kitblogger

small blog modifications

2011-06-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

Testing out IntenseDebate and replacing the built in commenting system with something more efficient and manageable.
Clearing up the sidebar menu with less clutter.
Oh yeah an About Me page.

should i get a wireless router with an integrated modem?

2011-02-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me about which wireless router should he get. I told him to get a router only since he showed me that he had an existing ADSL modem.

He asked how did I come to that conclusion?

Well, I didn't really give him a good answer. Instead he told me that the advantage of having one with an integrated modem uses only one electric socket.

Maybe it's time to put this answer to rest.

Using a router without a built in modem
Advantages

More variety - In actual fact most of the top performing routers in the market are the standalone types. You can have it in any kind you wanted whether you could load it up with custom firmware such as DD-WRT, Tomato, big or small, upgradable antennas, design, etc.
Easy upgrade of gateway/modem type - Let's say in the future you have upgraded to a fiber connection or you decided to use 3G or WiMAX. Just plug your old modem out, plug the new one in, a little configuration and done. You don't have to reset your local network settings again.
Maintainability - Imagine that your modem was fried by a lightning strike or your modem went haywire. It's easier to replace the modem rather than replacing the whole modem/router combo device. In dollar sense, a typical ADSL modem would run you RM59.00. A new modem/router would cost you approximately RM100.00. Which do you think it's cheaper to replace. Although there are some modem/routers that are cheaper than the standalone ADSL modem, it's just another perspective of looking at this situation.

Disadvantages

Less available electrical sockets - As mentioned by my friend, a modem/router uses only one plug to power everything. Enough said.
Less clutter - less cables running behind the desk, and cleaner looking workspace.

Using a router with a built in modem
Advantages

Less clutter
More electrical sockets available

Disadvantages

Messy upgrade (if you are not tech savvy) - Once you replace everything, you need to enter your network settings all over again. If you got a new Internet connection type, it would be quite tough to upgrade since it only has one type.

Well, I hope this answer will provide some light to this dilemma. If I get this question again, I would definitely point this page to them.

panic! my computer doesn't have the necessary drivers for windows 7

2011-01-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

As written at the back of the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, DON'T PANIC.

Here are some general tips on how to get it working with Windows 7.

1. Check the System Requirements
First start with checking the system requirements of what version of Windows 7 are you going to install.

Alternatively you can use the upgrade advisor/list or just search on your favourite search engine like "dell inspiron 1420 windows 7".

2. Research
As mentioned in the previous point, searching on your favourite search engine on whether your machine will work Sometimes you will get drivers in your search results. If you are using laptops or some specialized desktops, some of the devices will not work. For example, I installed Windows 7 Ultimate for my friend's Dell Inspiron 1420, the sound will not come out of the built-in speakers due to a driver issue. Nevertheless, you must be prepared to sacrifice some features that originally came with it.

3. Reinstall the Previous Operating System
This must be crazy but it does have a use for it. You can see what's the brand and model for each hardware component so that you can list it down for your research.

4. Get the Latest Drivers
Go to the component manufacturer's website to see if they provide drivers. Some won't and will.

For instance, Intel will provide drivers for their wireless chipsets, chipset drivers, SATA drivers, display drivers and so. You can use them. NVIDIA however has universal drivers for most recent laptop graphic card drivers but do check for incompatibilities. As for ATI however, it will require some research but there is a free tool called the Mobility Modder. Check the forums before you use this tool to check if this method works.

5. Vista Drivers Work Too
If your computer has included Windows Vista drivers, don't be despaired, you can reuse them again although some of them will not work with it.

6. Use Windows Update or the Windows Update Catalog
In the Device Manager window, right click the problematic hardware and select the option to get updated drivers and select to search automatically online.

Alternatively you can also use the Windows Update Catalog at http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/ and search for the drivers that is needed for your hardware.

