jaclaz

@MagicAndre1981 JFYI , and OT (but not much ), while looking for other things I found this: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ntdebugging/archive/2010/06/30/i-want-a-debugger-robot.aspx which I believe may be of use for some "strange" cases of slow boots. jaclaz

Good. Fixed the typo in the original post. jaclaz

You mean this one? dir %1\*.* /ogn /-p > C:\Temp\Listing.txtnotepad.exe /p C:\Temp\Listing.txtclsTry with: @ECHO OFFDIR %1\*.* /ogn /-p > %1\Listing.txt notepad.exe /p %1\Listing.txt This should save the "Listing.txt" file to the same directory which was passed as a parameter to the batch, is this what you want? I would personally find more "correct" this version: @ECHO OFFSETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONSDIR "%~1\*.*" /ogn /-p > "%~1\Listing.txt"notepad.exe /p "%~1\Listing.txt"but the result should be the same. jaclaz

Good , yet another happy bunny in the basket! http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/128727-cant-access-repair-my-pc-option-via-f8-startup/?p=828512 jaclaz

And if he uses Office 365, your reply will appear on his screen as : (but without border and caption ) jaclaz

At first sight (and without having even tried to disassemble anything) it is clear that in the "NT52" bootsector the EB12 is a "unconditional jump" over some (reserved) bytes, not entirely unlike (please read as "exactly like" the "leading" EB5290 of the whole bootsector. In the NT52 bootsector these bytes are all 00's, but in the NT60 the (larger number of) bytes do contain "05 00 4E 00 54 00 4C 00 44 00 52", i.e. again the NTLDR string with the 05 "length" of the string. It is entirely possible that it represents a "failsafe" kind of provision to attempt booting the "old" NTLDR instead of the BOOTMGR, and knowing from experience how the good MS guys like to keep old code, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a provision to have, some form of dual booting with the "previous" NT version, or if it is still *somehow* used by the current BOOTMGR when booting NT 5.x's. Just for the record (and OT) for some time the BOOTMGR was capable of booting NT 5.x's fine: http://reboot.pro/topic/9613-bootmgr-winloadexe-nt5x/ http://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9602 And we have to remember how BOOTMGR still parses BOOT.INI "directly" for all "non NT 4.x and NT 5.x entries" anyway: http://reboot.pro/topic/17877-uefi-windows-8-bios-grub4dos-multiboot-usb-harddisk/?p=170654 and this is pretty much undocumented/was found out by "pure chance" (and relatively recently), so I wouldn't as well be surprised that there are still some cards hidden in BOOTMGR's (or the bootsector's) sleeves. jaclaz

Isn't it ironical to have new high tech displays capable of showing us "millions of colours" and can only choose between 3 (three) shades of gray (actually white, very light gray - but called "dark gray" - and a lighter gray in between)? For no apparent reason : http://reboot.pro/topic/15878-world-is-not-black-and-white/ jaclaz

Since this thread has been kept OT (On Topic) since quite a few posts, I can try fixing it by posting a link to an article about our down-under friends : http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/21/asio-spy-chief-defends-surveillence-network (bolding is mine ) jaclaz

Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder , but obviously drawings don't count. This one is not too bad, IMHO: jaclaz

Also, free bananas are a good resource for a business website. Suddenly: jaclaz

Now I see, thanks. I am used to have (default for Italy International Settings) 24h time (which is not "military time" as it misses the Alpha ... Zulu suffix ). jaclaz

No. Meaning that only a firmware update (of the disk firmware or of the BIOS) may cause a disk drive to be not recognized anymore by the BIOS at boot time. Yep, waiting is a good strategy for some things and not a good one for some other. As an example, waiting when we are talking of whisky or wine might get a better result, with milk, not much so. Maybe (provided that you want some assistance) you need to post the informations that were asked to you and the results of the tests that were suggested earlier. Then, based on the result of these tests, maybe you will need some diagnostic software (at the scope - if possible - to diagnose the disk or the PC or both), and, if the PC is OK, you might need an install disk to reinstall the OS to a new disk drive (which you will also need). jaclaz

