Happy Hardware

Vista SP2 has mae its way onto my machine finally... Flight Simulator still wont install, and had some trouble with Visual Studio 2008, however got enough of that on that I can be productive.....

Anyhow, during the course of my re-install of Vista I managed to mess up my MBR such that my data partition disappeared... OK I know I should have had a real backup, rather than copying to a partition on the same drive, but I didn't...

Where this gets interesting is in the recovery...I needed an application that could simply write an MBR, because I knew the data and the partition descriptors were all fine...

There seems to be a number of tools on the market, and none offer a 'find partition and re-write mbr entry'... most copied data of the 'damaged partition'... The best (and simplest) of these was Find And Mount, which does exactly what it says, finds partitons, and mounts them (as read only drives - and free version has a transfer speed limit). The particular feature I used however, was that it could tell what the starting sector of the partition was...

Using the starting sector and the capacity, I could tell the ending sector... this enabled me to use dtidata_partition_repair_tool, which is an mbr editor (and can make your pc unbootable if your're not careful) Using this, I could reinsert the entry for my data partition, and without even rebooting, windows scanned for the new partitions and found it, all my data safe and well!

I have no affiliation with the makers of
dtiData_partition_repair_tool
or
Find And Mount

Windows Update Vista Woes

I was one of the early adoptors of Windows Vista. I bought the OEM version the day it was released, for my home built machine... I had very few driver problems, and had only one annoyance (User Account Control) which I promptly turned off... I like the UI, it did seem faster, and as I got the x64 version, it showed my 4Gb of RAM, my world was good...


Or so I thought.... After a number of updates, Windows update stopped working... I decided to revert to XP, and wait til SP1 came out. SP1 came out, and I couldn't Install it, because to install SP1, you need the updates that wont install (even for the standalone version)

But around that time, I went to the microsoft Developer Developer Developer conference. Here Microsoft provided Trial versions of Vista SP1. I installed this with my licence key, and apparently the world was good again!

Updates installed like clockwork for a while... before grinding to a halt...

Attempts to install further updates were futile, and even purchases like MS Flight Simulator would fail half way through installation. I gave up.

SP2 has now been released. And after having paid €75 for flight simulator, I'd actually like to play it! So I attempted to fix things again. In an email to Microsoft, I explained all that I had done, and in failness, they did respond, but the response contained a list of webpages that I had already visited, and contained essentially the same information as my original email to Microsoft.

So I attempted a clean install. Still no joy....

So I'd really appreciate if Microsoft could provide a fix for Servicing Store and Windows Update... and distribute it as a bootable ISO, so that we can actually get the damn thing installed!!

Diving Dublin

As every diver knows, Bouyancy control is essential in diving, and its good bouyancy control that seperates excellent divers from mediocre and beginning divers. What many divers dont realize is good bouyancy decreases your air consumption, and helps you enjoy your dive more (letting you see more rather than having to concentrate on where you are all the time)

It was with this in mind that I decided to do the Peak Performance Bouyancy specialty. I did my open water, and now this with OceanDivers in Dun Laoghaire. They run their pool dives from the National Aquatic Center in Blanchardstown. (Please note I am not affilliated with OceanDivers except from being a satisfied customer)

The peak performance bouyancy specialty consists of a little theory, and two open water dives. OceanDivers go a little further and add a pool session. In this, you'll play some games under water that force you to look at your bouyancy (fitting through a hula hoop is hard enough in scuba gear out of water, try it under water!!)

Once at sea, you will optomize your weighting, (I'm down at 12kg for a 2piece 7mm wetsuit, need to get a single piece and go to the gym to get more off)...

Anyhow, did dive1 last thursday evening, we went around the back of Dalkey Island, to a sheltered place called Seals Bay. Visability was great 2.5-3m, sea was calm, we went on a slack tide, and the colours were amazing with whites of Plumose, and Dean Mens Fingers, and oranges of the starfish and Anemones... all gently swaying, it was amazing!

I'd highly recommend Seals Bay for an easy gorgeous dive, Peak Performancy Bouyancy Specialty to make your diving more enjoyable, and OceanDivers to do it with, both the Instructors, and the Boat Crew (always ready with hot drinks and winegums!) they help make every dive special!