How to issue a time resynchronization in Windows - cmd/batch

 Hello again, I'm back. I found some spare time to add some updated tricks concerning technology, and general tips for Windows or GNU/Linux. :)

I've been having some problems with the time synchronization in Windows 7, which required more often synchronization. So after some googling around, I came up with this little batch commands:

echo Current date/time: %date%_%time%
%windir%\system32\sc.exe start w32time task_started
%windir%\system32\w32tm.exe /resync
echo Fixed date/time: %date%_%time%
pause

Save it as a .bat file and run it as an administrator (right-click on file > Run as administrator).
It's nothing much, pretty dirty scripting I confess, but it does get the job done, at least in my case. I hope it will help someone else too.

See ya!

Software: Autopatcher is long gone, but...

According to this little announcement, it looks like the autopatcher all-in-one update project has gone down the drain. Instead of Microsoft congratulating and embrasing such a kind security offer from a programmer such as Antonis Kaladis, they send an email for "unlicensed redistribution" of copyright work. If you ask me, Microsoft has never heard of the words: promotion developers software
It might be old news, but I want to point something else. Take a look at how many times the world linux is mentioned! It is a fact that GNU/Linux and *BSD distributions are short of desktop users, but that's not a reason for begging!

I just looove the ranting that followed:

The future is Linux. Let Microsoft commit suicide if they so want to. 1

Looks like this guy never tried APTonCD:

And for all the people who are using this as the reason to jump to linux - good riddance. Make sure to post here after you get your Linux distro installed and have to download a number of packages and updates that makes Windows Update look like a blessing. 2

Nevertheless, this is NOT the ending of the AutoPatcher and easy patching era. As Kaladis has mentioned, the team is working on a web-based solution. If that solution can work with grabbing the downloads directly from microsoft.com, then I believe they can bypass that attorney notification. If that solution could also automatically create an iso image at the end, which would be useful in redistribution, then we're back in secure Windows ;)

Software: K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 3.30

Title:	K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 3.30
File size:	16.00MB
Requirements:	Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/XP64/Vista64
License:	Freeware
MD5 Checksum:	D9F69F391BAF242812E6FF304176ADCA

Mostly updates are packed with this new version.

"K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of codecs, DirectShow filters and tools. Codecs and DirectShow filters are needed for encoding and decoding (playing) audio and video formats. The K-Lite Codec Pack is designed as a user-friendly solution for playing all your movie files. With the K-Lite Codec Pack you should be able to play all the popular audio and video formats and even some rare formats."

The features:
• Player:
- Media Player Classic [version 6.4.9.0+ | Mod by Casimir666 v1.0.9.0]
• ffdshow:
- ffdshow [rev. 1371]
- extra plugins
- ffdshow VFW interface
• DirectShow video filters:
- XviD [version 1.1.3]
- DivX [version 6.6.1.4]
- CoreAVC [version 1.3.0.0]
- On2 VP6 [version 6.4.2.0]
- On2 VP7 [version 7.0.10.0]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (Cyberlink) [version 6.0.0.3402]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.3+]
• VFW video codecs:
- XviD [version 1.1.2]
- DivX Pro [version 6.6.1.4]
- x264 [revision 606]
- On2 VP6 [version 6.4.2.0]
- On2 VP7 [version 7.0.10.0]
- Intel Indeo [version 4.51.16.2]
- Intel Indeo [version 5.2562.15.54]
- Intel I.263 [version 2.55.1.16]
- Huffyuv [version 2.1.1 CCE Patch 0.2.5]
- I420 (Helix) [version 1.2]
- YV12 (Helix) [version 1.2]
• Real Alternative:
- RealMedia codecs [version 6.0.12.1741]
- RealMedia plugin for Internet Explorer
- RealMedia plugin for Firefox/Mozilla/Netscape/Opera
- RealMedia DirectShow splitter [version 1.0.1.2]
• DirectShow audio filters:
- MP3 (Fraunhofer) [version 1.9.0.311]
- AC3/DTS/LPCM (AC3Filter) [version 1.45b]
- MP1/MP2 (MainConcept) [version 1.0.0.78]
- Vorbis (CoreVorbis) [version 1.1.0.79]
- AAC (CoreAAC) [version 1.2.0.575]
- MusePack (RadLight) [version 1.0.0.4]
- WavPack (CoreWavPack) [version 1.1.0]
- OptimFROG (RadLight) [version 1.0.0.1]
- DC-Bass Source [version 1.0.0.0]
• ACM audio codecs:
- MP3 (Fraunhofer) [version 3.4.0.0]
- MP3 (LAME) [version 3.97]
- AC3Filter.ACM [version 0.4b]
- Vorbis [version 0.0.3.6]
- DivX ;) Audio [version 4.2.0.0]
• DirectShow source filters:
- AVI splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.7+]
- AVI splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.7.189.11]
- MP4 splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.7.189.11]
- MP4 splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.3+]
- Matroska splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.7.189.11]
- Matroska splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.2.9+]
- Ogg splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.7.189.11]
- Ogg splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.0+]
- FLV splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.2]
- MPEG PS/TS splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.3+]
- MPEG PS/TS splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.7.189.11]
- CDDA Reader (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.1]
- CDXA Reader (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.1]
- AC3/DTS Source (AC3File) [version 0.5b]
• DirectShow subtitle filter:
- DirectVobSub (a.k.a. VSFilter) [version 2.37 + fixes]
• Tools:
- GSpot Codec Information Appliance [version 2.70a]
- VobSubStrip [version 0.11]
- GraphEdit [build 041201]
- AVI Fixed [version 2.0b1]
- FourCC Changer
- Bitrate Calculator

