blog.marcellos.net

Install NVIDIA driver on Sony VGN-SZ48GN

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:40:13 GMT

Inspired by the movie Casino Royale (2006) I bought a Sony VGN-SZ48GN notebook, that's the one James Bond uses on a gondola when arriving in Venice towards the end of the movie.
With the arrival of Windows 7 I decided to swipe my notebook entirely and install this new operating system. With a little disappointment I noticed that the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 graphics adapter is neither recognized by Windows 7 nor by the NVIDIA driver.
So here are instructions how to install NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 on Windows 7:

Open "Device Manager"
Navigate to: Display adapters, "standard VGA adapter"
right click to bring up Properties
On the Details tab select Hardware Ids

write down the details
"PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01D8&SUBSYS_81E6104D&REV_A1"
"PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01D8&SUBSYS_81E6104D"

Download the lates NVIDIA driver from their download page
GeForce Go 7 Series (Notebooks)

Install the driver to the default location (C:\NVIDIA\WinVista\179.48\IS)
The installer will abort and show an error message the graphics adapter could not be found.
The notebook Sony VGN-SZ48GN is equipped with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 adapter.

Copy a file named "NV_DISP.INF" to the \Display folder. NV_DISP.INF (88.54 KB)
In this file search for the closest adapter to 7400, that maybe 7300 SE or so.
Insert a line after that adapter, use the details of the 7400 adapter:

NVIDIA_DEV.01D8.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce 7400"

From the adapter above search the DEV identifier, e.g. "01D8".
Again insert a line after the line containing the subsection details:

%NVIDIA_DEV.01D8.01% = Section001, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01D8&SUBSYS_81E6104D

Save the file.

In "Device Manager" right click on the standard vga adapter. Click update driver software.
Browse my Computer. Let me pick from a list. Choose the NVIDIA driver install directory.
Choose the GeForce 7400 adapter and install the driver.

Reboot the notebook, it should start up with wide screen. Done.

Back to that scene in Casino Royal. James Bond was actually typing his resignation on that gondola. For that he could have done with the built in Intel VGA adapter. But who doesn't want to have a cool 3D accelerated graphics display. At least yo can now again enjoy watching the on your Sony VGN-SZ48GN.

Bizarre Triangle Solved

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:57:04 GMT

In response to a blog post about a Bizarre Triangle I would like to reveal where the suddenly appearing square is hidden:

What appears to be a giant triangle is in fact not. Just add up the areas of the red and green triangle plus the two rectangular shapes: 12 + 5 + (7+8) = 32
The giant triangle area would be: 0.5 *(13*5) = 32.5

In the lower picture the small area indicated under the red arrow is bent outwards. There is your missing square.
Quod erad demonstrandum!

bizare_solved.gif (24.42 KB)

Special GUI

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:14:15 GMT

I'm currently working on a specialized GUI. This screenshot shows a graphical representation of a standard 96 well microplate as defined by SBS. The GUI control I created offers individual well selection by using the mouse, range selection by drawing a rectangle or clicking the coordinates A-H/1-12. In addition the control represents state by color and tooltip. Now the tricky part is a copy/paste function. Instead of implementing a generic copy/paste function directly in the control, I just provided buttons in the context menu. The copy/paste function should now be implemented in the controller/presenter class of this specific view. The reason I did this is that the copy/paste function in this particular case is highly specialized, only working on a part of the data that is stored on each well. It can also be tested without the need of the microplate control. How would you implement such a special copy/paste function?

Rainbow

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:15:51 GMT

I was lucky to view this nice rainbow out of a tram on my way home. Enjoy.

Autumn Leaves

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:09:44 GMT

My artistic impression of this fall:

Linux in the Box

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:09:06 GMT

If this isn't geeky then I don't know. Linux inside the In-flight Entertainment System!

