GSL Ads + AdBlock Plus

GSL has changed the way they show ads.
Now you will find that with AdBlock enabled, the game VOD won't load.

I have come up with a SOLUTION:
Add the custom filter: @@adap.tv/redir/client/static/as3adplayer.swf

For Google Chrome:
Go into AdBlock Options (Right click the stop sign with a hand on the address bar, and click Options)
Click the Customize tab
Next to "Manually edit your filters", click the Edit button and add the line:
@@adap.tv/redir/client/static/as3adplayer.swf

For Mozilla Firefox:
on the menu bar, click Tools, Adblock Plus, Filter Preferences.
Click the Customize tab
Make sure "Exception Rules" is checkmarked and highlighted on the left, and on the right click the "Add Filter" button.
Type in @@adap.tv/redir/client/static/as3adplayer.swf and press enter.



(Explanation: @@ means exception, and this .swf file is what is used to "play" the ads which is a pre-requisite for the VOD to load, however the ads still won't play due to the OTHER rules that are in place for the domains the ads come from.)

RANT: Honestly I feel the $109 yearly Premium subscription I paid for should include ad-free watching capability. And since I already bought my subscription for 2013, I can't just "upgrade" to the $149 for "Premium Plus" package for no ads.

Network+ Certification

Passed my 2nd certification today, Network+. w00t.  :-) And it actually was a lot harder than A+.
Cost $260 to sign up for the test and $43 for a self-study textbook :P
Now I have enough credentials to be a full fledged Network Administrator.

• CompTIA Network+ Certified since 1/30/2012 (score 825/900)

Covering such topics (very partial list) as :
Identify the following address formats: IPv6; IPv4; MAC addressing.
Identify common IPv4 and IPv6 routing protocols.
Explain the purpose and properties of routing
Identify common physical network topologies
Categorize LAN technology types and properties
Explain common logical network topologies and their characteristics
Install, configure and differentiate between common network devices.
Explain the advanced features of a switch
Given a scenario, utilize the appropriate hardware tools.
Explain common features of a firewall
Explain methods of user authentication
Explain issues that affect device security.

Each topic above is in laymans terms but the knowledge tested was very technical, and just goes to prove my 15 years of experience and 20,000+ hours are more than sufficient.

I may write a tutorial about what the exam concentrates on, later on, from my study notes and textbook.

icacls takeown ??-?? scripting for removing localized locale directories in system32 with access denied

Windows Server 2008 has permissions locked down tight on the system32 directory.
I ran into an issue when I wanted to remove all the localized directories (AR-SA, BG-BG, CS-CZ) - I will never use them and I wanted them gone (except for EN-US). This is what I finally ended up with as a solution. It was a learning process. I realize it can be scripted in a neater way but this was the most logical for me.

dir C:\Windows\System32\??-?? /aD /b > c:\output.txt

  - Now open the output.txt file and remove EN-US so it doesnt get deleted!!!

for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do takeown /F C:\Windows\System32\%i\* /A /R
for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do icacls C:\Windows\System32\%i\* /grant Administrators:F /inheritance:E /T
for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do del /S /Q /F C:\Windows\System32\%i
for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do rmdir C:\Windows\System32\%i

        - Now do the same thing on Syswow64 (32-bit location on a 64-bit system = WoW)

for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do takeown /F C:\Windows\Syswow64\%i\* /A /R
for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do icacls C:\Windows\Syswow64\%i\* /grant Administrators:F /inheritance:E /T
for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do del /S /Q /F C:\Windows\Syswow64\%i
for /f %i in (c:\output.txt) do rmdir C:\Windows\Syswow64\%i

Explanation with {my own description of whats being done inside the curly braces}

• dir C:\Windows\System32\??-?? {list all files or directories with the locale pattern ??-?? like AR-SA} /aD {make sure only all directories are listed} /b {bare output suitable for scripting} > c:\output.txt {pipe the result into a text file}
• Remove "EN-US" (or your particular locale that you use from output.txt because everything listed in output.txt is going to be deleted very shortly)
• for /f {for every line in a file} %i {read the first value} in (C:\output.txt) {this is the file to read values from dont include spaces otherwise you will have to use " " inside the ( ) and throw on a "usebackq" in quotes after for /f} do {the command that follows is executed on every %i value from the file one by one}
• takeown /F {specify a file or directory to take ownership of} C:\Windows\System32\%i\* {each localized directory that we want taken over} /A {give ownership to the administrators GROUP not "Administrator" itself} /R {Recurse subdirectories and files}
• icacls C:\Windows\System32\%i\* {specify what directory or file you want access to} /grant Administrators:F {grant Administrators group FULL permission} /inheritance:E {enable inheritance on the directory specified} /T {recurse subdirectories and files}
• del /S {delete all subdirectories and files} /Q {without confirmation} /F {force delete of any read-only files} C:\Windows\System32\%i {every locale dir with the value %i from the for command}
• rmdir C:\Windows\System32\%i {remove the empty directories once done} (god i miss deltree)

