Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Special Post for Ah Ma

"Joseph, do you already drink your milk?"
"Haven't Ah Ma, I don't have milk in the house. Mommy recently never bought milk again for me."
"Here, take this money, and go buy some milk from the nearest market. Please do careful when you cross the street"


"I bought a present for you... This one is a little puppy. This little puppy come far a way from Australia. You can play with it and have fun"
"Thanks Ah Ma ^___^"


Not much sweet memory to remember from my Ah Ma, because I live with my mom and dad, and only visit my Ah Ma and Ah Gong occasionally.
Less but sure more than enough..

People said that once you have been good to other people, you'll be remembered for life.
I think that was exactly why I'm experiencing now.

Ah Ma, a strong woman, yet very powerful, she managed to distribute the happiness quite well. To all her child, even though not all born from her womb.

Ah Ma, a strong woman that can bear her life challenge which isn't easy. Born in China, and migrated with my Ah Gong to Indonesia, and My Ah Gong build everything from scratch in that foreign country.

Perhaps my Ah Gong and Ah Ma followed the Chinese wise word, "More children means Big Wealth in your family".

I think the one that I call success is not that you can have big family like those specified in the Chinese wise word, but you managed to have big family without making them separated, still gathered as one family. Even several of your son is no longer in that foreign country, and migrated to Australia, and one of your child is staying at Germany. The big thing is you and Ah Gong manage to create that opportunity for your child. I'm proud of you two.

Ah Ma....
Even though you no longer can see me anymore
Even though you no longer can hear me
Even though you no longer can give wise word anymore

You will always be remembered

Ah Ma...
Even though the Doctor claims that you can only survive within days..
I think they miss judge you...
They never know that He have special plans for you after these days..

I'm sure now you'll be happier..
Free from all burdens
End of all problems
Because God already take you home

I still remembered last kiss that I give to you on my last visit.
I won't forget that kiss.

Zai Jian Ah Ma
I won't say I love you now,
Not because I don't love you
But it's to late to say it now,
I know that you knew
Even though I didn't say it on my last visit

I won't say I miss you now,
Not because I don't miss you
But it's to late to say it now

I won't say Thank You Ah Ma now,
Not because I'm ungrateful
But it's to late to say it now

But....
if only I could post this message to you now
Through the Heaven's Post Center
I will definitely would say I love you, I miss you, and Thank You Ah Ma


(In Memoriam of my Ah Ma, 11 Apr 2006 4:25 GMT+8)

Saturday, April 7, 2007

DVD Part 2

2 Days after I cant burn the darn DVD-R 16x Disc, I purchase 1 DVD+R Imation 16x to test whether my DVD drive able to burn DVD or not.

After login to my laptop, I directly start my nero burning rom and test how nero able to recognize the new disc as empty DVD disc or not. Nero able to recognize it as empty DVD. Yayyy finally I'm able to burn ^____^ I load my previous project, and start to burn immediately. Darn... it only able to recognize it as empty disc, but when trying to burn the DVD, I always encounter the same issue, unable to continue process. Unknown command when executing DVD burning.

Now I completely blur, how can I burn a simple dvd, or the shop just play marketing game to me. Never give up... I just think that perhaps incompatible disc. Perhaps the imation disc is not suitable with my burner.

The week after I bought the DVD Drive, I went out to the same place, but not for complaining the DVD Drive. I went there with Riko because he want to try to repair his laptop.

After that, I decided to purchase 25 pieces of DVD+R. Learned from the old issue, I will only buy the +R disc, and because I want to reduce the chance of failure when burning, I purchase the branded disc that already known with its quality... At end I choose Verbatim DVD+R 16x. It's a good brand isn't it?


Reached to home, and yet tested whether my DVD drive able to burn the verbatim discs, I try to browse at the internet and try to find as many as possible regarding any information for my DVD drive, and 1 article recommend me to use nero info tools to see whats your DVD Drive able to write?

And it stated able to write DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R, CD-RW, and the speed for burning DVD only for 2.4x (Darn...) It's an old model indeed, not the new one. The other article told me that the DVD Drive only able to burn DVD 4x - 8x speed only, and cant burn the 16x one.

Oh nooo... what will I do with those 25 pieces of verbatim DVD+R 16x disc? I already purchased it.. and theres no way to give it back to the store and trade it with 8x disc.

Sigh... another good way to waste $ :D
So.... I made up my mind to test with 4x disc and 8x disc.. But, nowadays its quite hard to find the old disc that have 8x or 4x speed... all stores only sell the 16x DVD discs.

The hunting ends after I visited mustafa and find sets of DVD+R 8x disc and DVD+R 4x disc. Finally... after a long journey... I finally found the place that sold the old DVD disc^^. But still worrying whether its able to burn or not.

Finally its able to work.. so confirm my Drive is a DVD+RW drive that only able to burn old DVD+R discs and DVD+RW discs..

Here is the source URL that I used for learning the DVD formats

http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2003/DVDFormatsExplained.asp

Below is the chunk of details that I extract from the site.

DVD+R and DVD+RW
DVD+R and DVD+RW formats are supported by Philips, Sony, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Ricoh, Yamaha and others.

DVD+R is a recordable DVD format similar to CD-R. A DVD+R can record data only once and then the data becomes permanent on the disc. The disc can not be recorded onto a second time.

DVD+RW is a re-recordable format similar to CD-RW. The data on a DVD+RW disc can be erased and recorded over numerous times without damaging the medium.

