Securing WinXP Pro (with what win-xp has to offer)
Note: These are just notes of the changes i made to win-xp pro using win-xp options after my default install. These changes will not secure your box 100% but they make a good couple of 1st steps. They are in no specific order other than the order that I performed them. I have only spent a couple of hours working on this operating system at the time of this text so please bare with me and understand that there is much more to securing your box than this.
1. NTFS Partition. 2. Disable Error Reporting 3. Disable Automatic Updates (only if your XP copy is pirated) 4. Disable "Recent Documents" Viewed 5. Setup XP Firewall 6. Setup screensaver password 7. Setup BIOS password 8. Setup "AfterBios" login password 9. Account Modifications -Rename Admin Account -Disable Guest Account -Disable Help_Assistant Account -Disable Support Account 10. Install a virus scanner. 11. Change Login Screen (default shows usernames) 12. Disable Remote Registry (and other services) 13. Disable/Change Auto-Search settings in IE.
1. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NTFS Partition (I like being God over system users) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be sure to install XP onto an NTFS partition so that you (the admin) can take advantage of file permissions. You want this option so that "you" can decide who reads, writes, executes what files.
If you didnt install XP onto an NTFS partition. Convert It. To convert to NTFS follow the instructions below.
Open a command prompt and type "convert c: /FT:NTFS /v"
This command will convert your c: partition from FAT to NTFS in verbose mode.
2. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disable Error Reporting - we dont want microsoft to know everytime we fuck up. especially if we didnt pay for winxp. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
control panel >> performance and maintenance >> system >> advanced >> error reporting (disable all)
right click "my computer" >> manage >> services and applications >> services >> " stop and disable" Error Reporting.
3. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disable automatic updates - to update, they must know what we have. thats a NO NO! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: DO THIS ONLY IF YOUR COPY OF XP IS PIRATED!! I suggest "auto update" if your copy of XP is legal. If your copy is pirated then i suggest that you stay updated with the latest fixes and patches manually.
control panel >> performance and maintenance >> system >> automatic updates (disable updates)
right click "my computer" >> manage >> services and applications >> services >> " stop and disable" Automatic Updates.
4. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quit listing most recent documents opened under the start button - Dont want the girlfriend or the parents to find that pr0n you being viewing. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
control panel >> appearance and themes >> task bar and start menu >> start menu >> customize >> advanced
remove the checkmark next to "List my most recently opened documents".
5. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Block incoming traffic to your winxp box. - Before this change, i scanned my xp box and found it to have many ports wide open. After this change, I found nothing and xp logged the attempts in c:\windows\pfirewall.log. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
control panel >> network connections >> right click "local area connection" >> properties >> advanced >> check the box under "Internet Connection Firewall" then choose "settings".
Services Tab - leave all unchecked unless there is a service you are running that people must be able to access.
Logging Options - Log everything.
ICMP - I left all these unchecked for the time being. (allowing nothing)
(this does not protect you from "Spy Ware". This only stops traffic from coming into your win-xp box (not all traffic). It does not stop traffic from going out.) If you need to stop traffic from going out and need a more secure firewall then download a real firewall like "zone alarm or black ice".
6. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Setting a screensaver password incase you leave some of that secret pr0n open when you walk away. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- right click on the desktop >> properties >> screen saver >> check the box next to " On Resume, Password Protect."
If you dont have a password set on your user account, you can do so in control panel >> user accounts >> change account.
7. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Setting a BIOS password - We dont want anyone rebooting the computer or trying to sneak into our pr0n while we are away at school or work. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I cant explain to one how this is done due to the differences between all computers and how the BIOS settings are entered. If you know what Im talking about then do it. If you dont know what Im talking bout then learn how to do it. A screensaver password is useless unless you setup a BIOS password.
8. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Setting up the "AfterBios" password. Sometimes bios passwords are easily cracked. This password will add extra local login security incase your bios pass is crax0red. I dont know bout you but i love having to type in 3 passwds and a username to login to my box. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start >> run >> type "syskey" >> choose "update" >> choose "Password Startup" >> enter a password and choose ok.
9. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Renaming and Disabling Accounts for adminstrator, guest, help_assistant and support. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Right click my_computer >> manage >> local users and groups
10. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Install Virus Protection............. (We like our uncorrupted data and trojan free system) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Install a virus scanner. Your firewall might protect your system from unwanted hackers but what about an unwanted virus or trojan?. I recommend installing a virus scanner such as "Nortons" or "McAfee".
11. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change Default Login Screen............ (why do we want to share usernames with anyone?) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xp uses the "welcome screen" by default. This screen has the names of all accounts on the system so that the user only has to click on their name and type a password. Come on now.... We arent that damn lazy. If we change this screen to the normal login, then prying eyes will have to know a username and password to get in. Follow the instruction below to change this.
control panel >> user accounts >> change the way users log on or off
uncheck the box next to "Use Welcome Screen" and choose "apply options".
12. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disable Remote Registry..........(why would I need to edit my registry remotely anyway?) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
right click "my computer" >> manage >> services and applications >> services >> " stop and disable" Remote Registry.
NOTE: disable any services running in this area that you arent using.
13. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disable/Change Auto-search in Internet Explorer. This is not really a security risk but it is important to some people that prefer to keep their internet surfing to themselves and away from microsoft. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open Internet Explorer >> Click the "search" button >> click the "customize" button >> click "autosearch settings" >> FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS BELOW...........
DISABLE: In the "When Searching" drop down menu, select "Do not search from the address bar". >> click "ok" >> "ok". Type an invalid address in your address bar and see if it takes you to the msn search page or if it gives a "page not found" error. In this case, the "page not found" error is what we want.
CHANGE: If you wish not to disable, but you wish to change it to your favorite "google.com" search page. Instead of following the "DISABLE" instructions, follow the instructions below. Choose "Google Sites (or whatever you prefer)" from the "choose a search provider to search from address bar" drop down menu >> click "ok" >> "ok"
Use Hotkeys to Switch Programs
If you routinely use a specific set of programs, you can set up hotkeys that will launch or directly switch among them instead of cycling with Alt-Tab. Find a desktop or Start menu shortcut that launches a program and select Properties. On the Shortcut tab, click in the Shortcut key box, and press the key combination you want to use. Be sure to choose key combinations that are not needed by any of your programs; for example, use Alt-Shift-1, Alt-Shift-2.
VCD Quality What You Wanted To Know About Movie Jargon, But Were Afraid To Ask
VCD Quality Terms & Jargon CODE All CREDITS go to http://www.vcdhelp.com/
CAM - A cam is a theater rip usually done with a digital video camera. A mini tripod is sometimes used, but a lot of the time this wont be possible, so the camera make shake. Also seating placement isn't always idle, and it might be filmed from an angle. If cropped properly, this is hard to tell unless there's text on the screen, but a lot of times these are left with triangular borders on the top and bottom of the screen. Sound is taken from the onboard microphone of the camera, and especially in comedies, laughter can often be heard during the film. Due to these factors picture and sound quality are usually quite poor, but sometimes we're lucky, and the theater will be fairly empty and a fairly clear signal will be heard.
TELESYNC (TS) - A telesync is the same spec as a CAM except it uses an external audio source (most likely an audio jack in the chair for hard of hearing people). A direct audio source does not ensure a good quality audio source, as a lot of background noise can interfere. A lot of the times a telesync is filmed in an empty cinema or from the projection booth with a professional camera, giving a better picture quality. Quality ranges drastically, check the sample before downloading the full release. A high percentage of Telesyncs are CAMs that have been mislabeled.
TELECINE (TC) - A telecine machine copies the film digitally from the reels. Sound and picture should be very good, but due to the equipment involved and cost telecines are fairly uncommon. Generally the film will be in correct aspect ratio, although 4:3 telecines have existed. A great example is the JURASSIC PARK 3 TC done last year. TC should not be confused with TimeCode , which is a visible counter on screen throughout the film.
