clonezilla (disk imaging) quickstart

[NOTE: I have found Paragon Backup & Recovery tool to be better fit for me, and really like it:  http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/]

Steps for setting up Clonezilla an a USB thumb drive:

• go to http://tuxboot.org/download.php
• click Files on SourceForge
• download tuxboot*.exe (or other, depending on your currently booted OS)
• run tuxboot
• the defaults are good usually:
• clonezilla_live_stable chosen
• no Pre Downloaded images selected
• MD5 Check selected
• Type: USB
• Drive should be already the USB drive you have plugged in
• hit OK

gizmo's freeware

This is an excellent site containing reviews of best freeware in many categories.


Some notable reviews:

• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anti-virus-software.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/top-freeware-picks-category-editors.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-firewall.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-cd-dvd-burning-software.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-pdf-writer.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-disk-de-fragmenter.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-drive-imaging-program.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-portable-programs.htm
• http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-non-adobe-pdf-reader.htm

checking USB thumb drives

In my experience USB "thumb" drives are notoriously unreliable, but that's something you find out only once you attempt to read back the data you've "written" to the device.  Always check your medium before use.

Great tool that I found for such drive validation: "Check Flash": http://mikelab.kiev.ua/index_en.php?page=PROGRAMS/chkflsh_en

dead pixel finder, online version

http://www.gdargaud.net/Hack/DeadPixels.html

PDF virtual printer for Windows

Useful review of top free PDF printers:
  http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-pdf-writer.htm

I chose to install BullZip one.  Ran into issue where upon printing I would get error about macros.  The following post was useful:
  http://www.bullzip.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=8538

In particular, the key seems to have been to run a tool for cleaning up after Mcaffee uninstall:
  https://community.mcafee.com/message/110147
  http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

setting up googlecl in Windows

Some instructions here:
http://publicint.blogspot.com/2010/06/setup-googlecl-on-winxp.html

However, it seems newest versions of the googlecl tool come pre-built. The only issue was I was missing MSVCRT71.dll file.  This can be obtained for Windows 7 here:
http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/fix-msvcp71-dll-and-msvcr71-dll-missing-error-in-windows-7/

calendar generator

Useful online calendar generator: here

(Windows) file managers

Comparisons

• http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=176343
• http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=117653
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_file_managers

File Managers

• Total Commander
• Total Commander PowerPack
• Total Commande Ultima Prime
• xplorer²
• xyplorer
• FreeCommander
• UltraExplorer
• PowerDesk Pro
• Magellan Explorer