I hope these tips provide an upstart for your next step in upgrading your operating system to Windows 7 but most importantly, you need patience, a desire to learn new things (even if you don't understand tech) and do your research properly before investing in a copy of Windows 7.

adventures with the aztech 705e adsl modem

2011-01-31T09:10:00.000-08:00

What the heck is the Aztech 705E ADSL2/2+ Ethernet Modem Router?
It's a modem that is also a router with 1 Ethernet port. Basically the idea is that you can use it as a standalone modem or connect it to what kind of networking device like a router, a wireless access point or a switch.
A quick survey from the market shows that most wireless routers and wired routers now come with a built-in DSL modem for the purpose of space saving convenience and less wire clutter and most of the big brands don't really offer a standalone modem now.

More information about this router can be found here: http://www.aztech.com/my/adsl_dsl705e.html

How's Installation Like?
It depends on your network setup. Here are a few scenarios to gauge its difficulty in setting it up:

A. Using as a standalone modem with auto-connect
Connect everything. Either use the CD included or just type in the IP address of the modem and follow the instructions. That was quite easy with either way.

B. Using as a bridged modem (on-demand connection using the computer/router)
Initially when I bought the modem, it was just plugging to my router and be done with it. Well it's not that simple. I scratched my head why it didn't connect and quickly refer to the documentation included on the CD. The documentation was not quite well written, so I resorted to looking for a way to do so without the term bridging. After reading several posts, I realized I need to set in bridge mode but most of them do not seem to have instructions on how to do so. The documentation did say something about bridge mode but I couldn't get the screen exactly as I want. (I was doing that until 3am)

I finally found how to do it via the quick setup. Either I am blind, blur or just simply too eager to get connected, I should have slept first.
Here's how.

1. If you have modified some settings and you couldn't get it in order, I suggest you reset the modem with a paperclip to set it in default settings.
2. Access the modem's setup page with the user and password credentials and select quick setup.
3. Select Bridge mode.
4. If your ISP has any customized settings, please ask them. For TM Streamyx users, just use the default settings.
5. Finally tick the option to bridge and save the settings.

Why Did You Buy It?
The modem provided by Telekom Malaysia which is the ZTE ZXDSL 831 went kaput after it failed to initialize. I wanted to get a D-Link but there wasn't much choice and I need one fast, so I opted for this one.

(I hate using their current branding. Don't you think TM is more like trademark? TMnet however sounds like a better brand in my opinion but things in Telekom often go wrong especially if its a government-linked company that monopolizes the wired Internet service in Malaysia.)

What's Your Take On The Modem?
There is nothing much to say about modems unless you are really obsessed with speed. It works as it is and it's reasonably priced.

Positives

Reasonably priced (around RM70 or so)
Works as it is
Well made

Neutral

User interface for the modem
The necessity of the software to set up your modem

Negatives

Documentation. Needs to be clearer about it and probably include some scenarios for less tech-savvy people on getting it to work for their network setup.
Especially on hot days, it gets hotter on the bottom of the modem for which you need to get it cooled down.

KB979909 repeated updates

2010-08-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

Problem:
Repeated Windows Updates caused by KB979909 (.NET Framework 3.5 Patch). Yes, it has been bugging me a few times because of that. Problem happened on Windows XP SP3 Home Edition.

Solution:
Reset your entire .NET Framework installations (from 1.x to the current version).

I used the instruction available from here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976982

Now that's settled, I would like to get back to more Fringe goodness and rootbeer ice cream float.

the software preloaded onto the external drives we buy

2010-04-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

In the past, I usually recommend people to buy their external hard drives by buying a hard disk enclosure/case and a roomiest hard drive they can afford with their budget.

As time goes by, more and more people buy prepackaged external drives from various manufacturers such as Western Digital MyBook/Elements or Seagate Expansion/FreeAgent that are ready to use. The problem with this however is that, in the event the drive fails, you can't reuse the case again with another brand of hard drive (well maybe in the case of Buffalo, LaCie which uses various manufacturers for their products) and the preloaded software.

The reason why I have to write this piece of rant is because of the software. I don't mind if the case I use can't be reused again but the software preloaded is annoying.

I have always wandered why do they always have to dump software they claims it makes it better or to always differentiate themselves from the competition. Some do it for the extra cash, some think they know their customers better and there are some reasons we may never know why they will do that.

