Bought and installed Feisar's plugin for my phone, then ran iSync.
I set up an address book group called On Phone which will have all my contacts that are on the phone in it. Got to sync with that at first, to avoid deleting anything on the phone - the group is empty at first.
Took a couple of hours to get everything well organised, but then did a sync and it seems to work fine now.
Calender syncing won't work seemlessly though, because it seems to be only able to sync with calendars on the mac, not my gmail calendar. The option to sync phone items to the gmail one isn't available, so I make one called On Phone just for things I add on the phone and want to move into another calendar at home. That's not the end of the world for now though. And the main thing is that todo items sync!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Toning down Kaspersky
Kaspersky's avp.exe process was hogging resources and causing windows to act like a dog. I turned off things like
anti-phishing
anti-spyware
and also changed so scans and on-access checking was a lot less aggressive, for example not checking every file, and only checking files when opened. I set it so that it paused while OneNote was starting up.
anti-phishing
anti-spyware
and also changed so scans and on-access checking was a lot less aggressive, for example not checking every file, and only checking files when opened. I set it so that it paused while OneNote was starting up.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Getting Windows to recognise increased Parallel's Virtual Disk size
A week or two ago I increased the size of the virtual disk image that Windows XP was using - from 9 to 20 Gb - using the Parallel's image tool. Actually, I changed it from Expanding to Fixed size as well, as I found hints that it would improve performance, which is a bit slow in Windows.
Today I got Low Disk Space warnings, and found that C: was only 9Gb. I tried using these instructions to expand the NTFS partition up to the whole space available.
I also got into the Virtual Machine settings in Parallels and changed it so that it was using Shared Networking (VM and host appear on same IP), and Shared Folders for My Documents = Documents. Now My Documents is my Mac's Documents folder, which is much better than having to access a network drive (X:).
Today I got Low Disk Space warnings, and found that C: was only 9Gb. I tried using these instructions to expand the NTFS partition up to the whole space available.
I also got into the Virtual Machine settings in Parallels and changed it so that it was using Shared Networking (VM and host appear on same IP), and Shared Folders for My Documents = Documents. Now My Documents is my Mac's Documents folder, which is much better than having to access a network drive (X:).
Monday, October 20, 2008
Dvorak keyboard layout for Advent 4211
Ukelele is a keyboard layout program. Download and run it from Desktop, seems to be able to do everything to do with keyboard layouts. This is the Apple kb document for the .keylayout files.
Could use Keyboard & Mouse/Keyboard preference pane to set Ctrl key to act as Cmd, which means that shortcut keys act when I press Ctrl, just like Windows. In Ukelele now when I press Ctrl it detects it as Cmd. So I need to set Cmd-Left and Cmd-Right to act as Word Left and Word Right. If possible.
Looking around, I think that it might not be possible by changing the layout file. The layout file doesn't really specify which command is done when Cmd is pressed - this seems to be in a key bindings file. But if that's the case then there is another way to do it, which works only for programs built on standard Cocoa text controls. That page also references a page for firefox key bindings which operate similarly.
I made the following key binding file for my system, which operates how I would like (with Cmd/Ctrl swapped so shortcuts are done with the physical Ctrl key):
{
/* Note that this file is also designed to work when Ctrl and Cmd are
swapped in keyboard preferences, so that pressing Ctrl key will
be seen as Cmd (@) here. */
/* home */
"\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLine:";
"$\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLineAndModifySelection:";
"@\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfDocument:";
"@$\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfDocumentAndModifySelection:";
/* end */
"\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLine:";
"$\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLineAndModifySelection:";
"@\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfDocument:";
"@$\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfDocumentAndModifySelection:";
/* page up/down */
"\UF72C" = "pageUp:";
"\UF72D" = "pageDown:";
/* up and down */
"$\UF700" = "moveUpAndModifySelection:";
"$\UF701" = "moveDownAndModifySelection:";
"@\UF700" = "pageUp:";
"@\UF701" = "pageDown:";
/* the ideal behaviour here would to move selection to bottom of
the paragraph, but that isn't supported. Instead, move selection
down a line, which is better than the native behaviour of
selecting to the end of the document.*/
"@$\UF700" = "moveUpAndModifySelection:";
"@$\UF701" = "moveDownAndModifySelection:";
/* left and right */
"@\UF702" = "moveWordLeft:";
"@\UF703" = "moveWordRight:";
"@$\UF702" = "moveWordLeftAndModifySelection:";
"@$\UF703" = "moveWordRightAndModifySelection:";
}
When I just created this myself and put it in ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict, it didn't work. I had to use the KeyFixer script/app and then edit that file, to get it to work. Don't understand why. There were two files with apparently the same name there after running their script.
You can use 'pl -input filename' to check the property list file, it sort of compiles it.
This Windows kb article explains how to remap keys in Windows, looks like it would be possible to swap Ctrl and Alt there. But that's tricky and requires rebooting, so instead AutoHotkey is an option.
