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General discussion

Testers wanted please? :)

Dec 3, 2003 4:03PM PST

Done a floppy disk version of my Kids' Safety Guide for offline use. The exe file is an installer/wrapper which writes the image of the mini site onto a floppy disk. It has the GNU licensed freeware 'RawWrite for Windows' as the underlying software for the writing process, running as a command line.

The idea is there is no software installed or changes made to the host system for it to work. I've tested this with a friend's Win98 OS which has never had the writing software installed (IOW no stray DLL or reg keys from a previous incarnation of RW4W), and it works fine, which proves RW4W doesn't need installing to run.

Would appreciate if some of you could try the write under Win 95, ME, NT, 2K and XP, and pass back any errors shown (specially re. any missing DLLs which the non-9x systems might not have installed by default).

Please note full paths/names and versions of any files mentioned, I'll then know if I need to build in a pre-write file/version check for these, and supply them to copy over if needed.

CAVEAT: please let it run to completion, but do check your chosen floppy disk is one you don't need to keep, as it will overwrite anything already on it (remember, it's writing a complete disk image, not a collection of files). The installer will remind you of this before the write begins.

Download is a 1.07 MB zip file from:
http://www.yorkdale.co.uk/Download/YDsafeFL.zip

Many thanks in advance. Happy

Discussion is locked

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Seemed to work fine. NT 4.0 SP6*
Dec 3, 2003 10:01PM PST

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Ahhh...you're welcome (said in the Jimmy Fallon Computer Guy voice)*
Dec 5, 2003 11:24AM PST

.

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Thanks Rick. Sorry, manners. Mea culpa :(
Dec 5, 2003 1:34PM PST
Sad Too busy concentrating on the faults, poor excuse. Sad
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No problemo just being silly*
Dec 6, 2003 11:51AM PST

.

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coincidence?
Dec 3, 2003 11:54PM PST

when i ran the exe Zone Alarm said SUF60Runtime wants to call home - 192.115.106.31

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Re:coincidence? Seems like it, Jonah
Dec 4, 2003 4:25AM PST

Thanks for testing and for the heads-up. Sorry that happened, most unusual and unexpected.

The compiler must include is as part of the executable, much as VB runtimes are used, as the name part-matches four folders/files on relating to the compiler.

I'm guessing it detected an open connection (always on?), as I've tested it here and never been prompted for one. I can't imagine what need it has for a connection, especially to that IP, given it's location.

There's no phone home written into the application by me, and no spyware as the compiler is full retail version, and the underlying image writer is a GNU Public License freeware, released through the GNU sites (that's why I chose it, to ensure its integrity).

I checked that IP, and without posting details publicly, it is localised. I also just ran my program again with a connection, and no alert shows in my firewall logs (running Look'n Stop).

To set people's minds at rest, my exe is only written to control the image writer from a command line instead of GUI interface. I did that so nobody has to install or learn how to use the writer, and so the command arguments can be pre-set to ensure error free writing. For anyone wondering about the image writing program used, the author's site is here: http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux

The wrapper extracts the image, writer and one DLL that writer needs to run in command line mode, all three files are in a temp folder I create. It then performs the write process when you click Next, and when done it cleans up by removing the folder and all extracted files. If you abort the process, it is set to still clean up those files. Nothing is altered in registry or the Windows/System folders.

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Jonah: Just a guess
Dec 4, 2003 7:33AM PST

Was that your IP at the time you ran the program?

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Re:it was/is my IP,
Dec 4, 2003 11:00PM PST

the first time i checked it it gave me a site in Melbourns Oz... but that was a (i think) re-direct to a WHOIS lookup site, i just checked it again at arin.net and got this:
NameServer: RELAY.HUJI.AC.IL

why it wanted to go there, who knows?

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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Dec 5, 2003 11:22AM PST

.

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I'm guessing ...
Dec 5, 2003 9:18PM PST

Everybody is posting a different IP address that the program is trying to access. My guess is that the program is trying to access the IP of the computer it is installed on. Why? I have no idea.

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Because the application is a browser and requires the internet.
Dec 5, 2003 10:13PM PST

.
I'm sure the request for the internet is coded in.

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This is what I'm assuming here
Dec 5, 2003 10:36PM PST

1. The browser iself tried for a connection because I set the Homapage for it as my web site. If I remove that, it won't try to connect.

