Quicksys RegDefrag 2.0

It's a freeware utility to defrag registry. Quicksys RegDefrag is small, clear and easy. Registry data is constantly being written to and removed during a normal Windows operation. Over time this data becomes fragmented.

What does this software do?

Quicksys RegDefrag optimizes your registry by removing gaps, fragments and wasted space in Windows registry files. The program does not modify any registry entries.

Benefits?

Of course! The defragmentation improves performance and boosts access to the registry.

System Requeriments

• - Pentium 233 MHz
• - 128 MB RAM
• - 1,6 MB of available space
• - Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008

What's new in this version?

Version 2.0

• - Improved new algorithm to defrag registry.
• - Improved HTML report with defrag information.
• - Improved alert about necessary free space to defrag registry.
• - Improved ascending sorting of column at Registry Information.
• - Improved new multi-language system with separate language files.
• - Improved perfomance in Windows x64.
• - Fixed text in Defrag Analysis. Example: changed "/REGISTRY/MACHINE" to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE".
• - Fixed bug in backups. The backups files are stored at default registry folder.
• - Added new option to remove backups at Uninstall.
• - Memory usage optimizations.
• - Added new languages: Italian and Spanish.
• - GUI improvements.
• - Minor bug fixed.

Download : Regdefrag 2.0

Technorati Tags: registry,defrag,freeware

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Vista SP1 Application Compatibility Update Fixes Black Screens of Death

With the release of the gold version of Service Pack 1, but also with the maturing of the software and hardware environment orbiting around the Windows client, Windows Vista's compatibility level has continually increased.

Still, Microsoft is very much hammering away at the operating system with its evangelism wheels in motion to gather additional support for the platform. On top of the compatibility improvements delivered via SP1, the Redmond giant continues to kick the platform up a notch with the introduction of Application Compatibility updates. The latest release in this regard went live on August 12, Microsoft's traditional Patch Tuesday.

The August 2008 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Update is being distributed through the Windows Update infrastructure, but is also served through the Microsoft Download Center. The end purpose of the update is to provide resolves to specific application compatibility problems with the latest Windows client and server operating systems.

In this context, Vista RTM, SP1 and Windows Server 2008 have been updated to play nice with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5. As far as the two solutions are concerned, Microsoft indicated that it has improved their functionality for the two operating systems.

On top of this, the Redmond giant has also hard blocked One Key Recovery 5.0, a piece of software which caused black screens of death for Vista RTM to Vista SP1 upgrades. "The update puts a hard block on the application. A hard block prevents an application that is incompatible with Windows Vista from running on the system. Microsoft puts a hard block on a non-Microsoft application only when the manufacturer of the application gives its consent," the company informed.

One Key Recovery 5.0 was incompatible with Windows Vista, and in this sense the reason for the black screen of death which followed the reboot after an SP1 installation on top of Vista RTM. The fix is only provided for Vista, although Windows XP SP3 is also affected. "'Windows Vista Application Compatibility Updates are cumulative. Each update contains all the improvements that were included in previous application compatibility updates," Microsoft added.

The August 2008 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Update is available for download via the following links:
Update for Windows Server 2008 (KB954336)
Update for Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems (KB954336)
Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB954336)
Update for Windows Vista (KB954336)
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB954336)

source: news.softpedia.com

Technorati Tags: vista,compatibility

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XP SP3 and Vista SP1 Critical Security Patches

The latest Critical security patches for Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 are available from Microsoft.

Of course, that the two Windows client versions are not the only software products patched by the Redmond company as a part of its monthly security update cycle. Although Microsoft was planning no less than a dozen security bulletin releases for August 12, 2008, it managed to come one short. Only 11 update packages made it out the door, six of which were rated with a maximum severity rating of Critical, with the remaining five receiving a label of Important.

"You may notice that we removed one of the bulletins that we had mentioned in the "Advanced Notification Service" that we released last week. We did this prior to today’s bulletin release because of a last minute quality issue. Microsoft has heard from customers that the quality of updates is very important and, as part of the process at the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), Microsoft tests these updates continuously until they are ready for distribution to customers through our regularly scheduled security bulletin release," explained Tami Gallupe, Microsoft Security Response Center release manager.

The August 2008 incomplete dozen of Microsoft security bulletins are designed to plug a staggering 26 holes in not only Windows, but also Internet Explorer, Windows Messenger and Office. In fact six of the security bulletins impact Windows and the components of the operating system while the rest of five affect the Office system and its software. However, details on only three of the 26 vulnerabilities have been made available in the wild prior to the Redmond company releasing its patches.

Here is the complete list of the August 2008 security bulletins provided by Gallupe:
MS08-041 – Vulnerability in the ActiveX Control for the Snapshot Viewer for Microsoft Access Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955617) – Critical
MS08-042 – Vulnerability in Microsoft Word Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955048) – Important
MS08-043 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (954066) – Critical
MS08-044 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Filters Could Allow Remote Code Execution (924090) – Critical
MS08-045 – Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (953838) – Critical
MS08-046 – Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Image Color Management System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (952954) – Critical
MS08-047 – Vulnerability in IPsec Policy Processing Could Allow Information Disclosure (953733) – Important
MS08-048 – Security Update for Outlook Express and Windows Mail (951066) – Important
MS08-049 – Vulnerabilities in Event System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (950974) – Important
MS08-050 – Vulnerability in Windows Messenger Could Allow Information Disclosure (955702) – Important
MS08-051 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution (949785) – Critical

source: news.softpedia.com

Technorati Tags: vista,xp,security

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Microsoft slashes .NET Framework footprint

Microsoft has released the long awaited Service Pack 1 for .NET framework 3.5 and another for Visual Studio 2008. Both of these service packs are substantial product extensions, rather than just bug fixes. Their most dramatic effect is to reduce the size of libraries in the framework for client applications by 80 per cent.

