General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Watch Dogs Launch Dampened by Uplay Server Issues

Posted: 27 May 2014 03:26 PM PDT

Watch DogsDRM strikes again?

Watch Dogs has launched today but it hasn't been smooth sailing for the highly-anticipated open-world title. According to Ubisoft it appears that the authentication servers for its digital distribution service Uplay has been malfunctioning

The game's Twitter account informed gamers of the issue earlier today stating, "We are experiencing issues with the authentication services. Players may experience long delays when trying to login in-game." Later, on Ubisoft's forums, it was explained that Watch Dogs is currently seeing "an exceptional increase of activity." The company went on to say that it has taken measures to limit the impact on its servers but admitted that the servers "are not responding as fast as usual."

Many players on the PC platform have been experiencing these issues on both Uplay and Steam (the Steam version requires a Uplay account). However, the issues are also affecting other Ubisoft titles, such as Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, which use Uplay's authentication servers. Some console gamers are even running into the same issues according to an Xbox Live status update

This is not the first time Ubisoft, a company known for its use of draconian DRM, has had trouble with its Uplay service. Back in 2012 a Google engineer discovered a rootkit in the client that could be exploited by hackers. In addition, the service had made older games unplayable and even required a persistent internet connection for its offline mode at one point. 

Unfortunately, Ubisoft did not provide a timeframe for when the server issues will be resolved.

Did you purchase Watch Dogs today andhaving difficulty playing it? 

Sound off in the comments below!

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Best Hard Drive Cloning Software

Posted: 27 May 2014 01:27 PM PDT

hard drive cloning softwareWe put six hard drive cloning and backup utilities under the microscope

Hard drive cloning and disk-imaging software is infinitely useful for end users and IT managers alike. Whether you're just making a hard drive recovery partition, blasting full images to dozens of systems across a network, or creating virtual machines for a testing environment, cloning software has got you covered. Not all cloning applications and utilities are created equal, though. There are numerous options available, at various price points—including free—with a diverse range of integrated features.

For a related story on how to clone a hard drive or SSD, click here

In some ways, all cloning and imaging utilities are similar. Assuming they work properly, at their most basic level, cloning utilities make bit-by-bit, accurate clones—or images—of a drive or partition. And those images can be quickly and easily restored or moved to a new drive (or VM) in the event of a problem. There are plenty of cloning utilities to choose from, and Windows itself even has the ability to create disk images built right in. But if you start to dig in and compare the options and capabilities of the multitude of utilities out there, you'll quickly find that their lists of features are as varied as their price points.

Fret not. We have rounded up a half-dozen hard drive cloning and disk-imaging utilities and will attempt to demystify the selection process for you here. If you're looking for a basic, free solution that does little else but clone disks or create images, or a more comprehensive product that also offers some cloud storage for backups, we've got something on tap that fits the bill.

Acronis True Image 2014

Loaded with features and relatively affordable

The moment you launch True Image 2014, it is immediately clear that the folks at Acronis get it. Although Acronis True Image offers arguably the most comprehensive set of features in the group, it also sports the most well-organized, easiest-to-navigate menu system of the bunch.

At first, users are given the choice to take a virtual tour of the various parts of the program, which explains how to back up data, when to recover data, and how to leverage Acronis's cloud storage capabilities (5GB, free). Novices should definitely take advantage of Acronis's help system, as it lays a solid foundation and does a good job explaining many of the program's features.

As users tunnel deeper into Acronis True Image 2014's menus, they'll find a wealth of options for cloning disks, creating images, performing incremental backups, synchronizing folders, creating recovery media, and much more.

Despite a plethora of options, True Image 2014 is surprisingly easy to navigate.

Not only is Acronis True Image 2014 relatively easy to use and loaded with a wealth of features, it's also the most affordable of the paid options featured here. At $50 for the standard desktop edition, Acronis True Image 2014 isn't exactly a steal, especially when there are competent, free alternatives available, but it's certainly an application we'd buy if we were in need of a comprehensive all-in-one disk-cloning and backup solution.

Acronis True Image 2014


score:9ka

$50, www.acronis.com

Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition

Norton Ghost reincarnated, with new name and additional features

For years, when you discussed cloning or imaging a system, Norton Ghost came to mind. The utility was so popular, in fact, that somewhat like Google, the brand became a verb: "Ghosting" a system was synonymous with cloning a drive or taking a system image. Earlier this year, though, Symantec discontinued development of Norton Ghost and moved on to a new, all-encompassing cloning and backup solution dubbed Symantec System Recovery.

Symantec System Recovery is offered in a few versions, which target home, corporate, or enterprise users. It is the $85 Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition of the software that will be of most interest to you, our good readers. Like Acronis True Image, Symantec System Recovery 2013 can do everything from incremental backups to full drive clones, and the utility supports virtually any type of storage media, from USB flash drives to network volumes. Symantec System Recovery 2013 can even send backup images and data to an offsite FTP.

Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition has got it all, and then some.

Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition has got it all, and then some.

Although Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition is feature-rich and should be easy enough to navigate for knowledgeable PC users, its interface and UI aren't quite as refined as Acronis True Image 2014, in our opinion. It is also the more expensive option of the two. Ultimately, though, Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition is a quality product, worthy of consideration, especially if you're already intimately familiar with Ghost.

Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition


score:8

$85, www.symantec.com

ShadowProtect Desktop 5

Powerful, easy to use, and has enterprise-class DNA

StorageCraft, a respected provider of enterprise-class backup solutions, scaled down some of its wares to produce ShadowProtect Desktop 5. One of the advantages to having enterprise-class roots is that ShadowProtect Desktop 5 is about as reliable as they come, but the app also looks somewhat dated in comparison to competing products from Acronis and Symantec. It also seems like the developers of ShadowProtect Desktop assume their users have a certain level of expertise with image-based backup solutions, because the program's help system isn't terribly detailed.

With that said, experienced PC users will probably dig a number of ShadowProtect Desktop 5's features. The utility can take images of disks or partitions and save them virtually anywhere. After an initial image is created, the program can then take incremental backups at whatever schedule the user desires. ShadowProtect Desktop 5 will also let users open images to restore individual files or folders, and images created with the program can be launched as a VM inside VirtualBox, should users want to experiment on an image without necessarily restoring files.

It may not be as well known as its rivals, but ShadowProtect Desktop 5 is an excellent image-based backup suite.

It may not be as well known as its rivals, but ShadowProtect Desktop 5 is an excellent image-based backup suite. 

It's not the prettiest of the apps featured here, and ShadowProtect Desktop 5 is the most expensive by a few bucks, but it's a powerful solution that will serve savvy users well.

ShadowProtect Desktop 5


score:9

$90, www.storagecraft.com

 



 

Making the Most of Cloning Software

The most obvious reason to use cloning software is to back up your personal data and maintain a cloned image of your system in case of a catastrophic problem, but cloning software can be used for much more than that.

When setting up a system for the first time, we like to take multiple images throughout the setup process, in the event we want to experiment with different drivers or software on the system or just want to restore it to a given point. For example, we'll take an image right after installing the OS, another after installing drivers and running updates, and another when all of our applications are installed and configured. Over time, we'll also capture new images as we add more applications or tweak settings to our liking. Ultimately, you'll end up with a collection of images that allow for quick recovery without ever having to go through the hassle of reinstalling an OS and apps from scratch. If you get the itch to start with a fresh OS install, you can simply restore the clean image and be off and running in minutes.

Cloned disk images can also be used to create Virtual Machines that mimic your main rig, should you want to experiment with software or other settings in a sandboxed environment. Instead of restoring an image to a physical drive, simply configure your virtual machine and restore your cloned image to the virtual drive using its standard recovery tools. It's not quite like having separate machines, but using a VM for trial-ware or other software is a great way to keep your rig free from junk and other unwanted stuff that tends to creep in over time, like toolbars and other widgets.

CloneZilla Live

It ain't pretty, but it gets the job done

If Acronis True Image 2014 and Symantec System Recovery 2013 Desktop Edition are akin to expensive, luxury sedans packed with every amenity known to man, CloneZilla Live is a stripped-down, lightweight drag-racer that doesn't even have gauges, let alone seat belts or headlights.

CloneZilla is offered in two versions, CloneZilla SE (Server Edition), which can be used to clone many machines from across a network, or CloneZilla Live, which is designed for end users looking for a no-nonsense partition- and disk-cloning solution. CloneZilla Live is built around a Debian Live Linux distro and is offered as a free download, licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) Version 2. It can be run from a bootable disc or USB thumb drive and does nothing but clone disks or partitions. There are no hooks for cloud storage and there's no fancy user interface.

CloneZilla's UI and seemingly complex syntax may scare off less savvy users.

CloneZilla's UI and seemingly complex syntax may scare off less savvy users.

Less savvy users, with little or no experience outside of Windows' GUI, may be taken aback when CloneZilla first launches. The UI can be somewhat daunting, especially for users not comfortable with the syntax used. That said,  CloneZilla is as reliable as they come and you can't knock free.

CloneZilla Live


score:6

Free, clonezilla.org

Macrium Reflect Free Edition

It's fine for the basics but not much else

Macrium Reflect Free Edition is a cut-down version of Macrium Software's more complete paid editions, which are offered in Standard ($45), Professional ($59), and Enterprise ($200) versions, each with an increasingly robust feature set. The good news with this arrangement is that Macrium Reflect Free is a relatively refined, easy-to-use cloning and imaging solution. The bad news is that it's missing a handful of useful features, like incremental and file/folder backups, and it's also incompatible with dynamic disks.