SCREENER (SCR) - A pre VHS tape, sent to rental stores, and various other places for promotional use. A screener is supplied on a VHS tape, and is usually in a 4:3 (full screen) a/r, although letterboxed screeners are sometimes found. The main draw back is a "ticker" (a message that scrolls past at the bottom of the screen, with the copyright and anti-copy telephone number). Also, if the tape contains any serial numbers, or any other markings that could lead to the source of the tape, these will have to be blocked, usually with a black mark over the section. This is sometimes only for a few seconds, but unfortunately on some copies this will last for the entire film, and some can be quite big. Depending on the equipment used, screener quality can range from excellent if done from a MASTER copy, to very poor if done on an old VHS recorder thru poor capture equipment on a copied tape. Most screeners are transferred to VCD, but a few attempts at SVCD have occurred, some looking better than others.
DVD-SCREENER (DVDscr) - Same premise as a screener, but transferred off a DVD. Usually letterbox , but without the extras that a DVD retail would contain. The ticker is not usually in the black bars, and will disrupt the viewing. If the ripper has any skill, a DVDscr should be very good. Usually transferred to SVCD or DivX/XviD.
DVDRip - A copy of the final released DVD. If possible this is released PRE retail (for example, Star Wars episode 2) again, should be excellent quality. DVDrips are released in SVCD and DivX/XviD.
VHSRip - Transferred off a retail VHS, mainly skating/sports videos and XXX releases.
TVRip - TV episode that is either from Network (capped using digital cable/satellite boxes are preferable) or PRE-AIR from satellite feeds sending the program around to networks a few days earlier (do not contain "dogs" but sometimes have flickers etc) Some programs such as WWF Raw Is War contain extra parts, and the "dark matches" and camera/commentary tests are included on the rips. PDTV is capped from a digital TV PCI card, generally giving the best results, and groups tend to release in SVCD for these. VCD/SVCD/DivX/XviD rips are all supported by the TV scene.
WORKPRINT (WP) - A workprint is a copy of the film that has not been finished. It can be missing scenes, music, and quality can range from excellent to very poor. Some WPs are very different from the final print (Men In Black is missing all the aliens, and has actors in their places) and others can contain extra scenes (Jay and Silent Bob) . WPs can be nice additions to the collection once a good quality final has been obtained.
DivX Re-Enc - A DivX re-enc is a film that has been taken from its original VCD source, and re-encoded into a small DivX file. Most commonly found on file sharers, these are usually labeled something like Film.Name.Group(1of2) etc. Common groups are SMR and TND. These aren't really worth downloading, unless you're that unsure about a film u only want a 200mb copy of it. Generally avoid.
Watermarks - A lot of films come from Asian Silvers/PDVD (see below) and these are tagged by the people responsible. Usually with a letter/initials or a little logo, generally in one of the corners. Most famous are the "Z" "A" and "Globe" watermarks.
Asian Silvers / PDVD - These are films put out by eastern bootleggers, and these are usually bought by some groups to put out as their own. Silvers are very cheap and easily available in a lot of countries, and its easy to put out a release, which is why there are so many in the scene at the moment, mainly from smaller groups who don't last more than a few releases. PDVDs are the same thing pressed onto a DVD. They have removable subtitles, and the quality is usually better than the silvers. These are ripped like a normal DVD, but usually released as VCD.
Formats
VCD - VCD is an mpeg1 based format, with a constant bitrate of 1150kbit at a resolution of 352x240 (NTCS). VCDs are generally used for lower quality transfers (CAM/TS/TC/Screener(VHS)/TVrip(analogue) in order to make smaller file sizes, and fit as much on a single disc as possible. Both VCDs and SVCDs are timed in minutes, rather than MB, so when looking at an mpeg, it may appear larger than the disc capacity, and in reality u can fit 74min on a CDR74.
