Moving!

After trying out SquareSpace.com, I actually liked the ease of use and customization options they give, so I decided to get myself a domain name and moved over to www.guytechie.com.  I moved my old articles there, as well as created new ones.  And no, I’m not getting paid by Square Space (though I wish I was… or at least be free!  They’re pretty expensive compared to the free WordPress!)

Too bad TechieBot.com was taken.   I would have loved that domain.  Anyways, I hope the new name will work out just as well.  Here’s to Guy Techie!

How SLP and SLIC Works

Introduction

I was searching around the internet and did not find a nice comprehensive explaination of how SLP and SLIC worked.  I’m talking about how Microsoft allows large OEM PC manufacturers (such as HP, Dell, Toshiba, etc) to activate every copy of Windows Vista and 7 machines without needing to do it online.  After all, if you are building thousands of machines a day, would you really want to connect every one of them online to activate them?

Unlike Windows XP, Vista and 7 requires activation.  While retail and OEM copies of Windows XP required activation, corporate editions and SLP OEM copies did not.

So Microsoft provided a way for major players in the PC industry to permanently activate Vista and 7 without going online at all.  How?

Well, since I couldn’t find anything online regarding SLP and SLIC except for how to exploit them (read: using it illegally to pirate Vista and 7), I decided to write a simplified “how it works” text file.  It was originally written to explain to my co-workers and boss how we can use this to save our limited and precious MAK volume license keys for the truly needy (read: PCs that never came with Windows 7 and older PCs).

This is perfectly legal as long as the PC you purchased came already pre-installed (and therefore already using a SLP license) copy of Windows Vista and 7.

How SLP and SLIC Works

Glossary:
SLP = System Locked Preinstallation
SLIC = System License Internal Code
OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer
1. The OEM pays for SLP OEM license to Microsoft.

2. Microsoft provides the OEM a SLIC key in place of a CD key.

3. Microsoft provides the OEM a SLP certificate file.

4. The SLP certificate must be matched up to the SLP code embedded in the BIOS ROM (also provided by Microsoft).
As an OEM PC manufacturer, they can pre-activate Windows in mass without needing to activate manually over the internet.  They just need those three things to ensure that it is a valid license.

To recap, they would need:

1. SLP code embedded in the BIOS ROM.
2. SLIC key (in place of a CD key).
3. SLP certificate file (must match SLP code in BIOS ROM).

When all three conditions are satisfied, the Windows OS will be in a permanent activated state and be considered geniune.

Closing Thoughts

In the end, the consumer pays for a Microsoft Windows license with every OEM PC purchase.  When it’s time to reinstall Windows because of a malware infection, you should not be required to pay Microsoft again for another copy of Windows (say, going to a store and buying a retail copy, or going to NewEgg to buy an OEM copy).  You should be able to reuse the same license you already paid for when you bought the machine, especially on the same machine you are re-installing the OS to.

The OEM license states that a copy of Windows can only be used on one PC, and it cannot be transferred to another.  This is why OEM licenses are cheaper than the retail versions (which allows the customer to transfer the license to another PC).  This SLP and SLIC method of activation, should force everyone to comply in theory.  However, as stated above, there are many sites I found when searching for this topic that chose to use this method in nefarious ways.

How does this even work when one of the ingredients to make this all work requires code in the BIOS ROM?  The other two (SLIC key and certificate) are easy to get – anyone can get to them by searching through the files of a properly activated OEM PC.  This is how the “community” found them.  The BIOS ROM is a bit trickier.  One way is to modify your firmware to include the SLP code.  This is dangerous, and not all firmware can be modified.  If the Frankenstien didn’t work, you would brick (render useless) your PC or laptop.  A safer way is putting the SLP code on the hard drive, and make it load before the OS even loads.  However, since it is on the hard drive, there is a risk that it can get corrupt or Microsoft detecting it in the future.

I wouldn’t recommend either way as a professional, but it’s definately an interesting concept to kick around.  However, the reason behind this article was for people who buys big-box PCs that already came with Windows Vista or 7 who find themselves needing to re-install Windows due to malware or file corruption.

As you noticed, I didn’t go indepth on how to do this step-by-step.  They can be found on the internet elsewhere.  If the guides dissapear one day, I will go ahead and write one up, but for now, I don’t see a reason to duplicate the work others have done.

10 Things Your IT Guy Wants You To Know

I’m not quite sure who wrote this, but I found it on this site.  Working as a tech guy, I feel exactly the same way this guy feels.  It’s so well written that it borders on the offensive – just ONLY.  In fact, you may be able to post it on your Sharepoint site and not get fired over it.

