Re: 2 problems

Robert Baer wrote:
> Win7.1 SeaMonkey 2.53.6
> 
> 1) see no postings in any newsgroup since February
>    Makes it hard to see postings.
>    Using Google groups, see no postings in any newsgroup since April 1.
>    Cannot post anything; get:
> "Sending of the message failed.
> The message could not be posted because connecting to the news server failed. The server may be unavailable or is refusing connections. Please verify that your news server settings are correct and try again."
>    Methinks something not kosher with the news server settings.
>    What should i look for?
> 
> 2) my TerrorHertz thumb drive is no longer being recognized (no drive letter for it).
>   This is a serious problem for me.
>   How can this be fixed?

You are currently using Google Groups.

Your (1) implies you are using the Newsreader
in the Seamonkey suite, and this is pointed
to some site like "nntp.aioe.org" "Port 119" or similar.

We need to know your server, to comment. For example,
netfront.net has gone Read-Only so you cannot post there.
Altopia is closed (acquired by another NSP).

Albasani disappeared a year or so ago, when Roman had
a disk failure on the server, and there was no backup.

*******

A USB stick first has to respond as a USB stick.

Next, it needs a valid file system.

Finally, you can use the Windows interface to assign a drive letter.
Right-click the partition needing a drive letter, in diskmgmt.msc.
There should be a "change drive letter..." in there.

You could try TestDisk, to see if it has files on it, but
I don't know if TestDisk processes USB sticks. It might just
ignore a USB stick.

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step

    "Highlight the first partition Partition 2 and press p to list its data."

That's an example of checking whether there's a file system
that is in decent shape hiding in there. I don't generally
recommend using the "update partition table" function, because
90% of the time, the regenerated table is wrong. The scanner
very easily finds "fake" headers and includes them in the table,
and that is naughty and will cause infinite headaches
(ruined partitions and so on).

But using TestDisk as a forensic assistant, to find that
things aren't really broken, it's good at that function.

     Paul