phenom II, the more I like. I've already decided against the Core i7 due to lack of funds. I was just waiting for the official release of Denab before I went with the Core 2 Quad or Phenom II. Of course, I want to see a benchmark on Anandtech before I decide.
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    IRQL_less_than_or_not_equal errors

    If you are having problems POST-ing, I would start with a BIOS update if one is available. Then I would suspect your motherboard could be dying. But the memory or hard drive can be dying too. I would backup the critical data right away. Did you run chkdsk yet? STOP 0x7A means Windows failed...