Saturday, May 13, 2006
Last chance for free tickets to next weekend’s MacGathering. Use the promo code LEO for free exhibit passes.
Tech News
Apple has shipped a big patch (aply it now!) but according to one researcher it’s not enough
11a-Noon
QFrank in Pasadena - Big System Morsels
He’s having trouble upgrading OS 9 - he gets the infamous Big System Morsels error. Apple says all you can do is to try again. For more info about OS 9 visit www.os9forever.com.
Q Sheri in Corona - System Works install clobbered by system
Icons are weird, programs won’t run. She says it’s because she forgot to shut down ZoneAlarm before the install, but it just sounds like an installation that went horribly wrong. If she can boot into Safe Mode (press F8 on boot) and uninstall System works and Zone Alarm things might work better. After uninstalling run System Restore to get things back to the way they were.
Looks like this is a common problem with McAfee - they offer a fix download FIXSWEN.inf to restore the file associations (change them from edit to open). Not sure if this will help with Norton - but it might!
Q Eric in San Dimas - what can I turn off in MSConfig
Click Start→Run and type “msconfig” to open the Microsoft System Configuration Utility. Click the Startup tab to see items you can turn off. Most of them are unnecesary, but it’s usually best to disable these items by opening the program settings.
You might want to look at Sysinternal’s free Autoruns - a better system startup control utility.
In general, reinstalling Windows might be an even better idea. Uninstall everything your dad doesn’t use.
Noon-1p
Q Jim in Germany - openraw.org and megapixels
Mikkel Aaland’s Shooting RAW is a great book on the RAW format.
Q Justin in Florida - PowerMac
System update broke my mac. It’s a problem with some startupitems. Check macFixit for more information.
Q Katie in Los Angeles - Quicktime extensions missing
Download it from Apple (that’s the standalone version - not the one that comes with iTunes).
If you’re still having problems, follow the instructions here.
Q Michael in Huntington Beach - Can’t read NTFS drive on his Mac
NTFS support didn’t come to OS X until Tiger. You need OS X 10.4.
Q Steve in Pennsylvania - iPod users on Windows
He recommends Quicktime Alternative for Katie. He’s having a weird problem. His mom can’t get online with iTunes. He and his brother can. It’s clearly a problem with the install on his mom’s account. I’d uninstall and reinstall iTunes ‘’from your mom’s login.’
Q Alan in Santa Monica - Sheri has to reinstall
He had a similar problem after trying to upgrade from Norton 2004 to 2006. The only fix was a reinstall of Windows.
1–2p
Q Lucas in Westlake - Premiere can’t see my mic!
He’s got to get a trailer out for his Machinama movie Chronicles of Newbie but Premiere Pro can’t record from the mic. It’s probably a preference setting - pro content creator apps often require jumping through hoops. Keep digging around. He uses FRAPs to record to movie.
Q Jim in San Diego - Sound card not working
He restored from the System Restore discs provided by the manufacturer but his sound card is not working. Either try again - something might not have worked right - or the driver is broken. Visit the manufacturer’s web site to get an updated sound card driver.
Q Bill in Burbank - TV on my PC
He is running out of space in his bedroom and wants to combine a TV and computer. You could buy an HDTV like the Sharp Aquos what has DVI in and use it for both, but unless you get a TV that can do 1080p resolution you won’t be able to run the computer at anything higher than 1024×768. Instead it’s probably better to get a video card capable of displaying TV signals. Since he’s a gamer I’d recommend one of the ATI Radeon All-in-Wonders. Great for games and TV capable too.
Game designer, Al Lowe
stopped by to plug his new game, Sam Suede: Undercover Exposure. Looks good!
Chat Logs and Show Audio
Listener Comments
13 May 2006
hey leo what happened to episodes 1–25 of the daily giz wiz? i wanted to hear them but they don ‘t show up in itunes
i called a few weeks ago. i think it was 239. i asked about itunes sharing and you gave me advice but it didn’t work and you didn’t put it in the show notes.
the nintendo wii is going to rule. also does anyone know about what happened with the xgp and xgp mini from game park? they supposedly had a booth but i couldn’t find it on the web.