Back to the point.

If you are lucky, like for instance, the Seagate FreeAgent drive, the software that comes with it is preloaded onto the root of the drive, so it's easy to remove it by hitting the reformatting button and presto, it's squeaky clean!

If you are the ones who bought Western Digital external drives preloaded with this software called "SmartWare", you may have a chance of removing it.

I wanted to buy a WD Passport Studio drive because it has the FireWire port (since my PC's USB ports got shot down and I forgot that I still have a FireWire port courtesy of my Creative SoundBlaster Live! Audigy2 ZS sound card). I did my research as usual, read their brochure saying all their software is good for backing up and so on and when I read the manual, this is when my enthusiasm for the drive went rock bottom. Reading a manual helps you understand the nature of the product apart from reading the brochure.

The software was preloaded on the drive as a VIRTUAL CD DRIVE. Thank you, you useless manufacturer. By the way, as the time of this writing, there is no absolute way to get rid of it. I just want the drive only to backup my computer and there are even non-computer literate people know that they just want to drag and drop their files into it.

Here's my plea to all manufacturers of external drives:
1. Keep your hands off the drive. If you have to distribute the software, please do not put it as an autorun executable (that's for Windows) or even worse as a virtual CD like good old WD. Place it in a folder with a note in your package stating that if you want to use the software follow it to install. It's up to the user whether they want it there or not.

2. Think if this is a sound investment of doing this. Are you going to lose any customers because of your doings? I can see that some may start to alienate you but believe me, in the long run it does more damage. Didn't you learn anything from your marketing classes about making decisions that can shoot in your foot? What if the non-inclusion of such software in your offering makes it less attractive to consumers or your product ratings in the magazine went down like 0.1 point less? Hey, it still attracts customers who want a clean drive they can use outside the box.

3. LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS! Isn't that why your PR set up all those fancy forums, Facebook accounts and Twitter accounts for you to get feedback? If they have bought your products, give them a date to be assured that a tool to remove the software is present. Don't think it's a waste of time.

After reading this, I should have believed in my words of assembling a drive even though it will cost slightly more than the nearest competitor but alas it none of those distractions that allows me to store stuff in the drive. Some of you must be thinking, why didn't I do it?

This is Malaysia. The things I find interesting are sold here. Maybe I should start a company to cater to this.

Until another rant comes up, I shall be on a look out for drives which have the necessary connections I want and comes with no software or the utility to remove it.

internet frustration

2009-11-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

I came across this article from CNET Asia Blogs: Tete-A-Tech.

My thoughts are exactly the same about Malaysia's broadband. No matter how much we write in, blog, and say anything bad about our broadband, they won't listen.

Let's look at the situation:
Capping: Maxis, DiGi, Celcom
Throttling: P1
The category for the stupid one where they are saying "lalalalalalalala, I can't hear you!": Telekom Malaysia (TM sounds like using a trademark)

Conclusion: Do the right thing the next time the ballot box comes out. (I mean it!)

Next item:
My previous post indicates what they are proposing to improve the current situation.
What I am not sure is the speed do they really mean 10 megabits or megabytes per second

10 Mbps = 1.25 MBps
10 MBps = 80 Mbps (that's quite close to Singapore's current 100Mbps)

I don't buy any of this because it will be the same as usual. Talk only no action. There should be a new rule enforced: capping, throttling, and unreliable at a certain stage should have their ISP licence revoked. Through this way, I feel it will force them to wake up and upgrade their hardware and infrastructure so that the speed remains up to par. Antitrust should also apply to Telekom for broadband.

I think this post is more rubbish than my other posts as well. No direction, random and just simply plain words of rants.

EOF (End of File)

ridiculous

2009-11-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

To strengthen ICT, the Government will expedite the implementation of High Speed Broadband (HSBB) at a total cost of RM11.3 billion, of which RM2.4 billion is from the Government and RM8.9 billion from Telekom Malaysia. Initially, broadband services with the speed of 10 mega bytes per second (Mbps) will be provided in selected areas in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor by en-March 2010. Subsequently, these services will be extended to other areas nationwide between 2010 and 2012.

