BeatificaBytes

The Joys of Computing

  • Google Play Store: “Background data disabled”

    Since a few weeks I have frequently issues when trying to update applications installed on my mobile (Android 4.3 Jelly Bean + Play Store 4.3.11). The only solution is to kill and restart Play Store.

    Click to Read More

    Quite often since a few weeks, Play Store displays an error message “Background data disabled” when I want to use it. Next, it keeps asking me to enable “sync” (which is enabled for all my accounts and all types of content). And trying to skip that results in a “No connection – Retry”.

    This issue seems to appear when I have switched from a cellular data connection to a Wi-Fi connection while Play Store was running…

    To fix this, kill Play Store:

    1. Go to Settings > Application Manager > Google Play Store.
    2. Click “Force Stop” (no cache to be cleaned – no need to delete the data)

    And restart it.

    Loading

  • Office documents as email attachments: Experienced an error trying to open the file.

    I just saved a few Office documents received as email attachments and tried to open them when I got the following error: “office experienced an error trying to open the file.”. This is actually due to the “internet” security protection of Windows…

    Click to Read More

    I have been doing that for month, with Outlook 2010, on this PC and never got such an error. Fortunately I immediately thought to check the “Security” on the file. That was the issue.

    Unblock file downloaded from Internet
    Unblock file downloaded from Internet

    That’s easy to fix:

    1. Right click the attachments saved as files and select “Properties”.
    2. Click Unblock.

    If you have several files to be unblocked, you can also use one of the SysInternals: Streams v1.56 to unblock them all at once:

    1. Open a command prompt as Administrator.
    2. Run the command streams on the files to be unblocked. E.g.: streams -d *.*

    Actually, a attachment saved from Outlook seems to be (?now?) considered as a file downloaded from Internet. And there are information stored in an alternate filestream that are used by Windows to block the files downloaded from Internet. The “streams” command is nuking that alternate stream. So, Windows stops blocking the files.

    Loading

  • Mouse Lag on Windows 8

    I have a wireless Logitech Mouse (Performance Mouse MX™). This one is sometimes freezing although everything else seems to work fine (I can still see my video playing smoothly as well as flash animations in my browser, CPU is not high, free RAM is not low…). It looks like only the mouse is lagging.

    This issue seems however to be fixed since I have disabled the “Enhance pointer precision” feature in the “Mouse Properties”…

    Click to Read More

    one can find many questions about this issue on the web and as much explanations. One which is quite interesting is that many people experience lag with their mouse once they have Chrome open, due to the Chrome Flash player. This one can be disabled via the uri chrome://plugins

    I was indeed mainly experiencing mouse lag when many tabs were opened in Chrome. However, I didn’t have this plugin. So, I will only try to disable Chrome Plugins if the problem re-appears. Indeed, it disappeared since I have disable the “Enhance pointer precision” feature.

    1. Open the “Control Panel”
    2. Open the “Mouse Properties”
    3. In the “Pointer Options” tab, unselect “Enhance pointer precision”.

    Notice: I don’t use the Logitech drivers but only the default Microsoft drivers. I had indeed too many issues in the past with SetPoint compared to its added value (Among other connecting my Bluetooth keyboard)

    Loading

  • XBMC on Raspberry Pi: get Sound but no Video

    It’s well known that when a video does not play on a Raspberry Pi, it’s usually due to a codec issue. But in my case, I was able to play video from the “Movies” menu but not from a “Smart Playlist”. The problem was due to the amount of ram assigned to the GPU. It seems that there was no free resource anymore to play video once a “Smart Playlist” opened.

    Click to Read More

    I have a Raspberry Pi model b with 512 Mb Ram.

    1. In order to find the reason of the problem, I have activated the logging on XBMC: In  Settings -> System -> Debugging, toggle the Enable debug logging setting.
    2. I have opened a Smart Playlist and started a movie. I only got the sound but no video.
    3. I have looked into the log file, whose path depend on the distribution:
      • OpenELEC: /storage/.xbmc/temp/xbmc.log
      • Raspbmc: /home/pi/.xbmc/temp/xbmc.log
      • XBian: /home/xbian/.xbmc/temp/xbmc.log
    4. In that log I found this:

    DEBUG: JSONRPC: Calling player.getactiveplayers
    ERROR: COMXCoreComponent::DecoderEventHandler OMX.broadcom.video_decode – OMX_ErrorInsufficientResources, insufficient resources
    ERROR: OMXPlayerVideo : Error open video output
    DEBUG: JSONRPC: Calling application.getproperties

    The problem was “Insufficient Resources”. Googling on that I found a simple solution: add more ram for the GPU.

