[b]Using Dia As a Free Replacement for Microsoft Visio[/b]

The retail price of diagramming software Microsoft Visio 2007 ranges between $550 to $259 depending on if you choose professional or standard, which is a lot of money for somebody on a budget. Since we love to write about replacing expensive applications with high quality free alternatives, today we are writing about Dia, a free alternative.

Dia is capable of creating electronic circuit diagrams, computer network diagrams and even simple flowcharts for business projects. You can export these diagrams with a number of image formats, or even in a format readable by Visio.

[b]Using Dia[/b]

[list]Dia may not be as graphically glamorous as MS Visio (hence saving a lot of system resources) but you can certainly get detailed diagrams created for your needs.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/O6Nzt.png[/img][/center]

When you launch Dia you will get a view of the Toolbox. Here is where you choose objects and other tools to create the diagrams, graphs, and charts.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/4JxMR.png[/img][/center]

The other screen which opens is the Canvass. This is where you will create and edit your project.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/rIcaT.png[/img][/center]

Let’s go through and create a basic computer network diagram. These are sometimes used religiously by network administrators. This example is very simple, but keep in mind you can create diagrams as complex as you need. First you will want to go through and pick the appropriate object library for the project. There are several included by default in Dia.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/fccLj.png[/img][/center]

After you have your toolbox set up the way you want go to the canvass and start creating the diagram. Creation is very simple once you have a basic idea of your diagram or chart. Select the objects you want to put in from the tool box then click an area in the Canvass to place them. You can resize and move them around however you see fit. Text labels and boxes are easily added.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/H6lXp.png[/img][/center]

You can also convert your diagram to several different formats by right clicking the saved file and selecting from the menu.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/oaiq9.png[/img][/center]

Here is an example of PNG format. This comes in handy so you can easily post the diagram in an email or on a web server for colleagues to view.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/F7JUs.png[/img][/center][/list]

Dia was released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1071427#1071427][b]here[/b][/url]

Create Advanced Panoramas with [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1063667#1063667][b] Microsoft Image Composite Editor[/b][/url]

Do you enjoy making panoramas with your pictures, but want more features than tools like Live Photo Gallery offer? Here’s how you can create amazing panoramas for free with the Microsoft Image Composite Editor.

Yesterday we took a look at creating panoramic photos in Windows Live Photo Gallery. Today we take a look at a free tool from Microsoft that will give you more advanced features to create your own masterpiece.

[b]Getting Started[/b]

[list]Download Microsoft Image Composite Editor from Microsoft Research (link below), and install as normal. Note that there are separate version for 32 & 64-bit editions of Windows, so make sure to download the correct one for your computer.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/TAl1C.png[/img][/center]

Once it’s installed, you can proceed to create awesome panoramas and extremely large image combinations with it. Microsoft Image Composite Editor integrates with Live Photo Gallery, so you can create more advanced panoramic pictures directly. Select the pictures you want to combine, click Extras in the menu bar, and select Create Image Composite.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/kiaF7.jpg[/img][/center]

You can also create a photo stitch directly from Explorer. Select the pictures you want to combine, right-click, and select Stitch Images…

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/EDv6J.jpg[/img][/center]

Or, simply launch the Image Composite Editor itself and drag your pictures into its editor. Either way you start a image composition, the program will automatically analyze and combine your images. This application is optimized for multiple cores, and we found it much faster than other panorama tools such as Live Photo Gallery.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/g41IE.png[/img][/center]

Within seconds, you’ll see your panorama in the top preview pane.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/75Ib4.jpg[/img][/center]

From the bottom of the window, you can choose a different camera motion which will change how the program stitches the pictures together. You can also quickly crop the picture to the size you want, or use Automatic Crop to have the program select the maximum area with a continuous picture.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/fIyRX.png[/img][/center]

Here’s how our panorama looked when we switched the Camera Motion to Planar Motion 2.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/M6MRK.png[/img][/center]

But, the real tweaking comes in when you adjust the panorama’s projection and orientation. Click the box button at the top to change these settings.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/NTbhg.png[/img][/center]

