Michael Louis Scott June 1997 to Date

Disk Cleanup on the C: drive froze at the Office 2003 setup files. I have

Disk Cleanup from the D: drive to remove the old System Restore files worked

Over All the system is running just fine after the few minor problems.  It

I am most pleased with the final release particularly with the way it

Good Job Microsoft.

Mike Scott

End of Note: CIO

Note: <888> 08/08/04  Sunday 12:25 A.M.:  Some relatives are suppose to stop by Saturday August 14, 2004 to pick up the day bed from my living room and take it up to another relative's house in Kennebunkport, Maine http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/137.htm .  Of course we have planned to move it before, and it has not panned out, so I will believe when I see it.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/08/04  Sunday 12:20 A.M.:  Happy Birthday to a relative.  I installed and activated the Microsoft Reader http://www.microsoft.com/reader/default.asp  , and it recognized the existing books and other Microsoft reader format information my computer.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 11:55 P.M.:  I shut down the Gateway backup computer.  I burned to CD two copies of the XP SP2 final release for the German Version of XP.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 11:10 P.M.:  I have finished the maintenance on the Dell backup computer, and I am just about ready to shut it down.  I am still doing maintenance on the Gateway backup computer in the bedroom.  For beta testers XP SP2 final release to manufacturing is available in English and German presently, and I am downloading the German version in case I run into a German XP SP2 beta tester with a slow internet connection, or maybe I could lose a CD copy of it at the Mercedes Benz dealership here in Greenwich when I have the time.  When I first got into personal computers about 14 years ago this time around, I stopped by the local Greenwich, Connecticut Mercedes Benz dealership, and I gave them a German copy of the Borland Spread Sheet program that I happened to buy from a local Symantec employee at a tag sale or some other unlikely location.  The primary computer seems to be running just fine.  XP SP2 makes the XP system much more responsive, particularly since it refreshes all of the XP files on the system.  Of course to install it, one has to own a registered copy of Windows XP, and it supposedly will not install on pirated copies of XP.  Since I am a registered Windows XP SP2 beta tester as well as a Microsoft OEM, although I have never managed to sell any Microsoft products, although I talk and write about them all the time, I have to go by the rules of Microsoft beta testing and Microsoft OEM representation which are clearly explained on the internet.  It is not within my jurisdiction to release the final release of the beta copy of Windows XP SP2, but I did give a copy today to someone whom knows another beta tester with a slow internet connection.  If word gets around that it is a very stable and reliable final release, I think more people will be eager to try it, when it is finally released to the general public on August 28, 2004 as I recall reading.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 10:15 P.M.:  When I tested the two old HP computers on the side board table in the bedroom, the one with the monitor on the right and the lower of the two stacked CPUs works.  However, the upper HP CPU with the monitor on the left either has a defective SCSI drive or it lost its operating system.  It is an older 233 Mhz.  I will have to test it later on when I have some time.  I am running some maintenance utilities on the Dell backup computer and the Gateway backup computer.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 9:40 P.M.:  I moved my D: drive files temporarily to the C: drive in a D folder.  