Hello everyone. Recently, I've been encountering numerous BSODs on Windows 8.1, each time with the same error: "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL". This is my attempt to document the steps taken to fix this error.

The first thing I did was examine the Windows Event Viewer service to determine what happened during the crash. According to the Event Viewer, there was a problem with the "svchost.exe" file. This is a system file, so the next step was to run an "sfc /scannow" command.

Running the Command Prompt as an Administrator, I ran the "sfc /scannow" command. After an extensive scan, the program returned the following information: "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log."

Well, this sucks. SFC is supposed to fix the files! After some digging around on the internet, I decided to run the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool, or DISM. Launching the Command Prompt with Administrative privileges again, I ran the following command: "dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth". Essentially, this would scan the entire Windows image, delete any resources associated with the corrupt files, and restore the clean files from a backup.

After around half an hour, the DISM program was completed with the following message: "The restore operation completed successfully. The component store corruption was repaired." Cool. Just to be thorough, I ran the "sfc/scannow" command again. It returned the following result: "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

I haven't had any BSODs since. I believe this corrected the problems, and my system seems to be running a lot smoother, but considering the random nature with which the problem appears, it's impossible to be certain. I'll give it some more time and update this blog if anything changes.

Runes of Magic on Linux

I recently had some major trouble getting the popular MMO 'Runes of Magic' to work on my Linux laptop. I seem to have fixed the problem, and figured I'd share my knowledge with the world, in case anyone else is having trouble as well. So here's how you run WINE on Linux, note I am running Linux Mint 10, a derivative of Ubuntu's "Maverick Meerkat" release. (Darn, now I want to watch Meerkat Manor, lol)

First, you of course need to install WINE. I simply installed it from the repositories, but you can download it and install it via the WINE website as well. I also installed the PlayOnLinux front-end, I'm not sure if this is necessary or not but either way that's what I did.

After that, it's a simple matter of downloading and installing the client like you would on Windows. Now, this is where it gets tricky. After running the game client and trying to patch the game, it will encounter a fatal error and crash. Here's the trick: Before you run the game client, you need to install Microsoft Visual C++ 2005. Here's how I did it:

First, I installed Winetricks by using the following command in Terminal:

• wget http://www.kegel.com/wine/winetricks

Then installing MS Visual C++ is a simple matter of running the following command in Terminal:

• sh winetricks vcrun2005

This will install MS Visual C++. Run the client again, and it should work normally. It'll patch the game, then launch the game. Final step: Enjoy playing Runes of Magic.

I hope this helps Linux users to enjoy Runes of Magic, without getting overly frustrated, like I got.

And then I said, "Oatmeal?! Are you crazy?!"

Things have not been very good lately in the world. Shootings in Tucson, the media bickering, left wing and right wing idiots pointing fingers at each other ... so let's take a moment to look at something a bit happier, a 'guilty pleasure' if you will.

There's a new My Little Pony TV series out, and Celestia help me, it's actually pretty good. My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic (abbreviated FiM) is the third television series and follows the 4th Generation ponies. Initially, Twilight Sparkle, a unicorn and disciple of the god-queen Celestia (though she prefers to be called a princess) is sent to Ponyville in order to supervise the preparations for their equivalent of Summer Solstice. Without giving too much away, she ends up having to make friends to save the world from becoming shrouded in eternal night.

I really like how the characters are portrayed in this show. Character development progresses well, and the characters tend to break the mold. Twilight Sparkle, for example, is a bit of a shut-in bookworm, which is pretty normal, but she's also a Type A take charge sort of girl. She's not portrayed as shy (that's Fluttershy's job), but as someone who would simply rather stay home and read a book than go to a party. Her organizational skills save the day a couple of times, notably in the Winter Wrap-Up episode.

The show is also not afraid to poke fun at its predecessors. For example, the previous series included random musical numbers. In FiM, Pinkie Pie will occasionally burst into a musical number, but then she's the one all the other ponies think is crazy. ("Tell me she's not." "She is.") The show has even developed a bit of a colt following.

