Technology Help (ask about all things computer, tech gadgets, and related)

[Peacemaker]

I'll start off with a request for recommendation for a Windows file list application.  I've tried a few on my Vista (criminally poor operating system) PC but no luck.  I want simply to list the files in specified folders.  If dates and file sizes are included, that's a nice bonus.

Thanks

[cesquire]

Not sure about windows, I'm sure you have Googled.

Thinking out the box, what about booting up a Linux live CD or USB and using a Linux tool. I'm sure there would be one. Probably some script allowing you to write to a new file?

Just a thought.

[cesquire]

What about a DOS command?

Code: [Select]

dir c:\directory_path\*.* -s >> filename.txt
or from the correct directory:

Code: [Select]

dir *.* -s >> filename.txt
The -s switch tells dir to search recursively, apparently.

[Peacemaker]

That's not bad.  I'd forgotten about the old DOS commands.  A bit clunky and time consuming for what I'm looking to do but I can make it work.  Thanks for the old school.  I get spoiled with Windows, click, click , done, but why Microsoft has never built this feature into its system boggles the mind.

[cesquire]

You're welcome. I actually asked a linux forum on your behalf, so I can't claim the glory myself.  

http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic/6234/file-list-application/

[WarrenG]

soooo.... lost

[seaellem]

i don't stop in here enough.

i do the dos one myself, very useful.

if you want a gui app with the functionality (and a whole lot more) use NexusFile http://xiles.net/programs/

[Peacemaker]

Thanks Sea. Pretty cool little apps.

NEXT QUESTION:
recommendation for server manager outsourcing.  Our current is tanking.  We need someone/company to manage our multiple VM servers, including ftp and web services (Tomcat, PHP).  Reliability + expertise.  Our current lacks the reliability and is killing us on cost overruns with our migration as we are now paying for two sets of servers.

[Peacemaker]

This post is not a request for help but my recommendation inspired by a friend who needed my help.  He lost his files during a PC crash.  I bailed him out with cleverness, skill, and luck.  After scolding him for not having any automated backup in place I recommended Carbonite to him.  Another friend just this evening revealed that her laptop is on the fritz and yet she has no backup.  Quoting her, "my whole life is on this machine."  So I told her about Carbonite as well and thought why not let everyone know.

I use Carbonite to backup all of my PC files including this web site, big video, music, email, and downloaded software installation files.  Basically, for everything.  I can't imagine how heart broken I would be if I lost the thousands of digital photos and videos of my family.  I would be none too please to lose my work files either.

So I use Carbonite. It is inexpensive, simple to use, and has always been reliable. It also saved me when I accidentally saved over a critically important work file - twice.  I recommend that you sign up right away to safeguard your files because too often there is no going back.  I worry more about catastrophic viruses than accidental mouse clicks, but either way, to not back up your important and valuable stuff is a ticking timebomb.

If you use the referral link below you get to sign up (between now and January 13, 2013), we both get an Amazon gift card ($20) apparently.  That's a pretty good deal considering how inexpensive Carbonite is (I paid $59 last year).

Click below to get started: http://pop.to/14zvr

[Sir Osis of Thuliver]

Is there a size limit on that Carbonite dealio? Or is the price dependent on size? Too lazy right now to poke around and find the answer myself.

I'm pretty good about keeping multiple backups around, but if the price is reasonable (I'm guessing I've got somewhere in the neighborhood of like 6TB of music alone), I'd rather just not think about doing the backups myself.

[Peacemaker]

It is unlimited even for the base Home plan which is $59 per year.  The more expensive plans give you added features such as automatic OS backup, mirror imaging, auto backup of large (>4gb) files.

I use the basic for $59 for which Video is not automatically backed up but is easy to mark it for backup.  I select all files in my home video folders to mark them for backup.  When I add new videos I simply select them all, right click and click "Back This Up" and it will be forever self sufficent from there on.  It is no big deal.  But if you crave saving a few seconds performing this occassional operation you can pay $149/yr to make that aspect automatic too.

Now that you mentioned music, I do recall prior to having Carbonite that I did once lose all of my downloaded music and the keys (user rights files) that would allow me to redownload it.  Gone for good because they were not recoverable.  And my Zip disk backups failed.  Yes, I flipped my lid and vowed never again.  Frankly $59 is the deal of the century.  I'd pay much more than that to protect my stuff - but don't tell them that.

Also, even on my criminally bad Vista system, the backup operation does not slow down my machine, which is very nice considering how often these things, as well as virus scanner, eat performance.  Rarely does someone make such good software that I'm willing to promote it for free, but this is one of those occasions.  Plus I'd like people to stop calling me when their system crashes or they delete a file. 

[seaellem]

I am agog of two things:

Poor peace is still using Vista

Sir Osis has 6TB of music

[Peacemaker]

One of my machines has Vista, an operating system about which Microsoft should be ashamed and should reimburse and personally apologize to all users.

[Sir Osis of Thuliver]

6TB is a conservative guess. But then again, I don't really do MP3, so you gotta take that into account. WAV files are non-lossy and generally significantly larger (by an order of 5 or so?) than MP3. But still, according to winamp which houses maybe 1/3 of my music library, I've got 132.7 days worth of music in that database.

Oh, and some of that music library includes video files. Maybe 1-2TB in video alone.

And. And.. And... I, until very recently, had a Vista machine too. It was my media server/DVR connected to my main TV and it just died a couple weeks back. RIP Vista. Terrible OS, but nowhere near as bad as its reputation. Which ain't saying much.