Leo “You Favoritte Northern California Liberal …” yep, he’d rather let embedded terrorist cells freely communicate with each other within or for other countries, instead of letting the government JUST TRACK PHONE NUMBERS! THAT’S all it was! But you see the Liberals, like Leo exaggerate to down right LIE about the facts of what occurred!
Further proof Leo’s a big Lib? Sure, have a one stop XXX location for anyone that wants to find it easier then even Google. Maybe Leo is infavor of it for more obvious reasons, huh?
Mac + Liberals = Natural.
Everyone, don’t forget to call your Mother to wish her a happy Mother’s Day. While you’re at it say Hi! to George Bush who will be listening in!
To put the NSA story into some perspective, the official death toll from 9–11 was 2,986. You cannot emasculate law enforcement and remain safe. The most vocal opponents will be the first to say somebody should have connected the dots.
Right-Wing Whackos+Computers=Morons who would let the government do anything it wanted to without checks.
Hmmm.. I remember a gov’t like that in Germany in the 1930′s
Please, Leo. Privacy died with the IRS- they collect info on your employment, banking, investments, mortgages, charitable contributions, medical expenses, etc.
The current outrage is politically motivated- where were the privacy activists 10 years ago when _political_ operatives were found with 600+ FBI files? Today there is inarguably a National Security interest in knowing who is talking to bad players overseas. It’s the same information that police (Law & Order= “I’ve got LUD’s from so-and-so.”) use regularly _without_ a supoena.
So please take a step back.
11:36 by anonymous.
hey Leo those morsels sound like choaolate chips lol
I have mixed feelings about the XXX domain. It may create a one stop porn stop but it will also make it easier to block. However, I think it would be hard to enforce.
Could the release of the NSA story be timed to shoot down the nomination of Gen. Hayden?
Anyone know how to reindex an mp3 file. I have removed both tags, and it shows the wrong play time in winamp. Any ideas?
The XXX domains are okay, but as long as websites are not coerced into moving to XXX. If a porno website wants to move, give them the freedom to do so. If a porno website wants to stay to .COM, then they have the freedom to stay.
Once you let government regulate this on the Internet, what is next? What we need to do is make sure the government is OUT of the Internet. Let the free-market work.
The lady with the bad icons could be having permissions trouble, if someone bumped her down to User level. IE goes into her own user start menu, not the “all users” start menu, so it makes sense that she can run it. If she doesn’t have permissions on those shortcuts, she won’t be able to display the icons or run the apps.
She lost File Associations USE Tweak UI to Fix it
broken shortcuts?
right click icon to see path
I mean right click icon & select properties to see path….if any.
Leo is right, we don’t need anymore spying.
The govt. and law inforcement was warned many times about 9/11 before it happened but they chose to ignore all the warnings. They could have stopped the WTC bombing in ‘93, the OKC bombing and the one one 9/11 if they had wanted to without spying one my calls and internet messages. Many people say they chose to let 9/11 happen in order to use it as an excuse for more spying and more restrictive laws, which is exactly what has happened!
Windows Locked Up Call:
I would suggest you try running Windows XP Repair Mode. You’re need your Windows XP CD, Then press Any Key when starting up your computer again with XP install CD in the CD drive. When you get the Windows XP blue GUI screen hit R. This will take your Windows files back to when it was 1st installed. All Files Will Remain Untouched
MPE-HELP --- QUIT Using Winamp is your ,,, Fix Use JetAudio instead
11:54 by .
Leo,
The Washington Post says that Qwest turned down the government’s request for logs because the government would not certify that the request conformed to the FISA act of ‘78, i.e., the request had not been passed on by the secret court in the basement at DOJ.
