Deploying Chrome for Windows Enviroment

As you might be interested in deploying Chrome to all the Windows client in the network.

Thanks to Google we now have the .msi version of the installer.

You can get the installer at the link below :-

http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/chromebrowser.html

for quick command to install deploy remotely to a single pc you may would like to use PS Tools from Sysinternal / Microsoft and just do a quick command of  : psexec.exe //pcname msiexec.exe \i installer.exe \passive

ubuntu - change primary display

Recently just got an dual monitor setup for my workstation. As my setup consist of a notebook and 1 external monitor; the default primary screen are to my notebook screen and I wanted to change it to my external monitor as the primary and I notice that there is not such option in the Display / Monitor option, only clone setup are available. 

After a goggling attempt I found an easy way :-

At Terminal you can just do : xrandr (it will display a list of available output)

type in : xrandr --output HDMI-0 --primary    (as i wanted my HDMI out connection to my Monitor as primary)

Custom Date Format for Oracle SQL Developer

By default the SQL Developer only display the data in Date-Month-Year format. If you would like to change the output it is fairly easy.

Goto Tools -> Preference and Look for Database tree and expand it and select NLS.
For e.g.  DD-MM-RR HH24:MI:SS will give me a result as 31-MAY-11 14:01:12

Toad - Can't Find Oracle Client ( Win7 64bit)

Today I've encounter a quite a funny issue with the Toad 9 client. As usual the programmers folks would be doing their own development software.

Seems the Toad 9 is showing error Unable to locate Oracle Home. Path & TNS Admin have been added in the system variable. The error seems still coming :)

A few search on the internet suggesting to add in the ORACLE_HOME & ORACLE_PATH in the system variable but on works.

Currently we are using Instant Client 11_2 fo 64bit Windows. As some suggest since the Toad 9 is a 32bit software the instant client should be a 32bit as well, I change the instant client 11_2 to a 32bit version and it still wouldn't work.

Just to give it a try I load in the version 10_2 32bit Instant Client and viola it work like charm !

Excellence customer service from DELL (APAC)

Today to my surprise I receive a package from DELL. It was a replacement sticker for my newly purchase Vostro 3400. It was a new unit and DOA as I need it quite urgent so I go for a part replacement instead of Machine Replacement.

The machine is fix and working fine but I realize the Window sticker are like being peel halfway. To my dissatisfaction as it is a brand new unit I ask for a replacement. After a few email; today I receive it, I was so happy :) never thought the tech support staff will go this far to get me replacement sticker , kudos to him / her !

** yeap I know it is just a sticker :) but it really made my day and prove my decision is right for switching from HP to Dell.

Review : Macbook Pro 15' (2011)

Just got the latest Macbook Pro 15' (standard configuration) with the Intel Sandy Bridge processor & the thunderbolt port. I'm just gonna a do a short review here as I felt it didn't have much physical changes compare to the previous 2010 model.

Both the model look almost identical except for the front part where you lift up the screen, it is bit hard to lift up with just a single hand as the magnet are quite strong not as easy as the previous model.

The speaker is loud & sharp and the integrated camera is the same great quality as the previous model.

From open box and after usage with wifi connected for around for almost 2 hour I still left with 62% battery.
Comparing to the previous model we have with Core i7 2.66 we pay around RM7k+ for it and for this model with Core i7 2.00 (sandy bridge) it just cost only Rm 5k+

For this price difference it is a super value buy for the Macbook Pro range.

** sorry for the bad image quality as it was taken from my phone camera

Adhoc remote deploying Acrobat Reader for Windows

The Acrobat Reader are only downloadable in .EXE format and it is not very admin friendly for deployment. I've been tinkering for a while looking for ways to get the .MSI version of the Acrobat Reader. Some googling return me with ways to get the .msi installer by extracting the exe file.

It is quite a hassle to get the correct .msi file for every release.Lucky enough today while I was browsing through the Administration guide from Adobe, I found that they do actually provide a link ( ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/ ) to download the .MSI version.

Tools Recommendation

PS Tools (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896649)

The PS Tools from Sysinternals come in very handy. It is free and it help out a lot !. I'll be using the PSExec.exe tools from the PS Tools to complete this task. This programs allow us to execute program remotely :D

Assume that you already have a general mapped network drive or access to the hidden share($) on the remote pc.

Copy over the MSI to the drive, it wouldn't work in with a UNC path (tried once).

psexec.exe \\remotepcname msiexec.exe /i pathtosoftware.msi /passive

it will remotely install the software and will return error code 0 if successfull.

