NineLizards

Shrinking an oversized System Volume Information folder

2026-04-16T13:46:00.010+02:00

After an update, I was suddenly left with a 500 GB hidden folder on drive O: (this is my Drivepool storage machine), and I couldn't figure out the owner.

It turns out, the owner might be anyone, and the folder could have gone 'plus-sized' due to a (partially) failed update.

So... how to reduce the amount of 'unnecessary' files Windows has (or might have) created?

1. Delete Old Updates and Temporary Files

This may work, but didn't help in my case

1. Windows 11 Settings / System / Storage / Temporary Files
2. Remove Files

2. Clear System Restore Points

(There doesn't seem to be a menu entry for this? Weird.)

1. Windows 11 Settings
2. In the search box, enter 'Create Restore Point'
3. Select the right drive, then 'Configure'

In my case, there were no Restore Points on drive O: so this didn't help.

3. Clear Shadow Storage

Windows keeps a copy of certain files, using the Shadow Copy Service. This can be triggered by a back-up tool, a Windows update, or any other kind of activity.

It's not always easy or even possible to find out who caused unnecessary writing and storage, but if the folder is excessively large (in my case more than 500 GB) something probably went wrong.

The minimal size is 400 MB. Allocating 10% of a 4 TB drive is still 400 gigabytes!

I've set it to 10% for now, and lessee what happens.

1. CMD
2. vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=o: /on=o: /maxsize=1%

3. vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=o: /on=o: /maxsize=10%

We just set it to 1% to clear it out, and then returned it to a default 10% (good enough for most users)...

4. Tip

Check out TreeSize Free, which may help identifying what's eating up all that space.

(In Total Commander, show both hidden and system files.)

Lessee what happens next, or if the above fixed it...

Amy Tintera - Reboot

2026-04-13T01:00:00.025+02:00

Audiobook Review

Love. Life. And zombies.

This is a YA first person present tense audiobook exploring the 'I died and came back as a zombie' trope. Fortunately, it's better than the average wannabe-writer 'Isekai' project.

Concept

People die. When they're young, they may come back as an intelligent kind of zombie. The longer it takes between dying and 'rebooting', the tougher and stronger the 'rebooted' person is. Wren 178 is the toughest, badd-ass, law abiding, unemotional kind... and yet she falls for Cullum 22. Who is still more human than he's supposed to be.

There's a bit of a background about viruses and a world war, but it's mostly global pandemic, evil corps, and girls-meets-boy-and-falls-in-love-and-the-world-is-shit-let's-run-away.

Yeah. That's most of the summary.

Still, the concept is nice, and being rebooted - becoming a zombie - without the need to eat brains or collect your fallen limbs is refreshing.

Narration

Matches the story, no complaints.

The Verdict

Nothing exceptional, but okay if a. you're into YA, and b. if you believe in life and love after death.

100% Human Generated Content - My stance on AI

2026-04-10T02:27:00.008+02:00

Amazon KDP + Writing

Today I saw a commercial for a tool that would auto-generate complete books. Including all chapters, text, graphics, layout, everything.

It was tailored to non-fiction, but it's rather scary - at least to writers. What will be the next step? Will there be 100% written - and readable - novels in our future?

Will there be any writers left? Probably. But - to level the playing field - I think we should be honest about WHO is creating the work...

MY stance on AI

I believe that every writer should be honest about their stance on AI.

For example, I will NOT use any AI tool to generate my text. The words I write are mine, not someone else's. Yes, I will use a spell checker, and I believe it is okay to use an AI tool to analyze your text for issues (although I have not done so, and probably never will).

But that's the line I draw in the sand. I will not let AI write my stories, no matter how good it gets. I will write my stories myself.

I don't mind if other people do use AI, and I might use AI for other purposes in the future... but not for writing! To be frank, I've played a little with image generation, music generation, as well as text-to-speech, but I found little to no practical use for it thus far.

My stance on AI writing

No. Period. And thus far all the AI generated books I've encountered were bad, bad, bad, without a single exception.

My stance on AI analysis

Haven't used it, but wouldn't mind

My stance on AI covers

This is a tough one. Personally, I don't mind, but I know that using an AI cover has two consequences:

1. Readers might doubt your statement that you don't use AI for your writing, as you did use it for your cover.
2. AI covers are generated by LLMs that are trained on human generated material. Which is unfair to the original graphic artists.

So, I don't use AI covers myself, but I would not be bothered by other people using AI generated cover art, and that's primarily because I care more about the words inside the book than about the graphics on the outside.

I think it's fine if an artist uses AI to figure out poses, compositions, things like that (tons of people use software like Poser and call themselves artists) but even then I think using such AI generated imagery should be limited to reference, and should not be incorporated into the artist's artwork.

But hey, that's my opinion. What is yours?

YOUR stance on AI

Be honest about it! Tell the world if you used AI, and if so, tell the reader how much was generated by AI. That's fair play.

Writers who write themselves should be able to stand out, if only a little bit. They are the haute couture, the craftsmen, the cottage industry of entertainment. Our final heroes of inspiration and creation.

You could be one of them. So, be honest.

Your stance on AI analysis

Your stance on AI covers

Think about it...

How do you recognize AI

That's getting harder and harder, but let me share one observation: the use of em-dash DOESN'T MEAN that a book has been written by an AI!!!

For example, I strongly believe the semi-colon is a pretty useless beast, and I never use it, but I do use em-dash - like these - in my work. Quite a bit, actually.

If you hate AI, then please try to understand how an AI / LLM works, and how to recognize its output. Lots of em-dashes mean very little...