If the assocations were broken or the shortcuts were bad, she’d get some kind of feedback from the OS (either to choose a program to run, or the automatic shortcut finding search). The fact that she gets no feedback at all is consistent with lack of permission to run a LNK (shortcut)
Leo “Your Favoritte Northern California Liberal …” yep, he’d rather let embedded terrorist cells freely communicate with each other within or for other countries, instead of letting the government JUST TRACK PHONE NUMBERS! THAT’S all it was! But you see the Liberals, like Leo exaggerate to down right LIE about the facts of what occurred!
No one listened to calls, No one has anyones names, No one knows that you squaking Liberals were talking to your mistress and betting on the horses ….
You see like the old saying goes, ONLY THE ONES THAT COMPLAIN, HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE.
File Association loss is usualy Related to a Virus
“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
//Erroneously attributed to Benjamin Franklin
Oh yea, privacy is a right, not a priveledge. And just because somebody complains about something doesn’t mean they have something to hide. I complain about DRM, and I don’t pirate, unless you consider ripping CD’s onto an iPod, and in that case, you hate everyone.
Mac + Liberals = Sure Thing
We know Al Gore uses a Mac (he invented them), and we can probably guess that Barbara “Lefty” Boxer, Ted and Patrick “Pour Another One” Kennedy, Joe “Hair Implants” Binden and Harry “Indian Casino Bribes” Reid amoung other notorious Liberal Demorcrats do too.
Does anyone know of a free or shareware program (not a demo) which will allow me to edit a windows media file. I have Audacity and can edit MP3 but not WMA
tollie ---- That sounds like a good resolve ---I use stinger all the time.
Oh Yeah is just trolling for a fight; just ignore it.
Sinemax - I’m not sure if GoldWave (www.goldwave.com) supports it, but it’s pretty full-featured for shareware so it probably does.
WinPatrol and HijackThis are Good System Startup Moniters.
Apparantly liberals are the only ones smart enough to realise that the security is much much greater on a mac. That’s stereotyping.
And Al Gore invented the Mac? Check your facts.
For Eric in San Dimas-
Startup Control Panel for Windows 9x, Me, NT4, 2000, and XP is a control panel applet that allows you to easily configure which programs run when your computer starts. It’s simple to use, very small, and won’t burden your system.
More information and download at author Mike Lin’s page http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml .
It’s frequently possible to identify a startup program from the name of the application’s folder.
For the caller with Quicktime: Try Quicktime Alternative.
I am surprise that leo did not memtion this on his show today about Apple flaws put both Macs and PCs at risk C|Net News.com
http://tinyurl.com/fln8n
Serious flaws in Mac OS X and QuickTime software could put Macintosh and Windows systems at risk of cyberattack, Apple Computer has warned.
In a pair of security alerts released Thursday, Apple outlined 31 flaws that affect various versions of the operating system and a dozen vulnerabilities in its QuickTime media player software. Security experts have deemed the issues “critical,” but Apple does not provide a severity rating. Fixes are available.
The Mac OS X vulnerabilities lie in various components of the operating system and affect both the server and client versions, Apple said in an advisory. An attack could be launched using some of the bugs by creating a malformed file, or by building a malicious Web site and enticing someone to visit it, the company said.
Headlines: “Apple, Softbank plan iPod mobile phones—Nikkei”
The Problem is:
Everytime you make a call the Apple Spinning Beach Ball of Wait will spin and spin and spin and spin for 20 minutes before you can do anything or hear anything. You’ll be charged $.99 for each minute during the Spinning Beach Ball of Wait too.
The Apple Cell Phone’s Rechargeable Battery will only last for 4 hour of use, and will be DEAD ONE MONTH AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES
The Battery is NOT USER REPLACEABLE.
The Apple Phone with Spontaniously Reset its OS and Wipe Out All Your Phone Numbers and Text Messages.
Instead of Push Buttons, you’ll have to use a Scroll Dial to Input Phone Numbers.
Every Phone Call is $.99 and you can’t save any text messages to another computer.
Within 2 weeks to use the face plate and LCD Window will be SOOOOO Scratched that you can’t read the number you’re calling and any Text Messages. One week later the LCD with Crack.