I then did a full system Automatic System Recovery backup of the entire system to the empty D: drive, and the procedure also creates a floppy disk for XP setup recovery.  I moved the D: drive contents back to the D: drive.  I then did a backup of my key C: drive files, My Documents folder, and music.  I then ran Norton Speed Disk on the C: drive.  They system is running quite well.  I was also able to clean up the old System Restore backup files by running Disk Cleanup on the D: drive, which also has the option to remove all but the newest system restore backup.  I have 8.71 gigabytes of free space on the C: drive and 3.64 gigabytes of free space on the D: drive.  I am also doing some system maintenance on the backup computers.  I need to install the Microsoft reader program on the primary computer when I have time because I still have my saved books on the hard drive.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 6:40 P.M.:  I ran each of the Active X scans in Norton Win Doctor 2003 separately, and they each ran to completion.  They fixed 68 problems.  I then ran an entire scan with Norton Win Doctor 2003, and it showed no more problems.  Possibly when I tried uninstall the Nvidia driver this morning, and it did not uninstall, and then when I tried to install the newest Nvidia ForceWare Release 60 graphics driver http://www.nvidia.com/page/software.html , but instead on reboot the system chose to install the older Nvidia driver and the VIA AGP bridge, it fixed the problem that I was having with Norton Win Doctor.  Basically the VIA AGP bridge is one of the VIA four in one motherboard programs which should have been on the computer already.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 6:10 P.M.:  I made and ate my usual salad www.geocities.com/mikelscott/salad.htm .  For the cheddar cheese portion, I used Helva a Good Muenster cheese.  I used all of the regular ingredients.  I had the salad with a glass of iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 4:45 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I went by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop, and I bought a APC uninterruptible power supply for $2.50.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I viewed the 70% off rack at the Greenwich Hardware store.  I toured CVS and starting tomorrow, they will have sardines for two tins for .99.  I used the bathroom at the senior and arts center.  I went down by the waterfront, and I chatted with some of the regular waterfront observers.  I then went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Time.  I then went by the Exxon gasoline station next to the Greenwich Library, and I bought $5 of regular unleaded gasoline at $2.259 a gallon for 28 miles per gallon usage.  I then returned home.  I plugged in the APC uninterruptible power supply in the bedroom next to the Slaymaker battery jump start system.  I will let it charge up for a day before I test it.  I checked my mail.  I got my www.cl-p.com electricity bill, and it was up to $145 in July from $95 in June.  I think there might be some sort of mistake, since normally it is about $95 in July.  I did have the air conditioner for a couple of weeks set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit instead of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but that should not have made a $50 difference.  The billing period is also for a longer period of five weeks.  Also the electricity rate was raised this past December 2003.  I still have credit on my electricity account, so it is already paid.  I still have $32.10 credit on the account. Connecticut Light and Power is currently deducting the full amount of the bill against the credit instead of the budgeted amount of $95 a month.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 10:00 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go out.  CIO

