I* figured out the copy/paste problem with Windows 8

After getting the constant "It must be something you're doing wrong" or "Must be something wrong with your hardware", "You must have incompatible software" or suggestions of doing a 'clean install'.

The process of making note of everything that is installed, having to deactivate software, and do a 'clean install' wasn't an option, as the time it would take would make restoring the Windows 7 system image a better option.

But, what I did was this:

Uninstalled all the Windows 8 Updates. Copy/Paste/Move files worked. Uninstalled CFiShellToys. Rebooted. Copy/Paste worked.

Then I reinstalled Win8 updates, no more than 3 at a time. Sometimes just 1 if it was a large one. With every Windows Start up, I copied/moved a test file. When it succeeded, I would install another update. Repeat.

I then re-installed CFiShellToys, restarted. Copy/Paste/Move worked.

All I can figure is one or more of the Windows 8 updates screwed something up, or was corrupt. I'm a bit smug about the fact that it wasn't something I was don't incorrectly, or the fault of already installed software.

Modern Snake oil sellers

Just saw an advert for yet another "Make you younger" beauty product/potion. The language is ambivalent at best. "With immediate perceived results!", and then it pans out and shows a girl who might be 12 or 14 years old, followed by voice over "Younger looking skin"

What? fetal?

Funny reply on Twitter

I posted that I was >.< this close to restoring the Windows 7 full back up I made 15 mins before upgrading to Windows 8. I got reply "Don't do it! :-S I've found I like 8 much better than 7 once you get used to it. Happy to talk offline about your copy issue."

I could get used to having only one leg. Doesn't mean I want just one leg. Will take him up on his offer to help with Copy/Paste problem.

You know you've watched too much "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" or "Angel" when...

I got into the habit of using the old desktop/monitor set up as mirror, but the 'mirror' is on the other desk now. So, I was squinting at the monitor, wondering why I couldn't see reflection, and the first thing that came to mind was "I've suddenly become a vampire?"

Never let it be said that Loki misses opportunities

Loki takes full advantage of the new desk set up.





He still likes yogurt.

Don't know why it didn't dawn on me earlier to do this

Actually, it did cross my mind a few times, but not long enough for me to have actually give it more than a passing thought.

I moved the all in on desktop over to where the external monitor was, and put the monitor on the desk. Since video playback is watched on the right, and the desktop is faster to play, and has better playback, it's a better placement. Also, the monitor is non-glare, which makes doing photo editing a lot easier on the eyes. And since the monitor isn't a touchscreen, no more Loki jumping onto the desk and tapping screen with his body or tail, messing things up.

Bonus: with the things shifted.. turns out there's more open desk space.

I think it's just about done.

There were a few hiccups setting up Windows 8. I got some assistance from on a "get me the hell past that gawd awful tiled start screen" program actually worked. It was on the list, but I had a ways to get there. Got that set up. Having a tiled start screen works great if your computer is a touch screen machine, but is a right useless pain in the ass if you don't.

Downloading Driver Updates: The downloads were fine, but what was annoying is there is an order in which certain ones have to be installed.

I have to say this: it does load faster than it did with Windows 7. Don't get me wrong, Windows 7 is great. Have it on my big desktop and won't be upgrading it under the auspices of "If it ain't broken, don't fix it!" I upgraded the laptop because the $15 upgrade price.

All programs I had running on Win7 run fine on Win8. I do get these little nags pop up when I use one my programs the first time, rather than one of the Win8 native programs. There is a big stink about Win8 not having DVD playing software, but if you see the majority of the notebooks that have Win8 pre-installed don't have DVD/Blu Ray drives. There are some good freebies for playing DVDs (I like TheKMPlayer. Been using it ever since CinePlayer was no longer usable due to OS upgrade) and also, my laptop already had PowerDVD installed. What I find funny is I still get the nag screen about not having a player when I insert a DVD. I also have TotalMedia Player that I use as TV receiver (annoyance factor 5: the stations scanned while using Win7 no longer 'configured', have to go through the whole mess again).

Windows Media Center isn't included, but for a short time will be free. After Jan 31st 2013, it will be a whopping $10. Still, making people pay for something that has been a freely available as a download is a bit of a cash grab.

Another thing: if you have a program that's hanging, and you use Task Manager to end process, guess what? It actually ends it without having to reboot the system.