** You can use this tools for uninstallation, dns flushing & installing software.

Grey Out FORWARD button in Thunderbird

I've found out that my TB3.1 (Thunderbird 3.1) forward button no longer working as it just grey out.
The forward function work when I right click on my Email and choose forward.

 

After a few googling attempt and it is not fruitful. I try to mess around again and I finally realize that actually I've drag out the wrong Forward button. The email forward button should have a email icon next to it

So means that for all this while I was wondering why the forward page button doesn't forward my email :)
I know this is a stupid but hope it help !

Un-Root / Back to Stock the Easy Way ** With GoldCard**

Just tested yesterday. The easiest way to unroot the HTC Magic back to stock is by just extracting the rom.zip file from the RUU_Sapphire_HTC_Asia_WWE_2.53.707.2_SEA_test_signed_NoDriver.exe.

Just run the RUU update and navigate to your %temp% folder and you should see there is 2 folder in {#numeric}, browse the folder and look for rom.zip

Copy it out and rename it to SAPPIMG.zip and put into your goldcard and update it to your Magic and it should now revert to the Pre Sense Android 1.5 with Engineering SPL

Once the phone booted up you can just plugin back to your pc and let the windows install the driver (HTC Sync driver , not Android SDK Usb driver) and you can just run the official RUU update and it should be back to stock room :)

** just make sure you are on an engineering SPL **

unroot a htc magic 32a (HTC MAGIC SEA)

*** Found a new easier way to un-root please refer the next post ! ***

It's been a good few year since my last post. I'm not a kind of person who used to blogging and stuff but well since it's a project started off 3 years back and I think should have at least some content in it.

Back to the topic. I've been googling for ways to un-root my phone just to test out the reboot issue on my phone are cause of the custom firmware or the hardware, unfortunately the guide out there are mostly for 32b unit. Just make sure you have the Android SDK tools in your pc as we will be using adb & fastboot tool.

I'm using a SEA HTC Magic (32a) , By default the SPL are on 1.76.0007 S-ON.
I've tried using both engineering SPL 1.76.2007 and 1.33.2010, previously i've tried to just trying my luck to direct install the HTC Magic_RUU_Sapphire_HTC_Asia_WWE_3.03.728.4 hoping that it will revert my phone to the stock rom, spl & radio. But all it gave me are just a RUU error cause the HTC software version are lower than the one that I've in my phone.

No choice but to use my gold card to apply the update.zip (please refer to the unlockr on this). Install the recovery via fastboot and apply back the custom rom.

I've discover that if you are using a google usb driver provided with the SDK the HTC update will not work. If you have it install i recommend you to uninstall it at Device Manager (windows). Once you have uninstall the driver, give your PC a reboot before install the new driver from HTC. Install the HTC Sync application before you plugin your phone and make sure USB debugging feature are turn on in the setting menu.

In order to get your phone version lower than the HTC Official firmware for SEA, you have to get this RUU install RUU_Sapphire_HTC_Asia_WWE_2.53.707.2_SEA_test_signed_NoDriver
just google it and you can find the source to download it. As this firmware are test version & came with engineering SPL it will allow to install even the software version in the phone are higher.

I've tried to install the RUU while the phone in ADB mode, it doesn't work since I'm running Sanpei .4 Legend rom and in the system my phone are label as HTC Legend , I believe that could be the reason. I then boot into Fastboot mode (return + pwr), You'll notice that your windows will detect a new device, let the window finish install the driver.
Do a fastboot devices to make sure that window detect your phone. Start apply the RUU_Sapphire_HTC_Asia_WWE_2.53.707.2_SEA_test_signed_NoDriver and it will install. Once complete your phone will take a very long time to boot. You'll notice it will go back to the pre-Sense Android.

Enable the usb debugging feature and plug-in again to your PC and do a adb devices and make sure it detected your phone. Start applying the official HTC rom (if it doesn't allow ,boot your phone to fastboot). It will show that your current phone version are 2.53 while the update you're performing are 3.03 and start your update.
Once the update complete and it will back to stock rom :D
The SPL will revert back to 1.76.0007 S-ON and Radio 6.35 and running Android 1.5 with Sense UI.


** I will not be held liable if your phone brick. Follow my guide at your own risk ! **

Finaly a post

I've been thinking about blogging since 2004. Have created an account since then but left it untouched. Hopefully I can kept this blog updated :D

That's all for now :D