Bug-Man’s Blog

I am being bombarded with ICQ Authentications of late. I’ve done some looking around, and apparently I’m not the only one. Every time I deny their request, they try again, over and over.

People are posting on the ICQ forum about it, and it seems to be a problem with the ICQ network given the multitude of replies here. I’m betting thousands of other people AREN’T replying to this thread!

I lodged an online support request with ICQ, which reads:
—–

Subject: Bombarded with Authentication Requests
ICQ Number: xxxxxx
OS: I don't know
ICQ Version: I don't know- I don't know
CPU: I don't know- I don't know
Browser Type: Firefox
IP Address: xxx.xx.xx.xx
Message:
I'm being bombarded with Authentication requests by users. When I reject these authentications they request again, and I am repetitively bombarded with authentications. I can not make them go away.

I am not using the ICQ client. I am using Adium on my Mac, connecting through a Jabber server running an ICQ transport. The problem appears to be on the ICQ network, according to the posts in this thread.

—–

Interestingly I told it not to include my IP address and it still did.

Now I’ll have to wait and see if I receive a response.

UPDATE: 29/03: NO REPLY AS YET!

Here at work I use my PowerBook (still waiting on my replacement MacBook!) and on my left is a crappy ASUS Laptop on which I run Windows, so that I can use our internal phone software properly. It doesn’t run very well on Java.

But anyway, I just noticed my Timezone was wrong. This is because Daylight Savings was extended for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. I clicked on the trusty WindowsUpdate link and clicked the Express button.

CHECKING [ XXXXXXXXXX ]

High-priority updates
No high-priority updates for your computer are available. To check for optional updates, return to our home page and click Custom.

Are you joking? The change in my timezone for Adelaide isn’t high priority? What kind of show are they running here.

I’d just like to say that my Mac was updated and works beautifully. Unfortunately for me, I now have to go back through a horrifying menu interface just to update my timezone data.

So I go back and click the Custom button, and once again, it tells me that there are no High-priority updates. It does tell me I can “use the options on the left” but the options on the left are extremely camoflaged with the rest of the pane. It looks really ugly and I think it’s crap.

Software, Optional.

Update for Windows XP
Update for Windows XP
Windows Media Player 10
Update for Windows XP
Update for Windows XP

So I have to click on all of them to try and find which one is the Timezone update patch. Oh joy!

I clicked on the first one and it says “This update includes minor changes to how Internet Explorer handles some web pages that use Microsoft ActiveX controls.” It goes on. Shouldn’t that be “Update for Internet Explorer”? I’m confused ! I thought the web browser was not supposed to be bundled with the operating system! Oh well. I’ll press on.

Oh dear. NONE of the updates suggested seem to be in relation to my local timezone! I’ll have a look in “Hardware, Optional” just to be sure.

No! As I suspected they’re all printer drivers and something else for my motherboard. What a surprise! No updates seem to be for my computer’s timezone problem! I’ll install them all. Maybe that will fix it.

81Mb.

OK! My computer is restarting. Will it update my timezone? FINGERS CROSSED!!!!!!!!!!

NO!! I’m not surprised. So how do I update my computer’s timezone now? I know. Microsoft.com -> Downloads -> Microsoft Update

Oh, it told me to use Internet Explorer 5. OK!

Microsoft.com -> Downloads -> Knowledge base -> “Adelaide Time Zone” -> …

Great! The first response was for Windows NT. In 2003. I found it, but it was way down in the list. This search engine sucks! Wow, there’s so much crap on that page I don’t know how Joe Homeuser would be able to update his machine.

OH MY GODDDDD I need a Windows Genuine Advantage Plug-In for Firefox! You’ve *GOT* to be kidding me! I’m trying it in Internet Explorer, and Internet Explorer lets me do it. What the fuck? I’ve never installed a Genuine Advantage plugin for Internet Explorer, either. I did notice, however, that when I clicked the link a small browser window came up. Maybe it did it then? It *IS* Internet Explorer, you know. Doing things behind your back is its way.

The update has been installed. My timezone has not changed. Maybe I’ll reboot. Again. Can you feel my anger? Gahh!!!

IT’S STILL WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I give up. I’m leaving it how it is.

Recently I’ve been installing some games on my Xbox under emulation. SNES, Sega, Commodore, etc, and it’s been wonderful fun!

Last night I wanted to somehow get the theme from Alex Kidd in Miracle World on to my mobile phone. Turns out I learned a few things in the process!

Some people have ripped the soundtracks to VGM (Video Game Music) files. The Sega Master System game sounds are best stored in VGM format. I was playing my VGM files with Audio Overload. Audio Overload will only export the files to WAV, and for a Nokia 6610i you need them in MIDI format. So what to do…

I tried a program called vgm2mid. It’s a Windows 98 executable with a few additional files. It even required a really irritating DLL (gahh!) file to be dropped into its directory. So don’t bother. It’s crap!

Instead, do what I did! And Google some more! Then you come across websites like The Video Games Music Archive Then you’re really in business. You can just download the MIDI files straight from the website. But they’re not the same. The MIDIness of them just detracts from the original beauty of in-game music, but because the Nokias only support MIDI files, we have to live with what we’ve got! And that means:

Theme to Alex Kidd in Miracle World

But, I didn’t like it. It was too fast and jumpy and loud.

So I set my ring-tone as Sonic the Hedgehog instead!

I also found this site: Snesmusic.org, which has a LOT of SNES music in its original format. And Audio Overload plays them really, really well.

I found it! Well, someone at work forwarded it around!

