Friday, February 17, 2012

Unpleasant free hosting website subscription encounter with x10hosting.com (Rev: 1.0)


I subscribed to x10hosting.com to setup a free hosting website because they have no forced advertisement with unmetered bandwidth and disk space. However, please note that the initial maximum allocated upload size is 500 MB per account. If your website requires more than 500 MB, you have to send a support request through cPanel after you have met these Account Upgrade Policy.

x10hosting.com has an inactivity rule that required the subscriber to access the x10Hosting Account Portal and authenticate his/her account at least once every 30 days. If you fail to do so, your free web hosting account will be removed to help them keep unnecessary costs down.

After signing up for a free hosting website at x10hosting.com, I encountered many different error messages during the FTP stages in different uploading dates:

220 You will be disconnected after 3 minutes of inactivity.

421 Timeout - try typing a little faster next time

421 Too many connections (2) from this IP

Connect failed. Error=0x80043106

MLST testing.html
550 Can't check for file existence

I checked the x10 Free Hosting forum and found that many people had also encountered those similar FTP problems. I sent at least 2 different FTP support request as the FTP error messages are different. After about 1 week, I finally manage to upload my files through FTP. However, I found that the index.html does not immediately work because the browser always display an advertisement on x10hosting.com instead of the content of the index.html. I created a support request and after a few days, I was told to clear my browser cache and index.html finally work as expected.

Till now, I always encountered FTP problem on cannot uploading my website files. My FTP client will keep on retrying to send the files over to the \html_public folder, and I will always get the below message:

MLST testing.html
550 Can't check for file existence

I suspect the main reason behind all these FTP nuisances is that x10hosting.com wants to force you to paid and upgrade to a premium account. As I am using a free web hosting account, I guess I have to keep on trying because sometimes the FTP works after trying for more than an hour. Ahhhh...
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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Solved syntax error when printing a pdf file to HP Laserjet 8150 printer (Rev: 1.1)


When printing a pdf file entitled "On the concept of 'tractor beams'" (by S. Sukhov and A. Dogariu*)  to HP Laserjet 8150 printer using the "HP LaserJet 8150 Series PS" drivers, the hardcopy printout shown the below syntax error:

ERROR: syntaxerror
OFFENDING COMMAND: Copyright
STACK:

/Notice
-dictionary-
/FontInfo
-dictionary-
false

The pdf file has the below properties:
PDF Producer: Acrobat Distiller 6.0.1 (Windows)
PDF Version: 1.3 (Acrobat 4.x)

In order to update the printer firmware, I have locally connected the HP Laserjet 8150 printer through the parallel port to a computer running Windows XP Professional SP3 Operating System. The HP Laserjet 8150 printer original Firmware Datecode is 20010426 MB7.92.

I downloaded the latest "HP LaserJet 8150 printer firmware for single/multiple printers - Windows operating systems" version MB7.119 16 (Dec 2004). After extracting the download printer firmware file, I open a command prompt and send the firmware upgrade file, lj8150fw_MB7.119.rfu directly to the printer through the printer parallel port using the below COPY command (/b indicates a binary file):

copy /b lj8150fw_MB7.119.rfu LPT1

The HP Laserjet 8150 printer shown a "Receiving upgrade", "Upgrading printer" status. After that, the HP Laserjet 8150 printer automatically recycle itself, load the program, initialize and boot up. The HP Laserjet 8150 printer new Firmware Datecode is 20041013 MB7.119. The pdf file entitled "On the concept of 'tractor beams'" has print successfully after updating the HP Laserjet 8150 printer firmware.