KDP Essentials

2026-04-09T12:00:00.013+02:00

Amazon KDP + Writing

My 'to do' list for publishing something on Amazon KDP, including links to sources or sub-posts, whereever relevant.

Read on... or visit the KDP Essentials page...

Let's face it

There's nothing wrong with writing your own book and publishing it.

But... you gotta' be realistic:every month there are literally thousands of books published on Amazon. (And most of them are bad.) But - unfortunately - that still doesn't mean you'll be the one standing out above all the slop.

The chance that somebody spots your book and decides to read it is small.

The change that you will actually sell enough to make a profit (anybything above a loss, and that's after paying your editor, your cover artists, Amazon's fees, and income taxes) are close to zero.

The chance that you will become rich and famous - or even make a living - is infinite negative.

Quality control

If you think your work is so good it doesn't need to be spell checked and proof read, then... I don' know. Perhaps you should consider another hobby.

I believe that a reader deserves all the attention he / she can get. So I believe a real writer should care about the reader - not only as a potential customer and source of revenue, but as a real person who is willing to give a slice of their live to read your work.

Such a person deserves a decent plot, living characters, proper spelling and correct punctuation. Such a dedication deserves multiple proofreads and a real editor. If you can't afford a real editor then find a bunch of real readers that give you honest feedback. (Which effectively excludes family and friends.)

In spite of all the negativity

Writing is fun. Yes, it can be hard work, but there is something entirely satisfying about wrapping up a great story, publishing it, and getting honest, enthusiastic feedback from readers.

Carefully consider the reason why you are writing. I write because I want to prove I can tell an entertaining story that is good enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with a professional writer. A story that is entertaining. Something I can be proud of.

I don't care if it sells well (though I would like to break even). I don't care if not everyone likes it. (That's simply impossible.) I do care about the reader though.

So yes, I wrapped up a story, spell checked it, then had an editor go through it. Edited it a thousand times. And now I need to market and publish it.

How? Where? What?

KPD Essentials

Let's face it (again). You probably end up with Amazon and KDP.

I added a 'page' with a list of all the things I still have to do, or that I ran into, or for which I found a solution.

You'll find that page here. It's still under construction!

Blog

In the coming days / weeks I'm going to post a number of entries describing my thought process, the curveballs Amazon throws at me, and how I dealt with them. You can find information like this everywhere on the Internet - this is just my little, personal story and tracker.

More

KDP Essentials - organized index
Amazon KDP - all posts
Writing Essentials - organized index
Writing Reference - all essential posts
Writing - all related posts including less important stuff

A.J. Hackwith - Hell's Library 2 & 3 - The Archive of the Unwritten & The God of Lost Words

2026-04-06T01:00:00.080+02:00

Audiobook Review

The third and final book of this trilogy. That, by itself, was a bit of a surprise, as these books had all the hallmarks of the start of a long, extensive, giganormous series of books.

But nope. It's a trilogy. (And there's nothing wrong with that.) Perhaps I'm over-conditioned by those endless multi-volume series. I think Hackwith could have gotten away with that, but she chose not to.

Change of tone and style

Book 1 The Library of the Unwritten and book 2 The Archive of the Forgotten are more adventure romps, with the heroes and their sidekicks romping through the multiverse. Walhalla. Elysia. Heaven. A crocodile god in a dead realm. You name it.

Then book 3 lands, and it is a lot slower than the first two installments. That doesn't make it a bad book, not at all - it was just a surprise.

In this book we discover the secret behind the library and ink (well, somewhat, I think she hasn't explained everything) and there's a good ending. Hero gets his angel, and Claire finds her destiny. Again a well written book, though not as adventurous nor entertaining as the first two.

Narration

Spot on.

The Verdict

A good read, even if I could see the plot take shape roughly halfway the book, and the ending was somewhat predictable.

Perhaps I was expecting a longer series...

Dapper / TellTales! #126

Wallpaper - Within Temptation - The Unforgiving

2026-04-01T01:01:00.005+02:00

Wallpaper

Within Temptation's Sharon den Adel has quite the voice, and the band has quite the reputation, but at first I didn't even know this wallpaper was actually an album cover... yet I like it.

Also, I'm a sucker for concept albums, so now I wonder if I can find the associated comics anywhere...

(Click on image to enlarge)

A.G. Slatter - All the Murmering Bones

2026-03-30T01:00:00.011+02:00

Audiobook Review

This... is a weird one.

Take some dark, gothic fantasy elements, combine it with a family drama and a self-apreciating voice, and tell a tale that moves towards and touches upon horror territory.

Summary

Younger female (no longer a kid) is tied into a (self chosen) family curse and forced into a marriage. She disagrees, and uncovers the tragedy and monstrous pact behind her family's powers and wealth. The background world is an Irish world that features some real mermaids (the Ursula type), ghouls, and some other minor magic.

It's well written, but it was so, so, so painstakingly slow at the start that I put it aside twice. It's a bit thin on plot and action, and I don't like any of the characters. Yet it is a good read. It's just... slow. Slow and weird. And except for the main plot (the curse) magic doesn't seem to play much of a role at all.

Narration

It's a first person story, but the primary character is not entirely likeable, a bit too self-conscious. There's a deliberate Irish accent in the writing, and the narrator of the audio book matches it perfectly - if sometimes just as annoying as the self-centered telling of the tale.

The Verdict

A good read, but it's not for everyone.

More

Dapper / TellTales! #126

FB-10046-1 - Plate Flat Scarred - 2x4x1

2026-03-30T00:11:00.006+02:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

A very simple small flat plate 2x4x1, marked with the 'Frankenblocks' logo. Nothing special, but it had to be done.

You can find the model on Makerworld.

Description

Flat 4x2x1. A simple flat piece to connect other bits and pieces.

