Comments for Ben's Bits http://bensbits.com The Rantings of a Techie Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:53:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Comment on Booting DOS from a USB flash drive by Ghetto_Child http://bensbits.com/blog/2007/08/21/booting_dos_from_a_usb_flash_drive/#comment-229 Ghetto_Child Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:53:33 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=386#comment-229 Like Chris Merchant stated none of the FreeDOS iso files have those 3 fat bootsector bin/bss files in them. I'm trying to make an 8GB Corsair Flash Voyager into a multi standard usb bootable flash (USB-HDD-FDD-ZIP) but I can't figure out what to use for the -b option. If I use the included mbrfat.bin with the -b option the drive formats, reads, writes correctly. However attempting to boot it on my Acer Aspire 1410 Core 2 Solo Netbook produces the msg "HDDno operating system" and the system doesn't do anything after that. Like Chris Merchant stated none of the FreeDOS iso files have those 3 fat bootsector bin/bss files in them. I’m trying to make an 8GB Corsair Flash Voyager into a multi standard usb bootable flash (USB-HDD-FDD-ZIP) but I can’t figure out what to use for the -b option. If I use the included mbrfat.bin with the -b option the drive formats, reads, writes correctly. However attempting to boot it on my Acer Aspire 1410 Core 2 Solo Netbook produces the msg “HDDno operating system” and the system doesn’t do anything after that.

]]> Comment on Deconstructing the Car Talk Jukebox by Greg http://bensbits.com/blog/2008/11/07/deconstructing-the-car-talk-jukebox/#comment-250 Greg Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:37:00 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=150#comment-250 Thanks!! By the way, this script does the trick:<br /> <br /> #!/bin/zsh<br /> wget -q -O - 'http://www.cartalk.com/Radio/WeeklyShow/showAllsmil.xml' |<br /> sed 's/<>/<n>/g' |<br /> grep mp3 |<br /> sed 's/<audio src="//g' |<br /> sed 's/"title.*$//g' <br /> > /var/tmp/pls.m3u<br /> mplayer -playlist /var/tmp/pls.m3u<br /> Thanks!! By the way, this script does the trick:

#!/bin/zsh
wget -q -O – ‘http://www.cartalk.com/Radio/WeeklyShow/showAllsmil.xml‘ |
sed ‘s/<>/<n>/g’ |
grep mp3 |
sed ‘s/<audio src=”//g’ |
sed ‘s/”title.*$//g’
> /var/tmp/pls.m3u
mplayer -playlist /var/tmp/pls.m3u

]]> Comment on Using Google Apps on iGoogle by Tad http://bensbits.com/blog/2009/10/29/using-google-apps-on-igoogle/#comment-258 Tad Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:49:28 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=389#comment-258 I agree. I'd be very happy if there was somehow I could merge my Gmail/iGoogle identity with my primary Google Apps identity. And Speaking of not sharing, why is it apparently impossible to easily share/sync/swap contacts between different Gmail and Google Apps accounts? I agree. I’d be very happy if there was somehow I could merge my Gmail/iGoogle identity with my primary Google Apps identity. And Speaking of not sharing, why is it apparently impossible to easily share/sync/swap contacts between different Gmail and Google Apps accounts?

]]> Comment on The Open Source Microsoft Access Alternative by deko http://bensbits.com/blog/2008/10/05/the-open-source-microsoft-access-alterna/#comment-249 deko Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:30:10 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=315#comment-249 Access has the advantage of tight integration with the Office Suite and can make a very productive tool for advanced Office users.<br /> <br /> Why can't there be a repository of VBA code that owners of MS Office can download/upload as an open source project?<br /> <br /> I know Access is not open source, but why can't there be open source Access application? If all the code is freely available isn't it open source? Access has the advantage of tight integration with the Office Suite and can make a very productive tool for advanced Office users.

Why can’t there be a repository of VBA code that owners of MS Office can download/upload as an open source project?

I know Access is not open source, but why can’t there be open source Access application? If all the code is freely available isn’t it open source?

]]> Comment on Booting DOS from a USB flash drive by symbolset http://bensbits.com/blog/2007/08/21/booting_dos_from_a_usb_flash_drive/#comment-228 symbolset Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:42:35 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=386#comment-228 The easy way to do this:<br /> <br /> Clonezilla is a disk imaging linux distribution that uses syslinux and includes FreeDOS for ease of BIOS flashing. It's very easy to install and it's handy for making backups of your computer to a USB drive or network share.<br /> <br /> Download clonezilla from clonezilla.org. Format the pendrive FAT32 and copy all the files onto the root of the pen. From Windows open cmd.exe and change to utils/win32 and run makeboot.bat or from Linux terminal cd to utils/linux and run makeboot.sh to make the pen bootable. Copy the applications you want to use from DOS onto the pen.<br /> <br /> Boot the pen and select FreeDOS. A: will be the FreeDOS operating system image and C: will be the root of the pen.<br /> <br /> If you only want FreeDOS and not clonezilla, edit syslinux/syslinux.cfg so that it's the only menu option and delete the excess files. The easy way to do this:

Clonezilla is a disk imaging linux distribution that uses syslinux and includes FreeDOS for ease of BIOS flashing. It’s very easy to install and it’s handy for making backups of your computer to a USB drive or network share.

