Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2008 April 24

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April 24

Disabling Windows XP automatic folder type detection

Windows XP just loves to scan my folders and guess what kind of folder it is (image, audio, etc). I tried disabling everything that could be related to this, but it still does it. I like the classic explorer layout much more, and with everything sorted by either type or mod. date (and occasionally, size) on list mode, and without the system trying to figure what I'm doing.

The problem is, XP gets it wrong, and it keeps thinking my download folder is strictly a music folder, and it just sorts everything by name and removes the options I want from the "sort by" menu and replaces them with the music-related crap (artist, track, album). So every time, when I want to see things by modified date instead of type, I have to change from list to details, add a modified date column, switch back to list and finally sort it accordingly. It's really annoying as it happens every single time.

Is there any way to completely stop this behavior? I'm talking about locking the folder display mode entirely. I searched the web but I got vague answers that were unrelated to what I'm trying to accomplish.

If everything fails, I'm just gonna get a third party program to do the job. Asking this over here is my last attempt at a fix. Thanks in advance! — Kieff | Talk 03:26, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Sometimes deleting "desktop.ini" and "folder.htt", helps in some degree. Effect have been only temporary and this does not works for some folders. There also were also unregistering shmedia.dll (by executing regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll), but it often does not helps either. Brutally erasing shmedia.dll also does not helps. Using third party program probably will be easiest method (only issue there would be that, the win+e keyboard shortcut works only for windows explorer and not for any third party programs). -Yyy (talk) 08:11, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

hash fails

Do copyright holders or governments deliberately flood torrents with hash fails to prevent downloads? My "friend" has was downloading a DVD but it became impossible to finish because of hash fails, all coming from many different seeders and peers with a variation on the IP address "available.above.net", all using Azureus/2.4.0.2. Last week a different torrent of the same DVD was posted to isohunt.com and "my friend" began downloading it. The speed was good at 500/kps until today when nearly 30 different seeders and peers all from "available.above.net" showed up in the peers list on utorrent. Since then the download has not advanced from 43% because of hash fails. How can I solve the problem? xxx User:Hyper Girl 11:36, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I should say that there is not a problem with downloading other torrents, only the Avril Lavigne My World DVD. Original link [1] and last weeks link [2]. xxx User:Hyper Girl 11:40, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

This is more likely a problem with your router. Some routers will occasionaly mangle BitTorrent's long and complicated packets. The most common type of this supposedly occurs when the router tries to be too clever and automatically translates all IP addresses that appear in a packet. However, with a giant torrent files, there is a very good chance that one of the chunks will, by shear chance, contain a section of data that 'looks like' the IP address the router is looking for and it will 'helpfully' translate it for you. Breaking that chunk. Typically this will leave you stuck at 99% completion as your torrent client hopelessly re-downloads the same chunk over and over again.

Information on this problem and how to fix is here : [3]

Keep in mind that there is a real danger of copyright holders logging into a torrent and getting a list of all the IP addresses involved. They can then complain to your ISP and get your Internet shut off. (At least, they can in USA.) Always remember that the Internet is a public place. APL (talk) 12:55, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

(after EC) You could solve the problem by actually buying the CD instead of stealing it. --LarryMac | Talk 12:56, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I can't say whether its government action or not, but from what you've described it definitely seems deliberate. You could try PeerGuardian, which can block any IP address you suspect of sending bad data. Hope that helps. Think outside the box 13:23, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I was thinking, won't your client block ips that cause hash fails? I know utorrent does, but I guess if there are loads of them it could take a while. Think outside the box 13:27, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure that Azureus will blacklist clients that send chunks failing the hash. Makes the error I mentioned above all the more aggravating because it can cause legit clients to be blacklisted APL (talk) 13:55, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

sanity check : Make sure you have enough disk space. I just remembered that some versions of Azureus give strange errors if your disk is full. APL (talk) 13:55, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks everyone! I don't think its a problem with my router because its only packets from "available.above.net" which cause errors, and those addresses were not there yesterday. Plus, the same problem struck the previous Avril Lavigne torrent, but doesn't affect any other torrents I download. I think its either Avril herself or someone who doesn't like her who is doing it. I will check out peer guardian and report back. xxx User:Hyper Girl 14:27, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

OMG thank you sooo much! I can report that peer guardian worked like a dream! The download is much slower now, only 50/kps, but no more hash fails :) Should be done by tomorrow. A huge thank you to everyone to answered. xxx User:Hyper Girl 16:52, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm sure Avril appreciates your support. although maybe lack of sales will make her stop . . . --LarryMac | Talk 19:59, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

...and maybe a big warning at the top of this page will make people stop soapboxing... but probably not. -- Coneslayer (talk) 20:04, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I would support you in the "No soapboxing" if I was not one of the accused myself. Wait, am I doing it right now? AHH! :D Kushal 22:33, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Looks like you're right. There are a bunch of forum posts complaining about "poisoners" hitting Avril torrents. [4] [5] APL (talk) 20:12, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Memory Stick Pro on the Clie?

