Old Dusty

I wanted to print a document the other day, so I switched on my dusty and trusty inkjet printer, only to find a nice red blinking error on the display greeting me. The message was something along the lines of “Printing is impossible, replace yellow ink cartridge”.

I tried printing in black & white (greyscale actually), by specifiying this in the print options (click to see how), but a friendly popup message just stated something along these lines: “Cannot retain printing quality, please replace ink cartridge yellow”.

So I couldn’t print in black and white because my yellow ink was empty?! I couldn’t believe it. Or rather, I could, seeing how printer manufacturers are almost giving away printers for free, they have to make money somehow - why not in sleazy ways like this?

Checking the black cartridge, which is double the size of the colored ones, it was still half full (or half empty, whichever you prefer). Only the yellow one was completely empty. So, what is a man to do?

A little googling later, the eureka moment came along soon enough: Black Electrical tape!
 

You Need This

As it turns out, Brother printers check the ink levels by shining a sensor light at a special “window” in the cartridges, similar by design in all their printers.
 

Lazar: Mr. Bond, bullets do not kill. It is the finger that pulls the trigger. James Bond: Exactly. I am now aiming precisely at your groin. So speak, or forever hold your peace.

So I gave it a shot: I simply pressed the cartridge against the palm of my hand almost like a gun, using a finger to hold it in such a way that the window protruded (as seen above), then simply taped it over using a piece of black electrical tape (as seen below). The light from the sensor is now reflected back, and the printer thinks the cartridge is full! (Note: I first tried using scotch tape, which failed miserably, though I speculate it might work if you color it black using strong black ink.)
 

"Eureka!" he said (Click to view larger version)

Now shut up and do your job!

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Intel X25 SSD: Sometimes not showing up to the party

There’s a lot of people who have had issues with their SSD not showing up in the list of available hard drives when installing Windows 7, and today I got to be one of them. I wanted to do a fresh install of Windows 7 on an Intel X25-V SSD (40GB), but the disk just wouldn’t show up.

This particular disk was used as a swap disk in a different system, so I figured it might have some problems related to formatting. Changing from IDE mode to ACHI mode did not do anything. (For Intel SSDs, IDE mode is required for the Intel software to work).

After looking around for a solution on the interwebs, I found two possible solutions, listed by “ease of use”. The second one worked for me, as I happened to have a bootable USB with GParted on hand, but the first one should work too.

Solution 1: Using Diskpart during Windows 7 Setup

1. When Windows 7 Setup has loaded and the language selection dialog is showing, press SHIFT + F10 simultaneously. This opens a command prompt:
   
2. Type “diskpart” and hit ENTER.
3. Type the following commands one by one – hit ENTER for each of them to run the commands:
   1. list disk (to show the ID number of the hard disk to partition, normally it’s Disk 0)
   2. select disk 0 (change 0 to another number if applicable)
   3. clean
   4. create partition primary
   5. select partition 1
   6. active
   7. format fs=ntfs quick
   8. exit
4. Type “exit” again to close the command prompt window.
5. Continue Windows 7 setup as usual. The disk should now show up in the list.

Solution 2: Using GParted “Live USB” or “Live CD”

1. 

   Gnome Partition Editor

   Either Download Tuxboot and follow the instructions to create a bootable USB, or download the CD ISO image and burn it to CD using any DVD burning application that supports loading and burning ISO’s. I suggest using the freeware image burning tool ImgBurn for this.

2. Make sure that your USB or CD/DVD-ROM device is on the top of the boot priority list in the BIOS. Sometimes, a USB disk will be not be recognized as a “removable disk”, rather a hard drive and must then be moved up the list in the separate “hard disk boot priority” list (if available). Some computers also have a special button you can press to bring up a boot device selection menu.
3. Tuxboot should start up. Just hit enter when it asks for keymaps and such during loading.
4. Information about your disks and partitions should now show up. Select your SSD from the right hand drop-down list if you have more disks installed and connected.
5. If you have an existing partition on the disk, right-click on it and select delete (this was enough for my disk to work). Alternatively, if it just says “unallocated space“, right click and create a new NTFS partition. Basically you’re doing the same then as in the first solution above, only using a different tool.
6. Hit “Apply” so that the changes actually will be made. Wait until it is done.
7. Double-click the Exit icon and select Shutdown. Unplug/unload your GParted USB/CD.
8. Try Windows 7 Setup again, and the disk should now be available in the list!

