Connection was reset by server error

December 11, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I had a computer today with a problem that every once in a while, the internet would stop working. There was no sign of the connection going out (wireless, wired, etc.). You would just be on a website and by the time you clicked the 3rd or 4th link, you’d see a “server cannot be found error”. To further test, I started a hefty download (Windows SP3) and sure enough, 30 seconds in, the download stopped and the error “connection reset by server” was shown.

Computer Info:
Windows XP SP2
Hard wired ethernet to router then to cable modem

I tried Winsock fixes, dnsflushing, network connection repair, etc. and nothing helped. I feel stupid just knowing that all it was was that this client had originally been an AT&T DSL customer and had the 2Wire modem/router diagnostics software installed. I removed it and the problem was solved! It looks like this software was running in the background trying to “fix” a connection that was no longer there.

Case closed.

Get your ip even when DNS is down

December 9, 2008January 30, 2016 · Brandon Hann

I’ve come across this problem many times before where I’ll be fixing a computer and the internet works when using ip addresses but not hostnames. This is likely caused by a downed DNS server or incorrect settings. This post is more for my information, but it may serve someone in the future.

To get your public ip address without having to type in whatismyipaddress.com, just go to: http://67.203.139.152/. You’ll see a blank screen that just shows your ip address.

For testing purposes on a Windows machine, if you need to ping Google, use one of their ip addresses:

72.14.207.99
216.239.51.104
64.233.167.99

Also, as a quick check, make sure that the DNS service is running if you’re not on a corporate network (or any network where there’s a DNS server): type in services.msc into the Run command and check for DNS to make sure it’s started.

Space Mountain with the lights on

December 8, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I was browsing through YouTube and I came across this video of Space Mountain that was in a phase of failure that for whatever required the main lights to be turned on. It’s a unique view of the ride that you’re likely never to see unless you’re a Disneyland cast member or ride mechanic.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VR_wn2QP8Q

Here’s another interesting video of Space Mountain where apparently the rocket weighed too much so it had to be emptied in the backstage area. This area can be slightly seen when you’re leaving the station and your rocket turns right to go up the climb. If you look left, you can see this room (although mostly blocked from view).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3AVUSrryEM

Disneyland Tonight – December 7th, 2008

December 8, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I just wanted to share a quick story about Disneyland tonight. But first, some sad news; I lost at Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters today and here’s the proof:

I’m not that worried about it; there are plenty of wins you can see on my MySpace page and besides, winning by 1100 points is not that much of a win! 😉

Anyway, on to the point of this blog :: we rolled up to Space Mountain and there were some dumbass kids walking in front of us and one of them decided to pull the chain off the stanchion in the line queue and let it drop to the ground. I didn’t see who did it, but I decided to fix it anyway. I picked up the chain and began to hook it when I heard a voice say “Don’t do it for him!”, but it was already hooked before I realized that it was a cast member who said that to me. I looked up and noticed the guy who did it coming down to fix it because apparently she him and told him to do so. As he was walking down, she told this kid to say ‘thank you’ to me. He actually did it, but I was also in the process of un-hooking it again so he can go down and fix it!! All this happened in a matter of seconds, but I said something to the effect of “Oh, you want him to do it? Ok, there ya go.” as I let the chain drop once more to the ground. As I walked past the cast member, she said, “Thank you!” and I said, “No problem. I hate assholes too!”.

The dude must have felt like a total ass for having said thanks to me and then still having to go back down the line to pick it up himself. In his defense, I guess I can say I’ve done this in the past when I was younger too, but not just out of the blue. I’ve always had a reason to do it; like letting a friend in line or taking a shortcut through some zig-zags.

One quick story about when I did that was at Knott’s Berry Farm in line for Ghost Rider and I unhooked a rope and attached it to my friend’s beltloop. It wasn’t heavy chain so I didn’t have to worry about the weight hanging on. The wait was so long we didn’t move for a few minutes and in talking to my other friends, I forgot what I did. Then we moved and I watched my buddy walk forward and almost fall back when the slack let out!! I laughed so hard because I forgot about it, but I was quite impressed with the beltloop not getting ripped off. Cheers to Dickies for making some high quality stuff.

Things that happened on my birthday

December 7, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I found this idea to be quite entertaining. I found a few things of note that happened on the day I was born and decided to create a list. The only thing needed to qualify for this list is that the event happened on the day I was born. The year is irrelavent.

