Windows XP SP3 and HD Audio
I recently was playing around with Windows XP SP3 (build 3264) and I slipstreamed the service pack into my Windows XP install media to make installing a new build easier (SP3 would already be installed).
Normally, it’s a pretty straightforward process, however with SP3 (at least the RC build I was using) didn’t take HD audio into account. When you’re installing onto a PC (Lenovo R60 laptop in my case) you typically need to install an HD Audio hotfix (KB888111) prior to installing the HD audio drivers.
The issue in this case it that SP3 supercedes the hotfix, so when you try to install KB888111 you’re presented with an error saying SP3 is newer and you don’t need the hotfix. Unfortuantely, you can’t install the drivers without the hotfix, and you can’t install the hotfix because SP3 thinks it’s newer and doesn’t need it. This is supposed to be fixed in the final release of SP3.
You can work around this however, by downloading the hotfix KB888111, then using WinZIP or WinRAR to extract the files within the hotfix. Once you install the files, you’ll see a folder called “common files”. From within the folder, you’ll find the driver files for the HD audio and HD modem driver.
Open device manager, right click on the “PCI Device” under the “unknown devices” section, choose properties, update driver and point it to the “common files” folder you just extracted.
The drivers will install, and you can then go back and install the HD Audio driver file (if necessary).
Again, this is not necessary if you install XP with SP2 first, and then install SP3 afterward. Additionally, the final release of SP3 should have that fixed, but we’ll have to wait and see on that.
Read MoreQuite Disturbing even if Remotely True
A friend recently sent me a link to a movie called ZeitGeist, which is a very interesting analysis of everything from the origins of religion to the 9/11 attacks, to everyone eventually being v-chipped with RFID tags to track everything from movement to spending habits.
I have mixed feelings about the contents of the video, and I don’t necessarily think everything is 100% accurate (I don’t have enough information to really have a deep opinion on many of the things in the video) but what I do know, is that if the content of the video is even REMOTELY true, it is indeed extremely disturbing.
Definitely take some time, and view the video. You can watch the entire thing online, for free from their website at www.zeitgeistmovie.com
I’m very interested to hear people’s take on the video, what do you think about the vid?
Read MoreCoolest Stick Figure on the Planet
My son CJ showed me this little film the other day, and it really caught my eye. I got a kick out of it, and it’s definitely worth looking at. This has to be one of the best little “Stick Figure” films I’ve seen. Very well done, this is a small masterpiece. Created by Alan Becker, it’s got it all… Action… Drama… Adventure…
Check it out
AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central
Read MoreSEO Goldmine Videos – New Free Training from the Guys at StomperNet
If you’ve ever wondered about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and wanted to get some information on how it was done, or even if you’re a seasoned professional looking to hone your skills, I would highly recommend you take a look at this new video series.
This series, dubbed StomperNet’s “Going Natural 2.0″ is being offered (FOR FREE) by Andy Jenkins and Brad Fallon – the guys who founded StomperNet. They have a VAST amount of experience in the SEO space and are generally recognized as two of the top SEO experts throughout the industry. They have repeated successes across the internet and we can all learn a lot from the.
This first video from this series is really pretty amazing, and offers a wealth of information. The series is professionally produced and really packs a punch. Pure SEO instruction with clear examples and step by step coverage of what could be a complex topic The video teaches you how to quickly optimize your website and increase traffic by getting double listings in Google. A double (or indented) listing is where you have two pages show up for the same search term, and has been shown to greatly increase traffic to your website.
This is definitely a series to keep an eye on, and you can expect even more great free content from these guys.
Read MoreMicrosoft MCDST Certification Training – New Release!
Palaestra Training has just released a new product, Microsoft MCDST Certification training for the 70-271 exam.
This series is by Bill Ferguson, an expert instructor who literally wrote the book on MCDST Certification. He’s the author of the best selling book, MCDST Certification Study Guide, by Sybex.
Bill brings his many years of experience to this series, and his conversational style makes the training as fun as it is educational.
Quickly get up to speed and on your way to MCDST Certification with this training package.
The series is over 8 hours of world-class instruction, 19 videos on two cd-roms. For more information, visit www.palaestratraining.com
First Impressions of Windows Live Writer
Found a VERY nifty tool that allows you to write blogs offline, and sync them up to your blog (either a hosted blog service, or your own) and get the benefit of full WYSIWYG editing tools. There are a number of other offline tools out there, so this certainly isn’t the first one of it’s kind (just the first one I’ve used).
You can download Windows Live Writer at their website. The product is still in beta, but so far it seems really nice. Check it out for yourself if you’re a blogger as it has the ability to connect to multiple blogs and blogging systems (WordPress, Movable Type, etc) and allows you access all the sites you blog to in one place.
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