SVCD - SVCD is an mpeg2 based (same as DVD) which allows variable bit-rates of up to 2500kbits at a resolution of 480x480 (NTSC) which is then decompressed into a 4:3 aspect ratio when played back. Due to the variable bit-rate, the length you can fit on a single CDR is not fixed, but generally between 35-60 Mins are the most common. To get a better SVCD encode using variable bit-rates, it is important to use multiple "passes". this takes a lot longer, but the results are far clearer.
XVCD/XSVCD - These are basically VCD/SVCD that don't obey the "rules". They are both capable of much higher resolutions and bit-rates, but it all depends on the player to whether the disc can be played. X(S)VCD are total non-standards, and are usually for home-ripping by people who don't intend to release them.
DivX / XviD - DivX is a format designed for multimedia platforms. It uses two codecs, one low motion, one high motion. most older films were encoded in low motion only, and they have problems with high motion too. A method known as SBC (Smart Bit-rate Control) was developed which switches codecs at the encoding stage, making a much better print. The format is Ana orphic and the bit-rate/resolution are interchangeable. Due to the higher processing power required, and the different codecs for playback, its unlikely we'll see a DVD player capable of play DivX for quite a while, if at all. There have been players in development which are supposedly capable, but nothing has ever arisen. The majority of PROPER DivX rips (not Re-Encs) are taken from DVDs, and generally up to 2hours in good quality is possible per disc. Various codecs exist, most popular being the original Divx3.11a and the new XviD codecs.
CVD - CVD is a combination of VCD and SVCD formats, and is generally supported by a majority of DVD players. It supports MPEG2 bit-rates of SVCD, but uses a resolution of 352x480(ntsc) as the horizontal resolution is generally less important. Currently no groups release in CVD.
DVD-R - Is the recordable DVD solution that seems to be the most popular (out of DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD+R). it holds 4.7gb of data per side, and double sided discs are available, so discs can hold nearly 10gb in some circumstances. SVCD mpeg2 images must be converted before they can be burnt to DVD-R and played successfully. DVD>DVDR copies are possible, but sometimes extras/languages have to be removed to stick within the available 4.7gb.
MiniDVD - MiniDVD/cDVD is the same format as DVD but on a standard CDR/CDRW. Because of the high resolution/bit-rates, its only possible to fit about 18-21 mins of footage per disc, and the format is only compatible with a few players.
Misc Info
Regional Coding - This was designed to stop people buying American DVDs and watching them earlier in other countries, or for older films where world distribution is handled by different companies. A lot of players can either be hacked with a chip, or via a remote to disable this. 1 USA, Canada 2 Europe, Middle East, Japan, South Africa 3 S.Korea, Taiwan, HK, ASEAN 4 Australia, NZ, Latin America 5 Ex-Soviets, Indian sub-continent, Africa 6 China 7 Reserved 8 International territory (airplanes, cruise ships, etc.)
RCE - RCE (Regional Coding Enhancement) was designed to overcome "Multiregion" players, but it had a lot of faults and was overcome. Very few titles are RCE encoded now, and it was very unpopular.
Macrovision - Macrovision is the copy protection employed on most commercial DVDs. Its a system that will display lines and darken the images of copies that are made by sending the VHS signals it can't understand. Certain DVD players (for example the Dansai 852 from Tescos) have a secret menu where you can disable the macrovision, or a "video stabaliser" costs about 30UKP from Maplin CODE (www.maplin.co.uk)
NTSC/PAL - NTSC and PAL are the two main standards used across the world. NTSC has a higher frame rate than pal (29fps compared to 25fps) but PAL has an increased resolution, and gives off a generally sharper picture. Playing NTSC discs on PAL systems seems a lot easier than vice-versa, which is good news for the Brits :) An RGB enabled scart lead will play an NTSC picture in full colour on most modern tv sets, but to record this to a VHS tape, you will need to convert it to PAL50 (not PAL60 as the majority of DVD players do.) This is either achieved by an expensive converter box (in the regions of £200+) an onboard converter (such as the Dansai 852 / certain Daewoos / Samsung 709 ) or using a World Standards VCR which can record in any format.
