Travis and I are back in Chattanooga.  We arrived at 12:45 AM Eastern on June 2.  I will blog about Paris later this afternoon.  For those curious, Travis and I mainly stuck together the entire trip, so I usually said "we" during the blog postings.

Now for the good stuff.  Our house got hit by lightning at 6:00 PM on Thursday, June 1.  It came through out wireless and wired network and cable TV system.  All in all, we lost two TVs, a router, a network hub, a network port on my server (luckily, not the gigabit ethernet port), and my tablet PC.  The Media Center PCs are doing well (except for one TV tuner card in my primary PC which I have lost its sound).  I have reverted back to an old Microsoft MN-740 router (and may keep it up as it seems to be doing well).  I thought a trip to Fry's down in Atlanta was in my future today but luckily the damage to the server was only to the one network port.  We thought my parent's laptop was fried as well but after killing all the power to it, it came right back up.  So, luckily, not too much damage occured, and we are in contact with the insurance companies to recoup the damage.

Europe was great, and it was a great experience to see the different cultures and ways of life.  Recap will come later too.  :)

Andy

6/2/2006 2:23:14 PM UTC      Comments [2]  Travel

We are back and in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland (more on that in a moment).  Before coming here, we were in Florence.  The city was very beautiful.  Unfortunately, we only stayed there a night.  We went to the Accedemia (or museum) and saw the statue of David.  It is much larger in person.  The sculpting was very well done as veins and all were shown.  After that, we headed over to a church in the middle of Florence (I'll figure out the name soon) and went up to the dome.  The inside of the dome was very nicely painted (have some great pictures).  After that, we climbed up to the top of the dome (not literally climbed up, Mom :) ) where we saw some breathtaking views of Florence (photos taken).  The stairway up there was about 460 steps (both up and down) so it was very high up there.  After that, we had a tuscan meal (great pasta, meat with curry sauce, and dessert).

The next morning, we drove to Lauterbrunnen and found ourselves in two staus (traffic jams, in German).  We were suppose to visit another town but the traffic prohibited it.  We arrived into Lauterbrunnen that night (around 7:15 PM) and ate dinner.  The city is very beautiful with lots of waterfalls.  Today, we set out for the top of Jungfraujoch, what the locals call the Top of Europe.  Lauterbrunnen is 2,612 ft above sea level and Jungfraujoch is 11,383 ft.  The acutal Jungfrau peak is 13,642 ft.  In the morning, it was like a blizzard up there so we ate some lunch.  Afterwards, the group went up to the Sphinx, 11,760 ft, for some photo opportunities.  Once picture time was over, we went down the shaft and outside.  There, a snowball fight erupted with many poor souls losing (I was victorious).  After doing that for about 5 minutes and getting more pictures, we went back inside to warm up.  After warming up, more people from the group showed up so we went back outside for more snowball fights.  After 2 minutes, we all went back inside (the temperature was -4°­C) to warm back up.  Soon after, a train was scheduled to depart so we hopped on that to head back down.  Then, I found this Internet cafe in a hostel.

Tomorrow, we set our sights on Paris (our longest drive).  We will leave Paris on Thursday at 1:30 PM and arrive in Philly at 3:30 PM (gotta love time changes).  We should be back in Chattanooga at 12:00 AM on Friday.

Andy

5/29/2006 2:30:04 PM UTC      Comments [4]  Travel

"The Promise" is a great song by that band.

We have made it to Rome, Italy!  We arrived about 4:00 PM at the cabins and went on a small walking and bus tour of Rome after that.  Rome is very beautiful at night.  It is a city full of rich history (like new Rome was built on top of ancient Rome, literally).

Today, we did a full walking tour of the Collosieum; the political, religious, and market place (ancient one); the 100-year-old emperor's palace.  After that, we caught bus to Vatican City where we watched the zig-zagging line of people waiting to go into St. Peter's Bascilica.  We didn't stand in the line (just got pictures as the temperature is about 75°F).  So, the group stopped for some pizza, and afterwards we found this Internet cafe.

We are about to head back out for some photo opportunities and then possibly go for a swim at the pool in the campground.  Tomorrow, we head to Florence and will only stay the night (suppose to be 86 tomorrow!!!). The next day, the group visits the Swiss Alps (perhaps the one place I am looking forward to most, but it could rain and temps will be 68-74 during the days, 44 during the nights).

