FAQs

PodSync

When I try to run it, I get a message about the Microsoft.NET Framework

PodSync uses the 2.0 version of the .NET Framework. If you use Windows Update, you should already have it. However, you can download it directly from Microsoft here.

Google Desktop Extreme

What happened to the Google Deskbar?

GDX includes a plugin and instructions for using the Google Deskbar to launch searches. Unfortunately, Google has discontinued the Deskbar, in favor of the new Deskbar (or Sidebar) that is integrated with Google Desktop. This solution is far from adequate, as it is missing some key features of the original Deskbar, including the ability to create simple search plugins (like the one included with GDX). Anyhow, check this forum for copies of the original Deskbar installer that are still floating around the net: http://groups.google.com/group/google.public.labs.google-deskbar

The GDX_Setup.msi installer appears corrupted.

There may have been a network or other file transfer problem. You can try downloading a simple zip file of the program and it's associated files here if you can't get the installer to work.

When I first try to run the program, I get a crash message.

All of our software is written using Microsoft.NET technology. Most newer Windows XP-based computers already have .NET installed. If you try to run one of our programs and it crashes immediately, it's probably because you don't have this runtime installed. You can easily check by looking for "Microsoft.NET Framework" in the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel. If you don't have the .NET Framework installed on your machine, that's no problem - you can get it by either running Windows Update to make sure your computer is up to date (recommended), or you can download the installer directly from Microsoft here.

I can't get any search results.

If your Google Desktop Extreme results window always appears blank, please check a couple of items:

1. Make sure regular GDS is running, and searches work ok using the standard interface. It may also be that your index is "locked", in which case GD Extreme will not receive results from GDS. You will see a password box on the GDS search page if the index is locked.

2. Occasionally, users have reported that the search URL Google Desktop uses is different than the one used by GD Extreme (which is provided by Google in the system registry). To check this, run a standard search in GDS and leave your browser open, then run a search in GD Extreme and click the settings tab to see the settings page. There will be a box with the search URL GD Extreme uses to send queries to GDS. This should match the one in your browser's address bar after running a standard GDS search (from the "http" up to the "q="). If they do not match (or the box is empty), you can copy the URL from your browser (copy everything from the "http" up to and including the "q=") and paste it in the search URL box in GD Extreme. Then click "Apply" and try re-running the search. If this works, you may want to completely exit GD Extreme (right-click, select "Exit...") and restart it so the new URL is permanently saved. If you ever need to reset the URL to the system registry value, simply click the "Reset" button in the settings dialog.

TweakGDS

When I first try to run the program, I get a crash message.

All of our software is written using Microsoft.NET technology. Most newer Windows XP-based computers already have .NET installed. If you try to run one of our programs and it crashes immediately, it's probably because you don't have this runtime installed. You can easily check by looking for "Microsoft.NET Framework" in the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel. If you don't have the .NET Framework installed on your machine, that's no problem - you can get it by either running Windows Update to make sure your computer is up to date (recommended), or you can download the installer directly from Microsoft here.

TweakGDS isn't showing me any drives to index.

TweakGDS uses the Microsoft Scripting Runtime to get the names of connected drives. It's possible that the TweakGDS executable can't find this runtime. Please try the following options:

1. Make sure you have extracted all of the files from the tweakgds.zip onto your hard drive, and that the Interop.Scripting.dll file is in the same folder as TweakGDS.exe.

2. If this doesn't work, you may need to install the Scripting Runtime from Microsoft. It's a free download (most computers have it pre-installed), available here.

I clicked "delete cache", and now my old Outlook mail won't re-index.

GDS appears to be very finicky and slow about re-indexing email in your personal folders (i.e., not in the inbox).

Make sure you have the latest version of TweakGDS (1.1.3). After doing the complete re-index, open and close Outlook a couple of times while GDS is running, to ensure that GDS has noticed the program (GDS earmarks any installed email program for indexing when it is opened). Now, give GDS PLENTY of idle time to get the re-indexing of your mail done. This usually seems to take much longer than the initial indexing that GDS performs. I recommend you leave your computer at least overnight.

Note that the GDS status page may not say "indexing in progress" after you re-index with TweakGDS. This is perfectly fine.