Download the AutoHotkey installer and use this script, with Cmd/Ctrl swapped in keyboard and mouse, and Ctrl, Alt and Windows keys work as they should do under Windows:
Ctrl::Alt
LWin::Ctrl
Alt::LWin
Could use Keyboard & Mouse/Keyboard preference pane to set Ctrl key to act as Cmd, which means that shortcut keys act when I press Ctrl, just like Windows. In Ukelele now when I press Ctrl it detects it as Cmd. So I need to set Cmd-Left and Cmd-Right to act as Word Left and Word Right. If possible.
Looking around, I think that it might not be possible by changing the layout file. The layout file doesn't really specify which command is done when Cmd is pressed - this seems to be in a key bindings file. But if that's the case then there is another way to do it, which works only for programs built on standard Cocoa text controls. That page also references a page for firefox key bindings which operate similarly.
I made the following key binding file for my system, which operates how I would like (with Cmd/Ctrl swapped so shortcuts are done with the physical Ctrl key):
{
/* Note that this file is also designed to work when Ctrl and Cmd are
swapped in keyboard preferences, so that pressing Ctrl key will
be seen as Cmd (@) here. */
/* home */
"\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLine:";
"$\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLineAndModifySelection:";
"@\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfDocument:";
"@$\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfDocumentAndModifySelection:";
/* end */
"\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLine:";
"$\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLineAndModifySelection:";
"@\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfDocument:";
"@$\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfDocumentAndModifySelection:";
/* page up/down */
"\UF72C" = "pageUp:";
"\UF72D" = "pageDown:";
/* up and down */
"$\UF700" = "moveUpAndModifySelection:";
"$\UF701" = "moveDownAndModifySelection:";
"@\UF700" = "pageUp:";
"@\UF701" = "pageDown:";
/* the ideal behaviour here would to move selection to bottom of
the paragraph, but that isn't supported. Instead, move selection
down a line, which is better than the native behaviour of
selecting to the end of the document.*/
"@$\UF700" = "moveUpAndModifySelection:";
"@$\UF701" = "moveDownAndModifySelection:";
/* left and right */
"@\UF702" = "moveWordLeft:";
"@\UF703" = "moveWordRight:";
"@$\UF702" = "moveWordLeftAndModifySelection:";
"@$\UF703" = "moveWordRightAndModifySelection:";
}
When I just created this myself and put it in ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict, it didn't work. I had to use the KeyFixer script/app and then edit that file, to get it to work. Don't understand why. There were two files with apparently the same name there after running their script.
You can use 'pl -input filename' to check the property list file, it sort of compiles it.
This Windows kb article explains how to remap keys in Windows, looks like it would be possible to swap Ctrl and Alt there. But that's tricky and requires rebooting, so instead AutoHotkey is an option.
Download the AutoHotkey installer and use this script, with Cmd/Ctrl swapped in keyboard and mouse, and Ctrl, Alt and Windows keys work as they should do under Windows:
Ctrl::Alt
LWin::Ctrl
Alt::LWin
UK keyboard layout for Advent 4211
Paul @ Modaco made a keyboard layout that has the correct position of the @ and other keys, i.e. that matches what is actually printed on the keys. It's available here, and installed by following these instructions:
47. FIXING KEYBOARD MAP (UK keyboard layouts only): Change to the 'kaylayout' directory on my Wind driver and utility pack, and copy 'Advent 4211.keylayout' to '\Library\Keyboard Layouts'. Run 'System Preferences' -> 'International', and click 'Input Menu'. SCroll down the list until you see 'Advent 4211'. Click the checkbox, and you will see a flag appear in your menu bar. Click this to select the Advent layout.
47. FIXING KEYBOARD MAP (UK keyboard layouts only): Change to the 'kaylayout' directory on my Wind driver and utility pack, and copy 'Advent 4211.keylayout' to '\Library\Keyboard Layouts'. Run 'System Preferences' -> 'International', and click 'Input Menu'. SCroll down the list until you see 'Advent 4211'. Click the checkbox, and you will see a flag appear in your menu bar. Click this to select the Advent layout.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Hibernate/sleep in OS X on Advent
Found I could change the HDD sleep time to 3 minutes using this command:
sudo pmset -b disksleep 3
Don't know if it works though.
sudo pmset -b disksleep 3
Don't know if it works though.
10.5.5 update woes
Now the Advent 4211 won't boot after accepting Apple's update patch from 10.5.4 to 10.5.5. It goes to a blue screen with a mouse cursor, but flashes back to a terminal window every 10s with sometimes an error message, mostly blank.
There is some info in this forum topic that suggests various kernel extensions (kexts) need to be reinstalled:
http://forums.msiwind.net/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=3722&view=next
However, that is mainly for video display issues - seems that special MSI display kexts get nuked by the update. This one is for exactly my problem:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/blue-screen-after-update-t4018.html
I deleted AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext folder from /System/Library/Extensions because I found that it in this post, from Biohead (at the bottom of page):
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/released-t3551.html
You have to make the disk writeable first:
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw /
The first one does a filesystem check, the second actually makes the disk writeable. I tried this several times but it didn't seem to work (using rm -r to remove the .kext directory) - turns out you need to 'exit' rather than just turn off the computer by holding down the power button for a long time. It must flush a cache then.