2. The installer app, as Bill says, is trying for the IP of the person using it. I figured that when I investigated the IP Jonah reported, and saw where it led to. So my take is it is looking for a connection with the "local network", since it is a proper installer application normally used for software deployment.

3. I am going to take a WAG here, and suggest that those who find it is trying to connect have one of the following in common:
a) a network card or ethernet adapter, which gives the system appearance of being on a network;
b) a cable connection, which is thus always on, and as such, is part of a "network". Keith sees nothing, neither do I. I know I'm insulated on dialup, so unless Keith says he isn't...?

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I'm on a dialup, but also have new mobo that probably has an ethernet adapter (NT)
Dec 6, 2003 3:57AM PST

.

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I'm on high-speed and have an internal network...
Dec 8, 2003 2:02PM PST

behind a router. However, I locked both firewalls before running your app to see what would happen. No attempt to go off the PCs.

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Re:Testers wanted please? :)
Dec 4, 2003 8:38AM PST

Dale,

Didn't work. I tried twice. OS: WinXP Home.

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Did you get any error messages, Paul?
Dec 4, 2003 12:29PM PST

Thanks for testing it out. What errors did it give, if any? Joe's XP worked while yours didn't, so have you got anything special in your setup? Also, did you also get that damn connection attempt by SB60Runtime? This is frustrating, as I don't see it, and neither did my friend's machine. We both use dialup connections, and would at least expect to see the dialup login box if an attempt was made.

I do have an alternative version, which runs a simple DOS batch file and then uses the DOS program rawwrite2.exe to perform the write. I shelved that one, as I expected XP to have issues with it not using DOS the way other OSes do, and with rawwrite2.exe being a legacy program.

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Dale, I received an error code from WinZip...
Dec 4, 2003 8:42PM PST

...that the archive was not complete. This makes sense, since the download progressed normally up to about the 90% point as displayed on the progress bar, at which point it went straight to "Download Complete". The error displayed after WinZip began unpacking the archive.

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Thanks, So a download glitch?
Dec 5, 2003 1:30PM PST

Could be server trouble, though they are usually reliable. If you drop me an email addy, I can send it that way to test, if you like. The archive is complete and tested for unzippability. TBH I only use a zipped download because of many people's fear of downoading a bare EXE file, it saves little on the K's.

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Windows 2000
Dec 4, 2003 10:09AM PST

Opened the zip file and clicked the .exe. I also had Zone Alarm ask: Do you want to allow SUF60Runtime to access the Internet? Destination IP:207.218.192.38. DNS. Application: irsetup.exe. Version: 6.0.1.2. I said no and the program performed Setup Action anyway and successfully wrote the image.

Clicking the YDsaftey.exe file produced 24 files on the floppy including OB1.exe, (the application), clicking on that produced The OffByOne Browser-A Webster Code Base Product- which wanted to access the Interent. Destination IP: 207.218.192.38.DNS. Application: ob1.exe. Version:3.4.a. I said yes and the Browser opened the Start Page.

Is this anywhere close to what you wanted to know, Dale?
.

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Interesting, Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Dec 4, 2003 12:15PM PST

Again it is asking to connect, and if what I learned from Jonah's post is correct, only to your own IP. I wonder why, will look into this, as nothing I've created with it needs that connection.

Yes, those floppy contents and their results are as expected. OB1 browser wishes to access the internet, as I have preset my domain as its Homepage, which is of course online. It will not actually go there, just testing the connection, if you said 'No' the start page would still load, as all the pages you view are on the floppy disk. Don't worry about that part, the browser is safe and clean, it is another GNU freeware, and used becasue it is totally independent of IE or Mozilla web engines, and very small size.

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Zone Alarm
Dec 4, 2003 10:49AM PST

Win XP Home, running Zone Alarm.

Executed the unzipped program and before writing anything to floppy I get a Zone Alarm alert:

Do you want to allow SUF60Runtime to access the Internet?

Destination IP: 64.6.45.3:DNS
Application: irsetup.exe
Version 6.0.1.2

I clicked Zone Alarm More Info button and it says if I don't know what SUF60Runtime is, to deny it permission.

I denied it permission.

I go back to a window where I tell your program to write to floppy.