News Sites - There are generally 2 news sites, and I'm allowed to be biased :) For Games/Apps/Console :: CODE www.isonews.com is generally regarded as the best, but for VCD/SVCD/DivX/TV/XXX CODE www.vcdquality.com displays screen grabs and allows feedback. **NOTICE** neither site offers movie downloads, and requesting movies/trades etc on the forums of either is NOT permitted. There are generally 3 news sites for film release for p2p and they are: CODE nforce - VCD Help http://www.vcdhelp.com/ http://www.vcdquality.com/ http://www.nforce.nl/
Release Files
RARset - The movies are all supplied in RAR form, whether its v2 (rar>.rxx) or v3 (part01.rar > partxx.rar) form.
BIN/CUE - VCD and SVCD films will extract to give a BIN/CUE. Load the .CUE into notepad and make sure the first line contains only a filename, and no path information. Then load the cue into Nero/CDRWin etc and this will burn the VCD/SVCD correctly. TV rips are released as MPEG. DivX files are just the plain DivX - .AVI
NFO - An NFO file is supplied with each movie to promote the group, and give general iNFOrmation about the release, such as format, source, size, and any notes that may be of use. They are also used to recruit members and acquire hardware for the group.
SFV - Also supplied for each disc is an SFV file. These are mainly used on site level to check each file has been uploaded correctly, but are also handy for people downloading to check they have all the files, and the CRC is correct. A program such as pdSFV or hkSFV is required to use these files. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Usenet Information
Access - To get onto newsgroups, you will need a news server. Most ISPs supply one, but this is usually of poor retention (the amount of time the files are on server for) and poor completition (the amount of files that make it there). For the best service, a premium news server should be paid for, and these will often have bandwidth restrictions in place.
Software - You will need a newsreader to access the files in the binary newsgroups. There are many different readers, and its usually down to personal opinion which is best. Xnews / Forte Agent / BNR 1 / BNR 2 are amongst the popular choices. Outlook has the ability to read newsgroups, but its recommended to not use that.
Format - Usenet posts are often the same as those listed on VCDQUALiTY (i.e., untouched group releases) but you have to check the filenames and the description to make sure you get what you think you are getting. Generally releases should come down in .RAR sets. Posts will usually take more than one day to be uploaded, and can be spread out as far as a week.
PAR files - As well as the .rxx files, you will also see files listed as .pxx/.par . These are PARITY files. Parity files are common in usenet posts, as a lot of times, there will be at least one or two damaged files on some servers. A parity file can be used to replace ANY ONE file that is missing from the rar set. The more PAR files you have, the more files you can replace. You will need a program called SMARTPAR for this. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scene Tags
PROPER - Due to scene rules, whoever releases the first Telesync has won that race (for example). But if the quality of that release is fairly poor, if another group has another telesync (or the same source in higher quality) then the tag PROPER is added to the folder to avoid being duped. PROPER is the most subjective tag in the scene, and a lot of people will generally argue whether the PROPER is better than the original release. A lot of groups release PROPERS just out of desperation due to losing the race. A reason for the PROPER should always be included in the NFO.
SUBBED - In the case of a VCD, if a release is subbed, it usually means it has hard encoded subtitles burnt throughout the movie. These are generally in malaysian/chinese/thai etc, and sometimes there are two different languages, which can take up quite a large amount of the screen. SVCD supports switch able subtitles, so some DVDRips are released with switch able subs. This will be mentioned in the NFO file if included.
UNSUBBED - When a film has had a subbed release in the past, an Unsubbed release may be released
LIMITED - A limited movie means it has had a limited theater run, generally opening in less than 250 theaters, generally smaller films (such as art house films) are released as limited.
