Entries Tagged as Software
Upgrade time
Posted by TomasF | Tags: Software , PC & Gadget Stuff , System
I finally got the opportunity to install Windows 7, so I decided to do some system changes at the same time, some of which I've been meaning to do for quite some time.
When I built the current workstation around an Asus Rampage Extreme I bought 2x4GB OCZ Platinum DDR3 ram timed at 7-7-7-20, planning to later upgrade to 8GB. But by the time I ordered the new mem, despite even having the same product number, it came with 7-7-7-24 timings. Now I don't know for 100% certain that one of the modules aren't defective, but they seem to be working well separately, but if both kits are installed, the system will BSOD randomly.
So top on the list was 8GB of identical memory modules. I got some nice Corsair XMS3 2GB modules (4 of them) at a decent price, and while I was at it I got an Intel x25 Generation 2 SSD drive to install Windows 7 on. I know shouldn't have, but I couldn't help myself.
I did the installation Friday night, and so far the memory has been working exemplary, and the combination of Windows 7 and the SSD drive is a joy to use. So far good news all around. While I'm installing everything over, I decided I should do some posts on what I always add to my system after a fresh install, as I always forget stuff, and people sometimes ask me about my essential tools.
How to avoid error 7026 (i8042prt) when running headless on Windows and an older mobo
Posted by TomasF | Tags: Tips & Tricks , Software , PC & Gadget Stuff , System
So my firewall is a an old Compaq d500 desktop running Windows 2003 and ISA 2006 Server. It's running headless (without monitor, keyboard or mouse connected) in a corner, being managed over RDP. But since the hardware isn't new, the concept of usb keyboards is kind of alien to the bios, but I finally managed to get it to boot without nagging for a ps/2 keyboard. However, seems Windows also feels it should've been given a keyboard connection, because forever it's been throwing a service error at logon:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7026
Date: 01.08.2009
Time: 10:16:19
User: N/A
Computer: ******
Description:
The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:
i8042prt
I finally got tired of this so I decided to search out a solution to this. And woohoo, I found 2:
- Boot to recovery console (from the CD or if you've installed it on the HDD), at the prompt type: disable i8042prt
- Start regedit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt and change value of "Start" to 4. This will disable the boot start of this service.
Hope this is of some use for someone else.
Printing to printable CDs/DVDs with the Canon IP5300 from Nero Coverdesigner
Posted by TomasF | Tags: Tips & Tricks , Software
A good while ago I was looking for some details on how to set up a paper stock for the CD-Tray in the Canon Pixma IP5300 from Nero Coverdesigner. At the time I didn't find anything, so I tried & failed my way to a setup myself. But I keep forgetting where I put the notes etc, so I figured "why not blog it?", so here we go.
Where did the /console switch for the RDP client in Vista SP1 go?
Posted by TomasF | Tags: Software , Work Stuff
What a great way to waste a lot of time when you're in a hurry. After having installed Vista on my newly rebuilt PC after christmas, I was setting up my rdp shortcuts to my Windows 2003 Server in the quick launch bar as usual, and I ran into a problem. It turns out I couldn't connect to the console session of the server, even if the shortcut used to launch the rdp file included the /console switch
mstc myrdpfile.rdp /console
After a bit of digging, and some help from Gerryn on IRCNet, it turns out that the reason was that /console had been removed from the RDP client, and this change was not in Vista, but in Vista SP1 (I had installed SP1 RC refresh immediately after installing Vista due to Vistas completely unacceptable performance without it).
Armed with this extra bit of knowledge I found a post by Nick MacKechnie describing the change and explaining that this had been replaced by the /admin switch which is better suited for the new features of Windows 2008.
Unfortunately the description in the switch listing for mstsc.exe could be clearer:
The Toolbox: a roundup of the software I rely on to get stuff done
Posted by TomasF | Tags: Software , PC & Gadget Stuff , Web Development
I figured I'd do a little series of posts about which applications I install on my PC after a reinstall, and in what order. Mostly I thought it would be a nice idea for my own reference, maybe compare it to an update list in a few years and see what the changes are.
This is definately something that will need several posts, probably I'll do one or two apps pr posting, and I'll use this post to keep an updated index of the posts.
The order of the list is based on notes I made the last time I reinstalled both my home and work PCs, and will contain a "consolidated" list, some things I might install on the home PC, some on the work PC, and most of it on both. Where it makes sense I'll mention if it applies to just one of them. I'm including assorted utilities and helper apps, but I'm leaving out drivers and such. Still, some tools might be more or less hardware specific.
So, time to get on with the list! And the first thing that gets installed on all my computers is...
- Opera
