By Jove I've Got It! 7-zip saves the day.

So this past week I've been working on data recovery. This computer that I've been working on had such a catastrophic problem that you couldn't even boot into safe mode. Most searches for the errors I found pointed to nuke the drive and start over. So I took an image of the drive using Acronis True Image Western Digital Edition that comes bundled with new WD hard drives as it was the only tool I had installed that would create an image. Worked great, the backup was fast and complete. So I nuked the hard drive and reinstalled Windows. Whoo!

So I have a working computer now, problem solved. Now to go the extra mile and perform that data recovery. Should be simple right? All I have to do is mount the image using Acronis and copy the files over the network right? WRONG! The files were marked as private.

But no matter, I'm logged in as a Windows Administrator I have all rights to all things in my computer right? WRONG. Apparently there is a known disconnect with .tib files and permission settings that prevent anyone from taking ownership over those files.

But no matter, I've got VMware Workstation installed and it can convert from .tib files right? WRONG. At least in my experience, but maybe if if those .tib files were created using Acronis' server grade products, but not with the lowly Western Digital Edition. VMware gave a lovely error with this: "The source parameters are incorrect."

But no matter, I've got an ESXi distribution and VMware converter at work, that should be able to handle the conversion to VMware right? WRONG. see above for the same error message.

But no matter, Acronis True Image Home available for free 30 day trial can convert to VMware right? WRONG. Yeah it just flat out didn't do it.

So you're probably wondering how I was able to finally do it. Using the 30 day trial of Acronis True Image Home, I converted the image to a Windows Image (.vhd) then using 7-zip of all tools. I was able to open the image, see partitions stored in .img files, open those up again with 7-zip and extract the files. WHOO!!!

Now if that's not a kludge, I don't know what is.

My Sprint Blackberry and other random tidbits

Man I love my BB, it got me through this LOVELY southwest flight with its music player and games. I will say this if southwest.com hadn't been so lame and let me check in for our flight earlier like I wanted, I would probably be sitting next to my wife, that would be a lot better. We're flying out for my sister in laws wedding this weekend, she's getting married in the LA temple. I've never played so much Brick Breaker and Sudoku in my life. and I do have to say the media player is pretty good, much better than other phones I've used.

So I've been taking a break from learning / working on Karina's music instead I've been working on her website. I have launched it publicly yet, soon enough though. I've learned firsthand how powerful HTML & CSS in combination with JavaScript have become. I think we have a pretty sharp looking site. And a couple of HUGE shout outs for all the input and support I've gotten from Donald of DataWorks and Andy of wizardofogz.com design. I wouldn't have been able to accomplish much of anything without these guys answering every silly little question at 1am.

Posted from my Sprint BlackBerry 8530

I HAVE A TESTIMONY!

Well at 2am what better to do than to post a blog entry as I have been so diligently working on my linear algebra homework, okay elementary linear algebra homework.

So I read some rather disheartening news tonight, it’s probably very old in the world of news, but I just found out that Will Swenson the main actor in the infamous Mormon Cinema movie "The Singles Ward" is inactive and playing half naked in a revival production of the play "Hair" on Broadway, divorced with two children. I later found out the main actor of "God's Army" and producer/director Richard Dutcher has decided to leave the church though his wife and children will remain as members.

It’s interesting to me that in the key films in both of these men's lives, their characters have a brush with the very issue they are facing now. Swenson is inactive just as his character was in "The Singles Ward" and Dutcher has left the church just as he counseled the young missionary to avoid the filth of anti-Mormon literature in "God's Army". Just a little ironic to me, that's all. I do wish nothing but success and happiness for these men, I really do.

But I will keep this brief as I conclude with my testimony. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and I will announce this truth from the tops of the mountains! Or at least from my blog. I know that He and His Father appeared to a young farm boy in the spring of 1820 in upstate New York. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is just what it claims to be: God's church restored in the last days by His prophet. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God; I know he speaks intimately with our Lord and conducts the affairs of the Church according to the Lord's will. Now, I like facts, I like things that are tangible, that I can hold on to, that I can see, feel, dissect, see what makes it tick. And I know the Spirit of God confirmed to me the truthfulness of this Gospel more firmly in my heart than anything else ever has. The heavens and the earth may pass away, and science says they will, all that the Lord has promised shall be fulfilled.

First blog entry

So my wife is absolutely fantastic at updating her blog. Its only been a year since her first and last update. But then again I've technically had this blog since 2005 and didn't think about it for almost two years. But let's not dwell on Karina's or my past mistakes and move forward seeking progress and change!!
So we had a great morning Karina and I. We went over to James' s and worked on getting some piano recordings. They've been working together about two years now. I came into the picture about 8 months after they started as a third ear and have since progressed into their personal recording engineer (though I do not officially qualify for that title yet). James was able to record the piano track for five of their songs. The next step is for Karina to record her part and then comes the fun part where I go through and edit and mix it and put it into a beautiful sounding song.