New Year New System, Yet Another Success of Core2Duo E8400 in SR5222d

After I had been using Windows XP Pro x64 SP2 for more than a decade, I decided to sell my ten-year-old Compaq (does any new netizen never heard of this?) Presario together with the old OS. It took me a few weeks before "taming" down yet another Compaq Presario that was used by my brother. Speaking of this "taming down" process is clueless. In fact I thought it was either power supply unit, main board, CPU, even RAM to be blamed that causing the new system not being able to show POST screen after boot.

Note that I'm trying to fix an Intel Core2Duo E8400 into the old MSI main board in this SR5222d, which according to the official website is only support up to E7xxx. Even there are numbers of successful trials claimed by netizens.

The only medicine is, time. So I just got myself distracted by other things, and it just come back, getting steadier each boot.

Installing Zune in Windows XP Pro x64

Microsoft is ceasing despite its old glory.

I am rather busybody to offer my help to update the firmware & software of a Nokia Lumia 710.

Prior to this I though it would be as easy as connecting the Windows Phone to a PC to transfer files. No! My Windows XP Pro SP2 64-bit just not able to process this toy! Upon unsuccessful installation of USB driver I downloaded and installed Windows USB driver but in vain -- there is a proper icon showing a USB device is plugged in and how to safely remove, but it just failed to show itself in Windows Explorer.

So I thought it is time to install Zune Setup Package (101MB).

And of course another failure.
"The Zune Music + Video software won't work on versions of Windows earlier than Windows XP SP3, any 64-bit version of Windows XP, or any version of Windows Server." --Zune Support
Think I'm just too rigid in persisting in Windows XP 64-bit.

Inspired by a thread in ZuneBoards titled Install Zune 4.0 on Windows XP x64, as there'll be quite a journey to be fruitful, I modified the step-by-step guide as follow:
Note: I have Windows Media Player 11 installed much earlier so I skipped installing WMP11 of course.
1. Extract the only 2 folders from ZuneSetupPkg.exe, namely x64 & x86, using 7-zip or any compression software;
2. Install straight with x64\packages\zune-x64.msi;
3. Backup C:\Program Files\Zune\Drivers for later use;
4. Uninstall Zune x64 with x64\packages\zune-x64.msi;
1-4 is to get Zune x64 drivers because I could not get them by simply extract from the .msi file.
5. Use SuperOrca MSI Editor (mentioned in my earlier article iPhone with box of Windows XP x64) to edit x86\packages\zune-x86.msi:
 a. Select "InstallExecuteSequence" from the left pane, drop the rows with sequences 3487 to 3499 and 5885 to 5898.

 b. Select "LaunchCondition" from the left pane, drop the row with the Condition "Msix64".

6. Install with x86\packages\zune-x86.msi;
7. Overwrite the whole C:\Program Files (x86)\Zune\Drivers folder with the one backup in step 3;
8. Plug in Windows Phone and install driver from C:\Program Files (x86)\Zune\Drivers\Zune if being asked;

Then you'll see the window with black theme:

When I thought all's fine, I found out I could not update the firmware, but only to synchronise photos.
And this nag screen may come at times, just ignore it.

Updating NVIDIA GeForce 335.28

While I still could not find the reason why my LCD turning off or going to standby mode automatically after around ten seconds of various format of movie played by MPC-HC, followed by audio off & irresponsive system (i.e. keyboard Caps Lock LED not responding to pressing Caps Lock) recently, I decided to update the ASUS branded NVIDIA GeForce display card driver since ASUS does not providing any update driver.

After downloaded the latest official GeForce 335.28 package launcher I executed it and decompressed the setup files into a folder away from the system partition to avoid fragmentation. Upon setting up I encounter some hiccups:

Tried simply installing with 64-bit Windows Imaging Component works!

Then I chose custom install, unchecked .Net Framework 4 since I already have version 2 (just trying my luck if it works), unchecked GeForce Experience since it is cater for serious gamer not "game watcher" like me, and unchecked nView as well as it is just an extra desktop management bundle. 

I leave HD Audio because it only consumes a few MB. Lastly checked "Perform a clean installation".

Now I'm gonna shut my system down. No update to this if I enjoy it. Wish me luck!

iOS7's Broken!

I don't think this gotta happen so soon before Christmas until I see evad3rs' evasi0n7, this indeed a great xmas gift for those who waited for long.

I'm not going to brake the jail soon as I have little time for myself to fully customize my iPhone4, and that many great apps are free, even paid apps are free for limited time at times.

Just be sure to backup despite the extended time needed.

iPhone with box of Windows XP x64

26th Sep added screenshots
19th Sep updated w/ iTunes 11.1 update.

I am not an Apple fan, not fancy to i-products, and ever since I received a secondhand iPhone4, I was amazed by its simplicity, and lazidity (yup, rigidity + laziness).

Usually I'll set my own ringtones but this time with iPhone I was stucked as I could not perform as I wish within iPhone settings (unless a jail-broken one).

So after few months using a plain tone iPhone, finally I decided to connect it to my old box of 64bit Windows XP, thought to modify the ringtone with iTunes. And yet another quest on looking for the way to get software installed into a x64 system went on, as iTunes is not designed to even install into the abandoned x64.

