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Tag Archives: windows vista

FTP Alternative in Windows 7

When I started teaching in 2004, most of the machines (read as PC units) we used in school run on Windows XP already. It was during this time that the Network Administrator of the school decided to keep the FTP port closed in all of the multimedia labs (good thing he was replaced already; such a pain in the a#*). Imagine how tormenting it was to upload an entire website using cPanel’s File Manager.

So, I decided to teach my students then a work-around that will somewhat enable them to FTP using a Windows XP-based machine: Network Places.

When Windows Vista, and later Windows 7, were introduced, Network Places was scrapped out. Then, I came across this nifty utility called Gladinet Cloud Desktop.

Gladinet Cloud Desktop allows you to map a cloud storage (that includes Google Docs & Windows Live SkyDrive) or any FTP location as a virtual network drive. Using Gladinet Cloud Desktop doesn’t require for a separate FTP client software to be installed in your machine, since you can tap the features of Windows Explorer to cut, copy, and paste files and folders from your PC to a remote location/server storage.

HP Mini 2133 Battery Tests

Less than a month ago, I “upgraded” my HP Mini 2133 from Microsoft Windows Vista Basic to Windows XP with Service Pack 3. The overall responsiveness of the netbook has improved, though it seems that the battery consumption is a little bit higher. I made another partition to accommodate Windows 7 Beta. Here are the results of my HP Mini 2133 battery stress test experiment:

Total Charging Time: 01 hour, 55 minutes, & 17.6 seconds

I fired up the anti-virus software to scan the hard drive while the netbook is unplugged from the power outlet.

Windows XP SP 3 Usage Time: 01 hour & 33 minutes (low battery prompt goes on at 01 hour & 19 minutes of usage)

Windows 7 Beta (Build 7000) Usage Time: 01 hour & 33 minutes (low battery prompt goes on at 01 hour & 27 minutes of usage)

I remember having used the HP Mini 2133 for full two (02) hours when it was still using Windows Vista Basic. Wondering what’s draining the battery fast in Windows XP & Windows 7.

Setup a Home Network for Less than 500 Pesos

An experiment if I can setup a home network for less than PHP500 proved to be a success. I just needed to shell out around PHP300 and some minutes falling in line, and wallah! I can surf the net wirelessly thru my HP Mini 2133 anywhere within the range of our Home Network.

Here’s how I did it:

  1. Go to the nearest CDR King branch and buy a Bluetooth Dongle. I went to CDR King Park Square earlier today, and was able to get the smallest bluetooth dongle (the size of a USB stick cap) at PHP300.
  2. Head back home, attach the USB Bluetooth Dongle to your Desktop PC (mine is running Windows XP) and install the drivers.
  3. In your Desktop PC, open your Network Connections and open the Properties for your Internet Connection, or simply double-click on the Network icon from your Task Bar.
  4. Click on the Advanced tab of your Local Area Connection Properties, and make sure that the Internet Connection Sharing checkboxes are ticked. Click on OK and close the Properties window.
  5. Open a Command Prompt window (the shortcut is by Running the CMD command at the Start Menu). Check on what is the IP address of your bluetooth network by executing the IPCONFIG /ALL command. Take note of this IP address.
  6. Now, fireup your bluetooth enabled device, say a laptop. Connect to your PC using the bluetooth connection. In my HP Mini, I simply right-click on the Bluetooth icon from the Task Bar of Windows Vista, and click onJoin a Personal Area Network. Now you are connected to your Desktop PC.
  7. To verify that your are indeed connected to your Desktop PC, execute a PING of the IP address that you had seen earlier. If you will encounter a “Request time out” error, it simply means that your laptop is not able to connect to your desktop.
  8. On your laptop, launch the Connection Properties and supply an IP address for your mobile machine. This IP address must be different to the one that we had seen from our desktop.
  9. The IP address that you got from your desktop PC will be the Gateway in your mobile device or laptop’s Connection Properties.
  10. Now, launch your favorite internet browser and you should be able to surf from your mobile device or laptop, utilizing the connection from your desktop PC.

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