Palos

For windows update problems, read my post in this forum (Can't use windows update?!?). It seems to be a problem with the DNS caching on the ISPs side. The workaround listed in the thread worked for me... Also read @ http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23666.html if you want to use alternative DNS servers from UUNET

I didn't have any problems activating my XP Home over the Internet. But I have a question though, actually two: 1. Is there a problem if I decide to wipe out my installation and re-install from scratch a couple of times? Does that hinder or is it noticed by the activation process? 2. Can I install the same copy of Windows on another computer, and activate it thru the phone (no internet connection)? Does the MS policy allow that? I own the second PC, it's in my house, not anywhere else?

There's a fix for CD burning at the windows update site, but I think it's only for the XP built-in CDR features. You can try it nevertheless.

Well, this one seems to have been quite widespread... Check @ http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23666.html

Yes, adding the download server in the hosts file helped Thanks a lot!

I got my first bad cluster on my C partition last night, when formatting it The 60 GXP is only couple of months old... How should I go from here? Live with the bad clusters, or exchange the drive before it spreads?

I also have an OEM version of Home. It's not a recovery version though, it's a full installation. I will try to add the server to my /etc/hosts and give it a try later tonight. I don't think it's down for all people, cos I crosschecked with some people last night, and they had no problems getting there. What happens is as follows: It installs that Windows update component, I accept it. Then I search my PC for updates, it finds about 5 critical, 8 for Windows XP and 3 new drivers (logitech, realtek and creative). Then I choose to install them now, and I getting a little window with a licence agreement that I'm supposed to accept. The problem is that there is no agreement showed, only an IE window stating that "page not found" with an DNS error. I accept it anyways, the download/install progress window shows up, but there is nothing downloaded. Then it quits the installer, saying that Update failed, and try again...

I didn't try it yet, since I am runnning the 12.90 drivers on a GF2MX-400 and I have no problems whatsoever. The link is: http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=64 Some feedback on this would be great...

Has anyone seen the new MD-LP recorders? I've seen one and I'm damn tempted...can store 4 audio CDs on a Minidisc. That would be awesome for the car.

I have 2 DDR modules from Samsung, CAS 2.5 PC2100 at 256 MB each. No problems yet.

What CDR software burns .wma on AudioCDs? Except WMP8, i think

I wouldn't back up anything valuable on magnetic media, especially in Gigabyte sizes. Tape can also be an overkill...I would go digital insted: DVD-R (or whatever standards there are around it). Discs can hold 4.7 GB of data...maybe more in the future. I know you cannot compare it to a 60 GB HDD, but it's dustproof, magnetic&electric fluctuation proof, etc... The lifetime of digital media is the keyword here. However if all depends on the cash you want to invest in it, and how badly you want to hang on to the data you got.

I still don't know what PPPoA is... I don't know much about DSL in the UK. My DSL modem is external, and I don't need any drivers for it, just a NIC. What do you need to connect to your ISP, just user and password?

If this happens, it will be the bomb. For those of you who know german, check here: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/wst-10.01.02-001/ You can use Babblefish or something to translate the page in English if you want. Basically they say they have the technology, and they already gave it away to 2 manufacturers. I assume we're very close to a breakthrough

What's PPPoA? Did you try to use XP's own built-in PPPoE drivers? Like start the network connection wizard, and follow from there. Here's a walkthrough, in German though, but you can relate to the pictures http://www.online.arcor.net/ Then on the left choose "Arcor DSL Flatrate 128/768", then "Instalation und Konfiguration", then "for windows XP".

LOL man, I wanted to do the EXACT thing last week over at a friend's. I ended up simply sharing the stuff. In 2000 I think you can create an user who's name matches the client's logon name, and like this you can map a network drive with/without passwords. Otherwise, it will go thru user Guest. The bad part was that the guy had XP Home, which does not allow you to change users/groups via the User Manager. Only XP Pro has it Also, I could not find that extra tab in the Drive Properties that allows me to set the Security on it (via users/groups/rights), such a thing was in NT (dunno exactly about 2000). If you find a way to do this, please let me know as well...I'm still interested!

Try to post this at www.viaarena.com maybe they know more over there.

Man, never tried to set it to StandardPC (at bootup I assume, I forgot what's the F key to get there). Do you have probs in ACPI?

Dunno, I got such a BSOD like this out of nowhere once too...while maximizing an IE window

I was kidding... Did you install all the compatibility updates from M$? Is your game listed there?

Depending on your case, you might want to get a cooling HD tray for the 7200 rpm. They run quite hotter than the 5400 rpms.

T-Bird C @ 1.33 GHz EpoX 8KHA DDR mobo (KT266) 512 MB DDR 2100 Samsung (2x256) CAS 2.5 1x IBM Deskstar 60GXP 60 GB,7200 rpm 1x Maxtor 20 GB,5400 rpm Asus V7100 Pro (GF2 MX-400) SB Live! X-Gamer 2x RealTeK 8139 NICs LiteON 12x/10x/32x Pioneer 16x DVD slot-in 1x FLOPPY Had some weird problems with this rig and XP Pro before...mainly Nvidia related (or VIA, or both). The 1/4 screen Counterstrike thing happened to me as well, only when I tried the Asus 21.81 drivers though. With the Nvidia reference works ok. Also I found the 12.90 to be the most stable, both under 2K and XP. 23.11 gave me instant BSOD, so forget it. Used the default SBlive drivers first, worked ok, now using the updated ones from Creative, work OK too. Once got a BSOD (IRQ_NOT_LESS) when trying to maximize a IE window (?!?!). NOTE: Had WindowBlinds installed with some Aqua skin... Other than that, seems ok. By the way, does anyone know how to get to the "old" user manager in XP Home? The one that allows you to add users and groups and stuff. PRO has it in the Management Console, but Home doesn't.

Lol Did you copy the .exe file from the "crack" directory on the CD?

There quite a few free ones, CLutch. I used www.dyndns.org, and some 3rd party IP updater. Worked pretty ok.

Why don't you unbind the QoS from all your adapters? Stop using it alltogether and see if your ping improves. Anyways, what sort of pings are you getting?