Andy

5/26/2006 12:02:08 PM UTC      Comments [4]  Travel

So today was a very interesting day.  We started out with breakfast (the usual).  After that, we caught a ferry to the city.  Once in the city, we went to some glassblowing (Tracy's wish is fulfilled :) ) where it was quite unique how they can create great works of art in a quick amount of time (literally under a minute they can create a horse effortlessly; if they mess up, throw it back in the fire and try again).  After that, we visited a lace shop (didn't get to see any in action being made but found out about what it takes to make different patterns, the schools there, etc.).  After that, we roamed around the city.

The city is very unique.  They have streets... just not drive-able ones.  Literally, some of the streets are 3 feet wide.  It was like being in the fat man sqeeze at Rock City.  We found a great restaurant at Renalto and both had spaghetti (Travis had regular, I had seafood).  Afterwards, we met back up with the group for a gondolla ride.  Now, usually when you think of gondolla rides, you think of a nice sunny day, relaxing, sometimes romantic (depending on who you are with).  Well, if you add rain (like the kind we get in Chattanooga and Seattle gets every blue moon), it isn't all that great as you are trying to hide under rain jackets and umbrellas.  Yes, that happened to our group.  Unfortunate, but now if I am ever back, my expectations are low. :)

We headed back to the ferry where it a thunderstorm started while on board.  When we got off the ferry, everyone was rushing back to the cabins.  After the storm subsided (and guess what... it is nice an sunny with hardly a cloud in sight now... go figure), we had dinner: pasta penne and more spagetti.  And now we are here on the blog.

We head off to Rome tomorrow and will do a sightseeing tour in the evening and get some dinner somewhere.  After that, Florence, Swiss Alps, and Paris.  After Paris, America better get ready... :)

Andy

5/24/2006 6:22:42 PM UTC      Comments [2]  Travel

We made it to Venice.  There isn't really anything to talk much about today as we were driving all day from Vienna to Venice.  We did stop off at a rest stop that was nestled in some great mountain scenery.  We aren't actually staying in Venice but in a camp ground (villages) across the river.

One thing that I keep forgetting to mention is that they don't have bathrooms... they have toilets.  Also, you have to pay to use most toilets (and that includes in most restaurants).  It is usually about €0.30 to €0.50.  They are usually more kept up since there is a full time employee guarding the money and cleaning the toilets.

Tomorrow, we head out into Venice to see some glassblowing among other things.  More will be posted soon...

Andy

5/23/2006 6:43:38 PM UTC      Comments [3]  Travel

I forgot to include a special stop from the previous post.  While traveling to Vienna, the tour manager and driver decided to stop off at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria.  Of course, we hear and study about them in school but never really get to see what one truly looked like.  It has been cleaned up since then, but it is just amazing that something like that could have ever happened.  I have pictures of the camp (and from the trip itself) and will post them once I am back in June.

We spent our first full day in Vienna.  Vienna is a very beautiful city with great old architecture.  After a little bit of breakfast, we headed out to town.  For our first lunch, we visited the same cafe, except I had a waffle this time.  The experience was much better: much, much better.  Anyways, after eating a little bit, we set out for some sightseeing.  Just off the top of my head (or the map in front of me), we hit up the Maria Theresa Statue, Hofburg, Burggarten (where Mozart's statue is located), St. Stephen's Cathedral, Stadtpark (where Johann Strauss's statue is located), and Belevedere Garten and Palace.  One thing that is amazing is the amount of polution that has accumulated on the buildings over the years.  I have some pictures of the palaces, One half of one of the pictures is a dark, black building and the other half is a nice, white building (both sides are the same building).  The workers are getting them cleaned up (pressure washing resulting in the nice white) but it takes a long time.

While in the Kartner Strabe shopping area, we found, of all places, not McDonalds (although that was there, not Subway (although that was there also), but the Chattanooga Cafe and Grill.  Travis passed it up, but I saw the word "Chatta" and stopped and was very surprised.  Unfortunately, we didn't stop in (we just ate lunch) but they did have some European and American dishes (including the spare ribs!).  I have a photo of the place and the menu.

After that, the group visited a summer palace (we saw the winter palace in the morning).  After the palace visit, we went to the Snapps Museum and then to a remote restaurant serving Snitzels (choice of pork, chicken, or vegetarian; I had the pork).  Once we rocked the house with some dancing (the other group apparently weren't that alive as the musician kept coming back to play for our group), we headed back to the hostel (where I am now).

Tomorrow, we depart for Venice and stay for two days.  After that, we go to Rome (then Florence, Swiss Alps, and Paris).  I'll post more when I get the chance (and remember more things).

