How can I divide a large file into smaller segments so it can be sent via email or backed up to a floppy disk?

One option available to you is to use a freeware program known as HJ Split. The beauty of this tool is that it is tiny and no installation is necessary to run it. Just double click on the the file's icon, select the file you wish to break up, let HJ Split know the size of the resulting chunks you would like to create and finally click on the start button to begin the process. HJ Split will also recombine...

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To browse or not to browse, that is the question

Here's a good tip for anyone who still pays for their time online by the minute (you silly people you!). Have you ever found a really interesting, information packed web site which you'd love to read from start to finish, but couldn't concentrate on it because you were constantly watching the clock? Well the ideal solution is to download the pages to your hard drive so you can read them offline at...

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What are .mdf and .mds files?

These constitute the native image file system of the CD/DVD cloning tool, Alcohol 120%. You can think of them as a proprietary version of the better known bin/cue duo. Mds files are tiny as they only contain the bare minimum of information required by the cloning software to successfully burn the relatively mammoth mdf, or image, file. Other image manipulation tools such as ISO Buster and Ultra ISO...

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Why are the menu items of some web site browser windows disabled?

This is not a browser error. It is the result of java scripting and, usually in conjunction with the changes described in the anti-right-click question above, is a deliberate attempt by webmasters to prevent people from stealing their content or from viewing their source co...

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What are Serv-U, War FTP and Bullet Proof FTP Server?

Since the name of the latter program was changed from Gene 6, newbies have had less trouble guessing its purpose. Here's a further clue: War FTP and Serv-U do exactly the same thing. For those of you still fumbling in the dark for answers, these are all FTP server clients, which allow you to setup your computer as a file distribution system known as an FTP site. These allow you to selectively share...

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FXP (File Exchange Protocol) - Flash! Ahhh-ahhhhhhh... He'll save every one of us!

No, I'm not repeating myself; there is a subtle difference between the FTP and FXP protocols. The former allows you to transfer data from a remote computer to your hard drive, while the latter enables you to transfer data from one FTP site to another FTP site. By setting up an FXP transfer you are tapping the slower of the two connection speeds of the computers you wish to transfer data between....

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Web forums under the microscope

These are an invaluable resource - say you've been struggling with a technical dilemma and there's no-one with sufficient computer know-how around to ask for help. Your next move shouldn't be to ring up a premium rate technical support line. Why bother when you can always guarantee there will be someone out there in cyberspace who knows exactly what the problem is and how to fix it, and who will be...

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Why do I get CRC errors when I unzip compressed archives? What is a CRC error?

These occur relatively infrequently, but most people have experienced such problems at one time or another. CRC is an acronym for cyclic redundancy check, a mathematical method used to calculate the validity of the data in a given archive. CRC errors can transpire when files are resumed too many times during the download process and as a result lose a few bytes along the way. Consequentially they...

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I've opened a rar archive using Winace. Whenever I try to extract it, almost every file is said to be corrupt. Do I need to download it again?

No, in most cases the files will be perfectly fine. This problem is caused by the way older versions of Winace handle rar archives. You can avoid these false error reports by using Winrar instead, a trial version of which can be downloaded from www.rarlabs.com. This is arguably the best compression/extraction program available in any case, so it would be beneficial to have it installed on your system....

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I keep seeing the word 'bump' in bulletin board posts. What's that all about?

Well, when someone posts a question and it receives no replies, it gradually falls to the bottom of the pile and eventually drops off the first page where no one can see it. Instead of giving up and letting the thread die gracefully, some people reply to their own post to bring it back up to the top of the forum in the hope that it will get a better response the second time round. You could type anything...

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Clawing back control of your internet browser

I've visited a web site that has taken it upon itself to change the web site from which my browser searches are conducted. How can I change this back to the way it was previously? You can resolve this situation by editing the Windows registry, which can be accessed using the 'run' dialog box located under the start menu. Once opened, whack 'regedit' into the empty space and press enter. When the...

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Can't update, won't update

I'm trying to update my copy of software x. I've uninstalled the old version of the program, but when I try to install the new one I'm told to completely uninstall the old one first. I thought I'd already done this. What's it talking about? When you uninstall a program, despite what you are led to believe, lots of junk is left behind which can conflict with later installations of the same program....

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Internet Explorer window woes

I resized an Internet Explorer browser window for one particular site, but the changes have been stored and now affect every window I open subsequently. How do I restore the default height and width settings? First of all, close any IE browser windows you have on screen. Select 'run' from the 'start' menu, type in 'regedit' and navigate to the 'H_Key_Current_User/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Main'...

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I password protected a compressed archive and can't remember the password. Is there any hope?

If you've really wracked your brain and still can't recall what it might be, a last resort is to go in search of a password cracking program such as The Password Recovery Kit or Advanced Zip Password Recovery. Shareware versions of which can be downloaded from their respective home pages. These applications operate by bombarding the archive file, using a database of potential passwords, at speeds...

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How can I backup my PlayStation games?

Like PC games, PlayStation games are copy protected so in order to copy them you will have to find a way of bypassing this protection. Two methods of doing this are detailed below. By far the simplest of these is to use Clone CD to dump an image of the game you wish to copy onto your hard drive and then burn it to a CD-R. I'm not going to go into all the ins and outs of this procedure again here since...

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How do I find out if my IP address is static or dynamic?

Having this information to hand is especially useful if you intend to set your computer up as a web or FTP server. If you've got a static IP address you can redirect your domain name to point to your own computer instead of a remote host to enable people to access your data or web site. This can also be achieved with a dynamic IP address, but it's a bit more fiddly. There are various ways of identifying...

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How do bootleg software and movie releases end up in general circulation on the internet?

Once the release groups have stripped the copyright protection from software, or encoded leaked movies, they are packaged, quality assessed and then uploaded to 'topsites'. These are lightning fast, highly exclusive FTP servers with an abundance of hard drive space. Topsites are shared by a number of affiliated release groups, usually in the region of twenty. When new releases hit the topsites, couriers...

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How can I check an archive for CRC errors without actually unzipping it?

This can be done using either Winrar or Winace. The first step is to double-click on the archive you wish to validate to open it. If you are using Winrar, select the 'commands' option from the menu and scroll down the list until you find 'test archived files' and click on this option. Alternatively, if you are using Winace, select 'archive' from the menu bar followed by 'test archive'. Now get on...

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How can I backup my Sega Dreamcast games?

You can't - at least not yet anyway. You see, Dreamcast games use a completely different file structure to CD-Rs, which allows them to hold up to 1gb of gaming goodness on a single CD. These CDs are known as GD-Roms (the GD stands for Gigabyte Disc). The upshot of this is that you can't just make a 1:1 copy using your ordinary CD writing software and CD writer. At present, ripping a Dreamcast game...

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I've downloaded an MP3 track, but it won't play. All I can hear is distortion. Why?

More than likely the file has been 'cooked'. This occurs when the server you are downloading from has been improperly configured and as a result treats binary files as text files. The solution? Well obviously you have to uncook the files. Why didn't you think of that? ;) This can be achieved using a program known as Uncook ...

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Relief for idle hands

Modem users, have you ever found yourselves downloading something you didn't really need just to keep your connection alive? Unfortunately this is a scenario more common than you'd expect for those of us still lumbered with a dial-up internet account who wish to evade those infuriating enforced idle disconnections. For example, you'll be surfing the net when an email arrives in your inbox. If this...

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