Recent Posts

10201

Living Room / Re: Weird Window When Computer Boots Up

« Last post by 40hz on June 07, 2009, 07:24 AM »

OK. Let's see if we can help you get this fixed.

If the only problem is activation, then purchasing a new full copy of WindowsXP will solve that problem.

If you lost your original disks - and have no way of getting a replacement CD for the Home Edition you paid for when you bought your PC - then buying a new copy will be your only option.

I'm not happy that the tech didn't warn you about what would happen if you couldn't supply him/her with your original software (i.e. that you'd need to buy a new copy) - but that's the way it goes. (Also a good reason to put your disks someplace where you can find them.)

So to recap - buying and installing a new copy of Windows XP will solve your activation problem.

I also think your tech should do the reinstall for free.

Especially since you've already been billed for the service. And also because any tech worthy of the name already knew you wouldn't be able to legally activate the copy he put on your machine.

If there's anything else you need clarified, just post it here. Or send me a personal message. I know how frustrating it can be having a machine down when you're trying to go online and pay bills with it.

 

10202

Living Room / Re: Ultimate Lock Picker Hacks Pentagon, Beats Corporate Security for Fun and Profit

« Last post by 40hz on June 07, 2009, 12:26 AM »

In a way, they are hackers too and I can very much relate to that

-housetier (June 06, 2009, 05:53 AM)

Excellent observation. Especially when you consider that back in the early days of hacking and phreaking, being able to pick a lock was considered part of the basic hacker skill set.

Defeating lock mechanisms is a popular hobby for many bright people, including some famous ones.

The physicist Richard Feynman used to combat boredom while working at Los Alamos on the Manhattan Project by cracking the combination locks on file cabinets and safes containing secret engineering plans for nuclear weapon development. Once he gained entrance, he'd often leave them open for the Military Police to "discover" when they conducted their rounds! He would then sit back and watch the base security people run around in a panic thinking spies had somehow gained access to classified research. Considering the country was at war, he's lucky he didn't get shot once they figured out it was him doing it.


Here's a picture of him from his Los Alamos ID card:



That smile of his says it all.

10203

Living Room / Re: NSFW - The website is down!

« Last post by 40hz on June 06, 2009, 12:31 PM »

Well... I posted something about it last August. Does that count?  

https://www.donation....msg125029#msg125029

10204

Living Room / Re: Good TV series. What do you watch? I used to watch Lost to unwind need successor

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 10:40 PM »

I would have suggested if you were a sci-fi buff to watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but it got canceled.  

-Innuendo (June 05, 2009, 03:14 PM)

What is it with Summer Glau? Any series she's on seems to get canned.

10205

General Software Discussion / Re: Can somebady help me with an ISO burning question?

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 10:35 PM »

Silly question, but what's stopping you from just making an image of the CD, (eg. using ImgBurn), and then writing the image to DVD ?

-4wd (June 05, 2009, 07:34 PM)

I'm with 4wd. For some reason I used to assume a CD image wasn't "legal" to burn as a DVD with Imgburn.  Then for chuckles I just burned one.  Worked fine.

-MilesAhead (June 05, 2009, 07:49 PM)

I'm late to the party, but what I was going to say has already been said. The only difference between a CD data ISO and a DVD data ISO is the size it can be. Bootable or not, they are the same when it comes to burning.

-Innuendo (June 05, 2009, 08:57 PM)

My turn to feel stupid.  

You're all absolutely right. When they told me burning to DVD "didn't work" my brain took a temporary leave of absence and forgot that it doesn't matter whether you burn an ISO to CD or DVD as long as there's space for it on the media.

And providing you specifically tell Nero (which I don't much like or use - but they love) to burn to DVD. If you don't, it apparently defaults to using CD media for sub 700MB ISOs, and DVD for anything over.



Thanks people. It's been a long day.

10206

General Software Discussion / Can somebady help me with an ISO burning question?

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 03:45 PM »

Ok...

I was wondering if the collective expertise at Donation Coder could help me with this one.

I had a client ask me if there was a relatively easy way to use (or convert) a bootable CD ISO so that it could be burned as a bootable DVD. (Long story why - don't ask... )

If it were just a data CD, it would be an simple job to open the ISO in something like IZArc, extract the files, and then either burn the collection to DVD, or recompile it as DVD ISO. But this is a bootable CD they're talking about.

I don't know of any easy, non-techy way to convert it other than do it manually.

Basically, what they're looking for is a utility or simple how-to they can follow. Unpacking the original ISO, isolating the files, and then manually recompiling the collection to boot from DVD media would be completely beyond them.

Any suggestions?

10207

Living Room / Re: Good TV series. What do you watch? I used to watch Lost to unwind need successor

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 02:03 PM »

The Inspector Morse and Hercule Poirot series that originally ran (in the US) on PBS as part of the Mystery! program.

