Any software alternative to PhoneTray?

Howdy folks. I'm new to this site & found it searching to see if I could still find a free copy of Phone Tray Free 1.39 which I had on my old PC running XP. Just replaced it w/ a better & faster PC & using Windows 8. I have not read through all the posts but the 1st page I saw was April 2013 I believe.

Does anybody here know how I can still find a place to get trhe free 1.39 version & does it work w/ Windows 8? I do not want to buy the Pro version nor do I need all the features. I just want to bed able to see who is calling me as a caller ID & have the ability to move them to the private zone & ZAP them. This was the best thing since women. My PC dude helped set my PC up & told me he could not download the free 1.39 version & I would have to go w/ PRO. I did not have a backup copy of it before he came & changed  me over w/ my new PC. I still have it on my old tower/harddrive, but I do not want to take things apart to be able to see it in My Programs & then I'm not sure if it would install. I'm using Bright House for my TV, Phone, & Internet service.

So, I'm begging for any help that any of ya'll can provide me as how to get  a copy to download or if some body can send me a copy & see if I can install it.
Thanks,
Marc

Here's the link to one of Herman's sites. I think this has the phonetray you're looking for.  He also has link on the previous page of this very topic.

http://800open.betaboard.net/t61-phonetray-free-139-download

https://800notes.com/forum/ta-81af10376422f2b ... ve-to-phonetray

Hey folks, I have been using Phone Tray for over a year and would like to preemptively augment my Black List by name. Could you PhoneTray users kindly add to my list? For instance, based upon calls received in the last year I have blocked the following:

Cellular Caller, Florida, Florida Call, LOS ANGELES CA, MICHIGAN CALL, NAME NOT FOUND, Opinion Poll, Out Of Area, PALO ALTO CA, Private, Toll Free Calle, Tollfree Caller, U.S. Cellular, Unavailable, Unknown*, Wireless Caller

Thank you in advance for whatever help you can provide!

Don't forget that phonetray will also block by area code. No Aunt Nellie in Newport? Block the State. That's what's great about Phonetray, you can be proactive. If you have the same 20 numbers calling (family & friends) you can also 'whitelist'. Have everything blocked & then add the numbers you want to ring through. Myself, that's what I use. Phonetray free will run on every Microsoft OS from Windows 98se - up. (With 98se you have to add USB2 support & .NET 2.0) Why let that Windows XP computer retire? It's only 13 (This October 25th) Windows 1.0 (November 10, 1985) sold for $100.00. Pretty expensive dos GUI.

After a couple years of using Phone Tray Free (PTF), I have amassed a few names in my list. To start, I have found that any call where the CID shows the name of a State is bogus, so you can add the other 48 to the 2 you already have. I list the names I have at the bottom of this post.

Badge714 has a very good point about blocking by area codes since the wildcard function allow for an entry like (555) ???-???? to block the entire 555 area code. I have blocks set for all invalid, unassigned, foreign and frequently reoccurring area codes. I have thought about blocking all and just doing a whitelist, but for now I like to play different sound file depending on where the call claims to have come from.

I find that PTF resolves what to do with a call by parsing and matching to its list in the following order:
1) Names without associated numbers (like in the list you show)
2) Specific numbers (like (555) 555-5555)
3) Numbers that match specified wildcards (like (555) 555-????)
Since it blocks wildcard matches last, it allows you to whitelist a number even if you block the entire area code (if you block the 555 area code using an entry of (555) ???-???? you could still allow (555) 555-5555 to get through by entering it and not checking the "Zap" box.)

You should add wildcard entries for area codes and exchanges that start with 0 or 1 such as "(0??) ???-????" and "(???) 0??-????" since no area code or exchange number can start with a 0 or 1. You also cannot have valid calls from numbers with a 9 as the second digit of the area code "(?9?) ???-????" or with 11 as the second and third digits of an exchange "(???) ?11-????"

