To whom it may concern, This is the APK NT Tools 2000++ package for Windows²ººº by Alexander Peter Kowalski (akowals1@twcny.rr.com). 30+ applications that cover a variety of territory as utilities for Win2k! 4-5 star rated at ZDNet's http://www.hotfiles.com website, one of the MOST TRAFFICKED and used by downloaders worldwide and the toughest critics in versions 7.0++ - 9.0++... now MUCH improved in 2000++ Release with TONS of new & cool features added... read on! To install it: --------------- AGAIN: BEFORE INSTALLATION, MAKE SURE ANY OF THE FILES IN THE LIST BELOW ARE REMOVED FROM YOUR SYSTEM PRIOR TO REINSTALLATION FROM UNDER YOUR C:\WINNT folder/directory! (THIS ASSURES THAT YOU GET THE LATEST MODELS PRIOR TO UPGRADING! ) (This ONLY applies to users updating from earlier models 3.0++ - 8.0++...) * SEARCH IN YOUR C:\WINNT folder for APK*.exe or just user Explorer to find the files there! BE SURE the sbcontrol.ini file is there under C:\WINNT as well! (Or wherever your WINNT Folder is as it is the public ini file that runs it all... and the command center uses it from there as well Win32 apps too with public ini files!) Should any programs fail to operate from the command center trayicon popup menu, it means their location does not match the SBCONTROL.INI FILE'S LOCATION POINTER FOR THEM... You can edit sbcontrol.ini with notepad or the main program's EDIT.INI button to change their locations in it! THAT HAVING BEEN SAID... Read on! Run the SETUP.EXE file from C:\TEMP after extracting it from the self-extracting Winzip storage file... YOU MUST CHOOSE THE C:\WINNT or WINNT Folder (wherever you have it online on your drives) or it will not work totally properly! When done running SETUP.EXE: Go to your C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder, & run the InstallNTMessage.bat file so that several needed .OCX (ActiveX OLE Servers) are registered with the Operating System! These are used by the APK NT Messaging System which is a graphical replacement for the NET SEND character mode command! * IF ANY OCX or DLL Fails to self-register during setup, it is not a crucial issue because InstallShield attempts to register ALL OLE Servers & cannot on Non-Self registering types OLE Server DLL's or OCX's. All programs that use it will still run, but if you wish to register it, you can manually do so by using the commandline while in this folder, C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32: regsvr32.exe YOURFAILEDDLLNAME.DLL To register it manually! OR, you can use the 2 batchfiles I included and install to C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 called: C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\InstallNTNetMsg.bat & C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\APKWin2kToolsDLLOCXReg.bat To automate the process for you! All the files in it run independently but can be run from one convenient TrayIcon menu system (APKNTTools.exe) the Command Center has from its TrayIcon popup menu after you rightclick on the trayicon again, or independetly using these programs'.exe files below! The files to run independently are as follows if you so wish: -------------------------------------------------------------- APKNTTools.exe (improved ++) A Program that is The integrator of these tools and many native Windows²ººº tools also from one spot! APKFastWeb.exe A Program that trayicon launches system of 5 of your favorite websites with any 3 browers as default APKKill.exe (improved code) A Program that cookie Kills/prevents cookies for Netscape users ONLY! clears your cache too! APKNTBootGuard.exe A Program that checks NT's disk thru Checkdisk graphically, and at system start and makes NT bootdisks APKNT4NetMsg.exe A Program that sends other NT users network messages over a LAN in realtime, much faster than email APKNTFSMax.exe A Program that speeds up NTFS filesystems APKNTIPConfig.exe A Program that is a graphical version of the IPCONFIG.EXE Dos prompt character mode program for TcpIP info APKPING32.exe A Program that can be used to ping systems over the LAN or Internet APKRamCharge.exe (improved) A Program that frees up RAM on Windows²ººº periodically assuring sounder & faster operation APKRamdisk.exe A Program that creates a Virtual ramdisk for Windows²ººº, has a help section that explains GREAT uses for it! APKScreenMagnifier.exe A Program that magnifies screen by mouse ptr., & saves image to a file/clipboard (use keyboard shortcuts for that) APKShredder.exe (improved) A Program that securely destroys files so they CANNOT be recovered! NOW WITH DRAG & DROP from Explorer.exe! NEW TO APK WINDOWS²ººº Tools 5.0++ release are: APKCdAlarm.exe (improved) A Program that can wake a user by playing a SPECIFIC track of a Cd-Rom of music at a set time AM or PM APKGetMacAddress.exe A Program that acquires the Network MAC Address by Connection APKFinger.exe A Program that provides a graphical alternative to the character mode FINGER.EXE program unix port in Win2k APKNSLookup.exe A Program that