Also that classic sci-fi sleeper Space: Above and Beyond. One of the better and more intelligent riffs on the theme of "special forces in space." Exploits of the 58th Mobile Marine Attachment (Wild Cards) assigned to SCVN Saratoga. Very good character and plot development throughout.  Now even more poignant in the wake of recent history. If you liked Haldeman's book  The Forever War, you'll probably like this.



 

10208

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: DbSchema on Bits Du Jour - Friday June 5,2009

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 01:18 PM »

If you're going the MySQL route, you might also want to try the free community edition of MySQL Workbench. There is also a commercial "standard" edition that will set you back $99 US if you need additional features. I've just gotten started learning it, and so far, it looks very promising.

About MySQL Workbench

MySQL Workbench is a cross-platform, visual database design tool developed by MySQL. It is the highly anticipated successor application of the DBDesigner4 project. MySQL Workbench will be available as a native GUI tool on Window, Linux and OS X.

...

MySQL Workbench is a ER/database modeling tool for MySQL. You can use it to design and create new database schemas, document existing databases and even perform complex migrations to MySQL.

Main features:

    * Cairo based diagramming canvas which allows output to different targets such as OpenGL, Win32, X11, Quartz, PostScript, PDF etc
    * visual representation of tables, views, stored procedure/functions and foreign keys
    * live database and SQL script file reverse-engineering
    * database/model synchronization
    * SQL script generation
    * extensible architecture
    * export as SQL CREATE script
    * import DBDesigner4 models
    * support for MySQL 5 features
    * selectable notations for diagram

Main Page: http://dev.mysql.com/workbench/

Features Matrix: http://dev.mysql.com...orkbench/?page_id=11

10209

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 7 evaluation

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 12:01 PM »

Ran into a fun one yesterday. I tried a 32-bit install on an old Toshiba Satellite laptop. The installation went smoothly. I installed other software, rebooted it several times, and was quite happy with how quickly it came up. 

Everything seemed to be working correctly until I accidentally killed the power (it needs to run on AC since the battery is shot) while I had the Users control panel open. I hadn't selected any specific user, nor was I changing any of the user settings. I just had the panel open when the plug got accidentally pulled.

When I rebooted, I went straight into the desktop per usual. But any time I tried to open anything, it informed me I no longer was allowed to do so. Nor could I access the Control Panels for the same reason. Basically, all I could do was look at the desktop, restart it, or shut it down.

But most seriously, I could no longer log on as Administrator since it wouldn't accept the password which I had set up and successfully used for it previously. In the end I had to reinstall.

Bizarre. Something got corrupted during that power outage.

I submitted the details to MS.

10210

Living Room / Re: What annoys you to no end?

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 11:31 AM »

Grownups saying "Woo Hoo!!!!"

-mrainey (May 30, 2009, 08:50 AM)

 
I missed this one...this never annoys me, though. I just get really embarrassed for them.  

-SKesselman (June 03, 2009, 06:24 PM)

hey!!
I say that occasionally - okay, I do it a bit tongue in cheek but it's fun too.
I'll remember to let ye know when to be emabarrased and annoyed

-tomos (June 04, 2009, 09:28 AM)

Me too - and I make no apologies! I picked it up from watching Sabrina...

-CleverCat (June 05, 2009, 02:10 AM)

My GF has done that since she was a kid. Back then, it was traditional around where I live to yell Woo-Hoo!! when a fellow barn-mate won a ribbon at a horse show. That's how she got started. (And yes, I still cringe every time she does it.)

Question: Does it still count as annoying if she didn't start doing it as an adult?

---

P.S. She has since informed me that if I promise to stop saying w00t! she'll stop saying Woo-Hoo!!! - unless, of course, she feels like saying: Woo-Hoo!!! - in which case, I'll just have to deal with it.

10211

Living Room / Re: Bad-Actor ISP Shutdown by FTC

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 11:26 AM »

I'm guessing it's one of those 'long story' long stories.

10212

Living Room / Re: Malicious Software Removal Tool Ques.

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 11:24 AM »

Left this out before.  Running XP Pro with all SP2 patches.

-bob99 (June 05, 2009, 07:35 AM)

I'd suggest putting SP3 on there as well. It cured a lot of odd-ball problems. You also want it on there for security reasons.

Luck 

10213

Living Room / Re: StrongWebmail apparently hacked after issuing $10K challenge

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 11:21 AM »

Let's see...the challenge went out on May 21st and the site was successfully hacked by June 4th so that's about...two weeks total?

Good thing they were only offering $10K. If they offered $100K they would have probably been hacked in less than a week.

("Bigger bait attracts bigger fish.")

