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Windows Crash: Rescuing Files From A Windows Drive With Knoppix V.60
Joe M posted in Home Support, art, free stuff, homelife, products on March 21st, 2009

For years, I have loved having Computer First Aid Using Knoppix, by Cedric Shock and Susan Sullivan.

It has been a great tool to share with people for rescuing files using Knoppix.

It gives a great explanation for file rescue using the KDE version of the desktop.

Recently, with the release of Knoppix Version 6, it no longer uses the KDE desktop environment.

It now uses the LXDE desktop, instead, and some of the menu items have changed.

Most people can probably feel their way through the “Computer First Aid…” instructions, and it is still a great reference.

On occasion, I run into people that freak out when the screens in the instructions don’t exactly match the screens in the software.

So, for the sake of offering some simple assistance to someone that may need a little more help, here my own instructions.

Before we get started, some notes:

• In previous versions of Knoppix, K3b came pre-installed and easily accessible.  It is a great GUI for creating CDs.   For my instructions and for lack of a simple GUI in Version 6 for CD burning, I am using a USB thumbdrive instead.
• Also, the older versions of Knoppix emphasized accessing drives by references to mounting points in Linux.  You don’t have to be an expert at what they are for these instructions, but be aware that they are used.  Drives have to be unmounted before removing them, so don’t unplug the USB drive until you have completed the shutdown (to keep this article as simple as possible).
  
• If your problem is a hardware issue, you may not be able to use these instructions to retrieve your data.  These instructions are designed for a drive in which there is some sort of Operating System software problem.
  

First, obtain a copy of Knoppix Version 6.0 and burn the ISO image to CD.  There are several options for burning the ISO to CD, most major commercial packages will do it, as well as some free ones.

To boot off of the CD, you can usually hit an F-key at boot time.  You can also change the settings in your BIOS.

Once you do that, allow the CD to boot completely.  Under normal circumstances it should boot and detect your hardware, so you can access it.

Once it boots, you will see the LXDE Desktop (Lightweight X Desktop Evironment).

If you take a closer look at the bottom left corner of the screen, you will see two items on the left.

The first, odd-looking icon on the far left, is to activate the menu.

The second one, just to the right of it, looks like a folder and starts PC File Manager.  That is the main icon that we are going to use.

Single-click it.

It starts the File Manager.

Notice… in the left pane, I have three listings.

I plugged in a Lexar USB drive, so I have that listed first.  I also have a listing for a 33.9 GB Volume.  That is my hard drive.

There is also a listing for Knoppix, but I really won’t be using it.  (You can peruse it,  to satisfy your own curiosity.)

I click on the listing for 33.9 GB Volume.  (Your listing for your hard drive will be different, according to the make, model and size of it.)

I maximize the screen, for easier viewing.

For sake of the example, when I work in Windows XP on this machine, as Administrator, I store everything in My Documents.

(For the most part, you normally don’t want to log in to Windows as Administrator, for security reasons.  Not a good idea or practice.  Since this is a test machine, and I was too lazy to create a new user, I just decided to use Administrator in my example.)

To find My Documents for the account… it’s usually stored like this:  C:\Documents and Settings\{Username}\My Documents.

So, I navigate to the folder that I use (C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents).

I find My Documents and Right-click on it, and choose Copy.

Next, I click Lexar on the left pane.

I Right-click in the right pane, and choose Paste.

The Copying progress window will display.

After it finishes, My Documents displays in the right pane, letting me know that the copy operation was a success.

Since that is the only folder that I am rescuing,  I am ready to shut down.

I activate the menu and choose Logout.

I get a screen asking what I want to do.

I choose Shutdown.

After it goes through terminating all of the services, the CD tray will pop open, and a message telling me to remove the CD and press Enter will display.

The Gimp: Playing With Plug-ins1
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on February 24th, 2009

GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program.

I have grown quite fond of Gimp, over the past couple of years. It has become a tool that is familiar and useful.

Plug-ins in The Gimp have always been somewhat of a mystery to me.

Out of necessity, I dug into the Gimp docs, and found the directions for using them.

From what I found, you pick a plug-in, and download it. It comes in the form of an *.scm file.

The plug-in I chose is Quick Sketch.

You put it in your /home/profile/.gimp-2.6/scripts directory.

There is a refresh scripts option, in the menu for Gimp.

Filters >> Script-Fu >> Refresh Scripts.

Once the script is refreshed, I can now use it.

I choose a photo to convert, as an example.

From the menu, I choose Filters >> Artistic >> Quick Sketch.

It gives me an option for the blur factor.

If you want to explore more Gimp plug-ins, you can check out http://registry.gimp.org.

Worth noting, if you download a plug-in, you may have to check the registry or the docs for the plug-in to see where it places the option to use the plug-in in the menus.