However, this didn't change anything.
Second post above seems to suggest downloading a pile of kernel extensions and installing over the ones that are there, after someone had the exact same problem as me. Also on this page, grantonstar also says to reinstall all kexts. Will track down what that means exactly!
The download is for a whole lot of kexts and other things required for a fresh install, and requires running kexthelper.app, which is clearly impossible. Looking for other ways, I figure I could just copy the kexts.
Need to mount the USB stick:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20030714194313542
I am moving all the relevant kexts that are going to be replaced to /Users/michaelfielding/. Natit.kext and ACPIBattery.kext don't exist on the Advent yet.
Now I exit, and instead of going back to another terminal-like thing, it actually boots OS X! Hooray! And the right screen resolution too!
There is some info in this forum topic that suggests various kernel extensions (kexts) need to be reinstalled:
http://forums.msiwind.net/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=3722&view=next
However, that is mainly for video display issues - seems that special MSI display kexts get nuked by the update. This one is for exactly my problem:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/blue-screen-after-update-t4018.html
I deleted AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement.kext folder from /System/Library/Extensions because I found that it in this post, from Biohead (at the bottom of page):
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/released-t3551.html
You have to make the disk writeable first:
/sbin/fsck -fy
/sbin/mount -uw /
The first one does a filesystem check, the second actually makes the disk writeable. I tried this several times but it didn't seem to work (using rm -r to remove the .kext directory) - turns out you need to 'exit' rather than just turn off the computer by holding down the power button for a long time. It must flush a cache then.
However, this didn't change anything.
Second post above seems to suggest downloading a pile of kernel extensions and installing over the ones that are there, after someone had the exact same problem as me. Also on this page, grantonstar also says to reinstall all kexts. Will track down what that means exactly!
The download is for a whole lot of kexts and other things required for a fresh install, and requires running kexthelper.app, which is clearly impossible. Looking for other ways, I figure I could just copy the kexts.
Need to mount the USB stick:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20030714194313542
I am moving all the relevant kexts that are going to be replaced to /Users/michaelfielding/. Natit.kext and ACPIBattery.kext don't exist on the Advent yet.
Now I exit, and instead of going back to another terminal-like thing, it actually boots OS X! Hooray! And the right screen resolution too!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Sorting out Dvorak keyboard layouts on OS X and parallels
I'm getting annoyed that the shortcut keys I'm used to on Windows, for navigating text and for Ctrl-key combinations, are different on the Mac. And different again on the Parallels VM.
I would like it to be like Windows:
Ctrl-arrows = word left or right
Alt-arrows = navigate forward and backward in browser
Shift = select text
Home/End = beginning/end of line
Ctrl-key = shortcut, where key is what it would be labelled if it was a Dvorak keyboard
Interestingly, os x applies the face letter of the key as a shortcut. On Windows you press Ctrl-B I think to get Ctrl-X; on OS-X it's actually Cmd-X.
In OS X, with Control and Command keys swapped in System Preferences - > Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard ->Modifier keys, I get this behaviour:
Ctrl-arrows = nothing
Alt-arrows = nothing
Command-arrows (Windows key) = word left/right
Ctrl-key = shortcut
Command-key = alternative character
Also, the Fn arrow keys should, according to the keyboard's labels, function as Home and End, but they don't. I can't get that functionality that I can see.
Alt = command key (funny cross thing)
Ctrl = ctrl key
Windows = option key
This page has a very good article from Apple's KB:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304270
It links to the MS keyboard layout creator tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/msklc.mspx
But now some people seem to have worked on the Home/End key problem:
http://www.starryhope.com/tech/2006/mac-os-x-home-and-end-keys/
The crux of the problem is that I want to press the Ctrl key and get left and right, but also get shortcuts. But while I can switch the Ctrl key to be the Option key (which on the Mac does the word-skipping), then I can't use it to be the command key (which on the mac does the commands). Worse, when I go to Windows, it interprets the Ctrl key as the Alt key (of course), and opens the menu bar. So Ctrl arrows doesn't work there.
Some help might be available here:
http://lists.apple.com/archives/projectbuilder-users/2002/May/msg00474.html
This gives information on the key bindings file and some actions and keys that you can use in it.
I would like it to be like Windows:
Ctrl-arrows = word left or right
Alt-arrows = navigate forward and backward in browser
Shift = select text
Home/End = beginning/end of line
Ctrl-key = shortcut, where key is what it would be labelled if it was a Dvorak keyboard
Interestingly, os x applies the face letter of the key as a shortcut. On Windows you press Ctrl-B I think to get Ctrl-X; on OS-X it's actually Cmd-X.
In OS X, with Control and Command keys swapped in System Preferences - > Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard ->Modifier keys, I get this behaviour:
Ctrl-arrows = nothing
Alt-arrows = nothing
Command-arrows (Windows key) = word left/right
Ctrl-key = shortcut
Command-key = alternative character
Also, the Fn arrow keys should, according to the keyboard's labels, function as Home and End, but they don't. I can't get that functionality that I can see.
