>> Archive 2007
[November 26th, 2007]
Super Laptop
Flipping through the TV tonight and ran across a segment on Evening Magazine about General Dynamics and their super mountain man Laptop (as in rugged).
- Dropable.
- Works in extreme cold and hot.
- Spill pop, coffee and whatever else, then rinse it under water.
- Take it out in the weather with you.
Dude, it's a dream. But at the cost of nearly $4,500, guess I'll keep dreaming. See the TV segment here.
[November 18th, 2007]
Linux Music Box
There's been a long intended goal of having a music box plugged into the Onkyo receiver, putting my entire music collection at my fingertips for play over the surround sound home theatre system. Towards this end I made recent acquisition of a used Dell Inspiron 5100 laptop, P4, 256MB RAM, 30GB hard drive, and non-working USB ports. For the latter reason it was destined for the trash heap until dude was allowed free ownership. So brought it home, wiped the drive and installed Ubuntu 7.04. The only needed addition was a 3.5mm male to 2 RCA male adapter cable to run between the laptop's headphone jack and the receiver's inputs. And special thanks to Tuna for once again being that great guy around the corner with tubs of adapters/cables, and the willingness to share.
The 30GB drive was just big enough to hold Ubuntu and my 22 gigs worth of MP3's (1.1GB to spare). At first I let Ubuntu set me up with Gstreamer as the audio player, but too much static was coming through. Followed it up with XMMS, Banshee and Amarok. Installed them using this command (in terminal):
sudo aptitude install xmms xmms-mad xmms-skins xmms-wma mpg123 banshee amarok
Didn't like Banshee. XMMS has the familiar Winamp feel, but still experienced some mild static problems. Then there's Amarok, which seems to be the best of the three. I really like it's layout, but not how it databased my songs. For instance, I like all techno in the techno folder. Same with jazz and classical. Now they're all spread out through it's DB list. Which didn't seem too bad because you can click Amarok's Files tab and still reference your music through your normal music folder. Except for a glitch every once in a while where Amarok suddenly stops seeing the songs inside your file folders, then you have to either shutdown and restart Amarok or revert back to the it's Connections tab DB song listing. Outside of that, I'm quite happy. And after playing with it's equalizer, I was able to eliminate most of the static, but still not all. I think the problem lies in the sound card or driver.
Other than that, learned about this cool open source app. - InfraRecorder - that burns CD's, DVD's (dual layer even), ISO's and more.
[September 30th, 2007]
Ubuntu 7.04/XP Dual Boot
I have semi-successfully broken away from Katie's new and addictive Diversion game page to make mention of my new dual boot XP/Ubuntu machine. The boys (& girls) at Ubuntu are awesome. They've made even a dual boot installation seem incredibly simplistic (read: easy, easy, and easy). The partitioner finds your XP windows partition, then just let it resize the partition and use the free space. I did have to work through the problem of my DVD drive seizing up halfway through the first install (my problem, not theirs), causing me to start over. On the second go around Ubuntu showed the new 2nd partition for resizing. Selected 'manual', deleted the partition and created a new one. But be sure to leave the Swap. If you encounter a no root or must have root directory error, edit the new partition and choose ' / ' from the drop down menu. Everything else went smoothly.
Ubuntu's migrating of your Windows documents and settings is very cool, as is having access to all your files on the Windows side. Start clicking your media files, i.e. an MP3, and Ubuntu pop's up a box with the program you can use to listen to it. Choose to install (in this case gstreamer) and your done. All from the GUI, no command line.
Beryl White Screen (of death). You'll want to be aware of this encase you, too, encounter it. Immediately upon installing then starting up Beryl, the screen went white. All white. This that and everything else, white. Worse than the best white out conditions at Baker. You can flip it, but white - white - white.
Here was the problem: I first needed to enable the restricted driver for my nvidia video card (who knew?).
Here's how I solved: Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get to the full screen terminal window. Logged in and removed Beryl by entering:
sudo apt-get remove 'beryl*'
Used Ctrl+Alt+F7 to return to the desktop. It was still white. Re-entered the terminal and at the command line entered:
sudo reboot
After rebooting, desktop returned to normal. Entered the restricted drivers (System > Administration > Restricted Devices Manager) and enabled my nvidia driver.