This Wikipedia link discusses the rules for valid phone numbers under the North American Numbering Plan:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Numbering_Plan

This Wikipedia link lists the Area Codes under the North American Numbering Plan:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_North_American_Numbering_Plan_area_codes
It lists the codes by number and by region. The number list tells you if they are in use, reserved for future use, reserved for specific purposes (e.g. Government), or not used. It also tells which codes overlay other codes, so you can use this to block all the codes that cover a specific region.

Here is the list I have. Some of these are debt collectors trying to reach the family of deadbeats that had my number before me, but most are the illicit telemarketers & scam callers. I still get a chuckle when I see the one that used "Neighbor" to try to get people to answer their call.

Affordablevacci
Alabama
Alaska
Alberta
APRIA HEALTHCAR
Arizona
Arkansas
Assigned Credit
Atlantis Concie
CALIFORNIA
California Scho
CAPITAL ONE
Card Services
CHRLSTN SC
CMRE FINANCIAL
Colorado
Connecticut
Consumer Svcs
Delaware
Direct Mktg Tra
Discount Center
Dist Of Columbi
Federal Financi
First Class Vac
Ge Capital
Georgia
Goodreads
Guam
HARTWELL GA
Hawaii
Hildago County
Idaho
Illinois
IND SUR GROIP
Ind Sur Grop
Ind Sur Group
Indiana
Iowa
Jamaica
Kansas
KAPLAN COLLEGE
Kentucky
Kitchen Academy
Louisiana
LOWER INTEREST
Lower Tax
Maine
Maritz Research
Maryland
Massachusetts
Member Rewards
Member Services
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Mod Dept
Montana
Naca
Nassauzn01
Nebraska
Neighbor
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Not Available
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pacifictel
PACTEL
Pennsylvania
PO AMERICA
Points Rewards
Portfolio Recov
Portfolio Recove
Portfoliorecov
Portfoliorecove
Power One
Princeton Data
Private caller
Private Name
Puerto Rico
RESRCH STDY
Rhode Island
SKIP TEL
South Carolina
South Dakota
TAX EXPERTS
Tennessee
Texas
Timeshare
Travelers Insur
TW CABLE
Unassigned
UNIVERSAL SURVE
Urgent
USA Home Survey
Utah
VACATIONS
Vermont
VIP SERVICES
Virgin Islands
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Whyy Educ Servi
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Since the "Privacy.csv" that PTF uses to keep its zap list can be opened and edited in a spreadsheet program like Excel, if you want to add these to your list:
-- Shut down the PTF service by right-clicking the icon on the task bar and selecting "Shutdown Phone Tray". (You cannot edit the file and keep PTF from overwriting your changes unless you turn it off.)
-- Open "Privacy.csv" in your spreadsheet program. The file is usually found in the folder "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\PhoneTray"
-- Copy and paste the above list to the end of what is listed in the file and line up the names in the second ("B" under Excel) column.
-- Copy columns "C" through "Q" from another name/number you have blocked and paste that into the "C"-"Q" columns next to the entries you just added. (In Excel you can highlight the "C" cells next to the list and then do a right-click and paste to fill all the highlighted cells and the columns to their right.)
-- Save the edited "Privacy.csv" file.
-- Restart the PTF service. (Start->Programs->Phone Tray->Phone Tray Free)

Not all calls with the state name are bogus.  If you did not add your CID name to your cell phone plan your call might very well come in as MASSACHUSETTS (for instance). Several of my friends come in that way and I did also before I added my name by calling my provider.

Good point and somethng to consider.
In my case, I know my friends phone numbers and have them entered in a whitelist so they are passed through regardless of the name entry.  Of course, if they changed numbers and their call came up with a regional name they would not get through, but then they can always email me and tell me about the new number.

