What Is .NET ?
The .NET Framework is Microsoft's application development platform that enables developers to easily create Windows applications, web applications, and web services using a myriad of different programming languages, and without having to worry about low-level details like memory management and processor-specific instructions.
.NET is probably one of the more muddled and mismanaged brands in the history of Microsoft. If you go to microsoft.com it will tell you that ".NET is the Microsoft Web services strategy to connect information, people, systems, and devices through software," but this isn't what most people are thinking of when they say, ".NET." What is commonly referred to as .NET is programming with the .NET Framework. This is what I am going to cover in this article. If you are looking for marketing speak then please refer to www.microsoft.com/net.
The Runtime
At the heart of .NET is the Common Language Runtime, commonly referred to as the CLR. The CLR is made up of a number of different parts, which I will be covering here piece by piece (if you didn't want a technical article then you should've followed the marketing link).
Language Independence
One of the most important facets of the .NET Framework is language independence. You can write .NET applications using any number of different programming languages. The most popular languages tend to be C# and VB.NET, but many other languages now have .NET versions including Python, COBOL, and more. You can see a list of many of the languages you can use with .NET over at dotnetpowered.com/languages.aspx.
Language independence is attained through the use of an intermediate language (IL). What this means is that instead of code being compiled in actual machine code (code that the CPU would run), it is instead compiled into a high-level generic language. This means that whatever language you write your code in, when you compile it with .NET it will become IL. Since all languages eventually get translated into the intermediate language, the runtime only has to worry about understanding and working with the intermediate language instead of the plethora of languages that you could actually use to write code.
Just-in-Time Compilation
If your mantra is, "Why do something now you can put off till tomorrow?" then you have something in common with the CLR. When you compile your code and it is translated to the intermediate language it is then simply stored in an assembly. When that assembly is used the CLR picks up that code and compiles it on-the-fly for the specific machine that is running the code. This means the runtime could compile the code differently based on what CPU or operating system the application is being run on. However, at this point the CLR doesn't compile everything in the assembly; it only compiles the individual method that is being invoked. This kind of on-the-fly compilation, referred to as jitting, only happens once per method call. The next time a method is called, no compilation occurs because the CLR has already compiled that code.
Memory Management
One of the constant assailants on productivity in unmanaged programming platforms is manually managing memory. Having to deal with memory management is also one of the largest sources for bugs and security holes in many applications. .NET removes the hassle of manually managing memory through the use of the aptly named garbage collector. Instead of the developer needing to remove objects from memory, the garbage collector looks at the current objects in memory and then decides which ones aren't needed anymore. For some developers this will be a tough pill to swallow; if you are used to managing memory then turning it over to an automated process can be somewhat troubling. This is when you have to take a step back, stop worrying, and embrace the runtime. There are bigger problems to solve (namely the business problems that are probably the real goal).
Alternative CLR Implementations
The .NET runtime is actually based on a standard developed by Microsoft called the CLI or Common Language Infrastructure, portions of which have been submitted to Ecma as an international standard. Because the CLR is based on an open standard, there have been a number of alternative CLR implementations, most notably Rotor and Mono. Rotor was a project from Microsoft Research, is a version of the CLR that will run on Mac OS, and is shared source. Mono is an independent open source implementation of the CLR that runs on various Linux distributions. While "Write once, run away" is not always realistic with .NET, there are some options available when it comes to other platforms. (Some code can be moved without issue, but most will require some tweaking, as different implementation includes different functionality.)
The Library
While the runtime is definitely the most important part of .NET, you can't do too much with it by itself. This is where the Base Class Library (or BCL) comes in. The BCL includes a lot of the plumbing of .NET, including the system types, IO, and functions for working with text. In addition to the BCL, there is the Framework Class Library (FCL). The FCL is an extended library that makes working with the .NET Framework practical and includes the following major pieces:
ADO.NET
Most current applications involve working with databases, normally more than one. ADO.NET is the data access component of the .NET Framework and includes built-in providers for SQL Server, ODBC, OLEDB, as well as Oracle.
Windows Forms
Windows forms are the .NET Framework method for building desktop-based applications. Windows Forms are simply a managed wrapper over the native Windows API, this means that you can write code for one version of Windows and it will run on other versions without issue all the way back to Windows 98 SE.
Windows forms applications do require the .NET Framework to run, which means that anyone who downloads your application, or any computer it is installed on, will need to also have the .NET Framework. The framework can be easily installed through Windows Update, and is completely free, but the download size can be troublesome for people with a slower connection.
ASP.NET
ASP.NET is the part of the .NET Framework dedicated to building web applications. Using ASP.NET you can build everything from a small starter website to enterprise-level web applications. ASP.NET allows you to write web applications without the need for a scripting language, everything can be written in your .NET language of choice.
Since ASP.NET applications are simply rendering HTML for the browser, there is no requirement for the .NET Framework on the client. Chances are you have used a number of sites that have been written in ASP.NET and you might not even have known it.
