Archive for February, 2009

Windows Vista and the CRCDISK.SYS error

Saturday, February 7th, 2009

in most casses, you got this error due to a driver malfunction of a system device that is critical for booting your operating system.

You can always use Windows PE to get into the disk and play with the drivers, but it is really not that simple, Unlike Linux, Windows does not load files according to directories !

What about PostReflect ?

So i am having this problem after using TrueCrypt to protect an operating system , i did this because my most valuable data is my mozilla firefox passwords and files, and simply put, the best way is to encrypt the system volume !

So, right now, i need to access the disk on another computer, Run postreflect and come back with the results here, if this don’t work, the sollution will be much more lengthy, i will let you know what happens anyway

My Sony DSC-H50

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

So , i finally got my DSC-H50, Although very dissapointed with how i lost my lovely 2 year old DSC-N2 and how easily the thing breaks (So much for portable if it breaks at the touch), i had to get another SONY when i really really like the cannon.

In Jordan the DSC-H50 costs $565 U.S.D (400 JDs), Every battery pack costs $70.5 U.S.D, i got a sony simply because i had extra battery packs, and now a spare USB cable, and charger.

The quality is not bad all in all, steady shot is not really good but it is ok, Capture when victim smiles (i mean person) is not so important, Auto face focus is good, the rapid setting adjustment with the wheel on the top is nice, No touch screen is dissapointing, Nightshot is ok (Even though any B/W camera can take photos with Infra Red), but all in all the thing is acceptable.

I will edit this into a complete review once i have tested this camer a bit more.

The motorola SM56 56K V92 FAX VOICE MODEM

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

Hoping to find the $5 alternative (With a little bit of tweaking) i went and got the $5 Motorola MOT PCI 3
Q445DGEA32 56K V92 FAX VOICE MODEM.

If you are here to download the drivers for the Motorola Fax Voice modem, the drivers that shipped with it are here, they come in flavors for Windows XP, Vista, 98, and ME. i don’t think Motorola will object to me posting the drivers here, but if they ever do, i will take them out instantly. (Click to download Motorola modem drivers)

See specs and photos of my SM56 here

Under windows Vista this thing is called Motorola SM65 speakerphone Modem.

The querry modem command under windows Vista (Should be identical under Windows XP) returns

02-03-2009 02:59:44.717 – File: C:\Windows\system32\tapisrv.dll, Version 6.0.6001
02-03-2009 02:59:44.719 – File: C:\Windows\system32\unimdm.tsp, Version 6.0.6001
02-03-2009 02:59:44.720 – File: C:\Windows\system32\unimdmat.dll, Version 6.0.6000
02-03-2009 02:59:44.720 – File: C:\Windows\system32\uniplat.dll, Version 6.0.6000
02-03-2009 02:59:44.724 – File: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\modem.sys, Version 6.0.6001
02-03-2009 02:59:44.725 – File: C:\Windows\system32\modemui.dll, Version 6.0.6001
02-03-2009 02:59:44.729 – File: C:\Windows\system32\mdminst.dll, Version 6.0.6001
02-03-2009 02:59:44.729 – Modem type: Motorola SM56 Speakerphone Modem
02-03-2009 02:59:44.729 – Modem inf path: oem10.inf
02-03-2009 02:59:44.729 – Modem inf section: SM56_PCI_MODEM_INSTALL
02-03-2009 02:59:44.729 – Matching hardware ID: pci\ven_1543&dev_3052
02-03-2009 02:59:44.729 – Opening the modem device failed with error 00000020
ATQ0V1E0 – OK
AT+GMM – Motorola PCI Speakerphone Modem
AT+FCLASS=? – 0,1.0,8.0
AT#CLS=? – COMMAND NOT SUPPORTED
AT+GCI? – +GCI:B5
AT+GCI=? – +GCI:(B5,00,01,04,07,09,0A,0B,0C,0D,0F,12,14,16,1A,1B,
20,25,26,27,2B,2D,2E,31,33,35,36,37,3C,3D,3E,42,46,48,
49,4F,50,51,52,53,54,57,58,59,5E,61,62,64,68,69,6A,6C,
70,73,75,77,7B,7E,7F,81,82,83,84,85,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,
8D,8E,98,9C,9F,A0,A1,A5,A6,A7,A9,AD,AE,B2,B3,B4,B7,B8,
BB,C0,C1,C3,C5,C6,C7,C8,C9,CA,CB,CC,CD,CE,D1,D2,D3,D4,
D5,E1,E2,E3,E4)
ATI1 – 000
ATI2 – OK
ATI3 – SM56 PCI III Rel. 6.12 Si\Sp Build 07
ATI4 – Built on Jan 29 2007 at 18:23:08
ATI5 – LAST DISCONNECT: NONE
ATI6 – United States
ATI7 – Motorola PCI Speakerphone Modem

Lengthy right ?

Now who cares what Windows thinks, My ultimate goal is to have it work with asterisk to make a very cheap BPX (You can make it from the Junkyard, that is how cheap it is).

The hardware Voice capabilities are ok, i tested them with Some Windows software called Advanced Voice Reorder, the software itself is not very useful but it does function as a proof of concept

So, let us see what zaptel has to say about this, i will update this post in a few hours to tell you about progress

What to hunt for when i go INTEL modem hunting ?

Although 537PU, 537PG and 537EP share the same driver bundle from INTEL, they are not the same, when you download the driver, it actually has the drivers for the 3, not a single driver for the 3.

The first 2 (537PU AND 537PG) should work fine (Low quality though compared to DIGIUM), 537EP will give you a hard time (If it works at all).



Sony Camera, how fragile

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

So, my DSC-N2 does not work anymore, it was on the table up right, then it tipped forward, it didn’t fall, a simple very small shock, and i get the ability to see the photos on it but can not shoot pics with it.

Once you switch it on, it starts with the word “Access”, then wait a few seconds to see “Turn the power off and on again”.

I have seen many many people with this problem, the problem is actually with the mechanical lense.

Anyway, i really liked this camera at one point, but now it is dead, so should i buy another sony ?

I was thinking of
Sony Cyber-shot DSCH50 9.1 MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot since i really hardly ever carry a camera around, i like cannon better, but then again, i don’t want to lose the batteries i baught for this camera (Or the Sony propertairy flash cards).

No touch screen is a downside, i liked that option :(

Any advice about my new camera ? Should i get it, or should i forGET it ?

Awaiting your comments

Smart people follow paris hilton

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

Ok, don’t get me wrong, the point of this post is not to claim that paris hilton is not smart (You already know that), the point is, Why would i make a technology choice based on Paris Hilton’s choice.

Busy people like myself would probably better off knowing what Nigel Clifford of symbian is using since that could give them a hint on what symbian is up to or where symbian thinks the future is, but what could Paris Hilton be doing with a phone other than forgetting it at a club ?

A Star or Celebrity, What every phone manufacturer in the world needs.

the moto is “If paris hilton needs a smart phone, So do you” or if David Beckham can score with a Moto RAZR, then you can be a star 2 !

Either way, we have to wait and see if this advertisement technique will work for the Giant electronics firms like it worked for pepsi…

I don’t want to enumerate / List who has what phone etc… but you can see the blackberry dominance right here