Brink pre-order bonuses now sold as DLC

http://www.shacknews.com/article/69888/brink-pre-order-bonuses-now-sold-as-dlc

...from Doom Pack

PowerTools Lite 2011 released as freeware


Macecraft Software has launched PowerTools Lite 2011, a freeware version of
their professional grade jv16 PowerTools 2011 utility package, to help all
Windows PC users easily yet effectively to fix Windows registry errors and
delete unneeded data.

Based on the jv16 PowerTools 2011 utility suite, PowerTools Lite enables
even the least technically skilled of PC owners to benefit from a safe
system and registry cleanup. PowerTools Lite also clears unnecessary data
from the registry, MRU and history data from all major applications and
Windows itself, along with deleting any unnecessary temporary files to
clean up the entire PC.

Furthermore, released under license as freeware, home and commercial PC
users alike can benefit from PowerTools Lite without having to pay for the
application - allowing a saving on other comparable registry repair
applications and the cost of professional IT support.


PowerTools Lite 2011 comes in English, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch,
Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Slovak and
Swedish as a built-in feature of the application, and is available for
download immediately:

http://www.macecraft.com/emailmarketer/link.php?M=1188531&N=35&L=35&F=T


For more information, please see:
http://www.macecraft.com/emailmarketer/link.php?M=1188531&N=35&L=36&F=T


PowerTools Lite 2011 cannot be installed over any previous version of
PowerTools Lite. The product is fully compatible with Windows 2000, XP,
Vista and Windows 7, both 32 bit and 64 bit systems. In 64 bit systems the
product will scan the entire registry, including the 64 bit view.

Here's a quik reference list of all my little guides:


PROPER BACKUPS...Updated instructions for EITHER......ONE or TWO hard drives

First get these two programs...they will work on any windows version.

Easeus Partition Master: http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

Macrium Reflect: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp


For Comps with ONE HDD:
1. Install both of these programs.
2. Use Easeus to "resize" your system partition, to somewhere between 40-100GB
3. Then with the remaining space, create two more primary partitions. One at 100GB and the other with w/e is left over.
4. Run all your cleaners, scans, reg cleaners...etc, then run disk defragmenter a few times...till it won't defrag any more.
5. Now use Macrium Reflect to creat a FULL Image backup of your system partition and save it on the 100GB
partition you created in step #3.
6. When using only one HDD, backing up or restoring from backup...take about 15-20 mins.
7. Lastly, make the Rescue CD with Macrium Reflect, so you can access your backups, even when Windows won't boot.


For Comps with more than one HDD:
1. Install both of these programs.
2. Use Easeus to "resize" your system partition, to somewhere between 40-100GB
3. Now, since you have TWO HDD's...you have the option to store backups of the system partition on the 2nd HDD.
4. This is a GOOD thing, as it cuts down the backup or restore operation to 3-5 mins, because it's not reading and writing
from the same HDD.
5. Use Easeus again to do your partitioning...generally with 2 HDD's you will want to store your system backups on about a
100GB primary partition on the 2nd HDD.
6. Run all your cleaners, scans, reg cleaners...etc, then run disk defragmenter a few times...till it won't defrag any more.
7. Now use Macrium Reflect to creat a FULL Image backup of your system partition and save it on the 100GB
partition you created on your 2nd HDD, in step #5
8. Lastly, make the Rescue CD with Macrium Reflect, so you can access your backups, even when Windows won't boot.

Generally, I make new system partition FULL Image backups after I have done a few program upgrades or installs. This
proceedure is the best solution because when restoring your comp from a FULL Image backup (pre-cleaned backup)...it
completely OVERWRITES the system partition with your previously saved CLEAN backup...thus erasing all the cooties you
may have picked up since you made the last backup.

NOTE: for SSD's ofc, defragging is not necessary, nor is resizing a good idea.


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Anti Virus Tips

Currently (2011, summer) the best paid - for antiviruses are: Kaspersky 2011, Bitdefender 2011 and ESET NOD32. So far no one has been able to crack these paid versions...so pony up or go for the free AV's

If you have AVG Anti-Virus, (which is both over zealous and has been shown to have problems with Win7 on many occasions)...download either Microsoft Security Essentials AV from: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/default.aspx?WT.mcid=MSCOMHPUSNavDownloads ...or Avast! from here: http://www.avast.com/en-us/free-antivirus-download and save it to desktop.

Unhook internet cable from back of comp.
Reboot comp into safe mode, and completely UN-install AVG antivirus.
Reboot into normal mode and install Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast!
Turn comp off....rehook internet cable to back of comp. Turn comp ON.
Update MSE OR Avast!, then do Windows Updates....then run a full scan with MSE OR Avast!


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Emergency Computer disinfection

1.... Go here, get SuperAntiSpyware (free): http://www.superantispyware.com/ ...save it to desktop.
2.... Go here, get TDSSKiller.exe http://support.kaspersky.com/viruses/solutions?qid=208280748 save it to ur .......desktop.
3.... Install and update SuperAntiSpyware.
4.... UN hook Internet cable from back of comp....Reboot into safemode and run a FULL scan with SuperAntiSpyware...remove w/e it finds.
5.... Reboot back into normal mode and run TDSSKiller.exe following the directions where you downloaded it. Do w/e fixes/cures it suggests.
6.... Put your Windows CD/DVD in the optical drive....go to: START > Run and type: sfc /scannow and click OK...it takes about 20 mins to run, or less. RE-hook Internet Cable to back of comp.
7.... Using Internet Explorer go here: http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/run ...and run a FULL scan...remove w/e it finds.
8.... Get CCleaner here: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download from the Prirform link...about 3 inches below the big green BUY button. Install it and run both the cleaner and the scan for issues...remove w/e IT finds.
9.... Get Glary Utillities here: http://www.glaryutilities.com/ ....install it and run it's Tracks eraser and it's Registry scanner as well...remove w/e it finds.
10...Get Malwarebytes (free) here: http://www.malwarebytes.org/...from the GREY Download Now button....install it...update it and run a full scan...remove w/e it finds.


