Google TV - Authentication Error Resolved - Upgraded to Android 3.2

I got a free Google TV in 2010. It was fun to play with. And in 2011, it gave me an upgrade to Android 3.1. It was extremely nice. However, today, when I hooked this Google TV again. It prompts me the Google Talk failed to login error and doesn't allow me to login the Market (now should be Google play).

I tried the some web users suggested two way verification. I got no luck. Even I created another Google account, it still gives me the same error. And because of this authentication error. It doesn't allow the Google TV to upgrade the software to the latest Android software, 3.2 I believe. Simply get me stuck in the middle.

Google for a while, it lands me to this page. http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/mobile/m1l8Sw4hnmY

Below steps work for me. It is in "Manage Application" under "Setting" of Google TV. When I go to Above->System Upgrade again, it shows me the screen to download the latest software (211MB).


da da.... The Google TV is upgraded to Android 3.2 and re-live again. :)

Follow the steps below to if you are experiencing issues with downloading apps from the Android market:

1. Open the Market app and press the home button in the upper left corner to return to homepage

2. Go to Settings \ Applications \ Manage \ Running

3. Press "Market"

4. Press "Clear cache" (do not clear data)

5. Press "Force stop"

6. Return to "Settings \ Applications \ Manage \ Running"

7. Press "Google Services Framework"

8. Press "Clear Data"

9. Press "Force Stop"

10. Go back to home screen and press Market app to Start Google Market, it will give an error message

11. Shut off and turn the tablet back on; once back Market should work, if it gives an error it could need another minute to work

12. At this point the Market should work

Retrieve Linux local mailbox with command lines non-interactively

I need to automate reading email from Linux. So, I google to see if there is any available posted methods to do it in command line non-interactively. Surprisingly, there is no simple scripting method found. The web is either full of how to send email thru command line or how to read email interactively.

So, I dig into mail commands and I did some trials and errors. I discovered "echo" command can enter command to mail thru pipe. And combining with mail command, the command combinations will return the mail command output nicely to Linux stdout after each. Below are 6 handy command combinations.

1. Print all email to stdout

> echo "type *" | mail

> echo "type 1" | mail   # print the first email to stdout

> echo "type 3-5" | mail # print the emails from 3 to 5

2. Check if mail box is empty (i.e. "No mail for [username]" is found)

> echo q | mail 2>&1 | grep "No mail for [username]"

3. Purge the mail box

> echo "d *" | mail

> echo "d 3" | mail     # Delete the 3rd email

4. Save all emails in a text file

> echo "s * test.txt" | mail

5. Save emails between a range in a file

> echo "s 3-6 test.txt" | mail

This will save email from #3 to #6 to the file test.txt

6. Read one email from mailbox

> echo 1 | mail

Read the first mail from mail box

> echo 5 | mail

Read the 5th email from mail box

> echo 6 | mail

If there is no 6th mail from mail box. It will prompt you below error:

6: Invalid message number

The error message "Invalid message number" tells you that there is no 6th email in the mailbox. If the 5th email is successfully returned. You can treat the error message "Invalid message number" as end of mailbox just like the EOF of a file. Combined this with a loop, you can browse thru all the emails inside the mailbox. 

It was fun to dig those command combinations out. Just like resolving puzzles. :)

Set Chrome incognito mode as default in ubuntu Unity

In Ubuntu 11.10, if you alike me so addicted to Chrome incognito mode, 
below is the steps how to make it as default under ubuntu Unity 3D:

1. Modify the file /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop

e.g. sudo nano google-chrome.desktop



2. Update the first Exec option as below:

e.g. Exec=/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome --incognito %U



3. Save the changes.


If you would like to set it up in GUI, you can follow the steps in below link:

http://shuffleos.com/3572/how-to-run-firefox-chrome-in-privacy-mode-automatically-in-ubuntu-11-10/

Problems and Fixes during cm9 alpha 0.6 touchpad installation

Getting a used touchpad from Amazon and I so want to install ICS for a while since so many praises are there for cm7 and cm9. Last night, I did install cm9 alpha 0.6 on my touchpad and I hit on 4 problems. After a week, I hit on the touchscreen malfunction problem.