    1. Open a telnet session to the Raspberry Pi and log (user: pi, password raspberry on RaspBMC)
    2. Edit the config.txt file which is located in /boot.
    3. Set gpu_mem_512=256 (instead of the current value 128)
    4. Restart the Rasberry Pi using the command: sudo reboot

    If editing the config.txt file using “telnet” is not easy, possibly “ftp” the Raspberry to “get” the file, edit this one on Windows and “put” it back.

    Regarding the codec problem that can occur, it’s usually for mpeg2 video as one has to purchase the mpeg2 license and configured the raspberry pi. See this blog for details.

    About logging: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Log_file/Easy

    About Raspberry pi : http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Raspberry_Pi/FAQ

    More about Ram usage and split between CPU and GPU (from Krzysztof Adamski)

    Click to Read More

    256MB version

    For older RaspberryPi, with 256 MB of RAM, 4 splits are available:

    • 240/16 – The most RAM size ARM can get (240MB) with mimial GPU memory. It’s the best for general computing when you don’t need 3D graphics or hardware video acceleration. It has enough memory to handle 1920x1200x16bpp framebuffer resolution. While 32bpp is also working, it’s not recommended since it leaves very small amount of free memory for GPU.
    • 224/32 – This one is deprecated in favor of 240/16 split. It has 3D and hardware video decoding build in but since there is not enough memory to actually use it, there’s little point in using it. Unless you have some problems with 240/16 split or want to use 32bpp framebuffer at highest resolution. It is possible it will be deleted in the future.
    • 192/64 – You need at least 64MB of GPU split to use hardware video acceleration or 3D graphics. It may not be enough GPU memory for hardware accelerated video playback at highest resolution or if you need a lot of GPU memory for things like textures.
    • 128/128 – The most RAM GPU can get. Use it when you need a lot of memory for 3D graphic card and hardware accelerated video playback in high resolution. This split is needed for RaspBMC to work properly or to play fullHD video content with omxplayer without problems.

    512MB version

    New versions of RaspberryPi has 512 MB of RAM. You have 4 additional splits designed for this version:

    • 496/16 and 448/64 – like 240/16 and 192/64 split for 256MB respectively but with 256MB more RAM available for ARM. Since GPU has only 16 MB/64MB or RAM, all the limitations from240/16/192/64 still apply.
    • 384/128 – Similar to 128/128 split for 256MB – you should get all the graphic chip features but with reasonable amount of ARM memory. This will probably be the most universal split right now.
    • 256/256 – Some bonus graphic card memory if you really need it, like for big textures and similar things. While 256MB of ARM memory is bigger than you could possibly have in older RaspberryPis, I don’t think this one will be used on many occasions.

    Loading

  • Cannot make my IMDB watchlist public?

    Each time I try to change my IMDB watchlist from “private” to “public”, it seems to be changed but comes back to “private” once I click on “Done”.

    This is a bug in the IMDB interface. There is fortunately a workaround: after changing the status of the list, add a movie in that list before clicking on “Done”.

    This bug is reported here.

    Loading

  • “Page not Found” in WordPress after Upgrade

    I got “Page Not Found” on any permalink clicked in my blog after doing:

    • an upgrade of the Synology’s WordPress package from 3.4 to 3.5.
    • and an upgrade all my Plugins.

    The problem was in the URL rewriting configured in the .htaccess.

    Click to Read More

    The easiest solution is to reset the “Default” common settings for the Permalink via the WordPress Dashboard. This will reset the .htaccess.

    1. Go into the DashBoard > Settings > Permalinks.
    2. Select “Default” in the “common settings”
    3. “Save Changes”

    Possibly set back next your favorite settings (such as “Post name” in my case).

    Voilà.

    Here is for information purpose the content of the .htaccess once fixed:

    [bash] # BEGIN WordPress

    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteBase /wordpress/
    RewriteRule ^index\.php$ – [L] RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
    RewriteRule . /wordpress/index.php [L]

    # END WordPress
    [/bash]

    Loading

  • Connect a Logitech Elite Keyboard on a generic Bluetooth dongle

    I am still using the Logitech Elite Bluetooth Keyboard I bought years ago. It was sold in a bundle with a Bluetooth Optical Mouse MX900 and a Bluetooth Hub. That Hub also served as a cradle to charge the Mouse.