Web Services
With ASP.NET Web Services Microsoft has created a number of time-saving features to make it easy to quickly write and expose web services from your application. Just like the rest of .NET, ASP.NET Web Services can be written in any .NET language. Through the use of the Web Services Extensions (free download from Microsoft), you can also add support for the new and ever-growing list of WS-* specifications to your ASP.NET Web Services.
The Tools
One of the benefits of the .NET Framework is the great tools that are available to the .NET developer. Visual Studio has long been considered one of the premier IDEs on the market and does a lot to increase developer productivity when working with the framework. There are also a large number of open source tools available for .NET, including many that mimic the tools available on other platforms. Some of these include nUnit for unit testing, nAnt for building projects, nCover for testing code coverage, nHibernate for object persistence, and much more.
The Future
This November, Microsoft will launch .NET 2.0, the first major revision of the .NET Framework. With this revision .NET will grow to include a large amount of new functionality, not just in ASP.NET, Windows Forms and the base library, but also with the addition of support for new language features like generics to the runtime. Microsoft has shown its commitment to this platform and will continue to build upon .NET for years to come. (There is already some public information available on the next version of .NET, which is code-named Orcas.)
by James Avery
Source
Showing posts with label What Is ??. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What Is ??. Show all posts
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
What Is A .sfv File
A .sfv is a file that is included with almost all programs you will download, it is a list of coded numbers and letters that represent the contents of each file...
If any of the files you have downloaded are corrupt or incomplete then a check of the .sfv file will immediately let you know before you even attempt to unpack them.
A good program for checking .sfv files is Easy SFV Creator it allows you to check the .sfv file simply by double clicking on it. It can create .sfv files to go along with any files you may create or repackage yourself.
If any of the files you have downloaded are corrupt or incomplete then a check of the .sfv file will immediately let you know before you even attempt to unpack them.
A good program for checking .sfv files is Easy SFV Creator it allows you to check the .sfv file simply by double clicking on it. It can create .sfv files to go along with any files you may create or repackage yourself.
What Is A .diz File
Some of the files that you download will have a "file id.diz" file along with it. The .diz file is a simple notepad document that contains the release date, the name of the release group, sometimes the name of the group distributing the file, and the version number of the file.
You read a .diz file the same way that you do a .nfo file, but a .diz file doesn't contain any information that you really need to know unless you want to quickly verify the version number of the program you are downloading.
*************
Some of the files that you download will have a "file id.diz" file along with it. The .diz file is a simple notepad document that contains the release date, the name of the release group, sometimes the name of the group distributing the file, and the version number of the file. You read a .diz file the same way that you do a .nfo file, but a .diz file doesn't contain any information that you really need to know unless you want to quickly verify the version number of the program you are downloading.
Why are many .rar files in multiple parts?
This is done so that when you are downloading it if one file is or becomes corrupt it doesn't ruin the entire program. Sure you could make an entire game one hugh .rar file but then after spending all the time to download it one tiny flaw would ruin the entire file. If any single .rar file in a multiple part download is bad then you just have to redownload that one much smaller file.
How to tell at a glance if a multipart .rar file is probably complete?
If the file begins with a file named .r00 then it will end with file named .rar and the next to last file will always be smaller the all the other files.
If the file begins with a file named .001 then the final file will always be smaller than all the other files.
Also FlashFxp will download the .sfv and the .nfo file first from the folder so you will be able to immediately open either one of them and see how many files there should be in total...
You read a .diz file the same way that you do a .nfo file, but a .diz file doesn't contain any information that you really need to know unless you want to quickly verify the version number of the program you are downloading.
*************
Some of the files that you download will have a "file id.diz" file along with it. The .diz file is a simple notepad document that contains the release date, the name of the release group, sometimes the name of the group distributing the file, and the version number of the file. You read a .diz file the same way that you do a .nfo file, but a .diz file doesn't contain any information that you really need to know unless you want to quickly verify the version number of the program you are downloading.
Why are many .rar files in multiple parts?
This is done so that when you are downloading it if one file is or becomes corrupt it doesn't ruin the entire program. Sure you could make an entire game one hugh .rar file but then after spending all the time to download it one tiny flaw would ruin the entire file. If any single .rar file in a multiple part download is bad then you just have to redownload that one much smaller file.
How to tell at a glance if a multipart .rar file is probably complete?
If the file begins with a file named .r00 then it will end with file named .rar and the next to last file will always be smaller the all the other files.
If the file begins with a file named .001 then the final file will always be smaller than all the other files.
Also FlashFxp will download the .sfv and the .nfo file first from the folder so you will be able to immediately open either one of them and see how many files there should be in total...
What Is A .nfo File
Practically every program that you download should also have a .nfo file along with it. The .nfo file is how the cracking groups distribute the credits and instructions that go along with the cracked program. The .nfo will contain the date of the release....
the credits for the cracking group, any needed serial numbers, and any instructions you may need to use the files that you are downloading.