Alt = command key (funny cross thing)
Ctrl = ctrl key
Windows = option key
This page has a very good article from Apple's KB:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304270
It links to the MS keyboard layout creator tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/msklc.mspx
But now some people seem to have worked on the Home/End key problem:
http://www.starryhope.com/tech/2006/mac-os-x-home-and-end-keys/
The crux of the problem is that I want to press the Ctrl key and get left and right, but also get shortcuts. But while I can switch the Ctrl key to be the Option key (which on the Mac does the word-skipping), then I can't use it to be the command key (which on the mac does the commands). Worse, when I go to Windows, it interprets the Ctrl key as the Alt key (of course), and opens the menu bar. So Ctrl arrows doesn't work there.
Some help might be available here:
http://lists.apple.com/archives/projectbuilder-users/2002/May/msg00474.html
This gives information on the key bindings file and some actions and keys that you can use in it.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Using Parallels Transporter
I tried VMware's Converter and, after I ran it from the Windows XP install (had to swap HDD back in) it did create a virtual disk on the FAT32 partition I created at the end of the Leopard-installed HDD (now in the USB drive). But in looking around for instructions on exactly which of the three options for the VMware file type I should use I found Parallels has their own Transporter.
http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/features/transporter/
And it's a free download, coming in Linux and Windows flavours. I downloaded and installed it. I actually had to install it twice (uninstall and reboot in between) because the first time it didn't work. Probably something to do with running the Tech Guys Recovery Backup on the same reboot (now have backup on 2Gb Memory Stick which somehow turned up once at work and nobody claimed - finally found a use for it). It was pretty straightforward to select the options and use Transporter to make an image of the Windows install. Even while writing this.
Scratch that, it has bombed out three times while around 20-30%.
I tried an import of the VMware image, back in OS X using Transport, choosing the file with the fewest characters! (I guess it's split to avoid any 2GB file size limit problems.) It progresses well, and at the end boots up and brings up a cmd window telling you what to do - cancel all the PnP New Hardware Wizards and deny the reboot request. The cmd windows says to press and key and reboot. That happens and, lo, I have my 'old' windows running!
http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/features/transporter/
And it's a free download, coming in Linux and Windows flavours. I downloaded and installed it. I actually had to install it twice (uninstall and reboot in between) because the first time it didn't work. Probably something to do with running the Tech Guys Recovery Backup on the same reboot (now have backup on 2Gb Memory Stick which somehow turned up once at work and nobody claimed - finally found a use for it). It was pretty straightforward to select the options and use Transporter to make an image of the Windows install. Even while writing this.
Scratch that, it has bombed out three times while around 20-30%.
I tried an import of the VMware image, back in OS X using Transport, choosing the file with the fewest characters! (I guess it's split to avoid any 2GB file size limit problems.) It progresses well, and at the end boots up and brings up a cmd window telling you what to do - cancel all the PnP New Hardware Wizards and deny the reboot request. The cmd windows says to press and key and reboot. That happens and, lo, I have my 'old' windows running!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Getting Advent 4211's original disk moved over
The original disk image has XP Home on it, and there's a COA on the base. I tried to install XP Pro and unsurprisingly it didn't like the key from the COA for XP Home (also XP Pro is SP2, whereas XP Home is for SP3, don't know if it makes any difference).
Interestingly the MSI forum is full of people having problems with the backup of the restore partition. The Advent box comes with instructions on how to back up this partition, which I'll need to do one way or another.
I copied everything from the XP partition to the HDD of the Mac, but then can't get it into a Parallels virtual disk because you don't seem to be able to just create one. Probably it wouldn't work anyway. Then I found this post:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/06/24/parallels-virtual-disk-dance-of-pain/
You have to create a disk image using VMware's free Converter tool, then use the Parallels Transporter to 'migrate' the image. Here goes...
Oh, it's a Windows program. But maybe you can run it on itself. Looks like you can, but maybe not on XP Home. Will swap HDD tomorrow and try it out.
Interestingly the MSI forum is full of people having problems with the backup of the restore partition. The Advent box comes with instructions on how to back up this partition, which I'll need to do one way or another.
I copied everything from the XP partition to the HDD of the Mac, but then can't get it into a Parallels virtual disk because you don't seem to be able to just create one. Probably it wouldn't work anyway. Then I found this post:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/06/24/parallels-virtual-disk-dance-of-pain/
You have to create a disk image using VMware's free Converter tool, then use the Parallels Transporter to 'migrate' the image. Here goes...
Oh, it's a Windows program. But maybe you can run it on itself. Looks like you can, but maybe not on XP Home. Will swap HDD tomorrow and try it out.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Display resolution problems
The screen keeps coming up as 800x600!
This post tries to solve this display resolution problem, which everyone seems to be having:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/help-nagging-800x600-screen-resolution-bug-cold-boot-t2383.html
This post tries to solve this display resolution problem, which everyone seems to be having:
http://forums.msiwind.net/mac/help-nagging-800x600-screen-resolution-bug-cold-boot-t2383.html
Monday, September 15, 2008
Apple Mail Leopard with Gmail
This is instructions for setting it up:
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=81379
Finally, some settings they recommend:
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=78892
Seems to work nicely so far.