Re-installed Beryl by entering at terminal command line:
sudo aptitude install beryl beryl-manager emerald-themes
Return to desktop and start it up, Application > System Tools > Beryl Manager. And finally saw what all the fuss is about. Beryl is pretty rad. To change your themes, right-click red diamond > select Emerald Theme Manager.
Resources I've found especially helpful:
- 13 Must Do things on new Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn installation: Simple directions to install Flash, Adobe Reader, Java, Beryl and much more.
- Seven Post-Install Tips for Ubuntu 7.04
- Switching Desktops to Ubuntu
- Binary Driver Howto/Nvidia
- Virus Protection With AVG Antivirus On Ubuntu Feisty Fawn
- Unofficial Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) Starter Guide: An excellent all encompassing resource.
Now back to Katie's old school gaming experience.
[September 15th, 2007]
Ophcrack LiveCD
I read about Ophcrack here on /. last week and decided to see if it's LiveCD would be a viable password recovery tool (download), under the theoretical premise that employee and/or neighbor Joe Forgetful Blow completely spaces out on his password and cannot get into his laptop which is full of highly sensitive top secret designs on some new ground breaking bathroom fixtures.
Booted from the LiveCD and... it did not crack my alphanumeric password. So I then set up 6 user accounts on the laptop with the following passwords:
PW#1 - simpleton
PW#2 - simple12ton
PW#3 - s1mpl3t0n
PW#4 - S1mpl3Ton
PW#5 - simple$%ton
and last but not least:
PW#6 - over14characters
Symbols are immune to the LiveCD, and anything over 14 characters is completely protected from all versions. So PW#5 and PW#6 were safe.
As for PW#1-4, only PW#2 was completely cracked. It figured out 'simplet' from PW#1, but not the LMPASSWD2 section 'on'. It figured out the LMPASSWD2 '0n' and 'on' from PW#3 & PW#4, but not the LMPASSWD1 sections of either.
While the LiveCD might or might not crack the password, their Windows version has a much larger rainbow table to work from and I don't doubt it would've figured them out. Ophcrack itself is free, but the use of the very comprehensive NT Hash table will cost you. As for a forgotten password, including the local admin, Active@ Password Changer (not free) is a good password reseting tool.
[July 4th, 2007]
My Nearly Jacked Processor
The 3 year old Dell Dimension 8300 has experienced intermittent start ups lately with an "Alert! Previous shutdown due to a thermal event". Opened it yesterday and gave it the canned air spa treatment. While having it exposed to the world, thought I'd pull out the CPU's heat sink to get a better view of the capacitors (checked for leaking or bulging). Unbeknownst to me, this would be a bad thing. Out came the heat sink, and stuck to the bottom when flipping it over? The CPU! There was mild confusion, "Boy, that's a weird way of doing it." After gently separating the two, I reseat and press the power button, nothing - at all. No lights, no fan activity, nada. I reseat, still nothing. Got a bad sinking feeling inside. I pull out the CPU, take a look at the bottom, bent pins! And one is ridiculously bent. All tries to fix are met with failure. Oh, the insanity. Serenity now! Figured the processor was jacked.
Which leads us to today. Couldn't let it go without a final fight. Brought out all the tools. Tweezers proved too big. That 3 pronged gadget wasn't strong enough to pull up the ridiculously bent pin. Nothing was working. Then I glance at the steak knives. Nooo. Yesss! Small enough to get the tip under the pin, strong enough to pull it up and thin enough to slide between the rows and gently move back and forth to straighten the pins (dull end down). Whodathunkit. Took a couple reseat attempts and pin restraightenings, but then, yes!, as if back from the dead, lights, fans, and a successful boot!
In hindsight, I could've wandered by Tuna's and found a couple tools better suited for the job, but the sharp kitchen utensil worked in the heat of the moment (Asia, circa '82). And it probably goes without saying that, throughout the process, my eyes were buggin out staring in deep concentration at those rows upon rows of thin shiny conductors. And no, the CPU is not supposed to be stuck to, or come out with, the heat sink. So beware & be careful when pulling out said heat sink! Here are the Dell directions for Dimension 8300 CPU removal. Yes, those green "retention module clips" can be a mild pain.