    Logitech Elite Keyboard And MX900 Mouse
    Logitech Elite Keyboard, MX900 Mouse and Bluetooth Hub

    Since I don’t user the Mouse anymore and don’t need therefore the Cradle to recharge it, I thought I could get rid of it if I could connect the Keyboard on a Generic Bluetooth dongle or even better: on my onboard Bluetooth.

    Click to Read More

    Actually, I don’t use the MX900 mouse anymore since the Cradle does not recharge it anymore. I think the “contacts” are dead. This seems to be a quite common issue.

    And since my Asus P9X79 Pro MB comes with an onboard Bluetooth, I thought that I could completely get rid of the Logitech Hub which has its own power supply, a usb connector and a PS/2 connector… i.e.: too many cables :/

    This is well supported by Logitech as explained in their Bluetooth FAQ. Here is how to proceed on Windows 8:

    1. The Bluetooth must already be installed. The default “drivers” (Bluetooth stack) from Microsoft will work fine.
    2. Right-click the Bluetooth icon in the system tray and select “Add a Bluetooth device.”
    3. Click “Add a device” on top of the Devices list.
    4. While the Wizard is searching for new devices press the “Connect” button behind the Keyboard (The small white button next to the battery compartment). A generic Keyboard will appear in the list. It will only be displayed as a Logitech Elite Keyboard once installed.
    5. Once the keyboard detected and added, Windows will prompt you to type a passkey on the Keyboard. You must end by pressing ‘Enter’ to validate the passkey.
    6. Now, you have to disallow Windows to turn off the Bluetooth while entering the sleep mode otherwise the Bluetooth keyboard will appear “Offline” when you wake up the computer.
      1. Right-Click the Bluetooth icon in the system stray and select “Open Settings”
      2. Open the “Hardware” tab in the “Bluetooth Settings” pane
      3. Select your Bluetooth dongle (or onboard emitter) and click on the “Properties” button to open the “Bluetooth Properties” pane
      4. Click on “Change settings”. You will see a new tab “Power Management”
      5. Open this “Power Management” tab and deselect “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.
    7. The computer may have to be rebooted if the keyboard is not immediately enabled.

    The only drawback is that I won’t be able to use the keyboard at boot time (e.g.: to enter the bios) or in safe mode. To support that, the Logitech Bluetooth Hub came with a PS/2 connector.

    Loading

  • Fix Wi-Fi issue on Fuhu Nabi 2

    As I mentioned in a comment on this post, I was suddenly not able anymore to turn on the Wi-Fi of my Nabi 2. But it was easy to solve 🙂

    Click to Read More

    The situation when the problem occurred was this one:

    • My Nabi 2 is a UK version
    • The Product Version of my Nabi was 1.9.37 before rooting the device and installing the Gapps and it was still that version when the problem occurred.
    • I was using TWRP 2.2.2.1 as my Nabi 2 is suffering the Touch Screen Calibration issue with any next version.

    I have been reading many threads about that issue, mainly starting from this one. And I finally concluded that the only solution was to re-install the stock firmware, upgrade next to the latest Product Version and retry to root and install Gapps. It worked like a charm :p

    The easiest to do that is to use the Nabi Lab v2. It’s so well done and clear that the details provided here after are actually useless.

    1. If your PC is not ready (has the drivers) anymore to connect on the Nabi,  use first the menu 1.
    2. Use next the menu 3 to restore the stock firmware.
      • After this, my device was still running the Product Version 1.9.37 and all the original applications from Fuhu were back.
      • Most of the applications I installed from Google Play had disappeared but not all ?! I was expecting all of them to be swiped out…
    3. Reboot the device and go to the Settings > About tablet > Update to get the very latest Product Version.
      • In my case it moved from 1.9.37 to 2.0. I read somewhere that this one includes a fix or improvement related to Wi-Fi.. Good :p
    4. Back to Nabi Lab, use the menu 4 to root the device
      • I didn’t use the menu 1 to install TWRP, root the device and install Gapps because I wanted to keep the TWRP 2.2.2.1 proved to fit my Nabi regarding it’s Touch Screen Calibration issue.
    5. Finally, use the menu 3 to install Gapps.
    Et voilà. Wi-Fi is working and my Nabi is still rooted and has access to Google Play.
    Notice:
    • I did try to install TWRP 2.5.0.0 for Nabi 2 but I was still experiencing the Touch Screen Calibration Issue.
    • I did try also next “TWRP 2.3.3.0 for Nabi versions prior 1.9.37 (UK, …)” available with Nabi Lab v2 and it appeared to works fine on my Nabi! Great 🙂
    • What is still not great with the Nabi 2: there is no native support to move applications from internal to external SD. It’s well known that not all applications can be moved (Ex.: those with Widgets currently in use, …). But they could offer something to move the others like use of “simlinks” for each moved .apk..