Ay curumba, they've even got address book syncing going.
http://googlemac.blogspot.com/2008/05/mac-os-x-1053-sync-google-contacts.html
My address book doesn't have the sync with google option, it might be because a software update is needed (one's been nagging me). I have 4.1.1.
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=81379
Finally, some settings they recommend:
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=78892
Seems to work nicely so far.
Ay curumba, they've even got address book syncing going.
http://googlemac.blogspot.com/2008/05/mac-os-x-1053-sync-google-contacts.html
My address book doesn't have the sync with google option, it might be because a software update is needed (one's been nagging me). I have 4.1.1.
iCal and google calendar two way sync
According to this they can now talk to each other in both directions!
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/07/28/caldav-support-comes-to-google-calendar/
It reference these instructions at google:
http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=99358
Brilliant!
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/07/28/caldav-support-comes-to-google-calendar/
It reference these instructions at google:
http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=99358
Brilliant!
Installing Leopard on Advent 4211
I got MSIWindOSX86.iso off bittorrent (searched on The Pirate Bay). Download took two days, much longer than it should have.
Youtube video by OneTrack who made it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS7yFH_I3NI&feature=related
And post about it:
This post for the alternative (but seemingly not as good) Kalyway version suggests that you need firmware 1.05+, which is available from thetechguys which is PC World's tech support site.
http://www.modaco.com/content/asus-eee-pc-http-www-eeeasy-com/270099/pauls-complete-guide-to-installing-osx-leopard-on-your-msi-wind-advent-4211/
Bios update 1.08:
http://support.thetechguys.com/4211bios
I got the ISO onto a DVD and it booted up, but the screen resolution wasn't what it should be according to the youtube vid (my install was running over to the LHS, whereas on the video it runs right across the screen.
Rather than proceed like that I thought it best to update the BIOS to 1.08 (it's 1.06) before proceeding. Ran it, interestingly the keyboard doesn't work after the reflash but you turn it off and unplug and wait 10s and then it goes again.
Now when I boot the same ISO it has a slightly different message. And when Windows had started it Found New Hardware (SMBUS stuff). So the BIOS update must have done something.
Then I also add 1Gb of RAM and put the 320 Gb HDD in :-) Couldn't get the HDD out so used this help:
http://www.laptopmag.com/Advice/how-to/msi-wind-hard-drive.aspx
Booted up, formatted whole 320Gb as HFS+ in Disc Utility.
During the install when you reach the Install Summary page (after selecting drive to install on) you have to select Customise -> Patches -> Kernel and uncheck it.
Install - everything works and it's nice!
Youtube video by OneTrack who made it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS7yFH_I3NI&feature=related
And post about it:
This post for the alternative (but seemingly not as good) Kalyway version suggests that you need firmware 1.05+, which is available from thetechguys which is PC World's tech support site.
http://www.modaco.com/content/asus-eee-pc-http-www-eeeasy-com/270099/pauls-complete-guide-to-installing-osx-leopard-on-your-msi-wind-advent-4211/
Bios update 1.08:
http://support.thetechguys.com/4211bios
I got the ISO onto a DVD and it booted up, but the screen resolution wasn't what it should be according to the youtube vid (my install was running over to the LHS, whereas on the video it runs right across the screen.
Rather than proceed like that I thought it best to update the BIOS to 1.08 (it's 1.06) before proceeding. Ran it, interestingly the keyboard doesn't work after the reflash but you turn it off and unplug and wait 10s and then it goes again.
Now when I boot the same ISO it has a slightly different message. And when Windows had started it Found New Hardware (SMBUS stuff). So the BIOS update must have done something.
Then I also add 1Gb of RAM and put the 320 Gb HDD in :-) Couldn't get the HDD out so used this help:
http://www.laptopmag.com/Advice/how-to/msi-wind-hard-drive.aspx
Booted up, formatted whole 320Gb as HFS+ in Disc Utility.
During the install when you reach the Install Summary page (after selecting drive to install on) you have to select Customise -> Patches -> Kernel and uncheck it.
Install - everything works and it's nice!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Getting Xerox XM3-19W monitor working on Mac Mini
This monitor isn't recognised properly, but after a lot of difficulty, I have used SwitchResX Control Panel to get some settings that work. You use SwitchResX to set up a monitor resolution profile (requires reboot to install the profile I think, then set it in SwitchResX), but after that you don't need it anymore and can just delete SwitchResX.
From the manufacturer's data (to put into monitor profile although I think this is optional):
Vertical 56-75 Hz
Horz 56-82 kHz
Clock 20-187 MHz
Resolution 1440 x 900 in 50Hz
Settings that work: Horizontal, Vertical
Pixel clock: 107.03 MHz
Active: 1440, 900
Front porch: 83, 3
Sync Width: 152, 6
Back Porch 235, 25
Blanking: 470, 34
Total 1910, 934
Scan rate 56.037, 59.996
Don't use SwitchResX's simplified settings option, they don't work!
