I figured there would be some utility that might help, so I immediately removed the card and set it to read-only, and put a new card in. I continued shooting the rehearsal dinner, and some barely willing subjects even said “But you already took a picture of us!” Yeah, sorry about that. I may not have that picture.

When I got home, I put the card in the SD reader in my wife’s laptop. Windows 7 recognized the card, but told me it was unformatted. When I looked at the card in Disk Manager,  it said it was partitioned, but with no file system. Oh dear. Remembering my Unix Admin days, I started looking for a Windows equivalent to the dd command, figuring that if I read the raw partitition, I might be able to find some way to extract the files. In my searches, I saw mention of PhotoRec.

I downloaded the program, told it where to find the memory card, and told it that the card had a PC based file system (as opposed to Linux/Unix) and told it where I wanted to save the files. 15 minutes later, I had a directory full of JPG and NEF files. The file names were apparently randomish sequential numbers, but that’s OK–JPGs are easy to rename.

So, PhotoRec saved my butt. All the photos I took that day were recovered, along with some older files from months ago.

Today I finally figured out the problem: KB980232 has evidently fixed some vulnerabilities in their implementation of the SMB client. I uninstalled the update (rebooted) and now the thumbnails view perfectly. After reading the threat assessment, I don’t think it will be possible (or at least it is incredibly unlikely) for someone to offer us a specially formed SMB link inside our network that could have malicious code on it. So I’ve set Windows Update to hide this update so we don’t get it again.

A couple of weeks ago, I went looking for resources to help teach a kid about real programming. I decided to start where I started–BASIC. I learned to program in basica back in the early 80s. I figured VisualBasic would be a good place for her to start. Fortunately, Microsoft makes VisualBasic Express available for free and even has an e-book VB for Very Bright Kids.

Today we started working through the first couple of chapters. The look on my daughter’s face when she ran her first program–the modern equivalent to “Hello World”, “PleaseSayYo”–was priceless. Here, for posterity, is her first program:

Imports System

Class PleaseSayYo
Shared Sub Main()
Console.WriteLine(“Yo!”)
Console.ReadLine()
Console.WriteLine(“Barack Obama is Prezident!”)
Console.ReadLine()
Console.WriteLine(“I didn’t Like McCain.”)
Console.ReadLine()
Console.WriteLine(“Got to go. Bye!”)
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub
End Class

We’re continuing to work through the topics, covering classes, objects, properties, methods, and even subroutines. To help explain subroutines and parameters, I helped her re-write the above using a subroutine:

Module Module1
Sub Writeandread(ByVal message As String)
Console.WriteLine(message)
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub
Sub Main()
Writeandread(“Yo!”)
Writeandread(“Barack is President!”)
Writeandread(“I didn’t like McCain.”)
Writeandread(“Got to go. Bye!”)
End Sub
End Module

She’s very excited–much more so than I would have thought she would be. I thought she would get frustrated at not writing a new Club Penguin in 1 hour or less. But she is, for now at least, completely immersed.

1. Plug a USB drive into the back of her PC, and script an xcopy command (or something similar) so that every hour or so, it copies her important files to the drive. This would be cheap (she doesn’t have that much data), and pretty easy. The solution would protect against drive failure, but not against robbery, fire, or flood.
2. Use winscp to securely copy her files over her internet connection to my NSLU2 network storage. This is more complicated, costs nothing but a bit of time to figure it out, and protects against all possible forms of data loss (unless our whole city is consumed with a fire or flood).

Since I’m already sharing my NSLU2 with Skippy, and I’ve got way more space than she’ll ever need, and I like a bit of a challenge, I’ll go with winscp.
Some pre-requisites that I’ve already got set up:

• NSLU2 running Unslung.
• Use OpenSSH for remote access.
• Forward a port on my router to the OpenSSH port on my NSLU2.
• Establish an account with a Dynamic DNS host, such as DynDNS.com, and set up my router to check in with DynDNS to update my IP address periodically.

Now, on to using winscp for this application.