- Taken from the Budget 2010 speech by the Prime Minister of Malaysia when the speech was brought up. (His name is a taboo to me.)

Let's see... 10Mbps. What's Singapore's current offering:

From StarHub: Up to 100Mbps for ~SGD 86 (~RM210).

Hmm... compared to RM88 for 1Mbps

Basically, it's nothing but rubbish given to a rubbish service provider that has nothing in common with reliability and service.

If you are wondering why this is late, it's because I am coding something.

preprocessing hypertension problems

2009-09-19T14:44:00.001-07:00

Current problem:

Stage 1:
User fills in form in script1.php.

Stage 2:
script1.php processes the information.

Stage 3:
script1.php confirms the data are okay, it resubmits the data in POST again to something.com and redirect to the targeted something.com

Try this with these conditions: no external libraries and must be running in PHP safe-mode.

Status:
What a nightmare... Enjoy some Raya goodies at my friend's house first and later think about this again.

Selamat Hari Raya to everybody celebrating this.

xpression news 2.0 with recaptcha

2009-09-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

For the sake of convenience, I have rewritten parts of the PHP news script to allow the reCAPTCHA module to be added. Please read the instructions carefully:

MediaFire: [removed due to compliance with the license]
Alternative mirror: [removed due to security updates to the script]

For discussion on this matter, visit the Xpression News Forums .

intergrating xpression news 2.0 and recaptcha

2009-08-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

What's what?
Xpression News - A PHP based script that allows you to post news and integrate it into your website. Stores the data using a flat file system instead of using a database system like MySQL.

reCAPTCHA - A system developed at Carnegie Mellon University that uses CAPTCHA to help digitize the text of books while protecting websites from bots attempting to access restricted areas.

Why use reCAPTCHA when Xpression News has one built in?
1. If your website host doesn't support the GD Graphics Library (e.g. T35.com), the built in CAPTCHA system.
2. reCAPTCHA has support for audio for the visually impaired.
3. reCAPTCHA uses this system to identify words that are hard to be interpreted by computers (OCR).

To get a feeling on how it would look like after reCAPTCHA is integrated into Xpression News, visit my friend's site, Kit's Anime MIDIs, for a test drive. (No relation to me since both of us have the same nickname.)

How to integrate reCAPTCHA and Xpression News 2.0?
A. Get the reCAPTCHA library and keys
1. Register for an account at http://www.recaptcha.net .
2. Once registration is completed, log in and select Add New Site.
3. Enter your domain. (E.g. kit50.t35.com)
4. Once that's done, take note of the private and public keys.

B. Integration with Xpression News 2.0
1. Get the latest reCAPTCHA library. Found here at Google Code.
2. Extract the archive and copy recaptchalib.php to the root of your Xpression News installation. (E.g. If you installed it at http://example.com/xpression-news/, put it inside the "xpression-news" folder.)

3. Using your favourite text editor (e.g. Notepad, Notepad++, SciTE, Kate), edit the following files:

functions.php
Original (starting at line 2723):


function VerifyCaptcha()
{
require("config.inc.php");
if ($script['comments']['captcha']=="ON")
{
@session_start();
$entered=$_POST['confirmation'];
$valid=$_SESSION['xnewscaptchacode'];
if ($valid==$entered){return true;}else{return false;}

}else {return true;}
}

Modified (starting at line 2723):


function VerifyCaptcha()
{
require("config.inc.php");
if ($script['comments']['captcha']=="ON")
{
@session_start();
$entered=$_POST['confirmation'];
$valid=$_SESSION['xnewscaptchacode'];

require_once('recaptchalib.php');
$xmod_privatekey = "...";
$resp = recaptcha_check_answer ($xmod_privatekey,
                             $_SERVER["REMOTE_ADDR"],
                             $_POST["recaptcha_challenge_field"],
                             $_POST["recaptcha_response_field"]);

// if ($valid==$entered){return true;}else{return false;}
if ($resp->is_valid){return true;}else{return false;}

}else {return true;}
}

skin.php
Original (starting at line 312):