provides a graphical alternative to the character mode NSLOOKUP.EXE program unix port in Win2k APKTraceRoute.exe A Program that provides a graphical alternative to the character mode TraceRt.exe program unix port in Win2k APKFTP.exe (beta) A Program that provides a graphical alternative to the character mode ftp.exe program in Win2k APKExplorerDiskFormatter.exe A Program that adds to rightclicks of the Start button & folders for formatting floppy disks APKNetScapeStarter.exe A Program that starts up Netscape & APK Cookie Killing Engine simultaneously, saving user effort APKSendMailEngine.exe A Program that sends email messages and works in conjunction with APKEmailWatchDog.exe APKEmailWatchDog.exe (beta) A Program that watches POP accounts for email & displays ALL HEADER INFO too (to stop spoofs & view attachments too) APKApp2BackgroundDaemonProcessEngine.exe A Program that makes applications startup invisibly, yet running (great for Apache Web servers etc.) NEW TO APK Windows²ººº Tools 9.0++ release are: APKRegistryCleaner A Program that clears out bad GUIDs from the registry speeding up systems by making the registry tinier & less bloated APKFileFinder A Program that finds files for you VERY FAST of types you specify and allows copying, moving, renaming, & deleting of them APKCopyFile A Program that quickly copies files you find via its interface APKMoveFile A Program that quickly moves files you find via its interface APKRenameFile A Program that quickly renames files you find via its interface APKDeleteFile (improved) A Program that quickly deletes files you find via its interface! Now deletes to Recycle Bin too if chosen to do so also! If you have Diskeeper & Undelete from Executive software, it is ready for those to be embedded into it also from the APK NT Command Center ²ººº 9.0++ main screen interface with edit .ini file button (I used .ini files for that part because it is easily hand editeable by hand as well as understandeable compared to registry editing manually). For Execute Software's programs to work (Diskeeper should already as it uses the same MMC.EXE .msc file as the native Win2k defragger) You need to add their .msc mmc.exe shortcuts to the sbcontrol.ini file via the main control program's EDIT.INI button in the Defrag and RecoverNT/Undelete sections! * IMPROVED FEATURES OF APK Windows²ººº 8.0++ - 2000++ RELEASES: ================================================================ 1.) THIS RELEASE OF the 8.0++ model has a Graphical Traceroute Engine, Better Command Center, and now, NO OCX/DLL OLE Server Dependencies! (All files are single exe code except the Graphical Ping Engine & Graphical Net Messager!) 2.) The command center also incorporates ALL MMC.EXE Shortcuts for Win2k Servers as well! 3.) PLUS? The command center NOW ADDS THE ABILITY TO LAUNCH ANY PROCESS ON ANY PATH IN HIGH, LOW, OR NORMAL CPU PROCESS ALLOCATION (makes for faster programs, especially GAMES on Windows²ººº!!!) 4.) Each apps has more NT Event Log Logging for tracking & debugging of ALL their actions, and for security purposes! 5.) Apps that need data entry fields by users now respond to ENTER key keypresses accordingly! 6.) Better interfaces still on ALL of the apps! 7.) More status bar messages on every app to let the user know what is happening and what to do! 8.) Hourglass cursors on busy cycles in apps now, not just disabling buttons & forms! 9.) New Command Center ALSO uses IExpress.exe and makecab.exe (must be in your C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder from install or your Win2k CD) for creating self-extracting cabfiles for distributing programs and data online too! 10.) Better code routines in MANY of the applications as well! More efficient & better error handlers too! 11.) Addition of more filemanagement programs in FileFinder, Registry Cleaner, Movefile, CopyFile, DeleteFile, & RenameFile! 12.) By user request, the ability to adjust the "ZoomOpen & Closed" Mac-Like/Os2 Warp-Like Windows animation upon Opening & Closing! Controlled from each application globally for the entire suite from their menus allowing the user to tune the amount of "Zoom" so it looks good on ANY video card, from VGA to High-End Voodoo V 5500 Graphics Boards and Slow to Fast CPUs! 13.) IMPROVED FTP with DOS based upload 14.) IMPROVED FILE FINDER! 15.) VERY IMPROVED COMMAND CENTER with the ability to SELECTIVELY add my applications to your rightclick on folders & the startup button in the Windows tooltray bar now from a panel in the main command center... also, a better ini editing system AND the ability to edit HOSTS files now too for the internetters/networkers amongst you! 16.) APK Cd-Rom Alarm Clock 2000++ Now detects multiple Cd-Roms AND the presence or not of a SoundCard as well... informing the user of alternate actions they can take (no Cd, it stops... no soundcard, it tells the user to jack into the Cd-Rom itself for tunes!). 