1. Download the “portable” version of winscp and  save it to a new directory. I renamed it from winscp416.exe to just winscp.exe.
2. Create a new user on my NSLU2 for my mom, and give the account ssh access.
3. Establish the first winscp session to my NSLU2 to save the security keys: winscp sftp://user:password@host:port
4. Save that session in winscp by choosing Save Session… from the Session menu. The default name was user@host, and I chose to keep the password.
5. Create a list of winscp commands, and store them in winscp-commands.txt. The following commands will copy everything from the current directory structure to the home directory on the NSLU2.
   

   option batch on
   option confirm off
   option transfer binary
   synchronize remote -delete
   close
   exit

6. Create a batch file, named backup-files.cmd with the following command
   winscp user@host /console /script=winscp-commands.txt
7. Set backup-files.cmd to run as a scheduled task.

The “synchronize remote -delete” command will put all files from the local directory into the remote directory, deleting any files on the remote that have been removed from the local.

It is also possible to add multiple synchronize commands to this file, but be careful, because the remote directory must exist for the sync to work. For example:

synchronize remote -delete “c:\documents and settings\me” /user/my_stuff

will only work if the directory /user/my_stuff already exists.

1. Grab a copy of the ReactOS Install CD ISO. Unzip it to your favorite location.
2. Launch VirtualBox, and create a new virtual machine. The name of the new vm is up to you. Set the OS Type to Windows XP.
3. I used 256MB for base memory.
4. Create a new Boot Hard Disk, dynamically expanding, with as much space as you want. The final install size for ReactOS v 0.3.4 is only 94MB. I chose 2GB.
5. Add the Install CD ISO to the vm.
6. Start your new vm and begin the ReactOS install process.
7. Choose your language.
8. Choose your hardware settings (PC or multi-processor PC, display, keyboard, keyboard layout).
9. Partition your disk (or just use the whole disk, since its virtual, after all!)
10. Choose to format your disk FAT (not quick)
11. Choose your install directory, or just leave the default \ReactOS.
12. Since you’re doing a virtual machine, install the bootloader on the hard disk.
13. Reboot the machine.
14. When the machine boots, it will automatically run the ReactOS Setup Wizard.
15. Acknowledge the license and “shoulders”.
16. Give it your name and organization
17. Specify the computer name, and administrator password. The password, at this point, is optional.
18. Change the system locale settings if you want. Change the keyboard layout if you want.
19. Change the date and time if you need to, as well as the timezone.
20. One more reboot, and your ReactOS VirtualBox is DONE!
21. When mine first came up, it wanted to install a driver for “System Device”. When I chose to install it automatically, it failed to find the driver. It didn’t seem to be a big deal.

Clearly, this is still a very early release. It is “still under heavy development”. But I must say that it is promising so far. I could see this going a long way to capture much of the hobbyist and embedded device market.

http://theplug.net/28/strangerphotos.htm

It would be a fun project at Chautauqua, especially if the sign had a URL where people could go see their and others’ photos. Chautauqua is such a trusting place, I could almost do it with a digital camera.

Unlike most idiots who write reviews of external drives on Amazon, I do not trust my data to be on just one drive. My primary NSLU2 drive is backed up to the other every night. So when one failed? No worries, really. My only concern was then to be sure I had another copy of that data somewhere while I waited for my new drives to ship.

How hard was it to migrate from an 80GB drive (since the other had failed) to twin 500GB? Plug a new 500 GB into Disk 2, and format. Wait 10 minutes. Start the backup job. Wait 5 hours. Turn off NSLU2, remove 80GB drive. Plug first 500GB into disk 1 port, plug second 500GB into disk 2 port. Turn on NSLU2, format drive 2. Wait 10 minutes. Backup disk 1 to disk 2. Enable daily backup.