The panorama is now overlaid with a grid, and you can drag the corners and edges of the panorama to change its shape.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/n4iMf.jpg[/img][/center]

Or, from the Projection button at the top, you can choose different projection modes.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/zGsTo.png[/img][/center]

Here we’ve chosen Cylinder (Vertical), which entirely removed the warp on the walls in the image. You can pan around the image, and get the part you find most important in the center. Click the Apply button on the top when you’re finished making changes, or click Revert if you want to switch to the default view settings.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/JFN4g.jpg[/img][/center]

Once you’ve finished your masterpiece, you can export it easily to common photo formats from the Export panel on the bottom. You can choose to scale the image or set it to a maximum width and height as well. Click Export to disk to save the photo to your computer, or select Publish to Photosynth to post your panorama online.

Alternately, from the File menu you can choose to save the panorama as .spj file. This preserves all of your settings in the Image Composite Editor so you can edit it more in the future if you wish.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/E4U7i.png[/img][/center][/list]


[b]Conclusion[/b]

[list]Whether you’re trying to capture the inside of a building or a tall tree, the extra tools in Microsoft Image Composite Editor let you make nicer panoramas than you ever thought possible. We found the final results surprisingly accurate to the real buildings and objects, especially after tweaking the projection modes. This tool can be both fun and useful, so give it a try and let us know what you’ve found it useful for.

Works with 32 & 64-bit versions of XP, Vista, and Windows 7[/list]

[url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1061766#1061766][b] Lacuna Launcher v1.0.0[/b][/url]

[b]Using the Application[/b]
Open the included "list.txt" file in notepad and make a list with the paths to files you want to open. Place one per line. You can add as many as you like. (a sample entry that opens Notepad on XP has been included as a guide - you may remove that line)

NOTE: If you want to launch files with command line parameters, create a shortcut with the parameters set, and use the path to the shortcut file (.lnk) in the list, instead of a direct path to the application.
Web pages can be launched through the use of .url files.

When you want to launch the entire group, just click the "ll.exe" file (or a shortcut to it) and they will all be launched, one right after the other, in the same order that they appear in the list.

The command line parameters give you more control over timing of the launches by allowing you to set an initial delay time and a pause time between each one, and the ability to create multiple lists and specify which you would like to use. (see the included README.txt for more information)

You can set up multiple lists for various tasks, and place shortcuts on your desktop or Quicklaunch, or use it from the Run dialog.

the format is
[full path to Lacuna Launcher] [full path to text file to be used] [initial delay (in seconds)] [pause time between items (in seconds)]

Note: there is a space between each one and the order listed is important! You must use all parameters. You must also enclose any paths that contain spaces in quotes.

Examples:

"C:\Program Files\Lacuna Launcher\ll.exe" "C:\Program Files\Lacuna Launcher\list.txt" 60 10

"C:\Program Files\Lacuna Launcher\ll.exe" "C:\Program Files\Lacuna Launcher\different list.txt" 0 5

"C:\Program Files\Lacuna Launcher\ll.exe" "C:\Program Files\Lacuna Launcher\another list.txt" 0 0

[img]http://i.imgur.com/GvfAx.png[/img]

Let's say you have a number of tools that you need to launch to do a particular job, like maybe webdesign. You could list all the paths to all the tools you use for this, your page builder, Photoshop, various browsers, etc., in a .txt file, place a shortcut on your desktop (with command line parameters) and use Lacuna Launcher to launch them all with a single click.

You can place a shortcut with command line parameters in your startup folder, include the paths to all of
the applications you want to start in your list, and then remove all of the other shortcuts from the folder,
leaving only Lacuna Launcher's shortcut.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/fUZRp.png[/img]

[b]Uninstallation[/b]
Just delete ll.exe, list.txt, readme.txt, and any shortcuts and additional lists you may have created.

