svchost.exe - application error

If you get this error:

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
svchost.exe - application error
The instruction at "0x745f2780" referenced memory at "0x00000000". The memory could not be "read".
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

And also a error dialog about "Generic Host process for Win32 services", then do this to resolve the problem:

1. Boot into safe mode
2. Disable automatic updates in Windows
3. Reboot system into normal mode
4. Do a manual Windows update
5. Enable automatic updates in Windows
4. Reboot once again


It looks like a recent Windows auto-update messed things up and Windows kept giving the above error on startup. I got this error this morning and was in "safe mode" till I found the above solution.

I actually found "safe mode with networking" much faster and better than the regular "unsafe" mode of Windows. More about that later. :-)

Microsoft strikes back? - Windows Live Messenger, Windows Media Player 11, etc

I just installed the latest beta of Windows Live Messenger and Windows Media Player 11. Though I haven't played around with WMP11 yet I should say that Live Messenger is looking good. But one downside - it has tons of stuff I will never use but which still clutter the interface.

After some searching on Google I found A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger - a cool program that strips out many (and I mean many!) unwanted interface enhancements from Messenger. Check out the screenshot that shows my Messenger window after I stripped it down with A-Patch.

And for those that upgraded to Yahoo Messenger 7.5 and got a shock when they saw the bottom ads on the contact list window - there's
a registry fix for that.

And finally about Windows Media Player 11 - it looks very retro-modern but I will have to actually start using it to see if it can be any serious competition to iTunes. Watch this space. :-)

A yawn, Hamachi and Stormy Weather

I awake from deep slumber to post again.. tada! OK I know no one is going to be surprised or even looking forward to this post. Its been a rather whirlwind schedule these past few months and I conveniently shelved my blog during this period. So here's a short post to keep things live.

Hamachi - this is a 'cute' piece of VPN software that is virtually zero configuration required (except to make the necessary firewall settings to allow the Hamachi adapter access). Pretty useful if you want to use the Internet to form a private network (home office use, playing LAN games etc).

Stormy Weather - this is a book by Carl Hiaasen. I just finished listening to it on audible. Its seriouslly comically and the author sure knows how to weave a tale.

Internet Explorer 7 beta preview 2

So I tried the IE7 beta preview 2. It looked OK but caused problems with software that used the ".URL" file type among other things. E.g. if I clicked on a URL in a Yahoo Messenger chat window it opened the Yahoo folder on my hard disk instead of the URL. And some random crashes. Whatever.

And it looks like Microsoft is becoming more psychedelic in the color schemes it uses for its software. The IE7 setup color scheme looked pretty wierd and non-Microsofty. Not to mention news I read some place that said that Vista will have guitar strains as a part of the Windows sound scheme.

Here's an important link - how to uninstall IE7 beta preview 2. And thats what I just did now.

A funny telemarketing call

Here's a quick one. I get a call today from one of those telemarketing companies hawking the next big telephone yellow page service. I could tell right away that she was reading from a prepared script. How you ask? Well she goes like this, "We have been getting a lot of calls asking about Internet service providers in Chennai and we have been referring them to ABC Company in Adyar and XYZ Company in Anna Nagar". The least they could do was actually substitute ABC and XYZ with some real names of our competitors. :-) Oh well, we live in a mechanical world after all.

Blogging in two oh oh six

Welcome! Hope you have a wondeful year that is filled with happiness, fulfilled dreams and other such things. Not to mention more of my blog posts.

Ok so one of my new year's resolutions is going to be blog more. And the other seriously funny one is to be using Skype more often. Towards that end I seem to have somehow mastered the art of getting my Bluetooth headset (Nokia HS4W) working with my laptop (Sony Vaio, as of this writing) using a Belkin Bluetooth USB thingie (which works for up to 100 metres by the way). Its so wonderfully awesome once you get it working (after hours of frustration, cursing and generally draining the laptop battery - unless its plugged in to mains the bluetooth thingie can drain your battery in between blinks). Next up is trying out Skypeheadset which makes it really convenient to use Skype with the bluetooth headset because it supports stuff like call and mute using the headset buttons - just like a regular mobile phone! Ohhhh I love technology!!! :-)

I'm using the Performancing plugin for Firefox to write this blog by the way. Its a neat plugin that provides split screen view so you can use the browser while you type your blog post etc.

I just created a Yahoo 360 account and am trying to figure out what its all about. You can call this my "first signup of the year". But in general I think Blogger is much better when it comes to blogging than Yahoo 360.

Talking of firsts of the year - I already had my first call of the year and first SMS of the year.

For those of you who are wondering - I dumped Opera as my primary browser and am now back to Firefox (version 1.5 is so much more cooler and stabler). The number one reason being - plugins. I think all software should have plugin support. I believe the most important reason why Firefox is so popular is because you can extend its utility using so many plugins. The Firefox plugins (or extensions) I have installed right now are SessionSaver, Tabbrowser Preferences, LiveLines, FlashGot, PDF download, Add Bookmark here, Plain Text Links, Gmail Delete button, Disable XPI Install delay, SearchPluginHacks, Stop-or-Reload Button and ofcourse Performancing.

BTW here's a really cool gadget - its called the Snazio Net DVD Cinema and it allows you to wirelessly stream your digital media collections (mp3, wmv, DVD whatever) from your PC, laptop etc to your regular TV. That sounds exciting to me and I may get one soon.

OK I think that should be enough for the first blog post of the year. More later. Toodle-doo.

Beep

Testing Performancing for Firefox plugin.