Check, check, and check again

From TechRepublic comes this Vista tip on selecting files in Windows Explorer:

“When you want to select multiple files in Windows Explorer, you can hold down the [Ctrl] key as you click on each file. If the files are in consecutive order, you can select the first file, hold down the [Shift] key and select the last file…

To enable this feature, launch Windows Explorer, press the [Alt] key to toggle the Menu Bar on, pull down the Tools menu, and select Folder Options. When you see the Folder Options dialog box, select the View tab. Then, under the Advanced Settings scroll down to the bottom of the list and select the Use Check Boxes To Select Items check box. Click OK to complete the operation.

Now, when you hover your mouse pointer over the files in Windows Explorer, a check box will momentarily appear next each file as you move past it. If you select the check box, it will remain next to the file and the file will be selected… there is [also] a check box in the Name column header. If you select that particular check box, all the files in that folder will be selected.”

Nice.

Including the kitchen Sync

Trying to keep files and information synchronized (”synced”) between 2 or more computers can be a real problem.

Lifehacker has some suggestions on methods for keeping things synced.

These include Windows Live’s FolderShare, the Microsoft SyncToy program, and rsync.

MediaCoder to convert audio and video files

“MediaCoder is a free universal batch media transcoder, which nicely integrates most popular audio/video codecs and tools into an all-in-one solution. With a flexible and extendable architecture, new codecs and tools are added in constantly as well as supports for new devices. MediaCoder intends to be the swiss army knife for media transcoding in all time…”

Features In Brief

• Convert to and from many audio and video compression formats and re-multiplex into various container formats in batches
• Full control over transcoding parameters, you can learn about audio/video encoding and play with various codecs
• Strong decoding capability for partial or corrupted contents
• Simplified UI for popular mobile devices (e.g. PSP, iPhone/iPod)
• Fully standalone, no dependance on system codecs/splitters
• Extension (scripting language) infrastructure to expand user interfaces and improve user experience

Typical Applications

• Improving compression / reducing size for audio/video files
• Converting for audio/video playback devices (digital audio player, MP4 player, mobile phone, PDA, PSP, VCD/DVD player etc.)
• Extracting audio tracks from video files
• Ripping audio/video discs
• Reparing corrupted or partial downloaded video files

Safe Deposit Box goes online

Remember “safe deposit boxes”, those little lockers in the bank vault where your parents kept the deed to the house, everyone’s birth certificates, stuff like that?

Now you can keep stuff online.  It might not be considered valid in the eyes of the law, but it will keep your information available.  Keepyousafe.com has free safe deposit boxes online for your files.

Why would I need an Online Safe Deposit Box? What if you were traveling and lost your wallet, itinerary or passport? KeepYouSafe.Com gives you a private place to keep copies of this important information so that your trip isn’t ruined.

What does this cost? Your KeepYouSafe.Com Online Safe Deposit Box is free.

How do you keep the contents of my safe deposit box secure? We use many methods to provide the most secure possible environment for your data. All of the information contained inside each Online Safe Deposit Box is encrypted - that is, encoded so that only the person(s) with a key (password) to that specific box can view its contents. We use the same encryption technology (256 bit AES) that the military employs to protect top secret data.

But couldn’t malicious hackers still somehow manage to access my personal information? Your personal information simply couldn’t be safer than it is in your Online Safe Deposit Box. Our staff of certified security professionals continually monitors public, private and government security alerts to ensure we are aware of all emerging and new security threats before these threats ever have a chance to affect our network or servers. We regularly audit the security of our systems using industry approved manual and automated methods.  Additionally, network security audit firm ScanAlert performs exhaustive tests on our systems every day. The “Hacker Safe” mark that appears on our website means the site is free of all known vulnerabilities that can be remotely scanned for — the vulnerabilities that are exploited in 99.99% of all hacker attacks.

As always, be careful what kind of information you store online with anyone, depending on how much you can trust them and their security.  However, for travel, this could be helpful.

In ’sync with your folders and data

LifeHacker, that source of varied wonderful information, has an article on free ways to synchronize the contents of your folders between computers.

These can go between different operating systems, too (Windows to Mac or vice versa, Linux to Windows, etc.).

What dot? file extensions demystified

Gizmo Richards’ TechSupport Alert Newsletter recommends dotwhat.net to find out exactly what that file is doing, by the file extension (the part of the file name after the dot, like “.com” or “.pdf”.

“What Extension is That?
You know the story; someone sends you a file with a strange extension like .MOD and you can’t open it. At this free site they will tell you what kind of file it is and, hopefully, what program you need to open it. There are several sites like this, including some that are more comprehensive in their coverage, but what I liked about this one is that it covers files from Mac and Linux as well as Windows, and has provision for user comments, some of which are more informative than the site information itself.
http://www.dotwhat.net

By the way, Gizmo’s newsletter is free (with an extended version for a small fee) and a great source of info.

Adding to the “Send to” options

Internet Fixes has advice on adding more options to the right-click “Send to” menu choices you have.

These options usually include programs and places you can put a file, or graphic, or whatever, but you can add to the possibilities.

These actually are listed in C:Documents and SettingsyournameSendTo as programs or locations on your hard drive.

Who is KB and why does he have all these files on my computer?

Got a lot of “KB” files on your computer?

These are left from every Windows update, and they are the backups of your pre-update system. That’s how you can uninstall an update if it causes a problem (which, unfortunately, can sometimes happen).

But if everything is working okay, you can get rid of some of the older ones. Don’t just delete them, however — use a utility.