Thinking Outside The Chair0
Joe M posted in art on February 23rd, 2009

Every so often, you find something that proves someone was thinking outside the box. While it probably won’t win any awards for aesthetics, I was intrigued with the functional application.

Remembering High School English0
Joe M posted in art on January 23rd, 2009

In high school, my senior year, we had to learn Desiderata, by Max Ehrmann.

The senior class learned it, and recited it at the graduation ceremony, prompted by our English and Creative Writing teacher, Mrs. Betty Bland.

She was a stickler for grammar and detail.  She had a reputation for high expectations.  She also taught my mother.

Over the years, I have encountered a situation or two, in which that creative work’s meaning actually came into focus.

Sometimes, in the every day shuffle and dash, it’s easy to lose direction and get off-track.

Handling multiple tasks, dealing with different personalities and maintaining a professional disposition can easily spoil your aim and your motivation.

Desiderata
Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

At the time, we thought Mrs. Bland was just someone that enjoyed exercising her use of a red pen.

Now, more than ever do I appreciate the ideas, techniques and the familiarization with the arts offered to us by Mrs. Bland.

I had a day, today, in which I lost focus.  My goals became clouded and my motivation and tasks became muddled.

I took a walk outside to clear my head.

Thinking about high school, my memories spun me, immediately, fast-rewind to Mrs. Bland’s class.  The way they always do, because Mrs. Bland was the most influential teacher I had.

Remembering Mrs. Bland, and Desiderata, I regained my focus, today.

I forgot about the confusion going on around me, the conflicts, the aggression and the agitation.  I focused on each individual task, and doing a good job on that one task.

When the day was over, I had a great feeling of focus… accomplishment… and peace.

Tomorrow is another day, and I will approach it with confidence and an awareness that I had forgotten.

Although Mrs. Bland would probably have a stroke (just after grading them with a red pen!) at some of my blog postings, I have her to thank for the inspiration and the skills to express myself.

Here’s a salute to Mrs. Betty Bland.

Thank you, and I thank God I had you as a teacher.

An A Capella Tribute To John Williams0
Joe M posted in art, music on January 16th, 2009

If you are familiar with John Williams and his compositions, you will enjoy this.

Technologie Entwicklung0
Joe M posted in art on January 10th, 2009

No idea what this is about, but I loved the graphics.  Someone spent quite a bit of time on this!

Translation:  “Saturn. We hate expensive.”

History Of The Scream By Wilhelm0
Joe M posted in Musing, art on October 21st, 2008

Owner of a Lonely (Smooth Criminal) Heart0
Joe M posted in art, music on October 16th, 2008

Re-discovering Comics0
Joe M posted in art, homelife, products on September 1st, 2008

Recently, I walked by a friend’s desk.  He is a die-hard comics fan, in his mid-twenties.

I picked up a comic he had laying on his desk.

In case you don’t know, comics are serial.  You get a story, with all of the typical story elements and structure, but at the end, there is a cliff-hanger.  Something to get you hooked, and waiting for the next issue.

The comic on his desk was one of a multi-part series.

It was DC Comic’s Batman: Knightfall – Part One: Broken Bat.  I flipped through it, and was instantly hooked.

Broken Bat is several comics in the series bound together in one graphic novel, without the ads.

Intrigued, I went to the bookstore and bought a copy of it.  I also bought Part Two: Who Rules the Night and Part Three: Knightsend.

I just finished Who Rules the Night.  I am moving on to Knightsend, now.

It’s a fascinating story.  Most of it came out years ago, but for one reason or another, I did not get the opportunity to read and keep up with what was going on.

What’s transpired over the past few years?  No spoilers, but Batman is out of commission. Someone else has to take on the task of being the Dark Knight.

Did you know that Superman also got killed? Robin also gets killed.

Batman Beyond is also an intriguing series.

You’ll have to read up to find out how and what happens in all those cases.  Take a walk by the comics and graphic novel section at the bookstore, next time you go.

I am fascinated by the different storylines that have taken shape.

Writers are more apt these days to write “What If… ?” scenarios than they ever have before.

If you ever get stuck in an environment where you have a few minutes without something to do, graphic novels make a fantastic way to kill a little time.

Using Images0
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on August 5th, 2008

Seems like every so often, you find a story about someone stealing a picture from a website or a photographer.

It’s easy to get caught up in.

If you are working on a presentation for a small audience, it may be considered acceptable (however and possibly, technically still illegal) to download an image to use.

If you are looking for images to use for a wide audience, a website, or a presentation to share on the web; then you have to consider that most images are copyrighted.

Without being able to quote verse and text what copyright and infringement laws entail, I would venture to guess that just pulling up Google and copying the first image you find for your purpose is probably a “no-no.”

What do you do?

There are scores of on-line images that are public domain, and free for anyone to use.

A word to the wise:  Make sure you understand what purpose for which you are using the images.  Check the small print and any End-User License Agreements related to any of the images you use.

