A Mind in Transition. A Heart Open.

Oulook Fast Search doesn't return results

2012-01-18T08:41:00.004-05:00

Symptom: You're in outlook, and the search results aren't as expected, or not returning anything.

Check here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/instant-search-is-not-finding-items-HA010198085.aspx

VERIFY THAT YOUR OUTLOOK DATA FILES CAN BE INDEXED
Outlook indexes the following data files:

Personal Folders files (.pst)
Offline Folder files (.ost)
This includes Microsoft Windows Live Mail, IMAP, and POP e-mail accounts. If you use a Microsoft Exchange account (much more common in business e-mail systems than in a home or personal account), you must be connected to the server running Exchange and use Cached Exchange Mode for Instant Search to index your messages. Cached Exchange Mode uses an Offline Folders file (.ost) to save your information on your computer. To verify which data files are being indexed, do the following:
On the Tools menu, point to Instant Search, and then click Search Options.
Alternatively, click the arrow in the Instant Search pane, and then click Search Options on the menu.

Under Indexing, verify that the data files that you want to include in your search are selected in the Index messages in these data files list.
VERIFY THAT INDEXING IS COMPLETE
To verify the indexing status, do the following:

On the Tools menu, point to Instant Search, and then click Indexing Status.
Alternatively, click the arrow in the Instant Search pane, and then click Indexing Status on the menu.

Verify that the dialog box reports 0 items remaining. If not, indexing is not complete and needs to finish before all of your Outlook items can be searched.
INDEXING STATUS REPORTS "0 ITEMS REMAINING," HOWEVER, SEARCH RESULTS ARE NOT CORRECT
If the Indexing Status reports 0 items remaining and Instant Search is still not returning the correct search results, exit Outlook and restart your computer. When you start Outlook again, verify that Outlook is indexing your items properly by doing the following:

On the Tools menu, point to Instant Search, and then click Indexing Status.
Alternatively, click the arrow in the Instant Search pane, and then click Indexing Status on the menu.

Verify that the number of items in the Indexing Status dialog box has increased. If the number has not increased, you must wait until indexing is complete for the results.

While you're looking at the checkboxes for what is supposed to be indexed, if you would like to start from scratch, clear the box[es] and OK through to exit the index search. Then go back and check them again, and OK out. This is what will take a few hours, but it will now index your email as if it never had done it before. Verify on occasion. The numbers should increase for a while, then decrease back to zero. Once completed, your index has been rebuilt.

Can't send ctrl-alt-del via UVNC UltraVNC

2011-07-07T12:00:00.003-04:00

well, it's not fun from the viewer, but let's say you've installed UltraVNC and rebooted the remote computer. Now you can't send Ctrl-Alt-Del to log in.

On screen keyboard can help for Windows 7 and (I think? Vista). You know that button in the bottom left? Turn on the on screen keyboard. Press the ctrl key, then the alt key, then the del key and you're in.

Captive portal follows you home

2011-07-05T12:32:00.002-04:00

had an issue with a client where the hotel's captive portal followed him home with IE9. flushdns didn't work, neither cache and cookie delete. This was specifically an issue with onsite local connections, so I added the IP address to "local sites" in IE and it seemed to have resolved.

Hard links vs sym links

2011-06-15T09:12:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you are programming and the items you're working on are a subset/extraset of a program that you don't really want to include in your project, especially if the add-on project is being maintained with git or svn or something.

Sometimes your dev and your test are on the same box, so you can hard link the files you're working on in your dev directory and they'll mirror in your test instance. Hard links are better than sym links in this case because you want to distribute the files, not links to files, and you want your live test to not point to your dev copy.

Install byobu on Amazon AMI

2011-06-15T00:46:00.002-04:00

How hard is this? I don't know...
Download source https://launchpad.net/byobu/+download
tar xzvf byobu_version.tar.gz
cd byobu_version
sudo ./configure
sudo make
sudo install

(you might need autoconf and automake and gcc)

Skype using port 80 - Skype Community

2011-06-08T08:29:00.000-04:00

Skype using port 80 - Skype Community

What's using port 80 on your computer? It could be Skype.

