Backup and Image your hard drives with DriveImage XML for free under Windows

November 27, 2007
2 minute read

Theres a feature on Lifehacker about a free piece of software called DriveImage XML, that provides backups and images of your Windows Based Hard Drive. The software has four different functions that you can use to backup/image your hard drive:

* Raw mode. In “raw mode,” DriveImage XML makes a sector by sector copy of your drive, including unused space. This means your image file will be the same exact size of the drive, and it can only be restored to a drive of that same exact size. For most home use situations, leave this box unchecked. (There’s no sense in backing up blank disk space.)

* Split large files. If you plan to burn your disk image to CDs or DVDs, select “Split large files,” which will break your image file down into smaller chunks. This way you can easily save them to smaller-sized disks later on. If “Split large files” is NOT checked, you’ll get one giant image file, either as large as the disk itself or as large as the used space on the disk (depending on whether “Raw mode” is enabled.)

* Compressed. If space on your destination drive is at a premium, select the “Compressed” option to make your image file up to 40% smaller than in normal mode. Compression will slow down the imaging process, but it will help save on disk space.

* Hot Imaging Strategy. The hot part of DriveImage XML is that it can image your drive while you workbut that means that files you’re using while it does its thing have to be locked to be copied correctly. DiX will try two strategies: locking the drive entirely (if you’re not using the computer and saving files), or using Windows’ built-in Volume Shadow Services to get the last saved state of the drive. Leaving this at the default”Try Volume Locking first”is fine for home use.

Their are also instructions on how to place DriveImage XML on BartPE. Definitely give this application a try, not only is it free but its functional.

Read the full article at lifehacker.com

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Pimp Your XP

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Pimp Your XP - An anonymous reader writes "Ezinearticles.com has up an interesting article on how you can improve Windows XP to mimic and even surpass Vista — at least some of its new features. Several of the suggestions cost money and others are free. From improving the user interface with Stardock to mimicking new security features with open source software such as Sudown, the article discusses many ways that die-hard XP users can enhance their environment without moving to Vista."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.

[Slasdot]

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If you buy a song off iTunes, you'll be paying a 3 cents for each song in tax. Then new tax is to compensate artists for the reproduction of their songs.

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by
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Thieves rob Best Buy blind - Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

A diabolical ring of super-thieves has been terrorizing the good people of Tulsa, OK., by conducting elaborate burglaries of stores like Best Buy and Office Depot. In their most recent exploit, the robbers cut two holes in the roof of a Best Buy, rappelled into the store, disabled the alarm system, and then stole more than 40 laptops, a number of plasma TVs and the store's safe. A local crime reporter claims they "leave behind no fingerprints, no witnesses and no surveillance tapes". They also reportedly have super-human strength, psionic powers, and can all fly at nearly supersonic speeds.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

[EnGadget]

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Google opens up malware blacklist API

byJordan
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[Ars Technica]

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Western Digital developing 20,000RPM drives

byJordan
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That's right, this isn't a joke.

The new drive will be very similar to the recently-released VelociRaptor, in that it’ll be a 2.5in drive with a custom 3.5in housing built around it. Details are incredibly light at this stage, given that the product is still in development, and we don’t even have a release timeframe at the moment. However, our sources said that the drive will be ‘silent’ – that’s the last thing I would have expected from a drive with platters spinning at 20,000 RPM. Western Digital is apparently working on silencing the beast by improving the housing technology, which will now not just act as a heatsink, but also as a noise cancelling device. We’d also hope that the drive enclosure has some vibration dampening technology as well, because that’s also likely to be a problem given the high spindle speeds.

Now they just need push SATA 6.0Gbit/s onto motherboards http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SATA#SATA_6.0_Gbit.2Fs Full artile at bit-tech.net

by
June 21, 2007

This is an interesting read of other people in the business that write all about technology and get paid for it. I guess we're all trying to get to a point in our life where we can do something we enjoy and also be financially stable at the same time. This is a good way to start.

Writers Write “B-Logs,” Get Money - USA Today, that bastion of hard news, is covering a new fad popular with the kids called “B-logging.” They talk about two “b-loggers,” Om Malley and Mike Orvington, who used to work at real jobs and now eat ice cream and write about computers.

Now I don’t know who these people are or what they think they’re doing, but I think it’s bad to show people that you can make “real money” — how much, Om Malley? $5? HA! — doing this. There are jobs that Americans should be doing — car repair, HVAC installation, dance instruction — that are going empty while these two jokers sit around all day pretending to work. For shame. “B-logging,” like stamp collecting and religious observance, should be considered a hobby and nothing more. Let’s not encourage these bozos.

Tech blogs go from hobbies to businesses [USAToday]

[CrunchGear]