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A quick guide to cleaning out a Windows install

By Liam, December 1, 2005

Chances are that you, being a tech geek, have been or will be called upon to clean out someone’s gunked-up Windows PC. This tutorial will help you do so with relative ease. You will need these tools:

You may want to have an XP machine of your own to test and familiarize yourself with each of the applications.

It also helps to have (in case of extreme measures):

  • A couple CD-RWs or a USB thumb drive
  • The original XP CD that came with the patient’s computer
  • Experience with formatting and reinstalling XP

The first thing you want to do is reboot into safe mode.  Hold F8 before the XP bootscreen appears, or click Start>Run, type in msconfig and hit enter, select the BOOT.INI tab, and check /SAFEMODE.

Install all of the applications under their account, and run Avast!, MS Antispyware, Ad-Aware/ Spybot/ Whatever else, and CCleaner, optimally in that order. Also run Disk defragmenter and Disk Cleanup, then restart into normal mode, and if the problem is still there, be prepared to either look up that specific problem on the internet, or reinstall.

Make sure you have…
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LyX RoX

By moreApple, November 30, 2005

As in Pages, you don't have to manually configure text size and other variables. Writing a business letter or term paper is as simple as editing a pre-built template. Voilà!

Your next complex writing project just got easier thanks to LyX, a free LaTeX/TeX editor. Unlike its ancestors, it’s not just for mathematical writing.  In fact, it’s more of a page layout app like Apple’s Pages.  I am writing this piece in it right now.

LyX is 100% free GPL software.

LyX in Mac OS X looks good and does not require X11. The graphical interface is straightforward, so I skipped most documentation and have done OK learning by doing. For example, I learned I can add cover art and illustrations in a term paper or book through the Graphics item in the Insert menu. There’s a LyX plugin for Spotlight compatability too.

As in Pages, you don’t have to manually configure text size and other variables. Writing a business letter or term paper is as simple as editing a pre-built template. Voilà!

You can use a simple template to write a book, complete with table of contents and an index list. For the index, you highlight a few or a lot of the most important terms and the software will automatically index them. This is great for helping readers find the keyword they were looking for in your text; and I didn’t expect to generate such a professional-looking report so easily.

Beware if you’re downloading LyX for a Windows box. The download has support files that take up a few hundred megabytes. I think Ubuntu carries this program in its online software library and it should be as simple as…
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Now available: Comments on features

By Arden, November 30, 2005

As with news and blog entries, comments are now available for reviews, interviews, tutorials (once we get some...), and the geek ___ of the week entries.  Unlike news and blogs, they will be available for 60 days after being posted instead of 30.


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Rumor Mill: Mac mini to Morph into Mega Media Machine?

By Nick, November 28, 2005

I love alliteration. I also love following Apple rumors, so when I can work the two into one headline, I feel I’ve done my job.

Either way, Think Secret reports that Apple is ready to stage a full assault on the living room and release a version of the Mac mini to become Apple’s true media center PC. The new Mac mini is reported to have a new version of Front Row, a “TiVo-killer” DVR, and the long-rumored built-in iPod dock. A move to larger 3.5” hard drives is also possible. The miniature media Mac would be unveiled at January’s Macworld Expo.

Many multimedia Mac mavens have already made monumental Mac mini media centers, such as this magical multimedia marvel.

Okay, I’ll stop with the alliteration now.


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DT community update: 28 November 2005

By Nick, November 28, 2005

Here are some of the latest forum discussionas and Soapbox posts:

What’s Wrong With View Options, and How To Fix It: DT member Stridey discusses one aspect of the Finder in dire need of improvement. [Soapbox]

LCD (which?) or iMac G5?: Help Bryan decide what to buy! [Forum]

Using OS 9!: Discuss a blast from the past! [forum]

Virtual PC: Exuding the virtues of running Windows on a Mac. [forum]

You must be a registered member to reply the forum topics or post a Community Soapbox entry. Register now--it’s free!


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