Category: Tips

• Backup & Recovery Tips

  12.15.10 |IT, Tips| Permalink | Comments Off on Backup & Recovery Tips

  My new notebook hard disk was giving me problem. Imagine every 10 minutes, the CPU will be heavily utilized and everything freezes for a minute. My IT tech support team asked me to do a self diagnosis on the hard disk. It failed! A few times, I get this error “cannot detect hard disk” when booting up.

  Since the notebook is new, the IT support team will replace the hard disk for me. I didn’t like this because I need to spend time reinstalling all the applications again. It took me a whole day to do that when I switched over to the new notebook.

  A friend told me that there is software that comes with the HP notebook that allows me to backup the data and applications as well. In order to do this efficiently, I moved all my data into an external hard drive. Then I start the backup process that includes all application, registry settings and left over data.

  It took an hour to build the recovery image. If I didn’t move my 150G data over to my external hard drive, it will probably take a day. Moving data to my external hard disk was fast. After the replacement of my hard drive, I restored my image. It works beautifully and it took only an hour.

  Instruction: Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup. A wizard will appear, select Advance Mode. Then just follow the screen for selection. Remember to select “backup everything on this computer”

• PayPal With Malaysia Bank

  11.02.09 |Rant, Technology, Tips, Vitamins| Permalink | 1 Comment

  Finally, we Malaysian are able to withdraw money from PayPal. I have been waiting so long to do this. Previously I ask my dear friend in US to help me do that. Now I can do it on my own. Hoorayyy!!!

  Instructions here:
  1. Login to Paypal
  2. Click Withdraw
  3. Click Withdraw to your bank account
  4. Fill up the Bank details and remember to ask your bank for MEPS bank routing quote.
  5. Hit Continue…Follow the instructions..

  Sorry, I didn’t go as far as #5 yet.

  
  

  
  

  No fees if you transfer more than RM400.00 and anything below, charge of RM3. Happy Withdrawing!!!

• Free Movie Ticket

  06.21.08 |Tips| Permalink | Comments Off on Free Movie Ticket

  Golden Screen Cinema gives out a free ticket to any member on their birthday month. I just got mine today. It is very simple. All you have to do is to sign up as a member in www.gsc.com.my. Fill in your particulars. If your birthday falls on the month of June, you have the whole month to redeem the ticket. FREE ticket is valid for movies marked asterisk (*) only and valid in all GSC cinemas nationwide. You need to print out the birthday coupon and bring it with you to any GSC cinema to redeem the ticket.

  The good thing is you do not need to wait to redeem the ticket. If your birthday falls on this month, you can go ahead and sign up to get the coupon. Remember to bring your myKad when you are redeeming the ticket.

  I watched Kungfu Panda with my free ticket. You do not need to make any purchase to get the free ticket. Isn’t that nice.

  T&C Apply:
  

  1. Exclusive for GSC website members only.
  2. To redeem FREE ticket, MUST PRINT out Birthday Coupon Treat (color or black & white) and fill up your details.
  3. MUST present duly completed Birthday Coupon Treat voucher at GSC Box Office only to enjoy FREE movie.
  4. FREE ticket is valid for movies marked asterisk (*) only and valid in all GSC cinemas nationwide.
  5. Original copy from www.gsc.com.my only. Photostated copies will not be accepted.
  6. Valid only during the month of actual birthday i.e. if member’s birthdate is 15 March, FREE ticket redemption is valid during the month of March only.
  7. Must be verified with Identification Card (IC) by GSC staff upon redemption of FREE movie ticket.
  8. FREE movie ticket is not exchangeable for cash.
  9. Only 1 free movie ticket redemption per year.
  10. Not valid with other GSC offers.
  11. Not valid for Gold Class, Premiere Class and Twin Seats.
  12. Birthday Coupon Treat voucher is available via print out from www.gsc.com.my by GSC website members only.

