I’ve been using ImageShack’s image hosting service for years. It’s really one of the easiest to use and it’s also free. If you set up a free account, all the images you upload will be kept there for you and they are fairly easy to search and categorize using tags.
A common use of their hosting service might be to upload your photos to share with your friends and family. Instead of attaching a large group of photos to an email, it’s better to upload them and include links to them. You can even link to a slideshow that nicely displays your photos.
I most commonly use their service here in my websites, because it’s easier to upload to ImageShack than it is to my own sites. Many of the pictures you see at Freewarewiki are hosted by ImageShack.
ImageShack also provides a good selection of tools that make uploading photos and images from your desktop or browser much easier. I recently tried out the QuickShot tool that ImageShack offers. It allows you to take screenshots of your display or open applications, then automatically uploads them and sends an image link to your Windows clipboard for easy pasting.
ImageShack QuickShot integrates with Windows XP, 2000, or 2003 and allows you to take a screenshot and upload it to ImageShack with the press of a key!
QuickShot is great for documenting application features and making up tutorials that need to be published online.
If you decide to try out ImageShack, be sure to check out the other nice tools they provide there. Here’s a list of them as displayed on their tools page:
About two years ago, a friend of mine accidentally reformatted a hard drive. He had over 5 gigs of music files from dozens of CDs that he'd collected over the years. He was sad, and I had no advice to give him.
If I could travel back in time, I could at least have offered some hope for him. It's possible to recover entire file systems that have been reformatted. I recently read about a recovery utility called TestDisk on the Windows Secrets Newsletter (paid version). Fred Langa, formerly the author of the LangaList passed on a tip from one of his readers that told how he saved over $400 in repair costs by using TestDisk.
I found out that I've had a copy of TestDisk for a long time and never knew it. It's included as a tool on several Live CDs including one or my favorites called GParted. A fellow named Herman has written a great How-To page on using TestDisk.
I haven't used this program yet and I hope I never have to. I wrote about TestDisk in the hope that it may stick in your mind if you ever have to recover a reformatted hard drive.
Quote from the authors:
TestDisk is a powerful free data recovery software! It was primarily designed to help recover lost partitions and/or make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software, certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally deleting a Partition Table). Partition table recovery using TestDisk is really easy.
If you love to organize files and menus on your computer, you can’t avoid using shortcuts. And if you have lots of shortcuts, you sometimes need to find out what a shortcut is actually pointing to (it’s target). You simply can’t remember them all.
Shortcut Keys
I’d gotten pretty darn quick at finding targets for shortcuts by clicking on a shortcut and hitting the Context Menu key then the R key. That’s the same as right clicking on the shortcut and choosing “Properties”, but it’s actually faster because the right click seems to have a delay built in.
+ R
Once you have a shortcut’s properties displayed, you can pick the “Find Target” button to find out what the shortcut is pointing to.
= ALT + F
And if you really want to get fancy, after you’ve hit the Context then R key you can also hold down the Alt key and press F to open up the Find Target button.
Now that you know how I open up the Find Target quickly, I can tell you that there’s an even better way, maybe even two ways.
OpenTarget vs Windows Powertoys
There’s a cute little program out there called OpenTarget, which adds an item to the right click menu for shortcuts.
Quote from the author:
… probably the most pointless shell extension in history: OpenTarget. The major idea is to extend the default context menu of shortcuts to include (you guessed it) "Open Target Folder".
The shortcut target is now selected when Explorer is launched
Made verb configurable, so you can either Open or Explore
After finding OpenTarget, I ran into another utility that does the same thing and it’s been around since Windows 95. The Windows 95 Powertoys collection has a DLL and INF file that allow you to install a “Target” section in the shortcut right click menu. When you install it, you can right click on a shortcut, expand the Target menu and choose “Open Container” to go where that target is stored.
At first, I thought that the Cut, Copy and other items in the sub menu were just a repeat of the ones further down in the main menu. Then I realized that they only act on the target of the shortcut. Now that could be handy.
Installing this Powertoy is a bit tricky, but I’ll break it down for you.
Have you ever needed to have multiple synchronized copies of the same folder or files on your PC? I'll admit, it's rare that I need this and most often it's easier to simply create shortcuts to files and folders. It's also easy to copy a folder or files and place it somewhere else, but how can you keep the all the copies updated if a file changes?