The best way to read .nfo files is to use a program called d**n NFO Viewer. Depending on the programs installed on your computer you may be able to read the .nfo file by right clicking on it and opening it with notepad or word. If that doesn't work then simply rename the file from ".nfo" to ".txt" and then you will be able able to read it as a normal notepad document.
the credits for the cracking group, any needed serial numbers, and any instructions you may need to use the files that you are downloading.
The best way to read .nfo files is to use a program called d**n NFO Viewer. Depending on the programs installed on your computer you may be able to read the .nfo file by right clicking on it and opening it with notepad or word. If that doesn't work then simply rename the file from ".nfo" to ".txt" and then you will be able able to read it as a normal notepad document.
Monday, March 30, 2009
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is a commonly used protocol for exchanging files over any network that supports the TCP/IP protocol (such as the Internet or an intranet). There are two computers involved in an FTP transfer: a server and a client.
The FTP server, running FTP server software, listens on the network for connection requests from other computers. The client computer, running FTP client software, initiates a connection to the server. Once connected, the client can do a number of file manipulation operations such as uploading files to the server, download files from the server, rename or delete files on the server and so on. Any software company or individual programmer is able to create FTP server or client software because the protocol is an open standard. Virtually every computer platform supports the FTP protocol. This allows any computer connected to a TCP/IP based network to manipulate files on another computer on that network regardless of which operating systems are involved (if the computers permit FTP access). There are many existing FTP client and server programs.
The FTP server, running FTP server software, listens on the network for connection requests from other computers. The client computer, running FTP client software, initiates a connection to the server. Once connected, the client can do a number of file manipulation operations such as uploading files to the server, download files from the server, rename or delete files on the server and so on. Any software company or individual programmer is able to create FTP server or client software because the protocol is an open standard. Virtually every computer platform supports the FTP protocol. This allows any computer connected to a TCP/IP based network to manipulate files on another computer on that network regardless of which operating systems are involved (if the computers permit FTP access). There are many existing FTP client and server programs.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
FTP Error Messages
FTP Error Messages
some nice info about ftp error codes so you know what they mean. i am sure you see them all the time and sometimes you dont know what they mean, so take a look here.
The most common codes:
421 - often means: too many users logged to the same account.
530 - wrong login:pass, some servers auto-switch to 530 from
421 when they reach the max # of users. so notice the
error message attached to the code.
550 - common in Ratio site, If the file exsist it means you have no
access to the file or dir.
if you try changing dirs in an FTP and you`re getting a 550
message, it means you don`t have access to the dir, but,
It doesn`t mean you don`t have access to a dir
inside that dir. (meaning when getting a direct path, log into
the path directly, not 1 dir by 1).
All others:
110 Restart marker reply. In this case, the text is exact and not left to the particular implementation; it must read: MARK yyyy = mmmm Where yyyy is User-process data stream marker, and mmmm server's equivalent marker (note the spaces between markers and "=").
120 Service ready in nnn minutes.
125 Data connection already open; transfer starting.
150 File status okay; about to open data connection.
200 Command okay.
202 Command not implemented, superfluous at this site.
211 System status, or system help reply.
212 Directory status.
213 File status.
214 Help message. On how to use the server or the meaning of a particular non-standard command. This reply is useful only to the human user.
215 NAME system type. Where NAME is an official system name from the list in the Assigned Numbers document.
220 Service ready for new user.
221 Service closing control connection. Logged out if appropriate.
225 Data connection open; no transfer in progress.
226 Closing data connection. Requested file action successful (for example, file transfer or file abort).
227 Entering Passive Mode (h1,h2,h3,h4,p1,p2).
230 User logged in, proceed.
250 Requested file action okay, completed.
257 "PATHNAME" created.
331 User name okay, need password.
332 Need account for login.
350 Requested file action pending further information.
421 Too many users logged to the same account
425 Can't open data connection.
426 Connection closed; transfer aborted.
450 Requested file action not taken. File unavailable (e.g., file busy).
451 Requested action aborted: local error in processing.
452 Requested action not taken. Insufficient storage space in system.
500 Syntax error, command unrecognized. This may include errors such as command line too long.
501 Syntax error in parameters or arguments.
502 Command not implemented.
503 Bad sequence of commands.
504 Command not implemented for that parameter.
530 Not logged in.
532 Need account for storing files.
550 Requested action not taken. File unavailable (e.g., file not found, no access).
551 Requested action aborted: page type unknown.
552 Requested file action aborted. Exceeded storage allocation (for current directory or dataset).
553 Requested action not taken. File name not allowed.
some nice info about ftp error codes so you know what they mean. i am sure you see them all the time and sometimes you dont know what they mean, so take a look here.
The most common codes:
421 - often means: too many users logged to the same account.
530 - wrong login:pass, some servers auto-switch to 530 from
421 when they reach the max # of users. so notice the
error message attached to the code.