DVDs created by a +R/+RW device can be read by most commercial DVD-ROM players.


Below is the chunk of information that I've extract that informed me that 16x Discs will not work on my DVD Drive.

Pros: Verbatim brand; price.

Cons: I cannot get these to burn with my Philips DVD+RW SDVD6004. Also, the retailer's "receipt" must be sent in with rebate form; when I called the rebate center to see what constituted as the receipt from newegg, I was told there was an unresolved "issue" with this particular rebate and my question "could not be answered".

Other Thoughts: My internal Philips SDVD6004 drive came as an option with my Inspiron 5100 laptop; I have been using it to successfully burn video and data DVDs for about a year now, but I cannot get it to burn these particular DVDs. They are the first Verbatims I have attempted to burn with this drive. I have spent a considerable amount of time researching this problem with little success. The best answer I've found so far is that my particular burner is old/problematic. I would avoid this product if you plan to burn with a Philips SDVD6004 drive, as I have not had this issue with other media.

Monday, April 2, 2007

DVD Part 1

Actually I've thinking to buy a new External DVD Writer, so I can write a DVD between my old laptop and the newer one.

But finally the situations start differently....

It was started from when me, Johan, Desson, and Riko (read Bastard) play LAN games at my place.. we sort of computer since those 2 creatures (Desson and Riko), not willingly to bring their laptop...

Riko, even though that he live quite far, but his willingness to PLAY is really strong, so at end he always bring his laptop to my place.

But... Desson... the one that quite lazy to bring his old laptop (which very troublesome for playing DOTA :D), said... (translated version), "Chep, I think its better to you to reinstall your old laptop. It's really sux.. and slow". Felling pity for him, I've decided that I'll reinstall it...

OK.... not long from that the installation is started, and it was quite success, until... DVD Read error.. cannot find file "bla bla bla.."

and the installation is stopped... But.. never give up... I keep on trying... until 3am in the morning.. Installation finally completed.. (persistent is a special power isn't it :D)

What the hell???? I thought its over... yet... it turn out the other way around. The windows crash... able to boot, and load.. but... it stop at the password level.. Installation corrupted, please reinstall your windows... (ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)

So... it end at last 2 weeks.. Desson, Riko, and me went out to Simlim Square to try to find is there any way to repair the optic without have to replace the whole Drive.

We stop at the 4th storey and I asked the shop owner.. "Can you repair my DVD Combo Drive?". "Whats wrong with your DVD?", he replied. "The optic is not good anymore, it not able to read continuously, can you replace the optic with the new one?" "Sorry, we don't do that in here.." (Sigh...) It just doesn't like Glodok where you can replace anything inside your pc or laptop.

"OK........ How much for a new DVD Writer drive?" "$190" (OMG!!! so expensive).. Those two creatures went out leaving me alone in the shop.. they went to search a External HDD. So, I called them to check the DVD Writer external price, if the price were cheaper I'm thinking to bought a cheap CD ROM only, just to reinstall my old laptop.

"How much for a CD ROM Drive?" "$50" (OMG!! I think this shop is try to get highly benefit from its customers). So at the end we decided to find other shop and hoping will get a better value price.

Looking around 4th storey and cannot find a good shop to stop, we continue to 5th storey by stairs, and stopped a while by 3 lovely lady sitting and studying at the stairs... Everyone put their best "Cool" face and pass them over and talking in Bahasa.

Yayy.. 5th storey have 1 cheap store that sell internal DVD writer for $125 only.. "OK, can test 1st??" The shop owner directly put the new DVD into my old laptop.. the surgery is begin, while we're talking about external HDD.

"OK, can le" The shop owner said.. "OK, let me test", seems the reading process looks ok, so.. without further checking and asking, I asked, "Can pay by NETS?" "Sorry we don't" "OK.. where can I find the nearest ATM?" "Go down to the 1st storey, and you can find the ATM near the Lift." "OK, wait hor.."

We went down... but not taking the escalator to go down from 5th to 4th :D Why???
Still remembered the 3 lovely lady.. I think we all agreed in our heart to see them again (LOL)
They still sit there and studying seriously, without noticing that the 3 handsome man pass them again on purpose :D

Shorten the story... after successfully take the money and pay by cash, I decided to bought the DVD disc to back up my old laptop Data. So I bought 25 disc for $15, it's a good price after all..
What brand? TDK it's a good brand.. and the writing speed is able to reach 16x.. WOW ok lorh... seems problems solved..

So I went back home with smile on my face.. and tried to burn and back up my data immediately after that.

But something fishy happened. Darn... why the bloddy disc is not recognized?
Is the shop trick me?

2 hours of trying wasted... and yet no good result............
so.. I try to see whether the disc is the problem.. I borrow Johan's DVD burner, and the disc is stated as Empty DVD Disc.. and he also can burn with it..

Something wrong with my new DVD Drive?? hell yeah it is... but.. I keep thinking the other way around.. I think the disc is not compatible with my DVD drive..

So the browsing begins.. and 2 days after that I saw an important information about DVD type..

I thought DVD R is DVD R and DVD RW is DVD RW, which similar with CD R and CD RW... But I got it all wrong!!!

DVD is not standardized.. some brand have the + standard and some have the -, mean while there other technology like blueray and others..

The TDK disc that I bought is a DVD-R which is not compatible with my drive.. so.. I bought 25 DVD+R disc in the next day..

Will it work???