There are plenty of free sync tools out there that allow you to synchronize files and folders on a hard drive, but there is an easier way. I'm guessing that most of you have never heard of symbolic links (Unix/Linux) or hard links (Windows NT, 2000, XP, Vista).
Ever since Windows NT came out, you can create hard links to files and folders. These hard links make it look like you have multiple copies of files or folders when in fact they are only stored in one location. This saves file space and it means that you don't have to run file synchronizer software to keep all the copies updated. The only problem is that you can normally only create these links using command line tools. I don't like using the command window unless it's absolutely necessary.
I found a Windows shell extension called Hard Link Shell Extension that lets you right click on files and folders to create hard links. You can read more about it below.
Tip 1: Please note that this only works on a single hard drive. If you need to sync files between hard drives, see these free folder sync utilities. If you need to sync files between computers, I recommend DropBox, Windows Live Sync or similar services.
Tip 2: If you are using DropBox to synchronize files between computers over the internet, you may find that Hard Link Shell Extension is very handy.
Have you ever wanted to create hardlinks as it was possible with Unix, but not from the commandline but from the Explorer simply by right clicking an item? Take a look a the HardlinkShellExtension for WinNT/2K
Hardlinks provide the ability to keep a single copy of a file yet have it appear in multiple folders (directories). They can be created with the POSIX command ln included in the Windows Resource Kit or the fsutil command utility included in Windows XP. Thus, using standard Windows facilities Hardlinks can only be created at the command prompt, which can be tedious, especially when Hardlinks to multiple files are required or when one only makes occasional use of Hardlinks.
A screen magnifier us one of those tools that many of you don’t use often or not at all. Windows provides it’s own built in magnifier program, but it’s pretty lame in comparison to many of the freebies out on the web.
I probably use a magnifier more now that my eyes are getting old, and when I do, I like to have plenty of options. Magnifixer is my current favorite because it’s easy to tweak with nearly a dozen different settings as shown below. It’s one of the best free magnifiers I’ve found.
Tip: You can turn it into a portable version by simply copying the program folder onto a flash drive.
From the authors:
Magnifixer is a screen magnifier utility. You can place it anywhere on your screen, make it any size you want and select a zoom level. Magnifixer will always show the area of your screen where the mouse cursor resides.
Ok, so I'm late publishing this. It's worth the wait if you haven't already seen it. John Hood of the freeware site, "Best of Free Software", occasionally writes to tell what he's been up to. He's got a great site and his opinions on free software are right on the mark.
Big events over the weekend have reminded me why I do this (Look for free software, I mean).
1: My test laptop finally gave up the ghost. (Too much software and hardware testing and the contortions I was throwing at it) My Thinkpad T-42 started spinning uncontrollably whenever I tried to connect to the wireless router at home. All the king's horse and all the King's men couldn't fix the problems I was contending with when getting to the web.
Nothing for it but to use "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" in Windows to backup everything to one of my USB drives, then rebuild Windows from scratch and restore my settings. *Sigh* Minor heart failure when the "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard" said it didn't recognize the restore file. But a quick search on Google revealed that I needed to copy the file to my hard drive first. Finally I am up and restoring, whew! The total process (including reinstall of software) took about 5 hours.
Item the second, was the fact that my wife's six-year-old Thinkpad T-30 slowed down to a snail's pace. I ran Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and cleared out over eleven hundred malware and spyware files.
Note please, that my wife was stunned at the amount of spyware on her system. So was I. My wife is very conscious of safe computing, where to go on the web and where not to, what to download and what not to. Still malware writers found a way to get into her computer!
Both of these incidents remind me why I do this: When I first built my computer, I had previously loaded only free software, and maybe a few pay games. This made re-building the computer a cinch. I didn't have to find any install CD's in order to put software back on. I just downloaded what I needed from the web. I didn't need to activate any licenses - no calls to customer service. I was already licensed under GNU-GPL. Sweet!
My wife wasn't doing anything but surfing for bargains, answering email, playing some music and maybe playing a few games. I was able to suggest free alternatives www.caimen.us for games, www.pandora.com for music. Bargains I left to her, She is the coupon pro, and I refuse to attempt to teach the master!
In this repressed economy people are finding that purchasing or upgrading a computer is an expense they cannot afford.
Free software, whether open-source, or closed-source-free, can be a major asset to anyone trying to keep an older computer running cleanly and well. My applications software load was free (I rely on AVG for anti-virus). The tools I used to fix and maintain my computers (including my wife's) are all free.