Now, I didn’t say it won’t get you in trouble though.  That’s another story, since it depends on your relationship to the company you work for.

Without further ado, I bring you:

10 Things Your IT Guy Wants You To Know

1. If you ask me technical questions please dont argue with me because you dont like my answer. If you think you know more about the topic, why ask? And if Im arguing with you its because I am positive that I am correct, otherwise Id just say I dont know or give you some tips on where to look it up, I dont have the time to just argue for the sake of it.

2. Starting a conversation by insulting yourself (i.e. Im such an idiot) will not make me laugh, or feel sorry for you; all it will do is remind me that yes, you are an idiot and that I am going to hate having to talk to you. Trust me; you dont want to start a call that way.

3. I am ok with you making mistakes, fixing them is my job. I am not ok with you lying to me about a mistake you made. It makes it much harder to resolve and thus makes my job more difficult. Be honest and we can get the problem resolved and continue on with our business.

4. There is no magic Fix it button. Everything takes some amount of work to fix, and not everything is worth fixing or even possible to fix. If I say that you just need to re-do a document that you accidentally deleted 2 months ago, please dont get mad at me. Im not ignoring your problem, and its not that I dont like you, I just cant always fix everything.

5. Not everything you ask me to do is urgent. In fact, by marking things as urgent every time, you almost ensure that I treat none of it as a priority.

6. You are not the only one who needs help, and you usually dont have the most urgent issue. Give me some time to get to your problem, it will get fixed.

7. Emailing me several times about the same issue in the same day is not only unnecessary, its highly annoying. Emails will stay until I delete them, I wont delete them until Im done with them. I will typically respond as soon as I have a useful update. If it is an urgent issue, let me know (see number 5).

8. Yes, I prefer email over telephone calls. It has nothing to do with being friendly, its about efficiency. It is much faster and easier for me to list out a set of questions that I need you to answer than it is for me to call and ask you them one by one. You can find the answers at your leisure and while Im waiting I can work on other problems.

9. Yes, I seem blunt and rude. Its not that I mean to, I just dont have the time to sugar coat things for you. I assume we are both adults and can handle the reality of a problem. If you did something wrong, I will tell you. I dont care that it was a mistake, because it really makes no difference to me. Dont take it personal, I just dont want it to happen again.

10. And finally, yes, I can read your email, I can see what web pages you look at while you are at work, yes, I can access every file on your work computer, and I can tell if you are chatting with people on an instant messenger or chat room (and can also read what you are typing). But no, I dont do it. Its unethical, Im busy, and in all reality you arent all that interesting. So unless I am instructed to specifically monitor or investigate your actions, I dont. There really are much more interesting things on the internet than you.

Paranoid User

There are some who are paranoid of the people who want to help them.

I had a customer who wanted to install a game for her kid, but it won’t install.  It turned out her computer was full of malware, and I offered to reinstall Windows for her – the only sure fire way of making sure nothing malicious remains.  However, she said she want the original software to remain.  I figured she had illegally installed software on there, so I felt no pity.  Besides, how can you clean such a badly infected machine?  She also says the laptop is new, so how can there be viruses?

That is a very absurd question, and at this point, I knew what I was dealing with.  I explained to her that it doesn’t matter if it’s new or old, malware can get in when you let them in.  Also, when something that gets this bad, there is no sure fire way to cleaning it up without starting from scratch.

She wanted to stay to watch the whole process – none of my customers ever do that, since reinstalling Windows, drivers, and software is a tedious process that can be done while I do something else.  However, because of her paranoia, I was forced to work in front of her, making small talk while we wait for Windows to install.

In the middle of installing Vista, she said she was going to get lunch and left her son (the one who wanted the game) to watch me.  About 30 minutes later (and after Vista was just finished installing), she came back and said she changed her mind, gave me $20, and left with her laptop.

Her laptop is now left in an unlicensed state (will expire in 30 days), no drivers (using generic VGA driver, and networking is not going to work), and no software (all the software that came with PC).

I got $20 out of it, but not sure what was wrong with this woman.

She is Chinese, and I don’t speak it very well.  My mom was talking to her while was working on the PC, and after the whole ordeal, my mom told me the story she told her about the last tech who worked on her PC before didn’t put in the “original” software.

Now I think I understand – someone probably installed a non-genuine version of XP on her machine before, so now she is paranoid about all techs.

That’s too bad, because she is just going to screw herself royally in the long run.  She was going to buy a whole new laptop instead last I heard, and if that’s the case, what a waste and a pity.