• I had to set the virtualbox to us a new Host Adapter. I don’t know how to get NAT working to allow incoming connections. I then set that Host Adapter (in the Host OS) to fixed IP address, and a class C subnet mask. When I installed AsteriskNOW, I went through the Advanced setup and configured a compatible IP address.
• When I set my admin password for the first time, I used one of my tried and true passwords. However, I quickly realized that the Web UI doesn’t support semi-colons in the password. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn’t get logged in. Here’s how to change the Web Admin password.
  On the System Console, ALT-F2 to get a login prompt.
  Login as admin, with the password you specified.
  cd /etc/asterisk
  sudo vi manager.conf
  Enter you password again.
  Find your password in the file. It should be on line 59, starting out with “secret”. Change that line, save and exit.
  Now you can log into the web UI.
• I went through the web UI (http://[ipaddress of your virtual server]) and didn’t have too much trouble with the initial config. Since I don’t have any serial hardware, I couldn’t configure any. And I couldn’t see a way to configure a provider. I didn’t sweat it much and continued on accepting most of the defaults. I then created my first user on the system.
• I was interested in configuring a provider. I wanted to see what that was like. However, every time I went to the Providers screen in the Web UI, all I got was “Loading Screen…” I fiddled with network settings, figuring that it was a problem with a lack of internet access. I messed with all kinds of stuff. Then I tried to load it using Firefox, and HOLY CRAP! IT WORKED. That’s probably the first time I’ve seen a web page work in Firefox, but not IE. (Yes, I’m sure they exist, but that’s the first I’ve ever seen).

Now I need to setup FWD…

I think I’ve finally figured out what my “problem” is: I love the thrill of a steep learning curve. However, once the steep learning curve turns into a long slow slope, I get bored. I think that’s one reason I tend to enjoy technology in a broad general sense: there is no end of new product or OS or application. That’s also why I dearly love the library. I can check out an endless variety of books, movies and music in whatever topic I’m exploring this month.

Enter VirtualBox.

For many years, I’ve dabbled with Linux. I’ve never used it for long enough to consider a full switch from Microsoft. I frequently enjoyed trying out a new distribution, but I’ve been burned by dual boot setups a couple of times. With the advent of LiveCD distributions, I could try new distributions with much more frequency, but since you can’t save (much) using a LiveCD, its hard to really learn, play, adapt, etc.

VirtualBox solves this problem for me by allowing me to create virtual PCs, fully protected from the “host” operating system, and preventing any issues that might arise from a dual boot system. I started by playing with the Slax LiveCD. Virtual box makes this easier than ever since I don’t actually have to burn the CD and keep track of it. I just tell VirtualBox where the ISO is, and start it up. Very slick, no rebooting to go from Linux to Windows, and its faster than booting from a CD.

So my first virtual system installed is Kubuntu. I look forward to really enjoying the steep learning curve, and moving into the long slow slope.

So, instead of thinking that I have Enthusiasm ADD, maybe its more like I have a “Learning Addiction”.

I used, among other techniques, the File and Settings Transfer Wizard to save off her important files. I told the wizard to save the files in the root directory of an attached USB hard drive. After an hour or so of copying, it finally completed, with only one warning: Outlook was open and it was trying to grab the .pst file. I closed Outlook and told it to retry.

I booted her laptop from the Windows XP cd, put it in recovery mode, formated the hard drive, then re-installed Windows. Overall it was a relatively painless process.

After it came back up, I let Windows update download and install all the updates it could. It went through 4 reboot cycles for the updates. After the updates were finished, and AVG Free Antivirus was installed, I decided it was time to restore her files and settings.

I fired up the wizard, told it to restore from the drive where everything was stored, and it came back with “The location that you specified does not contain stored information”


I checked the drive. Everything appeared to be stored in a directory called USMT2.UNC. It was the appropriate size had the correct time stamps, so I knew it was right.

Since I had most everything backed up in alternate ways, I didn’t panic yet. I figured there had been an update to the Wizard, but it probably wasn’t considered critical. So I went back to Windows update and found this update:
KB896344: You cannot transfer files and settings…
The description talks about updating files from Windows XP to Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. This was not the case for me, but I decided to try it anyway.

After installing the update, it recognized my “stored information” and was able to restore the files and settings perfectly.