Monday, October 5, 2009

Mozilla firefox VS Safari

Mozilla FireFox 3.5 VS Safari 4
Saya rasa sebagian besar pengguna internet sudah mengenal browser yang berlambang rubah ini. Siapa yang tidak tahu Mozilla firefox? Browser kedua dengan pengguna terbanyak setelah browser bawaan Microsoft windows Internet Explorer. Tapi, mungkin hanya sedikit dari anda yang mengenal browser bawaan apple ini, yaitu Safari yang berlambang kompas.
Kali ini kita akan membandingkan antara Mozilla firefox dengan safari.

Mozilla firefox
Saat program pertama di jalankan, tampilannya tidak ada yang istimewa, dan butuh waktu beberapa detik agar Mozilla tampil dan siap digunakan. Tidak terlalu ringkas, karena ada berbagai icon-icon default, dan tombol back forward tampil dengan ukuran mendominasi. Menu bar tidak di buat ringkas, semuanya tampil di menu bar. Jika kita mengklik new tab, maka tab baru tersebut akan muncul setelah tab terakhir. Agak merepotkan jika ada banyak tab. Alangkah nyamannya jika tab baru muncul si samping tab yang sedang aktif. Saatnya mencoba kecepatan browser, kita coba dengan mengunjungi situs yahoo.com. dan setelah beberapa detik, situs baru terbuka semua.
Oouupps, ternyata satu tab ada yang crash. Tapi untungnya hanya tab itu saja yang tertutup, tab-tab yang lain tidak ikut tertutup. Mozilla firefox mempunyai fitur restore. Sehingga jika kita tidak sengaja menutup Mozilla firefox, atau tiba-tiba listrik padam dan komputer mati, kita bisa merestore halaman-halman web yang tadi tertutup. Tidak ada yang istimewa untuk fitur download.

Safari
Langsung saja kita buka. Daaan . . . . . program terbuka dengan cepat, tampilannya pun dibuat ringkas. Tidak ada menu bar yang ‘berserakan’ semuanya terkumpul di bagian kanan layar. Saat pertama membuka browser ini, terlihat gambar situs-situs yang sering kita kunjungi atau pun situs yang terakhir dikunjungi, tampilannya di desain 3 dimensi dan tampak animasi halus yang ciamik ketika kita mengarahkan kursor ke salah satu kotak berisi gambar situs yang sering dikunjungi. Tanpa lama-lama lagi, kita coba seberapa cepat dia menampilkan halaman situs secara penuh. Kita tidak usah mengetikkan Yahoo.com, karena safari sudah menyediakan alamat-alamat website yang paling populer di dunia seperti yahoo, google, dan Wikipedia. Kita klik di yahoo!. Dan, wush, safari lebih cepat menampilkan halaman situs daripada Mozilla. Kita coba apa yang bisa di lakukan safari jika salah satu tab crash, daaaaan, ternyata semua tab sekaligus safari mati total. Kita harus secara paksa menutup program, tapi untungnya ada fitur restore. Agak mengesalkan memang, kalo dalam bahasa sunda , ini disebut jibeh (paeh hiji, paeh kabeh).

Kesimpulan
Mengapa safari bisa lebih cepat daripada Mozilla? Dari informasi di internet, safari bisa begitu cepat menampilkan halaman situs, karena keamanan yang tidak begitu ketat. Sedangkan Mozilla firefox, keamanannya lebih baik dari safari. Mau yang cepat tapi keamanan tidak terjamin? Pakailah safari, tapi jika keamanan yang anda prioritaskan, pakailah Mozilla firefox. (fariz)

Sunday, September 13, 2009

AMD Rilis Processor Opteron 40W-6Core

amdopteronsixcore

Kalau Anda sudah cukup lama menunggu kelahiran anak baru dari AMD, inilah saat yang Anda nanti-nantinya karena dengan penantian tak sia-sia tersebut akhirnya pihak AMD mengumumkan produk terbarunya.

AMD baru saja memperkenalkan processor Opteron 40W 6-core di San Francisco. Kabarnya processor ini memiliki performa lebih cepat sekitar 31 persen dibandingkan dengan generasi sebelumnya yaitu Opteron 4-core per-watt-nya.

Menurut pembicara dari AMD yaitu Brent Kerby, perusahaan saat ini lebih memfokuskan diri untuk memproduksi processor dengan tenaga lebih kecil dari sebelumnya untuk dapat menghemat energinya sehingga performa yang dihasilkan pun meningkat secara signifikan.

“Processor Opteron 6-core ini yang bekerja pada energi 40W sengaja dibuat untuk mengurangi pemborosan energi yang terlalu berlebihan namun justru menghasilkan performa yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya.” kata Kerby lagi.

“Tak seperti processor lainnya, processor Opteron 6-core ini memiliki fitur khusus yaitu konsistensi lebih baik. Misalnya, kami tidak mengurangi kecepatan dari memori, dukungan pada bus, hyperthreading ataupun ukuran dari cache. Pengembangan processor ini tidak akan diragunakan lagi akan berdampak baik juga pada lingkungan.” ujar Kerby.

“Keuntungan bagi dunia komputerisasi dan jaringan media sosial yaitu membawanya menjadi data center baru.” Jeff Jenkins dari AMD pun mengutarakan hal yang sama. “Tentunya nanti akan banyak perusahaan yang tertarik untuk menggunakan solusi hemat energi dan tak meragukan lagi fitur-fitur dan performa yang ditawarkan. Maka dari itu kami mendesain processor Opteron 6-core. Akan sangat cocok bila digunakan sebagai data center dan bila ingin dipelihara secara berkala.” ujarnya lagi.


sumber: beritateknologi.com

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Marines solidify ban on Facebook, twitter

The U.S. Marine Corps made it official this week: Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are banned from military networks.The new administrative directive issued Monday, doesn't change much. Marines have not been allowed to access sites like Facebook, MySpace or Twitter from military networks. The Marines have simply put an official stamp on the ban, while also laying out the steps to take for any Marine who wants to access a site as part of his or her job."These Internet sites in general are a proven haven for malicious actors and content and are particularly high risk due to information exposure, user generated content and targeting by adversaries," the directive noted. "The very nature of [social networking sites] creates a larger attack and exploitation window, exposes unnecessary information to adversaries and provides an easy conduit for information leakage ..."The ban, however, is only for people using Marines' equipment and networks while they are working. Marines may still Twitter or post to Facebook on their own time and on their own computers.The military isn't against using sites like Facebook and Twitter, said 1st Lt. Craig Thomas, a Pentagon-based spokesman for the Marine Corps.The U.S. Central Command has a Facebook page, a channel on YouTube and a Twitter account to get out information regarding operations news. The Army is using MySpace to recruit new soldiers and the U.S. Forces Afghanistan page on Facebook has more than 24,000 fans."The Marine Corps has got to find a balance between security and letting Marines capitalize on the technology," Thomas said in an interview with Computerworld. "We don't want information leaks and we want to keep Marines focused on the mission at work and we wanted to save bandwidth. We're trying to find the fine line."Thomas noted that 30 years ago, soldiers were warned about revealing too much information in letters home. Then 10 years ago, they were warned about how they used e-mail. Today, the focus is on social networks."You can't have someone posting, 'Hey, we're leaving on this date and at this time,'" he added. "Believe me, the enemy is checking out what you guys are reporting and what service men and women are saying online. The Marine Corps instills operational security. They need to be cognizant of what they're saying, whether verbally or what they're saying on social networking sites."Ken van Wyk, principal consultant at KRvW Associates, said the Marines have several avenues of concern with social network use and they're probably right on track with most of them."If they're concerned about the platform -- whether Facebook itself is secure -- then their concerns should go far beyond just Facebook," van Wyk said. "Any site that permits active content into the user's browser runs the same risk. Facebook is just one of many."

