Chris's IntaWeb Log Blog Dooffa » Puters

Nero 8 … what’s the point

Chris — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:17:03 +0000

I’ve used Nero since the days of 5 or possibly before then. I’ve also always paid for the upgrades. But I’m not thinking about Nero 8 and wondering what the point is ! I only use Nero BurningROM and Nero BackItUp, all the other junk doesn’t even get installed. So it there any point in me paying for the upgrade ?

Why not offer a Nero Lite package for people to pay for that just want the basics ? Surely I’m not the only person on the planet that would pay for that ?

Glo Networks Update

Chris — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:59:12 +0000

Well our company is doing well and it’s time to find some more customers. To do that we need to sort our marketing out. First stop the website: www.glo-networks.com, get the design finished and started up a blog.

Previously we’ve found the blog to be a handy way of communicating our technical abilities without having to clutter the website up. So here it comes again.

Magic RAM Back

Chris — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:26:43 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted about missing RAM on an IBM x3650 server running Windows 2003 here. Apparently after a call open with MS for 3 weeks, they suggested doing this KB913568.

IT WORKED !!!

Hurrarr, just a megga pitty we lost a good customer in the time it took to get it sorted .

Vista SP1 Build 6001.18000

Chris — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:16:53 +0000

I’ll say that Vista SP1 right now is not ready for release. One bug I’ve reported no fewer than 3 times now is still present in their latest build 18000 ! Windows Mobile Device Center not picking up devices when connected. Each time I log this I get told that it’s fixed in the next build but each time it isn’t.

So I’ve just logged a new fault again. Do fix this … don’t ship it with this problem !

IBM x3650 7979 Where’s My RAM

Chris — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:51:15 +0000

We have recently put in 2 IBM x3650 servers, and somehow a driver is somehow stealing 1Gb of RAM (missing 1Gb).

No it’s not a Windows x32 / x64 / 64bit thing. The BIOS reports 4Gb and Windows reports 4Gb but there’s only 3Gb avalible for use !

See the free RAM up there … 2.9Gb on a clean Windows 2003 R2 x64 bit server with only MS Virtual Server installed. It’s happening on both boxes and IBM claim there are no hardware faults and have closed both calls we’ve logged with them. They say it’s Windows. Microsoft say it’s kernel level driver and point us at the server manufacture.

Now when building the box we used IBM’s Server Guide CD to assist in the driver install. So we’re assuming that something from there is causing the problem. We’ve tried installing all maner of new drivers, removed ones we think it could be and searched the web for anyone else on this planet that may be having this problem. But we’re drawing blanks everywhere we look !

We’re now about to install Windows in different flavours and a few different Linux’s to see if we can pin it down. Any suggestions greatly recieved.

!! Got to be said that there’s getting fewer and fewer reasons to bother buying IBM servers now !!

Vista SP1 RC

Chris — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 22:16:57 +0000

Well I’ve been playing with SP1 for Vista for a while now. Not much to say appart from it’s a big boy and take a very long time to apply. The other SP1 build where a little iffy to install and sometimes appeared to fail. This latest one the RC (Release Candidate) seems just fine. It’s on my main work laptop doing what I suppose it should do, ie. work . Copying of files across the network seems to be better (faster) but I’m not sure if that’s just me. I also think that the battery life looks a little better now.

So overall I’d say it looks ready to go.

iTunes 7.2 Vista Intel RAID

Chris — Wed, 30 May 2007 08:36:11 +0000

Well it appears that iTunes still doesn’t work with Vista (32bit or 64bit) if you have an Intel RAID’ed setup. The HDs go nuts so badly that the machine becomes un-usable. Over the past months (read probably a year), I’ve been fiddling and trying to find a solution to this but never get anywhere.

Have seen a few other people moan about the same problem but it appears that it’s still not sorted. Might even bother to log a fault with Apple about this .

iTunes 7.2 has got to be one of the quickest try outs on a PC I’ve ever done. I think it’s safe to say it was on here for about 2 mins tops.

** FIX in COMMENTS **

NTFS Compression Limit

Chris — Fri, 11 May 2007 21:09:33 +0000

Weridly I’ve not spotted this on the net anywhere but I think there’s a fault with the NTFS compression or something.
For the last few weeks I’ve had Windows Backup writing a backup file to a 500Gb USB HD connected to the same server. It’s been backing up the server into 50Gb – 70Gb files without a problem until I compressed the DIR that it writes to. Then it’s been moaning that the disks where corrupt and loads of other daft errors. Game up trying to get to the bottom of it but after turning off the compression again everything is back to working again !

So it seems that there’s something funny when compressing a 50Gb file or more live onto HD drive. Not sure if it’s just over USB but it’s working now. Interesting though

? NTFS 50Gb Compression Limit ?

Vista Media Center

Chris — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:38:42 +0000

Been using Vista Ultimate as a dedicated Media Center for some time now. It’s great and so much better than Sky+ and of course costs nothing once it’s in place . Well it’s been running for about 6 months without any real issues appart from a little slow down everynow and then.

Well it was running to the LCD TV via DVI for months at 1024×768 which was ok. But I decided that I want’ed proper HD through it. So I changed the DVI cable for a standard VGA one and set the res at 1360×768 (max for the TV) and it was lovely if a little more sluggish. Even though the 1Gb of RAM was only in use to about 720Mb I popped another 1Gb in there and replaced the 7300LE with a 8600GTS. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. So smooth and the XBox 360 even connects quicker now

So everyone with a Vista Media Center, make sure you have 2Gb of RAM or more and decent GFX card.

Canon HV20 1080i Camcorder

Chris — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:38:24 +0000

I recently treated myself to a nice new Canon HV20 camcorder from Dealsmashers. Just a quick note to say it’s ace and to show the extended battery that I got to go with it.

Lovely solid feel to it, great quality stills and video footage. I’ve spotted a few people online asking about the extended battery and how much does it stick out etc. So here’s some pics to show you. I’ve put the Hahnel HL-2L14 1400mAh battery in there which is the same as the BP-2L14 which canon say to get.

Standard BP-2L13

Hahnel HL-2L14 (BP-2L14)

As you can see the larger battery fits the camera no probs at all. In fact it’s almost as if the viewfinders lip bit was made to stick out a little just for a bigger battery. Anyway it’s fine and works of course as it should.

Werid the way Vista handles the footage though. As even though the Windows Movie Maker pulls the stuff over in what it says is HD mode. After pulling it from the camcorder it does some form of processing to the clips. Appears it down samples them ! As when you check them in Media Player they’re down to 640×480 … errr that’s not HD. I suppose in time I’ll get some decent software to handle them properly but for now iMovie HD on the macBook is doing a lovely job .