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

Just out of curiosity, do you find any noticeable difference in running (on a supported OS) the 64 bit version vs. running the 32 bit version? I mean, is it: faster? allowing to map more RAM memory? something else?jaclaz

Boy, are you old! (right to the border of "ancient") He knows , rest assured. Come on guys, everything is cool and dandy , the only problems here seem to me being the (missing) functionalities of late Office releases. jaclaz

Yep, notwithstanding my (our ) total failure at finding a valid "strategy", it would have been anyway most probably made vain by the specific implementation of the "shifting" on that TV. The funny (or actually sad) thing is that most probably your set is one of the "new" ones (meaning something manufactured in the last 5 years or so) that are not anymore "TV sets", but (usually Linux based) computers so, if they provided an access to the actual database where the channels are stored it would have been like a 5 minutes job. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharp_Aquos Unlike LG and Samsung (for which there are alternative Linux versions) I beleve noone cared to "hack" the SHARPs. jaclaz

I believe that the 3/4 Gb capacity (+different model name) is an altogether different issue from the ones (BSY and/or LBA0) that can (hopefully) be solved by the known procedures here. See if any of the good guys here: http://malthus.zapto.org/index.php? can help you, but please, try not to fall (again) in the XY issue: http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/put-down-the-chocolate-covered-banana.html just provide the most info and as wide as you can description of the issue you are having (as opposed to asking help about how to perform a specific procedure that is not appropriate): http://homepage.ntlworld.com./jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/problem-report-standard-litany.html jaclaz

BUT, do you get the terminal prompt pressing CTRL+z? Does the disk actually spin up? The "ZZZZMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ..." seem like an issue with connection (grounding/adapter/etc.). IF you are having *anything* different from the LED:000000CC" error (that presumably can be worked around by shorting the read channel), WHAT made you think that you needed t short the read channel? I mean, it is entirely possible that you are applying the right cure to the wrong disease or the wrong cure for the right disease. jaclaz

If you are positive about having identified the "read channel" (and two corresponding points on the upper side of the PCB to be shorted), you might be shorting them "at the "wrong" time. At least here (for the 7200.11 ES2 drive): http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/129551-unlocking-terminal-of-seagate-es2-in-bsyled000000cc-state/ the shorting had to take place after you get the connection and the F3 T> prompt and before you get the "LED:000000CC..." message. (and it is seemingly very difficult to get the right timing, or at least everyone had to make several attempts to succeed). jaclaz

Difficult to say about "how long", reports vary, and may be not entirely reliable. Check if your PCB is the same as one of those whose images were posted here: http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?t=18907&start=20 If not read ATTENTIVELY this thread: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/157329-barracuda-lp-no-not-a-720011-nor-a-720012/ and/or post pictures of BOTH sides of the PCB. jaclaz

Strangely something On Topic: http://betanews.com/2014/07/10/windows-8-xs-failure-will-be-the-making-of-windows-9/ Though I concur with the fact that the letter by Satya Nadella: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/ceo/index.html "is intended as a rallying cry but lacks anything close to substance", I find it containing a "strong statement" about the world we live in (possibly Redmond - or Seattle - or the State of Washington is a tadbit different): and also a "strong statement" on the intentions of the MS guys: judging on the experience on how they lately accomplished their goal of a "more natural human-computing interfaces" and how they(according to the German and Chinese governments) succeeded at "maintaining security and privacy", it will be interesting to see if the actual new OS will go anywhere near fulfilling these promises. jaclaz

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27129-product-key-find-windows-8-a.html (option three) jaclaz

I will archive this under the tag "surprising". You are normally told hat you shouldn't wear contact lenses for more than 8, max 12 hours, clean and disinfect them every time you take them off and clean them again before you put them on again and someone that exceeded this recommendation by a mere 6x30x24/8= 540 times factor had issues. Surprising. A couple quick comparisons: Your car manufacturer recommends to change the engine oil every 30,000 Km and you change it after 16.200.000 Km It is recommended that you have 3 meals every 24 hours and you eat only after 4.320 hours, i.e. after 6 months. jaclaz

Nice pics and nice story. jaclaz

You are right. Those are contiguous sequences only , my bad I am pretty sure there must be a way to find also non contiguous sequences. jaclaz

Well, if it's OK for you in Excel, see if the attached fits. The LIS should be 7 and is made of 37, 38, 71, 123, 134, 138,165. jaclaz Ponch_TV.zip

What you describe is a haunted PC , nothing rational can explain fully what you report. I mean, come on, it is true that the crappy OS has been crappily updated, but it's not like 8.1 (and Update 1) came out yesterday, some of the things you described can happen, but only in the first few days after a "major" update, then they are usually sorted out or worked around (somehow the word "fixed" doesn't fit here) by the good MS or Samsung guys. Hope you can pinpoint the issue, all in all it "sounds" like an intermittent hardware problem, if thi is the case these are pesky, but with some patience they can be diagnosed. jaclaz

Would it be possible that a few idiots that were fired from the post service (for being particularly id***) were employed by Samsung assistance as hardware technicians and/or by MS as programmers? Seriously, if you deal with this kind of issues you should have a PE of some kind and possibly also some kind of linux booting on *any* machine and capable of testing the hardware, in order to be able to have yourself an informed opinion about the issue being in the hardware or in the software. jaclaz P.S.: Scoop! The board word filters are influenced by quantity one id*** two idiots three idiots ... many idiots

I don't think so, if you actually read what is written on it's title bar, it is aimed to be (besides a file archiver) a "File Manager". If you set it in it's two pane mode, this will become even more evident. If you are a "File Manager" (and you want to be a good File Manager ) you would want to manage the biggest amount of filetypes to the maximum extent possible, and particularly every kind of "files containing other files". At the time UniExtract was born the amount of archives and SFX's supported by 7-zip was much smaller than today, and UniExtract aimed to support *all* archives, *all* SFX's and *all* installers. If you prefer, UniExtract "overlapped" the extraction capabilities of 7-zip (actually using it for the more common archives), but since the capabilities of 7-zip expanded, so was the "overlapping" with UniExtract, and since some installers use a simple format similar to that of an archive or of an SFX, recent versions of 7-zip may support (sometimes "partially") them as a "side effect". As you are well aware of, a number of installers need anyway a more "dedicated" program, so UniExtract (particularly in these updated versions) still has it's specific use and utility , what I reported is the way I personally use these tools and was not meant to imply that 7-zip was going to (or aims to) replace or "take over" Uni Extract, only a report on how I "shifted" from "let's run Uni Extract first thing" to "let's see if 7-zip can open it and if it fails let's run Uni Extract on it". jaclaz