Customization: Now that was a bit trickier. I had gotten used to how to set permissions, and how to dive into the Win7 Registry and what to look for and change, but some of the architecture has been changed. It's so similar but just enough different that it's confusing. Luckily, someone has already done the hard yards and have posted on Windows8 forum.

Is it better than Win7? That depends on your definition. Personally, faster start up, easier shutting down of hanging programs are good, but Win 7 has it's pluses over Win8. So, if Win 7 works for you, keep it. If you're obsessed by the latest and maybe greatest, go for it, but be prepared for at least 2 full days of frustration.

Reason #1 to restore Win 7 revised

After some more research, and a helping hand from Daniel Jones by way of a link, I tracked down the beta version of Windows 8 compatible AMD driver.

This was a big issue for me, if I can't use photo editing tools, and you use your laptop as a portable photo lab, having a problem with OpenGL and graphics driver is a bad thing.

Reason #1 to restore Win 7

I knew there were to be drivers to be updated and was fully prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for is this:

Went to the AMD site to get updated Win8 driver for my laptop. Got error that my laptop was incompatible, and to go to computer manufacturer site to download driver from them.

Ok, off I go. I go all through the typing in Make, model, and scroll through the drivers. The only driver they have listed there is for Intel, not AMD. Whohuhwha..?

Without the right graphics driver, most of my Photoshop tools don't work because I can't use the graphics processor!

I have emailed Sony.... but seriously, I'm so glad I made a full system back up yesterday, because if this issue isn't rectified soon, VERY soon, I will be restoring my to yesterdays system image.

That was mostly painless

I made a full system back up of my Sony Vaio laptop. When that was complete, I got my very low priced Windows 8 upgrade. It's installed easy enough, but I have to say the new desktop... it made my eyes want to cross. And why is it when Microsoft has something good, they get rid of it in the next incarnation of Windows? Right now, the boarders around program windows are right out of Win3x.

Stability seems to be ok, but it seems to take longer to load than Win7 did.

I find it funny that I get a new OS, and I move heaven and earth (or registry settings) to not make it look like it's 'new and improved' version. Yes, I am a creature of habit, and prefer to have a specific layout.

Now, if I can get the Aero/Glass theme back again, I'll be happy.

I have a friend in the US

She is somewhat of a loner, and life hasn't been all that kind to her. I spotted her wish list on Amazon dot Com. I'm very tempted to make Giftmuss a good one for her.

She'll get mad, or think I want something from her (which I don't). I just want her to have something to smile about for a change.

In an age where tech support ...

Is pretty much some person, or program, searching for a term or two, then giving you an answer that has nothing to do with what you asked about (ie Seagate concerning their new larger drives) it was refreshing to actually have tech support do their job.

I have Norton Ghost 15. Every time I tried to run a back up the past day or so, it would fail. No matter what I tried, it failed. So, today, I logged into Norton Live Chat. After asking my permission, I allowed him to remotely log in, and run Norton. I cleared out old jobs at his request, and then he set up some options in Norton, and told me to start a back up.

Lo and behold, it worked. Back up in progress. Gonna take several hours, but that's the price of larger hard drives.

The sucky thing is that Ghost and Windows 7 back up are limited to 2tb drives only. You can use 3tbs for data storage, but not to make system images. Since many major computer stores are having big sales on 2tb drives due to the advent of Windows 8, might be a good time to go get a few to replace the 1tb drives.

Having to go around my @$$hole to get to my elbow

That was something my grandmother used to say when you had to do something convoluted to get a small job done.

The makers of OnOne photoshop plugins have decided in their (dare I say) wisdom to stop supporting some of their PS plugins that works great. But how they stopped supporting it is the reason for the subject line.

Plugin worked great with CS5 Extended, but 32 and 64bit. First it was PhotoTune 3, then it was included in PhotoSuite 5x. When they decided to update to PhotoSuite 6x, it was no longer included. That was ok because if you had it installed from 5x it would still function. Then PhotoShop CS6 came out. OnOne chose to discontinue PhotoTune and PhotoTools for 64bit(big big mistake there), and replaced it with something that wasn't anywhere near as good as the two tools they got rid of. Still worked/installed on the 32 bit.

Well, this just would not do, but all I have on my laptop of CS6E. What I had to do, was install CS5E 64bit on my computer, just to install PhotoTune and PhotoTools for CS5E 64 bit, then copy the files over to the OnOne plug in directory in CS6E 64 bit. Lo and behold OnOne tools working.