$addform=str_replace('{CAPTCHAIMAGE}','<img src="'.$script['paths']['url'].'captcha.php">',$addform);

Modified (starting at line 312):


//$addform=str_replace('{CAPTCHAIMAGE}','<img src="'.$script['paths']['url'].'captcha.php">',$addform);

require_once('recaptchalib.php');
$xmod_publickey = "...";
$xmod_recaptchahtml = recaptcha_get_html($xmod_publickey);
$addform=str_replace('{CAPTCHAIMAGE}',$xmod_recaptchahtml,$addform);

4. Again using your favourite text editor, go to the templates folder and open the folder of the current template (e.g. If you are using the template called Lite, enter the Lite folder) and modify the following file:

addcomment.html
In the file, find the following code that starts with "<input name="confirmation" As an example I will use the Lite template to showcase how it would look like.


<input name="confirmation" type="text" id="confirmation" tabindex="2" size="27" style="color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #000000; background-color: #51688C">

Comment the line using

<!-- ... -->

Example:


<!-- <input name="confirmation" type="text" id="confirmation" tabindex="2" size="27" style="color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #000000; background-color: #51688C"> -->

What you have done just now is to remove the original CAPTCHA system that was used by the script.

5. At this stage, it is currently working but the following text is still there: "If you can't read this code, refresh this page". To remove it, go to the language folder and into English folder. (This also applies to other languages as well)

Look for this line: $lng['l_captchahelp1']='If you can\'t read this code, refresh this page';

Modify as the following:
//$lng['l_captchahelp1']='If you can\'t read this code, refresh this page';
$lng['l_captchahelp1']='';

Some of the codes I have shown there are // . In PHP, these are comments. The reason why I have commented out these codes is that in case you want to revert back to its original form, you can undo the changes accordingly.

For more information on the reCAPTCHA API:
http://recaptcha.net/plugins/php/

Any comments on how to improve the implementation, please post them here.

Instructions revision

Version 1.01 - Minor spelling adjustments.

Version 1.0 - Initial

curiosity

2009-07-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

1. Was curious about how Miku would sing Negaraku...
2. Went to find a YouTube video or some sort out there but found this instead.
3. Searched the Internet on how I can get a hold on VOCALOID2 - The Miku Edition.
4. Downloaded & installed it.
5. Loaded Negaraku
6. Listen.

What did I found out?
Scary yet it sounded like how our politics is today and also how every one of us sing it every Monday in primary and secondary school each weekday morning. Not too bad and kudos for the hard work to the author, ultralien, for composing this.

Aftermath
Negaraku wouldn't be the same if Namewee hadn't rapped it up and made it a joy to listen. (Namewee just a little bit sensitive on the issue but other than tackling the real issues, it's all right.) I would just uninstall it and get into another curiosity roulette again.

P.S.: Don't ask me where to get it. If you insist, it's here.

wolfram alpha

2009-05-16T02:26:00.000-07:00

Wolfram Alpha is a new way to search for stuff but it is not an exact replacement for a dedicated search engine like Google.

Here is a test:
1. "What's the GDP of Malaysia?"

Wolfram Alpha: GDP: $186.5 Billion (2007 Est.)
Google: GDP: $186.5 Billion (2007 Est.)

But here is something interesting...

Here is a question: What is the relation between Maldives and Malaysia? There should be better links such as Economy of Malaysia from Wikipedia.

2. "What happened on May 13, 1969 in Malaysia?"
General answer: The racial riots.
Google: May 13 Incident
Wolfram Alpha: No results.

Despite listing "People and History" in their database, it seems that they are pretty much focused on major events and most of them would be based on American history I presume.

What do I think of it? Please slap it with a large BETA notice. Thank you very much.

Related:
Boing Boing Gadget's take on Wolfram Alpha

testing google maps malaysia

2009-05-15T02:04:00.000-07:00

Google recently launched a localized version of Google Maps for Malaysia. One of the features that I was curious to test is the "Avoid toll" function in "Get Directions".

