40: Cleaning up the Unlocker room
2009-01-11
Download MP3 For Geekons Episode 40
Pop-Up: Unlocker
- Free utility for Windows that allows you to remove system locks on files.
- Shows existing system locks for files so you know what process is locking the files.
- Gives you the ability to easily remove the lock so you can move/rename/etc. the file, or eject your removable storage.
- An extra feature available is to delete files that have invalid file names. (Like when you copy files from a Mac onto a PC that have invalid NTFS filenames)
- 5 out of 5 stars, does exactly what it advertises and works great.
Geek-Tweak: Routine Maintenance for Windows based PCs
- Defragment your Fat/NTFS drive each quarter
- Right-click the drive you want to defragment in Windows Explorer and select "Properties".
- Under the "Tools" tab, click "Defragment Now" and follow the on-screen instructions.
- (You can also use third party defragment utilities like Auslogics Disk Defrag, but you won't see a massive performance difference)
- Check your Disks for errors each quarter
- Right-click the drive you want to check and select "Properties"
- Under the "Tools" tab, click "Check Now" under the Error Checking box and follow the on-screen instructions.
- For a much more effective scan, use SpinRite from http://grc.com to check, exercise, and repair your drive.
- Back up your data weekly or monthly (depending on how much you use your computer)
- Download and install SyncToy 2 from Microsoft
- Create a folder pair where the left folder is your system drive and your right folder is a removable drive, such as a USB hard drive. (preferrably not flash memory)
- Set the folder pair to be an echo, and give it a simple name.
- Save the settings, then click the "Preview" button to make sure synctoy is doing what you are expecting it to do.
- When you are satisfied, close sync toy.
- Open Task Scheduler and create a task that runs c:program filessynctoy 2.0SyncToyCmd.exe with the command line argument -R "your folder pair name" (case sensitive!)
- Save that scheduled task, and make sure your computer is on and the backup drive is attached when you scheduled it!
- (you can also use the built-in windows backup utility, but I haven't played with that yet)
- Disenfect your mouse and keyboard monthly at least, possibly even weekly... those things get gross! (Make sure the disenfecting agents you are using are safe for plastic and electronics!)
- Dust the inside of your computer twice a year, if you are up for it... just keep grounded and use a can of air.
View-Source: Religion vs. Relationship
- his first time to use a computer and noted the vast difference between the two.
- When he was a kid, his dad took him to see the mainframe they used at Industrial Indemnity that was kept in a sealed, air conditioned room, with antistatic floors and tons of workers in white lab coats.
- He later was told about a company doing something with computers, called Technica Education Corporation. He went there to check it out and was able to touch and play with a computer, the PDP8. (A minimal-computer that was prorammed with a series of switches) He said he was never the same again.
- Leo Loporte said "You can't underestimate the importance, by the way, I think, of that human scale. Going from that thing that was isolated on the other side of the glass[...]", and later, "You had no accessibility. When you're suddenly touching a computer, the whole thing changes."
- Our Christian life is the same.
- When we first see a Christian, see what Christianity is about, and even while we are going to church on a regular basis, we are looking at God "isolated on the other side of the glass".
- You can live your entire life isolated from God while staring at him, longing for Him.
- Once you accept Christ's sacrifice, you are given permission to go and play with the mainframe, the supercomputer, God.
- On top of that, you are free to use desktops, laptops, mobile devices, etc.
- That decision is the point in your life where you go from pen and paper to a fully immersed digital life. (spiritually speaking, of course.... God doesn't hand out iPhones if we accept Christ... we get something better!)
- When we start programming the computer and using the software available to us (when we start serving God, reading His word, and making life-changes based on that) we become effective.
- If we simply stare through the glass after we've been given access to what is inside, we will never live up to our potential.
- On the flip side of this, how does God look at us? Does he look through the glass at us?
- Not at all!
- Psalm 139:13-16 shows us that God is very hands-on in our existence, and is actively involved in our lives!
- I pray that each of us will open our social networks to include God, His word, and carrying out His desires.
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