When setting an image to use as your compiz desktop cube skydome image make sure the pictures’ resolution is no greater than that of your desktop or you will just end up with a blank, white background…..
Archive for April, 2009
Ubuntu cube background image
Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Bart PE CD Builds
Thursday, April 30th, 2009A few weeks ago I had to clean a few virus’ of a computer and came across the Bart PE build utility. I had used Bart PE before but this was the first time I built a CD from scratch. I needed to get the CD set up with Up to date Anti virus (AVG free)
The building of the CD got off to a bumpy start, I would say have the following to hand -
A windows XP SP 2 installer CD
A computer running in Safe Mode
a bunch of blank CD’s
Install the BartPE utility with the computer running under safe mode as your AV will not like the software’s need to put a load of other AV software files on your computer. I did try disabling real time (on access) scanning, when running in Normal mode, but the install still failed.
Once the build utility is up and running you can configure add-ons as needed so if you using the Bart CD for a virus clean up the be sure to update the AVG plug-in before building the CD. You should only use software that you are licensed to……
Running a complete scan from the CD took no longer then running the scan from the hard drive. I did re scan the computer, “live” from windows once the CD scan had clean most stuff off, just to be 100% sure.
I would recommend this method for cleaning up virus ridden computers as it got the computer sorted with out a rebuild. It may not work in all cases but could save some time.
Windows Vista Home Basic rebuild – windows.old
Sunday, April 26th, 2009I would always back things up first if possible how ever….
I recently rebuilt a computer running Windows Vista home basic (OEM) and found that if a previous install of Windows is detected (in this case the same version of Vista) it renames the old system folder “windows.old”. The reinstall process moves the old “Program Files” folder and “Users” folder in there to. Leaving you with a new windows install and new User accounts but an easy way to copy old data back….
Thunderbird – Transfering email rules from one computer to another
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009As mentioned in other posts I have recently started using Ubuntu on my laptop. As part of getting my self settled with it I needed to duplicate the email sorting rules I had set-up in Thunderbird on my XP PC to Thunderbird on my laptop.
Natively Thunderbird has no function to export or import rules, however someone has written an add-on that will give the necessary functionality.
To get the rules import/export functionality up and running install the “Thunderbird Message Filter Import/Export” add-on with in Thunderbird. You will need to install this on all of the computers you need to import or export filters to or from.
On the computer with the Email sorting rules you need, go to the Tools menu and select “message filters”. On the left hand side of the window you should now have the option to export rules. Click on this and save the file somewhere easy to get to.
You will need to transfer this file to the computer you need to import the rules to – I emailed it to my self then save the attachment on the 2nd computer.
On the computer that you are importing the Rules to go to the Tools menu and select “Import Filters”. Choose the account you want to import the filters to, then click on the “Import” button.
Browse to the file you copied from the 1st machine and Click on Open.
Once done the import has finished you will need to restart Thunderbird.
Single user, personal calender sharing on two computers. Thunderbird+Google
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
What I needed and why
I had got into the habit of keeping a personal calender on my WinXP PC and was given a laptop as a gift when I left my last job (thanks v much Gents)
So I was thinking it would be good to get said calender sharing between the two devices and have some way I can edit the calender from anywhere.
I only need it for the two computers so anything Exchange/Kerio – group-ware email-serverish would be a bit much for a little lady on the move. Google’s Calendering service seemed an OK service to go for and the price was right – I.E nothing.
What I use.
As mentioned the PC I use is running Windows XP and I use Thunderbird as an email client as it copes better with IMAP then Outlook. I use the Lightning plug-in to add Calendering and Task list functionality.
The laptop I use is a little HP NC2400 (perfect for a little Lady on the move BTW) running Ubuntu. Seeing as Thunderbird is, was and should always remain, open source I’m going to be stating the obvious when I say that the main program and all the add-ons were available for the Linux version.
This set-up could possibly also work under Osx – if your an Apple user and you get it working good for you, have a lolly. (for anyone not fluent in sarcasm this means I don’t care it is not a contract to give an apple user a lolly.)
