dbminter

Well, it makes NO sense... but, all current versions of the ZoneAlarm application are royally fucked as far as this issue goes... EXCEPT, strangely, for one. ZA AntiVirus. It's version of the firewall behaves like ZA SHOULD be and has been... save for the versions and updates after 6.5.722. Even the plain, old freebie flavor of ZA is broken. What a bunch of fuckers! So, it looks like my choices are stick with 6.5.722 and NEVER update it until they fix it, or go with ZoneAlarm AntiVirus 6.5.737's firewall version

You know? I kind of had to laugh at this one. The NEC 3500a will burn SONY08D1 8x DVD-R's at 16x... yet, "Sony's" DRX-820U, which has a drive internally recognized as the DRU-820A, will burn the maximum only the 8x maximum write descriptor. I can see why it wouldn't, in a way, but, the fact that Sony's advertised drive won't on Sony's own media has just the smallest bit of mirth inherent in it.

AND... as expected, there was a later installer, and, no, it didn't do a damn bit of good. The problem manifests itself RIGHT from the start, without the modem even being turned on. So, it's in the installer. Something in those engine files relating to the antispyware that gets installed along with everything else. Some common, shared driver of some kind. Like how Nero's inclusion of the DVD-R DL burning engine into their applications broke Nero Recode so it always, incorrectly adds layer breaks randomly into DVD-5 images. Idiots! Anyway, the version, etc. numbers in this test case, for anyone's edification are: Installer - ZoneLabs ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 6.5.737.000 base zaSuiteSetup_65_737_000_en.exe ZoneAlarm Security Suite version 6.5.737.000 TrueVector security engine version 6.5.737.000 Driver version 6.5.737.000 Anti-virus Vet engine version 11.9.1.000, DAT file version 11.9.9815.000 Anti-spyware engine version 5.0.63.0, DAT file version 01.200605.256 AntiSpam version 4.8.2.7565 To be fair, this was pre-check for updates. So, let me update it and see that it still fails. Otherwise, I know the routine: keep trying other flavors of ZA to see if there's one without the Antispyware/offending modules included.

Wow... I NEVER would guessed the fault was where it was. As it happened, I just randomly stumbled into it and followed on through with the tests from there. But, 10 out of 10 times the problem is repeatable under the known, given conditions. Sit back and grab 8 or 1200 cold ones, folks... ZoneAlarm's last AntiSpyware engine update! Don't ask me GODDAMN HOW IT COULD EVEN AFFECT THE GIVEN AREA, but, it is the cause. It's either the Anti-spyware engine version 5.0.63.0, DAT file version 01.200608.330 or the AntiSpam version 4.8.1.7217. At least, these are the listed versions post the update that causes the problem. Could be the Driver version 6.5.722.000 perhaps, depending on if it is updated by the anti-spyware update. By the same token, could be the TrueVector security engine version 6.5.722.000. If antivirus in ZA is disabled and antispyware is enabled without an update, no problem. If antispyware is updated, problem. If antispyware is disable and antivirus enabled, no problem, even after an update. When ZoneAlarm is uninstalled, the problem goes away. Now, I can at least begin to TACKLE the cause! I may need the latest full blown installer versus the one I have, and avoid the update file. Or, if I have one or and if I need AND the update still is problematic, then, the simple solution is disable the fucked up spyware scanner or not use the update until ZoneLabs fixes this. Yet another stupid fucker error they've inserted into a gradually worsening product! They STILL haven't gotten the export/import of saved settings to work right, YET! STILL, it's really the only solution out there, and, it's free, so, some points there. I'd be willing to wager some might even be able to... dare I say it... REPRODUCE my problem on their machines! If you're using Alcohol of Daemon Tools virtual drives, then, update if you haven't and have ZoneAlarm installed (The version and flavor MIGHT matter. I started with ZA Internet Security Suite 6.5.722.00 base installer.) and have its antispyware option on. BE WARNED THOUGH! That whatever the problem is appears to be a file installed or replaced by the engine update. Disabling the antispyware option AFTER updating ain't gonna be good enough for us bastards. Nope! Nay, ne'er! If you do decided to give it a toss and it happens, you'll have to uninstall, reinstall, and reconfigure ZoneLabs. This also explains the apparently random instances I was having of the problem across different partition backups. Some ZA installed, some didn't. Some I'd install it on BUT not update the engines because I was that "far" enough yet in testing. 30 days... 30 days to find... THAT was the problem...

Tried it that way and it still wouldn't boot all the way. Same problem as before. I'll just image the disc and then inject files into the ISO with UltraISO. Seems to be the best thing for bootable discs, anyway, that I've found so far.

It's a Unix boot/Acronis rescue disc, so, it's sort of like Windows boot CD's. And, given the same boot image size, I'll give it a try.

Actually, there are posts elsewhere of this thing dying on some people the next DAY after.

Yes, with the candle stick... wait a minute... I didn't realize how that sounded until I after typed it! Should have grown a Clue.

Well, you know, it's already starting. The fuckers have already entered the picture. For instance, the listed firmware is 2.0c. Sony's listed latest firmware? 1.0b! Plus, it seems this drive could very well actually be a rebadged Benq using Panasonic chips in some way. Eh, who the fuck knows?