To test how much Google knows about our highway tolls, read the test result below:
Test: From Subang Jaya to Bandar Puteri, Puchong, Selangor

Results:
Google's direction

My expirence:
To get to almost any part in Puchong, most will think that it is hard to by pass any of the tolls regardless of tolls from either direction of the Damansara-Puchong Highway (Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong/LDP). For this specific direction, Google missed the U-turn near the West Puchong Toll Booth. Supposedly that U-turn was done by the request of the residents near that area. However this road is longer and takes more twists and turns to get there.

Opinion:
Maybe to the map suppliers, the U-turn may looks like an illegal one and that's why it was not taken into account into their maps. The second theory I have is that maybe the LDP people (especially the "ones") did not want this to be mapped. Hmmm... After all, there is a disclaimer saying they might not be accurate.

Overall I have a feeling this might get better any time soon.

I may test again from time to time on certain roads to avoid "contributing" to cronies.

to buy or not to buy

2009-05-04T04:10:00.000-07:00

First it started with my phone, a Sony Ericsson K508i, pretty decent phone. Bought during my first year in college (2005) and now it's acting weird... Some of those include names of the person not showing on the screen when they call despite the entries in the phone book. I suspect the software is buggy at the moment. The second thing is the battery. It hasn't been replaced in quite a while (my fault...). Third, the colour. This phone's silver colour has been degraded a LOT. Seriously...

Solution:
Buy a new phone. Why? They are now in the transition of phasing out their older battery models. What I have in mind? There are 2 regions at the moment I trust them for making good handsets: Scandinavia (including the half-Japanese one) and Canada (by Canada I mean Research in Motion, the creators of the BlackBerry phone). In this case, I don't want to spend so much for a BlackBerry, I decided to go for something of the usual. Nokia at the moment is quite tempting but I am still most tempted to buy the C702 phone. 3G, rugged, spaced out keys, battery life.

What's the delay:
Me. Lazy.

Next...
My computer.

The lightning struck my USB controller on my motherboard.
Good news: The PC is still working.
Bad news: USB ports are not working.

Remedy: Install USB PCI card.
Result: Failed to boot.

Q: What do you do with such a PC like this?
A: I don't really know...

P.S.: This is utter nonsense. If you read through this, you can clearly see how bored and frustrated I am.

hujung cermin

2009-02-01T02:01:00.000-08:00

That's a direct translation for "Mirror's Edge".

So far the game's concept is interesting but sadly I am not a fan of the controls nor the first person style perspective.

Update: My eyes are really blurry after that experience. Mistaken it for something else.

dotnetnuke

2008-12-23T17:59:00.000-08:00

It still reminded me why I prefer PHP/Python/Ruby based content management systems. Life goes on...

Merry Christmas to all.

such is life

2008-09-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Standing in the middle of the crossroads, with so much c o l o u rs surrounding me.

Need to add more soon...

eclipse ganymede + svn...

2008-08-15T01:52:00.000-07:00

It's a PAIN!

End of file.

dell dimension 8400

2008-05-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

In a short sentence:

Works, dead, works, dead, dead, works, dead, works.

There is something wrong with this machine.
After reseating the memory modules, it works again. I'm very curious about this.

I am beginning to suspect that the motherboard may be on to me...

13 reasons

2008-03-06T08:58:00.000-08:00

Kudos to [Youth4Change]

professor layton and the curious emulator

2008-02-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

I managed to try "Professor Layton and The Curious Village" on my PC today.

The Game
Interesting mix of adventure and puzzles. Weeeeee.... the puzzles are really stretching my brains. I'm glad this game was what I have in mind.

The Emulator
At first I used the No$gba DS emulator to play. Smooth graphics except certain parts where you need to draw lines. The lines are hardly noticeable as compared to the DS portable where you can see them. The first version I used was version 2.6. I couldn't save at all. I checked the .sav file from the BATTERY folder and I noticed that it couldn't write it.

"Every puzzle has a solution."
- Professor Layton

Professor Layton was right. I tried version 2.6a of the program and tried to save but it didn't work. But somehow, adjusting the memory type to any of the available types but none of them couldn't work. How curious.

