26 March 2021

Troubleshooting slow PC

 see

Things to do first:
  • reboot
  • disk cleanup
  • windows updates
If the computer does not boot , maybe you need to recreate the boot manager :
bcdboot command
EFI partition MUST BE FAT32 formatted and is between 100MB and 500MB

If needed use diskpart 

  • diskpart commands
    • list disk
    • select disk x (replace x by a number from the output of the previous command)
    • list partition
    • list volume (here you can see the filesystem type e.g;. FAT32 or NTFS ...)
    • select volume x  (replace x by a number from the output of the previous command)
    • assign letter=V:
    • help format
    • format V: FS=FAT32 LABEL=EFIBOOT OVERRIDE
    • if you want to recreate the boot manager :
      exit
      bcdboot C:\windows /s V: /f UEFI
  • bcdedit : managing Boot Configuration Data (BCD)
    Info from Microsoft:
    BCD files provide a store that is used to describe boot applications and boot application settings. BCDEdit can be used for a variety of purposes, including creating new stores, modifying existing stores, adding boot menu options, and so on
  • bcdedit /enum active

Open a command prompt with admin privileges (approve UAC if demanded)

start diskpart -> diskpart

select your disk with efi partions -> sel disk 1 (if disk 1 is the correct disk)

list your available partitions -> list part

if partition 2 that is the efi partition -> sel part 2

detail part

Partition 2
Type    : c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b  <<<<<< this means it is an EFI BOOT partition
Hidden  : Yes
Required: No
Attrib  : 0X8000000000000000
Offset in Bytes: 524288000
Now when the Required: property is set to No, you know that is the EFI partition you can delete. The other EFI partition will have the Required: property set to Yes. Do not delete that partition.

more info about the Required property, scroll to: gpt attributes on this page.

Edit:
to change the windows boot device (efi partition) use the following command:

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} device partition=a:
*where a: is the assigned drive letter for your new efi partition

Thanks to @mbrownnyc for looking up this information bcdedit Device Setting
The above useful info is copied from another website, hope the author doesn't mind ;-)

  • Create boot manager
This useful info below is copied from another website, hope the author doesn't mind ;-)

bcdboot :Tool to use is bcdboot.

First you create bootable partition, format it and then use bcdboot command to create bootloader files.

Windows 10 Installation Media:

Insert the Media (DVD/USB) in your PC and restart.
Boot from the media.
Select Repair Your Computer.
Select Troubleshoot.

Choose Command Prompt from the menu:
Type in the command:

Diskpart

Type in the command:

List disk            (Note which disk is your Boot drive number mine is 0)

Type in the command:

Sel disk 0

Type in the command:

List vol               (Note which volume is the EFI partition mine is 4)

Type in the command:

Sel vol 4

Type in the command:

assign letter=V:

Type in the command:

Exit

Type in the command:

V:

After you have assigned a drive letter Using Diskpart You can format the EFI partition:

Example: if you assigned a letter V to the partition the command would be:
format V: /FS:FAT32
bcdboot C:\windows /s V: /f UEFI



Other useful commands: (use them at your own risk)

  • Remove hiberfil.sys
    Start command prompt as administrator
    powercfg -h off
  • Remove pagefile.sys on Windows 10
    sysdm.cpl
    advanced > performance > settings
  • Disk scan:
    sfc /scannow
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

24 March 2021

 Joomla - mp3 and mp4 support



Content > Media > Options

  • Media
    • Legal Extensions (File Types) : bmp,csv,doc,gif,ico,jpg,jpeg,mp3,mp4,odg,odp,ods,odt,pdf,png,ppt,swf,txt,xcf,xls,BMP,CSV,DOC,GIF,ICO,JPG,JPEG,MP4,MP3,ODG,ODP,ODS,ODT,PDF,PNG,PPT,SWF,TXT,XCF,XLS
    • Maximum size in MB : 20
    • Legal Image Extensions (File Types) : bmp,gif,jpg,mp4,png,mp3
    • Legal MIME Types : image/jpeg,image/gif,image/png,image/bmp,application/x-shockwave-flash,application/msword,application/excel,application/mp4,video/pdf,application/powerpoint,text/plain,application/x-zip,audio/mpeg,video/mp4

sudo nano /etc/php/7.4/apache2/php.ini

upload_max_filesize = 20M
post_max_size = 21M

 


Uninstall software in Windows 10


e.g. to uninstall Avast Anti-virus:


  • Press "Control+Alt+Del" to start the task manager > [Task manager]
  • File > Run new task
  • cmd
  • [x] Run as administrator
  • [OK]
  • Type control appwiz.cpl + [Enter]
  • Search the program you want to delete, select it and click on [Uninstall]


20 March 2021

Backup and sync Google Drive

Using "Backup and sync Google Drive" on a computer with multiple users

  • Backup and sync Google Drive is a client program for Windows 10 that enables you to see your Google Drive in Windows Explorer.
  • I encountered a problem when I wanted to install this program when I was logged in as a second user on that PC: It did not work.
  • The solution was NOT to install backup and sync a second time, but to configure backup and sync as the second user
    • So to enable backup and sync logged in as the extra user:
      • Login as the extra user
      • Start "Backup and sync Google Drive"
      • Enter the credentials for Google Drive  for this extra user
      • Follow the instructions on screen
      • Be patient while the client downloads / uploads your files
    • In Windows Explorer you can see Google Drive in your Favorites

Link to download Backup and sync Google Drive on Windows 10:
Choose Individuals
Scroll down to "For Individuals" > Backup and Sync > Download




Lesson learned:

Only install  Backup and sync Google Drive once on a computer
but configure the program logged in as a second, third, fourth ... user on a Windows 10 PC

Remove system folders from external disk

Delete system folders on external disk using Windows 10

 Problem

  • I got a hard disk from a broken portable and wanted to use that disk as an external disk to put my backups on
  • Lot's of space was used by system folders on that disk e.g. Windows, Progam Files, Users ...
  • I wanted to free up space on that external disk, but it was not so easy to delete these system folders

Solution


To delete the system folders on the external disk, I used the following procedure:

  • Take ownership of these system folders

    • In Windows Explorer > Select the folder you want to delete on the external disk e.g. D:\Windows
    • Press Alt+Enter to view the Properties of the folder
    • [Security] > [Advanced]
    • Owner: specify the user with administrative permissions on your computer e.d. Administratror
      [x] Replace owner on sub containers and objects
      [OK]
      [OK]

  • Add the Administrator to the "Name of Groups of Users"
      • In Windows Explorer > Select the folder you want to delete on the external disk e.g. D:\Windows
      • Press Alt+Enter to view the Properties of the folder
      • [Security]
      • [Edit]
      • [Add] > Administrator
      • [x] Full Control
      • [OK[
      • [OK]

    • Inheritance -> Convert to explicit privileges

      • In Windows Explorer > Select the folder you want to delete on the external disk e.g. D:\Windows
      • Press Alt+Enter to view the Properties of the folder
      • [Security] > [Advanced]
      • [Change privileges]
      • [x] Replace privliges on sub objects ...
      • [Enable inheritance]
      • [Convert inhertited priviliges for this object into explicit privileges]
      • [OK]
      • Continue? [Yes]
      • [OK]
    Now you can delete the folder from the external disk