1. ClockWorkMod not shown on Moboot menu
2. Gapps didn't install
3. Wifi doesn't work
4. cm9 can not boot properly because of applying the charging fix to cm9 alpha 0.6
5. touchscreen malfunction in the lock screen

Here is the details:
1. ClockWorkMod not shown on Moboot menu
The cause is the ClockWorkMod zip file I downloaded is a zero byte file.
So, I redownload it and using the acmeinstaller2 to reinstall it.


For those of you alike me as newbie, here are the steps:-
a. Download it from rootzwiki links there.
b. Transfer the file ACMEInstaller2 thru USB drive in WebOs touchpad boot up
c. Run the command: novacom.exe boot mem:// < ACMEInstaller2 in C:\Program files\Palm, Inc directory. (I'm using PC).


2. Gapps didn't install
Though Gapps zip file was copying to the cminstall directory, it did not install.
The cause is obvious. It requires ClockWorkMod to be functioning before it can be installed.


So, basically, I followed the same steps listed in liliputing website to install charging fix to
install the Gapps. Dada.... the Google Market is up!!!! Here is the details steps.

1. Place the zip file in the cminstall directory of your TouchPad’s 
2. Press-and-hold the power button to reboot the touchPad.
3. From the Moboot menu, choose ClockworkMod.
4. Use the volume keys to scroll down to the entry that says “install a zip from SDcard” and tap the home button to select.
5. Using the volume and home keys, highlight the Gapps file and select it.
6. Scroll down to select yes.
7. When it’s done installing reboot into CyanogenMod.

3. Wifi doesn't work.
Googling it, it is a known problem most ppl would encounter. There are three ways to fix it.
a. Boot up WebOs on touchpad and turn off and on the Wifi.
b. Remove all files under the wifi directory (/data/misc/wifi )
c. Use fxr wifi fix and rescue


Somehow method a) doesn't work for me. I never tried c) . So, I try method b. Below is the details steps.

1. Run the Terminal app from cm9 touchpad (assume your cm9 is running well now)
2. Run su and confirmed to use su from dialog box
3. Change directory to /data/misc/wifi (i.e. cd /data/misc/wifi)
4. Run the command to delete all file inside the /data/misc/wifi
                 rm -R *
5. Reboot your touchpad
6. Connect to the WIFI with password

Notes: After playing around the whole day. I got reconnect problem too. The wifi is on, but when I connect it. It failed to connect and get IP address. I found pressing the "SCAN" button will resolve the reconnect problem. It works for me once. See if it can resolve the problem next time. 


Update on 2-15-2012 :  FXR Wifi Fix and Rescue works like a charm. I played around the cm9 touchpad for a week. On and off, the wifi will be malfunction again like after the first installation. So, I tried c) method. It works like a charm.


4. cm9 can not boot properly because of applying the charging fix to cm9 alpha 0.6
This one is the most stupid one. As the author in liliputing is already mentioned
that don't install the charging fix if you have cm9 alpha 0.5 or later installed. But I overread it. and install it right away. What a mess to me!!!!


I got the error message "unfortunately, the process com.android.phone has stopped ..." prompting to me continuously while booting up cm9 and this error required me to press ok to close it. After the dialog closed, the error will show it again in less than a seconds. So, this prevents me to do anything even the simple task on the touchhpad to unlock or reboot the touchpad.


Struggling it a while, I manage to fix by reboot your touchpad to moboot menu to use clockworkmod to install the touchpad alpha 6.


The procedure is exactly the same in liliputing for those ppl already installed the cm9 alpha 0.5 and wanting to upgrade it to cm9 alpha 0.6.