[url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1061515#1061515][b] Bible Quiz v2.4[/b][/url]

[b]Thank you for your interest in this Bible Quiz[/b]
[list][*]The data is based on the King James Version (Cambridge 1769) Bible.
[*]You can play by yourself or with up to a total of 6 players.
[*]You can choose between New or Old Testament questions at any time during the game.
[*]There are 525 New Testament and 525 Old Testament questions with multiple-choice answers selected in random order.
[*]You can use the "Slider" at the bottom of the page to change the set of questions you wish to answer. Just slide the selection bar to the right or left to make this selection. The option at the furthest right will select all questions.[/list]

[b]Options available are as follows:[/b]
[list][*]1. By clicking on the "New Test" button it will switch between New and Old Testament questions, and change state to tell you the current type of question being asked.
[*]2. Select your choice of an answer by clicking on the appropriate radio button.
[*]3. Reading the verse. You must answer the question before you can read the verse. And to keep the scoring honest, the program goes to the next question after you read the verse.
[*]4. If you answer a question incorrectly, the "Read Verse" screen automatically comes up and the correct answer is highlighted.
[*]5. To the right of the "Next" button you will see the question number being asked.
[*]6. Should you wish to review that question, or any other question, you can enter it into the provided window between the "Next" button, and the "Go To" button, and then click on "Go To". Be aware this feature disrupts the score; therefore it is not recommended if you are challenging others.
[*]7. You can turn the sound "ON" or "OFF" as you desire with the "Sound" button, which will change state to tell you the current status.
[*]8. When you select "Exit", you will see the results of your session, the number of "Correct" answers, the number of "Wrong" answers and the "Score %" for each player.[/list]

Thank you for your interest, and May the Lord bless you while you read his word.

[url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1052568#1052568][b] EclipseCrossword v1.2.57[/b][/url]

Eclipse Crossword is an exceedingly small, yet capable piece of crossword generating software that comes at a great price – it’s freeware!

Eclipse Crossword is very simple to use and, thanks to its wizard based approach, doesn’t have any sort of UI complexities. A step-by-step methodology allows for a very structured process to create a crossword.

EclipseCrossword runs only on Windows and is available at eclipsecrossword.com . The download is under 1 MB in size and installs in a jiff. Let’s go through the steps involved in creating a puzzle of our own.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/cZZG2.jpg[/img][/center]

Create a new crossword puzzle

All crosswords depend on a set of words that will interlink with each other to create the puzzle itself. This set is called a word bank or word list. Let’s create one by selecting the default option "Let me create a word list from scratch now".

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/vwq6l.jpg[/img][/center]

Create the Word List

Step 2 is where the bulk of our work is to be done – here’s where we enter the words and the clues associated with each word. As each word and the associated clue is added, it’ll appear in the section to the left. You can easily remove a word from the list by double-clicking the word in the list and then clicking the "Remove word" button. One can also save and re-open previously created Word Lists via the "Tools" button.

When you’ve finished entering all the words you want to include in the puzzle, click the NEXT button to continue onward.

Step 3 is an optional step that normally doesn’t appear – you can enable it from the OPTIONS > ADVANCED page. Here’s where you can specify a particular word to be the Primary word – a word around which the entire puzzle will be constructed. For now, we’re leaving the default option as is, and moving on to step 4 wherein we can name the crossword puzzle – perhaps by date or a particular theme. One can optionally enter some copyright info too, so visitors might know who’s designed the puzzle.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/ZEgAL.jpg[/img][/center]

A wee bit of design now, Step 5 allows us to tailor the crossword puzzle’s grid dimensions. This helps in perhaps adjusting the cosmetic look of the puzzle. For now, the defaults work fine – this may change if the words in your wordlist are too long or there are a larger number of words in your list, thereby creating a larger puzzle.

Step 6 displays a preview screen showing you the options that you’ve chosen in the previous steps – the name of the puzzle as well as the number of words and the size of the puzzle are shown. If there are any changes you’d like to make, now’s the time to do so by clicking the BACK button and moving to the appropriate step. If all seems well, click NEXT to proceed.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/fGfpA.jpg[/img][/center]

Alrighty then, we’re finally able to see a visual layout of the words and how they interlink with each other. If the layout doesn’t appeal to you, click the Make another puzzle like this one link to redraw the puzzle. When you’re satisfied with the way the words are arranged, click the NEXT button to move on to the final step – saving and publishing your puzzle.