 

10214

Living Room / Re: Bad-Actor ISP Shutdown by FTC

« Last post by 40hz on June 05, 2009, 11:10 AM »

Thank you for sharing that bit of news. You've just brightened up my day!

10215

Living Room / Re: Things your kids will never know - old school tech!

« Last post by 40hz on June 04, 2009, 04:53 PM »

Any old-school phreaks out there that remember silver boxes?

-CWuestefeld (June 04, 2009, 03:16 PM)

And blue boxes, and red ones, and ...ah the joys of trying to get to meet the "Ma Bell and Da Feds" under not so ideal circumstances.

Here's the sequence for that experience in six steps:  

1)    

2) 

3)      

4)  

5)  

 and finally

6)   .............

Cap'n Crunch Lives!

10216

Living Room / Re: Where did your DC user I.D come from?

« Last post by 40hz on June 04, 2009, 03:26 PM »

Advance Notice: 40hz is going off on another one of his OT rambles. You have been warned!

@40hz: I figured it had to do with bass playing, but that's a really cool story.  

I think I'm going to de-tune my trusty Fender tonight just to see what happens, though I wonder how my latest fuzz pedal design is going to take it.

-Edvard (June 04, 2009, 10:49 AM)

@Edvard - Might be worth a try, but I think a lot of it will depend on what you're putting your Fender through. I'm sure there was some resonance factor (either mechanical or electrical) involved, so I'm guessing that by lowering our tuning we hit a sweet spot somewhere in the system.

In a way, I'm not surprised. Especially now that a lot of Metal bands are tuning down whole steps to find that true "death metal" sound. Of course, the growing popularity of the 7-string in Metal might do away with that practice eventually. (Bet the ghost of George Van Eps is smiling about it too!)

If it doesn't help, try tuning up a bit. My GF's Fender Lead 75 loves it when she tunes her Strats a few cents up from 440. Gotta love tubes!!!

FYI: Our VOTT system was loaded with JBL extended-range 15" bass speakers. Couple that with custom passive crossovers and those HUGE cabinets and it made for what would today be considered a very unusual package - especially now that 4X10's and 8X10's have replaced the ported 1 & 2X15's as the default bass cabinet configuration.

10217

Living Room / Re: Malicious Software Removal Tool Ques.

« Last post by 40hz on June 04, 2009, 02:50 PM »

Are you using Outlook in conjunction with a Microsoft Exchange server, or do you show unattached shares when you open My Computer?

10218

Living Room / Re: Where did your DC user I.D come from?

« Last post by 40hz on June 03, 2009, 11:05 PM »

Kind of a long story...

Back in my well-spent youth up in Boston, I was the bass player in an "all-originals" rock band. At the time, I was big on experimenting with intonation and psycho acoustics as a hobby. As a result, I'd often try come up with various ways to inexpensively improve our overall sound since we couldn't afford much in the way of equipment. One big break came when I accidentally discovered something about our Altec-Lansing Voice of the Theater PA system.

One day before rehearsal, I noticed that a tape of baroque music I was playing though the PA system sounded remarkably better than anything else I had ever heard going through it - including our band. During a break, I decided to play along with the tape and noticed I had to slightly detune my bass to match the other instruments. When I checked it against a tuner, I discovered that my low E-string was now tuned to 40Hz as opposed to the standard 41.2Hz for that note under A=440 tuning.

Thinking I might be onto something, I got the rest of the band to match my slightly lowered tuning, and the result was an significant improvement in sound for the entire band.

We used our new tuning the next time we played out at a club, and the reaction amazed us. Everybody was telling us how fantastic we sounded. And some fellow musicians even complimented us on our "new" sound system. After that, we always used 40Hz as our reference standard.

Inside the group, we always called each other by our first initials. No real reason for it. It was just a 'band thing.' Since my first name is Ed, I should have been called "E." But that moniker had already been bestowed on Ellen - our drummer's devastatingly intelligent and beautiful girlfriend. So I became "Low-E" in order not to screw up the tradition.

After my accidental discovery, however, our lead singer rechristened me "40Hz" in honor of our new low E, and the name stuck.

Now aren't you glad you asked?

10219

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your favorite computer game from when you were young?

« Last post by 40hz on June 02, 2009, 05:06 PM »

It's funny how many of the good old games were done by EA before their transformation to corporate tyrant, and how many of their games were innovative as opposed to now.

-wraith808 (June 02, 2009, 04:51 PM)

IMHO, it think a lot of it had to do with Trip Hawkins being at the helm in the early days. EA lost its sense of humor and much of its soul after he left.

10220

General Software Discussion / Re: Confessions of a Freeware Junkie updates their list of recommended freeware

« Last post by 40hz on June 02, 2009, 04:55 PM »

Just as an aside, freewarejunkie is very good on freeware network administration tools

-Steven Avery (June 02, 2009, 03:17 PM)

Excellent article. He hits on most of the favorites. Bringing Spiceworks IT Desktop to the attention of those "in the trade" as well as "those who want to be" is worth its weight in gold. I'm a big fan of Spiceworks. In my company, Spiceworks makes the difference between partial and complete insanity during busy times.