I found Dan's Skunk Werks' awesome article to inspire me to install the minimalist SuperOrca MSI Editor rather than MS's big fat GB-level SDK.

After officially downloaded iTunes setup .msi .exe I opened it using 7-zip to extract the following files: iTunes.msi, Bonjour.msi & AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi all files into a folder.

Next I opened each of them iTunes64.msi & AppleApplicationSupport.msi with SuperOrca, and change "VersionNT64>=600" to "VersionNT64>=501" in table "LaunchCondition". The .msi files will immediately changed without the need to save. Then I executed each of the altered .msi files iTunes64, AppleMobileDeviceSupport64, AppleApplicationSupport & Bonjour64 in order.

Should AppleMobileDeviceSupport64.msi pops up with:
"[ProductName] requires that your computer is running Windows XP SP2 or newer."
kindly edit the .msi file with SuperOrca, locate the same "LaunchCondition", change the *Condition to:
"Installed OR (VersionNT=501 AND ServicePackLevel>=2) OR VersionNT>501"

You might get this for the first time running iTunes:

x64 iTunes

Just ignore and you'll get the real thing:

iTunes get started!

Apple Mobile Device failed

Retry or Ignore

With all the above mentioned steps you supposed to get ready to connect your iPhone to your Windows XP x64. But few weeks then until now guess what, lazy me still using the plain tone iPhone, thinking to jail-break straight my old iPhone4.

Unbricked My Sony Ericsson W8

Was regretted and frustrated seeing my brother's left over SE W8 became bricked that showing no further with Sony Ericsson logo, after customisation / deleting system files.

Thanks to professional geek soleheen D, I manage to unbrick W8 using Sony Update Service.

Just keep in mind that this update service will check for the latest version and it will download and upgrade itself which takes up some time before you can really proceed. Also be reminded that you have to install the semc flash device driver (please Google it), disconnect your mobile phone, restart your Windows then only re-connect your mobile phone. Last but not the least, do as the update system tells, pressing on back button before connect your SE mobile.

Will be back for my next step to upgrade my SE W8.

Go Green By Trade-in Printers

Dell has a new series of printers.

I particularly like the Inkjets (all wifi enabled) because I learnt that Dell's having a "trade to save" scheme, and that my sister's having a dried (inks are dried up) HP all-in-one. So I bought V525W online for RM299.

After received the new all-in-one for a few days, today only I filled up the claim form online, yet to send the used HP to the designated factory via courier, before I can get my RM200 + RM50 cash back straight to my appointed bank account.

Just to share here for those short of cash to get ink cartridges replaced or simply wanna try how easy to print docs or photos from smartphones by using wifi enabled printer.

Free Up Some Space After Windows Update

Windows users used to be quite aware of hard disk space consumed, not after having increasing availability of half terabyte hard drives.

Here why I particularly mention Windows Update is because during & after updates Windows will store both the backups & updates files which in turn consume much disk space, making my used to be spacious 10GB system partition a short dull, sluggish with pop-up reminders of insufficient disk space.

Take a look or even analyse with software how your system partition C: is piled up with files and folders, you will find some blue highlight folders with $ prefix, full of unused junk which might cost gigabytes.

Found ways for this but personally prefer this:
Is it safe to delete the $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ folders

...but still my pathetic 10GB C: is very low in free space, until I added another old 60GB Maxtor and move my entire system partition to 1st active partition of this oldie. Sadly to say then that to buy for more disk space is still the best hassle free way.

Trivia
Tried uninstalled Windows Security Essential, free up 300MB.

My New Kludge

Finally I have spare time to have started fixing my brand new HP Presario PC.

Here are the first view upon arrival on May:

Compaq Presario SR5350AP

Nice stylish front view with some basic info at a glimpse.

Now, anatomy time!

I've very poor confidence in the post-sale service,

So, tear-up the specially designed warranty sticker,

which, somehow impressed me to leave "VOID" markings.

That's all, you won't be much impressed when they take days to approach you and another weeks or months time to save your much needed PC.

Okay, here's the internal:

Nice real-watts PSU, nice ventilation environment, I think.

(Of course this is nothing compared to my previous naked kludge)

To my attention is the SATA interface DVD-combo drive which I assumed to be ordinary PATA; and a theoretical safe vertical-mounted WesternDigital HDD in a specially designed "cage".

Ah! my favourite WD, this's my 3rd working WD HDD, but I wonder the bulk producing OEM quality for its light weight.

Speaking of nowadays Malaysia made WD HDD, I'm a bit worry of the quality as we know its newly merged Penang manufacturer was not bearing "WD" before.

Since the DDR2 RAM is still in its low-price level which to be risen in this Q3, I bought two Kingston DDR2 RAM 800MHz @RM75 each.

But why not cheaper 667MHz @RM69 each?

Sigh, I was cheated by the 800Mhz 512MB DDR2 RAM provided.
In fact, this ESC livermore8 mobo supports max. 667MHz.

Ok, a final view after connecting IDE DVD burner & WD200GB HDD with a slim rounded IDE cable bought fr om Taiwan. (Only 1 PATA provided in this box)

A bit crowded, huh?!
But with two fans (not mentioned the PSU's) running inside, no noise is heard during operation.

Well this's much easier compared with the headachy software instalation & settings which I'm going to tell in the following days.