Now that you’ve spent time and effort creating your puzzle masterpiece, it’s time to save it, else all the work that has been undertaken will be for naught. Click the appropriate link and save the crossword as well as the Word List to a location of choice for future reference.

EclipseCrossword allows for a very wide variety of ways to export and distribute the puzzle. You can choose to simply print the puzzle for distribution via paper – good fun in a class or to further comprehension of a particular subject. Else, you can publish an interactive puzzle online. This is what we initially set out to do, so let’s proceed along this path. In keeping with the options available, there are two methods used to deliver the interactive experience to the end-user – one via JavaScript and the other via a Java applet.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/MrpLG.jpg[/img][/center]

Publishing it via the first option creates a simple html file that needs only be uploaded to one’s website. If you’d prefer the interface of the Java applet, you’ll also need to upload the .class file alongside the html file created via the second method.

[b]PROS:[/b] It’s freeware, light and does what it says. Decent help file and easy to understand interface.

[b]CONS:[/b] Fewer features than the big boys, lack of special format layouts. Interactive interface can be made better by listing out clues in a point and click format. A timer and ability to send solved results via email might have helped.

[b]TeamViewer [/b] - The All-In-One Solution for Remote Access and Support over the Internet

You would like to allow someone to access/control your computer.

[list=1][*]Download the installer from [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1031553#1031553][b][u]here[/u][/b][/url]
[*]Accept the execution and select "Start" (You do NOT have to install it since you will only use it once.) -accept the terms
[*]Now, your computer is enabled for external connections.

[center][img]http://images.mobilism.org/?di=ZAHD[/img][/center]
[*]You PM the person with the ID and password that teamviewer gave: you compose a pm or email like this (in this example):
(Note that these details will provide ANYONE to control your computer, so only give these details to the person that you allow to control your computer.)

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/NEXJe.jpg[/img][/center]
[*]That person will also install Teamviewer, and use the login you gave him.
[*]Now, sit back and enjoy the show. Your friend will check your system, analize the problem and give properly feedback to you.
[*]When this is done, the person will say bye and you can close teamviewer.[/list]

[b]How to create icons Using Green Fish Icon Editor Pro.[/b]

Released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1028390#1028390][b][u]here[/u][/b][/url]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvlW0ltucWs

[b][i]How To Install Windows XP / 2003 / Vista / 7 / BartPE via USB[/i][/b]

Using [b]WinToFlash [/b](released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=1025658#1025658][b][u]here[/u][/b][/url])

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLZf-1tWxz4

Quick Start [b] MadAppLauncher [/b] (Released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=989570#989570][b]here[/b][/url])

[list=1] [*]Download and install the application launcher
[*]Run the application launcher (It is best to add a shortcut to the [Start Menu] [Startup] folder if the option was unchecked in the installation)
[*] Check menu option View | Drag and Drop Mode
[*]Start dragging and dropping files to buttons
[*]Uncheck menu option View | Drag and Drop Mode when finished
[*]Hold down Ctrl + ` (tilde/backtick)to activate the program
[*]To launch a program
[list=1] [*]Press keys 0-9 to select/activate tabs
[*]Press the letter or symbol which corresponds to the program you want to launch[/list][/list]

[b]Instructions on extraction .cab file:[/b]

- Download CabGrabber (released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=988060#988060][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url])
- Install ActiveSync (if it is not installed).
- Instal on the big computer all necessary PPC programs. Each time ActiveSync should write, that installation will be after the following synchronisation with PDA.
- Synchronisation to do it is not necessary.
- Start CabGrabber, put ticks near to the necessary names and press 'Save' (in a picture I has noted this button a red circle :wink: ).
- Specify a folder where to keep .cab files. The folder should be already.
- Wait a few moments.
- Transfer .cab files on a handheld computer, install.
- That's all.