INTERNAL - An internal release is done for several reasons. Classic DVD groups do a lot of .INTERNAL. releases, as they wont be dupe'd on it. Also lower quality theater rips are done INTERNAL so not to lower the reputation of the group, or due to the amount of rips done already. An INTERNAL release is available as normal on the groups affiliate sites, but they can't be traded to other sites without request from the site ops. Some INTERNAL releases still trickle down to IRC/Newsgroups, it usually depends on the title and the popularity. Earlier in the year people referred to Centropy going "internal". This meant the group were only releasing the movies to their members and site ops. This is in a different context to the usual definition.
STV - Straight To Video. Was never released in theaters, and therefore a lot of sites do not allow these.
ASPECT RATIO TAGS - These are *WS* for widescreen (letterbox) and *FS* for Fullscreen.
RECODE - A recode is a previously released version, usually filtered through TMPGenc to remove subtitles, fix color etc. Whilst they can look better, its not looked upon highly as groups are expected to obtain their own sources.
REPACK - If a group releases a bad rip, they will release a Repack which will fix the problems.
NUKED - A film can be nuked for various reasons. Individual sites will nuke for breaking their rules (such as "No Telesyncs") but if the film has something extremely wrong with it (no soundtrack for 20mins, CD2 is incorrect film/game etc) then a global nuke will occur, and people trading it across sites will lose their credits. Nuked films can still reach other sources such as p2p/usenet, but its a good idea to check why it was nuked first in case. If a group realise there is something wrong, they can request a nuke.
NUKE REASONS :: this is a list of common reasons a film can be nuked for (generally DVDRip)
** BAD A/R ** :: bad aspect ratio, ie people appear too fat/thin ** BAD IVTC ** :: bad inverse telecine. process of converting framerates was incorrect. ** INTERLACED ** :: black lines on movement as the field order is incorrect.
DUPE - Dupe is quite simply, if something exists already, then theres no reason for it to exist again without proper reason.
When Good Discs Go Bad
Burning Questions
Ever wonder what makes a disc bad? Here's why they vary in quality, and why you should worry about the discs you've entrusted with your data.
Melissa J. Perenson, PC World
Burning CDs and DVDs is the easy part.
Knowing your data will be there when you go back to it days, months, or even years later--well, that's a bit harder. Not all discs are created equal, as Fred Byers, information technology specialist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, can attest.
Byers is part of a team heading up an independent study of DVD media quality. Based on the first wave of testing results, the situation is murky at best.
"We've found the quality varies, depending upon the type of dye used to make the write-once discs and [on the] the manufacturer," reports Byers. Even discs from the same manufacturer, with the same brand, can test differently, Byers adds. "But there was more of a significant difference when you compared discs between manufacturers," he explains.
DVD Media Quality: The First Tests
In the first phase of testing, completed late last year, NIST focused on the most popular media: write-once, single-layer DVD-R and +R discs. Rewritable discs will be tested in the second phase, slated to start this fall. An interesting footnote to the study's methodology: NIST uses media purchased off store shelves and via Web sites; and while researchers are tracking the media by brand, they are not tracking the specific factory source of the media tested. For example, a given manufacturer's discs could originate from different production lines, which could account for a variation in disc quality by the same manufacturer.
Hearing that there's a difference between the generic, unbranded 100-spindle value-pack of media purchased online and the branded offerings you might find on a Best Buy store shelf is not surprising. After all, as David Bunzel, president of the Optical Storage Technology Association, points out: "With a generic product, there's no consumer recourse. It's buyer beware."
If a disc isn't properly manufactured, the consequences can be dire. At best, the disc will fail immediately during the burn process; this is a best-case scenario because then you know from the start that the disc is faulty. At worst, you may get an abundance of errors during the burn process. These errors won't interrupt the burning process, and since write-once and rewritable DVD media have built-in error correction to compensate for scratches and other abnormalities on the disc (as do their CD cousins), any errors will be virtually invisible to you. You'll only know they're there if you use a disc diagnostics program, such as those offered by Ahead Software or Plextor. Nor will these errors affect the playback of the disc--initially.