Instructions are at Internet Fixes. The utility to use is at http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm .

“This utility does NOT remove application specific hotfix backups (Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Media player and etc.). It will only remove hotfix backups that are specific to the Windows XP operating system.

Additionally, you may not notice an immediate recovery of disk space. This is because the backup files are protected by System Restore. When they are deleted, System Restore places a copy in the most recent, or a new, restore point. As older restore points are flushed out, and new ones created, you’ll see the space gain.”

BurnAware also does Blu-Ray

BurnAware Free Edition is a freeware program, comparable to Nero, that burns CDs and DVDs including Blu-Ray (BD-R/BD-RE), disk images, allows for multiple burn sessions so you can add successive backups to a disk or new software to a backup of your collection and it supports all current hardware.

The reviewer on Clif Notes Newsletter has set aside Nero in favor of this software.

Transfer your settings from XP to Vista

This freeware allows you to transfer your accounts and system settings from your XP system to that new Vista system you just got.

Recommended by Clif Notes Newsletter.

Windows XP built-in encryption

Windows XP has an encryption function built in. See How To Encrypt a File in Windows XP.

TrueCrypt for keeping files safe

TrueCrypt is a freeware, open source encryption program for XP/2000/2003 and Linux, and USB Flash (thumb, keychain, etc.) drives.

Recommended by Windows Secrets.

Create a PDF file with PrimoPDF

Creating a PDF file without Adobe Acrobat is possible, and for free.

PrimoPDF freeware PDF creation software (according to the website) features:

• Completely free, not just a trial version, and no user registration is required.
• Ability to optimize PDF output for screen (online viewing), print (standard laser printers), ebook, and prepress.
• Resultant PDF output conforms to the PDF 1.4 specification.
• Secure PDF files with 40- or 128-bit encryption.
• Add document information (e.g. title, author, subject, keywords) to converted PDF files.
• NEW: Full support for 64-bit machines.
• NEW: Double byte character support.
• NEW: Support of non-TrueType fonts.
• NEW: Enhanced support for Microsoft Windows 98, ME, XP and Vista as well as improved PDF viewing support on non-Windows platforms.
• NEW: Ability to merge/append PDF files upon conversion.

There is a user forum and a manual available, too.  Not tested, so use at your own risk, but check the user forum for feedback from actual users.

Search with Copernic

Copernic Desktop Search Yes, there are other ways to search your computer for files, graphics, music, etc. (Windows has a built-in Search, Google and others have search engines) but Copernic is (a) free (basic edition), and (b) finds the non-Microsoft files and such — like your WordPerfect and Quicken and other non-Microsoft product files.

Here’s looking at you, Office

Microsoft Office viewers are available if you don’t have Microsoft Office programs. Click here for the download page for viewers for all MS Office products, Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, Access, and Visio.

Remember: you can see the files with these viewers, but you cannot edit them in any way.

You can also use OpenOffice (freeware compatible with MS Office Suite before 2007) to view Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and Access files (before 2007) as well as edit and save them to MS Office formats such as 97-2003 formats.

Remember: you must not use 2007 formats (ending in “x” such as “.docx“) if you want to use other programs such as OpenOffice, WordPerfect, etc. to view or edit them reliably.

Online storage sites - some pay, some free

[updated 2008/6/23]

It costs to store, but some online storage sites will allow you to keep some files there for free. They hope that you’ll eventually decide to pay for more space. These are only a few of the many places available which have been recommended.

PCWorld has an article on free and low-cost online storage sites.

• MediaMax free 25GB (that’s GIGAbytes), plus a downloadable utility for automatic PC backups and synchronization. Download/share up to 1GB a month, files up to 10MB large. Greater capacities for paid accounts. Recommended Smart Computing.
• znail Free 5MB of storage with registration; more space for small donation. Accessible from any Internet computer. You can also store your web bookmarks here to access them from anywhere online. Recommended by PC Annoyances
• DataDepositBox Buy any amount of storage for 1 cent per megabyte. Recommended by Smart Computing.
• 4shared.com offers 5GB (that’s GIGAbytes) of free storage, maximum file size 25MB, password protected if you like.
• Windows Live Skydrive has 5GB free storage.
• Xdrive has 5GB of free online storage.

Remember: it may not be wise to store confidential information using online storage, whether you pay or not. Check the site’s policy. Also, such sites are subject to court orders or subpoenas for your stored information.

Irfanview — odd name, but useful for viewing

Irfanview is a freeware graphics viewer that can also convert graphics from one format to another.

Zamzar goes for the conversion

Zamzar will convert a number of formats to other formats, for free, and email you a link to the new format’s file.

Zamzar does documents, images (graphics), music (audio/sound), video, and compressed formats — far too many to list. Check the list for all the current files.

While you do have to wait for the email to get the link to your converted file, it’s free and will convert things like Real Player files to mp3, and Windows .wma to mp3, and so on.

It will also convert YouTube videos to formats that work in PowerPoint.

Recommended by Tech Support Alert newsletter.

Glide for uploading and managing data by computer or phone

Glide lets you upload and manage your data, as well as use online software. “Glide Welcomes PC, Mac, Linux, RIM BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Mobile, Symbian and iPhone Users.” Up to 2GB free, more with monthly or annual billing.

MediaFire file storage up to 100MB per file

MediaFire is an online storage service which is recommended by PC World and other big names.  You can store files for free with certain limitations, and access them from any Internet-connected PC or Mac.

As always, use at your own risk.  They guarantee not to sell your email.  Information stored in this manner may be subject to subpoenas and court orders.