Source: [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=140756#140756][b] BeerBear[/b][/url]

[b]Play Your Favorite DOS Games in XP, Vista, and Windows 7 with D-Fend Reloaded[/b]
(Released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=987045#987045][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url])

Want to take a trip down memory lane with old school DOS games? D-Fend Reloaded makes it easy for you to play your favorite DOS games directly on XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

D-Fend Reloaded is a great frontend for DOSBox, the popular DOS emulator. It lets you install and run many DOS games and applications directly from its interface without ever touching a DOS prompt. It works great on XP, Vista, and Windows 7 32 & 64-bit versions.

[b]Getting Started[/b]

[list]Download D-Fend Reloaded (link below), and install with the default settings. You don’t need to install DOSBox, as D-Fend Reloaded will automatically install all the components you need to run DOS games on Windows.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/Ks005.png[/img]

D-Fend Reloaded can also be installed as a portable application, so you can run it from a flash drive on any Windows computer by selecting User defined installation.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/cvqxg.png[/img]

Then select Portable mode installation.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/u19La.png[/img]

Once D-Fend Reloaded is installed, you can go ahead and open the program. Then simply click “Accept all settings” to apply the default settings.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/ZAc07.png[/img]

D-Fend is now ready to run all of your favorite DOS games.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/0SPyC.png[/img][/list]


[b]Installing DOS Games and Applications:[/b]

[list]To install a DOS game or application, simply drag-and-drop a zip file of the app into D-Fend Reloaded’s window. D-Fend Reloaded will automatically extract the program…

[img]http://i.imgur.com/aW2bZ.png[/img]

Then will ask you to name the application and choose where to store it — by default it uses the name of the DOS app.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/PyNqY.png[/img]

Now you’ll see a new entry for the app you just installed. Simply double-click to run it.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/L058o.png[/img]

D-Fend will remind you that you can switch out of fullscreen mode by pressing Alt+Enter, and can also close the DOS application by pressing Ctrl+F9. Press Ok to run the program.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/l8QLN.png[/img]

Here we’re running Ms. PacPC, a remake of the classic game Ms. Pac-Man, in full-screen mode. All features work automatically, including sound, and you never have to setup anything from DOS command line — it just works.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/UTWuL.png[/img]

Here it’s in windowed mode running on Windows 7.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/widj9.png[/img]

Please note that your color scheme may change to Windows Basic while running DOS applications.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/v5uoC.png[/img]

You can run DOS application just as easily. Here’s Word 5.5 running in in DOSBox through D-Fend Reloaded…

[img]http://i.imgur.com/FYv6O.png[/img][/list]

[b]Game Packs:[/b]

[list]Want to quickly install many old DOS freeware and trial games? D-Fend Reloaded offers several game packs that let you install dozens of DOS games with only four clicks…just download and run the example game pack installer (link below).

[img]http://i.imgur.com/FZmp6.png[/img]

Now you’ve got a selection of DOS games to choose from.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/5b1Vh.jpg[/img]

Here’s a group of poor lemmings walking around … in Windows 7.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/kUx8P.jpg[/img][/list]

[b]Conclusion[/b]

[list]D-Fend Reloaded gives you a great way to run your favorite DOS games and applications directly from XP, Vista, and Windows 7. Give it a try, and relive your DOS days from the comfort of your Windows desktop.

What were some of your favorite DOS games and applications? Leave a comment and let us know [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?f=957&t=298559][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url].

Download DOS game packs for D-Fend Reloaded [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=987045#987045][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url][/list]

[b]How to use [size=125]Free YouTube to MP3 Converter[/size][/b] (Released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=985401#985401][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url])

[b]Step 1.[/b] Download Free YouTube to MP3 Converter
This is a clearly free program. There is no spyware or adware. It's absolutely safe to install and to run!

[b]Step 2.[/b] Launch Free YouTube to MP3 Converter

[img]http://i.imgur.com/yjVsI.jpg[/img]

Follow Start > All Programs > DVDVideoSoft > Programs > Free YouTube to MP3 Converter or just click the DVDVideoSoft Free Studio icon on the desktop.
The interface is very simple and self-explaining. There is a field for YouTube links, a field for output settings and the Download button.