This will work for anyone, but just make sure you copy the 64bit to 64 bit. I've done it on 3 computers, all working. Wing can attest to that! (PhotoTune 3 is one plugin for photo editing portraits he relies on)

Ok, what dipwit decided this was a good thing?

I want to get the memory on desktop boosted from 8gb to 16gb. On advice from Acer Rep, I decided to get an external hard drive, specifically for using to make a system image. So not to be caught short, I got a Seagate 3tb drive.

Arrived, was unpacked and set up, setup.exe run, all suitably set up. So, I started running Windows 7 back up. Appeared to be working, then failed. Thinking that maybe I had something running that was screwing it up, I shut everything down, and just had the back up running. It failed again. Tried using Norton Ghost with it, and same problem.

So, I did a websearch, and found out why it kept failing. Seagate, in their infinite wisdom, decided to cripple the drive in some odd way to prevent it from being used to make a full disc image. I would really like to know what moron, what dipwit, decided this was a good thing.. and then give him/her/them a good beating with a NERF® bat, because unlike Western Digital, they didn't bother providing software for the problem of how back up software handles large drives.

So, here I am, copying all my photos from the small external, over to the big one first. Only going to take 18 hours (plus or minus). Then I will move the small stuff so I can format the drive, and then use that one for the full system back up.

All because some daffy bastard thought that making sure a large external hard drive could NOT be used for creating a back up.

Feeling much better today

Still a bit on the lame side, but nowhere near as lame as I was yesterday.

Reason why: 3.5 hrs standing, not stop, in a cool/cold wind at a photo shoot. Got some great images, but standing in one spot, not moving really racks up my back.

I think the smartest thing I did last night when making dinner was make enough to have it again tonight.

Have to make this post

It's been a long wait for this date.

10-11-12

Hope it's a great one for everybody!

To all of those with their idiotic disaster predictions

Set your WayBack machine to November 2008. Senator Barack Obama was elected president. Suddenly we heard chants of redistribution of the wealth, will take our guns, will force sharia law, convert the US to Islam, and a bunch of even crazier prognostications.

Guess what? None of them happened. Wealth Distribution? The wealthy have gotten wealthier in the past 4 years. Guns? Not one gun has been taken from anyone. Sharia law? Seeing as it's against constitutional law, didn't happen, and neither was the the country converted.

A looming depression was prevented, and a recession was overcome. Was jobs lost? Yes. Recovery is happening, and even Mr Romney said it would 10 to 12 years to recover, but you all whine that President Obama didn't get it done in 4 years.

The man who orchestrated a devastating attack on the US was found, and is now dead. Something Mr Romney said wasn't worth moving heaven and earth to do.

The latest whacko predictions are the US is going to be invaded by Russia or China. Hogwash. If company CEOs have pissy fits because President Obama was re-elected and fires employees because of it, put the blame where it belongs.. on the shoulders of the CEOs.

It's time for you to put on your big boy/big girl pants, and grow the f&&k up and stop pouting that the two faced, swinging more than a weather vane in a hurricane, Etch-A-Sketch Mr Romney was soundly defeated, as were many Tea-Party politicians were.

Nuff said.

Insanity - Doing same thing over and over expecting different result.

The GOP has been running candidates that keep doing the same song and dance; coddle the wealthy, go after the middle class, the poor, senior citizens and women to make up for lost tax revenues. Their behavior is the definition of insanity. This time around, it was even worse with the blatant lies of the Romney campaign, the constant changing of stance on issues, sometimes within hours of pleging something. Telling women that getting impregnated by rape God's will, or just another form of conception.

Voting for President Obama wasn't voting to rely on the government. Taxes and government is what we deal with to have roads, running water, bridges, cities, education, military, electricity, fire and police departments, and a slew of other services. No one likes paying taxes, but if the tax burden is rightfully shared, it's not so onerous.

Social Security, Medicare aren't 'entitlements', as that connotates a hand out. No, they are earned benefits. Veteran's benefits are earned, not entitlements. And we are a nation that takes care of those in need, as in the survivors of Hurricane Sandy. F.E.M.A. isn't a hand out, or an entitlement, it's something our tax dollars pay for, that will even aid those who speak out against 'government entitlements'. A good education is something every child is entitled to get, paid for by our tax dollars, unless you're aiming for a generation of undereducated slave workers.