Yes, there are bad techs out there, and they are ruining it for the rest of us.  I was going to install Vista and use the manufacturer’s SLIC license, which is perfectly legal since the manufacture already paid for the license.  It would be just as legal as the original install, and I was able to create the Application and Driver DVD through her own laptop to install the factory software and drivers.  She would end up with a laptop exactly like how she would have bought it when new.

So because of her paranoia, her laptop is now worst off than it was.

Would I still work on her laptop if she comes back?  Sure, why not.  But I will still charge her the full price on top of the $20 she gave me, because I will start over again – I can’t trust what she and her kid did with it between now and then.

Smart Devices, too Smart for Our Own Good?

Are devices getting too smart for our own good?

At work, we have printers of various make and models that refuse to print if the application is set to print a document other than the standard Letter size.  Instead, you get a message that says to change the paper.  Sounds simple enough, and it makes sense not to waste any paper if you print, say, a Legal sized page on a Letter size.  However, not everyone pays attention to the display panel or blinking LEDs.

Blinking LEDs are the worst.  They usually have symbols to tell users what the problem may be.  Also, the meaning behind a steady light and a blinking ones usually have different meanings.

I say, why don’t we go back to how the old dot matrix printers behave when told to print: just print!  If the user printed something that requested a larger sheet of paper, then print anyways on the smaller sheet.  They will realize they needed larger paper or resize the job to fit just by seeing the results!

It’s not just printers telling us what’s good for us.  As more and more features get packed into a device, the harder it is to use them.  A lot of things get tucked away in layers of menus.  This is true of Microsoft Office (or any software for that matter), operating systems (Mac OSX isn’t THAT easy to use when you are looking for something in particular), and these new fangle smartphones!

While most of the settings are logically placed, you still need several steps or clicks to get to them.  Of course, there are that just fails at something that should be simple (turning off sound captured from microphone from going to the speakers in Windows Vista).

I don’t see a way to end this.  While Apple did a good job on the interface for the iPhone and iPod Touch, you still have to go through many steps just to get into simple things like turning on and off the WiFi radio, hiding inside of General, which is hidden inside of the main Settings button.

A good interface does help, but something has to give when there are billions of settings and configuration to be done, as well as billions of functions (email, phone, printer, scanner, fax, camera, toilet paper).

Then again, do consumers really want dumb devicee?  To carry around seperate single-purpose devices?  Like back in the 90s?  Remeber the cell phone on your belt, your PDA in your left pocket, watch on your wrist, and toilet paper nowhere to be found?

Palm + Amazon = Win!

It wasn’t a surprise to me when Apple “broke” (or “fixed”) the ability for the Palm Pre to sync to their iTunes software on their newest update.  After all, Palm did not ask Apple for permission to add that feature, nor did they license it.  But what’s interesting is, why haven’t Palm created their own syncing software themselves?  Or reposition the Pre as a smartphone that doesn’t need a computer?

Considering that Palm choose Amazon for DRM-free MP3 music as their music store on the phone, I’m surprised they would want to sycn to iTunes, where people would buy DRM-free songs there.   Which bed is Palm sleeping  in?  Apparently, there is no exclusivity deal between Palm and Amazon, or Amazon would have raised bloody hell with Palm for even syncing with iTunes.

Palm should have made their own sync app if they really wanted that route, or just leave out iTunes syncing all together and tout the pre as a device that truely doesn’t need a computer.  After all, it already syncs your contacts and calendar in Palm Profile (even though I’d rather sync to Google – they’re pretty comprehensive now).  And if you want to buy music, you can do so on Sprint’s hi-speed EVDO or WiFi. The Pre multitasks, so you can download and do other things.

It’d be nice if Palm created a sync app for those who WANT one (to download for free) that buys and sync music and podcasts from Amazon, and maybe even keep a local backup of their contacts, calendar, notes, downloaded/purchased apps, etc.  They could partner up with Amazon to also provide the App Catalog and (gasp) Kindle ebooks!  Not only that, but provide a bit of cloud storage via Amazon’s S3 service.  In short, Palm + Amazon = Win!

That would REALLY make the Pre desirable and competitive. Damn, I just realized if Palm really did all those things, I probably would have had an easier time with the idea of ditching the iPhone and AT&T totally!  Sprint’s network is more robust than AT&T (at least in the Chicagoland area), and is much faster when it comes to data.  They also have a cheaper plan to boot!

Are you reading this, Palm?

Sprint, Palm Pre, and their Plans

Have you heard?  Sprint requires you to have an “Everything” plan if you wish to purchase the new Palm Pre!  They tried this on the Instinct (not that it matters, since no one cared about that phone), but now things are getting heated.

