Orangeman Burns - Sriram Sridharan's Blog

Here is the address to my online store:
http://store.sriraminhell.com

Here's a direct address:
http://sriraminhell.zendfree.com/

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With all the hoopla surrounding Microsoft's forthcoming OS, Windows 7, I decided to take a sneak peek. So here's a tutorial that will allow you to dual boot Windows 7 with ease.

Windows 7 (formerly known as Blackcomb and Vienna) is the working name for the next release of the Microsoft Windows Operating System after the not-so-popular Windows Vista.

I'm using Windows 7 build 7000, but these steps should be valid for newer or older builds. We will be dual booting Windows 7 with a pre-existing Windows system[Windows XP in my case]. The system requirements are quite low. It runs "faster than XP" on my 4 year old system with the following specs:

• 2.4Ghz Single Core P4 processor
• 512MB DDR RAM at 133MHz
• Intel 845 GVSR mother board with integrated graphics card[64MB shared memory]
• 80GB HDD with an 8GB partition for Windows 7

My Windows Experience Index and detailed specs: http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/5/20/1920680/wei.pdf

I was creating an 8GB partition on my HDD with Paragon Partition Manager, when a random voltage spike caused the computer to restart[The UPS failed to switch to battery]. The MBR was corrupted and I couldn't log in to Win XP or Ubuntu. I booted up Puppy Linux from my USB drive, Googled around and found a solution. I inserted my Win XP Pre-SP1 CD and went to recovery console and used fixmbr. After a reboot, I was able to boot in to XP and browse the C[NTFS] partition, but my D[NTFS],E[NTFS] and G[EXT2] partitions were missing. I then installed the Active Partition Recovery software and after a quick scan, it found and recovered the missing NTFS partitions. So back up stuff before you attempt partitioning or installing the OS.

1. Create a partition of atleast 8GB and format it as NTFS. There are several tools available from Partition Magic, Paragon or you can even use the one available in the control panel.
2. Burn the Windows 7 iso into a DVD or mount the ISO. I prefer IMGBURN.
3. Set the BIOS to "not to boot from the disk". The OS will boot several times and it HAS to boot from the HDD each time.
4. Auto run the CD in the pre-existing Windows installation.
5. Choose install type as custom, and choose the partition you need to install Windows 7 in.
6. The install took me an hour with several reboots.

Now you're done. Simple huh?? Quite fast, painless and not remotely fussy. You'll notice that a new Windows 7 OS selection screen has been installed. To boot XP/Vista, choose the "Earlier installed Windows OS" or something similar. Don't forget to install an antivirus[Avast works fine] and FireFox[Firefox 3.1 beta 2 works fine]. Windows 7 comes default with IE 8 Beta, but I'd just stick to FF. If you want to update your Windows 7 install with a newer build, pop in the DVD with the iso and select upgrade while logged in Windows 7.



Hope this helps you guys on the fence, the guys who want to take a look at MS' new XP [Yeah, I said it] but don't want to take some unnecessary risks. Enjoy and please do comment on your experiences or share your thoughts below. Cheers!!

Slideshow of screen shots from Windows 7 Build 7000: http://albums.phanfare.com/slideshow.aspx?u=6794639&a_id=3215149

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I have a big surprise for you guys in this first post of 2009. But let's start with the pleasantries first. I hope that you guys had a very good New Year 2009 party. Me, I spent the night of 31 Dec watching episodes of "Friends". :(

Going back to the big surprise now, my good friend Joey's younger brother, John, has designed a logo for my blog. I asked him to work on the Orangeman Burns theme and I must say that he's done an absolutely stunning job. So it's my pleasure to share with you guys, the first ever Orangeman Burns logo and mascot:

Cheers!!

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Happy New Year 2009 guys!! 2008 has been a wonderful year for me and the blog and I hope that you guys had a good run as well. But however 2008 was, let us move on into the future and look forward to a year full of joy and festivities. Here is a cheesy graphic to start your new year off. :)



P.S. I just set the auto scheduling feature of Blogger to post this message at 23:59PM on 31/Dec/2008. So if is earlier or later, blame the Blogger Team. ;)

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Here a list of the top 5 tech releases to look out for in 2009.

5. Nintendo DSi: The DSi is the newest evolution of the Nintendo DS series. It is a handheld gaming platform that features dual LCD screens, WiFi and a veritable bevy of games supporting it. The DSi was launched in Japan in November 2008 and is scheduled for a worldwide release in H1 2009. It comes with two VGA cameras, a 3.2" screen, an SD slot and upgradable firmware. Online markets called DSi shops provide the user with several free and paid games downloadable over WiFi. The DSi does away with the GBA slot, which is probably a heart break for old school gamers. It will retail at about $185[Rs. 9300].

4. Android based phones: Android is a new OS intended for mobile devices [read cellphones]. It is an initiative of Android Inc. [Now owned by Google] and has its roots in Linux. It was recently showcased in the HTC G1 released on the T-Mobile network in the US. The main USP of Android is its customization and easy access to the code. The developer base is also very big resulting in more applications. Being a newly released software, it might still have a few bugs; but with the kind of collaborative support Android has, they'll get ironed out soon. Motorola, Lenovo, Sony Ericsson and Samsung are all set to release their G1 based phones in 2009. It remains to be seen if any of those phones would ever make it to the Indian market.


3. Intel i7: Intel core i7 are the new series of desktop processors and the successors to the very popular Core 2 series. They have support for DDR3 RAM which was until last year used in GPUs. DDR3 RAM has quite a bit more bandwidth compared to the current DDR2 RAM and also is more efficient. The Intel i7 also boasts of a feature known as "turbo boost" that overclocks the actives cores in steps 128Mhz as long as the temperature and voltage readings are within the threshold levels. Intel has also brought back Hyper-threading for its processors in i7. Look out for the i7 series processors for a serious performance boost albeit at a higher cost. Price ranges from Rs. 14,000 for the Intel i7 920 model to about 50,000 for the Intel i7 965 series.



2. Nokia 5800: Nokia 5800 is Nokia's latest addition to the much vaunted Music Xpress lineup. Nicknamed "the tube", it is Nokia's first touch screen intended for the popular Symbian S60 platform. It is marketed as the iPhone killer and is scheduled to be out Q1 2009 in India. It matches the iPhone feature by feature and is even cheaper [Rs. 25,000 for the Nokia 5800 Vs Rs. 32,000 for the Apple iPhone 3G]. It features a S60 V5 OS, 3.2" display with a 16:9 aspect ratios, optimal for wide screen videos. It bests the Apple iPhone 3G by supporting video recording at VGA, has a 3.2MP camera with auto focus and has memory slots for expansion. The camera comes with dual flash and even supports GeoTagging, something Nokia perfected with its recent N Series models.


1. 3G in India: The biggest event that Indian techies are waiting for is the unveiling of 3G networks in India. While 3G is on a trial run in New Delhi, it is to be launched in H1-2009. 3G [3rd Generation] is a standard for mobile networks which replaces 2.5G. The most important change that 3G networks will bring is higher bandwidth. This means that Indian mobile users will be able to browse faster sometimes even at speeds rivaling their home connection. While MTNL/BSNL have first dibs on 3G release, private operators like Vodafone and Airtel cannot be too far behind. 3G will also usher in a new era where video streaming and video conferencing is possible and where users will not have to block images/flash to speed up the browsing experience. On the flip-side, considering the current prices for data plans, 3G services will probably cost and arm and leg to use and you do need to own a 3G capable cellphone to use the high speed goodness.


Do you think I have missed something out?? Do tell me in the comments!!

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