I run the program on the floppy.
I click Visit the Web Site button.

Zone Alarm says Do you want to allow the offByOne Browser - A Webster Code Base Product to access the Internet?

Destination IP: 64.6.45.3:DNS
Application: ob1.exe
Version 3.4.a

Click Zone Alarm More Information button.

It recommends that I deny access.
I deny access.

Conclusion:

Anyone with Zone Alarm will not be pleased with your program, and will probably question your intentions.
Looks like you have some more work to do.

The smiley faces appear where I typed a colon - :
Looks like the forum software needs some work too.

Joe Randolph

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Thanks Joe
Dec 4, 2003 12:21PM PST

Intersting this, you got it to work with XP, while Paul doesn't. I'm pleased XP will work with it, that was the main concern, that it may lack the DLL files the write program relies on finding to funcition.

Again, as with Jonah and Ros, that dam runtime, and I guess that is your own IP address? Not sure what to do with that, as it adds it into the exe file at build time so I never touch it. For the ob1 browser, easy solution. I can remove my domain from the homepage setting and leave it blank, then its connection test will stop.

Intersting that ZA found these alerts, while my own firewall doesn't worry. Thanks for the feedback, Joe. Happy

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Smilies by design...
Dec 4, 2003 12:55PM PST

: D (without the space) gives Grin

so : DNS (without the space) gives GrinNS

Computers are stupid. They only do what you tell them to do. People wanted smilies so they got smilies along with unintentional side effects. See the forum FAQ for other combinations of letters you should avoid. Wink

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No attempts to access internet...
Dec 4, 2003 3:11PM PST

WinXP/Kerio 2.1.5
WinME/ZA free 2.6.362

But it did create a wininit.ini file with the following contents on WinME:
[rename]
NUL=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\IRSETUP.EXE

I'm always curious when I see one of those files appear.

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Win 95 old version - Winsock 2 update
Dec 5, 2003 11:01PM PST

Download - ok
Easyzip - ok 2 files - read me and install execute
Install - ran without any messages - Content folder
readme - Yorkdale lnk file
Contents folder

BULLYING JPG 10,624 14/02/03 2:44 BULLYING.JPG
BULLYT~1 HTM 5,515 04/09/03 15:10 bullytxt.html
INDEX~1 HTM 2,516 29/11/03 0:06 index.html
OB1 EXE 1,183,744 09/12/02 16:57 OB1.EXE
PEDOTX~1 HTM 3,911 04/09/03 15:10 pedotxt.html
SAFETE~1 HTM 5,569 29/11/03 1:58 safetext.html
URBANT~1 HTM 4,509 04/09/03 15:10 urbantxt.html
WEBTXT~1 HTM 8,012 04/09/03 15:10 webtxt.html
YDAVATAR GIF 2,378 20/11/03 18:37 YDAVATAR.GIF
YORKBACK JPG 2,126 11/10/02 22:52 Yorkback.jpg
YORKBN00 GIF 361 13/02/03 19:18 YorkBn00.gif
YORKBN~1 GIF 509 15/08/03 11:16 YorkBnPrn.gif
YORKBN~2 GIF 339 16/08/03 15:15 YorkBnWeb.gif
YORKBU~1 GIF 380 13/02/03 19:40 Yorkbully.gif
YORKBU~1 HTM 7,671 29/11/03 0:09 Yorkbully.html
YORKDALE ICO 22,486 29/11/03 0:55 Yorkdale.ico
YORKLI~1 HTM 5,078 29/11/03 1:52 Yorklinks.html
YORKPEDO GIF 368 13/02/03 19:40 Yorkpedo.gif
YORKPE~1 HTM 5,646 29/11/03 0:07 Yorkpedo.html
YORKSA~1 GIF 332 19/04/03 21:28 Yorksafet.gif
YORKUR~1 GIF 360 13/02/03 19:40 Yorkurban.gif
YORKUR~1 HTM 6,243 29/11/03 0:07 Yorkurban.html
YORKWEB GIF 374 13/02/03 19:40 Yorkweb.gif
YORKWE~1 HTM 9,559 29/11/03 0:07 Yorkweb.html

Double click yorkdale shortcut
Menu showed fine
options were operational

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Tested the screen menu - all options worked fine
Dec 5, 2003 11:17PM PST
Happy