HMS Noodles

I’m off to Cannock Chase for a Camping Weekend with my Day of Defeat: Source clan tonight. I haven’t been camping in years so I’m not really sure what I need to bring.

So far I’ve hit upon:

• Clothes, Washkit and Medicals etc
• Tent
• Airbed
• Sleeping Bag
• Camping Chair
• Camping Table
• Camping Gas Stove
• Pots, Pans and Cutlery
• Radio

We don’t arrive at the campsite until friday lunchtime (1st night is in a travelodge on the moterway) so we’ll have time friday morning to do some food shopping. I think I better get a cooler too.

I’ve spent more time than I care to admit over the last few days trying to get my blasted headphones to work with Vista. After reading some of the horror stories on the internet that are associated with any new release of Windows, I was pleasantly surprised that my headphones were my only immediate problem. In my nieveity, I assumed that a quick bit of investigation would solve the case. This was not to be.

The problem seems to stem from the new Digital Rights Management (DRM) code with Vista. Any USB Audio or Audio/Video device that’s more than a year or two old isn’t compatible with the DRM code in the usbaudio.sys driver file. You know if you have this problem when your USB soundcard or headphones appear in the device manager with a yellow exclamation mark sign, and you get a ”Device Cannot Start (Code 10)” error.

I’ve seen various fixes on the Internet, most of them center around using the Windows XPSP2 version of usbaudio.sys file, either by changing the registry, or the file itself. This is temperamental at best, as Vista notices your changing things and, without your consent, changes them back in front of your eyes. I had some small success with this, by playing with ownerships and permissions on the file then replacing it. It worked for a couple of days, but after I unplugged and reconnect the USB headphones, it refused to work again.

There is a handy Microsoft knowledge base article on it, KB 933262 but it doesnt actually provide a solution, just tells you there is one, but you have to contact support for further details. I phoned support and after 15 mins of answering the same questions again and again they agreed to email me the hot fix, which is passworded zip file that changes passwords every 5 days.

I extracted the zip and received an MSI file which installed the hot fix, and after a reboot my USB headphones installed correctly and have been working ever since. I’ve uploaded the file to my web space so anyone else with this problem can fix it with significantly less hassle than me!

Hotfix – Windows6.0-KB933262-v2-x86.msu
KB Article – KB 933262

While looking in awe at Tony’s small arsenal of airsoft weapons yesterday, once again i’ve decided that it’s something I must try. I mean, what self respecting chap couldn’t deny the appeal of shooting your mates with fully automatic, life sized bb guns.

I’ve had an airsoft pistol for some time now, but always wanted something a bit meaner looking. I can now say i’m the proud owner of my first electric gun, the double eagle M85. Its a 1:1 scale replica of the Sig 552 Commando, fires 6mm bbs at 400 rounds per minuite and has all the accessories a lad could want. Red dot scope, red dot laser, flashlight, silencer and tactical foregrip all included in the box, as well as battery charger, strap and saftey glasses.

It dosn’t have the power, accuracy or construction of a high end AEG, but then at £34.99 its an absolute bargain, really suited to a beginner.

Its about time I did something with this domain. Welcome to HMSNoodles.com, below is me. Take your time to fully absorb the image, as it might be the first and last time you get to see a fat man in a beastman costume.

Unfortunatly the costume isn’t mine, it is owned by its creater, Jack. Although I have nothing against anyone who wants to participate in Live Action Role Play (larp), I myself wouldn’t be able to stop laughing at the people with pointy hats, throwing pingpong balls, shouting “lightning bolt!”.