Frequently Asked Questions
People ask questions. Some questions are asked more than once, twice, or a zillion times. That is why FAQs exist. Read it.
Current frequently asked questions:
"Something is wrong. I cannot find your Windows 2000 tests anywhere on the site. Where are they? "
Right now there are no Windows 2000, NT 4.0 or Windows XP tests on this site. Why? Well the story is a long one, and to make it short I'll just say that lack of time, lack of will and lack of profitable future prospects have led me to the decision to stop working on and providing free testing facilities for my students.
Read the Old Petri Tests page for a glimpse of what could have been, and read the Future Site Plans page to see more about what's planned for this site.
"Do you have Windows 2000 or Exchange 2000 tests in . . . . . . . (insert your preferable language here) on your site? "
Sorry but no. This site only speaks English (and a little Hebrew). It's not that I have something against the French language. Not at all. I just don't speak it, so understandably I cannot write anything in it.
See this nice chart for some info:
See? No point in even bothering other languages.
Do you want to translate my site to French (or any other language)? You're welcome. Write me a note and we'll work together.
By the way, if you're keen on translating a specific web page to a specific language, you can use the "Babel Fish" tool from AltaVista or the "Language Tools" from Google. I've added the translator engine to the Search page for your convenience.
"Why don't you supply answers to the Microsoft tests? I think that without answers I will never know if I'm correct or not, and I'm afraid I will not be able to answer the test correctly?"
I have a few years of experience with teaching packed classes and I know by now that when someone is really interested in studying he/she must make the best efforts to study the material all the way by himself or herself. I feel that by supplying the correct answers most people will scroll all the way down to the bottom and look at the answers to make sure they are correct.
Sure, you'll know if that was a right answer or not, but if you did get it wrong, now you'll just say "Oh, damn! I should have known it! Ok, I'll remember next time". But you won't, mostly because you did not have to work hard to get your answer. You just looked down at the bottom.
On the other hand, if you don't get the answers, you will be forced go back to the books and look them up yourself. That's a bit more complicated, but it will achieve my goal - to make you study and know the stuff inside out. Still, if you don't like it, take a hike. I'm sure you'll find lots of "free" and easy tests out there.
"Can I download . . . . . . . (insert name of software) from your site? Do you have any other testing software? Can you give me the cracks to other testing software?"
You should know better than to ask me to provide you with illegal or pirated software! Go to the manufacturer's site (I bet you can find their address on your own…) and see how much they charge for a copy. Pay them and hurrah - you've got yourself a copy of any software you need.
BTW, if you think this is the way to get into the IT business - by stealing and robbing and using illegal software - I think you deserve to fail.
"Can you please e-mail me . . . . . . . (insert name of software package here) or at least provide me a download URL or FTP site?"
No. Definitely no. I cannot afford the bandwidth associated with mass downloading of software from my server. Furthermore, I cannot keep track of the software versions and their legal status. I wouldn't want to provide outdated software just because I hadn't had the time to check to see if "Kukuzila v.43.000123" had a newer version or not.
And there is also the legal matter. I do not deal with illegal software nor with cracks or serials, and I wouldn't want to be marked as a place where people can d/l illegal software or have access to such stuff.
So I've decided that except for a few small software packages (tweaking tools etc.) and a few hot fixes or MS related packages I will provide no local download source. Also, all of those exceptions must be freeware.
If you have any software, tool or tip that involves a specific tool - and you're 100% sure it's ok to offer and distribute it - I'd love to hear about it. Use the Feedback page to tell me about it and I'll see what I can do.
"Where can I get some help around here? I can't find anything!"
If you're looking for help I suggests you do the obvious: Go outside, walk in the street, and yell out loud "F1!!! F1!!! F1!!!" Nice people with white clothes will quickly come to help you…
You could also use the Contents, Search and Feedback pages.
But the obvious place to look for help is the Petri.co.il Forums. Try posting your question there.
If you want to learn more about search techniques take a look at the Search Tips page. It has some cool tips and useful links you can use. Try it out.
Really, this is a self-help site. No support personnel here. Look for yourself. But if you touch anything and break it - you pay for it! 
"Since MS has begun with the new Windows 2003 certification track, should I go for the W2K tests or go for the Windows 2003 tests?"
I've collected useful information on the Windows 2003 certification plan and requirements (including upgrade requirements for existing MCSA/MCSEs) on the Certification Requirements pages. Check them out.