17.) APK Cookie Killing Engine 2000++ SR-6 (Service Release 6) now has cleaner faster code routines so it operates more efficiently and much of the code was made more procedural passing functions reducing its size a bit and making it faster as well by improving a few of its algorithms... 18.) APK Secure File Shredder (now version 4.0++) allows Drag & Drop from Explorer.exe to absolutely DESTROY any trace of files... it defeats Executive Software's Undelete, LC Technologies' RecoverNT & RecoverNT Express, and all other file recovery programs in testings! 19.) APK DeleteFile (rightclick start button & folder add-on) now not only normally deletes files & adds to rightclick context menus with its brethren APK CopyFile, APK MoveFile, & APK RenameFile, BUT it NOW ALSO DELETES FILES (if so chosen) to the RecycleBin also! 20.) APK CommandCenter has HUGE IMPROVEMENTS to it in the 2000++ release of the toolset: a.) Desktop functions section, with NEAT things like: * Hide or Show Desktop * Start ScreenSaver * Clear Recent Document list * Change Wallpaper manually, or Automatically on USER CHOSEN/DEFINED INTERVALS! * Explorer Desktop Icons transparent titles too on startup & also user automatic or manual b.) Network Connected Detection and IP Address Display as well while it runs! c.) HOSTS file editing d.) Automated INI File Editing now, as well as the previous RAW SBCONTROL.INI file edit offering! e.) Check of network connection trayicon menu option f.) Check of current username logged in trayicon menu option g.) ComPort names lister trayicon menu option h.) Copy of Long & Short FileNames + path to clipboard (one of my favorites because I cut & paste alot!) i.) File Last Accessed Display information (this can be disabled as recorded for speed by NTFSMax however) j.) LZCompress & LZExpands of files in the old Microsoft _ trailing character format! k.) The ability to register OLE Server OCX's and DLL's as well (programmers will love this I imagine!) l.) The ability to OPEN EXPLORER.EXE to a favorite folder (instead of MyDocuments) from its trayicon menu! 21.) Screen Flicker in APK Netscape Cookie Killing Engine during form updates fixed & faster code too! 22.) APK NTFSMax first run error message corrected also, now runs even on first run properly as it writes keys needed by it in the registry each time it starts up (the user can disable the settings as needed if so chosen from the interface as always, but it starts with them ALL enabled now!) * Enjoy! It's getting to where I always wanted it to be since 1997... alot of work! $25 if you like it after a 60-day trial though, please! ** SOME "KNOWN ISSUES" & POSSIBLE ISSUES: ------------------------------------------ 1.) It is best to use the package on Windows²ººº & NOT on Windows NT 4.0 or Windows9x of any form... many of the programs run on those platforms but it was DESIGNED IN THIS VERSION FOR WINDOWS²ººº! FULL FUNCTION OF ALL PROGRAMS IS POSSIBLE ONLY ON WINDOWS2000... partial only in Win9x & NT 4.0! Programs that are not effective on Win9x & NT 4.0 are: APK Net Messaging Engine APK RamDisk APK NTFSMax APK NTBootGuardian APK NT Command Center (partially working only in Win9x & NT 4.0) * The other programs from the list above work on Win9x and NT 4.0 fully... apk 2.) REGISTRY CLEANER should be used judiciously if you use Microsoft Access97 or are a VB 4 & up Developer as well on Windows NT 4.0 Workstations or Windows9x platforms... It is not a precaution to lookout for in Win2k to the best of my knowledge or of my 30 or so beta testers since version 1.0++! (If you delete the WRONG keys regarding data access for these tools you can damage your databasing ability... So, be careful what you delete on its lists if you use those tools on NT 4.0 or Win9x! This does not always happen, but be warned!) 3.) APKFTP.EXE is in beta stage, as is the APKEmailWatchDog ... do not expect them to be perfect in this release! 4.) The System Information Tool embedded in each applications' help section will not correctly detect AMD CPU's... it will state they are Pentium Class CPU's... this will be corrected in future releases! It may also NOT get sizes of EXTREMELY LARGE FAT32 filesystem disks (10gb and up, but this is intermittent it appears...) 5.) ALL APPLICATIONS ARE RESOLUTION INDEPENDENT: So, if they appear onscreen at the resolution you use as a bit strange, merely resize them, shut the application down, and it will appear next time as you left it (note: THE USE OF LARGE FONTS is NOT RECOMMENDED & They run BEST at 1024x768 resolutions & above for best appearances... they tend to not look as nice @ 800x600 & below, but this is only MY opinion on the subject & beauty is in the eye of the beholder! 6.) It is not wise to run RamCharge while running a Disk Defragmentation as it may adversely POSSIBLY affect perfect defragmentations... but it will not cause corruption, merely less than perfect defrags! Nor is it recommended to run DURING a game... prior to a game it is EVEN RECOMMENDED to freeup RAM, but not during! Alexander Peter Kowalski (APK) Win32 Senior Software Engineer akowals1@twcny.rr.com