Down the road, however, such invisible-to-the-eye errors can reduce the effectiveness of a DVD's built-in error correction so that if some other issue develops on your disc, such as a scratch, you could end up with an unreadable disc when you go back to it months or years later.
But what would cause such a wide disparity in media quality between branded discs from the same vendor?
"We don't know why it's different--it could be a different dye, it could be a different manufacturing process," notes Byers. "Manufacturers are constantly trying to improve their dye formulas--in theory improving the disc."
Nonetheless, at the same time, competitive forces are driving manufacturers to find ways to economize on production costs. And cost-cutting measures can result in discs that don't perform as well as those generated during an earlier production run, either in terms of failing outright or not burning at the maximum possible speed on a given DVD drive. "It varies over time, as the output changes," Byers says.
Brand Disparity
As for the disparity between brands that NIST found, the distinguishing factors come down to quality control and the dyes used in disc production. Declining to name names, Byers points out that "some manufacturers make their own discs, and some purchase them from someplace else--which opens you to variations in the manufacturing plant, or changes in the source [of that media]."
Vendors like Maxell and Verbatim manufacture discs on their own production lines, as do Asian manufacturers CMC Magnetics, RiData, Taiyo Yuden, and others; other name brands contract with a third-party manufacturer to produce discs to their own specs; and still others just buy third-party-produced media wholesale, without imposing their own set of quality controls on the media production.
The intricacies of disc production and quality control aren't the only variables that seem to affect media. More surprising is the number of discs that seem to have a propensity for specific hardware.
"One thing we've found in compatibility testing [of DVD-R and +R media] is that it's a relationship between a specific brand of media and the manufacturer of the hardware," observes Byers. "There was no one drive that played every single type of compatible media, and there was no one media brand that played perfectly in every drive."
And, he adds, sounding as frustrated as any consumer might, "You can't say there's a clear, delineated set of reasons as to why."
A Grading System?
One of the most common questions I hear is, "What's a good brand of media to buy?" DVD and CD media are so commonplace nowadays that it's easy to forget the complexities that go into producing them. And if anything in that production process is off, it could, in time, affect the integrity of the data you've burned to a disc.
"It's very tough to answer that kind of question, because there are so many variables," says Byers. "You don't get 100 percent yield when you manufacture these discs. We can talk about the materials that produce a good disc, but it also has to do with the manufacturing process. So, just to say the materials to look for doesn't necessarily relate to it being a better disc." The same is true vice versa.
So how can you know that the media you're using will last you for the duration, so those archived photos will still be there when you go back to a disc 20 years from now--or more?
For the moment, you can't. All DVD and CD vendors make vague claims about disc life expectancy being somewhere between 60 and 100 years--when the discs are treated with care and stored properly.
But NIST's Byers is seeking to change that. At an OSTA meeting in San Francisco this week, Byers is proposing an industry-wide grading system to indicate disc quality.
Byers is motivated by the desire to see a uniform mechanism in place to guide institutions and individuals who'll be storing data, music, videos, and images for long periods of time. "They need to be confident in their purchasing, so they can plan for their strategies in storing their information," Byers says. "Long-term storage has different meanings: For some, 30 years might be enough. For others, 50 or 75 years might be archive, or long-term, quality."
Longevity
Under Byers's proposal, a series of tests would be developed to determine whether a DVD would last for a given number of years. "If you were to purchase a disc in a store with a grade that indicates it has passed a test to last X number of years, it removes a lot of uncertainty for the consumer, and it can save some expense in premature migration [to a new storage technology], or loss of data because they waited too long [and the disc was no longer playable]," he says.
Although some archivists--both individual and professional--are concerned about whether today's digital storage mediums will be readable 50 or 100 years from now, Byers believes the bigger concern for users will be when to migrate their data to the next technology, "before the existing technology is obsolete."