To really find out, type this:
netstat -ano | find ":80 " | more
then get the last number on the list:
TCP 0.0.0.0:80 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 5628
tasklist | find "5628"
Skype.exe 5628 Console 1 19,956 K

Can't install Silverlight because it can't find installer

2011-06-07T14:20:00.005-04:00

WARNING: Messing with registry entries can be dangerous. Anything you do with it is YOUR problem, not mine. Be sure to back up things before you delete things. I don't know if this will break things. All I know is that it allowed installation after it was removed.

1612 error for Silverlight 3.0

(you might want to remove the Silverlight 3.0 directory from Program Files first).

Go to regedit
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\D7314F9862C648A4DB8BE2A5B47BE100]
(you might want to back up this registry entry before you continue)

delete this entry.
Now you can install 4.0 without error.

using DynDNS with AWS

2011-05-25T11:43:00.003-04:00

So, let's say you have an AWS instance that you don't run all the time, and you get a new IP each time you run it.

Sign up for an account on DynDNS and install the ddclient on your instance.
ddclient.conf example


syslog=yes                              # log update msgs to syslog
mail=root                               # mail all msgs to root
mail-failure=root                       # mail failed update msgs to root
pid=/var/run/ddclient.pid               # record PID in file.
ssl=yes                                 # use ssl-support.  Works with
login=dyndnsusername
password=dyndnspassword
protocol=dyndns2
server=members.dyndns.org
dyndnshostname.dyndnsdomain.dyndnstld, anotherdyndnshostname.dyndnsdomain.dyndnstld
use=web
web=checkip.dyndns.org

now each time you start the service, you can go to the dyndns account instead of trying to figure out the new IP address/dns

Can not mark 'xubuntu-desktop' for upgrade

2011-05-08T13:49:00.001-04:00

upgrading Ubuntu 10.10 maverick to 11.04 narwhal. so I went into synaptic and uninstalled xubuntu-desktop and got on with life.

Vipre no wireless?

2011-05-05T14:42:00.002-04:00

working on a client's computer that sbamtray.exe when loaded at startup prevented wireless networks from being seen. msconfig clear check by it ...

Use your domain with a dynamic DNS service

2011-04-22T20:13:00.002-04:00

Interested how to use *your* domain with a dynamic dns service? It's so easy. Create a new CNAME that points to the dynamic dns name.

Change the icon for PcHelpWare, et al

2011-04-22T20:06:00.003-04:00

Looking to customize PCHelpWare for yourself?

There's documentation online, but the change of icon doesn't exactly work in Vista/Windows 7. There's a program that can help, though: IcoFX. Just grab PcHelpWare.sfx, and briefly change it to PcHelpWare.exe, then in IcoFX, go to Tools, Resource Editor, and open the newly named PcHelpWare.exe (open folder icon). Highlight the yellow Uvnc icon, then click the Change icon button and point it to the icon of choice. Click save, then close. Rename the PcHelpWare.exe to PcHelpWare.sfx and now your PcHelpWare app will be branded with your new icon.

IPSEC prevents Windows Server 2003 to connect network

2011-04-20T12:54:00.002-04:00

Problem: Network connection fails completely on Windows Small Business Server SBS 2003. Can't ping. Can't browse the Internet.
Reason: IPSEC service doesn't start. (Usually after SP2 install)

Problem: IPSEC service doesn't start because of some "only one" error on "port"
Solution:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Reserved Ports
add:
4500-4500
to the list
restart DNS.
start IPSEC.
You should have network connection.

Better Windows 98 video driver for VirtualBox

2011-04-14T15:09:00.003-04:00

It's 2011, and ... you don't care. All you want to know is how not to be stuck at 640x480 and 16 colors on Windows 98 guest on VirtualBox and guest additions won't ever be made on Windows 98 or 95.

How easy is it? go to http://bearwindows.boot-land.net/vbe9x.htm#2 and download, for instance, 2010.06.01 (click one of the ? on the right).