With many new graphics cards, unless at least one of your monitors has DisplayPort support or is connected using VGA*, an active DisplayPort to DVI adapter is needed in order to get a picture on more than two digitally connected monitors at the same time. As DisplayPort is only found in the most expensive monitors, this is a fact that many buyers miss.

This problem applies especially to AMD Radeon EyeFinity enabled cards such as the Radeon 5xxx and 6xxx series, which enable use of three monitors simulatenously for a combined resolution of up to 7680×1600 pixels, or even six on certain models, for a combined maximum resolution of up to 7680×3200 pixels.

The first active DP to DVI adapters made available were and can still be very expensive, at around $100 each. Also, they have to be plugged into a USB port for external power.

For HD monitors supporting resolutions of up to 1920×1200 (max resolution of DVI Single Link), manufacturers solved this problem by creating an active DP to DVI Single Link adapter, that requires no extra power, and can be had at more reasonable prices.

The problem with these new “passively powered” active adapters, is that they don’t support resolutions above 1920×1200 pixels, while most 30″ and some 25-27″ monitors have a native resolution of 2560×1600 (16:10) or 2560×1440 (16:9) pixels. To support such monitors without DisplayPort connections, you still need a more expensive adapter with an extra USB connector for power. Note that this only applies if the monitor doesn’t come with DP support!

Here you can see the difference between the new type of Active DP to DVI adapters and a standard passive DP to DVI adapter:

The keyword is "Active"

Sapphire Active DP to DVI-D (Single Link) adapter

Dell Active DP to DVI-D (Dual Link) adapter

Sapphire Active DP to DVI-D (Dual Link) adapter

DVI is not DVI! This DVI Connectors chart will help you figure out which type of DVI cable or DVI adaptor you need.

I stumbled upon a great Greasemonkey script for clearing your Facebook wall of all posts, of any type. It seems to work very well, so I recommend it to anyone looking to do some cleaning up without having to press the same buttons over and over a thousand times.

Install Greasemonkey for Firefox, restart the browser, then install the Clear ALL Facebook Activity (fixed) script.

A button should appear on your profile page when installed (refresh may be needed).

I updated the original creator’s script to work in the new Facebook profiles.

EDIT 2012.18.01: The script needs to be revised for the new Facebook “Timeline” profiles.
However, should you still find use for it, please let me know if it still works or not.
 

A driver that finally enables TRIM support for Intel SDDs in RAID mode?

Sadly, the news were too good to be true. The latest Intel driver was incorrectly reported ^{(techPowerUp!)} to enable TRIM for SSDs in all RAID modes except for RAID5. However, this was bogus information from Intel. The correction came shortly thereafter, that support is ONLY for single disks and not while in RAID arrays.

Intel X25-V SSD - Still not getting its daily TRIM

The truth is that the new driver allows single disks that are connected while running the storage controller in RAID mode to receive the TRIM command.

It seems passing the TRIM command to SSDs in a RAID array is not a simple case with current chipsets and drivers.

The recommended workaround:
Yes, there’s actually a workaround! Just leave some 15-20% free, unformatted, unallocated space when formatting your RAID array of SSDs, seen as a single disk during OS install. The SSD controller will use this as “scratch space”. Also, do note that the much talked about performance loss over time that occurs with SSDs – is much less of an issue when in a RAID.

But what if I already formatted and used my drives?
No worries! You can still perform a Secure Erase ^{(ata.wiki.kernel.org)} to bring them back to basics. The same procedure can also be performed every 1-2 years if you experience noticeable loss of performance. But by then, maybe they will have conjured up some magical new drivers? Only time will tell …

Oh, almost forgot; for those “I run my single disk SSDs while in RAID mode” kind of guys:

Click here to get the latest Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver for Intel Desktop Boards.
Select your OS, then “Driver”.