I fairly recently had a valid, legitimate & desired call show up on caller ID as a state name  + a 111 exchange!  Might have been considered a government call but wanted to put that info up.
I tonight tried a couple of the mentioned places to get PTF but was unsuccessful (problem loading page...) - running on old 98se sys - it has the hardware but not driver for USB 2 - AND I am not quite ready to have a sys on 24/7 - although the phone tray logging features sound very enticing - part of reason for Not going 24/7 is that i have a no-longer-made / available CID & logging unit - hardware & software combo that will capture CID info {even when the computer is off} [wall wart powered] and upload to the 'puter during boot up- the only times it seems to lose a call id if the call comes in while 'puter is in act of booting up, have had very few problems over several years, although occasionally have to do a reset = no big deal.
It has 2 files, a 'Logbook' & a 'Phonebook' = logbook is just that (with icons for phonebook entered #s) & 'phonebook like a contacts type file lets me add more info & a couple  additional #s, although space is limited.
I think outfit that made it died because of lack of customers...
will probably try again in next couple of weeks when get a circular TUIT    :-) to try for PTF again - as a just in case probably...
love 800 notes & don't often get on blogs etc. these days...

How do you get Phone Tray Free to work for a land line?

will this information work? http://www.inspectmygadget.com/2007/05/23/how ... landline-calls/

My computer is old and no frills.

I love Phonetray Pro, no problems with it.  It will block any Phone call one can imagine. no limit to how many numbers you can block.

I have to disagree with your tactic of arbitrarily blocking any call that has a state name as the CID...  A number of my friends' cell phones will display just the state name as the CID.  I've never asked why, but I suspect it may be that they declined to allow their name to be the CID, so it has defaulted to the State...

SO... if you block every state name, you may be excluding legitimate callers.  If you do this, then perhaps your WAV file should announce you are blocking CIDs that don't clearly identify the calling party -- then any legitimate calls that are blocked will have a chance to take corrective action.

I responded to that subject when Ed brought it up back in November.  PTF filters by number first and if it cannot make a match then by the name.  For any legitimate caller you want to get through you simply add their number to the privacy list and select the option not to block, which effectively whitelists the number.  For friends whose numbers do not display, you would have to ask them to dial the unblock code (usually *82) for their CID information before they dial your number.  If they have your number stored, they can simply prepend *82 and a couple Flash presses (to allow the phone system time to process the code) to your phone number entry.  This will allow the number to display and the whitelisting to work.
Any true friend would be more than willing to do such a favor.

I use the unblocking code above for any call I make to my friends and relatives and have made it clear that a reciprocal unblocking is a mandatory condition if they want to be able to call me.  Call that attitude what you want, but I am comfortable with it and I have not had any of them complain about it.

Now, mind you, I only give my home number to friends and relatives.  Businesses I deal with get my work number, because they tend to call during business hours and that is where I usually am during those hours.  So, since my friends and relatives unblock their numbers when they call, any call I get with a State or City name in the CNAM field is an illegitimate call and my PTF deals with it as such.
YMMV.

Good post & agree 100%. If someone who knows me wants to call me - then TELL me who is calling. A lot of people now understand what a plague caller ID spoofing has become. Excuse the last second plug, but I still prefer 'phone tray free' over the pro version. Wish they'd put back the features they removed over the window dressing they added.

I finally found the free version of Phone Tray - thank you so very much!!!!  I installed it and now what do I do?  I am so stupid about computers (am from the typewriter era) and I would like to know if there is anything else I need to do and if so how/what?  I have the little icon thing showing up on my computer and I clicked on it but there were no instructions as to what if anything I need to do and I could like to know how to make sure the calls I want to get through to me actually DO get through.  It is not blocking a telemarketing call that I have gotten 3 of from the same number in the last 15 minutes or so - and I would like to know how to make it block it please.

Thank you for any and all help you can give me and I just wish I was a little smarter about all this stuff but it is just beyond my comprehension most of the time.

I have one more question (so far) as to which of the listings in the phone tray thing on the privacy manager is the one that is for calls you WANT to get through - such as the NA listing - is that for the numbers that you don't know who it is?  is the Private Numbers the numbers that you WANT to get through to you?  I'm not really sure I understand the different meanings of the labels.  Could someone PLEASE explain them?  What I am trying to do is set it up so that the only calls I receive are from people I know or want calls from - so could someone show this old lady or tell this old lady how to do that in simple english, please?  Thank you all for any and all help.  I just can't take all these scam calls and would like to be able to stop them without stopping the calls I WANT to receive.