Now you have a .zip. Extract it.
Make a .iso from that folder with your favorite program.
You now can mount that on your Windows 98 image.
Update the driver from Device manager and point it to the VBE9X\UNI folder and let it install. Reboot and you have color!

YRMV, don't blame me if it doesn't work, etc. All I can say is it worked well for me.

I suppose you're also looking for AMD PCnet drivers at the same time. Stop. Don't panic yourself about it, but stop the vm, go to network, advanced, and change the nic to the one above it -- NOT the FAST one. (have your Windows 98 CD available, and ... it is installed.)

Silly, mindboggling obvious virtualbox/clonezilla error

2011-04-14T12:13:00.002-04:00

Chalk this up to a bit of overthinking, or ... something.

See, I have this USB external 2TB hard drive, and on it, I have clonezilla images. Since that's ample size, I decided that I'd conserve space and make VirtualBox VDIs from the images and store them on the same drive... yes, if you're playing along, you'll understand what happened.

It appears that VirtualBox removes the Host mounted drive and attaches it to the guest image. All of a sudden, I can't do anything to the VB VDI /dev/sda because ... it doesn't exist anymore, because the usb 2TB drive is mounted to the guest, removing the .vdi.

(In case you didn't catch this: Let's say the 2TB drive is mounted on Windows as L:, and the drive for the virtual machine is in L:\drive.vdi When VirtualBox runs, L: disappears as the 2TB drive is mounted for clonezilla recovery. Boom. L:\drive.vdi gone.)

Temp solution: put the .vdi on another drive until the images are converted, then move them back.

Using PayPal with GnuCash

2011-04-03T20:56:00.004-04:00

If you use a credit card/merchant account or PayPal and are trying to figure out how to make the payments reconcile in GnuCash, I took a hint from this link: http://www.intragenesis.com/techtips/articles/how_to%20set_up_and_use_paypal_in_quickbooks and applied it as follows:

Assuming you've installed GnuCash (What is it? It's a free accounting program, like QuickBooks, but not as fancy. It gets the job done, though.)

And you've set up the basic "Business" account Chart of Accounts (or if you haven't, don't panic, it's ok...)

BACK UP your data. Nothing here is destructive, but it's a good idea to back up.

In Assets, Current Assets, create a new Account:
Account name: PayPal
Account code: can leave blank if you wish
Description: PayPal
Account Type: Bank
Parent Account: Current Assets (or, the parent of your Checking Account)
You'll want to include any particular Opening Balance and include today's date. If you miss this, you can always add an adjustment later.
Click [OK]

In Expenses, create a new Account:
Account name: PayPal Fees
Description: PayPal Fees
Account Type: Expense
Parent Account: Expenses (or if it makes sense elsewhere, include it there).

Now, all you'll do is process payment:
Business, Customer, Process Payment
Customer, Select
Invoice, select
Enter the full amount (if the full amount is paid). For instance, if the invoice is $100, and the customer submitted $100 to PayPal, enter 100.00 in the amount.
Post To: Assets:Accounts Receivable (probably, or what you've already chosen as the Receivable account for the invoice.)
Transfer Account: PayPal

Next, open the PayPal Account and Enter a transaction:
Description: "PayFees" or something.
Transfer: Expenses: PayPal Fees
Withdrawal: the amount of transaction fees deducted from the PayPal deposit

When you're ready to transfer PayPal to your Checking Account,
Open the "Checking Account" account and click Transfer:
The amount will be what you're transferring from PayPal.
Transfer From: PayPal (under Current Assets)
Transfer To: "Checking Account"
Click OK.

tdsskiller Is your website browsing hijacked/redirected?

2011-03-30T11:37:00.004-04:00

short answer: tdsskiller You've tried Malwarebytes, and your antivirus and it says you're clean, but it's obvious you're not, as every time you try to use windows update or try to go to a Microsoft site, you get redirected to another search engine.

http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363

OpenOffice Base MySQL ALTER table structure

2011-02-18T14:21:00.003-05:00

I may have missed it, but it's likely that you will have trouble refreshing table structure in OpenOffice Base if you connect to MySQL and ALTER a table.