Download clonezilla from clonezilla.org. Format the pendrive FAT32 and copy all the files onto the root of the pen. From Windows open cmd.exe and change to utils/win32 and run makeboot.bat or from Linux terminal cd to utils/linux and run makeboot.sh to make the pen bootable. Copy the applications you want to use from DOS onto the pen.

Boot the pen and select FreeDOS. A: will be the FreeDOS operating system image and C: will be the root of the pen.

If you only want FreeDOS and not clonezilla, edit syslinux/syslinux.cfg so that it’s the only menu option and delete the excess files.

]]> Comment on Booting DOS from a USB flash drive by Chris Merchant http://bensbits.com/blog/2007/08/21/booting_dos_from_a_usb_flash_drive/#comment-231 Chris Merchant Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:29:44 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=386#comment-231 what i dont understand is i download fdbasews.iso and use magiciso to extract all the files. however there is no fat12.bin", "fat16.bin" and "fat32lba.bin" files. when i goto "FREEDOSPACKAGESSRC_BASEKERNELS.ZIP", there is no files, but there is 3 more folders labeled "doc", "packages" and "source". i have looked through out all three folders and even used the search option on the entire main folder and there are none of those three .bin files. i have downloaded the iso file many times and it is complete but yet these files are not in there. what i dont understand is i download fdbasews.iso and use magiciso to extract all the files. however there is no fat12.bin”, “fat16.bin” and “fat32lba.bin” files. when i goto “FREEDOSPACKAGESSRC_BASEKERNELS.ZIP”, there is no files, but there is 3 more folders labeled “doc”, “packages” and “source”. i have looked through out all three folders and even used the search option on the entire main folder and there are none of those three .bin files. i have downloaded the iso file many times and it is complete but yet these files are not in there.

]]> Comment on The Submarine Project by casandy http://bensbits.com/blog/2003/12/28/the_submarine_project/#comment-82 casandy Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:34:58 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=370#comment-82 get a plastic bottle poke three holes<br /> in it and put an eraser in it it works perfectly!!!!!!!!!<br /> <br /> <br /> you're welcome get a plastic bottle poke three holes
in it and put an eraser in it it works perfectly!!!!!!!!!

you’re welcome

]]> Comment on The Submarine Project by bella http://bensbits.com/blog/2003/12/28/the_submarine_project/#comment-83 bella Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:18:21 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=370#comment-83 make a aluminum boat and put a hole in the bottom of it and sit it in the tank then it will float for 5 seconds and then it will subsurface float and then it will sink. make a aluminum boat and put a hole in the bottom of it and sit it in the tank then it will float for 5 seconds and then it will subsurface float and then it will sink.

]]> Comment on The Submarine Project by J miller http://bensbits.com/blog/2003/12/28/the_submarine_project/#comment-84 J miller Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:44:34 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=370#comment-84 I just did this with my daughter. We used the film canister, 2 quarters, 1 penny, and 2 alka seltzer tablets. The only difference from the above scenario's was I left the alka seltzer's in the foil packet. I poked 4 or 5 holes in the packet, folded it up and stuffed in the film canister. <br /> Worked the first time! Yeah! I just did this with my daughter. We used the film canister, 2 quarters, 1 penny, and 2 alka seltzer tablets. The only difference from the above scenario’s was I left the alka seltzer’s in the foil packet. I poked 4 or 5 holes in the packet, folded it up and stuffed in the film canister.
Worked the first time! Yeah!

]]> Comment on The Submarine Project by Ndubisi Onimo http://bensbits.com/blog/2003/12/28/the_submarine_project/#comment-85 Ndubisi Onimo Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:38:34 +0000 http://franske.com/wordpress/?p=370#comment-85 this is gonna be kind of complicated, but you can use a strong metal water bottle filled with air. the hook a small but strong pump to it. after the pump(oh, yea, since its gonna be submerged all the electronic parts gotta be water tight)put an electronic sprinkler valve at the end of the pump. wire it so the valve will be closed when the pump is off and the valve will be open when the pump is pumping either way. when the pump brings water in, it will compress the air and eventually there will be too much water in the water bottle(the water bottle acts as a ballast) sink. when the pump brings water out the air will decompress and it will rise again!!! this is gonna be kind of complicated, but you can use a strong metal water bottle filled with air. the hook a small but strong pump to it. after the pump(oh, yea, since its gonna be submerged all the electronic parts gotta be water tight)put an electronic sprinkler valve at the end of the pump. wire it so the valve will be closed when the pump is off and the valve will be open when the pump is pumping either way. when the pump brings water in, it will compress the air and eventually there will be too much water in the water bottle(the water bottle acts as a ballast) sink. when the pump brings water out the air will decompress and it will rise again!!!

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