Changing the name of a server inside of a domain? Finding computers whose names don’t match with their IPs? You may need to do some DNS “magic”.

If you get an error about “service not running” when using one of these commands on a server, you may simply need to reboot it, for example after a name change. This could also generate “untrusted domain” errors when connecting to SQL or similar services running on the server that rely on Windows Authentication to grant remote access from applications.

Commands to update DNS for any computer running Windows:
Open a Command Prompt (Run -> CMD or Start -> Programs -> Accessories. Right-click and select “Run as Administrator” if you experience problems).

ipconfig /displaydns
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns

Commands for administration of a DNS server:
These mostly rely on the Resource Kit command line tool for DNS server administrators, known as DNSCMD.exe.
Right click the shortcut to Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator” before using DNSCMD.exe.

Tip: Add DNSCMD.exe to the System32 folder to be able to run it from any root in any command prompt window.

Credits to the source of this excellent list:
Mark’s Windows 2008 DNS Server Command Line Cheat Sheet.

Thunderbird <3 Exchange

EZUNIX.org has provided a nice guide for those of us that would like to use the Thunderbird mail client with the notoriously incompatible Exchange 2007 Server.

The guide is even available as a downloadable PDF document.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that Thunderbird 3 now comes with calendar support!

Category 6 (Cat-6) patch cable and plugs differ from Cat-5e. Cat-6 plugs are modular and specced to be of higher quality, in order to support the required 300 MHz signal rate and handle 1 Gbit/s to 10 Gbit/s transfer rates. Category 5e cable also supports Gigabit Ethernet, but limited by design to a maximum 100 MHz signal rate.

1. Cut the needed cable length. If using boots for the plugs (the rubber thingies that usually feature a protective cap), slide them on now.
2. Trim the outer cable about 3-4 cm / 1.2-1.5″ down. Untwist the cable pairs – use the outer insulation piece to do this faster.
3. Cat-6 cable has a plastic spine that needs to be cut away before crimping the plug onto the cable. Fold the cable pairs out and pull on the spine while cutting it as far in as you’re able to do.
4. Straighten the cable pairs well using your fingers and gather them next to each other in the correct order according to one of  the below diagrams. Hold them tightly together and cut them as straightly as possible. (If using a load-bar, cut them at a sharp angle for easier insertion. Recheck the sequence and insert them thru the load-bar one at a time.)
   
5. Recheck the sequence of the wires, then insert them into the plug with the brown wires to the right side.
6. Crimp the cable by inserting and aligning the plug into your preferred RJ-45 crimping tool. Make sure that all wires go all the way to the end of the plug.
7. If using a boot for the plug, push it all the way down over the plug.
8. Repeat for the other end. If making a crossover cable, refer to the other diagram for the second plug (568-A on one end and 568-B on the other).
9. If you have a cable tester, this would be a good time to test that all the four pairs are working correctly. (See your device instructions).
10. FINAL NOTE:
    There being two types of network cable – solid and stranded core, make sure you either know exactly which type of cable you have before buying the correct plugs, or buy plugs that support both types. Make sure, if using cable with an AWG (guage) of 22, that the cable and plugs are genuine AWG 22 Cat-6 (8P8C) – not just Cat-5/5e sold as Cat-6. If they’re actually guage 24, they may not make proper connection. Many asian manufacturers do not make the cables and plugs according to the quality requirements of Cat-6 specification (copper clad instead of 100% copper). True CAT6 plugs are modular and should have polished contacts. Some Cat-6 cables are too large and may be difficult to attach to 8P8C connectors without a special modular piece and are technically not standard compliant.