From the manufacturer's data (to put into monitor profile although I think this is optional):
Vertical 56-75 Hz
Horz 56-82 kHz
Clock 20-187 MHz
Resolution 1440 x 900 in 50Hz
Settings that work: Horizontal, Vertical
Pixel clock: 107.03 MHz
Active: 1440, 900
Front porch: 83, 3
Sync Width: 152, 6
Back Porch 235, 25
Blanking: 470, 34
Total 1910, 934
Scan rate 56.037, 59.996
Don't use SwitchResX's simplified settings option, they don't work!
Switching keyboard layouts using keyboard shortcut
One thing that's being annoying me is that I can't change keyboard layouts by a shortcut, like I can with Windows (Shift-Alt etc.). In System Preferences - Keyboard and Mouse it looks like you can set all key shortcuts for the system in once place - a much better idea than Windows where it's all in one place.
In the Keyboard Shortcuts panel the Input Menu category is off by default - I turned it on and assigned Alt-`, which is actually labelled / on my british keyboard being used as a US keyboard.
In the Keyboard Shortcuts panel the Input Menu category is off by default - I turned it on and assigned Alt-`, which is actually labelled / on my british keyboard being used as a US keyboard.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Excellent University of Edinburgh help file
This file is what their helpdesk support people get. It's very useful.
http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/usd/itlp/handbook1.doc
Google version: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:AWMrFYUObxoJ:www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/usd/itlp/handbook1.doc+ssh+arran+site:ed.ac.uk&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk&client=firefox-a
http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/usd/itlp/handbook1.doc
Google version: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:AWMrFYUObxoJ:www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/usd/itlp/handbook1.doc+ssh+arran+site:ed.ac.uk&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk&client=firefox-a
Backup using SMB Windows sharing
I'm trying to back up all my photos from the Mac to Windows.
I enable a share in Windows and try to connect to it from OS X by using the Connect to Server option in Finder. Connecting to smb://limpet/Music brings something up, asking for the workgroup (DHG), username and password, but when I look at the folder contents there is nothing. I can't copy anything into it, and also I know there are files there on the Windows PC that I should be seeing. I tried this also for another share and the same result.
I tried browsing at the bottom of the Connect to Server dialog. It finds me the group Dhg and the computer Limpet (with a capital now). The next box over says Connect... To see the avialable shares for server "Limpet", click Connect. I do, and after a while it asks me to select from the shares available on Limpet. There are Authenticate Again, OK and Cancel options. I choose OK, but it just returns me to the dialog. Oh, there is a folder on the desktop.
All the folders I have opened correctly tell me how much free space I have on the Windows drive, but they are empty and I can't put anything into them.
Actually, the easiest way to connect is from the Network in Finder.
I tried fiddling with the Windows Firewall. File and Printer Sharing is only enabled for computers on the local network (this is XP, Windows Firewall -> Exceptions -> Edit -> Change Scope), so I enable it for all computers. No effect. I turn off Windows Firewall altogether and it doesn't work still.
If you drag a connected share to the trash, it doesn't eject. But if you hit the eject symbol in Finder, it does. That's pretty shoddy.
It turns out that I was using the wrong username!! Now it works fine (and really quick). And dragging to the eject/trash icon works too.
So now I can connect to my work laptop and backup everything onto it - relief!
I had a problem where copying files from Mac to Windows stopped, saying I did not have the correct permissions to perform the operation. Turned out that some of the files I was copying OVER were read only, so it couldn't complete.
I enable a share in Windows and try to connect to it from OS X by using the Connect to Server option in Finder. Connecting to smb://limpet/Music brings something up, asking for the workgroup (DHG), username and password, but when I look at the folder contents there is nothing. I can't copy anything into it, and also I know there are files there on the Windows PC that I should be seeing. I tried this also for another share and the same result.
I tried browsing at the bottom of the Connect to Server dialog. It finds me the group Dhg and the computer Limpet (with a capital now). The next box over says Connect... To see the avialable shares for server "Limpet", click Connect. I do, and after a while it asks me to select from the shares available on Limpet. There are Authenticate Again, OK and Cancel options. I choose OK, but it just returns me to the dialog. Oh, there is a folder on the desktop.
All the folders I have opened correctly tell me how much free space I have on the Windows drive, but they are empty and I can't put anything into them.
Actually, the easiest way to connect is from the Network in Finder.
I tried fiddling with the Windows Firewall. File and Printer Sharing is only enabled for computers on the local network (this is XP, Windows Firewall -> Exceptions -> Edit -> Change Scope), so I enable it for all computers. No effect. I turn off Windows Firewall altogether and it doesn't work still.
If you drag a connected share to the trash, it doesn't eject. But if you hit the eject symbol in Finder, it does. That's pretty shoddy.
It turns out that I was using the wrong username!! Now it works fine (and really quick). And dragging to the eject/trash icon works too.
So now I can connect to my work laptop and backup everything onto it - relief!
I had a problem where copying files from Mac to Windows stopped, saying I did not have the correct permissions to perform the operation. Turned out that some of the files I was copying OVER were read only, so it couldn't complete.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Solving 0x80072EE2 error on windows update
This page suggested turning on Windows firewall and turning off all others. Turning off Kapersky seemed to do the trick - though I'm sure when I first had the problem, it wasn't on...