[JackNg: Updated on 31 Jan 2012] The update Firmware Datecode 20041013 MB7.119 also solved the below stack underflow error:

ERROR: stackunderflow
OFFENDING COMMAND: exch

STACK:

{--pop-- --pop-- ct_str1 --exch-- 0 --exch-- --put-- ct_str1 show {_ct_na _ct_i --get-- } --stopped-- {--pop-- --pop-- } {_ct_x _ct_y --moveto-- 0 --rmoveto-- }--ifelse-- /_ct_i _ct_i 1 --add-- --def-- --currentpoint-- /_ct_y --exch-- --def-- /_ct_x --exch-- --def-- }

The pdf file that had produced the stack underflow error has the below properties:
PDF Producer: Acrobat Distiller 7.0.5 (Windows)
PDF Version: 1.4 (Acrobat 5.x)

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Solved Acronis True Image Home 2011 "Failed to start Try&Decide" error (Rev: 1.0)



When running trial Acronis True Image Home 2011 update 3 (build 6942) "Try & Decide" in Windows XP SP3 Operating System (OS), I click the "Try & Decide is off. Click to start" to start "Try & Decide". The below message pop up:

Try&Decide and Nonstop Backup cannot work simultaneously. Nonstop Backup suspends working while Try&Decide is on. You will have to start it manually after Try&Decide completion. Do you want to proceed ?
-> I click the "Yes" button.

After that, another message pop up:

You are about to start Try mode
Note: please do not run Disk Error Check (chkdsk.exe) or Disk Defragmenter (dfrg.msc) system utilities, when the mode is on. And do not convert, format or resize your disks and partitions as well. This may cause your computer to become unbootable. Also, backups of the system partition and rescue media were not created. It is strongly recommended to do that before starting Try&Decide. If you want to continue click OK, otherwise click Cancel.
-> I click the "OK" button.

Acronis True Image Home 2011 update 3 (build 6942) produces a pop up error: "Failed to start Try&Decide."


Solutions:

To solve the "Failed to start Try&Decide." error, the processes and services shown below need to be running/start before we start to run "Try & Decide" in Acronis True Image Home 2011 update 3 (build 6942):
  1. Please ensure that the below processes are running:

    • Acronis Scheduler2 Service
      "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedhlp.exe"
    • TrueImageMonitor.exe
      "C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\TrueImageMonitor.exe"

    You can ignore the below process:
    SAOB Monitor
    C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome\OnlineBackupStandalone\TrueImageMonitor.exe

  2. In Windows XP SP3 OS, kindly click Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Under "Services and Applications" -> kindly click "Services". Please ensure that the below services are started:

    • Acronis Nonstop Backup Service
      "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\CDP\afcdpsrv.exe"
    • Acronis Scheduler2 Service
      "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedul2.exe"

    The below Acronis service need not be started:
    Acronis OS Selector activator
    "C:\Program Files\Acronis\DiskDirector\OSS\reinstall_svc.exe"

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Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Solved "no internet connection" error in Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook (Rev: 1.0)


A Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 x64 Operating System (OS) has no wired internet connection when using the Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 9 browser to surf the internet. The Microsoft IE 9 always shown a Bing page with various links. For example, if we want to connect to "www.google.com", it will shown a Bing page with various Google related links, but it will not directly connect and shown the "www.google.com" page.

The Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook devices, settings, etc as shown below are working fine:
  • Built-in network adapter device is working fine in the Device Manager, although there is no LED light shown at the network adapter device.
  • Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable and network port are working fine.
  • Did not specify any proxy servers in the Microsoft IE 9 browser proxy settings. Hence, it is working fine as we normally do not need to specify any proxy servers in the browser in order to surf the internet.
  • Able to obtain IP address and has ping response from the Domain Name System (DNS) servers.

During checking, I noticed that there is no public network access and it indicated that the firewall settings are managed by the Mcafee Security Center software which came pre-installed inside the Dell Inspiron N4050 notebook. As the Mcafee Security Center software trial period has expired, it was removed from the notebook. After that, the notebook was restarted and the internet surfing is working fine. Hence, an expired Mcafee Security Center caused the "no internet connection" error as it might had blocked the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) TCP and UDP port 80.
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Monday, October 31, 2011

Solved ahcix867.sy_ and symmpix.sy_ could not be found error (Rev: 1.0)

After successful updating the below DriverPacks drivers [Windows 2000/XP/2003 (x86)] in the Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE):
I began to add all the BartPE files to my existing MultiBoot DVD except for SETUPLDR.BIN and TXTSETUP.SIF because these 2 files had already been modified to reflect the SetupSourcePath change from \i386 directory to \bart directory so that BartPE can boot correctly from the MultiBoot DVD.