The Apple Cell Phone will have a FireWire 800 interface, however because Apple bent over and took it in the tookass from Intel (USB 2.0) for the MacIntel deal, there is no longer FireWire 800 on any MacIntels.
MacIntel: “Think Just Another Me Too Chinese Clone PC …. made in Red Chinese sweatshops, with a substandard processor” (say, where’s the 64-bits?), with a Lame Buggy Operating System.
The caller needing quicktime said it was for an educational cd. Often those are quite old and will want an old version of quicktime and won’t recognize newer versions. It probably wants quicktime 2 or 3.
Big System Morsels:
Hi Leo, this gentleman may simply wish to Re-install OS-9 over the top of his existing OS-9 which may allow the update to take.
If that does not work then the next step would be to load a fresh OS9.0.4 by doing a clean install option, update that, then update firmware and move on to OS-X and fully configure from there, (Why not).
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Here’s an old method of supporting such a case: If he was going to stay on OS-9 here’s a way to accomplish the update and keep his settings in tact. (Moving to OS-X he would do better to re-configure everything, IMHO.)
If re-installing over the top does not work and allow the update then….
Step 1 Do a clean install with your original system disks (installer options clean install) This will rename your current system folder to “Previous System Folder” and create a new default “System Folder”. Both will be on root. Reboot into the new system after the install.
Step 2: Now, boot off your system CD.
Step 3: Move the “System” file that’s in your Previous System Folder to the trash and empty the trash (better to have only one OS on there).
Step 4: Move the “System” file from The new “System Folder” into the “Previous System Folder”. (Now you have a fresh OS in your old folder.)
Step 5: Rename the new recently created System folder to “Virgin System Folder” saving for later if you need it.
Step 6: Delete the word “Previous” from the name on “Previous System Folder” so it reads “System Folder”. Or call it “Frank” it doesn’t really matter.
Step 7: Go to your Control panels > startup disk and set the start-up disk to System folder. This is just to make sure you are pointed correctly.
Step 8: Reboot.
Step 9: Try your update installer again.
If that does not work, then you need to find what folder in your original system folder has the bad file in it that is causing the failure. You can do that by substituting folders back and forth from the virgin folder to the (Formally named) Previous one, Extensions, etc. re-booting, and running the installer again to test. All this will save you the hassle of fully configuring your system again. It’s an option.
Oh Yea, where do you get this stuff? Another Me too? Have you seen the Windows performance of the iMac? The fact that the latest Intel chips are used is also a reason you are wrong.
Too bad your comment is totally incoherent..
Did you know the Core and Core Duo is actually ONLY a 45nanometer update of the OLD X86 Pentium III???
Oh yeah, THAT’S PROGRESS!
PS. Where’s those Highly Touted (by Stevie Jobs) 64-Bit processors???????????????
NO WINDOWS UPDATE IN 5 YEARS???
‘xcuse me!! What the heck do you call SP1 and SP2!!!??? And those were FREE
The difference beween OS X 10.2 and 10.3 was $129. and THAT WAS ALL! Apple SOAKS Apple Kool Aid Drinkers!
12:48 by dip?.
Can a bluetooth phone connect to a bluetooth transmitter/reciever in a USB port of a computer to transfer contact lists etc…?
Oh Yea, he meant a new version of Windows. Tiger is a new version of Mac, SP2 is not a new version of Windows.
I have to pay $129 each year to update O$−10. I sold. I’m switching to MAC$.
“43 Flaws Fixed in Mac OS X, QuickTime”
(Oh Yeah, This is a “perfect OS! bwah ha ha ha )
Ryan Naraine - eWEEKFri May 12, 1:00 PM ET
Apple Computer’s security update train rumbled into the station late May 11 with fixes for a whopping 43 Mac OS X and QuickTime vulnerabilities.
The company’s Security Update 2006–003 patches 31 flaws in the Mac OS X, most of them serious enough to cause “arbitrary code execution attacks.”