Images

(Click any image to enlarge)

Not all (modular) power supplies are created equal... Not even connectors or pinouts...

2026-03-29T22:53:00.001+02:00

Datatalk

Especially not pinouts!

I have multiple modular PSUs in use, and a box full of cables matching these PSUs. You'd expect some form of standardization, but there isn't. Suppliers do deviate, and especially the six pin 12V plug knows lots of variations.

Warning!

Make sure to document what cable belongs to which power supply. If you mix them up, you can damage your device, your mainboard, and / or your power supply!

Molex

Let's start with the old fashioned one, the Molex connector. The advantage is that the pin connections can be easily verified, so it's a good way to check what cable belongs to what power supply.

(Click any image to enlarge)

BeQuiet 500W Pure Power 11 - Semi-modular

I haven't been able to find a detailed pinout for this one, but it appears to match it's more modular version the Straight Power, so the image below should be correct (but I haven't verified it).

Seasonic Focus Plus Gold GX550

Those Seasonic PSUs have really served me well. In all those years, not a single one has failed me.

My unit came with only two SATA power cables, one for 2 drives, one for 4 drives.

The unit has a single 12V rail, max 45 A / 540 W.

(Click any image to enlarge)

My current home server / NAS (more about that later) currently runs on a Seasonic GX550. The included two SATA cables have only 😁 seven (7) SATA power connectors.

But... I plan to install 8x 4 TB (Diskpool) + 1x 4 TB (CCTV) + 1x 1 TB SSD (swap, temp, shared) is a total of 11 drives. So seven isn't enough...

In my box of 'leftovers' I found some freebie 6 pole connectors that I modified to match the Seasonic pinout, and now my server runs 10 drives...

I know that a GX550 is tight on the 12V rails, at least for this purpose, so I plan to replace it with a GX750 that has a bit of breathing space. On top of that, this GX550 is already 7 years old, so it's not the optimal choice anyway for a new 32+ TB home server...

Seasonic Focus GX White ATX 3 (2024) 750W

Appears to be the same as the Focus Plus above. I noticed that the number of 12V connectors on the power supply has been reduced from 4 to 3. Instead it has a few other additional connectors for other purposes. I guess I could use one of those if I would ever go beyond 12 drives in my home server / NAS...

There were two 4-port SATA power cables included with the GX750, so by using one of the old PSU's power cables I will have 12 in total. That should do.

Corsair RM1000

These Corsair power supplies use their 'Type 4' cable layout, as below. Found here.

This power supply sits in may daily work horse, and it doesn't need that many drives. (In fact, many of the modern cases don't even have space for that many drives, so I had to get creative and design my own sideways drive trays.)

The takeaway

1. Document which cables belong to what power supply!

2. DON'T just plug them in, double check with documentation online!

3. It is possible to modify the cables, but you gotta' be careful...

4. Do NOT mix them up with PCIe power connectors. Those are different!

Double and re-check, then check again.

Alexandra Bracken - Passenger 1 - Passenger

2026-03-09T02:00:00.005+01:00

Audiobook Review

Book 1 of the Passenger series, in which the heroine is kidnapped from her own time (our time) and - obviously - travels through time.

Ability

The plot uses s a 'genetically driven' ability to travel through specific portals, which will lead you to another location in another time. (If you're not part of a specific bloodline and don't have the ability, then time travel doesn't work for you.)

The other mechanics are interesting, if a little artificial, TBH.

Narration

Suitable, if perhaps sounding a little old for the tone of the book.

Yeah, it is an YA (or at least I think that was its original target demographic) with some teen angst and romance thrown in, but those parts are not overwhelming the story. For a change we have a heroine who doesn't quiver at every opportunity.

The Verdict

It was a slow starter, but in the end good enough for me to look for the sequel.

More

(Click image to enlarge)

Dapper / TellTales #126

Shortcuts to Windows 11 (and other) settings

2026-03-08T01:10:00.008+01:00

Windows

I've updated the old page with some new entries. Go here.

Faith Hunter - Junkyard Cats 4 / 5 - Junkyard Roadhouse / Junkyard Riders

2026-03-02T01:00:00.003+01:00

Audiobook Review

Faith Hunter (better known for her Romantasy stories) does a pretty good (Scifi) Apocalyptic series of novellas, all titled Junkyard Something.

Junkyard Cats

There are currently five titles, and they're just great fun to read, even when you're not a romance reader. If I would have any complaint, then that would be that these novellas are way to short!

I actually wasn't expecting these, believing the Junkyard Cats series was more or less completed with the previous three titles, but Faith Hunter proved me wrong. This is another (too short) installment, and it doesn't disappoint.

Junkyard Riders

The next part, and again... too short! But I still buy 'm...

Shining Smith did cross paths with the Dark Riders in previous chapters. This time she's actively going after them. And when the dust settles... we know we need to buy the next novella.

Aaaaarrgh!

Narration

Well done, no issues.

The Verdict

Damn, this stuff is good. Buy and read and suffer the wait for the next installment.

Dapper / TellTales! #126

Frankenblocks - Eyeing the Competition

2026-03-01T01:01:00.050+01:00

Frankenblocks

How to combine Lego with other bits and pieces, including electronics.

Here are the results of my search for 'competitors' (not really 😁) - or better put - for alternatives, sources, ideas, possibilities.

Are there any?

The whole idea behind Frankenblocks was that I wanted a base platform to easily combine different hobby electronical and mechanical projects. Before I designed my first block I looked around for something to adopt, and couldn't find what I was looking for.

Now that I'm a bit further down the road I do find some 'crossover' creations, or elements that I might incorporate. Well, at least I'll keep the links for further investigation.