It's fast and free, but lacks many features available in the paid editions.

It's fast and free, but lacks many features available in the paid editions.

If you plan to stick with basic disk imaging or cloning, however, Macrium Reflect Free is fairly nice. We found the program to be fast and reliable and it also offers the ability to access images created with the program in Windows Explorer.

We suspect users that give Macrium Reflect Free a shot—and like it—will probably want to spring for the Standard edition, as it adds a number of features that would make the program feel much more complete.

Macrium Reflect Free Edition


score:6

Free, www.macrium.com

DriveImage XML

Too little, too late

We'll freely admit that there are some hardcore users out there who prefer streamlined, specialized applications that do only one thing, but do it well. DriveImage XML falls into that category. This tiny, less-than-1MB download is a straightforward disk-imaging solution that does little else. The program installs in seconds and functions exactly as you'd expect—select a source, select a destination, and the program will create a backup image. It does not, however, offer the ability to take incremental backups and it doesn't help create rescue media, either.

DriveImage XML works as advertised, but not a whole lot else.

DriveImage XML works as advertised, but not a whole lot else.

If you check out DriveImage XML and like it, great. More power to you. It's reliable and has been around for a number of years (which is made abundantly clear from its interface's '90s-era look), and makes for a decent no-nonsense free backup and imaging solution. Windows' own built-in solution does essentially the same thing though, and it's more user-friendly to boot.

DriveImage XML


score:5

Free,www.runtime.org

Why Not Just Use Windows?

Microsoft introduced a relatively capable backup tool in Windows 7 that has since been carried over into Windows 8 and 8.1. The aptly named Windows 7 File Recovery tool (it retains the same name in Windows 8/8.1, oddly enough) gives users the ability to back up personal files from their libraries or to create full system images and rescue discs. If you're looking for a simple, basic backup utility, the Windows 7 File Recovery tool is a decent option that works much better than the previous Microsoft-made backup solutions that were included with older versions of Windows.

The Windows 7 File Recovery tool is not a replacement for a more robust backup and disk-cloning utility, however. For one, the Windows 7 File Recovery tool doesn't always play well with new hardware, should you need to restore a backup image onto another machine or a machine that's been repaired with newer parts. It also doesn't offer nearly as many options as more feature-rich solutions like Acronis True Image or Symantec System Restore. If you're in a pinch and just want to back up some personal files or create an image of a machine you know won't be altered anytime soon though, the Windows 7 File Recovery tool can certainly get the job done.

Newegg Daily Deals: Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Gold Edition, Intel Core i5 4570, and More!

Posted: 27 May 2014 10:20 AM PDT

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Gold Editionnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Guybrush Threepwood taught us that being a pirate is oftentimes a laughing matter. However, he wasn't much of a fighter, and if you crave a bit more action from your pirating adventures, you should check out today's top deal for Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Gold Edition (Includes Season Pass) Online Game Code for $39 (normally $45 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHC83]. There's a bunch of extra content in the Gold Edition, which is all included here.

Other Deals:

Intel Core i5-4570 Haswell 3.2GHz LGA 1150 84W Desktop Processor for $190 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHC37])

Intel Core i3-3240 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz LGA 1155 55W Desktop Processor for $110 with free shipping (normally $120 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHC38])

G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory for $72 with free shipping (normally $80 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHC46])

XFX TS Series 550W SLI/CrossFire Ready Power Supply for $52 with free shipping (normally $62 - use coupon code: [EMCPEHC36]; additional $25 Mail-in rebate)

Microsoft Warns Against Using Registry Hack Allowing Windows XP to Receive Security Updates

Posted: 27 May 2014 10:01 AM PDT

Windows XP UpdateRegistry hack for Windows XP catches Microsoft's attention

Microsoft finally and officially ended support for Windows XP back in April, though not without throwing XP users a bone in the form of one last out-of-cycle security patch for a pretty serious vulnerability affecting most versions of Internet Explorer. However, that was a one-time thing, and now XP users are left out in the cold. Or are they? A registry hack that allows Windows XP to continue to receive security updates is making the rounds, and it's caught the attention of Microsoft.

It's a simply registry hack that involves creating a text file with the .reg extension and entering the following code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\PosReady]
"Installed"=dword:00000001

Once you save the file, you can double-click it in Windows Explorer and it will proceed to run Windows Update on 32-bit versions of Windows XP (if you're running a 64-bit copy, there's a workaround here). ZDNet tested the hack and said it appears to work as advertised. Several of the updates it pulled by running the registry hack were for Windows Server 2003, which runs the same kernel as Windows XP.