  
  *For movies marked asterisk (*), kindly refer to GSC cinema listing in major newspapers and GSC website.

• Keyboard Cleaning

  04.11.08 |Design, Tips| Permalink | 4 Comments

  After reading “‘Laki’ Cleansing” from Loctor Mayat’s blog, I decided to clean my keyboard too. I am using an Apple brand keyboard too. Somehow I think that the design is not very practical because it has a plastic cover at the bottom of the keyboard. Dirt seems to accumulate at the bottom and it is difficult for me to get it out. Worst is little ants like to carry food stuff into by keyboard even after my son drew the no ant-ry sign.

  Now that I know I can pop those keys out using a plastic ruler, I can clean the dirt out with a small paint brush. It is all clean now and the keyboard still works, thanks to Loctor Mayat.

  
  
  

• Keep Your Contact Lens From Germs

  08.17.07 |Shopping, Tips| Permalink | 2 Comments

  Do you know that you need to change your contact lens case frequently? A lot of cases of eye infection are due to contact lens and the main culprit is in the lens case itself. It is not wash or kept clean. Once I went to my friend’s place, I spotted that there were lots of dirt underneath her len’s case. Imagine putting some of that dirt in your eye and let is stay there for hours. We cannot see dirt and you do not know how it can hurt your eye. Hygiene is a very important when handling your lens.

  
  
  

  I like the Ciba Vision brand of Multipurpose Solution as it gives a new lens case in every box. It is a great idea as I do not need to remember when it is the last time I change my lens case. When I open a new box of saline, it is time to throw away the old lens case. Another tip, never use tap water to rinse your lens case, use the saline to do so.

• Backup Your Blog

  07.15.07 |IT, Technology, Tips| Permalink | 6 Comments

  How many of you backup your own blog? Do you trust your server hosting company to do a good job? As I do not pay a significant amount of money for my host server, some of the things I have to do on my own. My host server management is actually doing a great job, they have proper backup process in place.

  A word of warning to you, especially for those who are earning from PPP or whatever advertising program, backup your blog. You may not know when a hacker will strike or a server crash. It happens as hardware is not 100% reliable. If all your postings are gone, those unpaid sponsored post will be gone.

  I am running my blog on a very old version. I kind of like the old version interface and got used to it for so many years. The new version sometimes gives me a headache. With this old version, there isn’t any export function. On top of that, it is an old version, so installation of the old version may not be available in the even I need a recovery.

  Anyway, I found an excellent plugin (wp-xmlmigrate plugin) to export it to XML file from http://technosailor.com/wordpress-to-wordpress-import/ . For those running on WP 2.x and above, there should be an export function. You can export your entire blog to XML file and store it in your PC periodically. On top of that, I also backup my blog database. I believed the XML restoration will be faster than restoring the database.

  I did a lot of searching before I found this plugin, there were many other plugins that I installed which didn’t work. One that I downloaded, mess up my entire blog. Imagine, my entire blog gone, yes a total blank page. If you were me, you will freak out. Fortunately I had backup and restore it. It works, phew. Backup is very important, so put some thoughts into it.

  Oh, for those who do not know what I am saying because it is too technical, check with your hosting server company and ask them about their backup process. I think they can help you.

• Salad Stacker

  04.10.07 |Myself, Skill, Tips| Permalink | 5 Comments

  Today my colleague treats the department to Pizza Hut. As you know the salad bowl they provide is very small and shallow. I was always designated as the salad stacker. I am not a pro but I can stack up to feed 10 hungry souls. This comes with a lot of practice and also the way the Pizza Hut staff cuts the salad.

  First you have to put a thin layer of lettuce at the bottom. Start a small corner with some coleslaw. Align the cucumber in a straight line, closely with the coleslaw supporting it. You can put other stuff to support the cucumber. When the cucumbers are closely aligned in a circle, you can stack widely. Before stacking the food, leave some space for the sauce, so that it will not split. Later, you can close the sauce with some shredded carrots or cucumbers. You can begin the stack the honey dews and the water melon. If the water melon is cut in cubes, it will be easier to stack like blocks.

