Partition your drive however you would like. (I used the full drive as NTFS). Also name your drive.

Step 2. Create a Mounting point.

Create a mounting point by entering the following into the Terminal / SSH

sudo mkdir /media/drivename

Step 3. Get the UUID of your new drive

In terminal enter:

blkid

Copy down the UUID of your new drive.

Step 4. Automatically mount the drive.

Edit the fstab file found at /etc/fstab by entering:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Now enter the following to the bottom of the file:

UUID=YOURUUID /media/YOURFOLDER FILETYPE auto,users,permissions 0 0

e.g.

UUID=123456789 /media/mediadrive ntfs-3g auto,users,permissions 0 0

Step 5. Edit the Samba Conf File

Enter:

 sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

Under Global Settings enter:

usershare owner only=false

Step 6. Setup Share (GUI)

Using the Gui find in the file explorer the folder media/YOURDRIVENAME you created before. Right click it properties and setup sharing.

Step 7. Reboot and enjoy

Once all the above is complete it should share fine if you want to add another drive just do the same again.

On Windows 7 no problem its easy.

On Windows 8 it seems if you move the location of Program Data the Metro or whatever that crap is called now, breaks. PC Settings can’t be accessed, the Store wont work and half of the Metro* apps dont even appear. So yeh if your using Audit mode, and are trying to move the Program Data and then apps aren’t working thats why.

Windows 8, the new Windows Vista.

OSX is already installed (10.8.3 currently others should be the same).

I also have Windows already installed but want to format it and install it again / or I don’t have windows installed.

Requirements:

• OSX USB Drive ideally with Unibeast.
• WIndows USB Drive/Disk
• Multibeast on your OSX install
• 1 or 2 hard drives.

Steps:

• Boot into OSX if there is no bootloader use the USB Drive. 
• Go into Disk Utility.
• Select the drive with OSX on and Windows if you already have OSX and Windows on one drive OR
• Select the drive with OSX and a blank partition for Windows OR
• Select the Drive you want to install Windows on if its on a dedicated Drive.
• Now click the partition for windows and delete it
• Then create a new one using FAT (MS-DOS FAT), you could just erase it but this caused me issues. So ideally delete it then remake the partition.
• Now restart the PC and boot from the Windows USB or Disk.
• Now this works for Windows 7/8 and probably Vista (crap OS dont use it).
• Click next a few times until you see Upgrade or Custom.
• Click Custom.
• Select the new partition or drive you just erased/created.
• Now you will see you cant install Windows to it as its FAT format. So click FORMAT. This will make the partition now NTFS.
• Now install windows.
• Once Windows is finished all installing and you have set your user account up reboot to OSX. At this point you will need to boot from the OSX USB.
• Boot from OSX USB
• Now at the selection of what OS to pick, choose your OSX Hard Drive/Partition NOT THE USB!
• Now in OSX Run Multibeast and click Bootloaders. If your OSX worked fine before thats all you should click.
• Install and restart.
• Now you can select to boot either Windows or OSX easy eh?

Looks a lot of steps but its really simple. You must though create the partition in OSX dont use Windows to do it or else Chameleon (the bootloader) wont see the Windows Drive!

To get on board audio working on 10.8.2 this is what I did….

1. Delete AppleHDA.Kext from S/L/E
2. Delete any audio enablers for me was something like HDA892Enabler.kext something like that from S/L/E
3. Make sure DSDT is on Desktop
4. BEFORE REBOOT use Multibeast (I used 5.1.3-1) Select only correct Audio under Drivers… Audio. For me that is Drivers > Audio > Realtek > With DSDT > ALC892
5. Reboot to working Audio.

Some of you will probably remember the corkscrew in the Windows Rollercoaster that was Windows Vista, and maybe even Windows ME! Windows Vista was said to be the all new Windows, the faster, smarter, sleeker Windows. What did it turn out to be? An unjoyful ride, of pain, misery and what at the time felt like betrayal. Microsoft had promised so much with Windows Vista but failed to deliver the key area, user experience. Sure the code underneath Vista had been re-written and yes it must of been pretty good as it’s running Windows 7 today! But for as much time, knowledge and thought that had gone into the engine of Vista, the complete opposite had occurred for the top level. That’s where Windows 7 came in. 7 managed to re-impress Windows Users by fixing all, or the majority, of Vista issues. The Taskbar had been updated to make it easier to use and great little features like snapping Windows was added and a much faster Start Search. Windows 7 was built for everyone from power users to your gran wanting to check online for a recipe. I would even call Windows 7 the crown jewels of the Windows OS.