The new, leaner version of the framework excludes all server-side classes, which reduces the size of the libraries from 197MB to 26.5MB. Developers can program in Visual Studio with this client profile – the IDE issues a warning when code classes not contained in the smaller framework are called.

An additional object-relational mapper has been added, called the ADO.NET Entity Framework. The ASP.NET Dynamic Data Controls support database-driven websites. These supplement LINQ to SQL, which was introduced in version 3.5 of the framework.

source : heise-online.co.uk

Technorati Tags: framework,.net,release

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Invisibility cloak on the horizon, scientists say

Scientists say they are a step closer to developing materials that will render people and other objects invisible.

Researchers say they can redirect light around three-dimensional objects using metamaterials--artificially engineered structures created at a nano scale that contain optical properties not found in nature, according to an Associated Press report.

People see objects as a result of the light reflecting or scattering off them. This new mixture of materials has "negative refractive" properties that keep light from being absorbed or reflected by the object, allowing only the light from behind the object to be seen. Essentially, the material bends visible light in a way that eliminates the creation of reflections or shadows in much the way water flows around a stone.

The findings, to be released later this week in Nature and Science, were made by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Xiang Zhang. The research, which was funded in part by the U.S. Army Research Office and the National Science Foundation's Nano-Scale Science and Engineering Center, could have broad applications, including for the military.

But the materials work in limited wavelengths, so they won't be used to hide buildings from satellites, said Jason Valentine, who is a co-author of one of the papers.

"We are not actually cloaking anything," Valentine told Reuters. "I don't think we have to worry about invisible people walking around any time soon. To be honest, we are just at the beginning of doing anything like that."

source : news.cnet.com

Technorati Tags: technology,scientists

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Messenger Plus! Live 4.70.334

Messenger Plus! Live is an add-on for Windows Live Messenger that adds tons of features and extras to the software. Extend the possibilities of Messenger and make your experience a lot more entertaining!

The only thing needed to use Messenger Plus! Live is Windows Live Messenger (the latest version of MSN Messenger) which requires Windows XP or above. Messenger Plus! Live is compatible with Windows Live Messenger 8.0 to 9.0 and can be installed on 32bit and 64bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Changelog in version 4.70.334 (09/08/2008) :

• Messenger Plus! is now better prepared for the future with several internal changes.
• New feature: you can now paste very large chunks of text and pictures into a conversation. Messenger Plus! detects pasting operations that are not originally supported by Messenger and, when possible, generates a temporary file to send to the contact.
• Emotion sounds played by Messenger Plus! are now played in stereo. This fixes problems caused by faulty hardware or drivers that do not handle mono sound files properly (resulting in incorrect playback or no playback at all).
• New feature: all scripts and skins can now be automatically updated! this will ensure you always get the benefits from the latest versions of the components you use without worrying about them.
  • Almost all the current scripts and skins are supported by the system. Update check is done once a week, as usual, and you can force a manual check by using the /checkupdates command in any chat window.
  • If an update is available, you will be notified once automatically. If you choose not to install a particular update, Messenger Plus! won't prompt you about it anymore unless another update is available. This was done to remove the annoying factor of this kind of auto-update procedure.
  • This feature may be used in the future to offer exclusive new scripts, skins and more for download. This will also help the distribution of minor updates using delta patches.
  • Script and skin developers are encouraged to use the new UpdateId and BuildNumber information elements in their XML file to ensure proper future updates or their products (see updated documentation).
  • Of course, all of this can be disabled in the preferences.
• New "panel size" option added for the Quick Icons panel. Use it to display more emoticons in each page of the panel.
• The (!VER) tag now correctly identifies Windows Server 2008.
• Double-clicking on a contact in the Contact List Clean-Up window now opens the Contact Information window.
• A new page has been added at the end of the Setup to confirm that installation was successful and to offer a link to download new skins.
• Security fix: mis-formated URLs saved in HTML chat logs can corrupt log files (fixed previously in build 326).
• Messenger Plus! now prevents you to specify an encryption password hint equal to the password itself.
• The Interface Tester program now supports command line arguments (use -? for more details). External programs wanting to display a preview of Messenger Plus! windows may want to use this.
• Fixed: skin shapes are not always properly applied.
• Fixed: invalid skin packs may display an error message twice on import.
• Scripts: added <Size> element for RichStatic controls.
• You know it's not the end...

Download : msgpluslive.net

Technorati Tags: messenger,download,internet

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Far Cry 2 PC SPECS REVEALED!

We know you’ve been waiting for this, and we’ve finally pinned down the minimum requirements and recommended hardware for playing Far Cry 2 on your PC. Here you go!

Minimum requirements

CPU:  Pentium 4  3.2 Ghz, Pentium D 2.66 Ghz, AMD Athlon 64 3500+  or better

RAM: 1 GB

Video card: NVidia 6800 or ATI X1650 or better

         Shader Model 3 required

         256 Mb of graphic memory

Media reader: DVD-ROM

Hard drive space:  ~12 Gig  or HD space. (tbd)

Recommended

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo Family, AMD 64 X2 5200+, AMD Phenom or better

RAM: 2 GB

Video card: NVidia 8600 GTS or better,  ATI X1900 or better

         512 Mb of graphic memory

Sound: 5.1 sound card recommended

Supported Video cards:

NVidia 6800,  NVidia 7000 series, 8000 series, 9000 series, 200 series. 8800M and 8700M supported for laptops. ATI X1650 – 1950  series , HD2000  series , HD3000  series , HD4000 series .

Source : blog.ubi.com 

Technorati Tags: game,far cry2,far cry

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