I tested running BartPE in the MultiBoot DVD using the trial Vmware Workstation software. During BartPE bootup, an error message appeared:
The file ahcix867.sy_ could not be found. Press any key to continue. 

After pressing any key, an error message appeared:
Setup failed. Press any key to restart your computer.

I searched the original BartPE \i386\system32\drivers directory and did not found any ahcix867.sy_ or ahcix867.sys file. It was weird because BartPE did not shown any error during the building stage.

I found ahcix867.sys (189 968 bytes, AMD AHCI Compatible RAID SB7xx Controller) inside DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1109.7z file -> DriverPack_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32.ini with the below information:


[AM7]
ms_count=1
ms_1_deviceName="AMD AHCI Compatible RAID SB7xx"
ms_1_tag="ahcix700"
ms_1_sysFile="ahcix867.sys"


ahcix867.sys is located inside DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1109.7z file -> \D\M\AM7\ directory. I copied ahcix867.sys to \bart\system32\drivers directory in the MultiBoot DVD. However, the error message "The file ahcix867.sy_ could not be found. Press any key to continue" still appeared. I renamed ahcix867.sys to ahcix867.sy_ in \bart\system32\drivers directory in the MultiBoot DVD.This time, I encountered another error message during bootup:


The file symmpix.sy_ could not be found. Press any key to continue. 

After pressing any key, an error message appeared:
Setup failed. Press any key to restart your computer.



I could not located any symmpix.sy_ or symmpix.sys in all the DriverPacks drivers. symmpi.sys file existed inside DP_MassStorage_wnt5_x86-32_1109.7z file but not symmpix.sys file.


In the end, I found that the real problem that caused the ahcix867.sy_ and symmpix.sy_ could not be found error was due to the old TXTSETUP.SIF file in the MultiBoot DVD.The existing old \bart\TXTSETUP.SIF (477 131 bytes) file in the MultiBoot DVD did not reflect the new update drivers information.

After copying the new \bartPE\i386\TXTSETUP.SIF (494 818 bytes) file from BartPE to replace the old \bart\TXTSETUP.SIF (477 131 bytes) file in the MultiBoot DVD, and modified the SetupSourcePath in the TXTSETUP.SIF (494 818 bytes) file to "\bart", the ahcix867.sy_ and symmpix.sy_ could not be found error was solved.
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Free and useful Firefox browser add-ons (Rev: 2.5)


  • AutoPager v0.8.0.8 or higher version.
    Install from https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/autopager/.
    Support browsers: Firefox, Google Chrome , Opera, Safari, Fennec and MicroB.

    AutoPager is a Firefox extension which automatically loads the next page of a site inline when you reach the end of the current page for infinite scrolling of content. By default, AutoPager works with a ton of sites, including Lifehacker, The New York Times, Digg, eBay, Amazon, Yahoo, YouTube, Flickr, MSN, MySpace, Wikipedia, TaoBao, Twitter and Google. Useful in reading comics online where those comics websites normally shown only 1 image per page.

    However, AutoPager did not work on some of the comics sites. Hence, I have created a .bat file, 0_openMultipleTabsInFirefox_fromCommandLine.bat to automatically open multiple tabs in Firefox browser from DOS command line with URL in incremental sequence numbering.

  • CheckPlaces v2.6.2 or higher version.
    Install from https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/10897/addon-10897-latest.xpi?src=cb-btn-featured
    Support browsers: Firefox and SeaMonkey.

    CheckPlaces checks the validity of your bookmarks by checking whether the pages still exist, checks for duplicates and for empty folders, and can restore missing favicons. CheckPlaces also checks and compacts (vacuums) your Places database.