So when Windows 8 was coming who was excited? Well, I know I was! Application store, metro, sorry “Windows Style Apps”, easier ways to see your documents, photos, social networks, it promised so much! But Windows 8, is the New Windows Vista. Microsoft have created Windows 8 for 1 reason and 1 reason alone. Tablets. You see Microsoft knows, like we all know that the PC market is declining and the tablet market is increasing. Even Bill Gates said years ago one day we will all be on Tablets. The problem is, we aren’t. We aren’t all using tablets. The PC market, even though declining, is still healthy. Yet Microsoft have built Windows 8 as though there is no one using a PC anymore. They have created an OS that if used on a PC is so difficult and frustrating to use that it’s pointless to upgrade.

A fatal mistake! Microsoft, rather than creating an OS for a tablet and an OS for a PC, two very different machines, have decided to “bundle” the two together. For PC users,  which is what I’m focusing on as I am one, this creates an OS that switches back and forth with no  clear consistency. One minute your in an OS designed for touch, scrolling left to right, with large icons, no windows, and a very wishy washy feel, to the old desktop OS your so familiar with but lacking the Start button that has defined your Windows experience since it was introduced in Windows 95. Your now in an environment where you are now scrolling up and down, not left and right. An environment where icons are icons and not little tiles that spin around and are so colourful you think your back in playschool with multi-coloured blocks. You now get to search the internet using the “Bing” app only to find you click on a link that opens in another app, IE but this time the Metro, sorry I said it again, Internet explorer than the desktop one. You move back to the desktop to search your files only to click on IE and find the tabs open in “the other” IE are not available unless you return to that IE.

For any PC user out there I feel for you, I am one and I look to the future wondering how much longer will it be until Microsoft realise the mistake they made. How much longer will it be until we can get an OS that is designed for the people who are using it. Microsoft, there are people still using the PC. People will continue to use the PC no matter what you do. However you have pushed your core users into a position that leaves them wanting you to succeed, annoyed you have let them down, and likely to jump ship at their first opportunity.

What will I be doing? Well I will have to “Upgrade” sorry I mean, downgrade to Windows 7. Windows 8 is my final straw, infact I will move to an Apple Mac as soon as I can afford. At the moment I’m a student with a lack of funds so Windows 7 it will have to be but fingers crossed one day I will move to an OS that has been designed for the users using it. I’m already a iPhone and iPad user and find the OS does what I wish in the way I wish and I’m sure a Mac will too. To Apple, you have chosen the right path, keep the iPad, iPhone and Mac OS separate, only borrowing features from each, never, and I’m sure you wouldn’t make the mistake Microsoft has, which is to forget about your users.

Since I gave my old iPad my sister in January I have longed for a new one. I knew it wasn’t too far away until one was released but it felt like an age. It was great to hear the improvement Apple had made with the iPad on 7th March and I couldn’t wait so preordered one straight away. Well today is release day and at 8:50am it arrived and I’m really pleased so so I thought I best make a blog post as I haven’t done one in a while.

This whole post was written using the dictation built into my new iPad with only some minor corrections.

Merry Christmas

It’s that time of the year again. You know that time that comes around, well, every year. The time when people are rushing around in a mad panic buying things they neither need or actually want, but feel they must because, it’s that time of year again. If your not sure what time i’m talking of then either your reading this waffle of mine at a time of the year that is not December or you don’t celebrate the festival that is know by the name, Christmas.

Often you will hear on the wireless, radio, (I’m not that old), mentions around the idea that “Christmas gets earlier and earlier every year” and most years I have to agree however this year it doesn’t feel that way at all. In fact to be writing this 4 days into the month of Christmas and to only just start feeling “Christmasy” feels all too odd. I mean we are so often thrust into Christmas the day after that awful event to which Americans seem to hold so dear and yet in England so many would love to ban. I’m talking Halloween. That day when annoying little children and teen trouble makers descend on your home to prise treats from you to which you have specially taken a trip to the local supermarket to buy treats to feed these…. imposters. “Get a sofa in time for Christmas”, “Great Christmas Savings”, “Roast the Christmas turkey on a new cooker”. All are little phrases the retailers love to emboss on our skulls when really I have sat on the same sofa for the last 5 years and if I do decide to buy a new one it won’t really spoil my Christmas or change my feelings towards the sofa in any way at all if I got it say, in January. In fact i’d probably save some of my hard earned money by purchasing the sofa I don’t really need but have been told I do in the “January Sales”.