An add-in that allows your Google calender to be displayed has also been developed for Thunderbird. It’s called “Provider for Google calender”. I love simple names – you know were you are with an add-on named like that.
The process for setting it up is almost the same on WinXP and Ubuntu. -
1. Install Thunderbird
(1.a – for Ubuntu users – check you have libstdc++5 installed first and you do need v5. If you don’t have the right v then lightning wont work you will get a blank calender that you can’t add events to)
2. Download and Install Lighting Add -on
2.1 Download the Lightning Add-on and save it some were sensible.
2.2 In Thunderbird go to the “Tools” menu and select the “add-ons” option. In the Window that appears make ` sure that “extensions” is selected at the Top and then Click on “install”. Brows to the Lighting extension you saved in step 2.1 and click on OK.
2.3 you will get a warning about security and will have to wait a few seconds before the “install” button is enabled. Once the Button is enabled (I.e. no longer Gray) click on it.
2.4 Restart Firefox.
3. Download the “Provider for Google calender” ad-on and install – same process as 2.x just browse to the appropriate add-on file.
4. – if you don’t have one set up a Google calender account, log in and go to the “Settings” link in the top left hand corner.
4.1 In the google calender settings go to the “Calenders” link at the top of the orange area
4.2 Click on the name of the Calender
4.3 On the Calender page look for “Calender Address” and click on the XML button
4.4 copy and paste the link given to some place safe.
5. In Thunderbird go to “calenders” (bottom left hand corner of window) and right click on the white space on the left. In the menu that appears click on “new Calender” . The options you need are -
5.1 For “Locate your Calender” Select “on the network” then click on Next,
5.2 For “what is needed to access your remote calender” Select type “Google” (you got that Dad?) and then paste in the Link you copied in Step 4. Then click on Next – if you get an error at this point then check you have the link right.
5.3 on the next page give the calender a Name and colour for entries. Click on next then finish.
With that done on each computer or laptop you need to use the calender on your all set.
Things worth knowing
Check the View you are working in if things don’t Synch to Google.
The Google calender will appear as a 2nd calender and the overall view you will see buy default is the entries in both calenders. If you have both the local and the goggle calender displayed you will be entering info into the local calender and it wont synch to goggle. So far I’m working round this by only displaying my Google calender (just un-ticking the others in the list on the left hand side.)
Offline access
So far a cashed copy is on offer as a feature to give off-line access to your Google calender in this set-up. I installed all the necessary bits, as above, and then forgot to tick the box required. So as I sit on a train to Nottingham drafting this I can’t comment on how well it works….
I will get back to you on it though…..
Offline access Update – when in Nottingham I was able to get my laptop on the Internet thanks to an BT openworld wires access point (a bit expensive at £6 ish for 90 mins but better than nothing). So I ticked the experimental cashing box and don’t have off line access to my Google calender as tested when on the train home. How ever it does not prompt for the password in a pointless fashion like it did before…..
lets see what future updates to the add-on bring.
Overall
so far OK, real offline access would be nice – if I come across anything interesting I will update this
I would only use this for personal use. If I were a business I would be using a system much more under my control. If your stuck without the Internet then you have no access to your diary and all the info is stored on Google’s servers. In a professional environment I would rather own the hardware that holds all my Info.
What I may do in the future -
Figure out how to back it up
Get a Google phone so it can all synch with that…..
Shops I like and why
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009Scarlet/ Red on Stoke Newington Church street.
Good turnover of Vintage shoes and reasonably priced. Also good for Gents t-shirts. Scarlet has a good collective of different designers and not all subscribing to the “Shoreditch” uniform. A good place to look if you need something different at a standard price.
The Factory Outlet shop on Kingsland High street
Update – this shop is being refurbished…. i will report back when it’s done and i get a mo to have a look…
Thank fully this shop has escaped the East London line extension clear out of Buildings.