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How to find device Drivers, the easy way.

Get SPECCY here: http://www.piriform.com/speccy/download ...get the FREE version from the: Piriform Link ...about 3 inches below the big green buy button...Speccy is a really nice system hardware information Utility....simply install it...and run the program...

Under each of the sections on the left side, you will find all the information you need to locate the make/model for a certain piece of hardware, which then can be used at your computer part manufacturers website > Support ... to find the correct drivers.

For Vid Card drivers, they will be found at either: http://www.nvidia.com/page/home ...or ... http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDSupportHub.aspx

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TWO ways to Repair a Win 7 Install gone bad...without reformatting. [Both ways requires that you have a full copy of Win 7 and with Option #2 you'll need your Win 7 product key as well.]

Option #1

*Check System Files for Corruption*

1. Set 1st boot device to your optical drive, via the BIOS. Insert the Windows DVD and reboot computer.
2. When the system starts and prompts you to press any key...do so.
3. At the language screen, make your choices and click "Next"
4. At the Win 7 installation screen, DO NOT click Install now. Instead, click "Repair your computer". Click "Next on the next menu that pops up.
5. The next menu will have two radio buttons, select the first one, and note in the text box, what the drive letter is for your system drive and click "Next"
6. On the next menu choose the lowest option: "Command Prompt"
7. In the following 'Command Prompt window', you will want to run System File Checker, to do that, type the following command:
8. sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows ...where c: is the operating system drive. [Note: There is a space between sfc and / .... and between \ and / ]
9. The scan will start, if the scan finds errors, simply rerun the scan using the same command from step #8, until you find no more errors.
10. When you are finished with scan(s), just type the command: exit and then click the restart button. Remove Win 7 DVD and you should now be able to boot Windows.


Option #2

*Reinstall Window 7 without losing Data*

1. First, grab your Windows 7 DVD and make sure it matches the Service Pack that is installed currently on the computer.
2. If your DVD has no SP1 but your computer does...Go to: Control Panel > Uninstall a Program ...then choose the option to View Updates.
3. You can then right click the SP1 service pack to uninstall it.
4. Insert Win 7 DVD into Optical Drive (Don't "boot" from DVD this time) and on the autorun menu, choose to "run" setup.exe.
5. Once more you will find yourself at the Windows 7 Install Screen. This time, DO click the large "Install Now" button.
6. After the Copying Temporary Files screen, it will ask about getting updates for installation files... if you have a network connection, allow this.
7. When the installer asks what kind of install would you like, instead of Custom, we want to choose: Upgrade
8. Now just sit through the usual Win 7 install, with it's reboots and progress bars. When done, you'll have to reactivate Windows by entering the product key.
9. Lastly, just let Windows install any security updates or service packs, that it's missing, and reboot.
10. All your system files should now be fully restored. Without any data loss.

Actually, Option #2 should work even IF you can't boot into Windows...just follow steps #1 - #3 from Option #1, then steps #5 - #10 from Option #2. This is of course assuming that your Win 7 DVD already has SP1 on it, and that your Win 7 install does as well, OR that neither does.


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How to give Ubuntu Linux a try:

First, go here: and download the latest version: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download ...and save it
to your desktop.

Then just burn the .iso image of Ubuntu Linux that you just downloaded to a CD.
The free program IMGBurn will allow you to burn the .iso image to the CD...you can find IMGBurn here:

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Get Image Burn from mirror #7 or #8....save it to desktop...then install it...open IMGBurn and the top left icon "write Image to
disc" is the one you want to use...just point IMGBurn to the Ubuntu .iso file you previously downloaded and burn the CD at 4x
speed.

Now just boot from the CD you just created. (you might have to enter the BIOS and set the optical drive to 1st boot device)
Once it starts to boot you have the option to just "TRY it out" or to start the Install.

I recommend you just TRY it out first, by just running it off the CD. If you become hooked on Ubuntu then just click that big
INSTALL button on the Ubuntu desktop. Likewise, you can choose not to Install....and you'll still have that option the next
time you boot from CD.


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Best free CD/DVD burning softwares:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-cd-dvd-burning-software.htm


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How To Save Your Game Data When You Change Hard Drives

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how-tos/howsaveyourgamedatawhenyouchangeharddrives

...and for when that link breaks: http://tinyurl.com/447cry6


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Properly Air Cooling Your Computer

1. You are going to need more CFM of Intake than you will for Exhaust. This is due to the fact that the CPU Cooler and Vid Card(s) Cooler(s) will be "starved for air" if you don't.
2. This is how I've set up my system and added "Cold Air Cooling" by way of Comp's location compared to the Windows A/C Unit.




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This post was edited by ghot on Aug 26 2011 09:58am

Frozen Synapse Review, redux

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/frozen%5Fsynapse%5Freview

...and for when that link breaks: http://tinyurl.com/3mkauwe







This post was edited by ghot on Aug 26 2011 02:20pm