Apple also shipped QuickTime 7.1 as a major security overhaul to correct 12 code execution and denial-of-service flaws.
The Mac OS X mega update includes patches for Apple’s flagship Safari browser and Mail client.
According to the advisory, the Safari fix covers a flaw that could allow file manipulation or code execution if a user is lured to a maliciously rigged Web site.
In Mail, Apple said the bug could allow harmful code execution if a user is tricked into viewing a malicious e-mail message.
Delusional “ LinkManDX in Havertown”
“Oh Yea, he meant a new version of Windows. Tiger is a new version of Mac, SP2 is not a new version of Windows.”
Do you speak for Leo?
Tiger is NOT a “new version” stupid! Even Apple refers to each release of 10.x as a “point update”. You Apple Kool Aid Drinker as sooo stupid. Read your own gospel web site! When Apple comes out with OS IX, THAT WILL BE A NEW VERSION! Dufass!
And SP1 and SP2 made MAJOR changes in Window 2000 as well as XP!!
Another good program for changing what is loaded during starup is ‘Startup Cop’. I found it through the PC Magazine website utilities…
http://www.neo-fight.tv [The “Techno-Debate” Video Podcast]
Wow, windows Kool-Aid drinkers exist too, just read your own pists.
Symantec’s Live Update appears to automatically D/L updates *except* when the updates will need to PC to reboot. This feature effectively makes the option of automatic update a false security blanket for novice users. Virus definitions will come down fine, but program updates need to be manually requested by using live update. I haven’t seen anything perfect so this is not shocking.
I had the same problem installing i tunes on xp and it always hung up on quick time. I solved it by checking no to the question : “do you want to make quick time your defaul player”
Leo
Every one was complaining because The Government did not connect the dots before 9/11. Now they won’t let them collect the dots.
U.S. Supreme Court
SMITH v. MARYLAND, 442 U.S. 735 (1979)
said that PEN files are not protected this is not listning to phone calls this is collecting Numbers that can be matched with Known Terrorists numbers.
I like the idea of XXX Then I could lock out many of that type site from my grandkids when they visit
Sheri in Corona, can learn more about Windows XP
by joining “Windows XP How To”, at the link below.
http://snipurl.com/nujc
14:01 by .
Your PowerMac G4 caller here Leo, mac-fix-it’s removal of startup items didnt work and still cant Safe Boot, will double check with what little Mac IT staff we have here, but we may have to reinstall and archive after all…
14:01 by anonymous.
The phone companies releasing number that called other numbers isn’t your data, it is the phone companies data. If they also gave names then that is different. But if a number is interesting then they need court approval.
Basically the phone record list provides two pieces of information. One when a terrorist calls a number, you can see who they talk to. Second you can see what calls are out of the ordinary, i.e. if a pay phone usually calls a set of numbers and then out of the blue someone calls say an out of state number or calls in from out of state then that may be an interesting call. If this normally happens then maybe we want someone to watch the phone to see who uses it.
Basically you can’t connect the dots if you don’t collect the dots.
Thanks for saying my Movie on the Air Leo!
You rule!!!
Still trying to record on premier… =(
how do you remove data from a hard drive that is out of the computer. the computer’s motherboard is fried. I need the data from the hard drive.
915–298–1228
To the guy asking about having a TV in his PC, it’s better he doesn’t replace his video card with an all in wonder. The problem with the all in wonder for gamers is that when they upgrade their video card, they have to replace their tv tuner as well. Also, the latest software for the all in wonder forces you to be recording constantly so cpu cycles, memory and hard drive space are used up while you’re watching TV. I’d recommend a standalone card such as the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150. The good thing about this card is that it has hardware mpeg recording meaning it doesn’t use as much if any of your cpu while running.
For the icons not working, didn’t she mention something about a turned down page corner? That sounds a lot like web page ads. Active desktop could have been turned on and set to a page that mimics a desktop. Sort of like an April Fools joke.