[b]Step 3.[/b] Add YouTube Links

[img]http://i.imgur.com/Ieio1.jpg[/img]

Copy as many YouTube links from your Internet browser as you wish and paste them into the program. The program will detect all videos at this link, single YouTube videos as well as whole collections like the following ones:
[list]- complete playlists and show lists;
- users' channels;
- all videos from personal playlists (History, Liked, Favourites, Watch later, etc.);
- artist's playlists;
- videos from Movies Category;
- videos from Music Category;
- videos from YouTube charts;
- video responses.[/list]

[b]Step 4.[/b] Select Output Format

[img]http://i.imgur.com/rtBGu.jpg[/img]

Choose one of the available output Formats: *.mp3, *.m4a, *.aac, *.wav, *.wma, *.ogg, *.flac or *.ape. Select available pre-configured settings for each format.
(To enable Preset Editor go to Options => Tab General)

[b]Step 5.[/b] Set MP3 Tags

[img]http://i.imgur.com/XuBA2.jpg[/img]

Click the Tags... button to set tags for output MP3 files.
By default the program will automatically fill the title tag and the artwork, taking a YouTube thumbnail which can be seen in iTunes, Winamp or Windows Explorer.

[b]Step 6.[/b] Download Video and Extract Audio

[img]http://i.imgur.com/C53LM.jpg[/img]

Click the Download button and wait just a few seconds or several minutes max (depending on your internet connection speed).

[b]Step 7.[/b] Find Output Audio Files

[img]http://i.imgur.com/cEQKL.jpg[/img]

Check your audio files by clicking the folder which appeared after the download is complete.

[b][size=150]How to burn an ISO image file to a CD/DVD.[/size][/b]

If you’re unsure as to how to burn an ISO image file to a CD/DVD in order - for example - to create a bootable disk, here’s an easy method. In this illustration I’m using a freeware application CDBurner XP. (Released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=981380#981380][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url])

1) Activate CDBurner XP.
2) Insert a blank CD/DVD into the CD/DVD drive.
3) Click on “Burn ISO image”, which will open the write screen.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/Hg67c.jpg[/img]

4) Select kav_rescue_10.iso which will reside in the location in which you saved the file.
5) Click on “Burn disc”

[img]http://i.imgur.com/2aD0w.jpg[/img]

6) Sit back and relax until the job is complete (2/3 minutes).

Using [b]Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10[/b] (released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=981322#981322][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url])

[b]A Quick Walkthrough.[/b]

[list]Much of today’s malware is expert at hiding or camouflaging itself – making it both hard to detect, and obviously more difficult to remove. But, if you can get to malware before it has a chance to run live within the installed operating system – you have a real chance of detecting and eradicating the varmint.

This is where a Rescue Disk (Live CD), which I like to think of as the “SWAT Team” of antimalware solutions – comes into play. More often than not, a Live CD can help you kill malware DEAD!

It’s important to know though, not all antimalware Live CDs are in fact, “Rescue Disks”. And, not all “Rescue Disks” are in fact – antimalware Live CDs.

Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10, by far and away my antimalware tool of choice, combines the best of both genres. Not only is is superb at identifying and removing malware but, with it’s onboard tool kit it, definitely qualifies as a Rescue Disk.

Note: Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10, is designed to scan, and disinfect, both 32 bit and 64 bit machines. As well, Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 can be run from a USB device.

The following is a quick walkthrough using Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 in both malware scanning and “tool kit” capacities.

Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 is available for download as an ISO file only, which means – you must burn the ISO image file to a CD/DVD, and then boot the application from your CD/DVD drive.

At boot-up, Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 runs through a fairly large number of routines so be patient until the main menu screen appears.

From the menu screen, run the update task which will update the anti-virus databases. Following which, you can then go to “Scan your computer” or….

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/0DaAZ.jpg[/img][/center]

you can choose to configure the scan settings to your specific requirements.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/niY1P.jpg[/img][/center]

As the application is scanning, you will be reminded of both the percentage of objects scanned and, an estimated time to completion.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/03hwt.jpg[/img][/center][/list]

The bonus features bolted on to Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 include:

[b]Firefox[/b]

[list]The Firefox web browser integrated into Kaspersky Rescue Disk can view websites and save the pages you have visited. You can view all visited pages after exiting Kaspersky Rescue Disk. By default, the Kaspersky Lab website is displayed in the browser.