The hours I take, reading and downloading and evaluating, and testing, and throwing out the bad stuff: last weekend made it all worth it.
Frightening Tech -
If you want a good scare, download and run SIW.EXE, download the standalone version of you don't want to install it. SIW or "System Information for Windows" tells you exverything about your computer, and I mean everything: Hardware, drivers, software product keys, and oh, yeah, under "Secrets" , it lists all of the passwords on your system, in plain text. *Gulp*!
This is great for geeks like me who need full information on any system I may be working on. But in the hands of the wrong person... well, you can imagine. All the more reason to run SIW yourself, to see what someone else would get. Think of it as an informal security audit.
Consumer Tip:
Are liquidation sales good places to find bargains?
No. Most of the time the liquidator raises all the prices back to their original number and starts marking down from there, with the markdowns getting steeper week by week. He's still allowed to make big signs that scream 50% OFF!!!! even though that price at the time might be the same or even higher than the price before the liquidation. By the time prices actually get below what they were pre-liquidation, most of the inventory has been picked pretty clean. Except for the most dedicated bargain sleuths, liquidation sales are a ripoff.
Links I've Run Across:
Fight With Your PC manufacturer and Win!
Some suggestions from the forum on the NVidia chip overheat problem.
Gary at Internet Fixes continues to amaze me with hundreds and thousands of tips for your PC. Whatever your operating system, or how you use it, a visit to Gary's site will soon have you saying "So that's how you do it!".
Q. I have just had XP Home installed. I want to add Word to the send to options.
I checked the help menu. It says I need the send to folder which is hidden. I found it by a search (actually there are 3),but they are zipped. I don't yet have WinZip (or similar) installed. Should I try & unzip this send to folder? Will it then be clear what to do? I remember creating extra send to options with W98 without problem. Hope this is clear & you are able to help.
A. I cannot understand why the SendTo folder is zipped, it should not
Q. I am uninstalling in the add remove programs the way you said it seems to work FOR NOW I would be grateful if you could tell me any other way if all else fails or for the really awkward programs. Thanks allot.
A. Using the Add or Remove Programs utility is the best way to
Q. I am receiving the following error message when i try to run the disk defragmenter. "Disk defragmenter has detected that Chksdk is scheduled to run the volume: R...(C:). Please run Chkdsk /f." There is no disk F which was a removable flash drive. What can I do? Thanks for your help.
A. The "/f" part of the command is telling the chkdsk utility to fix any errors
Q. Using Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office on a generic computer.
I have been opening pictures I have taken with Microsoft XP. Whatever system of opening pictures that come by default with Microsoft XP, is all that I have been using. It has been working fine. I have never loaded any special program to handle photos, either that which came with the camera, or otherwise. I do not want it.
One day, I right clicked on a picture, and clicked on "open with", and opened the picture using Microsoft Office Picture Manager. Now, I am stuck with it! Every picture I click on from now on - is opened using Microsoft Office Picture Manager. I want things back the way they were. Can you assist? Thank you.
A. You can get things back to the way they were fairly easily. Right click on any picture
Q. I would like to remove some programs from my computer, but when I go to the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel, the Change/Remove button that's normally there is missing. What can I do to get it back so I can get these programs uninstalled from my PC? Any help you have would be greatly appreciated!
A. Wow, that has to be so frustrating! I have to admit that I have never
Q. I am considering the use of a registry cleaner. Nothing tragically wrong with my PC, except it is just a little slower than it used to be. I am running XP Home edition, AMD Athlon64 2400, 738b RAM.
I am slightly more knowledgeable than novice and don't mind tinkering. Regularly do the basic clean ups, scan / defrag, etc. Looking on the WWW, I am cautious about reg' cleaners, I am getting the feeling that they can do more harm than good. Or very little at all. But I am not deterred.
Your opinion here would be appreciated. Do you think that they are worthwhile? If so, do you recommend any particular product? My best guess so far is XPMedic. Thanks in advance.
A. Your caution is warranted. Most registry cleaners are spyware of some kind. I am sure that there are
Q. I'm using Windows XP and sometimes when I turn off my computer, I get this message as it's shutting down: "This application failed to initialize, because the window station is shutting down." What does that mean and how can I make it stop?