While I understand that Sprint cannot afford to continue with the SERO plan (I have a 500 minute plan for $30 – after taxes and insurance, I pay just under $50 a month), charging the same as AT&T does for their iPhone plans is insane. There are people just like me who are comparing the iPhone with the Palm Pre. The iPhone is a familar experience and a very enjoyable one. I own a iPod Touch, and my brother has an iPhone. I have purchased apps, so another reason to stay in the Apple camp.

What is compelling me to stay with Sprint if I cannot stay in the SERO plan? If I am going to pay a minimum of $70 a month (about $90/mo after taxes and insurance), why not pay AT&T that and get a real deal instead of a “wannabe”?

Now, before the iPhone haters flame me, keep in mind I am a huge PalmOS fan. I am really rooting for the WebOS. I still want to have a Palm Pre “to be different” (all my friends have iPhones…so I’m already all iPhoned out, but I do love my iPod Touch). However, I was going to purchase the Palm Pre at cost as long as I can keep the SERO plan. Why shouldn’t I be able to? I’m paying full price for the phone without Sprint subsidizing it.

For those who are saying it is to adjust for inflation, that’s is incorrect. Inflation is only about 4% a year. This is just an arbitrary restriction to make more money. I have no qualms about Sprint making more money, but at least make the pricing fair.

I’d pay $50-60/mo for a 450 minute plan with “everything”. It’s lower than AT&T’s asking price. But if it’s the same price, then why go with an Pre when you can get the real deal (iPhone)?  Or let us customize our plan like we used to.  What if we don’t want unlimited text?  Maybe 200 is enough for me.  What about NASCAR and Sprint TV?  I don’t need them!  I’m currently paying about $50/mo with taxes and insurance.  I don’t mind paying $10-20 more for what I have now (which have 50 more minutes than their lowest “Everything” plan) – just no Sprint TV or NASCAR, and also includes insurance.  It’s still lower than AT&T, but significantly more than my current SERO plan – then perhaps I may go for the Palm Pre.

I’ve been sticking around with my HTC Touch Pro for the Pre. It’s unreliable and slow. The Centro was a great phone, but the browser is it’s biggest flaw.

I only see a few options:

1) Stay with SERO, re-purchase the Centro.

2) Stay with SERO, stay with HTC Touch Pro.

3) Go with AT&T, pay same price, get iPhone 3.0 cheaper than Palm Pre (new customer = discounted phone – I still have 3 months before the next $75 discount for the Pre, so no go on that).

Cost-wise, it’s more realistic for 1 or 2. 3 is more of a reblious choice. That’s right, Sprint can go “boo hoo” all they want. I’m but a single customer. Or am I?

I have a feeling that SERO customers are thinking the exact same thing. So Sprint isn’t really forcing SERO customers to a more expensive plan. They are forcing them to another carrier. Another carrier that costs the same with an arguably a better phone (a phone that isn’t version 1.0).

I may go back to a Palm WebOS device when the bugs are fixed, but by then, it will be available to all other carriers, including AT&T.

My question is, is there hope for the future? Will people who will keep trucking on SERO be rewarded with a WebOS device when it isn’t the hottest thing anymore?

Fresh Coat of Paint

I know Windows 7 beta build 7068 is basically the same as the public beta build 7000, but small cosmetic changes seem to make everything feel different and new again.  I’m sure many of you already tried out the public beta, since it was easy to get.  For those of you who knows how to torrent, you may also have the newest leaked build of Windows 7.

I think we’re all susceptible to this, which is probably why I am so interested in playing with different OSes, no matter how unpopular they are.  Remember GeoWorks and BeOS?  I was also very interested in the early builds of Chicago, which was the codename for Windows 95.  Yeah, I know… I’m a geek.  I have no idea why I’m drawn by weird stuff like this where others just don’t care!

I also think this is where a customizable GUIs on OSes gain traction.  Linux’s GUI always look different depending on who took the screenshot, which draws a lot of attention from me.  Then there are programs such as WindowBlinds.

On the surface, there are simple changes that people do to make Windows feel different – such as changing the font, wallpaper, and colors of the Windows dialog boxes.  Somehow, I feel some of those changes on top of the classic Windows make it look dated.  This is especailly true when I saw a user who had the dark green Windows with a typewriter-like font for menus.  I thought it was Windows 95!  Turns out it was Windows XP.  He probably had Windows 95 or 98 at home that’s customized the same way.