Basically, the answer is to add the fields in the Edit of the table(s) in Base to match the new columns. If you don't know what they are, create a new table connecting to the ODBC of MySQL and edit the appropriate table.

It's a real pain, but there you are.

YUI3 accordion

2011-02-15T17:12:00.002-05:00

I had the hardest time trying to override the label color in YUI3-accordion.
It turns out that !important was used in the default style, so I had to !important again to overwrite it. (I didn't want/need black on a dark background).

Increase the number of entries in Media Library of Wordpress

2011-01-31T11:07:00.002-05:00

Have lots of images? Don't want to paginate? Using Faster Image Inserter?

Change from 10 to whatever:

back up wp-admin/includes/media.php

find this:


 $start = ( $_GET['paged'] - 1 ) * 10;
 if ( $start < 1 )
  $start = 0;
 add_filter( 'post_limits', create_function( '$a', "return 'LIMIT $start, 10';" ) )

and this:


$page_links = paginate_links( array(
 'base' => add_query_arg( 'paged', '%#%' ),
 'format' => '',
 'prev_text' => __('«'),
 'next_text' => __('»'),
 'total' => ceil($wp_query->found_posts / 10),
 'current' => $_GET['paged']
));

and change 10 to 50 or 100 or ...

MySQL fix some phone numbers

2011-01-21T10:29:00.004-05:00

This is long and convoluted, but basically, it takes unknown inputs of phone numbers from a table:

5551212

555-1212

212555-1212

212-555-1212

and makes them all

2125551212

select Concat(if(length(PhoneNumber)< 10, "212", ""), replace(PhoneNumber, "-","")) FROM AddressBook;

update addressbook set PhoneNumber=Concat(if(length(PhoneNumber)< 10, "212", ""), replace(PhoneNumber, "-",""));

Evernote works well with WINE

2010-12-29T11:53:00.001-05:00

Installed Evernote on WINE, and it seems so far to be pretty stable and works well enough to grab my information.

Serial Port access from OpenOffice.org

2010-12-17T22:08:00.001-05:00

This is my post in the forum.

http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=682#p168678

Set up Harmony Remote for Motorola VIP-1216

2010-12-11T09:20:00.002-05:00

We just installed Prism from CenturyLink. I just wanted to post something how easy it was (should have been) to convert my Harmony H659 remote to control the Motorola VIP-1216.

If you remember nothing else, "No, I don't have the original remote". Don't try learning it. Don't try guessing from the remote brand. I did this and was extremely frustrated.

You really just have to load your Harmony software, connect your remote, add the device (Video Recorder -> PVR), choose Motorola as a brand, and VIP-1216 as the model. Next, "No, I don't have the remote"! Next/Done, but then go to the Activities tab (watch TV?) and add the Motorola VIP-1216 to the TV.

Now, what functions will you not have immediately that you may want to add to the display?

Certainly, you won't have all the direct input power/mode buttons at the top. But if you have a Harmony remote, you understand why those aren't necessary. If you have an errant device in the wrong on/off state, you'll use Help to get it back in sync, though if it you're having constant issues, you may want to verify the remote is controlling that device properly in the Harmony software.

Other buttons: "On Demand", "Recorded TV", "Learn" (Not needed), "Back" (Probably unnecessary as there are other buttons that can do it), "Go Interactive" (May never use), TV/Exit to "TV (again, may never use). Certainly you can add those to the display of the Harmony if you want them.

The Calorie Lie followup

2010-11-29T08:55:00.002-05:00

Almost a year ago, I wrote about The Calorie Lie, how calories in themselves were useless as a measurement.

Now, Weight Watchers has concurred with my findings. OK, not really *my* findings, but they have changed their "Points" system to reflect that food isn't made of calories, it's made of "macronutrients."

The best part of learning how to eat right is to not be focused on how much you're eating, but how well you're eating.

You don't have to go vegan to lose weight. Just moderate. Put less on your plate and don't eat it all. Don't eat a midnight snack. As I say, "I can eat anything I want, just not all of it!"

May good choices be yours!