As for my advice on waiting for the Windows 2003 exams - I suggest you take the track that fits you the best and in which you feel most comfortable. When you find a job you'll find out that current networks will mostly have W2K/NT combined network infrastructure, and that for most companies the transit to Windows 2003 is still miles and many months (not to mention years) ahead.
"Do you have any tips for studying for the Microsoft tests? Do you have any tips for passing the Microsoft tests?"
Yes. Read my Studying Tips page for more info.
"I have some errors to point out to you. I found some spelling mistakes. I have some suggestions for your site's appearance. How do I send them over?"
If you want to let me know something just go to Feedback form. If that's not good enough, send me a personal e-mail to support@petri.co.il. Comments are always appreciated.
Please!!! Please provide a valid e-mail. There's nothing more frustrating that to have to sit down and write a long and detailed answer to some question, and then only to have it bounce back because some idiot wrote a bad e-mail or miss-spelled his e-mail account.
If you don't want an answer then why ask a question?
"I have sent you a couple of e-mails 2 weeks ago but you never answered. Why?"
That's because I don't like you.
No, wait, I'm just joking! I like everybody! I try to answer as much mail as I can, but there are any number of reasons why I might not have replied to you.
The first reason might be related to my spare time and schedule. It's not that I'm an arrogant guy. Not at all. Just keep in mind that I own my own company, I have a wife (that should say it all…), 2 girls, a cat, a goldfish and a Bike I like to ride on. Although I try to answer as much mail as I can, I'm not a technical support person, and I'm not really supposed to be answering technical related e-mail. What I am supposed to be doing is to create this web site and every once and then go out to do some out-door contract work or teach a class or two. My wife gets very nervous when she sees me doing anything but sitting and watching TV with her. (Although she'd probably be even more nervous if she got a look at what I was actually doing…)
The second reason is related to spam, or should I better say - spam filters. I receive a surprisingly large amount of mail each day, and some of it is bound to fall through the cracks. To help me screen the messages I use a rules wizard, and sometimes the wizard deletes e-mail that I should have read and answered without me ever knowing it. For example, if you send in a mail containing "$" in the subject line, the wizard will treat that message as spam, when in fact it was my rich aunt calling to ask where to send the million US$ she wanted to give me as a gift… If you send a message without a subject line, it too will be deleted. So please pick your subjects wisely, especially if you want to send me one million US dollars as a gift…
I use an automatic anti-spam software to help me filter e-mails from known spammers and spamming sites. If you use an Internet provider from which many spam is sent, or the content of your message is identified as spam by mistake, your e-mail might be lost. If your e-mail is not answered, and you wish to ensure receipt, add `this is not a spam' to your subject line (exactly, just copy and paste). Please do not send messages written as MS-Word DOC/Powerpoint PPT files, and do not add large BMP or other files to your messages, especially without me asking for them in the fitst place. These messages will be automatically discarded.
Don't send messages asking about warez, pirated stuff or any illegal issues. I will not answer it.
Don't ask where to get *Transcender* or other tests or dumps. Read this FAQ for more info on that.
Never send attachments without first asking if it's ok to do so. The rules wizard will immediately delete any message containing attachments, and I will never know you've sent them. That's one of my ways of stopping viruses and worms from entering my domain.
Oh, last but not least - sometimes (gasp!) I don't know the answer to your question.
"I've mailed you a question in Hebrew 2 weeks ago and never got an answer. Why?"
You can use the contact address at the bottom of the page if you want to ask me something in Hebrew. The Feedback page does not understand Hebrew. Only English. Want to see what I see when you send something in Hebrew?
Here:
שלום, מה שלומך היום? מקווה שהכל בסדר. אני צריך עזרה אתה
Please, use English.
Oh, and if you simply must use Hebrew, then please go to the HEBREW FEEDBACK page.
"Why do you have these small (+|+) on the feedback subject?"
When using the Feedback page to send comments and feedback notes you can see small (+|+) markings on each subject line. The reason I use these markings is to trap the incoming feedback messages and to prevent my spam filter from thinking they are spam or junk messages.
If your e-mail is not answered, and you wish to ensure receipt, send me a manual e-mail and add `this is not a spam' to your subject line (exactly, just copy and paste).
Read my Anti-Spam Solutions pages for more tips on how to protect yourself from spam.
"Why are your answers so long? I just asked you what the time was, and you gave me a 4 hour lecture on how clocks work. Damn! I need the short version!"
So now you're complaining about the length of my answers? Shut up, say thank you and go study.
"I've upgraded my ‘Alcatel SpeedTouch ADSL modem and now I cannot make it do . . . . . (insert action here). Can you help me?"
