Saga of Installing Creators Update
The whole update process took around an hour and 20 minutes to complete.
FRIDAY, SEPT 1:
Here, I thought it would be super easy to install the Windows 10 Creators Update (1703) which released in April (I have Defer Feature Upgrades turned on). Should run just like a regular update right? Not so much for me.
The previous Friday is when the update first tried to install, getting nowhere past 0% then my computer seemingly locking up. Reboot, revert changes, back to normal. Try it again, same result.
Fast forward a week to the 1st, Windows is redownloading the update, while it’s doing that, I’m researching reasons why the update will fail. Most blogs and tech sites show error codes and the like, but since I never got to an error code I thought I was out of luck.
I checked the Ecent Viewer for clues and found an error relating to the volume manager crashing, around the time the update was running. I was thinking this may have been from my forcing a shut down when the computer locked up, but further investigation revealed that the system partition was too small.
So I went on a partition enlargement adventure with EaseUS Partition Master. I shrunk the C: drive a little bit, ~3GB, then moved the freed space to the beginning where the system partition is, then used the free space at the beginning of the disk to expand the system partition.
This is all made easy using Partition Master. Luckily I had used EaseUS ToDo Backup to make a system image before doing any of this trying to install the update again shenanigans. Once I was done finagling the partitions, I clicked apply and it told me I had to reboot to complete the process, then I was greeted with this screen on boot:
Needless to say, if the system locked up at this stage, I would’ve needed to use that backup taken just 30 minutes or so before.
Once the partition move and merge was complete, the system rebooted once more and then began running the update. Lo and behold, it started chugging then kept on chugging. The whole update process took around an hour and 20 minutes to complete.
And that’s all she wrote.
CnC:Online Setup For Generals/Zero Hour
- Complete account setup on https://cnc-online.net/connect/register/
- Make note of your Generals/Zero Hour server login info
- If you haven’t already, download and install Generals/Zero Hour
- Download and install GenTool
- Download and install fixed launchers
- Only install fixed launcher for Generals and Zero Hour, so deselect everything except that one
- Launch the game from Origin, or other launcher
- Change resolution and graphics settings if you havent already
- Multiplayer > Online > enter your username and password from step 1b, choose a nickname, enter your age or one that makes you over 13 > Connect
Impromptu Weather Station
A few weeks ago I purchased an OurWeather kit from SwitchDoc Labs to turn into a place anywhere weather station. Never got around to setting it up for testing, until a couple days before Hurricane Matthew arrived. I was able to update the firmware and connect to the station to the Weather Underground Personal Weather Station Network.
Station ID: KFLEUSTI14
Notes: Wind vane was not calibrated to north, AM2315 (temp/humidity) sensor is not weatherproof and was intermittent due to water intrusion, pressure sensor intermittent due to voltage spike.
The following are pictures of the set up.
Quest for Home Automation
Having looked into the various ways of home automation, I finally settled on WeMo to start with. Instead of having smart bulbs, I just want to put in smart switches, for now.
I have installed 1 WeMo so far, and it’s pretty legit to say the least. I may get some Phillips HUE lights as well and integrate the HUE Hub with the Home Remote layout.
I also found Home Remote to control many automation devices. This is cross-platform control software, you design your own layout with the designer and upload it to your device. Below is a tour of my first layout.
MediaMonkey Stats
MediaMonkey Music Library Statistics
MediaMonkey Music Library Statistics
Totals | ||
---|---|---|
Type | Library | Played |
Artists | 743 | 1 |
Albums | 627 | 1 |
Genres | 47 | 1 |
Years | 78 | 1 |
Playlists | 28 | 2 |
Tracks | 4777 | 1 |
Length (h:mm:ss) | 330:39:33 | 0:03:21 |
File size | 41.4 GB | 7.05 MB |
Averages | ||
---|---|---|
Type | Library | Played |
Tracks per Artist | 6.6 | 16 |
Tracks per Album | 7.6 | 13 |
Tracks per Genre | 98.9 | 1244 |
Tracks per Year | 13.1 | 1 |
Bitrate (kbps) | 288 | 256 |
Year | 1976 | 2009 |
Tracks played per day | – | 1 |
Rating | ***** | ***** |
Length (h:mm:ss) | 0:04:09 | 0:03:21 |
File size | 8.87 MB | 7.05 MB |
Top 10 Artists | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Artist | Length | File size |
143 | James Taylor | 8:58:05 | 987 MB |
138 | Skillet | 10:14:52 | 3.09 GB |
123 | John Denver | 7:46:09 | 853 MB |
95 | Elton John | 7:16:02 | 807 MB |
83 | Nightwish | 7:18:14 | 714 MB |
75 | Lindsey Stirling | 5:14:26 | 3.59 GB |
73 | Stratovarius | 6:53:46 | 830 MB |
70 | Crosby, Stills & Nash | 4:22:12 | 485 MB |
69 | The Beatles | 2:14:41 | 240 MB |
65 | The Carpenters | 3:17:26 | 367 MB |
Top 10 Artists played | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Artist | Length | File size |
4 | The Almost | 0:03:21 | 7.05 MB |
Top 10 Albums | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rating | Album | Length | File size |
***** | Lindsey Stirling – Lindsey Stirling | 1:08:17 | 350 MB |
***** | The Lion King Cast – The Lion King: 1997 Broadway Cast | 1:05:54 | 124 MB |
***** | Katy Perry – PRISM | 0:49:46 | 112 MB |
***** | Skillet – Unleashed | 0:43:57 | 88.5 MB |
***** | Various – Tarzan | 0:41:02 | 75.8 MB |
***** | Glenn Stafford, Derek Duke & Jason Hayes – StarCraft (Original Game Soundtrack) | 0:13:17 | 29.2 MB |
***** | Various Artists – Almost Alice (Music Inspired By the Motion Picture) | 0:04:34 | 7.23 MB |
**** | Red – of Beauty and Rage | 1:13:20 | 158 MB |
**** | Celine Dion – All The Way…A Decade Of Song | 1:12:05 | 132 MB |
“ | Skillet – Comatose | 0:41:24 | 73.3 MB |
Top 10 Albums played | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Album | Length | File size |
4 | The Almost – Monster Monster | 0:03:21 | 7.05 MB |
Top 10 Genres | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Genre | Length | File size |
1244 | Rock | 84:36:12 | 10.5 GB |
602 | Pop | 42:37:33 | 4.69 GB |
493 | Country & Folk | 30:58:45 | 3.34 GB |
427 | Soundtrack | 23:51:42 | 2.75 GB |
300 | Classical | 22:11:11 | 2.44 GB |
179 | Metal | 14:01:22 | 1.51 GB |
172 | Christian & Gospel | 11:15:21 | 1.47 GB |
161 | Dance | 11:23:56 | 1.51 GB |
128 | R&B | 9:11:24 | 1.00 GB |
112 | Jazz | 9:23:55 | 1.01 GB |
Top 10 Genres played | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Genre | Length | File size |
1 | Rock | 0:03:21 | 7.05 MB |
Ratings | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Rating | Length | File size |
111 | ***** | 6:43:23 | 1.00 GB |
1 | **** | 0:05:31 | 4.13 MB |
Ratings played | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tracks | Rating | Length | File size |
Generated by MediaMonkey ON Monday, September 12, 2016 at 01:56:11 AM |
Pro Status Spaceplane Landing