Here is how I managed to get the save to work in an odd manner.
1. File > Write Snapshot. Save the file.
2. Reload the snapshot. The game is cluttered. This is OK.
3. Restart the game by selecting File > Reset Cartridge.
4. It's there.

For every progress I make in the game, I usually do these things to ensure my game is saved. How curious... Thanks to the people who help develop one of the best DS emulators on the planet.

limited or no connectivity

2008-02-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

Problem
A friend told me he has problems with assigning IP addresses. I was so curious how this happens. He always receives error messages saying "Limited or No Connectivity" whenever he connects it via wireless, plugging in a LAN cable or just connecting using ADSL.

What I Did
1. At first I suspected it was the drivers of the network devices. After checking the driver versions and reinstalling it, it didn't do any help at all.
2. I checked to see if the TCPIP.sys file was corrupted. Replaced with a fresh file from the installation disc, restarted and the error was there.
3. I used a tool called WinSockFix as I was reading another problem faced by another person. Downloaded it, ran the tool and boom... it works.

What Was The Problem
I don't really know what happened. After reading what WinSockFix does, it was repairing the registry relating to network entries. Hmm... Interesting. Some theory suggests it could be malware (virus, spyware, trojans, etc.).

Alternative
At first I wanted to reformat and reinstall Windows XP again. That would be the easiest solution but the most time consuming of all. Luckily if it wasn't for that post, I would stare in front of the PC and wait for it to complete installing.

what has become of our society...

2007-09-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

[date unknown but was quite recent (2 days ago)]
Girl kidnapped and was found dead in a bag.

[date unknown]
4 foreign workers who are women were nearly kidnapped and mugged.

[22 September 2007]
2 foreign students who are also women were nearly kidnapped but they were mugged by some 2 mad idiotic people in a silver Proton Waja.

What does these 2 incidents tells us about our society? Shameful.

WHAT HAS BECOME OF OUR SOCIETY?

Why are they doing these to people? Why are people getting more inhumane? Who are we to blame for these?

presenting "the konata effect"

2007-08-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

Konata, a character from the anime Lucky Star was chosen to name an effect where I don't find a suitable word for describing this scenario. Imagine if your PC suddenly fails to start. After a period of time, it works like the last time it functioned perfectly. I thought this has got to do with some proper explanation but after all the world is still surrounded by mysteries that we couldn't explain in words.

Why Konata? The surprise effect that takes into effect that will make you want to faint, say "What the heck...", and other related expressions that lies in your head (maybe somewhere in that brain cell far deep inside the brain).

Finale 2007 was fun to use to recompose "Reset" (from Okami). In fact either I need getting used to it after using Mozart 6 for such a long time or the interface really sucks.

As usual, I am clueless to end this post.

acer aspire 4310

2007-07-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

Acer Aspire 4310 is hell to me...

My friend bought one for his sister for a very good deal. As life is unpredictable, he comes to me for hoping he could find the solution to the laptop's really banging issue.

Problem 1: Installing Windows XP
Solution:
Installing Windows XP on this is easy IF you are willing to do either the following:
1. Get a USB floppy disk drive so that when you are prompt to install the SATA drivers for it during installation. The down side, paying for the USB floppy disk drive for that purpose.
2. Slipstream it using nLite or the manual way of inserting SATA drivers into the installation disc.

Recommended method: Slipstream the drivers in to your Windows XP installation disc.

Problem 2: Drivers
I have read everywhere that there are a lot of problems with installing drivers with this PC. Well, hunting for it was easy thanks to the powerful Google. :)
Get the drivers you need at: http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_4310.html

Installing the drivers were a bit uneasy for me as I have to crack my head for various solutions.
This is how I managed to get everything EXCEPT for the Broadcom Wireless LAN (Wi-FI/WLAN) device to work.

1. Install Intel chipset drivers.
2. Install Intel AHCI drivers.
3. Install Intel GMA graphics drivers.
4. Install the Synaptics touchpad drivers.
5. Install the card reader drivers.
6. Install the Bluetooth drivers.
7. Install the Webcam utility.
8. Install the Broadcom LAN drivers.
9. Install the Realtek sound chip drivers.