Nice guess. According to the Starman: http://thestarman.pcministry.com/asm/mbr/NTLDR.htm the other "qualifying" part should be the EB 12 90 90 (in the NT 5.x bootsector) and - logically - the EB 22 90 90 in the NT 6.x bootsector, that should remain "unmoved" @ offset 0x0256. jaclaz

@dencorso My bad (wrong placement of brackets) I will re-word it as: This way the message is more clear: 1) NOT "news", NOT "surprising", it is a flawed, basically "wrong" mechanism 2) the good MS guys are committing suicide, slowly but in a steady manner, managing to make things worse at each and every "enhancement". (on the other hand GOOD things, like the WOF driver, are untold or unpublicized/undocumented). @shae I am (proudly) on NT 4.00, Windows 2000 and XP (and bragging a bit about it ). Which does not mean that I don't have to deal with Windows 7 machines or the dreaded 8/8.1 ones from time to time. Usually I have no particular issues with 7 (set apart the mentioned updates mechanism and the unmentioned reknown stupidity of UAC), but still I use the same custom made sticks I used to NOT touch Vista : http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/125258-nlite-and-microxp/#entry807225 to try avoiding touching Windows 8/8.1, whenever I can. And yes, I had at least three friends that came to me with "half botched" machines after having attempted the update from Windows 8 to 8.1, so I understand how you feel. jaclaz

Don't the "standard" Realtek drivers work? http://www.realtek.com.tw/Downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false jaclaz

May I ask what is the need/use of this? echo/|set /p =%date% @ & time/t I mean, either of these: echo %date% @ %time%echo %date% @ %time:~0,5%seem to me like doing fine. jaclaz

Well, updating via the MS update mechanism (as opposed to "self standing" downloadable files such as "Service Packs" has been a known nightmare since a few years) just like anything lately from the good MS guys, the 8.1 update is a mess. JFYI: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/158104-service-pack-2-for-w7/ jaclaz

It is also possible that *something* in the procedures followed till now has "botched" *somehing* in the Registry (or *wherever else* ) and maybe it is needed to re-start from scratch. NUSB is a great little package, but it has some quirks AFAICT, i.e. it is possible that while fixing part of the original issue it created a new one. Cannot really say if of any use, but this is the last snapshot I could find of the original sidewinder support page: https://web.archive.org/web/20021206043749/http://www.microsoft.com/products/hardware/sidewinder/downloads/default.asp#Ffb2 It is possible that *anything* in updates like: https://web.archive.org/web/20021201101733/http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/sidewinder/SWUpdate/ff2/FF2Download.asp can be useful (or make things worse ). You can also try to "ditch" (as an experiment) your current software/drivers and try with these: 3.02 version: https://web.archive.org/web/20021001085752/http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/sidewinder/downloads/302.asp 4.0 version: http://grva.lamce.coppe.ufrj.br/hardware/hw_drivers/swff2/ jaclaz

Could this be related? https://web.archive.org/web/20080113215517/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/264248 jaclaz

Usually when something smell fishy, it is fishy: Let me think. Quick test: You have a kick a** device that sells like hotcakes, what is is your business plan: 1) continue making and selling heaps of these devices, which will be built at a lower cost and with a better return from development costs 2) continue making and selling heaps of these devices, which will be built at a lower cost and with a better return from development costs. while making yourself ready to deliver an enhanced version, fixing the issues found with it, bettering it and replacing the earlier model without solution of continuity 3) stop producing and selling it, and create a new device in the exact same market slice, that will be on the market after a gap of (say) 6 months Give yourself: +10 points if you answered #1 +100 points if you answered #2 -23875 points if you answered #3 jaclaz