End of Scott's Notes week of 08/07/04:

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 9:15 A.M.:  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I have Norton System Works 2003 installed on my computer, so the version of Norton Win Doctor is from that package.  I will now send out my weekly notes.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 8:20 A.M.:  I ran Norton Win Doctor without the first two Active X options selected.  I ran CCleaner with the defaults except for cookies.  I ran Norton Fast and Safe Clean Sweep.  I currently have 7.3 gigabytes of free space on the C: drive.  The computer seems to be running just fine.  Earlier when I restored the system with System Restore after I had installed the new Internet Explorer updates interface, I am not sure if I now have the old or the new updates interface, but it currently shows that I do not need any Windows Updates.  I have automatic updates disabled.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 8:10 A.M.:  Last night before going to bed, I ran Norton Disk Doctor.  I just ran Ad-aware 6.0.  I went outside briefly.  It is cool this morning at 58 degrees Fahrenheit http://www.w3.weather.com/weather/local/06830 .  CIO

Note: <888> 08/07/04  Saturday 7:40 A.M.:  I stayed up until midnight.  There are a couple problems with the Windows XP SP2 final version new install.  One is that the computer freezes on Disk Cleanup on the C: drive.  The other is that it freezes on Norton Win Doctor when running the running the first two Active X scans.  I tried fixing this by installing the newest Nvidia ForceWare Release 60 graphics driver http://www.nvidia.com/page/software.html , but that did not seem to improved the system, and it seemed a bit unstable, so I did a System Restore to the way the computer was when I first installed XP SP2.  It now has the Nvidia driver from 10/06/03 version 5.2.1.6, but besides those two problems, the system seems to be running very stable.  I had a telephone call from a friend about 7 A.M. this morning.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 10:00 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed.  The Standby feature still does not work, but I never really used that feature much anyway.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 9:40 P.M.:  I chatted with a friend.  I am microwaving a Kraft Its Pasta Anytime 11.5 ounce alfredo and noodles dinner, which I will have with a glass of iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 9:10 P.M.:  I installed the new Windows Update in Internet Explorer.  In XP SP2 the firewall for my LANS and Bridge are enabled and working.  I ran Norton Win Doctor, and it fixed 17 problems.  I chatted with a relative and a friend.  The computer system is running just fine.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 8:25 P.M.:  The XP SP2 final release installation went smoothly on my system except for one minor problem.  After installation and on reboot the first time on my two monitor system booting AGP init in the CMOS when the PCI monitor came awake the system froze.  I then booted again, and set it boot to PCI init in the CMOS and the system froze at the same point.  I then changed my video init in the CMOS back to AGP and booted again, and the system finally booted successfully completing the installation process.  I would imagine the boot process did something with the video.  However, once the system booted, it was setup the same as before with the Windows XP SP2 features.  I did not enable automatic updates.  I did a system restore backup, and then I rebooted again to save my first startup settings.  The system seems to be running normally.  I will now check it out and look for any updates.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 8:20 P.M.:  XP SP2 final release is install successfully on my primary computer system!  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 7:35 P.M.:  Well, it is August and not much is going on, so I will go ahead and install the XP SP2 final release.  If all goes well, I should be back up and running in 40 minutes or less.  I will disable Norton AntiVirus 2004.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 7:30 P.M.:  I deleted my seven part C: drive to D: drive backup on the D: drive.  I then did a full backup of the computer system using the Automated System Recovery backup procedure which created one large backup file on the D: drive and a ASR floppy disk that one can run from text mode XP setup by pressing the F2 button.  I also backed up my folders except program and system files, My Documents Folder and the music files. I do not have room on the D: drive for the installed program and system files in smaller backups, but I have it all in the ASR backup. Before doing the ASR backup, I moved the contents of my D: drive to the C: drive, so during the ASR backup the D: drive was empty, and then I returned the D: drive contents to the D: drive from the C: drive.  I was able to download the final version of Windows XP SP2 from the beta site to my D: drive, and I also burned it to a CD.  I am debating whether to try to install it or not.  I went outside a couple of times and watched television while downloading the final release of XP SP2.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 4:20 P.M.:  I ate a Nature's Valley granola bar.  I watched some television.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 2:50 P.M.:  I went through my email.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 1:45 P.M.:  I tested my sound card output into the stereo system with the wire that one connects hanging above the orange mirror.  The sound output from the sound card works in the stereo system when the wires are connected together and the CD option button on the stereo is selected.  