Linux Mint 12 mint4win WUBI

I have created a mint4win.exe WUBI installer - (works on Linux Mint Version 12 DVD version and CD version) - WUBI installs Linux Mint inside of Windows allowing for an easy install/uninstall process.
I did this because the DVD version does not include mint4win.exe and there was an arbitrary decision why it was not included.
There is no technical limitation stopping the inclusion of mint4win.exe on the DVD.
I recompiled it from the sourcecode from Sourceforge mint4win project on 11/23/2011.
It is hosted @ http://www.mediafire.com/?6fvdrdh8gozutis
It does not work on version 11 due to internal checking routines that I did not decide to edit.
---{(2 Easy Instructions)}---
1. Put linuxmint-12-gnome-dvd-64bit-rc.iso into the ROOT Directory (ie: C:\, D:\, E:\, Z:\, Q:\, L:\)
or whatever your .ISO is named, you can rename the ISO because mint4win does not check the name)
MAKE SURE IT IS IN the ROOT directory (ie C:\ D:\ E:\ -> Z:\)
2. Double click mint4win-12.exe (it will scan the root directories for any ISO between 600MB and 4.7GB and scan for any physical or virtually mounted DVD/CD, and analyze what it found to make sure what it found has the correct files.
---{(Additional Info)}---
This mint4win-12.exe Only works on version 12.
This mint4win-12.exe does not automatically download from the internet (please download the ISO first from a mirror)
If you use a physical DVD/CD you can choose the "Demo/Full Installation" option - but this does not install into Windows, it is exactly like using booting the disc itself and bypasses any functionality of mint4win and WUBI therefore you should not choose this option -
Choose "Install into Windows" to use mint4win (WUBI)
If you use a virtually mounted DVD/CD DEFINITELY do not choose "Demo/Full Installation" because it will try to reboot and the virtual drive won't be there anymore.

Here is the thread that I posted it to:
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/687

As far as converting disks - the backup and system scan with TestDisk is overkill but of course it will work. The testdisk method is irrelevant to dynamic -> basic conversion - although testdisk is greatly useful if you have additional errors in the partition table...... I have converted many dynamic disks (working and non-working/non-bootable) back to Basic by changing the "Type 42" (dynamic disk) to "Type 07" NTFS as it says in the workaround section of "Microsoft KB article 913964" with a Disk Hex Editor such as (http://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/).

• " In the editor, find the 01C0 line. In this line, the third pair of numbers on the right is 42. Change 42 to 07".................

HOWEVER THERE IS A CATCH (and maybe why it didnt work for you). Essentially -

• To sum up - If your 01C0 line says "42 A3" - That is the system reserved(boot) partition (the A3). If it says "42 EF" - That is the Windows install partition (the EF).
• Hex-edit both instances of "42" to "07" (the third hex pair on line 01C0 and line 01D0).
• This is necessary because only some simple Dynamic disks are created with 01C0 as the only partition.
• With Windows 7 dynamic disks that contain the System Reserved boot volume(100MB), - The 01C0 line is followed by lines 01D0, 01E0 and 01F0 all having "42" in the third pair of numbers. The 1st and 2nd one correspond to your System Reserved and Windows Installation partition respectively. (The 3rd and 4th are the dynamic disk partition data info).
• This is very reliable and I have tested it while writing this post.

Once you finish hex-editing, reboot, and the system SHOULD boot right up.

If you have line 01E0 and line 01F0 indicating "42" - change those to 07 as well - it will allow them to be removed- Disk Management will detect those 2 unused partitions (what was #3 and #4) in Disk Management (in the top portion they will show as Dynamic Missing Failed (one being 100MB and the other being the same size as your HDD) simply right click, Delete the two that have error'ed out icons with no name, Close out Disk Management, Re-open it. Now it will show up 2 more unlabeled partitions with sizes 0MB and 1MB (possibly having been given a drive letter showing up in my computer that shows as a RAW unformatted partition) ... right click DELETE those (0MB and 1MB RAW) And the process is done.

I have done this with much success. The Microsoft and most tutorials on the web fail to mention all 4 partitions (The most important difference that I listed is - if you use Windows 7 (it comes with a SYSTEM RESERVED 100MB partition being partition 1(line 01C0) and Partition 2 is your windows installation - If you don't change partition 2 to 07 (line 01D0) as well - You are essentially not allowing the system to find your NTFS drive volume with windows on it.