Linearly compact modules and almost maximal rings.- h-Local domains.- Valuation rings and Bezout rings.- Basic facts about FGC rings and the local case.- Further facts about FGC rings and Torch rings.- The Zariski and Patch topologies of the spectrum of a ring.- The Stone-Cech compactification of N.- Relating topology to the decomposition of modules.- The main theorem.- Valuations.- Long power series rings.- Maximally complete valuation domains.- Examples of maximal valuation rings.- Examples of almost maximal Bezout domains.- Examples of Torch rings.