Ubuntu 6.06

Tried the newly released Ubuntu 6.06 a couple nights back. Like Knoppix it's a live Linux distribution meaning it can run from CD with no installation required.

It's the first time I've tried Ubuntu and I was suitably impressed. It's more polished and less cluttered than Knoppix, and aimed squarely at the non-geeky user.

Unfortunately like with Knoppix I can only get a maximum screen resolution of 800x600 (although I could install it and then download and install the nVidia drivers), but unlike Knoppix it won't even boot on the other computer so I couldn't try it with an Internet connection.

Retrieving Deleted Files

Three days ago I was tired and had too many things going on, and I deleted a bunch of files, primarily graphics and (irreplaceable) photos, believing until 15 seconds afterward, that I had them stored elsewhere.

Fortunately I know of, and have used in the past, the excellent GetDataBack. I ran it and sure enough I retrieved every lost image. All 238Mb!

Suffice to say I'm going out of my way to get many of these pictures stored online to insure against data loss.

Knoppix 5.0.1

I've been playing with the just released, Knoppix 5.0.1 (CD version), over the last few days.

If you haven't tried it yet you should give it a go. A free Linux operating system booting from CD and making no changes to your computer. It really is just a case of popping in the CD.

Unfortunately it only wants to give me 800x600 on my main computer, but the other computer gives me 1024x768. Also I can't make an Internet connection in Knoppix, as I don't think it supports USB DSL modems. Fortunately the (AOL) Internet connection is made on the main computer running XP and so the other computer running Knoppix at 1024x768 is already connected over Ethernet, the network having set itself up automagically in Linux.

Yes if you're a geek you did read that right. An AOL USB DSL connection providing an Internet connection for Linux! :)

Far Cry for 50p!

On Sunday 4th June I went to Thainston Market, in Inverurie for the first time. There I purchased: 8 DVDs for £25 (28 Days Later, Dark Water, Dogma, Donnie Darko, Full Metal Jacket, Lord of the Flies (the colour version), The Matrix, The Producers); the book Omertà by Mario Puzo (author of The Godfather) for 50p; a Groucho Marx piggy-bank for 50p; and best of all Far Cry for just 50p!

Okay so the game is getting on a little bit now, but it was the first game I came across, back in 2004, that came just on DVD, and from what little I saw of it, it looked great. I've been playing it a lot the last couple of days and it's excellent.

As for the Dark Water DVD I mentioned this is a film I've already seen but wanted the DVD to add to my humble Jennifer Connelly collection, but wasn't willing to pay the £15 I've seen it for in 2 supermarkets. So this is something of a result.

AOL Internet Sharing Update

A couple days back I finally got AOL DSL (USB) Internet Sharing working.

The new computer mentioned in my previous blog post regarding this issue had been replaced, because the 17" flat monitor that came with it had a green dot, bang in the centre of the screen. And as I'd also mentioned I've just reinstalled XP on my main machine. I mention this in part, because this time around Internet Sharing not only worked but I had to do nothing other than run the XP wizards.

It's either:

Because the main machine that makes the Internet connection, not only doesn't use the AOL software (just the modem driver on the AOL CD and the XP [Internet] connection wizard) but also has never had the AOL software installed and so no remnants or modifications remain after an uninstall, if that is the case.

Or:

The main machine that makes the Internet connection had some XP install degradation. A number of minor things not working the way they should. Perhaps this was affecting things.

The Big Reinstall

Over the last week I've been organising and backing up everything on my computer for a reinstall of Windows XP. The first reinstall on this computer in the two years I've had it. Yesterday I did the reinstall.

The reinstall wasn't essential. I had no viruses, spyware, or major installation problems. I just figured it was time for a fresh installation.

So now I have a hard drive with far more space than I've had since I built this machine. A relief, since for months now, I've been forced to keep burning DVDs to free up hard drive space in 4Gb increments.