550 - common in Ratio site, If the file exsist it means you have no
access to the file or dir.
if you try changing dirs in an FTP and you`re getting a 550
message, it means you don`t have access to the dir, but,
It doesn`t mean you don`t have access to a dir
inside that dir. (meaning when getting a direct path, log into
the path directly, not 1 dir by 1).
All others:
110 Restart marker reply. In this case, the text is exact and not left to the particular implementation; it must read: MARK yyyy = mmmm Where yyyy is User-process data stream marker, and mmmm server's equivalent marker (note the spaces between markers and "=").
120 Service ready in nnn minutes.
125 Data connection already open; transfer starting.
150 File status okay; about to open data connection.
200 Command okay.
202 Command not implemented, superfluous at this site.
211 System status, or system help reply.
212 Directory status.
213 File status.
214 Help message. On how to use the server or the meaning of a particular non-standard command. This reply is useful only to the human user.
215 NAME system type. Where NAME is an official system name from the list in the Assigned Numbers document.
220 Service ready for new user.
221 Service closing control connection. Logged out if appropriate.
225 Data connection open; no transfer in progress.
226 Closing data connection. Requested file action successful (for example, file transfer or file abort).
227 Entering Passive Mode (h1,h2,h3,h4,p1,p2).
230 User logged in, proceed.
250 Requested file action okay, completed.
257 "PATHNAME" created.
331 User name okay, need password.
332 Need account for login.
350 Requested file action pending further information.
421 Too many users logged to the same account
425 Can't open data connection.
426 Connection closed; transfer aborted.
450 Requested file action not taken. File unavailable (e.g., file busy).
451 Requested action aborted: local error in processing.
452 Requested action not taken. Insufficient storage space in system.
500 Syntax error, command unrecognized. This may include errors such as command line too long.
501 Syntax error in parameters or arguments.
502 Command not implemented.
503 Bad sequence of commands.
504 Command not implemented for that parameter.
530 Not logged in.
532 Need account for storing files.
550 Requested action not taken. File unavailable (e.g., file not found, no access).
551 Requested action aborted: page type unknown.
552 Requested file action aborted. Exceeded storage allocation (for current directory or dataset).
553 Requested action not taken. File name not allowed.
Guide to HTTP Responses
Guide to HTTP Responses
100
HTTP/1.1 status code for continue, this status code lets the client know it should continue with the request.
101
HTTP/1.1 status code for switching protocols, this status code notifies the server to switch protocols and if prohibited does so.
200
HTTP status code for a ok or successful transmission, 200 indicating that the transmission of the file over the HTTP protocol was successful.
201
HTTP status code indicating that the request has been fulfilled and resulted in a new resource being created.
202
HTTP status code that is generated when the request has been accepted but not yet completed.
204
HTTP status code no content or no response, 204 indicates that the server has received the request, however there is no information to send back. In some cases a 204 may return updated information.
206
HTTP status code for partial content, this status code is commonly generated when the client requests only section of data.
301
HTTP status code for moved permanently, this status code is often used to redirect a client to a new server.
302
HTTP status code for found, 302 is used to temporarily redirect clients.
304
HTTP status code for use a local copy, the page will be retrieved from the visitors cache instead of from the server. This helps load pages that have not been modified faster.
400
HTTP status code for Bad Request, this status code is caused when the client sends information that cannot be understood.
401
HTTP status code unauthorized access, authorization to access is either not authorized or the HTTP location is not setup properly.
402
HTTP status code "Payment Required 402" unable to authorize charging scheme.
403
HTTP status code forbidden, the requested item is a forbidden item and cannot be accessed. This issue is commonly caused when the file and/or directory has been purposely set to not allow you or a group of users access, is currently being uploaded to a server, or has just not yet had its permissions set.
404
HTTP status code "Not Found 404" server was unable to find the requested address. When this occurs it is possible that the web page may have moved, been deleted, or is currently being updated.
405
HTTP status code for Method Not Allowed, this status code is generated when the method requested in the request-line is not allowed for the resource identified.
407
HTTP status code for Proxy Authorization Required, this status code is generated when authorization must first be obtained through the proxy first.
408
HTTP status code for Request Timeout, this message is generated when the client did not make a request in the servers allocated time.
416
HTTP status code for Request Range Not Satisfiable, this status code indicates the servers inability to process the clients partial get request.
500
HTTP status code for internal error, the server encountered an unexpected error and is unable to fulfill the request.
501
HTTP status code for not implemented, this status code is received when the server does not support the facility required.
505
HTTP status code for HTTP Version not supported, this status code is generated when the server refuses the HTTP version in the request line.
100
HTTP/1.1 status code for continue, this status code lets the client know it should continue with the request.
101
HTTP/1.1 status code for switching protocols, this status code notifies the server to switch protocols and if prohibited does so.
200
HTTP status code for a ok or successful transmission, 200 indicating that the transmission of the file over the HTTP protocol was successful.
201
HTTP status code indicating that the request has been fulfilled and resulted in a new resource being created.