I tested it with the XP DVD video of the Living Ocean.  I installed a couple of screen savers from the DVD disk too.  I will now run Norton Win Doctor.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 1:15 P.M.:  I scanned the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 beta newsgroups.  I noticed that there was the suggestion for SP2 that if one had an Nvidia video card which I do that one should install the latest drivers in the Nvidia ForceWare Release 60 graphics driver http://www.nvidia.com/page/software.html .  I downloaded the software package, and then I uninstalled my current Nvidia drivers in the Add/Remove software panel.  I then rebooted which is part of uninstallation.  However, when I tried to extract the latest Nvidia software package, the system froze twice.  I then did a Safe Boot, and I was able to extract and install the Nvidia software package.  However, when it came to installing the latest Nvidia GeForce4 MX 440 driver, I was prompted that it had not passed the Windows XP compatibility test, so I did not install it, and I let the Nvidia software package finish its installation process.  I then did a normal boot.  In the device manager, the Nvidia video driver showed a problem, so I tried installing the new Nvidia software package from the extracted file, and then I rebooted.  The Nvidia driver showed a problem in the device manager, so I ran Update driver, and it installed the previous driver version 5.2.1.6 dated 10/06/2003.  I then rebooted, and the system is running just fine.  I had to reconfigure my multiple monitor settings.  However, I am not sure if the current driver would be Windows XP SP2 compatible or not.  However, since presently I do not intend to install SP2 once released, it does not really matter.  One should remember, I tried installing it with one each of the two video cards PCI and AGP and with just the one board AGP video and in all three cases it did not install and crashed my system.  Possibly it is the second hard drive on IDE1 with my Syntax SV266M motherboard, but I do not want to risk a complete system crash to try the SP2 beta currently available.  When the final release of SP2 is released soon, I will look at how it is released whether as one update or a group of updates which might be safer for my particular system.  Around noon I ate a half of a 12 ounce jar of dry roasted peanuts with iced tea, and I just now ate a dozen triscuits with iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 10:40 A.M.:  I finished my house cleaning and watering the plants.  I also cleaned the kitchen stove fan and its filter which gets dirty from my smoking cigarettes there, when I turn on the kitchen fan to smoke cigarettes in my apartment at that location.  I also sprayed Febreze on the fabric items in the apartment.  I also used one of the Electrolux vacuum cleaners to vacuum up behind the long green sofa and the around the edges of the carpet to pick up lose dirt and dust.  Last night I also noticed the Honeywell Hepa air purifier was not turned off, so I turned it on.  It the electricity goes off, it has to be restarted whenever there is a power failure.  I threw out the garbage, and I picked up my mail.  I will now do some computer work.  I figure that although it is a nice day, the purpose of having a computer beside doing computer maintenance on it, is also to do some computer work on it, which I normally do when I am not maintaining it.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 7:05 A.M.:  I just ate breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  As usual I watched some of the Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/ while having my coffee.  I will now do my house cleaning and watering the plants.  Although I can not put the computer on standby, I can Log Off, and I can let Power Saving features take effect.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/06/04  Friday 5:45 A.M.:  I was up at 4:30 A.M..  I watched some television.  I went to http://www.pcimicro.com/ , and I ordered SYBA USB 2.0 4+1 PORTS RETAIL BOX for $7.50 including shipping.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 9:05 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 8:35 P.M.:  I microwaved a Kraft Pasta anytime alfredo dinner, which I had with a glass of iced tea.  I chatted with a friend.  I ate half of a 12 ounce jar of dry roasted peanuts with iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 7:25 P.M.:  I chatted with a friend.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 6:45 P.M.:  I played the Microsoft XP DVD Do Amazing Things, and I watched the 40 minute video about the Ocean.  If one moves the Windows Media Player to the center computer Sony Monitor, and turns on the Orion television and selects the AV mode for AUX 2 with the Orion remote, one can view the same content on the larger television monitor in very good quality.  One also has to enable the Creative Live MP3+ sound card, and there is a feed into the television monitor for sound.  However, since I have so many speakers plugged into the Y jacks plugged into the two sound card speaker ports, the output into the television is very weak, and one has to put the television sound on maximum volume which I do not like doing to get weak audio.  I suppose on could connect the two wires on the orange mirror to the right of the primary computer, and since the wire feeds into the stereo system, if one presses the phono button on the stereo amplifier as I recall or the CD button or one of the two, it plays the computer sound card output into the apartment stereo speaker system which should be loud enough since it is amplified, however one would have to be careful not to disturb the neighbors.