Anyways, I could go on about the show a bit more, but it's pretty late here and I need to get some sleep. There are lots of various forum discussions, I highly recommend checking out some of them. Also the TV Tropes page.

Also, if you're wondering about the title of this post, see the first few seconds of this.

Also, in case you didn't see it, I made another post earlier today. This is the second of two posts as my apology for not updating last week, so hit the jump to see my other update.

Jersey Shore

Hello everyone. Sorry for not posting last week, I was in New Jersey getting a couple of dental fillings. Now, my Nana and aunt will tell you their place has perfectly good internet. Don't listen to them. I had to mooch off the neighbors.

That aside, my aunt Chris is a very good cook, although she doesn't actually cook nearly often enough. I was only down there for three nights, the first I made my own dinner because it was late, and the third night we went out to eat. But the time she did make dinner, a pot roast with mashed potatoes and veggies, it was delicious. (Pro tip: When making a roast, just dump the veggies in with it and let them cook with the roast. The veggies then pick up a bit of the meaty flavor. This works very well with frozen vegetables as well.)

Now, meditation. I just want to say that this is a very effective trick when at the dentist or the doctor. It helps you pass the time and not be quite so bored, as well as helping distract you from the discomfort inherent in not being able to feel your lips. (Pro tip: When the dentist is applying the Novocain, DO NOT OPEN YOUR EYES!)

The Amtrak is just plain fun. It's not the fastest way to get someplace, but it's got big seats, a dining car, and power outlets at every seat. You can stand up and stretch, walking back to the dining car just to stretch your muscles, and pick up a snack while you're at it. ;) The trip back was fun because we drove through a constant snowstorm, and snow kept drifting into the space between the cars. (Pro tip: Put on your long duster coat when going between cars and boast about how you had to trudge through raging blizzards just to get to the next car.)

That's all for now. I'm working on another post to make up for my lack of one last week, so stay tuned for that.

Blog Challenge 2011: Turn It Up To '11!

Heeeello, everybody! It's a new year, and with a new year comes new posts. This year, I'm participating in the Post A Week Blog Challenge on Wordpress, which means two things. 1) More regular updates here, at least once per week. And 2) I now have a 'mirror site' of sorts, meaning all my posts from here on out will appear on Wordpress as well. You can find my Wordpress mirror at (http://shadowsofvalhalla.wordpress.com/), and I encourage you to follow me there, though everything I post there and more will still be posted here.

Note: The following contains information about a TV series and a movie. Though I will do my best to avoid spoilers, I recommend treading lightly if you haven't seen Watership Down or Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Now that that's out of the way, I've been watching the Watership Down TV series lately. Most people stumble across it and watch it because they were a fan of the original movie and book, and a number of them are rightfully miffed. They turned Blackberry into a doe, and they changed and reordered a lot of the events, completely cutting out the events at Sandleford Warren altogether. On the other hand, the TV series as a whole is actually pretty good. If you don't go into it with any expectations, the characters are relatively well done and can really draw you in. There is one particular episode where the gull, Keehar, brings news back to Watership Down that Hazel and his raiding party are gone, and not coming back. (He thinks that a fox ate them.) And Pipkin's reaction is enough to bring tears to one's eyes. (Though the effect is somewhat less, considering that we already know they're still alive.)

In more theatrical news, I saw the new Narnia movie today, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It's a good movie, even with the heavy religious undertones (overtones?) at the end. My favorite character, I think, is Reepicheep, the chief mouse (and a noble one to boot), though Eustace was also pretty good after his little debacle as a dragon. (On a side note, said debacle got me considering that it might be nice to spend a day or two as a dragon, so long as I don't get shot.)

Pet Peeve #234567

This goes out to all the college students out there. If you gotta pee, and the urinal's in use, do you the toilet. But for goodness sakes, do NOT leave the lid down, unless you sit down to pee. There's nothing, and I mean nothing grosser then a pee-soaked toilet seat. (>_<)

Otaku Tip #22

Just because it's Japanese, doesn't mean it's good.

Case in point: miso soup.