    Loading

  • IE requests the root “/” of the website at the same time as any other page

    I have been reported that for 5 customers out of 10000, each time their Internet Explorer does GET a page (including a simple **blank** html page), it also requests next the root “/” of the website (i.e.: the “homepage”). This has been making me going nuts.

    Click to Read More

    This problem occurs when browsing any page of any site on internet as well as any page in any one of our business sites. So, it is absolutely not related the well known issues such as an image with an empty “src”, the use of the “base” tag, … Also, it occurs only when browsing with IE and not with Chrome, Firefox, …

    This is a major issue as far as our business sites are concerned as the first call to any page of our sites is consuming an authentication “ticket”. Once this ticket is consumed, it is not available anymore for subsequent calls made within the same session. And because it happens that the ticket is consumed by the call to the root instead of the call to the page actually browsed, the business applications sometimes fail.

    I already experienced such a weird behavior with Add-Ons aimed at “page rating”, “survey”, … Such Add-Ons are not always considered as “malwares” and therefore not reported by antivirus, etc..

    Unfortunately, the faulty PCs (where the problem occurs) do no have any such Add-Ons. They are also 100% “malware free”… Using TCPView from SysInternals, we have confirmed that the unwanted GET is done by IE and not by another process. Using WireShark, we have also confirmed that this GET is not done by IE due to an “http 302” (redirect) or any other similar reasons, that there is no suspicious proxy used during the communication, etc….

    Using Process Explorer, we have listed all the dlls loaded by IE both on a “faulty” PC and on a “normal” PC (where the problem does not occur). The purpose was to detect possible “third party” dll. But they all appeared to be from Microsoft. We noticed however one dll loaded on the faulty PC which was not reported on the “normal” PC: msrating.dll,  the interal “Internet Ratings and Local User Management” dll from Microsoft.

    Tilt! The purpose of this one sounds like the Add-Ons I mentioned above…

    As this dll is loaded by the IE’s “Content Advisor”, I have disabled this feature via “Tools-> Internet Options-> Content Tab” and the problem is now gone from all faulty PCs! Gotcha :p

    Also,  If I enable the “Content Advisor” on a “normal” PC, the problem occurs there too… confirming that this feature is the culprit.

    Finally, note that the access to the “Content Advisor” was protected by a user password  on one of the “faulty” PC and I had to hack it as explained here: http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Content-Advisor-Password-in-Internet-Explorer.

    Loading

  • Laptop’s Wi-Fi off after Windows 8 Update

    My  laptop Sony Vaio VGN CR31 has just rebooted after a Windows Update. Before the reboot, I was still browsing internet via the wifi connection. But after the reboot, the WiFi was OFF(*) although the WiFi switch (on the left side of the latop) was ON.

    (*)  In the network connection panel, the Wi-Fi was showing “Wi-Fi (Off)”.

    I did run the Windows troubleshooting on the internet connection and network adapter.  All drivers were up to date and no issue were found.

    After various attempt to uninstall the latest updates, I found the solution:

    • Press :win: + C  to open Windows 8 Charms menu
    • Choose “Settings”,
    • Click “Change PC Settings” at the bottom.
    • Choose the “Wireless” section. There, you can see two (or three) toggles: Airplane Mode, Wireless Devicess (and possibly Bluetooth).

    Wi-Fi was also turned OFF! Toggling Wi-Fi back ON fixed my issue. No idea why the Windows Updates (or the reboot or ???) did change that settings ?!

    Loading

Tags

Acer iDea 510 AirPlay Android Backup DD-WRT DNS DS209+ DS713+ DS1815+ FlexRaid Galaxy Galaxy S2 Galaxy S7 Google Assistant Google Home HTPC Kies MCE MySQL Nabi 2 Nvidia TV Shield One Plus One OnePlus One OpenHab Outlook Philips Hue Plex RAID Raspberry PI Remote Desktop Root Access Samsung Scripts Synology Team Build Visual Studio VMWare Wi-Fi Windows Windows 8 Windows 8.1 Windows 10 Windows Server 2012 XBMC Xpenology

Categories

Archives

Log in