It's time for some people to realize that there is a bigger issue and world beyond what they can see out their window, and stop being so insular. Either that, or the next time you have a house fire, don't call the fire department, as that's a government funded by tax dollars aka 'socialist' organization. See how that works out for you.

Obama 2012 - 274 Electoral College votes

The party of Anti-Science, Anti-Intellectualism, Anti-intellect, sexism has been defeated. Also, much relief that the Koch Brothers and the other billionaires funding Mr Romney's campaign were shown that the Oval Office is NOT up for sale, nor is a Venture Capitalist presidential material.

The wisdom of the young

"Mom, no matter the election results you'll be glad. If President is re-elected, you'll be glad. If Romney is elected, you'll be glad you're living in Australia." Alan Joseph Pavlak (my son) 2012

Oh good, I won't have to replace so many after all.

Brought Ziggy outside to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine (she likes going out there but doesn't like the harness. But then she squalls just as much when we take it off. Silly moggie).

While I was out there, I decided to inspect the non working solar lawn lights. A whole bunch of them aren't working, so I brought out a screw driver, and my swiss army knife. I took some of them apart to inspect them. It seems that the one group have rechargeable coin batteries. No good, as the batteries would cost more to replace than the solar lights! Those shall be broken down for recycling. The others, their batteries were just old, and I think I was able to salvage 3 (maybe only 2, will have to wait for battery to charge up) out of the 4 of another group.

I will make a tally of how many come on tonight, and then decide on how many and which will be replaced.

Election Tampering up to date

So far, the GOP has been attempting to move heaven and earth to make sure their candidate sits in the oval office. They know that he can't win by fair means, and are doing all they can to make sure he get there by foul means.

So far, the GOP has (in no particular order):

Changed/restricted or gotten rid of early voting in districts that would favor democratic ticket. (One Republican politician bragged that they changed the PA voter laws so Romney would win the state.)

Engaged in voter intimidation. (GOP and TeaNuts harassing voters at the polls, making all sorts of demands, and just interfering)

Putting up signs saying show photo ID, and in itty bitty almost unreadable text "Voluntary not mandatory", but when people walk away not having the ID, not bothering to tell them, again, in areas that would favor Democratic candidates.

Voter suppression via illegal voter purges, or flat out lying to voters (example, telling voters in Wisconsin that if you've been convicted of a felony, you can't vote. Yes, you can if you've served your sentence, you are fee to vote)

Voter Fraud - Republican worker who works for company with strong ties back to Romney/Karl Rove was busted throwing away filled out voter registration cards. Another one was fraudulent voter registration forms submitted in Florida by a firm the Republican Party hired.

This is just some of the shenanigans the GOP is up to. Let's be real, if the Democratic party did any of these, the GOP would be exploding.

But what gets me about all of this is the blind eye the republican supporters seem to have. If this shit was done TO GOP supporters they would be screaming blue bloody murder! That's called "Hypocrisy". Learn the word, all those who are ignoring what the GOP and it's supporters are doing, because the word hypocrite is readily applied to you.

I don't like it when software manufacturers lie

Too often, makers of certain programs will flat out lie in order for you to buy their latest and often not so greatest.

Case in point: OnOne PhotoSuite5 with PhotoTune 3 would be upgraded to v6, but would not have PhotoTune. Ok, fine. Then we were told that PhotoTune wasn't compatible with CS6. Those of us who had it were told "This will no longer work with CS6 so you will have to upgrade!" OnOne also has on their website that PhotoEssentials 4 will not work with Photoshop Elements 11, so you have to get PhotoSuite 7.

Well, just for shits and giggles, I went through the laborious process of installing OnOne PS5, then the upgrade to 5.5, then 6 (hey, it was the way it had to be done, no short cuts) to CS6 (it automatically finds all compatible Photoshop versions). Tried it out, and and PhotoTunes didn't work. I went on an internet search, using the exact error message.

Imagine my surprise when I found out the only reason it didn't work was because it didn't install a critical file needed to launch the tools library. What do to, what to do. I copied the critical file from PhotoShop CS5 into the Photoshop CS6 directory, and three guesses what happened (and the first two guesses don't count). Worked perfectly.

Same thing with PhotoEseentials with PS Elements 11. I installed it, noticed there was one error with one file, so copied it from the PSE 10 directory, and now it works.

So, for shame OnOne for deliberately sabotaging your software in an effort to make people buy your latest.