Common terms

Some of the terms / brands / products I ran into, and that didn't mean that much to me at first...

STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Lego Mindstorms (1998) - A Lego controller with external devices
NXT (2006), NXT2 (2009), EV3 (2013) - later versions of Mindstorms, all discontinued
Lego Wedo (2009) - A subset (?) of / alternative to Mindstorms, discontinued
Lego Spike - The followup (?) to Mindstorms, will be discontinued in 2026

Note that chinese clones may use different connectors!

Micro controllers

I have a few (not all) of the controllers below in my drawer:

AT Tiny - perhaps too limited to be called a real micro controller
Microbit - directed towards education and beginner friendliness
Arduino - nice but pricy
Raspberry Pico - I'm actually quite impressed with these little guys
ESP32 - a cheap powerhouse, but a bit steeper to get into
Raspberry Pi - not really a micro controller, for more challenging applications

I haven't had the change to experiment much with the ones I own Something I hope to correct in the nearby future.

Microcontrollers and Lego

The competition 😅

I tried to find some decent links and examples of combinations of Lego... and something else. Typically, I either googled for: Lego Compatible <controller name>, then followed some rabbit holes. It's amazing how old some of these projects are.

AT Tiny

Not for the faint of heart. These projects can be quite complex.

ATtiny84 drop in replacement for Parallax Basic Stamp 1 - Rudi Niemeijer

Reviving 30 year old Lego Buggy - Luke Beales

Microbit (aka Micro:bit)

I've found several combinations of Microbit and Lego. Here are a few products and links. Don't expect too much organization or structure here... I'm just collecting links and ideas. Some of these links may point to commercial products, and a. I don't make a penny on them, and b. those products may no longer be available...

However, Microbit may be a good first step to take...

DFRobot Expansion Board - Lego Ready (?)

I've seen that base build pattern before. Is that some kind of standard? (Actually, it is. It's a Lego Technic standard build plate, or something that comes very close to it.)

(Click any image to enlarge)

Nezha Inventor's Kit - YouTube

Lego Microbit RC Tank - Instructables

Crazy Circuits Bit Board Kit - no longer available

Elecfreaks Microbit Space Science Kit - Kiwi Electronics

Nezha Pro Breakout Board - Elecfreaks

I've seen this board in several different projects. It's baseplate is designed to be compatible with both Lego and Fischertechnik.

Lego compatible Motor - Kiwi Electronics

You'll find these in many places, as motors, servos, 360 servos, and in many different sizes. They are way cheaper than the original Lego products. Google your way around and try AliExpress as well.

Microbit Sensor Kit - AliExpress

There's some interesting stuff on AliExpress, but it's not always exactly clear what you are getting. Look at these:

World of Module - AliExpress

Something Microbit / Lego compatible, but the description isn't very clear.

Micro Server Mount - Adafruit

When looking for Microbit compatible stuff I found this one. I wonder if you can even print them for that price... but be aware of shipping costs!

(Click any image to enlarge)

Arduino

The Arduino is as educational as it gets 😅 (or got, a few years ago), but I didn't find many Lego integrations.

Kidsbits

A chinese take on STEM, both available for Arduino and Pico. Looks actually pretty interesting, to be honest.

Lego Rover using Arduino - YouTube

Lego and Arduino Projects - Yes, a book

Raspberry Pico

Still looking, there must be more...

Kidsbits

A chinese take on STEM, both available for Arduino and Pico. Looks actually pretty interesting, to be honest. The Apitor stuff may be quite similar.

Pico Baseplate

Nothing's going to stop you to bolt together some PCB and Lego bits yourself...

ESP32

Cheap yet powerful.

RBX - Chewygummy on Reddit

Unforunately, source etc. disappeared from the Internet...

Raspberry Pi

The largest set of brains... The Raspberry Pi is a bit of overkill, but it would allow for very, very complex applications.

Lego case for Raspberry - by ThatGuyWithThatFace on Reddit

Lego case kinda thingy... The redneck version of my attempt? 🤔😅 But... if it works...

Other

A universal, brick compatible servo? Other bits and pieces?

Systems

Apitor - ready to use, Lego compatible, weird colors...

... but interesting. At first glance it's a rahter mature product, though it may have borrowed quite a bit from the original Lego Wedo or Spike product line.

I need to look a bit deeper into this one. It's not clear what drives this thing. Once I found out, I'll move it to one of the listed controllers above.

Servos

Note that there are several types of servos and motors, and they can be a little confusing. Read the descriptions carefully!

Regular (proportional) PWM servos - think of the ones used in RC models - are controlled with a PWM signal, and mode to a specific position, mostly 180 or 270 degrees.
360 Servos - these are pretty much combined PWM speed controllers and motors, connected to a servo controller
Motors - have no servo logic, and are basically a motor, duh!
Non-propotional servos - typically a motor with an attached reduction gear, unfortunately often called 'servos'
Worst of all... on the outside they may all look the same!

360 Servo - Kiwi Electronics

270 Servo - Kiwi Electronics

More

Wallpaper - City Skyline

2026-03-01T01:00:00.000+01:00

Wallpaper

Just another random wallpaper...

(Click on the image to enlarge)

FB-10043-2 - Baseplate Small Technic No Groove - 8x16

2026-02-28T00:24:00.005+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

This is a Frankenblocks baseplate designed for Lego Technic.

You can find the model on Makerworld.

Description

Similar to FB-10042-2 but with more Technic compatible holes and no slots for M4.

The -2 version has a few more studs than the -1 version, but no other functional differences.

I've included the variant FB-10043-3. That variant was requested by a friend who uses these baseplates in an educational environment. The -3 variant has some holes closed to avoid interference with drilled holes in a wooden carrier (more about that later).

