blog.crox.net (Entries tagged as microsoft)

Linux - extract data from an "OLE Compound" file

nospam@example.com (crox) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 20:17:18 +0000

As seen here, 7-Zip can extract the contents:

$ file PGPexch.ole
PGPexch.ole: Composite Document File V2 Document, No summary info
$ 7z x PGPexch.ole

7-Zip [64] 9.20  Copyright (c) 1999-2010 Igor Pavlov  2010-11-18
p7zip Version 9.20 (locale=en_US.UTF-8,Utf16=on,HugeFiles=on,2 CPUs)

Processing archive: PGPexch.ole

Extracting  [1]CompObj
Extracting  [1]Ole
Extracting  CONTENTS
Extracting  [3]ObjInfo
Extracting  [2]OlePres000
Extracting  [3]MailStream

Everything is Ok

Files: 6
Size:       104336
Compressed: 108544
$ file CONTENTS
CONTENTS: PDF document, version 1.5
$

(If the OLE data is hidden in a WINMAIL.DAT file, you may have to extract it with tnef first.)

Add Ubuntu alongside a pre-installed Windows on an HP laptop (convert primary partition to extended/logical)

nospam@example.com (crox) — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 09:49:00 +0000

Recently I wanted to install Ubuntu next to a pre-installed Windows on a brand-new HP EliteBook.

The notebook came with four primary partitions, with Windows installed on the biggest one:

- sda1 (1 GB, NTFS, label=SYSTEM)
- sda2 (457 GB, NTFS)
- sda3 (16 GB, NTFS, label=HP_RECOVERY)
- sda4 (2 GB, FAT32)

In order to install Ubuntu it's not enough to resize the Windows partition, as you cannot have more than four primary partitions. Removing one of the other partitions is a bad idea according to several reports, as it might render the system unable to start, or prevent BIOS updates. So the idea is to convert the Windows partition to a logical one in addition to resizing it. Fortunately everything you need to do that is already included on the Ubuntu installation image.

1. Use gparted to resize and move the Windows partition. I resized it to 100 GB and added 10 MB free space before it (to leave some space to create the extended partition later on). This will take a while, depending on the performance of your hard drive.

2. Use fixparts to convert sda2 to a logical partition:

# fixparts /dev/sda

Type l then 2, write the changes to the disk with w.

3. Restart the computer without the Ubuntu install media so that Windows fixes itself. This will take even longer than the partition resize, be patient. Restart once more to make sure the Windows install is fine.

4. Proceed with installing Ubuntu, choose the option to "install Ubuntu alongside Windows".

Microsoft to pay companies to switch from Google to Live Search

nospam@example.com (crox) — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 21:36:38 +0000

see the following stories:

1. http://battellemedia.com/archives/003447.php

2. http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/10554/532/

3. http://www.ledevoir.com/2007/03/19/135590.html (in French)

The first article describes the program. I also found most comments by the readers worth reading - and altogether they summarize pretty much everything I would have to say about it :o)