[June 1st, 2007]
Tres Entries
Katie put down stakes on her tract of the web. I really like her header graphic. If only I had a shred of her talent. The clean layout is nice, too. Sorta makes me wanna do some re-designing. And read Katie's entry here about getting your name in J.Sto lights, or at least the credits of her movie. Do your part, get your 15 minutes... or seconds, or however fast those credits roll by ...of fame.
So Wyatt wanders by my desk a couple weeks ago, someone brought him their WinXP computer and had forgotten their administrator password. Re-installing was last resort. First thought was ERD Commander, but they (Winternals) were acquired by Microsoft last year. We do some searching and Wyatt comes across Active@ Password Changer. It did the job. Also works with Vista.
Last, but far from least... Joe unicycled - yes, one wheeled it - from Glacier up to the Mt. Baker ski area! 2+ hours, 22 miles, and 3,370 feet of elevation gain. A feat (pun) he accomplished this past Monday. Unreal! Take that Lance, you Tour De France 2 wheelin weenie!
J-Dude Mag: Joe, what deep seeds within motivated you for this climb?
Joe: To see if I could.
Dude, your the man. And the last thing we need to worry about is the involvement of any IOC banned substances. Pic at the pinnacle of achievement.
[May 18th, 2007]
Mongolia
J-Dude yesterday experienced an astonishing web-visit from Mongolia. Significant to me only because waaaaay back in the elementary school days young Dude did a report on said country. Inner, Outer, the Gobi Desert. Not that any offense is meant upon my sudden Mongolian following, but that's probably one of the few places on earth I least expected internet access. Yes, ashamed Dude is! Now I envision cafe's with hot steaming goat milk mocha's, long haired weathered tribesman talkin metrics, satellite link dead spots and bloggin angrily about the United States non-support of Kyoto.
Here's the low down on Ulaanbaatar, the mapped visitor location:
- There are over 250 hairdressing salons; about 100 cosmetics retailers. 60 tailors' shops; more than 130 cobblers; over 30 launderettes and dry cleaners; 700 car repair workshops, and about 800 pawn shops.
- There are also 214 streets; 3100 private business premises; 1566 apartment blocks, and 67000 fenced households.
Be filled with further factoids by visiting the Mongolia Tourism website.
Oh the simple pleasures that fill my life.
[April 24th, 2007]
Myxertones for Ringtones
Here's something I forgot about... few weeks back I'm staring at my cell phone (LG Chocolate flip) and saying there's no way I'm going to fork over $2.99 for a barely 10 second Sweet Child O Mine ringtone. I mean, how can I, in my right mind, pay 3 times as much for this measly snippet than a 99 cent entire song download?!?! Knowing there are programs to help you make your own ringtones set off a web search and returned with this website, Myxertones. Upload a song from your computer, punch in your number, and they'll send back about a 20 second long file to your phone. Sweeeeet! Verizon LG instructions: View the sent file > options > save as ringtone. Tuna's Motorola Razr was slightly different. After many failed attempts to find the "save as ringtone", it seems you must first let the file completely play through, to it's entirety, before the "save as ringtone" choice will display under options. You can also upload then slice (err, Myx) your song as you like or choose from the number of ringtones made freely available by other users.
Myxertones charges nothing. But be aware, it'll show on your cell bill as a PIX/FLIX file. If you don't have a plan with such inclusions, it'll cost 25 cents per every ringtone (file) you send to your phone (**check your own carrier/plan for rates**).
Anyway, it's an alternative.
[April 21st, 2007]
Hockey Baby!, New Ubuntu Release
Dude, how busy it's been. At least, that's how it seems. School is done! Graduated at this time last month. Back to 40hr work weeks. Ain't done that in a couple years. I fit in Larry Ullman reading during coffee shop lunch breaks. Been working on a search feature for the running table. Up and running (pun) here. I hope by the end of this weekend to have the column headers turned into clickable links that sort and/or resort ascending/descending. As long as I stay focused, that is, which is hard to do when there's the continual daily distraction of playoff hockey. Can barely pry my eyes from the (t.v.) screen. And if my Canucks are involved, the world stops. Don't call, don't invite, don't wander by. Unless you've got beer. Then by all means, take a seat. Seeing as last year nearly every team I rooted for tanked, there will be no great grandiose thoughts or predictions beyond Go Canucks Go! and M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!