I have windows update added as a Trusted Site, as recommended in the Windows Update FAQ.
Odd, I found that I had to connect over the VPN to the University, or it won't work.
I have windows update added as a Trusted Site, as recommended in the Windows Update FAQ.
Odd, I found that I had to connect over the VPN to the University, or it won't work.
Connecting to Edinburgh University
This page explains how to do it well.
http://www.is.ed.ac.uk/itus/sce/scieng1/PCuserNotesNoSDPMapDrives.html
The server at the management school is arran.sms.ed.ac.uk.
http://www.is.ed.ac.uk/itus/sce/scieng1/PCuserNotesNoSDPMapDrives.html
The server at the management school is arran.sms.ed.ac.uk.
Installing Parallels on Mac OS X to get Windows XP Pro going
When I first started up Parallels after installing it, it seemed to find the My Boot Camp virtual machine. I'm not really sure where it came from. I tried to run it and at hung up, trying to 'start from hard drive'. Anyway, I deleted it (seems to be just a 4kB file somewhere in my Documents folder).
I ran Parallels Desktop again, and this time it did what the Quick Start guide said it would - offer to make a new VM. Good. The 'more options' section has the very useful option to Share virtual machine with other Mac users, which forces you to put the VM in /Users/Shared/Parallels - this is good I think, means other people could use Word and Excel and so on.
I was also able to tell it to install from the XP Pro image I had made as a backup on my desktop - neat.
However, it seemed to try to boot from various devices then said non-system disk or disk error. Oh. I selected Devices->CD/DVD 1 and told it to use the hardware DVD drive and it worked after that. Hmm.
Unlike the last time I had this going, I haven't had to create a separate partition. There is a file called winxp.hdd in the Parallels folder for the VM, and it keeps getting bigger as the copy/install happens. That's great - it was awful having this unnecessary partition last time. Only I made such a partition already, thinking I would need it!
Coherence doesn't work like it used to - seems to say I have to install the Parallels Tools. I do this from Parallels menu Actions -> Install Parallels tools. That works much nicer now, and has, as promised, linked up my Desktop and other folders.
Also do Actions -> Install Kapersky Internet Security which I bought as part of the Premium edition of Parallels (since I was so impressed)
Installed my favourite Firefox addons:
Ad Blocker
Gmail Manager
Download Statusbar
CookieSafe
dragdropupload
Had problems with an update error in Windows Update.
Got Office 2007 Home and Student edition installed - now I'm up and running for the project that's kicking off very soon.
I ran Parallels Desktop again, and this time it did what the Quick Start guide said it would - offer to make a new VM. Good. The 'more options' section has the very useful option to Share virtual machine with other Mac users, which forces you to put the VM in /Users/Shared/Parallels - this is good I think, means other people could use Word and Excel and so on.
I was also able to tell it to install from the XP Pro image I had made as a backup on my desktop - neat.
However, it seemed to try to boot from various devices then said non-system disk or disk error. Oh. I selected Devices->CD/DVD 1 and told it to use the hardware DVD drive and it worked after that. Hmm.
Unlike the last time I had this going, I haven't had to create a separate partition. There is a file called winxp.hdd in the Parallels folder for the VM, and it keeps getting bigger as the copy/install happens. That's great - it was awful having this unnecessary partition last time. Only I made such a partition already, thinking I would need it!
Coherence doesn't work like it used to - seems to say I have to install the Parallels Tools. I do this from Parallels menu Actions -> Install Parallels tools. That works much nicer now, and has, as promised, linked up my Desktop and other folders.
Also do Actions -> Install Kapersky Internet Security which I bought as part of the Premium edition of Parallels (since I was so impressed)
Installed my favourite Firefox addons:
Ad Blocker
Gmail Manager
Download Statusbar
CookieSafe
dragdropupload
Had problems with an update error in Windows Update.
Got Office 2007 Home and Student edition installed - now I'm up and running for the project that's kicking off very soon.
Most useful dashboard widgets
Better than keeping my normal constantly thrown out scrap of paper on my desk, I found
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/business/lists.html
which is a dashboard widget for keeping lists. It's very basic, which is all I need! But how do you edit something once you've written it? Hmmm, well, it doesn't matter too much I suppose.
The other Mac OS X widgets I use are
http://www.liquidx.net/albumartwidget/ which downloads my iTunes album covers from amazon in the background, automatically
http://www.phantomgorilla.com/widgets/ to get BBC radio stations (heaps of them I didn't even know existed)
the excellent currency converter widget that updates without you pointlessly having to press 'convert' (that button doesn't exist in this lovely program)
http://www.palple.net/widgets/currencyconverter/index.html
plus the standard calendar and clock widgets and the truly superb scientific calculator widget with memory (in fact full Javascript expressions it seems)
http://www.brackeen.com/calculate/
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/business/lists.html
which is a dashboard widget for keeping lists. It's very basic, which is all I need! But how do you edit something once you've written it? Hmmm, well, it doesn't matter too much I suppose.