• Are you using the images for profit?
• Are you using the images for business?

Take these considerations seriously.

I came across an article with a multitude of public domain and free image offerings, from a variety of websites.

I browsed through this one, and it looks pretty good.  Some professional quality content.

Here is the referring article, with quite a number of websites to explore!

Whatever you use, whatever you do, make sure you read the fine print.

FractalScreenSaver for Windows0
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on July 9th, 2008

On my Windows machine, I have to use it occasionally for research or for testing.

I got really bored with the Windows XP logo bouncing around.

Looking over sourceforge, I came across FractalScreenSaver.

I like to change things up and have something different.

I really like the raining glass.

It looks like this:

The images change.

There are also other options.  One is an animated fractal pattern, as well as the traditional fractal patterns.

The settings page looks like this:

Raining glass is my favorite.  The patterns are different and have a soothing effect.

A bit different from the other plain vanilla screen savers that come native on XP.

Goodbye to Bozo the Clown0
Joe M posted in art, homelife on July 5th, 2008

Larry Harmon took over as Bozo the Clown in 1956. He bought the rights and added a great deal of depth to the character.

For more than 50 years, he cultivated and nurtured the character.

Pinto Colvig, who provided the voice for Walt Disney’s Goofy, was the first Bozo the Clown, a character created by writer-producer Alan W. Livingston for a series of children’s records in 1946.

Without taking any credit away from Colvig, Harmon took over and the iconic clown became a legend.

Harmon was responsible for training several local actors providing versions of Bozo for each station.

The full article: Bozo the Clown

Harmon may not have created the clown, but he is responsible for what most of us know and recognize as Bozo the Clown.

Larry Harmon died at age 83.

Randomized Text with Wordle0
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on July 1st, 2008

I was surfing the internet again today and stumbled across something that stimulated my ‘wows’.

The application for this may be a little obscure, but the code and algorithm for this must be quite a feat.

You type in a web address that contains an RSS or Atom feed and click submit.

Pretty cool results.

Also…

I clicked the randomize button.

Here is the result:

Check it out at wordle.net.

To All The Beatles Fans0
Joe M posted in Musing, art on June 25th, 2008

Let me begin by saying I am a Beatles fan.

We have always been told…

Somewhere there is always someone bigger and badder than you are.

I crossed paths with such a person at one of the visitors centers in Washington State.

Is that a captain’s cap on the front seat? The wheel looks a little scary, as in dangerous.

Hats off to this Beatles fan. I feel… defeat. You are a much bigger fan than I am.

If your goal was to make people smile, you have accomplished your goal.

The ‘Yellow Sub’-mobile is truly a fan-intensed feat; yet, somehow, I feel there is a toilet somewhere that is not working quite like it is supposed to.

My New Appreciation for Stained Glass0
Joe M posted in art on June 6th, 2008

Over the years, I have seen stained glass work and pretty much always took it for granted.

A good friend of mine, Mary Jane, recently made a piece for me.

I put it up in my window, and it added a great deal of personality to the room.

Linux fans will recognize it, quickly.

It’s Tux, the Linux mascot.

Mary Jane does excellent work.

My mother came through the room today and was thrilled with it.

I never really knew that Mom even liked stained glass!

You can view some of Mary Jane’s designs and work, here and here.

Photos From Taliesin West0
Joe M posted in art, opinion on May 28th, 2008

As I said in a post the other day, I have been greatly impressed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He was out-of-the-box before anyone knew there was a box. Taliesin West is an architectural school, and the students go to Wisconsin this time of year. The tradition, started by FLW, moves the students and had them return just before the fall of the year, to avoid the hot months in the AZ desert.

Falling Water0
Joe M posted in art on May 24th, 2008

Not too long ago, I got a chance to take a tour of Taliesin West. It was one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes. I will write more posts on this, but I was moved in several ways. FLW was a person who thought outside of the box, before everyone else even knew ‘there was a box.’

The shocking part is – Falling Water is 70 years old!!

Three Year Old With His Finger Paints0
Joe M posted in art on March 26th, 2008

This kid does better with his fingers than most adults with brushes and years of lessons.

Really Useful, Photo to Text0
Joe M posted in art, free stuff on March 21st, 2008

Okay, I am going to pretend that this is really useful.

I am sure that there are uses for this out there, but the cool factor is definitely there.

I came across www.photo2text.com.

You submit a photo, and it does the conversion for you. Does a great job.

My eyeball:

Here is what it made:

Pretty accurate.

You can adjust some of the settings, characters, etc.

It creates a text file that you download after you complete your settings.

Now, I am going to find a use for this…

Speed Painting0
Joe M posted in art on March 7th, 2008

This guy is entertaining to watch, add to that trying to figure out what the final product is. How long does it take you to figure and place the form in your mind?