If you provide IT tech support, get familiar with Spiceworks. One of the best tools out there.

The other hidden gem is Spotlight on Windows.  It's easy to dismiss this app as a pile of eye-candy, thereby missing out on what a powerful monitoring tool it actually is. We have this product running on just about every server we're responsible for. It provides our clients with a quick heads-up on the status of their servers. And it also gives the management types (who sign the checks) something pretty to look at when they're walking their fellow managers through the Computer Room.

Spotlight on Windows may even get your company some new business. We've had queries as to how much it would cost to acquire "one of those Spotlight Server things."  Some people actually think it's a whole new server product.

(Note: Please be ethical and tell them the truth. )

 

10221

Living Room / Re: Looking for a newsgroup news reader

« Last post by 40hz on June 02, 2009, 02:39 PM »

I use Pan, the philosophy and interface is very like XNews.

-e712 (May 29, 2009, 12:08 PM)

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Pan's authors said they got a lot of their inspiration from XNews.

The only problem with Pan I've ever encountered is its unfortunate tendency to lock-up if you don't limit the number of headers you allow it to retrieve on each fetch cycle.

When I go into a new newsgroup, I usually just let XNews grab all the headers. And  I've done this in groups that have 100K+ of them. It might take XNews a while to pull them down, but I usually grab some coffee or play with the dog a bit, so it's not like it's that big a deal for me to wait every so often.

Pan, on the other hand, seems to crap out around the 40-60K header mark - even when it's running on the same hardware (I swap drives to switch between Linux and Windows ) as XNews.

Not a showstopper for Pan - but it makes me think when I'm going back and forth between OSs, so I'm not all that happy about it. Otherwise, Pan is as good as it gets on Linux. At least IMHO.

10222

General Software Discussion / Re: Is anyone currently using Panda Cloud Antivirus

« Last post by 40hz on June 02, 2009, 02:19 PM »

Well...I decided to give it a run.

Installation went smoothly. Nice interface. Made it to 7% completed before it quit with an "Unexpected Error." No additional information was returned. Event log shows scan started, and one detection: a benign technician's password cracking utility which I already knew about.



I guess this is to be expected, since the product is still in beta.

10223

General Software Discussion / Is anyone currently using Panda Cloud Antivirus

« Last post by 40hz on June 02, 2009, 11:07 AM »

Panda Cloud Antivirus: You've heard about it, you've read the reviews, waded through the surrounding hype - and maybe even thought about testing it.

But has anybody at DoCo actually tried it? Or better yet - is anyone currently using it?

Please share your experiences with the rest of us.

Link: www.cloudantivirus.com

Press release link: www.pandasecurity.com/usa/about/corporate-news/new-61.htm

With Panda Cloud Antivirus, Panda Security is introducing a new protection model that utilizes a thin-client agent and server architecture which processes and blocks malware more efficiently than locally installed signature-based products. By moving the entire malware scanning and determination process to the cloud and applying non-intrusive interception techniques on the client architecture, Panda Cloud Antivirus is able to provide advanced protection against new and unknown viruses with a lightweight thin-client agent that barely consumes any PC resources.

Traditional antivirus products for PCs rely on multiple locally installed technologies which intercept each file at different layers (entry vector, file system and execution) and scan them using various techniques (antivirus, heuristics, intrusion prevention, behavioral analysis, etc.). This process results in heavy usage of local PC memory and CPU resources, negatively impacting performance. The Panda Cloud Antivirus thin-client agent introduces a new philosophy for on-access asynchronous cloud-scanning. It combines local detection technologies with real-time cloud-scanning to maximize results while minimizing resource consumption. This optimized model blocks malicious programs as they attempt to execute, while managing less dangerous operations via non-intrusive background scans.

Panda Cloud Antivirus includes local and remote antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-rootkit, heuristics and goodware cache, while only consuming an average of 17 MB of RAM and 50 percent of the PC performance impact as compared to the industry average.

10224

Living Room / Re: What annoys you to no end?

« Last post by 40hz on June 02, 2009, 10:45 AM »

Twitter.

10225

General Software Discussion / Re: A linux adventure: A Blog for linux newbees by a Linux Newbee...

« Last post by 40hz on June 01, 2009, 02:13 PM »

Again, I can offer only my experiences, no (initial) expertise.

-brotman (June 01, 2009, 11:44 AM)

Not a problem. Far better to offer to share your experiences minus the (initial) expertise rather than try to share "expertise" without first having some experience. There are enough poseurs out there already.

I, for one, appreciate your candor.