In the following usage example, I have chosen to search Google for “malware help”. Let’s hope you’ll never have to do this but, if you need to you can – without having to boot back into Windows.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/vaq6h.jpg[/img][/center][/list]

[b]Internet configuration[/b]

[list]By default, the web browser works with system proxy server. You can specify the proxy server settings when configuring the web browser. Since malware can often affect Internet settings, this feature can be an invaluable assist.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/pHjhZ.jpg[/img][/center][/list]

[b]Integrated file manager[/b]

[list]The Integrated file manager will allow you to access the hard drive/s – as the following screen capture shows. As a last resort (if it comes to that), you will be able to save your important files (any file for that matter), using this tool.

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/9SUfs.jpg[/img][/center][/list]

[b]Heuristic analyzer[/b]

[list]Threat detection technology for threats that cannot be detected using Anti-Virus databases. It allows detecting objects suspected of being infected with an unknown virus or a new modification of the known viruses. This mechanism is fairly effective, and very rarely leads to false positives.[/list]

Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 is an extremely powerful tool, with many more capabilities than I’ve been able to cover in this short review. I’m more than a little surprised that it can be downloaded at no cost. A serious computer user would do well to have this application ready to go when faced with one of those - O No!!, moments.

[b]How to compress files[/b]
[list]Step 1: Open IZArc (Released [url=http://forum.mobilism.org/viewtopic.php?p=979841#979841][b] [u]here[/u][/b][/url])
Step 2: Select "New Archive" from the File menu or click on the New button. An open dialog appears.
Step 3: Select the folder where you want to create the compressed archive.
Then give a name of the archive and click Open. "Add Files" dialog will be opened.
Step 4: Select the files that you want to compress (Hold CTRL key to select more than one file).
Additionally you can select the archiving type, the level of compression and password.
Step 5: Click OK.
Step 6: Close IZArc.

Tips: You can easily compress a file by right click on it and from the IZArc context menu select
"Add to <Name of the file>.zip"[/list]

[b]How to extract files[/b]
[list]Step 1: Select an archived file and double-click on it. If IZArc is configured correctly, it will be launched
and open your archive otherwise first open IZarc and then open the desired archived file.
Step 2: If you want to extract only few files from the archive you can select them in the file list
(Hold CTRL key to select more than one file).
Step 3: Select "Extract" from the Actions Menu or click on the Extract button.
Step 4: After Extract dialog appeared you can select the folder where your files will be extracted.
Step 5: Click Extract button.
Step 6: Close IZArc.

Tips: You can easily extract the content of an archive by right click on it and from the IZArc context menu
select "Extract Here".[/list]

[b]How to create self-extracting archive[/b]
[list]Step 1: Open IZArc
Step 2: Create a new archive or open an existing one.
Step 3: From the Actions menu select "Make .EXE file". A dialog appears.
Step 4: (Optional) Choose the default extract folder, caption of the self-extracting archive dialog box
and if you want you can specify a message given before the main extraction dialog shows itself.
Step 5: Click OK to create the SFX archive. After that you can test the newly created file.
Step 6: Close IZArc.

Tips: You can easily create SFX archive by right click on an archive and from the IZArc context menu select
"Create Self-Extracting (.EXE) File"[/list]

[b]How to split large archive[/b]
[list]Step 1: Open IZArc
Step 2: From the Tools menu select "Create Multi-Volume Set". A dialog appears.
Step 3: Select a single archive that you want to split.
Step 4: Select the location and the file name of the spanned archive that will be created.
Step 5: Specify the size to be used for the individual parts.
Step 6: Click OK.
Step 7: Close IZArc.[/list]

[b]How to merge multi-volume ZIP archive[/b]
[list]Step 1: Open IZArc
Step 2: From the Tools menu select "Merge Multi-Volume Set". A dialog appears.
Step 3: Select a multi-volume archive that you want to convert into single zip archive.
Step 4: Select the location and the name of the single archive.
Step 5: Click OK.
Step 6: Close IZArc. [/list]