This is where it comes to down to hell.
Initially after installation of the drivers, one of the programs used by the drivers were not installed properly because Windows XP didn't detect it at all. Shocking. In the end, I managed to fixed it. Open the Device Manager (Right click My Computer > Properties > Hardware), refresh the whole thing, and the Realtek HD Audio device suddenly appears there. Amazing... it's a miracle. But I seriously wonder what happened to it.

10. Install modem drivers (either you try out with Agere or Conextant). My friend was using Conextant.
11. Install Wi-Fi drivers.

Wi-Fi drivers are probably giving me a headache... need to sleep... zzzz.....
Hopefully if you own one of this, this solves your problem.

design issues

2007-03-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

I have a serious problem. In my mind now, I realized that I have "good design blindness". My designs on a web page have started to tumble now and become more conservative and too simple. I can't justify whether I should get a knock in the head or something... Sigh... Hopefully my sense will come back another time...

another day in paradise

2007-02-07T08:43:00.001-08:00

Not exactly in paradise just still tied to my chair in front of the PC.
Still slaving coding problems, computer problems, and the occasional
sleepless nights.

I suspect my brain is trying to do something to my dream... it just
sometimes alter the endings and how the story progresses in the dream.
All of these have lead me to think that I might be having nightmares,
sweet dreams, dreams that usually shows a glimpse of the future or even
an idea for writing a game or software. I don't know what causes my
brain to somehow taken over this "dreaming function" somewhere inside my
body and make a jungle party out of it. Is it me or is it something
"unknown"? Perhaps it might just be another bad day for me only or is it
an element that has yet to be revealed?

new links, new month

2007-02-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

New Links
Check out my friend's blog, "illusions of deceptions". Do check it out once in a while.

New Month
- Well still working on my site to come up with version 5.
- Still have to clear my hard disk from unnecessary junk and yet I have to repaint(?) my phone.
- I have yet to get "Okami" by Capcom for the PlayStation 2. It's an interesting game by the way.

Currently Playing Now: Yggdra Union (Game Boy Advance)

vista in web comics

2007-02-03T00:59:00.000-08:00

Some of the best things about Microsoft is that it is easy to come up with something to tease them. Here are some of the best web comics about it:

Penny Arcade
Joy Of Tech

More to come.

sundays

2007-01-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

Sundays seems to be slower in the afternoon despite playing a game of Uno. I have no idea...

end of nightmares

2007-01-17T06:12:00.000-08:00

I'm relieved from that dreadful Linux training sponsored by MDEC. Yes, MDEC and also thanks to that brilliant training company. It seems that most of the trainers from this company are really giving me a big time in learning. Enough of whining.

Dell Inspiron 1501 has to be the MOST problematic laptop for Linux distributions. Here are some of the takes I have tried on my friend's laptop:
Sabayon Linux - http://www.sabayonlinux.com
Not just a pretty face. Hangs halfway BEFORE the installer starts. Still thinking of ACPI options.

Ubuntu 6.10 - http://www.ubuntu.com
Works nicely with options included to disable the ACPI and recognizes the disk as an SCSI type instead of IDE.

openSUSE - http://www.opensuse.org
Choose the option with safe mode + no ACPI. I think that's the option...

To sum it up, the problem faced by installing different distros (short for distributions of Linux) happens to be detecting the hard disk controller. Mostly I suspect it has to be with the ACPI of the computer. ATI is really not "open-source" friendly as mentioned by Richard Stallman of the GNU organization.

quake halts communications in asia

2006-12-27T04:35:00.000-08:00

The post says it all... it's a matter of "an act of God". However, I can't do most of the things I have planned using the Internet. Sigh...

I also felt sad for the victims in Taiwan and it's also even sadder that it happen after the anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Tragedy.

Anyway, I need to have a good night sleep after a few days of reliving Mathematical Methods for Computer Scientists and I will be starting my Linux training tomorrow.

End of post.

y.a.b.

2006-12-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

Yet another blog but I plan to use this as a blog to post all my scrap stuff. Hehehehe... watch this space.