The Disc Rot Myth
Media obsolescence isn't the only thing people fear after committing a personal library's worth of data to CDs and DVDs. But some worries--namely, fear of disc rot--are not fully warranted.
Like a bad seed, the myth of disc rot self-perpetuates, cropping up every now and again as a sudden and mortal threat to your copious collection of prerecorded and self-created discs.
The myth was once rooted in fact. It is true that back in the 1980s, with the first generation of prerecorded audio CDs, the edges of the discs were not always sealed properly, which allowed moisture to get into the disc. Replicated, prerecorded discs use aluminum for the reflective layer; when moisture came into contact with the aluminum on prerecorded discs, explains Byers, it in turn oxidized, causing the aluminum to become dull. "That's where the term 'rot' started," he says.
But that problem was quickly identified and overcome. "The manufacturers learned what was going on, so now the edges of discs are sealed with a lacquer," according to Byers. Though the problem is typically associated with CDs, Byers notes that the potential for interaction with oxygen is the same with both CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs.
The so-called rot issue does not apply to recordable discs. For one thing, recordable optical media do not use aluminum; instead, they use silver, and very rarely gold, or a silver-gold alloy, for the reflective layer. "If the silver comes into contact with sulfates [i.e., pollution, or high humidity], it could affect the silver, but the likelihood of that is less than the likelihood of moisture coming into contact with the aluminum on prerecorded discs," says Byers.
Enduring Myth
The term rot has persisted, however inaccurately, as a means of identifying a plethora of problems with optical discs. "If you get a faulty disc and see a problem that you can visually see, you call it rot, but it could be the way the disc was manufactured," says Byers. "Or if it was subjected to extreme moisture and that moisture came into contact with the aluminum, it could be that the reflectivity has changed. It's not really rot, it's oxidation of aluminum. It should be a rare event on a disc, unless it's defective."
Beyond the realm of defective discs, improper handling can cause otherwise good discs to go bad. Since there's little protection between the label side of a CD and the data layer itself, "scratches on the label side can scratch the metal, and that will ruin the data," says Byers. It's not an issue for DVDs, though, since the dye layer is sandwiched between two plastic layers.
Byers observed a similar problem occurring with press-on labels: "For long-term storage, we recommend not using press-on labels on CDs; when these start to dry up, they can peel the metal right up, damaging data."
Removing Norton Anti-virus 2004, How to remove the Registry Enteries Found this on the Norton Web site.
I finally got fed up with Norton 2004 AV and switched to Avast.
Had lots of problems removing Norton, lots of stuff left over in the registry.
FYI, this is from the Symantec.com Site, so I am guessing it is nice and safe
If you scroll down to the "Removal instructions" the first option is "To remove Norton AntiVirus from the registry" Click on the Plus sign and you can down load the removal tool (it is a .reg file that removes all the keys for Norton.)
After I got done, Avast started working right and my system seemed to be running alot better. (after Avast found 14 virues that Norton did not find.)
Removing Banners From Free Webhosts
Today,there r number of wesites,which offer you webspace and areasonable good URL,for free.This service has become most popularas it is the easiest and fastest way of puting up ur site on net,getting an identity for ur self and becoming a part of huge web.
But The problem is they put Huge banners In that free sevice .
How To remove that?
its easy
follow the steps down
The banners Which r embedded r just about the only source of income for these websites,so if u r caught carrying out any of the below 'No Banner'
tricks,then u would possible lose ur account. So BEWARE!!!
For Geocities,,angel fire,freeservers,50 megs,fortune city,netscape
place the below code after the end HTML tag:
Anglefire/FreeServers/50Megs/FortuneCity/Netscape/tripod
Place the below code any where on the page:
the above snippet will give an error and normally no other Java script code would be executed,so no banner would be displayed.however ,it doesn't work in all cases ,so there is yet another Hack for angelfire:Surround the BODY tag with the below code
If in case any thing doesn't work I am not responsible
if u want for any other free webhost i will give req here