The changes:
Changes from K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 2.2.5 to K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 3.3.0:
- Updated Media Player Classic [version 6.4.9.0+ | Mod by Casimir666 v1.0.9.0]
- Updated ffdshow to revision 1371
- Updated Xvid to version 1.1.3
- Added MainConcept MPEG decoder [version 1.0.0.78]. This will be used only for decoding MPEG-1
- Updated Codec Tweak Tool
- Lots of small changes and improvements
- Increased version to match the version of KLCP

You can download it from filehippo or free-codecs or even majorgeeks.

Bittorrent: Introducing Halite - small yet effective client program

Made in C++ using libtorrent, Halite Bittorrent Client seems very promising, introducing features found in μTorrent, but without the MPAA watching over your back ;)
Halite (named after the mineral NaCl, rock salt) holds the following features:

• Multiple downloads.
• Displays more detailed information for the selected torrent.
• Connection limits both global and per-torrent.
• Transfer rate limits again global and per-torrent.
• Trackerless torrents (using the Mainline kademlia DHT protocol).
• IP filtering with eMule ipfilter.dat import.
• Minimize to tray with transfer rate summary.
• Association with ".torrent" files.
• Option to limit the number of instances to one.
• Estimated time remaining indicator.
• Full Unicode support through UTF-8 and native Windows wide-char strings.
• Login support where tracker requires it.
• Ability to edit trackers specified in the torrent.

The only problem is that, as all open source projects, it needs a lot of volunteers to enrich its code and speed up its releases. They need translators as well. The bad thing is that this open source client is to be used only on Microsoft Windows :(

You can download the latest Halite at sourceforge or softpedia.

Microsoft: Windows XP still being bought

(Pictures belong to Microsoft.com and Microsoft in general, but the ranting that follows belongs to me!)

With all the Windows Vista ranting going around, the public is still buying the Windows XP Operating System. Either it's because 7 years of use made them prone to trying new stuff, or maybe they loved the RPC worm so much that they'd love to have it again. Maybe it's because they don't like to feel stupid by trying to make the user control every single step with a "Cancel or Allow" (Watch the mac advertisement, you'll love it, although I haven't seen such a cancel or allow dialog).

Problems were always part of every major upgrade to the Windows operating system family. So "to ease those [problems], some consumers are seeking out machines equipped with the more compatible Windows XP" (Reuters). Dell and HP started selling Windows XP machines again.

There's a final scenario to this occurance: People may be afraid to try the new thing before a Service Pack arrives, along with a pack of drivers for older hardware. The "fairy tales" about Windows Vista supporting old hardware are not so true, since just the aero theme requires some mega bucks spent on graphics card, not to mention the cost of the RAM required, the new processor and motherboard (these 3 usually go together).

I have the same PC for 4 years now, and I've been using Ubuntu Linux for the last year. It's somewhat more mind-pleasing to get a free operating system and help to spread the word instead of paying up to Microsoft (and pay specifically for antimalware products to feel secure).

Xbox 360: A problem that costs some billion dollars

Xbox 360 faced some hardware failures during this past year, and it looks like Bill Gates and his associates have been too "easy" when they were testing it. They couldn't detect the crash named "Red ring of death" or RROD; It constantly reminds me of the frequent BSODs (Blue Screen of Death) that I used to get on Windows 98 and Windows XP.

There's nothing more beautiful than a nice warranty, and it looks like M$ has extended it for all its customers due to the above named error. An extra. If I had a faulty game console (which I don't), I'd be requesting my money back, or file a nice law-suit for inappropriate testing; But hey, that's just me flaming some ugly hardware/software Windows-like activity. Speaking of Windows-like, isn't it weird Microsoft has the problems related to Windows on other products?! It sure makes me happy I'm over at the free side (ubuntu.com).

Come to think of it, no wonder Microsoft wants to make a pax romana deal with Linux distros (distributions, linux-based operating systems, "derivatives").

Well anyway, I wish Microsoft all the best in paying up and releasing in public that million-dollar fix (and they of course denied to reveal the source of the problem) :)