Category: Blog

We have tons of standardized test, and one of the most irritating is TELPAs.  There are two parts that I know of:

1. Collecting writing samples
2. Online test

Both affect me.  To get a writing sample, they shut each of us down for a day (not the same day, and I choose to do it early this year).  The worst part, is that the later in the week you do it, the more the kids hate it.  So it was relatively easy to get kids to write so far, we'll see how the rest of the day goes.  

The online test makes me crazy in another way, they basically hijack as many computer labs are needed — we are supposed to do 2 labs over 3 days.  I'm pushing to do it in one, over the three days and let me have my "ACP" classes in session.  It really affects the over all internet as it is a very broadband intensive program.   The bad part, is the broadband for the district is affected over an entire 4 week period as we test all the students.

Since I'm campus tech I'm responsible for setting up servers, etc.  Another reason I'm pushing to use only one lab.

So how is it done at your school/district.

• Toshiba Notebooks -  After the experience this week I have confirmed I don’t want one.  Haven’t owned one long term, but have bought two of them in the past 10+ years and immediately returned them and got something else.
• Gateway – Anything.  Still have a sore taste in my mouth from buying a tablet notebook, , having it’s warranty sold to a company that went out of business within three months and unable to get any type of support.  Oh, and had a desktop that was "Vista Ready", but had to buy Vista AND more memory to run it.
• Sony – Anything.  Propriety forms, can’t even download images off of cameras without their software, their memory cards, etc.  Most cameras do use some type of propriety stuff, but gee, they are ridiculous!

Couple probably think of some more and might come back to add them.

FYI: Wrote this blog entry with contribute, so some things aren’t automatic, but it’s nice to have the old copies on the computer to edit.  Can also easily user live writer — referring to how nice Typepad is for blogging.

If you want a quick and easy way to blog, or to post photos on the internet, I really recommend TypePad.

I've known the owners for a long time, before they were even a company.  They wrote Movable Type which is one of the oldest blogging software.  I was on Movable Type for a long time but hated having to update it periodically for security and other upgrades.  In fact, that caused writer's block everytime I had to do it.

There are lots of ways to make blog entries.  Right now, I'm using the web interface, I log in, I type, and not only does my blog post get posted, but twitter gets notified.  Since I have twitter and Face book linked, Facebook gets notified too.

You can also blog directly from Facebook.  You can blog from your mobile device using a mobile client or app (I have downloaded the Windows Mobile app and blog from my phone frequently.  You can also send an email and that will post your blog.

You can have things set up so you get an email when there is a comment on your blog, then can reply to the comment email to make your reply.  That's very fast and simple.

They also have real people who answer the tech support tickets to help you — right now, you might see that I have a link to Typepad on the upper left hand corner which image is broken and I'm waiting an response to see how to fix that.  I asked the orginal question last night, got the answer a few minutes ago (I think 8:30 their time), and I'm sure I'll get the rest of the answer in a few minutes.

By the way, I do get paid for each referral, and their referral pay is pretty high.

I applied for a job with my district that pays more but also requires a ton more hours and a lot more responsibility.  Wasn't even sure I would still be a computer scientist if I took it.

Basically I waited too check on what happened to late.  The hiring manager told me he hadn't received the resume and cover letter and that I should check with HR.  HR told me that they knew Groupwise had been eating resumes but didn't know whose.  They sent my stuff to the hiring manager, and he said that he had already finished interviews and had paperwork ready for downtown.

I like my job except for 8th period, and I have a new plan.  I take my notebook, a portable desk, and a rolling chair and sit behind the most annoying children.  The way to get rid of me?  Get to work, I come back if they start being annoying.

So after creating a "recovery" disk, I had it delete the partions, and then the system wouldn't boot at all.

The weird part is that the Toshiba system would never read it's CD, but I could read it with an external CD-rom.  However, the system also wouldn't boot off of it with the USB.

So I loaded a generic XP Home version, ran all of the Toshiba drivers from the CD (using the external USB CD-Rom, moved the files back and installed iTunes. 

Hopefully he is happy.  It sure is working better than it did when I got it.

