More ways to prevent phantom devices
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By Fred Langa Windows Secrets readers are talented ghostbusters! That's been proven time and time again in the Windows Secrets reader mail, and was shown once more in the discussion on preventing and removing phantom devices. |
Reader tips on eliminating phantom devices
You folks are great! After every issue, suggestions, and questions flow through our Web-based contact form. (Incidentally, if you send in a tip or trick that we print, you'll receive a $25 gift certificate good for a book, CD, or DVD from Amazon!)
This week, I received additional info that amends my discussion on the items "Keep phantom devices at bay" and "Restoring the HotPlug Manager," both of which appeared in the Apr. 5 issue.
Several readers (Rick Winterton was the first) suggested that another way to safely remove a USB drive (and thus prevent it from appearing as a left-behind ghost item in the Drives listing) is to right-click a removable drive and select Eject from the context menu. Indeed, this can work, albeit not quite as reliably as the methods we previously discussed. Only some USB drives respond to an Eject command (I have a couple of Flash drives that won't disconnect that way), and most other USB devices simply ignore the command. But, if the normal, officially sanctioned methods aren't available to you, it may be worth trying the Eject option.
Reader Larry Hoium also pointed me to a Knowledge Base article I'd never seen before. It's KB 315539, which describes an obscure XP command:
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
That command allows the View/Hidden Devices menu in Device Manager to list not only currently connected hidden devices, but also hidden devices that have been connected to the system at any time. Any ghost devices that are shown can then be uninstalled directly through Device Manager itself.
Figure 1. KB 315539 shows you how to force Device Manager to display hidden devices that once were connected to the system, but that are not currently plugged in. In this example, note the three grayed-out drives, which Device Manager normally would not show at all.
Thanks Rick, Larry, and all who wrote in! Keep those e-mails coming!
How to get 130+ browser shortcuts free
Those of you who've read Brian Livingston's excellent Windows Vista Secrets book have probably noted the references to keyboard shortcuts — those special two- or three-keystroke combinations that let you perform an action or access a software feature much faster than wading through the menus.
For example, you almost surely already know that Alt+Tab lets you switch among open windows faster than by accessing the same windows via the Taskbar. But there are probably dozens or even hundreds of other time-saving shortcuts that you may not know about!
Brian's Vista book covers everything in Vista, including IE 7, and he lists IE 7 keyboard shortcuts on pages 487-489. If you're using Vista, that's the place to go for the best information.
If you're not running Vista, but are using IE 7, then you should take a look at TechRepublic's PDF download 60 keyboard shortcuts to move faster in Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Note that free registration is required.
If you're using Firefox, then 70+ keyboard shortcuts to move faster in Mozilla Firefox will be of interest to you. It's also available for download after free registration.
Patch cord saves USB headaches
In this and other recent issues, I've discussed some of the software-based problems that can befall USB devices. But it's worth mentioning another, purely physical danger that can totally cripple a USB device: wear and tear on the USB plugs and sockets themselves.
I've seen this mostly in Flash drives: Unless they're plugged in to and pulled out of USB sockets with great care, repeated off-angle insertions and removals can stress the plugs and sockets, causing them to flex. In time, the internal electrical connections can break, leaving you with a dead socket. Unless you have the skill and inclination to open the case and do some very delicate soldering, the socket is gone for good.
An inexpensive "patch cord" can help. A patch cord is a kind of USB extension cord: a length of cable with a USB plug on one end and a socket on the other. Because the cord is lightweight and flexible, it's much easier to align to the permanently mounted plugs and sockets on your PC and USB devices. Sometimes, you can even leave the patch cord connected to your PC, so all the wear and tear happens on the inexpensive patch cord's socket, rather than the harder-to-replace PC's socket.
Almost all electronics retailers sell USB patch cords, and they can cost as little as $2 for the shorter lengths. If you frequently plug in and unplug your USB devices, a patch cord can be cheap insurance!
Another way to tune your Internet connection
An item on semi-automated Internet connection tuning in the Mar. 15 issue generated a great reader suggestion on a nearly fully automated method. That tip appeared in the Apr. 5 issue.
Yet another good suggestion comes from reader Vuong Phung. He recommends an incredibly detailed manual method described in the Navas Cable Modem/DSL Tuning Guide. The benefit of the manual method is that you have complete control over every variable and can fine-tune your connection parameters to whatever degree you wish. It's a more laborious way to tune, but one that gives you the ultimate in flexibility and adaptability.
So now, with a full spectrum of free connection-tuning options available — manual, semi-automated, and fully automated — we all should be able to find a solution that delivers the best-possible performance from our Internet connections.
Thanks, Vuong!
Fred Langa is editor of the Windows Secrets Newsletter. He was editor of Byte Magazine (1987 to 1991) and editorial director of CMP Media (1991 to 1996), overseeing Windows Magazine and others. He edited the LangaList e-mail newsletter from 1997 to 2006, when it merged with Windows Secrets.
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