It is simple to install Windows 7 or Vista from any USB media as long as you follow this guide. First you need to fulfill the following list of prerequisites, which I have expanded on much more than most guides similar to this one, so that you will be prepared for everything:

• A USB stick or similar USB storage device (aka” USB Flash Drive”) with a minimum of 3 GB capacity
  (Tip: Some USB drives don’t work well as boot devices on certain systems. If you have issues, try a different flash drive.)
• Windows 7 (or Vista) source files (from ISO or DVD)
  (Tip: If you have obtained an ISO file, you may extract it using WinRAR.)
• BIOS Settings and Hardware Checks:
  1. Change the boot priority of USB devices so that they are above any harddisks.
  2. Check the boot order for your hard disks. If your USB connected device shows up here, usually you need to hit “Page Up” (PGUP) to move it all the way to the top.
• Check that your computer supports booting from USB devices. If not, then you probably can’t boot from your USB media. You would need to run the installation from your DVD-drive or obtain an external DVD-drive or adapter.

(Tip: See your PC manual or a tech savvy friend if you have issues with this step. Normally you need to press either F2, F3, F5 or F12 to access the boot menu. Sometimes it helps to press ESC to see what you need to press if neither of those are working.)

Now let’s make a bootable USB device!

But first…

• You need to obtain the correct version of BOOTSECT.EXE (64-bit/x64 or 32-bit/x86)
  If you’re making the USB bootable media for a 64-bit version of Windows on a 32-bit version of Windows, you need to get yourself the 32-bit version of the BOOTSECT.EXE tool used in this guide, as the 64-bit version found included in the 64-bit source files won’t run on a 32-bit OS. You should be able to get this from any 32-bit install source for Windows 7 or Vista. I cannot put it on my blog, because it is prohibited by the Microsoft EULA.

1. Plug in your USB stick and backup any important files that you may want to keep.
2. Open Command Prompt with administrator rights using either of the following methods:
   • Hit the Windows key + R and type CMD. Hit CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.
   • Type CMD in the Start menu search box. Hit CTRL  + SHIFT + ENTER.
   • Go to Start > All programs > Accessories and right-click on Command Prompt, then select “Run as administrator“.
3. Type the following commands in the Command Prompt box to find the disk number of your flash disk:
   • DISKPART
   • LIST DISK
4. Identify your flash disk and note the disk number, then enter the following commands – assuming your USB stick’s disk number is 1:
   • SELECT DISK 1
   • CLEAN
   • CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
   • SELECT PARTITION 1
   • ACTIVE
   • FORMAT FS=NTFS QUICK
     (QUICK is the switch for Quick Format. Run the command without QUICK if you want all sectors checked. This could take a long time depending on the size and speed of the disk.)
   • ASSIGN
   • EXIT
     (BUT DON’T CLOSE THE COMMAND PROMPT YET!)
5. Still in Command Prompt? Good, because  you’ll need it again in a few seconds…
6. If you have an ISO image of Windows 7 or Vista, you may now extract it if you haven’t already, then follow step 6.1. If you have a DVD, follow step 6.2:
   6.1: Assuming you extracted the ISO to C:\Win7, bring up your Command Prompt again, then browse to the BOOT folder by typing: “CD C:\Win7\boot”
   6.2: Assuming your DVD drive letter is “D”, bring up Command Prompt and browse to the BOOT folder by typing “D:CD boot”.
7. Assuming your USB stick drive letter is “E”, type the following command to make the USB stick bootable:
   • BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 E:
8. You should see a message saying “Successfully updated NTFS filesystem bootcode. Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes.”
   
   If you get an error about x64/x86 incompatibility at this stage, you need to obtain the correct version of BOOTSECT.EXE – see the 4th bulletin at the very top of this guide for more info.
9. Copy all of your Windows 7 / Vista contents to the USB stick.
10. Your USB stick is now ready for use! Remember to enable USB boot and change boot priority so that USB-drives are above any harddisks in the boot priority in the BIOS. Refer to your system manual for instructions on how to do this. Also, remember that some USB sticks don’t work as well as others as boot devices, especially with certain older systems that claim to have USB boot capabilities. I can confirm that it worked with a SONY 4GB USB stick on a Dell Latitude E4200 for me, and has worked with many others for people I know. The least reliable kind of USB stick seems to be the variety that come as USB adapters for different memory cards, like SD Card or Memory Stick, BUT they may work even if they don’t appear as USB devices, as they will often simply be listed as harddisks instead.