OCZ to release 1TB SSD this month

OCZ Technology Group Inc. said today it will release its Colossus solid-state drive (SSD) in the next couple of weeks, delivering the first 3.5-inch form factor SSD with 1TB of capacity.

The drive is aimed at external storage and desktop computing applications, and should be particularly attractive to gamers because of its high capacity and impressive performance.

Like OCZ's midrange, consumer 2.5-inch Vertex SSD, the Colossus uses an Indilinx controller. But unlike the Vertex, the new Colossus drive comes with an option of two or four controllers, and can be configured for internal RAID 0 for data resiliency.

OCZ said that each controller in the Colossus will act as a virtual drive, working with the other controllers through a separate RAID controller from Silicon Image Inc.

Using ATTO Disk Benchmarking software, in a four-controller configuration the Colossus has a maximum sequential read rate of 261MB/sec and a maximum sequential write rate of the same, OCZ says. Using the IOMeter benchmarking tool, the drive turned in 223MB/sec sequential read rate and 224MB/sec sequential write rate.

Bottom line on performance: No matter how you look at the numbers, this drive purportedly screams.

The Colossus will be available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities for $300, $650, $1200 and $2200, respectively.


Saturday, August 1, 2009

My Computer Won't Shut Down Itself After Installing XP

There are a number of users who are noticing that their PC will no longer automatically power down/shut off without pressing the power off button on the computers unlike in Windows Me/95/2000. There could be a number of reasons for this - but the main one seems to be that ACPI is not enabled on the computer or in Windows XP. Here is how to try that out:

  1. Click - Start - Control Panel - Performance and Maintenance - Power Options Tab

  2. Then click APM - Enable Advanced Power Management Support

For a Safer, faster XP Close Unwanted Services

To disable unneeded startup services for a safer, faster XP, use the "Services" Admin Tool (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services). If you are a single user of a non-networked machine, you can disable the following items, with no ill effect.

Alerter
Clipbook
Computer Browser
Fast User Switching
Human Interface Access Devices
Indexing Service (Slows the hard drive down)
Messenger
Net Logon (unnecessary unless networked on a Domain)
Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing (disabled for extra security)
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager (disabled for extra security)
Remote Procedure Call Locator
Remote Registry (disabled for extra security)
Routing & Remote Access (disabled for extra security)
Server
SSDP Discovery Service (this is for the utterly pointless "Universal P'n'P", & leaves TCP Port 5000 wide open)
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telnet (disabled for extra security)
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Windows Time
Wireless Zero Configuration (for wireless networks)
Workstation

Boot Defragment

A very important new feature in Microsoft Windows XP is the ability to do a boot defragment. This basically means that all boot files are placed next to each other on the disk drive to allow for faster booting. By default this option is enabled but some upgrade users have reported that it isn't on their setup.

1. Start Regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
3. Select Enable from the list on the right.
4. Right on it and select Modify.
5. Change the value to Y to enable and N to disable.
6. Reboot your computer.

20 things you didn't know about Windows XP

You've read the reviews and digested the key feature enhancements and operational changes. Now it's time to delve a bit deeper and uncover some of Windows XP's secrets.

1. It boasts how long it can stay up. Whereas previous versions of Windows were coy about how long they went between boots, XP is positively proud of its stamina. Go to the Command Prompt in the Accessories menu from the All Programs start button option, and then type 'systeminfo'. The computer will produce a lot of useful info, including the uptime. If you want to keep these, type 'systeminfo > info.txt'. This creates a file called info.txt you can look at later with Notepad. (Professional Edition only).

2. You can delete files immediately, without having them move to the Recycle Bin first. Go to the Start menu, select Run... and type 'gpedit.msc'; then select User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Explorer and find the Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin setting. Set it. Poking around in gpedit will reveal a great many interface and system options, but take care -- some may stop your computer behaving as you wish. (Professional Edition only).

3. You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter 'rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation' in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That's it -- just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that's not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.

4. XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can tickle it and make it disgorge everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/sysoc.inf, search for the word 'hide' and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be your prey, exposed and vulnerable.

5. For those skilled in the art of DOS batch files, XP has a number of interesting new commands. These include 'eventcreate' and 'eventtriggers' for creating and watching system events, 'typeperf' for monitoring performance of various subsystems, and 'schtasks' for handling scheduled tasks. As usual, typing the command name followed by /? will give a list of options -- they're all far too baroque to go into here.

6. XP has IP version 6 support -- the next generation of IP. Unfortunately this is more than your ISP has, so you can only experiment with this on your LAN. Type 'ipv6 install' into Run... (it's OK, it won't ruin your existing network setup) and then 'ipv6 /?' at the command line to find out more. If you don't know what IPv6 is, don't worry and don't bother.

7. You can at last get rid of tasks on the computer from the command line by using 'taskkill /pid' and the task number, or just 'tskill' and the process number. Find that out by typing 'tasklist', which will also tell you a lot about what's going on in your system.

8. XP will treat Zip files like folders, which is nice if you've got a fast machine. On slower machines, you can make XP leave zip files well alone by typing 'regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll' at the command line. If you change your mind later, you can put things back as they were by typing 'regsvr32 zipfldr.dll'.

9. XP has ClearType -- Microsoft's anti-aliasing font display technology -- but doesn't have it enabled by default. It's well worth trying, especially if you were there for DOS and all those years of staring at a screen have given you the eyes of an astigmatic bat. To enable ClearType, right click on the desktop, select Properties, Appearance, Effects, select ClearType from the second drop-down menu and enable the selection. Expect best results on laptop displays. If you want to use ClearType on the Welcome login screen as well, set the registry entry HKEY_USERS/.DEFAULT/Control Panel/Desktop/FontSmoothingType to 2.

10. You can use Remote Assistance to help a friend who's using network address translation (NAT) on a home network, but not automatically. Get your pal to email you a Remote Assistance invitation and edit the file. Under the RCTICKET attribute will be a NAT IP address, like 192.168.1.10. Replace this with your chum's real IP address -- they can find this out by going to www.whatismyip.com -- and get them to make sure that they've got port 3389 open on their firewall and forwarded to the errant computer.