I’ve been reading about the Xbox 360 being hacked. It appears that people are getting closer and closer to “modding” the 360, and I’d be interested to see it get to the same level as the Xbox Mark-I!

Apparently, the Xbox was modded by TheSpecialist, and he was able to run a duplicated copy of an Xbox 360 game.

Xbox 360 executables (XEX files) are digitally signed by Microsoft. Each XEX file has a flag named mediaflag which tells the Xbox 360 from which media type the XEX is allowed to boot (ie CD-R, CD+R, HDD, dvdxbox360, etc). The Xbox discs (dvdxbox360) are specific DVDs which have certain bad sectors and info in the disc lead-in and lead-out made to them which you can’t do on burnt DVDs. To fool the Xbox-360 into accepting a DVD+R or DVD-R or whatever format, some changes were made to the firmware of the DVD drive which tells the Xbox-360 that it’s reading from media type dvdxbox360. If this flag were changed in the XEX file itself, this would break the signature in the file and it would fail to run.

He hasn’t released the firmware to the public, but I’m guessing that since it can be done it won’t be long before it’s out.

There’s a video of the proof, too.

Microsoft have responded to the hack, stating this:

The core security system has not been broken. However, it is reported that the authentication protocol between the optical disc drive and the console may be attacked, which if accurate could allow people to play illegally copied games. Our security team is aware of this and we are investigating potential solutions to this issue. The Xbox 360 platform was designed to be updated, and we are prepared to respond appropriately should any unauthorized activity be identified.

Everyone should keep in mind that Microsoft invests a great deal of time and effort to ensure that Xbox gamers enjoy the most powerful and exhilarating game experience available today. Genuine and unmodified Microsoft Xbox products provide gamers with the reliability, security, support and dynamic gaming experience that they expect. Microsoft works with a large group of legitimate business partners to sell and service genuine Microsoft Xbox products. Microsoft does not authorize or support any products or companies that modify or change the Xbox console in any way.

Some of the places talking about the Xbox 360 hack are xbox-scene.com, and the original thread

It’s still unknown how long it will be before the Xbox 360 is hacked to the max, because full chipping isn’t available at this stage. But I will wait and see.

My last post writes about what a pleasant week I had, but this one’s gotten off to an awful start! I visited my old friend Fergal who I have not seen in about a year. We had a BBQ with a few of his friends. I ended up being home extremely ill that night having to visit the loo every 15 minutes! Let me just say my friends, that it gets a bit tiresome after the first roll.

I have no idea what brought it on; food I would guess, duh, but specifically what did it I do not know. I don’t know if anyone else was affected either!

So on Sunday night I went to sleep, waking up a few times but ultimately I could not go to work today. I had to interview someone for a job today, too, so was unable to do that! I stayed at home today and Lindsay kept me company, so at least that was something We watched a few more Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s and are now up to the beginning of season three! It starts getting good from here

I should be right to go back to work tomorrow but if I get even the slightest hint of it again I think I’ll take the day off just to make sure my body remains well-rested enough. I haven’t had a break in ages anyway (not that being off sick is much of a break.)

And I do mean super. No, really. Actually, I didn’t do a whole lot. Worked today on a public holiday! But who can complain with 2.5X pay. I’ll take next Monday off instead

I did go to the Tap Inn (Kent Town Hotel) for dinner with Adam. Four beers was enough for us, but you know what, they have a strange urinal there. When you stand at it and let it all out, these fish stare at you from above the urinal. But what’s worse is that when the urinal flushes itself, the water is drawn from the fish tank, and refilled from a water inlet. Poor fish! All that chlorine! I’ve heard reports of strange clear doors in the restaurant in which you go into the cubical and close the door behind you, and when you do this the door frosts up… on the outside! So you can see out, but noone can see in. VERY WEIRD. I’ll have to try it out!

It’s much too late for me now and I should be asleep, but I felt that my DEDICATED readers (yes, all 0 of you!) deserved an update.

Just to bring you up to speed, the whole home browsing thing didn’t work out as expected. Neither place was as good as what I had expected. Then I visited Marc’s new place and man, it is awesome. A beautiful old North Adelaide home in exemplary condition, with a modern kitchen. It’s fabulous. His music room now kicks ass

I attended Natalie’s 21st birthday party; a girl I met at the pub, twice! She’s an international student studying English, so most of the party guests were also from her school. It was at her host-family’s house in Blackwood, and I did have a fun night. I chatted to most of the people there, although I knew nobody at first except for Natalie, and yet I barely knew her, either.

She and I will keep in touch and hopefully become good friends. Although, as international friends go I really must try and make a better effort. I have not spoken much to Kate, Lionel, and tried to email Joice the other day but I got no reply Still, I will keep trying every once in a while

Tonight’s Listening: Dan Abrahms – Live

I have been looking at houses on the ‘net today. Just because Adam and I think it might be time to move. But if we can’t find anything we want, or can’t get what we want, we’ve got all the time in the world. Well, at least until our lease runs out.

There’s a short-list. First is this one in North Adelaide, and this one in Fullarton. Frankly, I’d rather live in North Adelaide I think, just because I haven’t done that before!

We’re going to see both after 4pm today. Marc has given me some details of the agent he found who apparently specialises in North Adelaide. I should give him a call today and see what’s on offer! Marc says there is a place that’s come up that hasn’t even been advertised yet. Yeah!

I went to see Judith Lucy‘s I failed! with my mum last night. I like her, and Mum used to watch a lot of her (and the rest of that lot) on The Late Show etc on ABC. I give her show many 3 stars of 5. Not the funniest thing I’ve seen, but it was funny.