202
HTTP status code that is generated when the request has been accepted but not yet completed.
204
HTTP status code no content or no response, 204 indicates that the server has received the request, however there is no information to send back. In some cases a 204 may return updated information.
206
HTTP status code for partial content, this status code is commonly generated when the client requests only section of data.
301
HTTP status code for moved permanently, this status code is often used to redirect a client to a new server.
302
HTTP status code for found, 302 is used to temporarily redirect clients.
304
HTTP status code for use a local copy, the page will be retrieved from the visitors cache instead of from the server. This helps load pages that have not been modified faster.
400
HTTP status code for Bad Request, this status code is caused when the client sends information that cannot be understood.
401
HTTP status code unauthorized access, authorization to access is either not authorized or the HTTP location is not setup properly.
402
HTTP status code "Payment Required 402" unable to authorize charging scheme.
403
HTTP status code forbidden, the requested item is a forbidden item and cannot be accessed. This issue is commonly caused when the file and/or directory has been purposely set to not allow you or a group of users access, is currently being uploaded to a server, or has just not yet had its permissions set.
404
HTTP status code "Not Found 404" server was unable to find the requested address. When this occurs it is possible that the web page may have moved, been deleted, or is currently being updated.
405
HTTP status code for Method Not Allowed, this status code is generated when the method requested in the request-line is not allowed for the resource identified.
407
HTTP status code for Proxy Authorization Required, this status code is generated when authorization must first be obtained through the proxy first.
408
HTTP status code for Request Timeout, this message is generated when the client did not make a request in the servers allocated time.
416
HTTP status code for Request Range Not Satisfiable, this status code indicates the servers inability to process the clients partial get request.
500
HTTP status code for internal error, the server encountered an unexpected error and is unable to fulfill the request.
501
HTTP status code for not implemented, this status code is received when the server does not support the facility required.
505
HTTP status code for HTTP Version not supported, this status code is generated when the server refuses the HTTP version in the request line.
File exchange Protocol (FXP)
What is File exchange Protocol (FXP) ??
File eXchange Protocol (FXP) is a method of data transfer which uses the FTP protocol to transfer data from one remote server to another (inter-server) without routing this data through the client's connection. Conventional FTP involves a single server and a single client;
all data transmission is done between these two. In the FXP session, a client maintains a standard FTP connection to two servers, and can direct either server to connect to the other to initiate a data transfer. The advantage of using FXP over FTP is evident when a high-bandwidth server demands resources from another high-bandwidth server, but only a low-bandwidth client, such as a network administrator working away from location, has the authority to access the resources on both servers..
File eXchange Protocol (FXP) is a method of data transfer which uses the FTP protocol to transfer data from one remote server to another (inter-server) without routing this data through the client's connection. Conventional FTP involves a single server and a single client;
all data transmission is done between these two. In the FXP session, a client maintains a standard FTP connection to two servers, and can direct either server to connect to the other to initiate a data transfer. The advantage of using FXP over FTP is evident when a high-bandwidth server demands resources from another high-bandwidth server, but only a low-bandwidth client, such as a network administrator working away from location, has the authority to access the resources on both servers..
Fxping Tutorial
FXP stands for File eXchange Protocol (FXP). With this, you can transfer files from one server to another, without downloading or uploading.
This is could be faster, cause it doesn't depend on your own internet connection, but on the connection between the two servers. (Remember, the connection between an pub in Indonesia and an pub in South Africa will be probably much slower! But that is logical, isn't it?
Also know that you can't FXP to/from all pubs, but I'll explain this further in this tutorial.
Wich program to choose?
There are lots of popular FTP/FXP programs and most of those are quite similar to each other.
However, I will explain just one program in this tutorial, FlashFXP.
If you choose to use another program, then you still can use this tutorial, because most of the FTP/FXP programs work about the same.
For more information about FlashFXP you should have a look here.
First of all, download FlashFXP and install the program on your computer.
Note: Always check if the option "delete after download" is not selected!
Can I FXP to/from all pubs?
No, you can't, not every pub can be used for FXPing.
Both pubs have to support passive mode and must allow port command to foreign hosts. Also at least one pub needs to be a non NT pub (so unix would be fine). So it is possible to FXPing from an NT to and unix, and vice versa, but NOT from an NT to an NT!
You can find these pubs in the Scanned anonymous FTP's section on your favorite board. Look for pubs wich say: Fxpable.
It is however possible to increase the amount of pubs wich could be used for FXPing, see the Proxy's section of this page or click here.
Wingates
As stated on the previous page, you can't FXP to all pubs. However, when you're using a Wingate, you can FXP to a lot more pubs.
A Wingate can be used by a LAN (Local Area Network. If you are using an Wingate, all your transfers will pass this Wingate, incoming and outgoing. With this, you can FXP to a lot more pubs!
The advantage is more pubs to FXP, but the disadvantage is that you will have to find an fast Wingate, cause otherwise it will only slow things down.