11. You can run a program as a different user without logging out and back in again. Right click the icon, select Run As... and enter the user name and password you want to use. This only applies for that run. The trick is particularly useful if you need to have administrative permissions to install a program, which many require. Note that you can have some fun by running programs multiple times on the same system as different users, but this can have unforeseen effects.

12. Windows XP can be very insistent about you checking for auto updates, registering a Passport, using Windows Messenger and so on. After a while, the nagging goes away, but if you feel you might slip the bonds of sanity before that point, run Regedit, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/Advanced and create a DWORD value called EnableBalloonTips with a value of 0.

13. You can start up without needing to enter a user name or password. Select Run... from the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2', which will open the user accounts application. On the Users tab, clear the box for Users Must Enter A User Name And Password To Use This Computer, and click on OK. An Automatically Log On dialog box will appear; enter the user name and password for the account you want to use.

14. Internet Explorer 6 will automatically delete temporary files, but only if you tell it to. Start the browser, select Tools / Internet Options... and Advanced, go down to the Security area and check the box to Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.

15. XP comes with a free Network Activity Light, just in case you can't see the LEDs twinkle on your network card. Right click on My Network Places on the desktop, then select Properties. Right click on the description for your LAN or dial-up connection, select Properties, then check the Show icon in notification area when connected box. You'll now see a tiny network icon on the right of your task bar that glimmers nicely during network traffic.

16. The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.

17. You can rename loads of files at once in Windows Explorer. Highlight a set of files in a window, then right click on one and rename it. All the other files will be renamed to that name, with individual numbers in brackets to distinguish them. Also, in a folder you can arrange icons in alphabetised groups by View, Arrange Icon By... Show In Groups.

18. Windows Media Player will display the cover art for albums as it plays the tracks -- if it found the picture on the Internet when you copied the tracks from the CD. If it didn't, or if you have lots of pre-WMP music files, you can put your own copy of the cover art in the same directory as the tracks. Just call it folder.jpg and Windows Media Player will pick it up and display it.

19. Windows key + Break brings up the System Properties dialogue box; Windows key + D brings up the desktop; Windows key + Tab moves through the taskbar buttons.

20. The next release of Windows XP, codenamed Longhorn, is due out late next year or early 2003 and won't be much to write home about. The next big release is codenamed Blackcomb and will be out in 2003/2004.

Fix your Slow XP and 98 Network

ou can run "wmiprvse.exe" as a process for quick shared network access to Win98/ME machines. Stick it in Startup or make it a service.

"On the PC running XP, log in as you normally would, go to users, manage network passwords.
Here is where the problem lies. In this dialog box remove any win98 passwords or computer-assigned names for the win98 PCs. In my case , I had two computer-assigned win98 pc names in this box (example G4k8e6). I deleted these names (you may have passwords instead). Then go to My Network Places and -- there you go! -- no more delay!

Now, after I did this and went to My Network Places to browse the first Win98 PC, I was presented with a password/logon box that looked like this: logon: G4k8e6/guest (lightly grayed out) and a place to enter a password. I entered the password that I had previously used to share drives on the Win98 PCs long before I installed XP. I have the guest account enabled in XP.

This solves the problem for Win98 & XP machines on a LAN; I can't guarantee it will work for Win2K/ME machines as well, but the whole secret lies in the passwords. If this doesn't solve your slow WinXP>Win98 access problems, then you probably have other things wrong. Don't forget to uncheck 'simple file sharing,' turn off your ICS firewall, enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP and install proper protocols, services & permissions

FDISK Tutorial

The Basics of Fdisk:
Primary partitions are the only one that are bootable. They're always the C: drive when active. Normally you can only have one (more with some special tricks etc.) Extended partitions are needed when you want more than one partition. You can only have ONE Extended partition. Logical Drives come into the Extended partition. They are handy since you know that you can only have one Primary and one Extended so you can get more than only two partitions. They would be your D:, E:, etc. drives.

First you need to reboot your system with the Boot Disk inserted.

1.At the A: prompt start "FDISK."

2.If asked to use Large Disc support say Yes.

3.The first screen looks like this:

Create Dos Partition or Logical Drive
Set Active Partition
Delete Partitions or Logical DOS Drives
Display Partition Information
Change current fixed drive. (In case you have two or more Hard Drivess)
So, to prepare you hopefully did a backup from your data. You did, didn't you ?!

4.Next we need to remove the existing partitions. So go to 3.

5.Next screen like this:

Delete Primary DOS
Delete Extended DOS
Delete Logical Drives
Delete Non-DOS
Delete always in the following order

Logical (All) > Extended > Primary (Last)

6.Go back to first screen after all partitions have been removed.

7.Now we need to setup our new partitions. Go to 1.

This screen looks like this:

Create Primary DOS
Create Extended DOS
Create Logical DOS Drives
Here we create in the following order

Primary > Extended > Logical Drives.

8.First create the Primary. If asked to use all space say No and enter the amount you wish for the C: drive. It should be set automatically to be the (only) Active partition. If not it may ask you or you have to select "2. Set active partition" from the main menu.

9.Next create the Extended Partition. Use all space left.

It probably advances automatically to the next step, creating the Logical DOS Drives.

10.Enter the amount you wish for the D: partition and than the rest for the third partition.

Think first about the size for the partitions.

OK now we're finished with FDISK so just exit it. Next you need to reboot with the disc still inserted and Format all partitions (the C: partition might need to be formatted with "format c: /s", check the Win95 tip). Another reboot and you can go ahead and install Windows.

When your system supports booting from CD just insert the Windows CD and reboot. The setup will start.

If not, follow these steps:

Win98: insert Boot Disk and CD, reboot, choose "2. boot with CDROM support" and once you're at the prompt change to your CD-drive letter (depends on your partition setup) and enter "setup".
Win95: You must format the C: partition with "Format C: /s"!. Next install your CDROM driver, reboot, insert the Win95 CD, change to the CD-driveletter, enter "setup".
I hope I made no mistakes.

Dual Boot XP

A computer can be configured to let you choose between two or more operating systems each time you restart the computer. With multibooting, you can choose which operating system to run or specify a default OS if no selection is made during the restart process.

Computers Containing Multiple Windows 2000 or Windows XP Partitions
Before installing Windows 2000 and Windows XP on the same machine, you need to prepare your system with different partitions (a process that divides a hard disk into separate sections that can be formatted for use by a file system. Partitions typically have different drive letters such as C or D).
One OS per partition
It’s important to install each operating system on a different partition and install the applications used with each operating system on the same partition as the OS. If an application is used with two different operating systems, install it on two partitions. Placing each operating system in a separate partition ensures that it will not overwrite crucial files used by the other OS.

Install Latest OS Last
In general, you should install the most recent OS last—after you have installed all other operating systems on the target computer. In this case, you should install Windows 2000 and then install Windows XP.