A. Basically, the only time you'll ever see that message displayed is when your computer is shutting down. Whether you told the computer to turn off or an installer program is restarting
A. When you plug a USB drive (flash drive, etc.) into your computer, it will recognize the device as an external hard drive. Since it does that, the USB device can easily be formatted. However
Q. I have XP Home installed on my HP Notebook. As with most Windows users I get automatic Windows updates from Microsoft. After the updates are downloaded and installed a folder is created in my C:Windows directory with "uninstall" data. (e.g. C:WINDOWS$NtUninstallKB8733.....etc.) It has gotten to the point where the number of these folders has grown to well over 100 and I'm wondering, if my system is working well after the update was installed, Can I safely delete all the folders manually without creating any havoc on my system? And if I can manually delete the folders, would I have to make any Registry changes also? Thanks in advance for your help.
A. They are the uninstall files created for each windows update that is applied.
Q. I use to have the option "On resume, display welcome screen" in the display properties, but now it changed to "on resume, password protect". How do i get that option back? I like displaying the welcome screen better. Thanks.
A. Go to Control Panel > User Accounts. Click "Change
Q. Hope you can help! I booted the computer into Safe Mode to defrag the Hard Drive and when it was done I rebooted like I normally do and it keeps going back into Safe Mode?
A. Usually, after working in safe mode, your computer will boot normally the next
Are you one of the many users now using a Windows Vista computer? (More and more of my readers are because I am starting to field more questions regarding Vista.) If you said yes, then answer me this: do you use Internet Explorer 7 as your main Web browser? If so, are you having a little trouble figuring out how to delete all your temporary Internet files? I have preached on this topic before for Windows XP and it's just as important with Vista. (Just in case you're not sure, temporary Internet files are files used by your computer to save certain information about the Web sites you visit. If you delete them on a regular basis, it will drastically improve your computer's overall performance). Alright, with all of that said, let's find out how you can do this with IE 7 in Vista!
A. There are two different ways you can do this. First, in Internet Explorer, go to
Q. I went to install a new program on my computer the other day, but it wouldn't let me because of something to do with Administrator rights. How can I log into my Administrator account so I can get this program installed? Please help me!
A. When you're installing a new program on to your computer, certain ones may give you an error message that you've probably never seen before. It will say something like "You must
Q. Sometimes when I try to delete a file from my computer, it comes up with a "Cannot Delete File" error. Why does this happen and is there any way I can get around it? Please help!
A. The "Cannot Delete File" error often shows up when you're trying to delete certain files off of your computer. It could be a document or a picture, a music file or even a saved e-mail. Whatever it is, for some
Q. I just noticed a key on my keyboard that I've never really used before because I have no idea what it's for. It's in between the left Ctrl and Alt and has a "flying window" on it. Can you help?
A. The Windows key. I remember the first time I noticed it (More years than I want to talk about.) I never used it until someone explained
Q. When I attempt to open a Web page by using Internet Explorer, I may receive the following message: The page cannot be displayed or The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Website might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings.
A. This problem may occur because of the existence of a corrupt or damaged Internet Explorer index file.
• Linux. Kubuntu is available free of charge and we can send you CDs of the latest version (9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope)) with no extra cost: https://shipit.kubuntu.org/
Quote from the website
COOLSITES is a list of safe, fun, useful, informative and just plain cool websites and programs that are FREE, FREE and FREE. All of the programs and websites I list are free. If I list anything that is so good but isn't free I will list the price with it.
Wow! Over 1000 people and still growing! I invite all of you to record your locations on this map. You can include as little or as much information as you wish. I think you'll enjoy seeing yourself there.
Here's a small look at my frapper map.
Get Gmail! and Get Firefox!
You need a free 7 GB Gmail account to access many of the cool features at Google. After more than two years in beta testing Gmail is open to the public. Just go to http://gmail.com and sign up for an account.
I think Gmail works best in the awesome Firefox browser. It's free, easy to use, and it's way more secure than Internet Explorer. My favorite thing to do is to customize Firefox so that it does much more than IE ever could. You can select new button controls for your toolbars, install extensions to add new features, or change the look of your browser with themes - the way Firefox looks and works is under your control.
I get many of the reviews in the newsletter from the readers. You don't have to be a genius or computer guru. Just answer a few questions and send me a review. I'll probably put you in the newsletter.
Hi Everyone.
Quote from the authors:
Quote from the website
Software that I'm Currently Playing with -