Images

(Click any image to enlarge)

VirtualBox 7.2.4 - Client resolution doesn't automatically adjust to window size

2026-02-25T23:32:00.001+01:00

VirtualBox + Windows

VirtualBox has a few more options in its latest incarnation, and a few defaults are different from previous releases.

Auto-adjusting client resolutions is one of those.

Fix

1. Install VBoxGuestAdditions

2. Shut down the VM

3. Check video settings under Machine / Settings / Display

Driver - VBoxSVGA
3D Acceleration - On

4. File / Preferences / Display

Maximum Guest Screen Size - None (or use your actual screen resolution)

5. Restart VM

FB-10042-3 - Baseplate Small Technic Dual Groove - 8x16x2

2026-02-24T21:16:00.014+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

This is a Frankenblocks baseplate designed for Lego Technic.

You can find the model on Makerworld.

Description

FB-10035-3 is the standard baseplate for regular Lego bits and pieces. This is its counterpart, FB-10042-2, designed for Lego Technic. I've included the older version as well.

FB-10042-2 has eight additional studs.

FB-10042-3 has eight additonal studds and 4 additional Lego Technic holes.

Images

(Click any image to enlarge)

VirtualBox - Windows 11 install is stuck at 10% on Windows 11 Host

2026-02-23T00:34:00.008+01:00

VirtualBox + Windows

Symptom: stuck at 10% when installing Windows 11 Guest on Windows 11 Host in VirtualBox.

Solution: lots of small things, but mostly Memory Core Integration... I still have some testing to do, but this looks promising!

Background

I'm trying to re-use my valid Windows 10 license by upgrading the VM to a Windows 11 License... That action is a bit of a grey one, as the free update period is already gone. But the whole Windows 10 / Windows 11 thing is so messy that I don't feel very guilty about that detail...

Steps

My step by step procedure on 23.02.2026. Note that M$ / Windows keeps changing things, so your experience might be slightly different.

Hardware

1. Running on a Ryzen 7 5700X / AM4 / 64 GB RAM

Lots of memory, with the VM installed on the NVME C:\ drive

Windows

2. Disable Hyper-V in Windows 11 Host OS

3. Disable Memory Core Integration (was messing with virtualization) in Windows 11 Host OS - this also sped up my VM considerably

This is decreasing your safety a bit, but the Windows 11 Host kept messing with my virtualization, so I had little choice

VirtualBox

4. The original machine already had 4 cores, 8 GB allocated, but NO UEFI nor Secure Boot!

I might try - once succesfull - to change those options in VirtualBox and reboot, just for fun and giggles...

5. Increasing the disk image .VDI max size to 120+ GB

That was tricky by itself - check this

6. Enable 3D Acceleration in VirtualBox

7. You *may* have to disable USB

8. During the initial phase I disable network connectivity inside VirtualBox

Clear VirtualBox / Machine / Settings / Network / Virtual Cable Connected

Install Windows 11

9. I already had an installed and licensed Windows 10 VM, that I cloned and then tried to upgrade to Windows 11

10. Mount Windows 11 ISO image in the VM

I used a Windows 11 25h2 US English Iso - if you upgrade make sure you use the right one!

11. Run as admin on the virtual CD ROM: i:\setup /product server

12. In this case I tried a 'Fresh Install' but to be fair, un update should work as well

13. Install runs past 100%, then loops at 'Just a moment...' for a few minutes

Goodie! That covers the basics! I still have to figure out the license troubles, but it's a step in the right direction.

14. Re-connecting at 'Let's connect you to a network'...

Tick VirtualBox / Machine / Settings / Network / Virtual Cable Connected

15. Choose country

16. Windows does updates

Downloads and installs took up to an hour on my 100 Mbit cable Internet (Ziggo)

17. Then it's the usual clickerdyclick, use a Microsoft account, and refuse anything Microsoft offers...

18. And yes! It's activated...

Windows is recognizing the activation of my old Windows 10 VM, and tells me this copy of Windows 11 is activated with a digital license.

VirtualBox 7.2.4 - Windows doesn't recognize a (dynamic) .VDI that has an increased max size

2026-02-22T22:05:00.002+01:00

VirtualBox + Windows

Situation: You're running out of diskspace in a Windows client. Increasing the size in VirtualBox seems to work, but when you try to use the additional space from within your Windows Guest (via drive management) it doesn't see the larger drive.

This work-around fixes that.

Steps

1. Make sure you're in Expert mode (Files / Preferences)

2. Machines / RMB / Clone

tick Full Clone
tick Current Machine State
tick Keep Disk Names
tick Keep Hardware UUIDs

3. Release the newly created .vdi

4. Copy the .vdi using Files / Tools / Media / RMB / Copy

5. Change file size to the new size, leave the rest, Finish

6. Remove and delete the .vdi created in step 3

7. Move the from steps 4 and 5 out of the snapshots folder

8. Machines / RMB / Settings / Storage / Add Attachment

9. Pick the .vdi you just moved

10. Reboot the VM

11. Use disk management or whatever other tool from your Guest OS to use the additional space

FB-10010-5 - Brick - 2x4x3

2026-02-22T18:24:00.006+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

Your most basic Lego compatible building block, the 'Hello World' equivalent in the 3D printing building bricks community.

The model can be found on Makerworld.

Other parts can be found in the Frankenblocks Catalogue.

(Click any image to enlarge)

FB-10035-3 - Baseplate Small Dual Groove - 8x16x2

2026-02-16T22:04:00.012+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

This is the basic building plate I use for my Frankenblocks system.

You can find the model on Makerworld.