February 19th, 2008 – Toshiba announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders, which lead to all other manufacturers to follow suit thus ending the HD format war and leaving SONY the victor with it’s Blu-Ray technology. More info…

February 19th, 1980 – AC/DC frontman, Bon Scott was found dead in his friend’s car after a night of heavy drinking in London. More info…

February 19th, 1807 – The famed Donner party is finally rescued. The Donner party was an 87-member group of pioneers that set out for California. After many problems on the way, many of the members starved to death and their companions ate their bodies for survival. More info…

February 19th, 1906 – William Kellogg founded the Kellogg cereal company. More info…

February 19th, 1945 – World War II: Over 30,000 United States Marines landed on the island of Iwo Jima, Japan to begin the battle of Iwo Jima. More info…

February 19th, 1948 – Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is born. More info…

February 19th, 1878 – The phonograph is patented by Thomas Edison. More info…

February 19th, 197 – Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum, the bloodiest battle between Roman armies. More info…

February 19th, 2008 – Don Rickles releases an inside look DVD of himself, his act and offers some other comedian’s opinions and views on the man. The DVD is called Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project and is worth a look if you’re at all interested in the really funny man. More info…

February 19th, 1973 – Elvis Presley had to be sedated after an incident involving four men rushing his Hilton Showroom stage. He convinced himself that Priscilla’s boyfriend had sent them, and Elvis was demanding lethal retribution. (Source: desktop calendar – unknown origins)

February 19th, 1777 – Congress overlooks Benidict Arnold for promotion to major general. Feeling slighted that five junior officers got promoted before him, he decided to resign, thus kicking off the story of the most famous traitor in U.S. history. More info…

Windows Vista installed on MacBook – crackling audio

December 6, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I recently bought a new MacBook (the aluminum one) and installed Vista 32bit using BootCamp. The process was insanely easy and there wasn’t much I needed to do other than insert some discs when it asked me to. Anyway, the only problem I’ve noticed so far was that when Vista loads, there are some audio problems in which the sound will crackle and pop. This happens with all Windows sounds as well as music and videos.

I traced the problem back to the WiFi card because if you disable wireless, the problem stops. So after a few hours of looking online for a fix to this problem, I came up with this:

1. Download new [DRIVERS NO LONGER AVAILABLE] and extract.
2. Access the Windows control panel.
3. Open device manager and right click on the wireless adapter.
4. Update the driver files using the ones in the newly extracted folder.

And you’re done! Enjoy the fixed sound!

UPDATE — This fix no longer applies since Apple has corrected the issue with newer drivers and a newer version of BootCamp.

WSAStartup Problem

December 2, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I recently found an issue on one of my client’s computers stating that there was an error with WSASTARTUP and the actual error was: Either the application hasn’t called WSAStartup or
WSAStartup failed. This error, if you have it can be seen right away when trying to use certain services such as the internet, Windows themes and a host of other items. Also, the computer will take much longer to boot up than normal.

Usually, you can solve the problem by performing a simple Winsock fix using [download#2]. If that doesn’t work, try using these manual instructions:

1. Backup and delete the following registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesWinsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesWinsock2

2. Reboot

3. Go to the network connections folder, right click the icon for your network connection, and select properties.

4. Click install, choose “protocol”, and click “add…”

5. Click “Have Disk…”, enter “windowsinf”, click OK

6. Select “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), click OK

7. When the process in complete, reboot

Jimmy Stewart on Johnny Carson reading a poem

November 29, 2008 · Brandon Hann

I really loved this clip of Jimmy Stewart on Johnny Carson back in 1981. For those of you who aren’t aware, Jimmy Stewart was an avid poetry writer and for this occasion, he wrote a poem about his dog Beau that had just recently died. It starts out pretty funny, but then gets a serious overlay as you can hear him start referring to Beau in a past tense. Jimmy then gets fairly emotional at the end and even gets Johnny a little teary.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNJjIwlHk8

If you just want to read the poem, here it is:

Beau by Jimmy Stewart

He never came to me when I would call unless I had a tennis ball–or he felt like it.
But mostly, he didn’t come at all.
When he was young, he never learned to heel, or sit, or stay–he did things his way.
Discipline was not his bag, but when you were with him things sure didn’t drag.