Well, the good news, is that I have all his data backed up on an external drive.  The bad news is that the Toshiba Utilities disk won't boot, and the Recovery disk boots, but only gives me choices that make no sense:

Reinstall some sort of Express Movie thing, Delete all the partions, or uninstall the Express Movie thing.

I tried the first, and there were no changes.  I deleted all the partions, and there is a small C: partition, I suspect recovery stuff, and the computer won't boot.  I'm on Plan C; now.  Install Windows XP Pro, and then see what I can do with the Recovery stuff.

It's reformatting the deleted partions, which is 76317 MB of disk space, and I'm doing the regular formmating as I don't want any of the Malware to remain.

FUN!

Our school has been hit with a bunch of virii — and one of the victims is one of our administrators.

I am doing something I NEVER do, which is to fix a personal computer.  Not sure why, probably the challenge. 

When my computers got hit, I reimaged, but I am trying to do this one with as least damage as possible.  I did lose a few weeks of files, but probably nothing important.  This one isn't backed up but he realizes he might lose everything.

So here's what I've done, and where I'm at.

First the problem:

When you turn on the computer and you attempt to log in you are immediately logged out.  This also occurs in safe mode.

What I've done:

1. Did a search on Windows XP logs in and logs off
2. Followed the directions on that page, didn't work.
3. 1.  Those directions said to copy a file.
4. Downloaded a copy of Windows XP Pro from MSDN, as at the very least, I can use that to wipe the hard drive and reimage the laptop.

The Good News:

He has the Toshiba Recovery disk but it won't boot.  Doesn't seem to be a bootable CD.

Right now:

I'm following the directions at http://saveme.danfischbach.com/ which I found doing the above search.
I've got a Vista Recovery Disk and his Save Me files downloaded.

AND IT WORKED!

I am able to boot into the computer, and do stuff.  My next step is to scan everything with some portable tools, uninstall his virus checker and put Microsoft Security Essentials.

Thank you Dan, and I'm going to ask my administrator to throw him some money, as he did the fix.

These people are awesome!

http://www.wildcrazyfun.com/keys/

For less than $6.00 and in about 4 days (with some bad weather between us), I got a new key for my Lenovo X61 and it took about 15 minutes and a small screwdriver to install.

My husband was very so what, but it makes a HUGE difference in comfort in typing and embarrassment factor in using.

Can’t say enough good things about their service.

And in about 10 laptops, this is the first key I’ve lost.  Basically I was trying to get a test script out of the keyboard and the latch broke.  I actually still have the key, and really just needed the latch assembly, they sent the key, the latch, the holder and the rubber cup.

When I left the building Thursday, we were pretty sure we weren't having school on Friday and the power was out.  We also had a major snow storm — at least major for Dallas.

I honestly expected to come in with the power still down — quite a few customers are still down in Dallas but my husband figured our neighborhood would be up quick since we are on a major street and half a block from another one.

He was right — we had street signs down — but the electricity was on.  Even my room lights were off, but I can't remember if I had them on or off — I suspect on as I was expecting to see a class.  Of course, the computers were all still off.

The great news is that all system were up this morning, and we have a ton that can go down.  My dean's wireless at home was down and I suggested she power cycle when she got home, but that's as far as I can go for her.

Thanks TAC!  As I know a ton of stuff went down when the power went off.   I also don't know which centers where actually down over the weekend, but we had a lot of people without electricity, thankfully not my house this time, even though I had all the emergency batteries charged.  Maybe that's why!

@weemooseus asked for a magic wand tonight.

Most people at my school think I have one.  I don't, but here's why.

9 out of 10 computer problems are solved by a reboot.  Shut the computer down, wait long enough for all capicitors to drain and turn it back one.  Actually that works 99 times out of 100 if you are running @faronics Deep Freeze.

9 out of 10 printer problems are solved by shutting down the printer, rebooting the computer, and trying again.

Most network problems are solved in similar ways.

The funnest part, is that most of the time, by the time I lock up my toys, get someone to watch my room, and go where the network is working, it's reset itself.  Of not, the reboot will solve the problem.

A lady got really upset today because I wouldn't go down to her room and bring my wand.  But it takes 10 minutes to leave the room, and I had kids to deal with.