Network Diagnostic Tool

tools,

I quite like the possibility offered by Mac OS with the detection of network errors when the system cannot connect to the network. Microsoft now also offers such a tool as Hotfix (KB914440).

“The Network Diagnostics for Windows XP tool analyzes information about your network connectivity to help you troubleshoot network-related problems with your computer.”

After installing the tool, IE proposes to use the tool after a network error.

Diagnose Connection Problems

The Network Diagnostic Tool is accessible by the Tools / Diagnose Connection Problems … menu.

Diagnose Connection Problems

Network DIagnostics fpr Windows XP

Viewing the log file after the check allows to review the performed actions.

ScummVM

tools

Yeah, I’ll get all of my Lucasarts games out of the desk to re-play them on the plane. Since I got my hands on a WM5 device ScummVM makes it also possible for me.

“ScummVM is a program which allows you to run certain classic graphical point-and-click adventure games, provided you already have their data files. The clever part about this: ScummVM just replaces the executable shipped with the game, allowing you to play them on systems for which they were never designed!”

The latest version 0.9.0a fixes some issues in the previous version. And of course there is a Windows Mobile 5 ARM package for Windows Mobile 5.

Actually, all of my favorite SCUMM games are supported:

Maniac Mansion
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Loom
The Secret of Monkey Island
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Day of the Tentacle
Sam & Max Hit the Road
Full Throttle
The Dig
The Curse of Monkey Island

Actually, I just started searching in my archives. Somewhere I still have all the original 3,5″ discs with these games copied on a CD. Yet I found only The Dig, Sam & Max, and Full Throttle.

Windows Mobile 5 Screen Captures

tools

Two tools for capturing screens on a Windows Mobile 5 device: Capture Screen Utility and MagicSS. Both tools are freeware and work quite well.

  • Capture Screen Utility just allows to set a time when the screen should be captured. You can choose the time and the place (main memory or memory card) where to save the image. During installation just choose ‘Mobile 5’.

    CapScrUtil

  • MagisSS was written for Pocket PC 2003. I copied the file to my device and installed it by clicking the .cab file. After installing the tool it can be assigned to any hardware button. Makes the tool quite accessible. After pressing the capture button the saved image can be saved on main memory or memory card. In addition the folder can be specified. The file can be only saved as .bmp file but each file can be immediately named. Runs without any problem on the xda Trion with Windows Mobile 5.

    Datei-Explorer

Live Writer

tools, ,

Live Writer seems to be a quite nifty tool for offline blogging. The installations process is quite easy.

Welcome to Windows Live Writer

Choose Blog Type

Blog Homepage and Login

Select Provider

Also the handling of the tool is quite intuitive. And the support for adding images is awesome. Since I use shadows for all my images, I am quite pleased that Live Writer does support this feature which saves me some time while blogging.

SVN Service

tools,

SVNService by Magnus Norddahl works great if you want to run subversion as a Win32 service. Just installing the service with

svnservice.exe -install -d -r c:\repository

It seems to be confusing that the service is not started and set to manual, but the svn server is running, even after a reboot.

SVNService

Mac Essentials for using a Microsoft Wireless Mouse

tools,

There are some Microsoft Mac essentials that need be on my Mac. Windows Media Player and IntelliPoint at least. I have also found but not tried yet an update for Virtual PC, which maybe can solve my previous installing issue.

Mac and other Platforms

I especially recommend IntelliPoint if you use any Microsoft Mouse. I became very frustrated by my Wireless Optical Blue Mouse on the Mac. It was slow and sticking; improving the speed within the Mac’s System Preferences did not improve the handling very well. However, the IntelliPoint software does support the devices very well, and by using the IntelliPoint pointer speed option instead of System Mouse Tracking the performance and reliability of the wireless mouse is improved dramatically.

Microsoft Mouse

It also has some additional information on the mouse, depending on the attached device. After replacing my Optical Wheel Mouse USB with the Wireless Optical Blue Mouse I got this additional tab showing the battery level.

Microsoft Mouse