Unique Computer Name
You can set up a computer so that it has multiple installations of Windows XP on multiple partitions. However, you must use a different computer name for each installation if the computer participates in a Windows 2000 Server domain. Because a unique security identifier (SID) is used for each installation of Windows XP on a domain, the computer name for each installation must be unique—even for multiple installations on the same computer.

Checklist Summary
To configure a computer containing Windows 2000 and Windows XP, review the following guidelines:

Install each operating system on a separate drive or disk partition.
Install Windows XP after you have installed Windows 2000.
When you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), by default, the installation is placed on a partition on which no other operating system is located. You can specify a different partition during Setup.
Don’t install Windows XP on a compressed drive unless the drive was compressed with the NTFS file system compression feature.
On any partition where you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), you will need to re-install any programs, such as word processing or e-mail software, after Setup is complete.
Install the programs used by each operating system on the partition with that system. If you want your programs to run with multiple operating systems, you need to install separate copies of the programs in each of the operating system partitions.
If the computer is on a Windows 2000 Server domain, each installation of Windows XP on that computer must have a different computer name.


Computers Containing Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP
Setting up a computer to run Windows XP as well as an earlier operating system such as Windows NT Workstation 4.0 requires addressing compatibility issues among different file systems: NTFS, FAT, and FAT32.

Normally, NTFS is the recommended file system because it supports important features, including the Active Directory™ service and domain-based security. However, using NTFS as the only file system on a computer that contains both Windows XP and Windows NT is not recommended. On these computers, a FAT or FAT32 partition containing the Windows NT 4.0 operating system ensures that when started with Windows NT 4.0, the computer will have access to needed files. In addition, if Windows NT is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, it is recommended that the system partition also be formatted with FAT. This is because earlier operating systems, with one exception, can't access a partition if it uses the latest version of NTFS. The one exception is Windows NT version 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later, which has access to partitions with the latest version of NTFS, but with some limitations.

Even the latest Service Pack does not provide access to files using the new features in NTFS. Windows NT 4.0 cannot access files that have been stored using NTFS features that did not exist when Windows NT 4.0 was released. For example, a file that uses the new encryption feature won’t be readable when the computer is started with Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, which was released before the encryption feature existed.

Note: If you set up a computer so that it starts with Windows NT 3.51 or earlier on a FAT partition, and Windows XP on an NTFS partition, when that computer starts with Windows NT 3.51, the NTFS partition will not be visible.

Checklist Summary
To configure a computer containing Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP, review the following guidelines:

As explained above, using NTFS as the only file system on a computer containing both Windows XP and Windows NT is not recommended.
Make sure that Windows NT 4.0 has been updated with the latest released Service Pack available for download before installing Windows XP.
Install each operating system on a separate drive or disk partition.
When you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), by default, the installation is placed on a partition on which no other operating system is located. You can specify a different partition during Setup.
Don’t install Windows XP on a compressed drive unless the drive was compressed with the NTFS file system compression feature.
On any partition where you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), you will need to re-install any programs, such as word processing or email software, after Setup is complete.
Install the programs used by each operating system on the partition with that system. If you want your programs to run with multiple operating systems, you need to install separate copies of the programs in each of the operating system partitions.
If the computer is on a Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server domain, each installation of Windows XP on that computer must have a different computer name.


Computers Containing MS-DOS or Windows 9x and Windows XP
As explained above you need to address file system compatibility to ensure a multibooting configuration with these earlier operating systems and Windows XP. Remember to install the latest operating system last otherwise important files may be overwritten.

Checklist Summary
To configure a computer containing Windows XP and Windows 9x or MS-DOS, review the following guidelines:

On computers that contain MS-DOS and Windows XP:

MS-DOS must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT. If MS-DOS is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition must also be formatted with FAT.
Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows XP could be overwritten.
On computers that contain Windows 95 and Windows XP:

As in the case above, Windows 95 must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT. (For Windows 95 OSR2, FAT32 may be used.) If Windows 95 is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition must also be formatted with FAT (or FAT32 for Windows 95 OSR2).
Compressed DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes won’t be available while you are running Windows XP. It is not necessary to uncompress DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes that you will access only with Windows 95.
Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows XP could be overwritten.
On computers that contain Windows 98 (or Windows ME) and Windows XP:

As in the cases above, Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (ME) must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT or FAT32. If Windows 98 or Windows ME is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition must also be formatted with FAT or FAT32.
Compressed DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes won’t be available while you are running Windows XP. It is not necessary to uncompress DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes that you will access only with Windows 98.
Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows XP could be overwritten.


Installation and How to :

The order of installation is critical if you want a successful multiboot installation. In general terms, install non–Microsoft operating systems and earlier versions of the Windows operating system first. This would mean installing UNIX or Linux operating systems first; then Windows 95 or Windows 98 or Windows Me; then Windows NT; and finally, Windows 2000 and/or Windows XP. (In the unlikely event that you’re installing MS–DOS, you can install that either before or after UNIX– or Linux–based operating systems, and generally I’d opt for before.) It’s also important to understand that, without using a third–party product to help out, you can’t install non-Microsoft operating systems, or Windows 95 and Windows 98 on the same computer, and that you can install only a single version of Windows95/98/Me. But you can install as many different versions of Windows NT and later versions of the Windows operating system as you have available logical drives, with the sole caveat that you must install all Windows NT versions before you install any Windows 2000 or Windows XP versions.

Let’s take a typical installation. Our target computer must be able to boot into Windows 98, Windows NT 4 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Professional. We have a 2–GB partition to hold our programs and the whole thing must fit on a single 10–GB hard drive. No problem. First, we partition the hard drive into two partitions: a 2–GB primary partition, and an 8-GB extended partition using FDisk. In the extended partition, we’ll create four logical volumes—D, E, F and G—to hold our remaining operating systems and our programs.

After the disk is partitioned, format the primary partition using the FAT16 file system and install Windows 98 on it. So far so good. Now, format your D drive with FAT16 as well. Eventually, you’ll install your programs on D drive.

Next, install Windows NT 4 Workstation. You will install this on any of the logical volumes not already used (either E drive, F drive or G drive) and choose NTFS as your file system. Leave D drive alone, because your applications go there where they’re visible to all operating systems. When you install Windows NT, it recognizes that you already have Windows 98 on the computer. Then it automatically sets up for dual booting between Windows 98 and Windows NT by creating a boot.ini file, which creates a menu of available operating systems. After you have Windows NT 4 installed, immediately apply Service Pack 6, before you install Windows 2000.

Finally, install Windows 2000 and Windows XP, each in its own logical volume. Again, choose NTFS as the file system. As you install them, they are automatically added to the boot.ini file on your C drive, which lets you choose operating systems at start up.

Making Older Programs Run under Windows XP

Some programs designed for earlier versions of Windows won't run under Windows XP. Until you can get your hands on a program upgrade for Windows XP, you can try running the program in one of Windows XP Compatibility Modes by following these steps:

1. Double-click the desktop shortcut called Run in Compatibility Mode that's automatically installed there when you install Windows XP to open a full-size Help and Support window with instructions and controls for starting an application in Compatibility Mode.