Microsoft is privy to the workaround, but strongly advises against running it.

"We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers," a Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet. "Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP. The best way for Windows XP customers to protect their systems is to upgrade to a more modern operating system, like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1."

So there you have it. While the hack appears to work (for now), Microsoft insists it's risky business to use it.

Image Credit: Flickr (Wesley Fryer)

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Acer Rolls Out World's First 4K Display with Nvidia G-Sync Technology

Posted: 27 May 2014 09:39 AM PDT

Acer MonitorA big screen monitor for gaming

Up to this point, there haven't been very many 4K computer monitors to get too excited about. Some of the early models use lower quality panels, while others have janky issues pumping out 4K Ultra HD at 60Hz. The technology is maturing, however, as evidenced by Acer's XB280HK, a 28-inch gaming monitor with a 3840x2160 resolution and support for Nvidia's G-Sync technology.

This is the first 4K monitor to support G-Sync, which synchronizes the display's refresh rates to the GPU to eliminate screen tearing, minimize display stutter, and reduce input lag. The end result is smoother, faster game play without having to tweak a bunch of settings.

Other features include 170/170 degree viewing angles (horizontal and vertical), DisplayPort input, four built-in USB 3.0 ports, LED backlight, and a multifunctional stand that supports tilt from -5 to 35 degrees, 120 degrees of rotation, 150mm of height adjustment, and pivot.

Acer didn't say how much it's asking for the XB280HK, though the company did say it will begin shipping the monitor in the second quarter of this year.

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Spotify to Update Android App Following Security Breach

Posted: 27 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT

SpotifyAnother day, another hack

Spotify is the latest company to fall prey to a hacker attack and has launched an investigation into the data breach. Based on initial findings, only one person's data has been accessed, and that information didn't include any password, financial, or payment information. Nevertheless, Spotify says it's erring on the side of caution and plans to roll out an updated Android app, which should show up in Google Play and Amazon Appstore over the next several days.

Mobile users running Spotify on iOS and Windows Phone don't need to worry about checking for an updated app, as the vulnerability that was exploited only affects the Android version. However, Spotify said it will be asking certain users to re-enter their username and password to log in over the coming days.

"Please note that offline playlists will have to be re-downloaded in the new version. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes, but hope you understand that this is a necessary precaution to safeguard the quality of our service and protect our users," Spotify said.

You can find more information related to the data breach on a special website Spotify constructed.

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Nvidia GeForce 337.88 Driver Now Available to Download

Posted: 27 May 2014 08:38 AM PDT

GeForce CloseNew drivers coincide with Watch Dogs launch

Nvidia on Monday launched new GeForce 337.88 WHQL certified drivers in preparation for today's release of Ubisoft's much anticipated Watch Dogs title. According to Nvidia, this latest release "ensures you'll have the best possible gaming experience for Watch Dogs." In addition, Nvidia promises performance gains of 10 percent or more in several titles at 2560x1400 and 3840x2160 (4K) resolutions.

Some of these include Call of Duty: Ghosts, F1 2013, Hitman Absolution, Sniper v2, DiRT 3, Just Cause 2, Team Fortress 2, Sleeping Dogs, Thief, and a few others.

Nvidia also said it made some key DirectX optimizations that should result in lower game loading times and "significant performance increases" in a bunch of titles compared to the previous 335.23 WHQL drivers. You can also expect CPU overhead reductions, which should improve performance across the board.

You find out more in the Release Notes (PDF) and the grab the updated drivers direct from Nvidia.

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Corsair Cranks Out Budget Minded Force Series LX SSDs Starting at $75

Posted: 27 May 2014 08:11 AM PDT

Corsair Force LX SeriesFast read performance for a low price

As prices keep coming down, it's becoming increasingly difficult to skip over a solid state drive in favor of a mechanical hard drive. At this point, the performance gain is usually worth the premium. That's certainly the conclusion Corsair hopes you come to in regards to its new Force Series LX SSDs. Corsair's Force Series LX SSDs are designed to offer "blazing performance to the masses" without a heavy price tag.

There are two capacities available -- 128GB for $75 and 256GB for $129, both of which are MSRPs. The drives come equipped with Silicon Motion SSD controllers and offer scorching fast read transfers, though write performance isn't on par with higher-end models.

Both capacities come rated at up to 560MB/s of sequential read performance. The 256GB boasts up to 300MB/s of sequential write performance, while the 128GB model tops out at 150MB/s. Max random read and write performance on the larger drive checks in at 76,000 IOPS and 70,000 IOPS, respectively, while the smaller drive features turns out 68,000 IOPs and 36,000 IOPs.

You can purchase the 256GB and 128GB Corsair Force LX Series SSDs direct from Corsair.

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