OT Cleaning up Windows computers

[Leo J Mauler]

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 12:41:37 -0600 "Brian Kelsay" <blkelsay at kcc.usda.gov>
writes:
> It won't hurt you to delete cookies.  Both progs list tracking 
> cookies that are used by progs. like Alexa and other ad trackers.  I 
> haven't lost any acceptable cookies like those from my.yahoo.com.

Same here.  Most reputable sites use cookies which are written in such a
way that AdAware doesn't flag them as spyware.

> If you followed the discussion, we were talking about fixing other 
> people's PCs.  You can also offer to install Linux and rid them of 
> the majority of the existing problems (they'll likely run into 
> another set with Linux), but most people just say, "Put it back the 
> way it was, I don't want to learn anything new."  The Lady who I 
> fixed the PC for last week said exactly that and so did Leo's 
> friend.   I'm just suggesting tools I have used that I know actually 
> work.

I'm reminded of the recent "User Friendly" in which the tech guys install
Linux on the marketing guy's computer, but he doesn't like it purely on
M$ bias reasons.  So rather than uninstall Linux and reinstall WinXP,
they stick a WinXP-like desktop manager onto the marketing guy's PC.  I
recall he is surprised how quickly his menu bar opens.  :)

If the person you're helping is so clueless that they probably will never
install anything on their own, and all of what they do with a computer
has Linux analogues, then using a desktop manager that looks like their
version of Windows could be one way of getting them into Linux.  :)

> Even though these tools do their job, occasionally you have to 
> manually cut out chunks of registry files to get to the point that 
> you can even run an app or get internet connectivity to get the prog 
> and its updates.  I almost always take my laptop and LiveCDs with me 
> as a fall back position.  I also carry a CDR that has Win9x and ME 
> cabs, for a known good replacement.   You do what you gotta do to 
> get the job done.

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!
On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:32:12 -0600 "Brian Kelsay" <BLKELSAY at kcc.usda.gov>
writes:
> Actually I'm looking for one to download.  And I'm having to burn on 
> my work burner.  I can open the ISO w/ WinISO to look, but can't 
> open the compressed filesystem to see kernel version.  As far as I 
> know the knoppix isos are all 700MB and I have 650MB CDRWs.  So far 
> I have found one University site that has the v3.1-2003-01-20-EN.iso 
> available.   If I want to mount the ISO and look at it, I'll have to 
> do so with a LiveCD I have here.

I have several copies of the KNOPPIX v3.1 CD if you want one.

KNOPPIX v3.1 was the last one to include GNOME, and since gcombust is my
favorite CD-burning (shell) software, I made a bunch of copies of the
KNOPPIX v3.1 CD to assist in burning CDs (for the longest time, I had a
new CD Burner whose included Nero software didn't work).

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!