  Wah lah….

  
  

  By the way, I only do this when I am eating with a crowd. For my family, I probably will just take what I like because only 2 of us who like salad. I am not going to waste the food.

  Happy Trying!!

• Travel Tips – Space Maker

  01.17.07 |ProductReview, Shopping, Tips, Travel| Permalink | 6 Comments

  Something innovative, I want to introduce to you. Look what a zip lock bag can do. This is a special kind, don’t use the grocery type, hehehe…it won’t work. It is a special roll up compression bag.

  You know how bulky and heavy 1 piece of winter clothing is. If you dump it in your luggage, it probably takes half of the space. Here is what you can do to create more space in your luggage so that you can put more shopping stuff in. 😆

  You can use this special bag to help you store your big bulky comforter, soft toys and blankets in a compress manner. It creates more space in your cupboard for other stuff. It cost RM19.90 for 2 bags. Mainly used for traveling.

  	The compression bag.
  	Fold the bulky item nicely.
  	Insert into the bag.
  	Use the white piece of plastic to seal the bag tight by moving left to right and back again.
  	Start rolling from the seal to the other end, the other end will let out some air to make it a vacuum inside. Flip it over and do the same.
  	Tada, a piece of flatten item.
  	RM19.90

• To Be Saman (Fined) or Not To Be?

  05.24.06 |Information, Service, Tips| Permalink | 6 Comments

  
  
  

  This is a wake up post for all Malaysians. It is nothing new to Malaysian on how bad their driving ethics or skills are. Here is the non-exhaustive list:

  1. Some actually thinks indicators are an accessory. Often you find cars turning without indicating. Some indicate but never bother to turn it off after turning.
  2. Drive through emergency lane when there are traffic jams.
  3. Beat queuing by squeezing in between especially in toll areas.
  4. Very creative in creating more lanes on the road.
  5. Speeding behind ambulance as they want to beat the traffic.
  6. Speeding on the highway, if cannot overtake on the left side, overtake on the right side.
  7. Stop on the yellow box. I bet not many know what the yellow box is for.
  8. Stop to pick up passenger or wait on the side of the road with yellow line and cause the long queue of traffic behind. The drive doesn’t even care.
  9. Speed down residential area. Now I am seeing more and more speed bums, 3 speed bums in a 200 meters road.
  10. Double park, triple park and doesn’t pay attention to the poor fellow who park correctly when he horns.
  11. Using emergency indicators while driving, especially when it rains very heavily. Sometimes you cannot tell whether the car is moving or broke down. :sc:
  12. This is a classic one. :wall: If cannot find parking in a shopping mall, send a passenger down to look for one. When found, call the driver to come and block other drivers who got there first, from parking.
  13. Motorbikes who love to beat the red traffic lights, thinking there are racers.
  14. There are certain kind of drivers who couldn’t decide where they are going, driving in the middle of 2 lanes.
  15. ….etc…

  Now when you are stop by the police because you got caught doing something illegal, like one of the above. What is the first thing you think off? Malaysians are very creative in finding many ways to escape from paying the fine. Think again. If you escape the hefty fine, please don’t complain about the above list, and tolerate every single one of them. If you cannot tolerate all the above, do drive with ethics and be considerate to others. :good:

• ANNUAL EPF Account 2 Withdrawal for Housing Loan II

  04.12.06 |Information, ProductReview, Service, Tips| Permalink | 2 Comments

  Yes, it is true. Newspaper published it yesterday.

  http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/4/11/nation/13929587&sec=nation

  http://www.kwsp.gov.my/index.php?ch=81&pg=132&ac=6905

  So happy withdrawing and quickly get yourself out of debt. The catch is your account II must have a minimal account of 500 to qualify.

  If you want to learn more about the paperwork, read this and this.