21:43 by ron?.
hay oh yeah,I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person
14 May 2006
Grouping liberals and us Steve lovers is wishful thinking. Ha, we would kill and risk a cooties infection to have a userbase that large. It makes no sense anyway, because Rush LOVES STEVE as much as Leo, and his gimmick is to invent and promote an insane right. If you want to stereotype us there is a better analogy, though nobody we try not to mention it. I will not directly state what it is, but I will tell you that many of us will be elsewhere June 9–11th. Leo will have to talk about Windows that weekend.
15 May 2006
The gentlemen might try turning on virtual memory as Apple suggests that in there tech article. Read below from Apple.
You may resolve or avoid this issue by taking one of these actions:
Start up from a Mac OS disc before installing the update (as suggested in the Mac OS 9.1 “Before You Install” document).
Turn on virtual memory in the Memory control panel If installing the update directly from a hard disk.
This is for Kattie with the Quicktime issue:
Kattie, on my wife’s machine I ended up dividing her hard drive into two separate partitions - one partition runs Windows 98 and the other partition runs Windows XP. When the kids want to run their educational CD’s, then we boot the machine into Windows 98. If she wants to use the machine for her work, then we boot into Windows XP.
The best program to accomplish this is Partition Commander by VCOM. With Partition Commander, you can even tell each OS to ignore the other OS’s partition. This way your Win98 system can’t screw up the XP machine and visa vera.
So if you’re going to do alot of education games for you kids, then pick up a copy of Partition Commander, get a copy of Windows 98 and go that route.
Hope that helps!
Dean Penderghast, Consultant
Sales Automation Services, Inc.
16 May 2006
17 May 2006
14:00 by anonymous.
Ken from NY, here’s what you do…
Make sure your browser is set to ask you to choose whether you want to run an MP3 or save it. Then right click on any of the links to a Daily Giz Wiz show and choose copy shortcut.
Now you past that short cut into your address bar, or use this - http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/twit/DGW-056.mp3
change DGW-056.mp3 to DGW-001.mp3 and hit enter. You should be prompted to run or save that file. Save it, then re-paste and change it to DGW-002.mp3. Keep doing that until you reach DGW-025.mp3.
21 May 2006
13:40 by Don?.
Hi Leo, New problem.
I have a Mac Power Book running OS X 10.4.6. 2 GB ram, 512 L2 Casche. Problem with iTunes (6.0.4). I have 12.4 GB in the music library. When I use Airport Express to a remote speaker system, the music “stuttters” that is will periodically stop and then continue having skipped a few seconds. Any thoughts.
Thanks and aloha,
23 May 2006
Leo,
It’s also possible that external USB hard drives formatted origninally on XP are dynamic disks. These are not readable in 10.4.6 Tiger. If you reformat them as a basic disk in XP, they will work fine and be recognized in Tiger. FYI.
23:06 by .
The problem with “big system morsels” isn’t that they’re unexpectedly big.
The problem is that there are great big files called “big system morsels” that are corrupt. Download and try again….just as Leo said.
25 May 2006
Re: TV on PC: If you are going to be changing video cards before 2009 any of the TV/PC cards will do. If you are using a cable box or satellite box, ditto. Otherwise, if you are going to use the card past 1/1/2009 it will have to have a digital tuner, capable of ATSC for antenna or QAM256 for digital cable. On the same note, if you’re looking for a “cute little” TV for camper or backpack use, buy it with the idea that it will turn into a paperweight in 2 1/2 years.
Re: NSA Fishing Expedition: Two problems-(1)Checking millions of phone messages will require thousands of people. This means tens of criminals, scanning phone records for their own use - credit card numbers, bank account numbers, etc. My phone doesn’t support SSL. Does yours? (2)Collecting “who called who” records on the last 3 reporters that have balls enough to oppose the government.
04 June 2006
11 June 2006
LEO?? Why am I getting TONS of mail that is using my e-mail to send junk to others. These messages are bouncing back to me like a river running into my mail box….here is the clutch….IM ON A MAC!? What is going on here