You see, all to often it seems we forget what Christmas is all about. Now I’m not here to preech to you about the Bible or Jesus Christ or any form of religion for that matter, but no matter what you believe or who you believe in the idea of being thankful and spending time together rather than spending time killing zombies on the latest console you bagged for Christmas, seems to be the meaning behind it all. So this year, why not take a moment. Step back, look around you. You may not have the latest smartphone, and maybe the Turkey is burnt to a crisp and maybe you have lost your job this year, but look around you. Look where your sat or standing if your reading this your in a far better place than many and I think we all, me included, take the little things for granted.

I’m thankful, thankful to you for spending a moment of time to read this. Merry Christmas!

Mark

Really Amazon?

….No it’s not the start of a wicked joke…

I am writing this blog post today after receiving my new monopod from Amazon. Its a small monopod and comes in a rather small box yet Amazon decided to ship it in something huge! Now this hasn’t just happened this once, I often get packages from Amazon in huge boxes and to me it seems such a waste. I mean really, it is necessary. Can’t Amazon look into developing a method of only needing a box the size of the product that is needed. i.e. Why not look to cutting the cardboard for each box needed. I understand this will take time but once a slick method is found it will not only save money for the material used but means less will used, less will need to be recycled and thats a big thumbs up all round!

Amazon, I address this to you. Don’t follow the others, do the right thing. Show your customers your investing in their world and they will invest in you! It’s great you use recycled materials but if you can use less in the first place there’s more to go around. I’m not trying to say I know the logistics of your packing facility, or the methods of recycling and its impact but surely using less packaging would help, somehow? I open an invitation for you to reply.

To everyone else I’d love to see your pictures of products and there delivery boxes either from Amazon or anywhere else. Send them to me, or tweet with the hashtag #deliveryboxes

Dell Outlet

Ok so at first glance at the title of this post your probably thinking, “yeh doesn’t everyone?”. Well as we all know many companies often sell stock of an item before they actually have it physically there in their warehouse. Dell, Apple, Amazon you name it often when buying something online we have to wait a few weeks either for stock to come in or our item to be built to the specification that we desire. However Dell outlet is Dells little online store that sells refurbished or partially damaged computers at a much lower price than they are to buy brand new and you still get the same 1 year warrenty and support so whats to loose?

Well possibly your sanity. Let me explain. On the 12th July 2011 I ordered from the Dell Outlet store (UK) a Dell XPS 15, Core i5 with, crucially, a 1920×1080 resolution display. It was estimated to be delievered though in 2 weeks time and the order status claimed my purchase was “in production”. How? How can a refurbished item be “in production” I hear you ask. Well after contacting Dell it seems that if a customer contacts them saying they need to return their laptop, maybe its faulty maybe they are within their 28 days (need citation) to return the item, Dell then will put that item straight on the outlet, BEFORE, they have even received it, checked it, fixed it and tested it.

Also I had been waiting for weeks infact around 3-4 weeks in the end after calling Dell they finally contacted me back saying they couldn’t sell me my laptop due to a supply issue (after firstly being told it was an ordering error). This is not unique though, my friend ordered a laptop to be told his had arrived but it was too damaged when Dell got it for them to sell it on!

So the rule of the story? If your buying from the Dell outlet store just be warned you may never get your PC!

Mark

Three Mobile

So I’ve just got off the phone with Three Mobile. The company has been ringing me for the past few days but I couldn’t be bothered to answer until now. I thought here we go, what “offers” do they have. The foreign lady, Pakistani or Indian spoke pretty good English which was great so I was able to answer and ask her questions. She started by asking me some details about my current contract (which is with O2 by the way). She asked how many minutes, texts and bundles I get. I thought id stretch the truth a little by telling her I have Unlimited web, 1000 minutes and 1000 texts all for £15 a month. I also stated that I had 10 months remaining on my contract and assumed after saying all that she would of given up.

But no she continued to ask what phone I had, which I informed her truthfully it was an iPhone 3GS. She then offered me a great deal with a Samsung phone! I told her no I only want an iPhone. (Id wouldn’t actually mind a Samsung Android phone but I thought lets see what she says to the iPhone). She then told me they “Have no iPhones due to complaints and therefore there is no stock”. Yeh I couldn’t believe it and surely Apple wouldn’t be happy her saying this! I therefore pushed her saying well if there’s so many complaints surely there should be stock? I said the iPhone is very popular im surprised of all the complaints. She quickly tried to retract her statement by saying there are complaints but that might not be the whole reason why there is no stock.

No iPhones due to complaints!

I then asked if I have a contract with you and I have 10 months of mine left would 3 buy it out she of course said “no” so how she could think that she could give me a worthwhile deal I will never know!

Moral of the story, networks love to make stuff up to make you choose a phone they have plenty of stock of and are struggling to shift. Personally I would recommend never agreeing to anything when a network provider calls you have a look around online first!