Techniques
An technique is that if you want to upload something from your HardDisk, you first upload everything on a storage pub, after that you FXP the files to you destination pub. This has got some advantages.
First, if your transfers fail, you don't have to upload everything again from your own pc, but you can FXP the files again. The destination pub will probably soon killed by the sysop or deleted, cause there are many people connection. If that happens, you don't have to worry, you can simply re-upload the files again from your storage pub.
The main disadvantage is that it takes more time (uploading twice) and you will have to find a safe and fast storage pub.
But, when you have found yourself a good storage site and are able to FXP, then you can build pubs as fast as hell!
And now go back pubbuilding!!!!!
This is could be faster, cause it doesn't depend on your own internet connection, but on the connection between the two servers. (Remember, the connection between an pub in Indonesia and an pub in South Africa will be probably much slower! But that is logical, isn't it?
Also know that you can't FXP to/from all pubs, but I'll explain this further in this tutorial.
Wich program to choose?
There are lots of popular FTP/FXP programs and most of those are quite similar to each other.
However, I will explain just one program in this tutorial, FlashFXP.
If you choose to use another program, then you still can use this tutorial, because most of the FTP/FXP programs work about the same.
For more information about FlashFXP you should have a look here.
First of all, download FlashFXP and install the program on your computer.
Note: Always check if the option "delete after download" is not selected!
Can I FXP to/from all pubs?
No, you can't, not every pub can be used for FXPing.
Both pubs have to support passive mode and must allow port command to foreign hosts. Also at least one pub needs to be a non NT pub (so unix would be fine). So it is possible to FXPing from an NT to and unix, and vice versa, but NOT from an NT to an NT!
You can find these pubs in the Scanned anonymous FTP's section on your favorite board. Look for pubs wich say: Fxpable.
It is however possible to increase the amount of pubs wich could be used for FXPing, see the Proxy's section of this page or click here.
Wingates
As stated on the previous page, you can't FXP to all pubs. However, when you're using a Wingate, you can FXP to a lot more pubs.
A Wingate can be used by a LAN (Local Area Network. If you are using an Wingate, all your transfers will pass this Wingate, incoming and outgoing. With this, you can FXP to a lot more pubs!
The advantage is more pubs to FXP, but the disadvantage is that you will have to find an fast Wingate, cause otherwise it will only slow things down.
Techniques
An technique is that if you want to upload something from your HardDisk, you first upload everything on a storage pub, after that you FXP the files to you destination pub. This has got some advantages.
First, if your transfers fail, you don't have to upload everything again from your own pc, but you can FXP the files again. The destination pub will probably soon killed by the sysop or deleted, cause there are many people connection. If that happens, you don't have to worry, you can simply re-upload the files again from your storage pub.
The main disadvantage is that it takes more time (uploading twice) and you will have to find a safe and fast storage pub.
But, when you have found yourself a good storage site and are able to FXP, then you can build pubs as fast as hell!
And now go back pubbuilding!!!!!
10 reasons why PCs crash..
10 reasons why PCs crash U must Know
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
Wtat is DirectX ?
What is DirectX ?
Ever wondered just what that enigmatic name means?
Gaming and multimedia applications are some of the most satisfying programs you can get for your PC, but getting them to run properly isn’t always as easy as it could be. First, the PC architecture was never designed as a gaming platform. Second, the wide-ranging nature of the PC means that one person’s machine can be different from another. While games consoles all contain the same hardware, PCs don’t: the massive range of difference can make gaming a headache.
To alleviate as much of the pain as possible, Microsoft needed to introduce a common standard which all games and multimedia applications could follow – a common interface between the OS and whatever hardware is installed in the PC, if you like. This common interface is DirectX, something which can be the source of much confusion.
DirectX is an interface designed to make certain programming tasks much easier, for both the game developer and the rest of us who just want to sit down and play the latest blockbuster. Before we can explain what DirectX is and how it works though, we need a little history lesson.
DirectX history
Any game needs to perform certain tasks again and again. It needs to watch for your input from mouse, joystick or keyboard, and it needs to be able to display screen images and play sounds or music. That’s pretty much any game at the most simplistic level.
Imagine how incredibly complex this was for programmers developing on the early pre-Windows PC architecture, then. Each programmer needed to develop their own way of reading the keyboard or detecting whether a joystick was even attached, let alone being used to play the game. Specific routines were needed even to display the simplest of images on the screen or play a simple sound.
Essentially, the game programmers were talking directly to your PC’s hardware at a fundamental level. When Microsoft introduced Windows, it was imperative for the stability and success of the PC platform that things were made easier for both the developer and the player. After all, who would bother writing games for a machine when they had to reinvent the wheel every time they began work on a new game? Microsoft’s idea was simple: stop programmers talking directly to the hardware, and build a common toolkit which they could use instead. DirectX was born.