Generally speaking the 8-10 (actually they are usually reported as 11 or 12 ticks correspond to a "click of death" (i.e. not BSY, not LBA0). It is still possible (though improbable ) that the fixing routine, which is a form of "reset" of the disk drive firmware might help, but noone can really say. If you have a backup of the data on the disk, just throw the stupid disk drive in the dustbin. (it is not even worth the attempt). If you have not a backup of the data (and you need them), then you should consider attempting a recovery by a professional, which of course will cost you quite a bit of money, considering that the routine - if performed without results - might make recovery more difficult. More or less what happens is that the disk when powered on attempts several times to read some key sectors on the actual disk surface, and clicks when it fails to read these data. This could been a defect/problem in the firmware (looking for the data in the "wrong" area), in the actual head or in the platter surface (please read as *anything* between US$ 300 and US$ 1,500 ). Though, as said it is possible that the "generic" reset might work, if it is an issue with firmware, a professional may be able to "inject" the correct addresses (and this would be a relatively "easy" recovery, without needing to open the disk), if it is a head, a head transplant would be needed (opening physically the disk drive in a "clean room"), and if it's the actual platter it is possible that no data (or only partial data) can be recovered. jaclaz

Naah, one way or the other the human kind survived a few thousand years till now, it is unlikely that the world will end together with the end of mainstream support for Windows 7. Now, whether MS is doomed (and the end for them will come through suicide) may be a matter of discussion, instead. More or less, transitions have been "soft" till now. I mean, the end of XP support came when there was (let's set aside Vista ) at the same time "full" support for Windows 7 and the new kid on the block, the Windows 8 madness. If they are going to end support of 7 before Windows 9 will have been released, tested, and widely accepted by the world, they will be only forcing more people to "make the jump" and get to use alternate Operating Systems. jaclaz

Naah, it was just curiosity , IF the 32 bit version works fine on your Vista AND there is NO noticeable differences (in practice, i.e. speed, features, capabilities, etc.) between the 32 bit and the 64 bit version in (say) Windows 7 SP1 it's hard for me to understand the reason why you spent more than (still say) 8 minutes in troubleshooting the issue (that seems in my perverted mind a non-issue). Call me "tough" and "hairy reasoner" as much as you want, as I have no idea (and actually I am not particularly interested in learning) what exactly it is AVX code, but it either provides a noticeable bettering in *something* or it does not. If the bettering (if any) is not noticeable then I wouldn't pursue this "chase" for AVX code support, while of course if you are doing this for the fun of it or to boldly go where no man has gone before , I can understand entirely . JFYI: http://reboot.pro/topic/17568-what-advantage-hold-64-bit-programs-over-their-32-bit-version/ jaclaz

I will make a strong statement about poor people. Anyone should try giving - within their possibilities - their assistance to poor people in the form of providing them (or contribute to providing them) with primary goods, like water, food and shelter and primary rights, like freedom, basic medical assistance, education, etc. nlite, vlite (or whatever the computer program by Nuhi will be called) is NOT among these primary needs, particularly because it's intended usage is exclusively for modifying a Commercial OS, rest assured that the "poor people" that can afford: electricitya computera valid MS license for the OSan internet connectionwill also be able, if they really need it, by saving a little and with some small sacrifices to put together the needed handful (or heaps ) of bucks needed to buy a license for the program from Nuhi. Also, the same poor people may well decide to make use of the resources they have to create a "competing" free (as in freedom) and free (as in free beer) product, possibly even better than the tool by Nuhi . What will happen instead will probably be that these poor people (which are also probably not using a licensed MS OS) will use on it a cracked version of Nuhi's tool and will also whine about it and/or whine about how unfair the licensing of the tool is, attempting to make the Author feel guilty because he tries to make some money out of his own work and time. Compare with all the whining about Aeroglass nagging.... jaclaz

And they gave you also two licenses, at least one of which transferrable to other hardware? A good deal , I would say. jaclaz