Ashed's Weekly Freeware Thread

[Ashed]

I have taken these from a section of one of the newspapers we subscribe to. Since they only produce this section once a week, I'll be updating this thread once a week every Wednesday or Thursday.

Source: Bangkok Post / Database / App-shot
Author: Wanda Sloan

[Ashed]

An easier way to undelete

Recovering accidentally deleted files and folders just got much easier thanks to a new program called Handy Recovery.

Note "easier." This software makes the task of finding and starting to recover a deleted file simpler than any program on Windows so far.

But as always on these blasted machines, there is no guarantee that files recovery will be successful. That continues to depend on a combination of outside factors beyond the control of Handy Recovery or any other program.

The fact is that all deleted files – whether deleted from the recycle bin, the DOS command line or merely by bypassing the recycle bin – can be restored under circumstances.

This is because of a trick the computer plays on us. It does not actually delete a file when you tell it to. It just removes part of the entry from the index, or file allocation table, and opens up the disk space for use by another file.

If you get to an undeleted file before you have written anything else to the computer, there is a good chance you can undelete it intact. Otherwise you may be able to recover part of it, or none at all.

Handy Recovery does as well (or as poorly if that’s the sort of person you are).

Its advantage is twofold.

First, it works under all Windows systems from Win 95 onward, and it works on all disk formats possible under Windows, from the old FAT-12 used on diskettes to spiffy new indexing systems up to and including NTFS and NTFS 5.

The second great thing about Handy Recovery is its ease. It is just like using the Windows Explorer to call up the program and navigate to where you last saw the deleted files or folders. But instead of getting a list of files, you get a list of deleted files.

You click on a file to undelete it, and with a little bit of luck you will restore it intact.

The generous folks behind the small software firm called SoftLogica have an explanation and download link for the utility at its own web site, www.handyrecovery.com.

[reedfloren]

When will we know when this is updated
Ashed? Could you either post a new message each week or is there a way we could "subscribe" to the tip so to speak?

[LordFett]

Originally posted by reedfloren
When will we know when this is updated
Ashed? Could you either post a new message each week or is there a way we could "subscribe" to the tip so to speak?

At the bottom it says "Subsribe to this thread" and I believe the forum will email you when this thread is updated.

[Bill]

I think it's been more than a week, where's the new update!

[reedfloren]

Thanks LordFett, I will try that.

[LordFett]

In addition to the link at the bottom, you can also select the option "Email Notification" in the posting options, so that when people reply to this topic, you will be notified via email.

[Ashed]

Sorry, last week's issue didn't have the App-shot column, no idea why. Here's this week's issue.

[Ashed]

A genie out of the bottle

Two US courts have ruled that a software company cannot legally sell its program to copy DVDs. The judges said that the new US digital copyright law means you can’t copy DVDs, but no matter how the court cases end, there is no way this genie will be jammed back into the bottle.

The court cases may end up killing off the specific program DVD XCopy, by the US firm 321 Studios. Again, it is hugely unclear how the legal case will end, and for the moment DVD XCopy is still on sale, pending the appeal.

In the meantime, a host of other programs, many of them freeware, are spreading around the world and finding homes on hard disks everywhere.

One of the best and easiest is DVD Shrink, an exceptionally small program that does the donkey work of removing multimedia from a DVD and replacing it on your hard disk.

The software quits at that point, because if you have a DVD drive you already have programs to burn DVDs.

“Ripping” the DVD is both the hard part of duplicating or making DVD backups, and the legally contentious part. It is completely legal to rip and record music CDs, say. It is encouraged to copy software diskettes for backup.

But DVDs are generally burned in the first place by using encryption, and some copyright laws in some countries are written in such a way to make it illegal to break the encryption – and therefore, by extension, may make it illegal to copy the DVD for any purpose, including backup.

All of this is iffy in those few countries with such a law, because other laws either intend or specifically provide that buyers may copy their digital media for backup purposes.

In the meantime, the purpose of DVD Shrink is to get a movie (say) off a DVD and to keep it in a useable size. Many rippers can copy a movie, but make it 50% to 100% bigger than it started out.

I found DVD Shrink version 3 to be extremely easy to use, despite complaints that earlier versions had a learning curve. I started up the software, pointed it to the drive where I had my copy of Barbershop, and everything happened pretty well automatically after that.

It’s not a matter of minutes to rip a DVD, by the way. These are big-capacity disks, and there is a lot of activity. Usually, a computer’s DVD drive is far slower than the hard drive, too. So you will have time to make and consume a nice snack while DVD Shrink toils, and still have time for a cigarette, too.

DVD Shrink is a fast download of under 400KB from its own web site: www.dvdshrink.org.

[reedfloren]

Thanks Ashed

[Kolb]

I'm using DVD Shrink, never had any problems with it.

[Ashed]

Good to hear the programs suggested by the author, Wanda Sloan, are always reliable.

[Bill]

So, is it illegal to make a DVD ISO of your DVD or not?

[reedfloren]

Originally posted by Bill
So, is it illegal to make a DVD ISO of your DVD or not?

From my understanding you can make backups of stuff you own, you just can't share it with others.

[Bill]

Well of course sharing it is illegal. But didn't that post suggest some legal issues with copying a DVD for a backup? It certainly said de-encrypting it was illegal at least...but what about an exact copy(i.e. ISO)?