A catalogue of all (?) my Frankenblocks can be found here.

Description

The baseplate has four mounting holes at the corners, and 6 M4 slots where you can insert M4 nuts from the bottom side. This allows you to 'bolt' pieces on top of your 'Lego' experiments.

The lower sections can be used to place / slide elements, or run cabling / wires through.

I have produced a number of variants over time, but this specific version seems to be the most flexible.

As you can see in the bottom image you can combine different types of baseplates with original (or AliExpress clones of) Lego 16x8 pieces, either studded or flat.

Please see the Frankenblock Calibration Package for the best way to scale and print any Frankenblock pieces.

Images

(Click any image to enlarge)

FB-10017-2 - Calibration Piece

2026-02-15T22:13:00.009+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

This piece is used in the FB-10000-x Calibration package.

You can find that package on Makerworld.

(Click any image to enlarge)

FB-10000-5 - Calibration Package v5

2026-02-15T22:11:00.037+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

These objects can help you calibrate your printer. This should make it easier to print Lego compatible blocks, such as the Frankenblocks. You can find the files on Makerworld.

For most people it will be enough to print plate 1, play a little with X- and Y-compensation for 'snappiness', and be done with it.

Still want to know more? Read on...

Update v5!

v5 is identical to v4, except for this page with instructions.

I'm updating this package and this text as I learn new things. You'll find a link to the latest version here:

https://www.ninelizards.com/frankenblocks.htm

This text and the models used should be on Makerworld:

https://makerworld.com/en/models/2403198-frankenblock-fb-10000-2-calibration-package-v3#profileId-2676403

If the link above doesn't work then the document may have been renamed as part of an update. If that happens then please try any of the other links on this page.

I will also keep a copy on my blog. You should be able to find the instructions (this page) here:

https://ninelizardsblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/frankenblock-10000-1-calibration_15.html

And the calibration package here:

https://ninelizards.com/extras_blog/FB-10000-x%20-%20calibration%20package.zip

Model quality

Some of the pieces have 'organically' grown over time, and I'm not a Fusion expert (again, I learn as I go) so some of these models are pretty hopeless... Where I've included them is only to give you a chance to edit them and adjust them to your own needs.

I have one request though: please remove the FB model number from your remixes. If you want to have your own range of numbers drop me a line in the comments.

What are Frankenblocks?

Frankenblocks are my own attempt at creating a kind of 'STEM' toolbox, based upon one of the most ubiquitous household pain inflictors ever created: Lego bricks.

I'm building up a modular system, as well as a collection of parts, that should allow the user to combine Lego with... well, with anything. But first I had to figure out how to print stuff that's (more or less) 'compatible'.

Parts

A catalogue of all (?) my Frankenblocks can be found here:

https://www.ninelizards.com/frankenblocks.htm

All other .STL files are hosted on Makerworld:

https://makerworld.com/en/@NineLizards/upload

Part numbers

Example: FB-10017-2

FB - Frankenblock
10017 - Model number / piece number
2 - version (if something important changes, I give it a completely new part number).

All the bits I've designed are called FB-1xxxx-x. In other words, after 9999 models I guess I'll have to stop designing new blocks...

You can search on Makerworld or on my blog for FB-xxxxx (leave the version number out) to find any files for or references to certain models and pieces.

Quick. Dirty. Lazy.

Use only plate 1!

This is my default test object, FB-10017-x. You need to use this in combination with some regular Lego bricks.

This test was good enough to get me 99.99% compatible Lego bricks.

(Click any image to enlarge)

1. Set scale to 100.0% (select an object, then press [S])

2. Set X-Y Contour Compensation to 0%

3. Heat-soak your printer - set the bed temperature according to your filament, and wait for 10 to 15 minutes before starting your print

Your printer is a mechanical device, and tolerances will be affected by the expansion of all mechanical bits and pieces of your printer itself... metal expands when it gets warmer.

4. Print

5. Let the object fully cool down

6. Use some ORIGINAL Lego bricks and check their length. They should be 31.8 mm long.

7. If you place these two pieces on a 16 stud long plate or brick, you should measure 64.2 mm between the two pieces, and 127.8 mm from outside to outside

(Click any image to enlarge)

Note on sizing
Each lego 'stud' itself is around 5 mm, and occupies a square of 8.0 x 8.0 mm, so a 2 by 4 will be 16.0 x 32.0 mm. However, the actual brick will be 0.1 mm smaller on all sides, to help you place and remove blocks. You would expect a 2x4 brick to be 16.0 by 32.0, but it actually is 15.8 by 31.8.

Note on measuring

Lego's tolerances are incredible, but there may be some little differences depending on brick and age. It's best to write down your actual measurements, and rotate the blocks to see if they are not assymmetric.

8. Place the original pieces on the test object like below:

9. Check the internal (64.2 mm) and external (127.8) sizes, and compare them with you wrote down during step 7

Why measure the stacked bricks and not the print
External contours on a 3D print may deviate a bit. Filament isn't an absolute, constant diameter, the melting process isn't perfect, stepper motors don't have an infinite resolution, the whole mechanical setup of your printer will have some tolerances, and shrinkage affects the outside diameters in one direction, whilst they affect the interior of your print in multiple directions.
By placing the 4x1 pieces on top of the printed object, you're effectively averaging the accurace of your printer over a length of around 30 mm, and you're not affected by the outside wall accuracy of your print.

10. If these are incorrect then adjust the scale of the object (select the object and press [S]) and go back to step 3 or step 4.

11. Don't care too much about the other sizes. Just for fun and giggles you might want to check the 100.0 mm markers, and marvel at how far off those are...

(Click any image to enlarge)

12. Stack multiple bricks on top of the test piece. If the sizing is correct the printed test piece should not bend, but stay flat.