The other Mac OS X widgets I use are
http://www.liquidx.net/albumartwidget/ which downloads my iTunes album covers from amazon in the background, automatically
http://www.phantomgorilla.com/widgets/ to get BBC radio stations (heaps of them I didn't even know existed)
the excellent currency converter widget that updates without you pointlessly having to press 'convert' (that button doesn't exist in this lovely program)
http://www.palple.net/widgets/currencyconverter/index.html
plus the standard calendar and clock widgets and the truly superb scientific calculator widget with memory (in fact full Javascript expressions it seems)
http://www.brackeen.com/calculate/
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Setting up University of Edinburgh VPN
This page has some good instructions for setting up University of Edinburgh's VPN.
http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/nsd/access/macpptp.html
http://www.ucs.ed.ac.uk/nsd/access/macpptp.html
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
More about Automator
Looking for more info on Automator and Folder Actions, I found this page which explains it.
http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/01/30/folder-actions-for-os-x-explained-with-real-world-examples/
I also found this folder sync action which uses rsync in the background to synchronise two folders. Maybe useful in the future.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/syncfoldersaction.html
I made an AppleScript that starts an Automator action and attached it to Proximity's In Range action - Proximity can't run an Automator action directly.
display dialog "In range"
tell application Automator
end tell
This apple page is a tutorial on how to create workflows using applescript.
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppleApplications/Conceptual/AutomatorTutorialAppleScript/WhatYouWillCreate/chapter_2_section_1.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002010-CH202-BAJDHAEH
Proxi looks like it is the ideal tool for looking for hotkeys and triggers, such as tracks changing in iTunes and so on. It appears to be free as in beer.
http://proxi.griffintechnology.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
I found this page that helped provide advice about executing Automator actions from Applescript:
Basically you save the workflow as a plugin, and choose a Script menu plugin. Then it gets saved in /Users/xxxx/Library/Scripts/Bluetooth backup.app. I put that in, in quotes for a tell application line, and it asked me to browse to the application. Now it just appears like below (and runs okay):
tell application "Bluetooth backup"
open
end tell
Now I can have my phone automatically take a backup of my passwords when it comes in range. Unfortunately it does it all the time, I will have to set it up to only do it, say, once a week.
This article seems to say how to unmount TrueCrypt volumes using applescript - there isn't any proper applescript interface to it:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7750841
However, the right click menu of the TrueCrypt icon (sitting on my Dock) has options to mount all the favourite volumes, so it's quite easy to open the password wallet.
http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/01/30/folder-actions-for-os-x-explained-with-real-world-examples/
I also found this folder sync action which uses rsync in the background to synchronise two folders. Maybe useful in the future.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/syncfoldersaction.html
I made an AppleScript that starts an Automator action and attached it to Proximity's In Range action - Proximity can't run an Automator action directly.
display dialog "In range"
tell application Automator
end tell
This apple page is a tutorial on how to create workflows using applescript.
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppleApplications/Conceptual/AutomatorTutorialAppleScript/WhatYouWillCreate/chapter_2_section_1.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002010-CH202-BAJDHAEH
Proxi looks like it is the ideal tool for looking for hotkeys and triggers, such as tracks changing in iTunes and so on. It appears to be free as in beer.
http://proxi.griffintechnology.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
I found this page that helped provide advice about executing Automator actions from Applescript:
Basically you save the workflow as a plugin, and choose a Script menu plugin. Then it gets saved in /Users/xxxx/Library/Scripts/Bluetooth backup.app. I put that in, in quotes for a tell application line, and it asked me to browse to the application. Now it just appears like below (and runs okay):
tell application "Bluetooth backup"
open
end tell
Now I can have my phone automatically take a backup of my passwords when it comes in range. Unfortunately it does it all the time, I will have to set it up to only do it, say, once a week.
This article seems to say how to unmount TrueCrypt volumes using applescript - there isn't any proper applescript interface to it:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7750841
However, the right click menu of the TrueCrypt icon (sitting on my Dock) has options to mount all the favourite volumes, so it's quite easy to open the password wallet.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Backup file to phone via Bluetooth Object Push Automater action
It's possible to make an Automator action that takes a file and sends it to a mobile using Bluetooth.
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20071010200518755
points to this file which can be loaded into Automator (open Automator and on the file mene, choose Import Action...)
http://geekmuse.googlepages.com/BlueActionMove.action.zip
Unfortunately the phone (Sony Ericsson W880i asks for confirmation.
However, it is possible to just run this automator action and back up files wirelessly. I'm using this with a TrueCrypt volume which holds passwords, so it can be easily backed up.
Somewhere I remember having a program that would detect a bluetooth device coming in range and would run a script.
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20071010200518755
points to this file which can be loaded into Automator (open Automator and on the file mene, choose Import Action...)
http://geekmuse.googlepages.com/BlueActionMove.action.zip
Unfortunately the phone (Sony Ericsson W880i asks for confirmation.
However, it is possible to just run this automator action and back up files wirelessly. I'm using this with a TrueCrypt volume which holds passwords, so it can be easily backed up.
Somewhere I remember having a program that would detect a bluetooth device coming in range and would run a script.
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