I recently purchased a Sony Clie PEG-S360, and I have heard that it can only use standard Memory Sticks. Is there an OS update that will allow ot to use the Memory Stick Pro? --Zemyla^t 15:45, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Well having owned a Clie before I used to use Memory sticks which would go into the top of the device. Firstly, have you tried popping in a Memory Stick Pro? Secondly, if it doesnt work, the problem is more to do with hardware than software so I dont think there will be any OS update. Let me know if im wrong Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 19:54, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

My screen broke today. It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore. Thank you for your help. --168.53.172.38 (talk) 15:12, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

cd problems

i had a few months ago copied 3 rar files from a cd. but due to a virus infection the computer had to be formatted. now if i enter the cd,2 of the files are ok but one of them doesn't show the rar icon and when clicked upon,the computer says not responding. this is NOT the cd's problem since it's ok on others' compuers. please help. --scoobydoo (talk) 16:35, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

When the computer was formatted it got rid of the RAR file format, all you need to do is download it and install it again. The reason it works on other PC's is because that RAR (so to speak) hasn't gone only the one on the formatted PC has. Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 19:57, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

This is wrong. If the computer can recognise one .RAR file (or two, in this case) it will recognise them all. So if the computer did '[get] rid of the RAR file format' it has clearly 'got it back', for every .RAR file it encounters. No idea what the problem might be, though. Sorry. Joe^Talk_Work 12:02, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

Ahh, sorry misread the question. Thought that 2 of the files (which were a different type and not RAR) worked but the rest that were RAR didn't. Not sure what the problem could be then, sorry :( Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 10:45, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

Network Drives

I need a network drive which I can also put on to my MacBook Pro, without the USB port. What's the best way of doing this? For example, can I connect with the ethernet port on the mac, or can you get plugs which convert an ethernet or USB port into an ethernet one? (I can't use the USB ports because both of them are used anyway, there is only a firewire and ethernet port available. I've never really used either. I'm on Leopard, so it's for Time Machine when connected directly.)--Jayne smith (talk) 16:41, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps what you really want is a USB hub, which you can buy very inexpensively. It will turn one USB port into several. Make sure it's USB 2.0. USB 1.1 is much slower. -- Coneslayer (talk) 17:43, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

A hub like this [6] and then I can get an external drive with a USB port in it, like this [7].--Jayne smith (talk) 18:01, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

But specifically, can you put a network drive into a normal computer ethernet port and expect it go like any other USB or firewire drive?Jayne smith (talk) 18:09, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

Simply, no. What you wanna do with the Network Drive, is plug the ethernet (CAT 5e) cable from the network drive into the router (on a LAN RJ45 Jack) then map a network drive from your Mac. Anyway Networking related questions (TCP/IP, LAN, WLAN etc....) ask me on my talk page. Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 19:45, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

I think he wants an NSLU2, maybe with a WLAN usb stick attached.88.217.64.113 (talk) 20:16, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

@Dep Garcia: thanks, I think I understand :-) Though, the whole point is to have a drive versatile enough, so it works either as a network or local drive. If I get you right, this is how you set it up as a network drive?

@88.217: you seem to understand. Looks like it would work, though more complicated than I expected.--Jayne smith (talk) 09:05, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

And going at $50 on ebay [8] And being Linux, probably ample of online user support and modification etc.Jayne smith (talk) 09:10, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, that would be how you set it up as a network drive. If you use two or more Macs/PC's in your house then a network drive would be a good option, personally. Because you can share files and when you get bored of using one PC just move onto another and use that one with your files being on the drive and it serves as an backup drive aswell. I understand that both USB ports are unavailable to use, but have you tried plugging the network drive straight into the ethernet jack? This is ad hoc Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 10:27, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

No, I haven't tried that, because I don't have a network drive yet. You also said above ("Simply, no") that network drives don't work locally in ethernet ports, so I looked for a network drive with a Firewire option. There's plenty USB network ones, and USB Firewire. But nothing seems to have all three. It's likely for my own use just on my own laptop, but I guess anyone else on the network could use it. But I see simple USB hubs and NSLU2.Jayne smith (talk) 20:32, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

Ahhh, sorry about all the confusion. Just thought you had one. If you don't fancy the network option. You could buy a USB hub which allows you to connect 4 USB devices to one USB port on your PC leaving one port free. example So you got the two devices that are plugged into your computers USB port already, plug them into the hub along with the drive. Let me know if any questions etc... Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 10:54, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

Question answered, thankyou. Any external hard drive (at least that I know of) gets its data interface off the computer, and a power source off a normal wall socket. What happens when you try and do both through the same computer port? You put a hub on the port, use one "subport" for data, the other for power, using something like this [9]. The result is that you end up with two wall sockets looking at each other, one (from the computer) to supply power, and the other (going to the external drive) which needs the power. But it can't get the power because they are both male. Is there any way to supply power like that? I would search, but I haven't got a clue how to describe a double ended three pin wall power adapter, both ends being female.Jayne smith (talk) 11:19, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, gonna have to think about that one. In the meantime take a look at a hard drive that is just bus-powered, (powered only by USB, for example, or even this). Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 11:58, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm over complicating it, aren't I? I think I'll stick with the good old wall in the meantime. Thankyou for being able to understand my rant explaining this!Jayne smith (talk) 13:07, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

No no its fine. Okay, let me know how it goes :) Take care Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 20:42, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

A script that searches out and responds to certain elements in a website?

Hi all. I'm only medium in the field of programming, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some resources, or some terminology to search for in, say, google, about a script that would:

• Go to a website

• Search out (in its source code, preferably), certain sections of text, ie words or phrases.

• Depending on what they were, would then act accordingly.

Just for an example, say a webpage contained the word "fuck", then the script could create a frame that says "This website uses profanity." Or if a website is an e-book, with a certain page number, it could search through the text until it finds, say, "Page: 34" and then, in a frame, print out the links for page 33 and page 35 accordingly. Just examples, so you can figure out what I'm trying to ask here.

Again, any ready-made scripts (the simpler to understand and experiment with, the better) would be best, but also any resources towards learning how to do so, or terminology for such scripts so that I can search out and learn at leisure (my current searches are failing horribly) would be great!

Much help appreciated ! -=- Xhin -=- (talk) 20:27, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

That sounds like something that could be done in Firefox with Greasemonkey. --LarryMac | Talk 21:15, 24 April 2008 (UTC)