Tuesday 27 June 2006

"Updating your computer is almost complete - Restart Now?" Arrrgghhh

Anyone who is running Windows XP SP2 will have come across the intensely annoying dialog box that prompts "Updating your computer is almost complete. You must restart your computer for the updates to take effect. Do you want to restart your computer now?"  at some point.  

There are only two options: Restart Now/Restart Later. "Restart Later" meaning that it will ask you again in 10 minutes. So, if you're willing to work for the next 4 hours before rebooting, you'll need to answer this question 24 times.

I think the worst aspect of this dialog though, it is that it steals the focus.

So, to get rid of it:
   
Start / Run / gpedit.msc / Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update / Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations

You can configure how often it will bug you (I initially re-configured it for 720 minutes, which means I'll be asked twice on a work day), but have since decided to completely disable it.

This setting is only loaded when Windows starts, so a reboot is required. If that dialog is on your screen now, just stop the "Automatic Updates" service (but keep it as Automatic, so it gets reloaded on the next start) and you won't see it again.

Or, if you don't want to reboot, just do :

Start / Run / gpupdate.exe /force

 

"Updating your computer is almost complete - Restart Now?" Arrrgghhh

Anyone who is running Windows XP SP2 will have come across the intensely annoying dialog box that prompts "Updating your computer is almost complete. You must restart your computer for the updates to take effect. Do you want to restart your computer now?"  at some point.  

There are only two options: Restart Now/Restart Later. "Restart Later" meaning that it will ask you again in 10 minutes. So, if you're willing to work for the next 4 hours before rebooting, you'll need to answer this question 24 times.

I think the worst aspect of this dialog though, it is that it steals the focus.

So, to get rid of it:
   
Start / Run / gpedit.msc / Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update / Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations

You can configure how often it will bug you (I initially re-configured it for 720 minutes, which means I'll be asked twice on a work day), but have since decided to completely disable it.

This setting is only loaded when Windows starts, so a reboot is required. If that dialog is on your screen now, just stop the "Automatic Updates" service (but keep it as Automatic, so it gets reloaded on the next start) and you won't see it again.

Or, if you don't want to reboot, just do :

Start / Run / gpupdate.exe /force

 

What is your

Brazillian Football Name?

Try this.

"Goodmandro"

 

What is your

Brazillian Football Name?

Try this.

"Goodmandro"

 

Monday 26 June 2006

Google Maps covers Sydney

About time too. Google Maps now includes Sydney and NSW in general. It's pretty impressive, however I still couldn't get Google Maps to locate my address. I tried several different permutations and still nothing. I tried big landmarks such as 366 George St in the city and not a sausage. Maybe they haven't implement the mapping engine 100%, but already it's already looking smart. All the roads are there, even the backroads.

Compared to the appaulling Whereis mapping engine, this is far superior. When Google add the direction engine I can't see any reason why I would want to use Whereis.

Actually, Google have put Australia on the map not just NSW.

Over the flu now, but sick with listening to Aussies  harp on about how their team can win the world cup on self confidence and self belief alone.   I reckon they'll get a lesson in football from Italy tomorrow.

Google Maps covers Sydney

About time too. Google Maps now includes Sydney and NSW in general. It's pretty impressive, however I still couldn't get Google Maps to locate my address. I tried several different permutations and still nothing. I tried big landmarks such as 366 George St in the city and not a sausage. Maybe they haven't implement the mapping engine 100%, but already it's already looking smart. All the roads are there, even the backroads.

Compared to the appaulling Whereis mapping engine, this is far superior. When Google add the direction engine I can't see any reason why I would want to use Whereis.

Actually, Google have put Australia on the map not just NSW.

Over the flu now, but sick with listening to Aussies  harp on about how their team can win the world cup on self confidence and self belief alone.   I reckon they'll get a lesson in football from Italy tomorrow.