You can also open this window by clicking Start on the Windows taskbar and then clicking Help and Support on the Start menu. Next, click the Find Compatible Hardware and Software for Windows XP link and then click the Program Compatibility Wizard link at the bottom of the window navigation pane.

2. Read the instructions on the Welcome to Programs Compatibility Wizard screen, paying particular attention to the warning about not using Compatibility Mode on programs, such as anti-virus software and backup tools, that specifically prohibit their use on future editions of the operating system before you click the Next button.

3. In the next screen, click the radio button indicating how you want to locate the program you want to run: I Want to Choose from a List of Programs, I Want to Use the Program in the CD-ROM Drive, or I Want to Locate the Program Manually.

4. If you selected the I Want to Choose from a List of Programs radio button, click the name of the program you want to run in the list that appears before you click Next.

If you selected the I Want to Locate the Program Manually radio button, type the path to the program in the text box that appears or click the Browse button and locate it in the Please Select Application dialog box and select the Open button before you click Next.

5. In the next screen, called Select a Compatibility Mode for the Program, click the radio button for the version of Windows under which your program used to run or was designed to run: Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5), Microsoft Windows 98/Windows Me, or Microsoft Windows 2000.

6. In the next screen called Select Display Settings for the Program, click the check box or boxes for the display settings that are recommended for running the program.

These check box options include: 256 Colors, 640 x 480 Screen Resolution, and Disable Visual Themes.

7. Click the Next button to advance to the Test Your Compatibility Settings screen where you can verify your selections for the program.

8. If your settings are correct, click the Next button to run the program in compatibility mode.

If Windows XP can run the program in the selected Compatibility Mode, the program then launches in a separate window. If Windows can't run the application, you receive an alert box indicating that there's a problem. In such a case, you have to contact the software manufacturer and get an upgrade for the application that's specifically designed for the Windows XP operating system. Note that when you exit the program that you're running in compatibility mode, Windows automatically returns you to the Program Compatibility Wizard in the Help and Support window.

NTFS vs. FAT

To NTFS or not to NTFS—that is the question. But unlike the deeper questions of life, this one isn't really all that hard to answer. For most users running Windows XP, NTFS is the obvious choice. It's more powerful and offers security advantages not found in the other file systems. But let's go over the differences among the files systems so we're all clear about the choice. There are essentially three different file systems available in Windows XP: FAT16, short for File Allocation Table, FAT32, and NTFS, short for NT File System.


FAT16
The FAT16 file system was introduced way back with MS–DOS in 1981, and it's showing its age. It was designed originally to handle files on a floppy drive, and has had minor modifications over the years so it can handle hard disks, and even file names longer than the original limitation of 8.3 characters, but it's still the lowest common denominator. The biggest advantage of FAT16 is that it is compatible across a wide variety of operating systems, including Windows 95/98/Me, OS/2, Linux, and some versions of UNIX. The biggest problem of FAT16 is that it has a fixed maximum number of clusters per partition, so as hard disks get bigger and bigger, the size of each cluster has to get larger. In a 2–GB partition, each cluster is 32 kilobytes, meaning that even the smallest file on the partition will take up 32 KB of space. FAT16 also doesn't support compression, encryption, or advanced security using access control lists.

FAT32
The FAT32 file system, originally introduced in Windows 95 Service Pack 2, is really just an extension of the original FAT16 file system that provides for a much larger number of clusters per partition. As such, it greatly improves the overall disk utilization when compared to a FAT16 file system. However, FAT32 shares all of the other limitations of FAT16, and adds an important additional limitation—many operating systems that can recognize FAT16 will not work with FAT32—most notably Windows NT, but also Linux and UNIX as well. Now this isn't a problem if you're running FAT32 on a Windows XP computer and sharing your drive out to other computers on your network—they don't need to know (and generally don't really care) what your underlying file system is.

The Advantages of NTFS
The NTFS file system, introduced with first version of Windows NT, is a completely different file system from FAT. It provides for greatly increased security, file–by–file compression, quotas, and even encryption. It is the default file system for new installations of Windows XP, and if you're doing an upgrade from a previous version of Windows, you'll be asked if you want to convert your existing file systems to NTFS. Don't worry. If you've already upgraded to Windows XP and didn't do the conversion then, it's not a problem. You can convert FAT16 or FAT32 volumes to NTFS at any point. Just remember that you can't easily go back to FAT or FAT32 (without reformatting the drive or partition), not that I think you'll want to.

The NTFS file system is generally not compatible with other operating systems installed on the same computer, nor is it available when you've booted a computer from a floppy disk. For this reason, many system administrators, myself included, used to recommend that users format at least a small partition at the beginning of their main hard disk as FAT. This partition provided a place to store emergency recovery tools or special drivers needed for reinstallation, and was a mechanism for digging yourself out of the hole you'd just dug into. But with the enhanced recovery abilities built into Windows XP (more on that in a future column), I don't think it's necessary or desirable to create that initial FAT partition.

When to Use FAT or FAT32
If you're running more than one operating system on a single computer (see Dual booting in Guides), you will definitely need to format some of your volumes as FAT. Any programs or data that need to be accessed by more than one operating system on that computer should be stored on a FAT16 or possibly FAT32 volume. But keep in mind that you have no security for data on a FAT16 or FAT32 volume—any one with access to the computer can read, change, or even delete any file that is stored on a FAT16 or FAT32 partition. In many cases, this is even possible over a network. So do not store sensitive files on drives or partitions formatted with FAT file systems.

Friday, July 31, 2009

How to Make Windows Start Up Faster

I don't know about you, but I love spending the first 10 minutes of every workday watching Windows start up. It's like a Zen thing. If you'd rather get right to work, though, the following tips should help you make Windows start much more quickly.

Lighten the Load

A typical PC loads a lot of programs every time it starts. Each of the icons in your system tray (the area near your clock) represents an auto-start application. And there are probably other programs on your machine that start automatically but don't make their presence known so easily. Each autoloading app slows your boot time--a little or a lot. And because most of them continue to run in the background, they rob you of a little performance.

Before you start eliminating autoloaders, though, make sure you can undo your changes. In Windows XP, SelectStart, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Select Create a restore point, click Next, call your restore point something like before removing autoloaders, and choose Create. Click Close once you've created the restore point.

In Windows Vista, select Start, Control Panel, System. Under 'Tasks' on the right side of the window, clickSystem Protection. In the System Properties box that comes up, click Create at the bottom of the window.

XP users should now select Start, Run, type msconfig, and press . (In Vista, select Start, typemsconfig into the Search box, and press .) Click the Startup tab, and you'll see a list of all your autoloading programs, each with a check box. Uncheck an item, and it will no longer load at startup.