Going from Windows 95 to 98, then to Me and 2000 felt different, even  though the GUI is basically the same.  The different icons, shadows, and other minor changes gives a subtle tug on our emotions.  This is probably why Windows XP and Vista was a huge deal to the mainstream users.  A small refresh with Windows 7 is just going to add to the ohhhs and ahhhs.

Windows is Windows no matter how you cuztomize it, but it always feel different.  I guess asthetics really do play into how we feel about OSes.  Coming back to the Windows 7 beta, there really isn’t much difference between 7000 and 7068 as far as the GUI goes , but when I first installed 7068, it looked and felt different somehow, until I realize it was the background picture that Microsoft used.

Isn’t that funny?

Tech Ignorance

As you may know, I’m a techie – a person who works on computers and anything related.  We have our own jargon, and that confuses people who aren’t in the loop.  Still, there are terms that aren’t exactly “jargon”.

After working at a large retail store as a salesperson, as a help desk technician in several organizations, as well as a freelance techie, I frequently find people giving us wrong information, but since they sound confident enough (and fairly insistence that they are correct), it makes the job harder.

The people who misuse terms don’t do it intentionally of course, but it can cause some humorous and frustrating situations.

Computers and Hard Drives

You wouldn’t think the word “computer” would be misused, but it certainly does!  People confuse “computer” and “hard drive” a lot!

Working as a salesperson, I frequently have people come up to me and ask for a new hard drive.  So I ask “how big, and what kind?”  They’d tell me the size in GB (“oh about 200 GB”).  Of course, when I show them the isle where the hard drives are, they look at me funny.

After explaining it to several users, some are reluctant to believe me.  They think the term “computer” describes the monitor.  Other think “computer” means the entire package (monitor, computer, keyboard, mouse, printer, and speakers).  It’s an all encompassing word like “entertainment center”.

Of course, they meant they need a new computer!  They don’t need the monitor (and sometimes they also say they don’t need a printer since they think printers come with the package).  Of course, they still insist that is NOT the computer, but a hard drive.

Some of the humorous experiences include a person who called me and said they don’t see anything but a black screen.  I asked them “is your computer turned on?”  She said ensured me that it is.  Thankfully, she was in the same building, so I walked over to her desk and pushed the button on the PC.  I was expecting it not to come on, confirming her story.  But to my surprise, it booted right up!  She asked me “what did you do!?” in shock and awe!  I couldn’t say anything as I was just laughing hysterically.  I felt bad for the person because everyone in her department heard what happened.  It was a story my boss found amusing, since it sounds like I just ripped it off from a story posted on TechTales!

Even after explaining this to mistaken users, a lot of them still insist I am wrong, and continue to call things the way they believe it to be.  Good luck to those who stick with that mentality when they ask for help!

Viruses

I’ve had many people who come to me and say “I need help… I got a virus”.  Now, how do you know you have a virus?  It’d be nice if they told us what kind of symptoms they are experiencing, instead of jumping into a conclusion that won’t help us in the slightest.

Some just need more memory, since the machine is slow, or they have lots of programs that run on start up.  Others have spyware that create a lot of pop ups, to which the user believes that it’s a handy work of a virus.

Still, jumping into the conclusion that you have virus is like going to a doctor and say “Can you help me?  I have SARS”.

So what are some of the stories you have as a techie?  Or better yet, if you are one of these users, feel free to chime in!

Hello world!

Ah yes… Hello world!  TechieBot is my new (and first) blog!  Yes, I left the default title for my first post.  It’s not laziness (it’s easy to change, really), but it does quickly sums up my first entry to my first blogging experience.

Now, don’t worry – I’ve written on the “net” before.  I’ve been writing product reviews at ePinions since 2001.  I kicked the tires a bit (check out some of my first reviews), and eventually I took it a bit more seriously.

What is ePinions? Well, it’s a site where users of products are encouraged to write about their experiences with the products they’ve used.  Most consumer products are available to write about.  Of course, I decided to focus my reviews on products of my own interests – gadgets, computers, and cars.

Since ePinions is a place to write user reviews, there wasn’t any place for me to write about tech news and trends.  Thus, I decided to start a blog!

I heard about them, but never really thought about starting on before.  It was when I found myself more vocal (in the Internet sense) on forums that I decided to start a blog instead.

Of course, these are my views and thoughts, but I do welcome everyone to join in and discuss.  Perhaps I made a mistake or overlooked some facts.  Please join in and let me know!

Oh, and no… this is not part of my New Years resolution.  Actually, I never thought about it until now.  I guess starting a blog WOULD make a good New Year resolution…