it’s a bit overdue but we need to add an update to g

Gareth & e

It’s a bit overdue but I would like to make an update to Gareth (Pam’s son) & Emily’s family.Enter Harriet who is now 4 years old,sister to Henry who is now 7 years old. Also (another) Gareth. Partner to Rachael, Pam’s daughter (both 22,Rachael & Gareth that is). I will send photos when I learn how!  Also, how do I access that great family tree which used to be on the old site? I would love to print it out.love from the colonies Pam.

emily’s family.Enter Harriet !who is now 4 years old & is sister to Henry who is now 7 years old.Also add (another) Gareth,Partner to Pam’s daughter Rachael,(both 22)I will send photos when I learn how to do it.How do I access that wonderful family tree that used to be on this site? I would love to print it out.

We’ve had about four days of thick frost then it snowed and now it’s frosty again. Took some photos locally on new year’s day – see here

XP Slipstreaming – tried nLite – worked well – download here . Allows you to integrate SP3 and other downloaded updates (although I prefer RyanVM for the other post SP3 updates) plus allows removal of unwanted windows components and pre-entry of information to allow for uninterrupted instal. There is also a tool to create add-ons from applications – here – although AVG reports a trojan (falsely) and prevents instal. For  guidance on use of nLite see here

Done a few bits and pieces over the last two days

•  Finished off the box I’ve been making for Leila’s room
• Repaired the Tiger which had succumbed to Leila’s testing to destruction approach
• Finished the dining room doors
• Downloaded SP3 update for XP (from Microsoft catalog site – here ) and slipstreamed (integrated it) with my original XP disk. Then used a useful tool to integrate all the subsequent updates to produce a ‘latest version’ XP CD (from RyanVM – see here ). Couple of additional software tools used – ISOBuster (here ) and gBurner (here ). However I’ve just found an even better tool (nLite) to do this and more. Testing it later.
• The Dell system is still running OK
• Fixed another of my laptops – John and I had replaced a power socket on it a few weeks ago but it has since stopped working. Took it apart and resoldered the contacts and it worked! I wonder if it will stay working….
• West Brom got stuffed by Hull (Steve will be depressed)
• Leila and Oscar both phoned today – translations supplied by Bec and Sian respectively
• If you want to understand how to ‘slipstream’ XP updates, see page 2

Friday 00:50 

• On Tuesday  
• I was rudely awoken by the postman at 9:30. Took delivery of 2 items
•  AC Adapter for the non-working Dell Machine.  Got the system running by fiddling with the socket (may need to replace it) – wiped it and re-installed XP Home and updated with SP3. Went to bed.
• Photobook arrived from Jessops. It’s a glossy brochure of photos. This is a composite of our cruise photos, made up by me using their (good) downloaded software. The resulting 34 pages of A4 size design (the option I chose) is uploaded to them and they post back an excellent quality book. All for about £22. You can find out about it here . 
• Helping Sian with new laptop choice – very technical, must be able to fit under the settee – less than 30mm thick.
• Replaced architrave on dining room doors – to match the replacement doors previously installed – now the remaining bits need de-varnishing and redoing to match. 

On Wednesday

•  The new Dyson arrived (fortunately in the afternoon so I didn’t need to get up before 10:30) – it worked!
• Stripped the architrave
• No callers desperate to buy a laptop or desktop
• The Dell laptop is running very slowly – trying to find out what’s wrong
• Sian got a Dell X300 from ebay using goofbay to snipe the bid. See here  for info about sniping and goofbay

On Thursday

•  Finished work on Emma’s bathroom – looks good – will get some photos
• Dell laptop – ran a little utility to measure CPU and memory performance (see here ). CPU OK , memory slow by a factor of 10. Swopped out memory with another laptop and still no improvement. The memory works OK in another laptop. Motherboard duff? Changed power setting in XP to “Desktop” and memory runs OK ! Might be a coincidence or still might be power socket issue. To be continued…..  

Monday 20/10/2008 22:30

• Yesterday I was mainly working with Ste on the bathroom – we did a fair bit.   This is part of it. Still had to do skirting, bath panel, bit of tiling.So today went over and did most of the above – still a tiny bit of tiling to do at the end of the bath – will do on Thursday. 
•  Checked out the laptop up for sale (OK) and the desktop (OK except for Windows update failing to instal updates with useful error  message “unable to instal”). Microsoft’s web site lived down to expectations, providing completely useless assistance. Fortunately a quick google turned up a little tool ( Dial-a-fix ) which fixed the problem – see here  if you need it. On the subject of good (and by definition FREE) software; (should that be a semicolon there)  since I’m carrying all my data with me on a memory stick, and being aware that if I left it on a train (haven’t been on one for twenty years) it might compromise national security, I was looking for a way of password protecting it (the data not the train).  Would you believe (yes) that I found a bit of software that will not only password protect files but also encrypt them. Should I contact Gordon to tip him off or tell Dave? They can find it here .
• The marmite was good last night. I might have some more tonight

As this blog is very inactive, I’ll start using it for a personal blog.

Sunday 19/10/08 00:30  

The annual boys trip to Majorca has just happened – this time to a Villa in Portals Nous, about 5 miles from Magalluf. You can see some of the photos here .

Weather was good, about 75 degrees in old money and only rained on part of one day.  The Villa was excellent in a location that was much more upmarket than Magalluf, with good shops, restaurants and bars.

Now I’ve returned, it’s back to helping Emma and Ste finish their bathroom refit – must get some photos.

Recent things:

•  
  • Bought a 16GB memory stick  £20 – ebay
  • Bought a Dyson DC07 £138 – internet (only had the last one ten years and what’s wrong with a brush)
  • Looking at how to auto backup My Documents to Memory stick
  • Got  2 non working laptops to play with (to go with the other two non working ones I’ve got)
  • Bought two trays for baking baguettes – ebay
  • Advertised a desktop system and laptop in bargain pages
  • Fixed a roof leak (at least until it rains again) 
  • Converted a flat roof skylight to one that can open to give access to the flat roof – bit of a lashup – designing a pukka version 

Time for cup of tea, ryvita with butter and marmite then bed and book about Genghis Khan (bit left wing for my liking)