Choose Your Autoloading Apps

Which applications should you leave checked so that they continue to autoload? First and foremost, you don't want to operate without your antivirus, firewall, and other security programs. Yes, these programs slow your PC's boot-up and shutdown, and they can even cause conflicts, but the cost of not having them running is too high to bear.

For any other program in the list, use your judgment. Don't ask yourself "Is it a good program?" but "Does it need to be on all the time?" For instance, I unchecked Adobe Elements' Photo Downloader, a program that I use whenever I download photos from my camera, because it serves no purpose when I'm not downloading photos. On the other hand, I allow Copernic Desktop Search to autoload because it needs to index my data files continually.

After unchecking the programs that you don't need to autoload at startup, click OK and reboot. Windows will load with a very wordy message box that might look like an error message. Just check Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts (the wording is slightly different in Vista) at the bottom of the dialog box and click OK.

Windows Dusting and Cleaning

If an autoloader diet doesn't sufficiently accelerate your boot-up, try these tweaks:

Clean out the Registry. The larger your Windows Registry, the longer the OS will take to boot. My favorite Registry cleaner is ChemTable's $30 Reg Organizer, which is both a powerful Registry editor and a general Windows maintenance tool. If you don't want to pay to put things in order, try the less-powerful EasyCleaner from ToniArts.

Use fewer fonts. Loading hundreds of system fonts takes time. If you have more than 500 fonts on your PC, remove a few. Sue Fisher's free The Font Thing utility will help you whittle your font selection down to size.

Add RAM. Faster hardware means faster boots (and shutdowns, and everything in between). There's no cheaper, more effective way to improve your hardware's performance than by adding RAM. See our video tip, "How to Upgrade Your RAM" for step-by-step instructions.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Pirates have cracked Windows 7

Pirates have cracked Windows 7's product activation just a week after the operating system made RTM and a week before it's slated to reach users, Microsoft confirmed today.

The product key posted on the Web purportedly comes from Lenovo, one of Microsoft's major OEM partners, and allows users to activate downloaded copies of Windows 7 Ultimate RTM (release to manufacturing), which leaked to the Internet last week, shortly after Microsoft announced it had finished the operating system.

According to Windows enthusiast site Neowin, one of the first to report the crack, a Lenovo disk image of Windows 7 leaked to a Chinese Web site, then moved to English-language domains. Pirates proceeded to retrieve the master OEM key and the OEM activation certificate from the .iso file. Microsoft lets major computer makers like Lenovo, Dell and Hewlett-Packard pre-activate new PCs at the factory to save customers the hassle, and provides OEM master keys for that purpose.

Windows 7 uses an updated activation scheme, dubbed OEM Activation 2.1, which is an updated version of the activation software that first appeared in Windows Vista. The technology, ironically, has been the focus of a Microsoft lawsuit filed last January against a former employee charged withstealing company documents related to the anti-piracy software that computer makers use to lock Windows to their PCs.

The crack is not for the faint of heart, as it also requires a hack of the PC's BIOS; Activation 2.1 demands a BIOS that supports the new technology. In fact, forums on sites such as My Digital Lifewere full of questions from users unfamiliar with hacking a BIOS.

But scores of users on My Digital Life's forum have reported that the leaked key -- and the process that others laid out to use it -- activated their pirated copies of Windows 7 Ultimate. "Activated 3 computers with SLIC 2.1 (DELL) modified BIOS + DELL certificate for Vista + this key," said a user identified only as "thavmym."

This isn't the first time that Microsoft's copy protection technology has been cracked. Vista's activation has been hacked several times, and in volume sufficient to prompt Microsoft to issue updates that busted the most popular cracks. When it delivered Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), for example, it cracked down on a pair of cracks that pirates had been using to activate downloaded copies of the OS.

Microsoft acknowledged the crack today, but its reaction was in line with past takes on the topic. "We are aware of reports of activation exploits that attempt to circumvent activation and validation in Windows 7," said a company spokeswoman in an e-mail. "[But] Microsoft strongly advises customers not to download Windows 7 from unauthorized sources," she added, then reminded users that "peer-to-peer Web sites exposes users to increased risks, such as viruses, Trojans, and other malware and malicious code."

In May, a leaked copy of Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) posted on file-sharing sites turned out to be infected with a Trojan horse.

Windows 7 is slated for public release Oct. 22, but subscribers to the for-pay TechNet and MSDN services will be able to download the final code, along with legitimate product activation keys, starting next Thursday.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Dell Studio XPS 16 Review


When it comes to style, the Dell Studio XPS 16 is a step up from typical smalll business notebooks. Make that a big step up. A stunning 16-inch screen adds to its allure, making it a fitting choice as a desktop replacement or presentation machine. A starting price of around $1,100 might keep bargain shoppers at bay, but if you're willing to ante up you'll be rewarded with a laptop that performs well and looks even better.

Strikingly Elegant Design

Dell's XPS line ranks above the company's business-oriented Vostro and Inspiron families, and is intended to appeal to home buyers and discriminating business customers alike. The relatively recent Studio XPS models—the Studio XPS 13, Studio XPS 15 and Studio XPS 16—employ the latest components and share a strikingly elegant design. The outer shell is done in glossy obsidian black with brushed-metal trim. A wide band of genuine leather near the spine looks great and provides a comfortable surface to grip when you carry the machine.

Inside, the black-on-black color scheme gives a modern, uncluttered feel. The full-size keyboard is exceedingly comfortable to type on, and the flat-top keys feature letters and symbols that are pleasantly backlit by a soft white glow. The same light illuminates the strip of multimedia control keys above the keyboard; those controls give quick access to volume/mute commands, play/pause/skip for music and DVD playback, and so on. Below the keyboard you'll find a large touchpad that makes controlling the mouse easy, but note that there is no pointing stick navigator common on many business notebooks.

The Studio XPS 16 includes all the ports you are likely to need. There are three USB ports, one of which can also accommodate external SATA (eSATA) peripherals such as the latest portable hard drives, plus a FireWire port. Dell has thoughtfully included VGA, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors for attaching an external display; having all three means no matter what projector or big-screen you run across in the future, you'll be able to connect.

Expansion comes in the form of an 8-in-1 memory card reader and an ExpressCard/54 slot. The latter is now the standard for external expansion cards, but if you have older PC Card/CardBus or PCMCIA peripherals that you can't part with, you'll have to invest in an adapter (like the DuelAdapter from Duel Systems). As for connectivity, the Studio XPS 16 includes 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi standard. Bluetooth is an option, as is a built-in 3G wireless broadband radio for use with Sprint's high-speed data network.

In LCDs, 16 is the New 15.4

The most striking feature of the Studio XPS 16 is its 16-inch LCD. This is a relatively new size of glass that gives you more viewable real estate than the 15.4-inch panels that have become the norm on mainstream notebooks, while keeping the machine fairly portable. At 6.4 pounds, the Studio XPS 16 is no bantamweight, but it's better suited to occasional travel than the often-unwieldy 17-inch laptops on the market.