OMG! THIS IS FUCKING INSANE! Turn the Subtitles option on, too! http://home.comcast.net/~dwedit/flash/mikomiko.html

Blu-Ray discs http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16817130011 $13! It's the Panasonic DVD-R days all over again! Back in 2002, they were charging the same amount for discs that one could get similar quality for at 10 times LESS! And they weren't even CMC! If you have to have it, you can burn it with: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16827131034 Only $700! On the upside, though, it does most of everything else the latest Sony burner does... only at about half of the maximum speed. e.g. DVD-R capped at 8x.

Yeah, I personally sign it, in my own blood, sweat, and tears (In that order, each letter with a different humour.) "I HAVE CURSED THIS ONE TO DIE, TOO, TOSSER!"

That makes me wonder... is there such a thing as a possible... oh, dear... a cash Bar Mitzvah? "Gimme a Little Off The Top."

Anyone else think that the president of Iran, Ahmadinejad, looks like Bob Denver?

And what of the recent news program that supposedly had people watching porn on a screen in the background? Or was it that the service actually suddenly had a life feed of hardcore burst... into it. Reminds me of that satellite fuck up, literally years ago when hardcore porn suddenly interrupted the middle of Gilligan's Island and/or The Flintstones.

Yeah, that log entry is a good idea. The boot image was 2 KB. Seems a bit small to me, but, I've heard that enough times... wait... wrong forum. The El Torito configuration error box that comes up with other emulation types says the Size is 2,048 bytes. To be precise. Just in testing, the only thing that "booted" was the Custom settings with no changes to it, but, when it tried to boot, it just said Boot Failed. However, unlike the other tests, the drive, at least, recognized and tried to boot from, the disc.

Oh, knowing him, it's probably a cash bar!

Well, I can say I now finally possess an external DVD burner that does not suffer the semaphore time out error. I had planned on swapping out the DRU-700a as part of my testing with the latest DRU because it supports things I wanted and/or didn't have yet: DVD-RAM read and write, DVD-R DL, and 6x and 8x DVD+-RW. Well, I say latest, but, the stores only had the 820, and there's an 830 now supposedly with 18x instead of 16x. News to me, but, I don't care for now. I decided to get the USB version to see if it was free from the semaphore time out. My plan then was to swap out the drive from the enclosure for internal use and keep the enclosure to insert drives into for testing. Well, imagine my surprise when 1.) the drive does NOT have semaphore time out problems and 2.) ... it appears to be hermetically sealed with no way to open it.

Paramount would absolutely love Star Trek's replicator technology. Just take a year's worth of Star Trek licensing fees and replicate them ad infinitum. Until then, there this: Paramount appears to want to try to hawk a Star Wars Original Trilogy on the old Shatner series. It wants to release new versions of the old episodes into syndication. New CG effects replace the old ones, new music inserted into the episodes, and digitially remastering the episodes. Hey, maybe they'll digitially insert a REAL bricklayer into a scene behind McCoy? Or replace the phaser rifles with communicators instead?

I should be used to it by now. Thanks. You're fitting the cheque.

It's not fun to drink alone. #39;(

I want it to behave like the original CD it came from. But, there's no "CD" option, and, I don't know how/if there's a way to determine the needed information from the CD/boot image file. Hence why I asked. Are we going to start a 10 Goto 20 20 Goto 10 logic here?

Once you create a boot image from a CD using Create Boot Image, then when you load that file under Boot Image, how are we supposed to determine the Emulation Type to use based on that image file? Or based on the CD? Trial and error might work, except for the Custom part. Thanks!

Someone had asked about the bridge in this drive. Well, I decided to cool off from my latest problem, piled on with the others that have been building for 20... 30... 32 years... 80 years... 1 billion years! STOP! Stop at a WHAMMY! And, well, to be honest... I can't FIND a bridge chip I'm familiar with! Unless it's somehow on the HD itself, then, the only chip I could find is a really small one. The board with the external output and input for power and the power switch is a small wafer affair with next to nothing on top. It does have a numbered etched on the board: RD485-A. Once unscrewed and flipped over, one chip is visible. It has this printed on it: CY768300A-56PVC (All of those 6's could be either 6's, S's, or 5's! FUCKERS!) A 04 PHI 0509 CYP 608767 (Same story with the 6's here.) The bottom of the HD itself, a Hitachi Deskstar, Model: HDS722516VLAT20, had three large chips on it. Again, I wouldn't expect to find a bridge on the drive itself, but, I can't seem to find anything else on the enclosure itself, save for that chip listed above. Thus, for those three chips: PCE MLVO 0511 4L 454 JH 0A29000 Malaysia IBM Korea SPR CBM B1 0A29176 PQ 1M02011T0GE Infineon 0A29003 SAB-M3054 D12-G FRKRS1 @INFINEON02 EL445059 G452 You know? All that useful, helpful, clear and coherent shit you can really use... So, any ideas?

SHIT! There's no answer! There's NO FUCKING ANSWER! The problem is too complicated! It can't be replicated with any kind of certainty! It's completely random! Different things happen to different hardware on different system restores! I restored one backup, and, the one connected drive left wouldn't complete writing LeadIn on a DVD-RW that had been burned in the same drive on a different system restore! I restored back to the previous setup that wouldn't complete Closing after 17% on the other drive and the DVD-RW WOULD finish! The only thing left is to remove the two IDE cables, replace them, replace both drives, and start reinstalling everything from the bottom up! Then, if it repeats, the problem is on the mobo, one or both of the IDE controllers, and that means replacing the entire machine. Best to do that than fuck around with it. And, gee, I wonder which one I'LL have to do?! I tell what I should have chosen, 10 goddamn years ago!