No. I'm sorry. The Alcatel upgrading and configuration tips are 100% not supported by me. Perform these tips at your own risk. I cannot provide ANY support, advice, answers or any info on that matter beside the information that is already written on these pages. Sorry.
One thing you can do is to use the Petri.co.il Forums. Try posting your question there.
"How can I . . . . . . . (insert long, boring and sometimes dumb question)?"
I cannot answer ALL of your questions (see topics above), but sometimes I've already done so a hundred times. Maybe your question is amongst the lucky ones I wrote a tip about? Did you check it out? Please perform a search on my site. Use the search box found on each and every page (look at the top right corner) and on the Advanced Search and Contents pages. Please, don't make me send you a link, look for yourself.
"What is WINS (or any other feature or service you can think of)?"
Please read the FAQ thoroughly. If you still think that your question deserves my attention, at least make it as professional as possible. Asking a question like "what is DHCP?" will not and cannot receive a full and detailed answer that can fit within 2 sentences of an e-mail message.
Also, why do you think that nowhere on my site do I provide answers to such questions? Simply because if you don't know anything about such a basic feature or service, something that your network might depend on - then in my opinion you need to do your homework more efficiently before you ask questions. Read about it, look it up in Google, do a good research on the topic - and then, if you still have questions - come back and ask. I bet that your question will be a bit more professionally written…
"I followed your tip on Office XP slipstreaming but when I did . . . . . . (insert action here) I got . . . . . . . . . . (insert result here). Can you help me fix things up?"!
Most (but not all) of my tips were personally tested and written by me. Some tips were lifted or copied from other public domain and well-known tips, some were copied from the MS Knowledge Base. I might have missed something, and other errors might have occurred while writing these pages. I cannot be held responsible for any result you get, especially for the bad and un-wanted ones. You must realize that I'm a one-man operation and I do not have a horde of minions or an army or QA people behind me. Some tips were only tested on one OS, while others were not personally tested at all.
If you can't get the tip to work right I suggest you do the following:
- Re-read the tip. Double-read it. Make sure you read the notes and other warnings.
- Re-try the actions suggested in the tip. Sometimes it's possible that you might have missed a step or think you know the correct move but in fact you were wrong or only partially right.
- If you did all the right moves and you're perfectly sure that you're ok - blame it one the OS and on the MS engineers. Make sure your OS is properly installed and configured. There are known instances of tips that somehow do not work on one system, while perfectly working on another seemingly-identical system.
If, again, you're 100% sure that you did the right thing and still the damn tip doesn't work for you - try to examine it on another system or use a different CD media (if applicable). If that doesn't work either try to investigate the matter, and if you come up with some conclusive evidence or new knowledge - please share your findings with me via the Feedback page.
"I'm having trouble in locating required information on your site. I think that your navigation system sucks and that you should provide a fancy Java/DHTML/Flash navigation menu. Furthermore, why don't you categorize your tips by the ABC or by specific products?"
Hmmm… You're perfectly right. I can't do a better job. Actually, I'm thinking of taking this entire site down for maintenance until I get someone to re-write the whole thing for me. Do you want me to do that or can you live with the current lousy interface?
Oh, by the way, do you mind to do it yourself? I'd love to get a helping hand on this issue. If you think you can please send me a note via the Feedback page and we'll see how to work things out.
"Your site sucks!"
You too. Go get a life. If you don't like my comments, write your own web page without them and YOU answer brain-dead questions from AOL users all day long. I have better things to do with my life.
I want to ask a question but I don't want to give you my real name or real e-mail address. Why won't you answer my question?
Listen, you've got some nerve dude! You come to MY site, you read MY articles, you're dumb enough not to understand my SIMPLE and EASY-TO-READ instructions, you need to ask me some LAMER question that can probably be answered in 2 seconds had you opened your eyes (or Google), yet you're not frank enough and you want to hide behind some LAMER nickname such as 123456 or similar.
Furthermore, you don't give me your true e-mail and expect me to answer your question. How? By sending carrier pigeons? Really, I'd love to hear how do you expect me to answer you…
"Can you please give me your contact information, I need to …. (insert action here)"
Please see my Site Profile page, and if you want it in Hebrew, read this version Profile - Hebrew.
Remember! My time costs money. If you want me to come over to YOUR place and fix the mess YOU'VE made - expect me to ask you to pay me for my time and my travel expenses.
"This FAQ is getting nowhere. Can't you do a better job?"
Arrrgggg…
"You wrote all these questions yourself, didn't you?"
Doesn't every site owner do it?