Just recently I watched the console of an In-flight Entertainment Sytem starting. I noticed a Linux-Kernel booting and then the console connecting to the streaming server. Well, I don't know for sure, but isn't it funny, how one keep thinking how such things work, and suddenly forget about the entertainment programm.

Linux im In-flight Entertainment System

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:59:35 GMT

Wenn das nicht "geeky" ist, dann weiss ich nicht. Linux im In-flight Entertainment System!

Erst kuerzlich habe ich im Flugzeug erlebt, wie die Konsole des In-flight Entertainment Systems startet. Dabei bootet ein Linux-Kernel, und die Konsole verbindet sich danach mit dem streaming server. Na ja, so genau weiss ich es natuerlich nicht. Aber schon lustig, wenn man sich ploetzlich Gedanken darueber macht, wie so etwas funktionieren koennte, und dabei das Entertainment Programm ganz vergisst.

The Cheap-Guide to Hong Kong

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:36:08 GMT

Hong Kong is well comparable to Cities as Paris or London. But you can get by quite cheap. How? It will be explained in this short "Cheap-Guide to Hong Kong".

Place to Stay:
Rather unusual but absolutely possible is a homestay at a guest familiy. For about 200HKD a day you will get a single room, breakfast and dinner inclusive. Most Families who offer homestays however are from the mainland China and speak Mandarin. Also Chinese manner are applicable. For those who have never been to China before I recommend a book such as the culture shock series.

Transportation:
Public transportation in Hong Kong are, depending on there speed and velocity, different in price. The absolutetly cheapest option is the tram. People of Hong Kong call it "ding, ding". One ride costs only 2HKD, but it is terribly slow and always crowded. A ride from North Point to Central takes about 35 minutes.
There are of course Buses, one ride costs about 5-7HKD for the same distance. Although at the rush hour you will get stuck in traffic jam. Both the tram and the MTR, Mass Transport Railway, have there own lanes.
To travel between Central, Wan-Chai, Tsim-Sa-Tsui, Hung Hom and North Point you can use the old Star Ferry. One ride on the upper deck costs 2.2HKD, on the lower deck 1.8HKD. A ride to cross Hong Kong harbour takes generally 10 minutes, sometimes the lower deck is unavailable during cleaning of the piers.
The MTR is the fastest public transportation to go anywhere. A short ride costs about 4-5HKD, but can be 8-10HKD or more for longer distances and between Victoria and Kowloon.
Then there are taxis. The Hong Kong taxis are easy to recognise by there red color. For short distances of about 10 minutes you will be charged 20-30HKD.

Meals:
A set menu in one of the most common fast food chains costs in average 45HKD. This includes restaurants such as Mac Donalds and Burger Kings for about 35HKD. Ajisen Ramen, Cafe de Coral, Yoshinoya, Maxim's and Fair-Wood for about 45-50HKD. Every other small restaurant is 50-60HKD for a meal.
Far more healthier are fruits from one of the market streets. 1 apple, 1 orange, and 3 bananas cost 7HKD, more or less. A bowl of "Douh fah fai", soft bean curd and yellow sugar, costs 5HKD. A cup "Douh jeuhng", soy bean milk, about 4HKD.

Der Billig-Fuehrer zu Hongkong

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:34:47 GMT

Hong Kong laesst sich gut mit Staedten wie Paris oder London vergleichen. Man kann aber auch billiger ueber die Runden kommen. Wie? Das erklaert dieser kurze "Billig-Fuehrer zu Hongkong".

Unterkunft:
Etwas ungewoehnlich fuer Hongkong aber durchaus moeglich, die Unterkunft bei einer Gastfamilie. Fuer ca. 200HKD pro Tag erhaelt man ein Einzelzimmer, Fruehstueck und Abendessen inklusive. Die meisten Familien, welche einen waschechten Homestay anbieten stammen allerdings aus China und sprechen Mandarin. Es geht also demendsprechend chinesisch zu- und her. Wer noch gar nie in China war, dem sei an dieser Stelle ein Buch wie z.B. die Kultur-Schock Serie zu empfehlen.