Worth checking on a regular basis (every one or two weeks) as the they do get some end of line stuff from expensive shops and sell it off cheap (like a Whistles last season dress for £15).
Peacocks
The kids trousers fit me – I am little and have no shame about it, but do avoid any girls trousers with sequins on the back.
Tk-maxx
Full retail is for chumps and a bargain rummaged for is a bargain earned.
The Cookery on Stoke Newington High street
Has anyone gone into this Butchers and asked for a Cut of meat they can’t do? – I doubt it. If visiting on Saturday afternoon be prepared to Queue but it’s worth it.
Roast Potatoes
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009Get a good, sturdy, non stick tin
As with Yorkshire puddings a hot tin and hot oil makes all the difference. I normally put enough olive oil in the tin to coat the bottom well then sick it in the bottom of the oven to heat up before pealing the potatoes.
Peal your potatoes and Boil them for about 10 mins in lightly salted water. If you prod the potatoes with a knife you should feel slight resistance but the potatoes should not be cooked right through.
Once the potatoes are done, drain the water and give the strainer a slight shake so the out side of the potatoes goes a bit fluffy.
Take the heated tin /oil out of the oven. Put the drained potatoes in the tin and sprinkle lightly with salt, then turn the potatoes over so they are coated in oil and lightly salt the other side.
Then put the potatoes in the oven for about an hour and a half.
When done the potatoes should be a light golden brown.
Turning the potatoes? You can just put the potatoes in the oven and leave them – this will result in a crunchy bit on the bottom – If you want an even outside turn the potatoes once or twice during the cooking.
Yorkshire puddings – if you are lactose intolerant
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009(this also works for pancakes)
I can get away with eating eggs but not other forms of dairy so use soy milk.
Before doing anything else get your tin (a loaf tin for one big pudding or a cupcake tin for little individualize ones) and put a little olive oil in the bottom. If using a cup cake tin then put a little oil in the bottom of each “cup”. That done put it in the oven – you will be more successful with a hot tin with hot oil in it.
The mixture -
4 eggs
Pinch of salt
350ml soy milk
3 OZ oz of Plain flower.
Mix all together in a big bowl – if using milk then whisk by hand as this will give a better rise. If using soy milk then you can get away with mixing using a electric hand mixer.
When ready take your hot tin out if the oven and pour mixture in so it fills about a third of the tin. When you put it back in the oven make sure it’s at the top with room for the puddings to rise and DO NOT open the oven once the Puddings are in. they should take about 15 to 20 mins to cook.
Installing bits under Ubuntu.
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009I did have a bit of trouble installing some bits under Ubuntu.
With the help of Google (and my partner) I found the Synaptic Package Manager (under System-> Administrator) but was a little confused when programs marked as “Installed” were not showing up in any menu.
With a little bit more Googling and some interjection from my partner I found out what I needed to do -
In terminal Type -
Sudo SU – this will give you Admin/root rights whilst this Terminal session is running.
apt-get install <program name1> <program name2>
if you get an error with using “program name” then do a bit of Googling
this should then give you the program in the expected menu’s ect.
Ubuntu (Linux then and now)
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009Back in 2000 I had a go at getting redhat 7 working on a very old “Time” computer – it booted to an xwindoes session once – as I had an odd graphics card I had to manually configure some config files and promptly ran out of time to get it up and running as the demands on Uni got in the way. This experience did teach me one important lesson – if you are new to setting something up for the first time Google what you are going to do first. Whilst I was trying to get redhat working with my Gcard I found 100’s of other people having the same problem and not having the money for a New Gcard I may not have embarked on my adventures with RH 7 at all.
A few years on, in 2009 I decided to put Ubuntu on my Compaq NC2400 laptop and It was a very different experience. A quick google showed no one shouting about how buggy the install was and booting off the install CD to check all was well helped. About 30 mins later I was looking at a laptop running Ubuntu and some of the nice desktop animations. I don’t need a Workspace switcher that displays as a cube but I adore having one.