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 4:50 P.M.:  I downloaded installed the Microsoft Windows Memory Diagnostic Program http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp , and I created the memory test boot diskette, and I ran one cycle of the memory test, and my computer memory passed the memory test, so my computer memory is just fine.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 4:10 P.M.:  I relaxed a bit.  I went outside briefly.  I assigned the usual password to Windows logon, so I can log off and activate the screen saver and secure the computer, since standby mode does not work.  According to Microsoft to activate Standby, I would have to reinstall the operating system.  However, since to reinstall the operating system, I would have to disable the features such as power management that Windows XP recognizes and thus installs the Standby feature, thus Standby probably would not be installed anyway, and I would be back to the current state.  Microsoft announced that it will release Windows XP SP2 soon, but I do not intend to install it.  In my earlier notes, I mentioned that when I did the new install of Windows XP, I tried installing Windows XP SP2 RC2 on my system with the Syntax SV266M motherboard with all of the cards, USB, other devices removed and disconnected, and the CMOS settings all disabled that could be disabled, and SP2 RC2 would crash the system, and one would not be able to recover from it except to reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows XP.  I thus do not have the time to risk crashing my system just to install the SP2 update.  Also I already have downloaded and installed all of the other updates, so I have most of SP2 anyway.  However, I did not disconnect the second hard drive on IDE1 which supposedly can cause a problem on installation and possibly with XP SP2 installation.  However, I do not want to take the chance to see if that would permit me to install XP SP2.  Having spent five weeks mostly full time to get the system back to its current state, I do not feel like facing a major period of reconfiguring my computer.  Also possibly beta testers might get a free copy of the full version of the final release.  If I do get that, I can put it on my Dell backup computer.  Since I have Norton Internet Security 2004, I already have most of the same security features if not better offered by XP SP2.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 2:35 P.M.:  I do not have my 3 P.M. appointment today or next Thursday.  I went out after the last message, and I went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  All of their merchandise continues to be half price.  I bought a two tiered oak CD rack about 18 inches by 12 inches by about 5 inches for a dollar.  I then went downtown, and I spent a dollar parking, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by the Greenwich Hardware store 70% rack in the front of the store, and they still have two sets of snow chains on sale.  They also have 75 watt sunlight bulbs for about $10.  I then went by CVS, and I bought two 11.5 ounce Kraft Pasta Anytime microwave alfredo meals for $1.99 each for $3.98 total.  I then completed my walk.  I sat out for a while.  The flower bed around the veterans monument has flowers that sort of look like red snap dragons, and they are attracting a lot of bumble bees this year, particularly in the early morning hours.  I then drove down by the waterfront, and I chatted with one of the regular fishermen.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought seven 6 ounce cans of Bumble Bee solid white albacore tuna fish for $1 each, two 6.5 ounce dry weight cans of California black pitted olives for .99 each, a 10 ounce box of fresh mushrooms for $2.29, a five pound bag of yellow onions for $3.49, a 10 ounce bag of fresh spinach for $1.99 for $16.75 total.  I remember something while I was sitting on the veterans bench downtown.  I put the Microsoft Windows XP presentation DVD CD in my Microsoft Windows XP presentation bag at my bedroom entrance along with the TS/2 presentation bag which has the TS/2 DVD disk.  I put both of the DVD disks by my primary computer on the top CD rack to have ready to view.  I next returned home, and I picked up the mail.  I put away my groceries.  I put the new CD rack on top of the existing two shelf wicker rack to the right of my primary computer chair, and I rearranged the computer CDs in both racks with the most important ones towards the top.  Thus I have more room for computer software CDs if I can ever afford them.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/05/04  Thursday 9:05 A.M.:  I took down the Saudi Arabian flag from the center hallway bookcase, and I folded it up, and I put it in the center drawer of the living room long mahogany bureau on the far right side underneath some clothes.  I decided the current weather is too cool, so more than likely any Saudi Arabians would not be showing up anytime soon.  Basically the Saudi Arabian hospitality flag is occasionally flown trying to curry favor with the energy people in hopes to get more heating assistance for my apartment and our building which tends to be rather cold during the winter.  We do not actually expect any Saudis would show up for hospitality, but I recall during the cold winters of the early 1980s in Manhattan, the Saudi Arabian flag was flying along the United States flag at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, and it was about the only place in Manhattan that was actually warm.  Since at the moment, the general public might be suspicious of middle eastern symbols, I will not fly it for now.  I made and ate my usual salad www.geocities.com/mikelscott/salad.htm .  For the cheddar cheese portion, I used Heluva A Good Muenster cheese.  I had the salad with a glass of iced tea.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go downtown for some errands.  CIO