The LCD features a high-def resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, and its LED backlight helps the panel deliver a wider color range than lower-end screens while also consuming less energy. Image and video reproduction on the Studio XPS 16's screen is particularly noteworthy: Colors are vibrant and well-saturated, making the machine a joy to use for photo and video work.

The screen is also brighter than on most laptops—Dell claims a brightness level of 300 nits for the panel, versus 200 nits for typical notebook LCDs—and the wide 130-degree viewing angle means you can use the machine to present to a group gathered around a conference table. One caveat: As with all high-def screens, default text sizes in applications and on Web sites can be pretty small, but at least text is amazingly crisp.

Plenty of Component Choices

Configurability is Dell's hallmark, and the Studio XPS 16 is no exception. You can choose one of the two suggested configurations and be done, or customize your machine to your needs and budget. Hard drive choices include the 320GB unit that comes standard (and that should prove enough for most uses), a whopping 500GB model, plus three flash-memory solid state drives for crash-proof performance. An 8X multi-format DVD/CD burner is standard, but high-def movie fans can step up to a DVD burner/Blu-ray reader combo.

The Studio XPS 16 comes standard with 4GB of RAM, which is more than enough to run its Windows Vista operating system; if you run a demanding application that can take advantage of more RAM, you can configure a machine with up to 8GB of memory. And you won't find any two-generation-old processors here: Choices range from a 2.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 to a 2.93-GHz Core 2 Duo T9800. The included ATI Mobility Radeon M86XT (with 512MB of dedicated video RAM) is a good choice for business 3D, and powerful enough for the occasional gaming session when work is done.

Good Value Overall

n LCDs, 16 is the New 15.4

The most striking feature of the Studio XPS 16 is its 16-inch LCD. This is a relatively new size of glass that gives you more viewable real estate than the 15.4-inch panels that have become the norm on mainstream notebooks, while keeping the machine fairly portable. At 6.4 pounds, the Studio XPS 16 is no bantamweight, but it's better suited to occasional travel than the often-unwieldy 17-inch laptops on the market.

The LCD features a high-def resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, and its LED backlight helps the panel deliver a wider color range than lower-end screens while also consuming less energy. Image and video reproduction on the Studio XPS 16's screen is particularly noteworthy: Colors are vibrant and well-saturated, making the machine a joy to use for photo and video work.

The screen is also brighter than on most laptops—Dell claims a brightness level of 300 nits for the panel, versus 200 nits for typical notebook LCDs—and the wide 130-degree viewing angle means you can use the machine to present to a group gathered around a conference table. One caveat: As with all high-def screens, default text sizes in applications and on Web sites can be pretty small, but at least text is amazingly crisp.

Plenty of Component Choices

Configurability is Dell's hallmark, and the Studio XPS 16 is no exception. You can c

Dell backs the Studio XPS 16 with a one-year warranty that includes on-site service and toll-free tech support. You can expand that in yearly increments to get up to four years of coverage.

Granted, the Dell Studio XPS 16 isn't cheap, but it does represent an excellent value. By the time you add the necessary upgrades to a lesser machine with a teaser bargain price, you'll likely be near the Studio XPS 16's $1,099 price—and you won't be getting its slick design and high-end features.

Toshiba Fashionably Late to Netbook Party

Toshiba may be a bit late to the netbook party, but it hopes to differentiate the Toshiba mini NB205 by offering features that focus on design, comfort and durability.

People love netbooks because they're small and portable. Of course the trade-off for that portability can be a cramped keyboard and touchpad. Toshiba claims it designed the mini NB205 for comfort without the compromise. It includes features such as a 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit display, full-size QWERTY keyboard and a traditional, laptop-sized touchpad - all designed to make extended typing and Web browsing more comfortable.

Moving beyond comfort to portability, the mini NB205 comes with a hard drive impact sensor that's designed to protect data from bumps and dings, and it also features a "sleep-and-charge" USB port for charging various electronic devices whether the mini is powerd on or off. A six-cell battery provides up to nine hours of life, according to the company stats.

The Toshiba mini NB205 series is available in two configurations that feature distinctly different styles. The mini NB205-N310 sports what Toshiba calls a "unique and stylish textured finish" with a chrome hinge in a choice of four metallic accent colors: Sable Brown, Frost White, Indigo Blue and Posh Pink.

The mini NB205-N210 has a more sedate look about it, which Toshiba refers to as "fusion finish in Black Onyx cover." The keyboard's done in a black matte finish.

Toshiba hopes the combination of stylish design, comfort and durable portability will make the mini NB205 stand out from a crowded field.

"We're raising the bar in the mini notebook category with a premium brand that truly delivers on the portability promise these companion PCs were originally designed for," Jeff Barney, vice president and general manager of Toshiba America Information Systems, said in a written statement.

Toshiba mini NB205 Features

  • 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite backlit LED display (WSVGA)
  • Windows XP Home operating system
  • Intel Atom N280 processor (1.66GHz)
  • 1GB DDR2 800MHz RAM, upgradeable to 2GB
  • Spacious storage with a 160GB HDD
  • 802.11b/g wireless and 10/100 Ethernet
  • Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR (mini NB205-N310 only)
  • Toshiba Hard Drive Impact Sensor
  • Lightweight at only 2.9 lbs.
  • Six-cell battery
  • One USB port with Sleep-and-Charge and two USB 2.0 ports
  • Built-in Webcam, speaker and microphone
  • Toshiba PC Health Monitor
  • RGB port for connecting to external displays
  • Memory Card Reader Slot
  • Security lock slot
  • One-year international limited warranty

Pricing

Available June 23, the Toshiba mini NB205-N310 will sell for $399, while pricing for the mini NB205-N210 will be $349. You can purchase both netbooks at major retailers, e-tailers and direct from Toshiba. You can also buy the mini NB205-N210 through Toshiba Preferred Partner Program resellers.

HP Mini 2140 Review


A year ago, HP jumped into the netbook market. Well, stepped in. Well, put a toe in. The HP 2133 was a 2.9-pound portable with a glossy 8.9-inch display and one of the nicest, nearest-to-full-sized keyboards — 92 percent of full size, HP bragged — yet seen in the segment.

But while the 2133's specifications more than stood up to the 7-inch screen and crowded keyboard of the pioneering Asus Eee PC 4G, it was saddled with a sluggish VIA C-7 processor and marketed mostly as a backpack buddy for students in grades K through 12. Not until last fall did HP step up with a full-fledged consumer netbook, remodeling the 2133 around Intel's ubiquitous Atom CPU and a 10-inch screen to make it the Mini 1000 (and giving it a glossy red case and artistic frills to appeal to fashionistas with a pricey Vivienne Tam Edition).

Like other netbooks, of course, the 2133 and Mini 1000 have been purchased and used by bunches of businesspeople as well as kids and consumers — the idea of an easy-to-afford, easy-to-carry PC companion for checking e-mail, browsing the Web, and doing a little touch-up work on a report or presentation created on a desktop is what's made the category a smash.