He’d dig up a rose bush just to spite me and when I’d grab him, he’d turn bite me.
He bit lots of folks from day to day–the delivery boy was his favorite prey.
The gas man wouldn’t read our meter. He said we owned a real man-eater.
He set the house on fire, but the story’s long to tell.
Suffice to say that he survived and the house survived as well.

And on evening walks–and Gloria took him, he was always first out the door,
The old one and I brought up the rear because our bones were sore.
And he’d charge up the street with mom hanging on–what a beautiful pair they were.
And if it was still light and the tourists were out, they created a bit of a stir.
But every once in a while, he’d stop in his tracks and with a frown on his face, look around.
It was just to make sure that the old one was there to follow him where he was bound.

We’re early to bedders in our house, I guess I’m the first to retire,
And as I’d leave the room, he’d look at me and get up from his place by the fire.
He knew where the tennis balls were upstairs and I’d give him one for a while
And he’d push it under the bed with his nose and I’d dig it out with a smile

But before very long, he’d tire the ball and he’d be asleep in his corner in no time at all.
And there were nights when I’d feel him climb upon our bed and lie between us and I’d pat his head.
And there were nights when I’d feel his stare and I’d wake up and he’d be sitting there,
And I’d reach out to stroke his hair and sometimes I’d feel him sigh and I think I know the reason why.
He’d wake up at night and he would have this fear,
Of the dark, of life, of lots of things and he’d be glad to have me near.

And now he’s dead

And there are nights when I think I feel him climb upon our bed and lie between us and I pat his head.
And there are nights when I think I feel that stare and I reach out my hand to stroke his hair
And he’s not there.
Oh how I wish that wasn’t so, I’ll always love a dog named Beau.

My favorite scene in Tombstone

November 28, 2008 · Brandon Hann

Although the movie Tombstone (1993) (Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray) has a lot of historical inaccuracies, it is still a great movie. If you haven’t seen it, you really need to check it out. Here’s my favorite scene from the movie. It involves the first meeting of Johnny Ringo and Doc Holliday in the Oriental Saloon.

Holliday: “Ah, you must be Ringo. Look darlin’. Johnny Ringo–the deadlist pistolier there is since Wild Bill, they say. What do you say darlin’? Should I hate him?”

Kate: “You don’t even know him.”

Holliday: “No. That’s true, but I don’t know, there’s just something about him–something around the eyes. I don’t know. Reminds me of…me. No. I’m sure of it. I hate him.”

Earp: “He’s drunk.”

Holliday: “In vino veritas.” (In wine there is truth.)

Ringo: “Age quod agis.” (Watch what you say.)

Holliday: “Credat judaeus apella, non ego.” (Tell it to someone who cares.)

Ringo: “Iuventus stultorum magister.” (Youth is the teacher of fools.)

Holliday: “In pace requiescat.” (Rest in peace.)

White: “Come on boys. We don’t want any trouble in here–not in any language.”

Holliday: “That’s latin darlin’. Evidently, Mr. Ringo is an educated man. Now I really hate him.

At this point, Ringo draws his gun and puts on a show for the bar which draws Doc to do the same, only he decides to mock Ringo by using his tin cup rather than a gun. I’m not sure if this is a portrayal of any actual events, but I do know that it’s a powerful scene where two big characters establish their tone throughout the remainder of the film.

Here’s the video of the scene:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwEIkXMfL1E

While on this topic, here’s another favorite scene of mine. You can only see this one if you own the Vista Series version of the film (at the link above) which contains scenes not used in the theatrical release. Anyway, the scene I’m speaking of is right after the two Earp brothers are gunned down and Morgan dies on the pool table. Doc is sitting in his room drunk out of his mind and he says the following:

Holliday: “Weave a circle round him thrice and close your eyes with holy dread. For he on honey-dew hath fed and drunk the milk of Paradise.

This line is from a poem written in 1797 by Samuel Taylor Coleridge called Kubla Khan. It’s the last stanza that Doc is reciting here and it’s said that Kubla Khan (Genghis Kahn’s grandson) had some ten thousand horses on his land to convey his power. Only he and those committing miscellaneous acts of valour were allowed to drink their milk thus becoming the milk of Paradise. In Tombstone, Doc is simply saying that if Wyatt is able to obtain a reckoning for his brother’s deaths, he’ll finally be able to enjoy the rest of his life.

Another note of interest is that the poem was supposedly written out of inspiration from an opium-induced dream. It’s likely that Doc Holliday was also under opium influence during this scene.

Johnny Carson mixes well with the animals