13. Stack multiple original bricks on top of the test piece. If the sizing is correct, the gaps between the bricks should be similar.

Note on gap sizes
Not all bricks have exactly the same size. It's best to use the same type of brick everywhere for this check.

(Click any image to enlarge)

14. If the Lego bricks don't 'snap' on or off, then adjust X-Y Contour Compensation and re-print, until the bricks fit properly.

Old Lego pieces tend to be a bit more loose than newer ones. You can pretty much ignore the external dimensions of the bricks themselves, as these are less critical than the studs.

My results

These may differ from yours, and strongly depend on the type of plastic! (ABS, PLA, PETG, etc.)

Scale X 100.2 Y 100.2 Z 100.2 (see note below)

X-Y Contour Compensation 0.01

I used a Bambu Lab X1C, a DIY FR4 build plate, and Jayo PETG Sunny Orange. If sizing is critical then I suggest to re-check scaling before printing.

Note on material and Z-axis shrinkage
Materials such as ABS may also need vertical (Z) shrinkage compensation, in which case you may need plate 3.
I couldn't spot any practical difference when using 100.0 and 100.2 for the Z-axis, but I haven't printed any taller Lego compatible objects yet.

Principle

The most important number is the distance between the studs. The average distance between two studs is 8 mm. The closer you can get to the average, the better it is.

The external dimension of a Lego piece in the X- and Y-direction is a multiple of 8 mm, minus 0.2 mm.

In other words, a simple 2x4 block, 2 studs wide, 4 studs long, will be (2x8)-0.2 = 15.8 mm wide and (4x8)-0.2 = 31.8 mm long. Yes, there's always a space of 0,2 mm between regular Lego bricks in the X/Y plane.

The height of a standard block (the Z-plane) is always a multiple of 3.2 mm. A normal 2x4 block is 9.6 mm high. A thin 2x4 plate is 3.2 mm high.

So, simplistically put, use the following approach:

1. Print a long piece of custom Lego

2. Put two original lego pieces on it, as far away as possible

3. Measure both the distance in between the blocks, as well on the opposite outside ends

If you have a standard brick, you should have results similar to the image below:

(Click any image to enlarge)

If the red and blue piece were not original, or very old, or perhaps another brand, then you might find numbers which are a little different, but the average would still be 96 mm (ie. from the center of the red block to the center of the blue block).

The Calibration Package

In the .ZIP file you'll find the following plates:

Plate 1 - FB-10017-x - basic calibration piece for X/Y shrinkage calibration
Plate 2 - FB-10050-x - larger variant for more accuracy
Plate 3 - FB-10051-x - larger variant, diagonal so combines X- and Y - helps avoiding oversizing
Plate 4 - FB-10040-x and FB-10041-x - for Lego Technic compatibility
Plate 5 - X/Y/Z piezes - older tests but they allow checking for Z-shrinkage / scaling
Plate 6 - old test piece, probably best to skip
Plate 7 - Several test objects to check for compatibility with real pieces

You don't need to print them all! Read this document first, then only print what you need!

Always first check the scale and X/Y compensation before printing any object!

(Click any image to enlarge)

Plate 1

We've now discussed this plate twice, so I'll skip that one 😁

Plate 2

Plate 2 contains FB-10050-x. This is a longer version of the default calibration object, allowing some finer tuning for both the X- and Y-axis. You can probably skip this one and go for plate 3 or plate 4 next.

(Click any image to enlarge)

This block is the largest I can print on my X1C in X / Y direction, and still use regular calipers.

Make sure to that the standard Lego blocks you measure between (red and blue bricks in the drawing above) follow the standard dimensions (number of studs in the X-direction, times 8.0 mm, minus 0.2 mm).

Plate 3

If you suffer lots of shrinkage, this piece FB-10051-1 may help. It needs to be printed diagonally, and thus you can't use it to independently adjust X- and Y- shrinkage compensation.

The studs are placed as much outward as possible. As before, please verify the lengths of the regular Lego bricks you measure in between, or use some other pieces of lego to 'simulate' the total distance.

Again, when measuring, measure the distance between and around the original bricks, not the dimensions of the printed test piece itself.

(Click any image to enlarge)

Oversized scaling

An unforeseen use of this piece is to check on an 'oversized' scale setting, ie. where the scale has been set too high.

1. Print

2. Let it cool down

3. Put it on a flat surface - both ends should and the middle should be touching the surface

4. Put one 16x1x3 brick in the middle. If the left and right edge now lift, then that's a sign to recheck the scale. It doesn't mean the set scale is wrong. It just indicates it might be wrong.

Plate 4

Plate 4 is intended to further finetune your prints, and to check for compatibility with Lego Technic bricks. To be honest, it is more or less optional.

This plate contains 10040-x and 10041-x. I'm continuously updating these to make calibration easier, so the images below may look a little different but it shouldn't make the approach any different.

(Click any image to enlarge)

Vertical

Holes in the X-Y plane (horizontal plane with perpendicular holes in the Z-direction) are the easiest.

1. Print the object with the settings you found with plate 1. (For me that was X and Y Scale 1.02 and X-Y compensation 0.01. Z didn't seem to matter.)

2. On the bottom of the test piece you'll find 9 holes. You should be able to insert pins in a pair of either the A, B or C holes, and match this up with an original Lego Technics 1x16x3 piece.

When using the A and B holes there will be a little gap between the two pieces. Using the C holes should close that gap.

3. If the pins do not fit, then change X-Y hole compensation, and repeat steps 1, 2 and 3.

Note: typically you do not need to adjust this.