Feisty Fawn is out (download). The more Ubuntu does, the more excited I get to take the dive, make the full switch from Windows to Linux (something my brother did some time ago). Here's some recent articles urging me on. Maybe they'll get your motivational juices flowing, too.
- PC World's 7 Post Install Tips for Ubuntu 7.04
- Review by Luna6
- And one man's 30 Days with Linux. A very well written in depth look at Linux being a viable replacement for Windows, or not.
It's been nearly 2 months. Surely there is more I could write, but it'll just degraded into a session of incoherent rambling. And if anything's gonna get done today, I must get focused before the first distractional puck drops at Noon (pacific time).
[February 26th, 2007]
Harddrive Cloning, Larry Ullman
Spent yesterday afternoon at Tuna's helping clone the IDE harddrive over to his new bigger and better SATA. Not as clear cut a process as we expected. Each attempt met with failure when we disconnected the IDE, booted to the SATA, then watched it stall at the blue Windows Welcome screen.
After a couple homemade espresso's, some Paul Oakenfold Live in London, a web search in search of a better program for the job, a beer run, a visit to Acronis and download of their True Image 10 Home trial version, a couple thirst quenching beer-run beverages, 86 laps of the Autoclub 500 (after realizing 3pm meant eastern time, we missed the previous 164), some crazy file reshuffling (don't ask), countless trips to the 'loo,
... Tuna, amid the confusion, nearly drinking my 'beverage'...
and finally, during Ellen's Oscar Intro, a successful boot to the cloned SATA drive.
After our experience, we cannot say enough about Acronis. No boot CD needed. Options to resize it's pre chosen partition choices, which has the familiar look of Windows Disk Management. It's nice you can configure it from within Windows. Then it reboots to DOS and gets cloning. We found it much more friendly than Symantec's Ghost. Download the Acronis trial version, install it, run it from Windows. As Tuna so precisely put it, "It just works." Open the wizard and click Backup to find the cloning feature.
Acronis also has a drive cleanser to wipe the data from your old drive. A must if you were planning to dispose of it or give it away.
Books... I've been engrossed in Larry Ullman's PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide. So much so that the motivation overwhelmed me last week to migrate all of J-Dude over to PHP. Not much changed visually, but the underlying file structure has under gone a complete makeover. One file for the <head> section, one file for the footer, one file to provide the main menu, a function to <link... /> the neccessary stylesheets to the specifically viewed page, and much more. This will make it much easier to manage. I like how Larry gets to the point with clear examples, tells you about the many valuable built in PHP & MySQL functions, and is overall, very informative. In a week or two his new book, PHP 5 Advanced 2nd Edition, will be released. I'm looking forward to it.
[February 3rd, 2007]
Graeme Patterson Animation
A fellow co-worker, knowing of my hockey fanaticism, sent me to Graeme Patterson's animation website (who just happens to be her cousin). The hockey barn is awesome. And his animation of old school "slotted" hockey players is outstanding, magnificent, and most excellent. Watch the game and see his other animations here. 2005 Toronto International Film Festival news on Mr. Patterson's Woodrow Project here.
[January 7th, 2007]
KeePass, U3 Uninstaller
Have entered the final quarter until my degree. Exciting times. Final course? Network Security. Hacking with the goal of learning how to better protect your network. Secure it and then let others attack (and vice versa). This looks to be the coolest class of the curriculum.
Here's a nice program that gives you secure storage for your passwords, KeePass (home, features, download). Learned about it through Marc. KeePass stores and protects all your information in a completely encrypted database. This is an excellent replacement for those hidden and not so hidden sticky notes and that website "forgot password" option I've been continually choosing as of late.
Recently purchased a 2GB SanDisk Micro Cruzer. Tried to see if I could live with the pre-installed U3 Launchpad software. Found it more annoying than useful, removed it. If you'd like to do the same, download the Launchpad uninstaller here. The uninstaller will remove everything on your flash drive. Be sure to back up any files you'd rather not lose!
