Author: Dustin Patterson

  • Stream Your Music Library With Vibe Streamer

    Vibe Streamer is a free program that allows you to stream your music library to any device with a Flash enabled web browser.  Vibe Streamer also offers a set of security settings, user controls, and customization features. Download and Install Vibe Streamer is very lightweight.  The system requirements for Vibe Streamer 2.06 are detailed below:…

  • How To: Check Your Hard Drive Health With A Linux LiveCD

    Previously, I wrote a guide on monitoring your drive’s status with S.M.A.R.T. tools from a running system [see Check your HDD’s S.M.A.R.T. Status].  Although these programs work well for checking the live status of your hard drive, you may run across a situation where you cannot boot the operating system to access these programs. If…

  • How To Check Your HDD’s S.M.A.R.T. Status

    As your hard drive begins to age, the chance for failure and resulting data loss increases.  Today’s hard drives feature a monitoring system called Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology or S.M.A.R.T. for short.  With S.M.A.R.T. and the appropriate software, it is possible to keep updated on the status of your hard drive and the important…

  • Cleanup Your Computer With CCleaner

    As a computer begins to age, many problems can arise such as slow startup, slow program execution and increased memory usage.  Many of these problems are caused by improper shutdowns, viruses, excess temporary files, and residual uninstall files. CCleaner is a free program, available at http://www.ccleaner.com, which will give your computer the thorough cleaning that…

  • Opening Apple QuickTake .QTK Images

    Technology is always changing.  With these constant changes come some problems, such as old and unsupported file extensions.  One file extension that was once widely used, .QTK, is no longer supported by many of today’s digital image manipulation software.  Many individuals may still have pictures saved that were taken with the Apple QuickTake that they…

  • Tomato Firmware: Increased Transmit Power Does More Harm Than Good?

    Currently, I run four routers, all part of the WRT54G/GL/GS series, that allow a house to receive wireless internet.  These routers provide sufficient, although not yet ideal, coverage for the house.   Since the WRT54G/GL/GS routers are built on a Linux framework, they are easily upgraded to more powerful firmware, such as the Tomato Firmware available…