Thursday 15 June 2006

Flu

Have been pretty much bed-ridden at home with the flu virus for the last 5 days.  It's been awhile since I last had it, and blimey i'd forgotten just how completely debilitating influenza can be.  Shivering chills, non stop head aches, diziness and complete exhaustion.  I've been taking loads of Lemsip and other cold/flu tablets to "reduce the symptoms"  but have decided they actually make the problem worse.  They do definitely provide temporary relief from fever and coughing no doubt, but always trick you into thinking you are much better than actually you are, so off come all the layers of jumpers;  only problem is your body's fight against the flu hasn't changed.  After all the paracetamol has worn off I find I feel even worse than before I took the Lemsip/whatever.  Then again any kind of relief from a high fever has got to be worth it.


Apparently there's "lies, damned lies and statistics" but I read this today and found it quite funny :
  • 22% of Americans believe in evolution; 69% believe in angels; 46% believe they have a personal angel

 



And have just been looking at the Google ads that have been appearing on my site recently (look to the right and scroll down) - there seem to be a spate of ones for plumbers, for example i just got:  " 24/7 Sydney plumber"  "Drain Unblokers, Sydney".  I've no idea how/why google adsense thinks these are relevant to the content in my site...?   Ingunn thinks it is because of all the shit in it. 

Flu

Have been pretty much bed-ridden at home with the flu virus for the last 5 days.  It's been awhile since I last had it, and blimey i'd forgotten just how completely debilitating influenza can be.  Shivering chills, non stop head aches, diziness and complete exhaustion.  I've been taking loads of Lemsip and other cold/flu tablets to "reduce the symptoms"  but have decided they actually make the problem worse.  They do definitely provide temporary relief from fever and coughing no doubt, but always trick you into thinking you are much better than actually you are, so off come all the layers of jumpers;  only problem is your body's fight against the flu hasn't changed.  After all the paracetamol has worn off I find I feel even worse than before I took the Lemsip/whatever.  Then again any kind of relief from a high fever has got to be worth it.


Apparently there's "lies, damned lies and statistics" but I read this today and found it quite funny :
  • 22% of Americans believe in evolution; 69% believe in angels; 46% believe they have a personal angel

 



And have just been looking at the Google ads that have been appearing on my site recently (look to the right and scroll down) - there seem to be a spate of ones for plumbers, for example i just got:  " 24/7 Sydney plumber"  "Drain Unblokers, Sydney".  I've no idea how/why google adsense thinks these are relevant to the content in my site...?   Ingunn thinks it is because of all the shit in it. 

Thursday 8 June 2006

Throw Paper


Highly addictive.

http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html

 

Top Scores?  Got 26 so far.

Throw Paper


Highly addictive.

http://www.widro.com/throwpaper.html

 

Top Scores?  Got 26 so far.

Tuesday 6 June 2006

How to Unblock Blocked Attachments in Outlook

I seem to get sent alot of notifications informing me that an email has been sent to me but has been blocked by Outlook because it has an attachment of a certain file type.  Apart from being incredibly annoying, it also seems a tad paranoid..  so here's how to get round that.

Click Start -> Run, Type "regedit"

Now locate HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\<VERSION>\Security then add a registry string value in that folder called "Level1Remove" and add the extensions you want with leading dots and trailing semicolons like:

.pst;.rar;.mpg;.avi   etc




(Substitute the appropriate version numbers for your installation, 12 is 2007, 11 is 2003, etc.)

and problem is solved.

How to Unblock Blocked Attachments in Outlook

I seem to get sent alot of notifications informing me that an email has been sent to me but has been blocked by Outlook because it has an attachment of a certain file type.  Apart from being incredibly annoying, it also seems a tad paranoid..  so here's how to get round that.

Click Start -> Run, Type "regedit"

Now locate HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\<VERSION>\Security then add a registry string value in that folder called "Level1Remove" and add the extensions you want with leading dots and trailing semicolons like:

.pst;.rar;.mpg;.avi   etc




(Substitute the appropriate version numbers for your installation, 12 is 2007, 11 is 2003, etc.)

and problem is solved.