Transportmittel:
Die Transportmittel in Hongkong sind endsprechend ihrer Fahrtgeschwindigkeit unterschiedlich teuer. Die absolut die guenstigste Variante stellt das Tram dar. von den Einwohnern von Hongkong auch "ding, ding" genannt. Eine Fahrt kostet nur 2HKD, dafuer ist es aber furchtbar langsam und immer voller Leute. Eine Fahrt von North Point nach Central dauert ca. 35 Minuten.
Man kann auch den Bus nehmen, der dann etwa 5-7HKD kostet fuer diese Strecke. Zur rush hour bleibt man jedoch im Verkehr stecken. Das Tram, sowie auch die MTR, Mass Transport Railway, haben ihrer eigenen Fahrspuren.
Um zwischen Central, Wan-Chai, Tsim-Sa-Tsui, Hung Hom und North Point hin- und her zu fahren kann man die alte Star Ferry benutzen. Eine Fahrt auf dem upper deck kostet 2.2HKD, auf dem lower deck 1.8HKD. Eine Fahrt dauert durchschnittlich 10 Minuten, manchmal ist das lower deck gesperrt, wenn die Piers gereinigt werden.
Die MTR ist das schnellste Transportmittel fuer ueberallhin. Da kann eine Fahrt 4-5HKD kosten, oder aber auch 8-10HKD fuer laengere Strecken und zwischen Victoria und Kowloon.
Dann gibst natuerlich auch noch Taxis. Die Hongkong Taxis erkennt man ganz leicht an ihrer roten Farbe. Kurze Strecken von ca. 10 Minuten kosten zwischen 20-30HKD.

Mahlzeiten:
Ein Set Menu einer gaengingen Fast-Food-Kette kostet etwa 45HKD. Dazu gehoeren Mac Donalds und Burger King fuer ca. 35HKD. Ajisen Ramen, Cafe de Coral, Yoshinoya, Maxim's und Fair-Wood fuer ca. 45-50HKD. Jedes kleinere Restaurant kostet ca. 50-60HKD.
Wesentlich gesuender sind Fruechte aus einer der Marktstrassen. 1 Apfel, 1 Orange und 3 Bananen kosten etwa 7HKD. Eine Portion "Douh fah fai", weicher Tofu mit gelbem Zucker, kostet 5HKD. Einen Becher "Douh jeuhng", Soja-Milch, etwa 4HKD.

Cantonese in Hong Kong

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:52:53 GMT

Since 2 weeks I'm in Hong Kong. I'm learning Cantonese here, or rather: I'm trying. It isn't easy, but very slowly I'm progressing. To better understand the language I bought an old movie, starring Jackie Chan, for 15HKD. His movie company is in the same building as my school. Who knows, I might see him around here.

I'm living with a guest family, which is rather unusual for Hong Kong. The family is from Peking and speaks mainly Mandarin. Well, this doesn't bother me much, on the contrary, it's quite convenient since I've been to Peking a couple of times.

Kantonesisch in Hong Kong

admin of blog.marcellos.net — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:23:50 GMT

Seit etwa 2 Wochen bin ich nun in Hong Kong. Hier lerne ich Kantonesisch, oder ich versuche es zumindest. Also einfach ist es nicht, aber so langsam gehts. Zum besser lernen habe ich mir fuer 15HKD einen alten Film mit Jackie Chan gekauft. Seine Filmgesellschaft ist im selbem Gebaeude wie meine Schule, wer weiss villeicht sehe ich ihn ja mal.

Ich wohne hier bei einer Gastfamilie, was fuer Hong Kong Verhaeltnisse wohl sehr ungewoehnlich ist. Die Familie kommt aus Peking und spricht hauptsaechlich Mandarin. Aber das stoert mich wenig, da ich ja schon ein paar mal in Peking war kommt mir das sogar gerade recht.