How it works
At the most basic level, DirectX is an interface between the hardware in your PC and Windows itself, part of the Windows API or Application Programming Interface. Let’s look at a practical example. When a game developer wants to play a sound file, it’s simply a case of using the correct library function. When the game runs, this calls the DirectX API, which in turn plays the sound file. The developer doesn’t need to know what type of sound card he’s dealing with, what it’s capable of, or how to talk to it. Microsoft has provided DirectX, and the sound card manufacturer has provided a DirectX-capable driver. He asks for the sound to be played, and it is – whichever machine it runs on.
From our point of view as gamers, DirectX also makes things incredibly easy – at least in theory. You install a new sound card in place of your old one, and it comes with a DirectX driver. Next time you play your favourite game you can still hear sounds and music, and you haven’t had to make any complex configuration changes.
Originally, DirectX began life as a simple toolkit: early hardware was limited and only the most basic graphical functions were required. As hardware and software has evolved in complexity, so has DirectX. It’s now much more than a graphical toolkit, and the term has come to encompass a massive selection of routines which deal with all sorts of hardware communication. For example, the DirectInput routines can deal with all sorts of input devices, from simple two-button mice to complex flight joysticks. Other parts include DirectSound for audio devices and DirectPlay provides a toolkit for online or multiplayer gaming.
DirectX versions
The current version of DirectX at time of writing is DirectX 9.0. This runs on all versions of Windows from Windows 98 up to and including Windows Server 2003 along with every revision in between. It doesn’t run on Windows 95 though: if you have a machine with Windows 95 installed, you’re stuck with the older and less capable 8.0a. Windows NT 4 also requires a specific version – in this case, it’s DirectX 3.0a.
With so many versions of DirectX available over the years, it becomes difficult to keep track of which version you need. In all but the most rare cases, all versions of DirectX are backwardly compatible – games which say they require DirectX 7 will happily run with more recent versions, but not with older copies. Many current titles explicitly state that they require DirectX 9, and won’t run without the latest version installed. This is because they make use of new features introduced with this version, although it has been known for lazy developers to specify the very latest version as a requirement when the game in question doesn’t use any of the new enhancements. Generally speaking though, if a title is version locked like this, you will need to upgrade before you can play. Improvements to the core DirectX code mean you may even see improvements in many titles when you upgrade to the latest build of DirectX. Downloading and installing DirectX need not be complex, either.
Upgrading DirectX
All available versions of Windows come with DirectX in one form or another as a core system component which cannot be removed, so you should always have at least a basic implementation of the system installed on your PC. However, many new games require the very latest version before they work properly, or even at all.
Generally, the best place to install the latest version of DirectX from is the dedicated section of the Microsoft Web site, which is found at www.microsoft.com/windows/directx. As we went to press, the most recent build available for general download was DirectX 9.0b. You can download either a simple installer which will in turn download the components your system requires as it installs, or download the complete distribution package in one go for later offline installation.
Another good source for DirectX is games themselves. If a game requires a specific version, it’ll be on the installation CD and may even be installed automatically by the game’s installer itself. You won’t find it on magazine cover discs though, thanks to Microsoft’s licensing terms.
Diagnosing problems
Diagnosing problems with a DirectX installation can be problematic, especially if you don’t know which one of the many components is causing your newly purchased game to fall over. Thankfully, Microsoft provides a useful utility called the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, although this isn’t made obvious. You won’t find this tool in the Start Menu with any version of Windows, and each tends to install it in a different place.
The easiest way to use it is to open the Start Menu’s Run dialog, type in dxdiag and then click OK. When the application first loads, it takes a few seconds to interrogate your DirectX installation and find any problems. First, the DirectX Files tab displays version information on each one of the files your installation uses. The Notes section at the bottom is worth checking, as missing or corrupted files will be flagged here.
The tabs marked Display, Sound, Music, Input and Network all relate to specific areas of DirectX, and all but the Input tab provide tools to test the correct functioning on your hardware. Finally, the More Help tab provides a useful way to start the DirectX Troubleshooter, Microsoft’s simple linear problem solving tool for many common DirectX issues.
Ever wondered just what that enigmatic name means?
Gaming and multimedia applications are some of the most satisfying programs you can get for your PC, but getting them to run properly isn’t always as easy as it could be. First, the PC architecture was never designed as a gaming platform. Second, the wide-ranging nature of the PC means that one person’s machine can be different from another. While games consoles all contain the same hardware, PCs don’t: the massive range of difference can make gaming a headache.
To alleviate as much of the pain as possible, Microsoft needed to introduce a common standard which all games and multimedia applications could follow – a common interface between the OS and whatever hardware is installed in the PC, if you like. This common interface is DirectX, something which can be the source of much confusion.
DirectX is an interface designed to make certain programming tasks much easier, for both the game developer and the rest of us who just want to sit down and play the latest blockbuster. Before we can explain what DirectX is and how it works though, we need a little history lesson.