Horizontal

Horizontal holes (holes perpendicular to the vertical plane, ie. in the X or Y direction) are trickier, and much harder to adjust. In the end, I just decided to make sure Plate 1 (shrinkage) and plate 2 (X-Y hole compensation) resulted in good, usable prints.

Second part

The other part on this plate will allow you to check the 'snappines' of studs and holes again, allowing you to compare those in horizontal vs the ones in the vertical planes.

Note on Lego Technic

If you design your own Technic Lego pieces, you might want to increase the 'indent' for the ridges of the pins a little deeper in the Z-plane (X / Y direction) and increase the size of those ridges themselves. The same applies to any features on the bottom of your model.
Here are my reference dimensions:

(Click any image to enlarge)

Note on hole height
I've found two different locations for the hole in the Lego blocks, either at 5.6 or 5.8 mm, measured from the bottom. I believe 5.8 is the correct one for Lego Technic, and that the other one belongs to some older, irregular pieces.
You might consider using 5.7 or

5.9, to compensate for an FDM printer's irregularities. This is one you have to experiment with, as it can be affected by printer and slicer, but I suggest to start with 5.8.

Plate 5

X/Y/Z test models that help establishing the impact of shrinkage and accuracy.

This plate is optional. It may help identify further problems in X / Y / Z direction, but typically, you should already be fine after doing your tests with plate 1.

1. Use the settings you have found during the previous plates

2. Print

3. You should measure 100.0 mm end to end on each object, and 50 mm between the markers... or not?

If your printer and filament are perfectly dialed-in (including X-Y-compensation) you should measure 100.0 and 50.0 mm. The external X- and Y-axis dimensions are not that important though, and the distances between the holes are more important. See the notes at plate 1 step 9.

Sticking to the results of Plate 1 gave me prints that were good enough for my purposes, but this test can help you find out correction / scale factors for the individual Z direction.

Plate 6

My older calibration model.

You typically don't need this one, but it allows some stud 'grippiness' tests.

You can likley skip this one. I've only included it for completion.

Plate 7

Several test objects.

This Plate contains a Frankenblock Small Baseplate, and 4 different Lego compatible bricks.

Once you have calibrated everything I suggest to print one or more of the components on this plate to see how they interact with other Lego bricks, real and / or 3D printed.

Note

Don't forget to verify and / or adjust the Scale and X-Y compensation for each plate and object before printing!

(The image below is of the older calibration package v1 that only contained 4 plates.)

(Click any image to enlarge)

More

I sometimes struggle with the names of the bits and pieces. Check out this site.
Lego Dimensions here (note that you may run into some conflicting information on the dimensions of Lego Technic and Lego Technic holes)
Here's the Frankenblocks catalogue.

Frankenblocks - Dialing in your printer

2026-02-02T01:00:00.019+01:00

3D Printing + Frankenblocks

Combining Lego and 3D printing shows again how much engineering went into those stupid little Lego bricks. I can't print as accurate as their factory produces them, but I have to get as close as I can to make things usable.

Dimensions and tolerances

It's actually amazing how accurate and controlled those dimensions and tolerances are! Blocks made 20, 30, 40 years ago still work today. Long and short elements can be combined without any problems, and the 'snap' is 'just right' for kiddies (and adults 😅).

One thing I noticed is there are a few common, standardized dimensions, that Lego blocks are supposed to have. Width = 8 mm, height = 9.6 mm, stud = 4.8 mm.

Right?

Nope.

There are some minute differences between different types and sizes of Lego bricks. I used a micrometer to check, and yes, Lego isn't always sticking to the original numbers. So why would I? 😁

Actually, I can't use the official, original numbers. The material I work with (filament) is less homogenous, the surfaces will be irregular, my tolerances will be larger.

For example, the model I use for a very regular standard Lego brick uses this (Fusion) sketch:

(Click any image to enlarge)

Studs are supposed to be 4.8, but after measuring several Lego blocks (using a micrometer), it seems Lego uses 4.9 as well as 4.95. In the end, I settled for 5.0 mm.

Down the rabbit hole

The check my results I designed a calibration test:

(Click any image to enlarge)

In the image above you see my test model (10015-5) to help me dial in my printing. I used an orange, printed 4x2 brick (10010-4) as well as new (grey) and very old (dirty white) original Lego bricks, to see how well they interact with one another.

I noticed some odd behavior with object sizing, so I used the scale object option in Bambu Studio, and set that to 100.2 (100.1 for large objects), and the x-y contour compensation to 0.02 mm.

These values depends on your printer and filament!

This led me down the rabbit hole of printer calibration, and I tried different ways to verify tolerances, distancing, and shrinkage. In the end I used the following model to check for size:

10017-2 - calibration test

(Click any image to enlarge)

After multiple prints and checks I found out that sometimes (and I don't understand why) the dimensions of the extremities of an object may be off (so, the 127.8 length might become 127.5 or something similar), but the distances between the verification markers (the triangles at 100.0 mm in the drawing above) stayed very close to the right size. So, that's not shrinkage, and it ain't contour compensation. either. Might it be a slicer bug? Who knows.

I described the process using the model above here: Frankenblock 10000-1 - Calibration.

10015-5 - calibration test

10010-4 - 4x2x3 brick (may require a brim)

10016-1 - 4x2x1 brick (may require a brim)

(Click any image to enlarge)

Update! Go to Frankenblock FB-10000-x - Calibration Package for the latest version!

Wallpaper - Grafitti

2026-02-01T01:00:00.001+01:00

Wallpaper

Some of my wallpapers are just color themed, or relaxing, funny, or have a kind of special meaning. And sometimes I just want to enjoy the urban jungle... (This is a bit low-res and may require WallX or similar.)