    To backup your bookmark, in Firefox, kindly click "Bookmarks" -> "Show All Bookmark". Then, kindly click "Import and backup" -> "Backup". Kindly save your "bookmarks-yyyy-mm-dd.json" to a location that you wish.

    After installing CheckPlaces and had restarted Firefox, kindly click "Bookmarks" -> "CheckPlaces" -> "Check" to start the bookmark checking.

  • Clip to OneNote v4.0.rev649 or higher version.
    Install from https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/clip-to-onenote-legacy-edition/
    Support browsers: FireFox and ThunderBird

    "Clip to OneNote" is a free Firefox add-on that can send text, pictures and other data of a webpage to Microsoft Office OneNote with a single click.

    Note:

    To make this old add-on work in Firefox, you have to set the path to OneNote.exe. In Firefox browser, please click Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions. Kindly select "Clip to OneNote" -> Options. Then, click the "Browse" button next to the "Path of ONENOTE.EXE" and kindly select the OneNote.exe file path from there.

    You need to point to the complete file path with the filename, eg: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTE.EXE" (Microsoft Office 2007) or
    "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\ONENOTE.EXE" (Microsoft Office 2010)


    Updating note on Clip to OneNote v4.3 or higher version:

    The new Clip to OneNote v4.3 or higher version require you to download and install a Clip to OneNote listener for Firefox in order to work properly. However, this listener require Java 7 to work properly.

    Recently, Java from Oracle has continuous flow of serious security holes that need to be fixed. Security experts have advised users to disable Java plugin or even to uninstall Java completely. I don't like the idea of opening a listener port number in my pc and using the insecure Java to make Clip to OneNote (especially in browser contexts) to work. I still prefer to use the old Clip to OneNote version that does not require a Clip to OneNote listener:


    Clip to OneNote (Legacy Edition) 4.0.rev649
    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/clip-to-onenote-legacy-edition/

  • ColorfulTabs v18.5 or higher version.
    Install from https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/1368/addon-1368-latest.xpi?src=dp-btn-primary
    Support browsers: FireFox

    ColorfulTabs is a Firefox extension that colors every tab in a different color and makes them easy to distinguish.

    In FireFox, kindly right-click on any tabs and go to "ColorfulTabs" -> "Options". In the "Colorful Tabs Options" -> "General", I chose to set the "Coloring Scheme" as "Generate Colors By Domain Hostname" so that all the tabs colour under the same domain will be the same colour. Please surf "ColorfulTabs documentation and help" for more information.

  • FireShot - Webpage Screenshots: Capture + Annotate v0.98.31 or higher version.
    Install from https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/fireshot/.
    Support browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Thunderbird, SeaMonkey and Internet Explorer.

    FireShot is a Firefox extension that captures, edits, annotates, organizes, exports, uploads and prints screenshots of your web pages. FireShot extension integrates with browsers to provide captures of either the entire web page or the currently visible area only or selected region. FireShot plugin also provides a set of editing and annotation tools, which let users quickly modify captures and insert text and graphical annotations. Screenshots can be saved to disk (PNG, GIF, JPEG, BMP), printed, copied to clipboard, e-mailed and sent to external editor for further processing.

  • Web Developer v1.2.4 or higher version.
    Install from https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/web-developer/    .
    Support browsers: Firefox and Chrome.

    The Web Developer extension adds various web developer tools to a browser. If you surf a website and cannot right-click to copy the images, or cannot copy the content from a website, at the Firefox Web Developer Toolbar, please kindly click "Disable" -> "Disable Javascript" -> "All Javascript".
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

DriverPacks for Windows 2000/XP/2003 (x86) [Rev: 1.3]


Each DriverPack is a package of drivers for a particular category of hardware. More info from http://driverpacks.net/. Please surf http://md5deep.sourceforge.net/ to download "md5deep and hashdeep" (for Windows OS) software to check the MD5 checksum.

Below are the DriverPacks for Windows 2000/XP/2003 (x86) only:


Old
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