But now HP has gotten around to getting specific: The 10.1-inch-screened Mini 2140 is the company's first netbook aimed specifically at mobile professionals. Externally, this means an aluminum rather than plastic case — plain silver-gray, without the squiggle-and-swirl patterns that decorate HP's (and other vendors') consumer notebooks or the Crayola red, blue, and pink hues available on other netbooks. We find it handsomely understated, or understatedly handsome if you prefer.

There's also some extra engineering done with reliability in mind, led by a technology HP calls 3D DriveGuard — a three-axis accelerometer that senses a sudden drop or shock and instantly parks the hard drive. We've seen this safety feature in HPs, Lenovos, and many other business laptops. It's a pleasure and a plus to see it in a netbook, although you shouldn't mistake any 2.6-pound compact for a truly ruggedized system. Our test unit sailed through a few bumps and fumbles, but we refrained from dropping it more than an inch or two onto a desk.

If you're truly terrified by the prospect of a hard disk crash, you can custom-order a Mini 2140 with an 80GB solid-state drive. However, that no-moving-parts solution costs $575 more than the 160GB, 5,400-rpm Hitachi drive in our model. Actually, our model in its entirety cost $449.

Your OS of Choice

That gets you a Mini 2140 with the abovementioned 160GB hard disk, Windows XP Home Edition, and the same Atom N270 processor seen in nearly every netbook at your local electronics outlet — a 1.6GHz single-core chip (well, one-and-a-half-core for applications that can take advantage of Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology) with 512K of Level 2 cache.

One gigabyte of DDR2 memory is standard; the system maximum of 2GB is a $50 option, and also requires a change from Win XP Home to another operating system — HP offers Windows Vista, Vista with a "downgrade" to Windows XP Professional, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10. The McAfee online security suite and trial version of Microsoft Office 2007 are preinstalled.

On the HP's left side you'll find microphone and headphone jacks, a USB 2.0 port, and a VGA connector for an external monitor. A second USB port is at the right, along with an Ethernet jack and Secure Digital and ExpressCard/54 slots — the former for a flash memory card, the latter just right for a wireless broadband add-in. That's not to say the 2140 doesn't have wireless chops of its own — Broadcom's 802.11a/b/g/draft-n adapter covers every WiFi variation, and Bluetooth is built in as well.

The flush-fitting, three-cell battery pack barely gets a passing grade: HP claims it provides up to four hours of life, but our real-world work sessions (with WiFi switched on and screen brightness at its next-to-top setting) ended after two and a half hours. A six-cell battery that juts slightly from the back of the case is a $25 option.

Fujitsu M2010 Review


Hey, good lookin'. Fujitsu is late to the netbook party, but dressed for the occasion: The new Fujitsu M2010 flaunts a glossy fire-engine/candy-apple red lid and palmrest, the former decorated with a big, bold rendition of the company's infinity-symbol logo. It's arguably the sharpest style in the netbook swarm.

Something else that's easy on the eyes is the unit's screen, a 10.1-inch, LED-backlit panel that's one of the brightest in its class, even with the backlight dialed down to save battery power, with rich, saturated colors and sharp details.

Its resolution is a bit skimpy at 1,024 by 576 pixels -- as on the HP Mini 2140 we reviewed in March, it's a number chosen for fashion or marketing reasons, namely the 16:9 aspect ratio of HD video, on a netbook that'll likely never be used for HD entertainment (and is over 330,000 pixels shy of 720p resolution anyway). But even though we consider other netbooks' 1,024 by 600 more sensible, we'll award the Fujitsu's display best in class.

Still another attraction is the M2010's portability. At 2.5 pounds, the 7.4 by 10.2 by 1.3-inch system is one of the lightest among lightweight travelers, saving half a pound or more over many of its peers. It's no burden in a briefcase even when accompanied by its AC adapter (three-quarters of a pound).

So is Fujitsu the new king of the netbook category? Unfortunately not, for two reasons. One is a price that's a little higher tha

the norm, and the other is battery life that falls short of spec
Discretionary Income

That price is $449, which isn't outrageous but is $49 above the almost universal or knee-jerk answer when someone asks, "How much does a netbook cost?" Fujitsu points out that the M2010 -- just M2010; the machine doesn't wear the LifeBook label of the company's laptops -- includes Bluetooth as well as the usual 802.11b/g wireless. Point taken, but so does the Asus Eee PC 1000HE we nominated as our all-around favorite netbook in May, and the 1000HE has a street price of $380.

The battery issue is more serious. The flip side of the Fujitsu's light weight is its relatively puny 3-cell battery pack, which lasted only one hour plus forty to fifty minutes in our real-world work sessions. That's the kind of unplugged life we'd expect from a jumbo-screened desktop replacement, not a netbook. To perform acceptably for the category, we suspect, the M2010 would need to be fitted with its optional 6-cell battery, raising its price another $129 (a spare 3-cell pack is $109).

As for otherwise acceptable performance, the Fujitsu loads and runs programs snappily enough for netbooks' traditional light-to-moderate office productivity and online browsing and e-mailing applications. That's not a surprise, because its 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, Intel 945GSE integrated-graphics chipset, 1GB of RAM, and 160GB hard disk (in this case a 5,400-rpm Fujitsu drive) are all familiar from other vendors' boilerplate or cookie-cutter netbook recipes.

The M2010 places toward the back of the pack in benchmark tests, posting a score of 1,148 in PCMark05 (CPU 1,17; memory 2,300; hard disk 4,552; graphics 519) and 384 in PC Wizard's global performance metric. Like other netbooks', its 945GSE graphics are embarrassingly unable to play the simplest games (3DMark06 score 77).

Close Quarters

A vent for the Fujitsu's audible but not annoying cooling fan is on the system's left side, along with VGA and USB 2.0 ports. Two more USB ports are at the right, as are an Ethernet port, headphone and microphone jacks, and a Secure Digital/Memory Stick flash-card slot.

With many netbooks sporting 92- and 95-percent full-sized keyboards, the M2010 settles for 90 percent -- a 17.2mm key pitch, with the A through apostrophe keys spanning a hair under seven and a quarter inches versus a desktop's eight. It's a slight but noticeable squeeze compared to the 7.5 inches of the Eee 1000HE, requiring more conscious, careful fingerwork yet still suitable for touch typing. The keyboard's typing feel is good, as is the smooth response of the touchpad, although the latter's mouse buttons are noisy.

Right now, we can't recommend the Fujitsu, but with its red-hot red to catch and its stunning screen to hold the eye, the system needs only one change to be fully competitive in the crowded netbook market: Make the 6-cell battery standard equipment. That would eliminate the M2010's biggest disappointment, leaving its screen to win over shoppers bemused by its slightly higher price.

And if Fujitsu dared to offer the unit with a bigger battery and a $50 lower price? We'd be introducing you to our new favorite netbook.

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