DirectX history
Any game needs to perform certain tasks again and again. It needs to watch for your input from mouse, joystick or keyboard, and it needs to be able to display screen images and play sounds or music. That’s pretty much any game at the most simplistic level.
Imagine how incredibly complex this was for programmers developing on the early pre-Windows PC architecture, then. Each programmer needed to develop their own way of reading the keyboard or detecting whether a joystick was even attached, let alone being used to play the game. Specific routines were needed even to display the simplest of images on the screen or play a simple sound.
Essentially, the game programmers were talking directly to your PC’s hardware at a fundamental level. When Microsoft introduced Windows, it was imperative for the stability and success of the PC platform that things were made easier for both the developer and the player. After all, who would bother writing games for a machine when they had to reinvent the wheel every time they began work on a new game? Microsoft’s idea was simple: stop programmers talking directly to the hardware, and build a common toolkit which they could use instead. DirectX was born.
How it works
At the most basic level, DirectX is an interface between the hardware in your PC and Windows itself, part of the Windows API or Application Programming Interface. Let’s look at a practical example. When a game developer wants to play a sound file, it’s simply a case of using the correct library function. When the game runs, this calls the DirectX API, which in turn plays the sound file. The developer doesn’t need to know what type of sound card he’s dealing with, what it’s capable of, or how to talk to it. Microsoft has provided DirectX, and the sound card manufacturer has provided a DirectX-capable driver. He asks for the sound to be played, and it is – whichever machine it runs on.
From our point of view as gamers, DirectX also makes things incredibly easy – at least in theory. You install a new sound card in place of your old one, and it comes with a DirectX driver. Next time you play your favourite game you can still hear sounds and music, and you haven’t had to make any complex configuration changes.
Originally, DirectX began life as a simple toolkit: early hardware was limited and only the most basic graphical functions were required. As hardware and software has evolved in complexity, so has DirectX. It’s now much more than a graphical toolkit, and the term has come to encompass a massive selection of routines which deal with all sorts of hardware communication. For example, the DirectInput routines can deal with all sorts of input devices, from simple two-button mice to complex flight joysticks. Other parts include DirectSound for audio devices and DirectPlay provides a toolkit for online or multiplayer gaming.
DirectX versions
The current version of DirectX at time of writing is DirectX 9.0. This runs on all versions of Windows from Windows 98 up to and including Windows Server 2003 along with every revision in between. It doesn’t run on Windows 95 though: if you have a machine with Windows 95 installed, you’re stuck with the older and less capable 8.0a. Windows NT 4 also requires a specific version – in this case, it’s DirectX 3.0a.
With so many versions of DirectX available over the years, it becomes difficult to keep track of which version you need. In all but the most rare cases, all versions of DirectX are backwardly compatible – games which say they require DirectX 7 will happily run with more recent versions, but not with older copies. Many current titles explicitly state that they require DirectX 9, and won’t run without the latest version installed. This is because they make use of new features introduced with this version, although it has been known for lazy developers to specify the very latest version as a requirement when the game in question doesn’t use any of the new enhancements. Generally speaking though, if a title is version locked like this, you will need to upgrade before you can play. Improvements to the core DirectX code mean you may even see improvements in many titles when you upgrade to the latest build of DirectX. Downloading and installing DirectX need not be complex, either.
Upgrading DirectX
All available versions of Windows come with DirectX in one form or another as a core system component which cannot be removed, so you should always have at least a basic implementation of the system installed on your PC. However, many new games require the very latest version before they work properly, or even at all.
Generally, the best place to install the latest version of DirectX from is the dedicated section of the Microsoft Web site, which is found at www.microsoft.com/windows/directx. As we went to press, the most recent build available for general download was DirectX 9.0b. You can download either a simple installer which will in turn download the components your system requires as it installs, or download the complete distribution package in one go for later offline installation.
Another good source for DirectX is games themselves. If a game requires a specific version, it’ll be on the installation CD and may even be installed automatically by the game’s installer itself. You won’t find it on magazine cover discs though, thanks to Microsoft’s licensing terms.
Diagnosing problems
Diagnosing problems with a DirectX installation can be problematic, especially if you don’t know which one of the many components is causing your newly purchased game to fall over. Thankfully, Microsoft provides a useful utility called the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, although this isn’t made obvious. You won’t find this tool in the Start Menu with any version of Windows, and each tends to install it in a different place.
The easiest way to use it is to open the Start Menu’s Run dialog, type in dxdiag and then click OK. When the application first loads, it takes a few seconds to interrogate your DirectX installation and find any problems. First, the DirectX Files tab displays version information on each one of the files your installation uses. The Notes section at the bottom is worth checking, as missing or corrupted files will be flagged here.
The tabs marked Display, Sound, Music, Input and Network all relate to specific areas of DirectX, and all but the Input tab provide tools to test the correct functioning on your hardware. Finally, the More Help tab provides a useful way to start the DirectX Troubleshooter, Microsoft’s simple linear problem solving tool for many common DirectX issues.
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