Details steps are:

1. Copy cm9 alpha 0.6 zip file update-cm-9.0.0-RC0-Touchpad-alpha0.6-fullofbugs.zip  and to the cminstall folder on your TouchPad.
2. Connect your TouchPad to your PC.
3. Reboot the TouchPad, pressing the volume-up button until the USB icon appears.
4. Run ACMEInstaller2:  novacom.exe boot mem:// < ACMEInstaller2 in C:\Program files\Palm, Inc directory.

This problem is tough. I almost gave up since I ran out of ideas to reboot the cm9. At the end, YAY, my cm9 touchpad is revived!!!!!


5. touchscreen malfunction in the lock screen (Update on 2-15-2012)
It can be resolve by force reboot: i.e. press and hold the power and home button for 30 seconds. 


Sources:
1. Liliputing cm9 installation instructions:
http://liliputing.com/2012/01/how-to-install-android-4-0-on-the-hp-touchpad-cyanogenmod-9-alpha.html
2. Links to download all the files you needed:
http://rootzwiki.com/topic/15509-releasealpha06-cyanogenmod-9-touchpad/
3. wifi solution c: Forum suggest fxr wifi fix and rescue can fix the wifi issue
http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/41320-cm9-wifi-trouble-tp-sometimes-do-not-really-scans-for-wifi/
4. Wifi solution b: to remove every files from /data/misc/wifi directory (need su priviledge)
http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/41320-cm9-wifi-trouble-tp-sometimes-do-not-really-scans-for-wifi/

0.0.0.0 Default Gateway problem and solution

In case you are unfortunately encountering this same problem and looking for solutions: Here we go:

The problem:
I found my users PC having the below 0.0.0.0 default gateway when using Windows 7.


   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::356c:2966:d136:bef5%11
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.144
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
                                                 192.168.1.1

When this 0.0.0.0 default gateway appear, my user cannot get into Internet and some Windows network drive were not connected correctly.

The solution:
Found from the net, here is the solutions working for me.

1. Disable IP v6 (under network adapter properties, check off IP v6)
2. In command prompt (administrator mode)

C:\> route delete 0.0.0.0

C:\> ipconfig renew

3. Reboot the PC.

Hope the above works for you too. : )

How to recover deleted email folder in Thunderbird

I need to solve a user problem that she wanted to recover deleted email's folders from the Trash folder in Thunderbird. Firstly, I found a very helpful link http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-recover-deleted-emails-in-thunderbird/ However, the method from that URL can only recover deleted emails only, not Folders.

And from the above method's inspiration, I found that the Thunderbird creates email folders in a pair files. That is the file of a "folder name" and the "folder name".msf file. For example, if you have a folder name called "test" under Trash folder (i.e. Trash.shd), you can find two files under the Trash.shd folder, "test" and "test.msf". So, the two files would store every emails in the test folders of Trash folder in Thunderbird.

Let's say: if the "test folder" is deteled in Thunderbird. The two files "test" and "test.msf" will be disappeared right away.

So, if you follow through what I am saying. You should understand that deleting a Thunderbird email folder means deleting the two files associated with the Thunderbird email folder name.

Therefore, to recover the deleted Thunderbird email folder means to recover the two files that were deleted by the Thunderbird when the folder were deleted inside the Thunderbird. So, you can use whatever file recovering tools (e.g. Recuva, undelete plus) to undelete the two files. Then, da da.... your email folder is coming back in seconds.

In case you don't know the folder location storing the Thudnerbird email:

For XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR USER NAME\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\[random filename].default\Mail\Local Folders\

For Vista or Windows 7:
C:\Users\[YOUR USER NAME]\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\[random filename].default\Mail\Local Folders\

Notes: Remember to close Thunderbird when you working on the files recovery.

HP Photosmart 7350 printer using in Vista/Windows 7

My friend asked for help to install the HP Photosmart 7350 printer in the Vista/Windows 7 PC. As usual, old model printer only support old Operating System drivers like XP. 

To enable your HP Photosmart 7350 printer, you can follow along below procedure to use an alternative printer drivers to teach an old dog a new trick.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c00808478