Andy

5/22/2006 9:29:10 PM UTC      Comments [2]  Travel

So first off, we didn't head to Munich after the last blog post.  We went to the Rhine Valley in Germany.  The river with the mountains were beautiful (with some castles built in the distance on the mountains).  We visited the world's largest hand made coo-coo clock (Germany was the first to make them), a beer stein shop (Germany first to make them), and a teddy bear shop (guess what?  you guessed it!  Germany made the first one there, too!).  Once we visted those shops, we then took off for Munich.

We didn't say long in Munich, but once there, we visited a beer hall and enjoyed a traditional German feast (pork, dumplings, and sourcrout).  After that, we headed back to the hostel where apparently I can tear up the dance floor! :)  Once the dance floor closed, we went to bed.  In the morning, we had breakfast and departed for Vienna.

Once in Vienna, we ate at a buffet-type place (like a food court).  If you are a vegetarian, I feel sorry for you as the vegetarian meal I had was not good at all.  In fact, a fellow southerner decided to try the rice.  After eating for about two seconds, I was about to wear it (his face was priceless).  After dinner, we changed to head out to a Mozart concert.  Some of his more famous songs were played (with some skits performed).  The music and the palace (yes, it was held in a palace used to hold the Emperess of Austria a long time ago) were very nice.

And from there, I am here in the hostel catching up on bloging.  We spend the entire day tomorrow here in Vienna and then depart the next day for Venice.

Andy

P.S.: You shouldn't have to log in to post a comment.  Feel free to post comments!

5/21/2006 8:46:34 PM UTC      Comments [2]  Travel

Well, we made it to Amsterdam.  We left London at about 8:00 AM and arrived in Dover about two hours later.  After our passports were stamped for the European Union, our tour boarded the ferry to France.  Once in France, we traveled to Belgium and then to the Netherlands.

Amsterdam is a very interesting place.  After our arrival, we ate dinner in the hostel and boarded a boat for a canal trip.  The canals run all throughout Amsterdam and showcase a lot of great architecture.  Our tour manager then took us to the Red Light District.  Yes, that is the district that makes Amsterdam famous; well, that and Heineken beer.  Once we finished there, we departed back on the rail to the hostel.

A few interesting notes.  Most everyone rides a bicycle.  If you happen to be walking in a bike lane and someone is approaching, they will not be afraid to run you over (neither will the trains).  If you take a picture in the Red Light District, expect for your camera to be thrown into the canal.  Finally, there is a difference between a cafe and a coffee shop.  Don't get the two confused.

We head out tomorrow afternoon for Munich.  More to come soon...

5/19/2006 11:37:55 PM UTC      Comments [2]  Travel

We have made it to London, England.  For some reason, people keep driving on the wrong side of the road.  :)  Anyways, the flight from Atlanta to London-Gatwick actually arrived about 30 minutes early without any problems, except some turbulence once we hit UK airspace.  The weather was overcast until about 2:00 PM, then the rain came (and still hasn't stopped; is this what I get to look forward to?).  Once we arrived at the London Victoria station, we tried our hands at the London Underground.  We were able to find out where the hotel was and which stop (and new train) to find.  We dropped off our bags at the hotel and set out for some sightseeing.

We visited Buckingham Palace (and saw the changing of the guard, total suprise), Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and London Bridge (actually, not much of a bridge).  For lunch, we found a restaurant in Oxford Square called Ponti's with great paninis.  After that, we realized we were about to fall asleep in the middle of the sidewalks and went back to the hotel to check-in.  For some reason, the travel company didn't put us up in the same room, but we'll manage.  After a good 3 hour nap (we have been up since 9:00 AM Eastern on Monday), we met with the travel company to meet with the tour manager and bus driver.  A guy from South Carolina and a girl from Lebanon, Tennessee are in the same group as us.  At least we aren't the only southerns. :)

For dinner, we found a great pizza place called Pizza Express.  It is like a California Pizza Kitchen, but much better.  Now, we found ourselves in an Internet cafe.

Tomorrow, we head out for Amsterdam, Netherlands and then the Rhine Valley.  So far, the trip has been very interesting and enlightening.  More to come soon...

Andy (and Travis) from London, England

5/17/2006 8:57:10 PM UTC      Comments [2]  Travel

Today, I start my travel to Europe at 12:00 PM in Chattanooga (courtesy of Groome Transportation) to the Atlanta, GA airport.  At 5:45 PM, I depart the USA for London, England.  One of my best friends that I have known since elementary school, Travis, is tagging along for the ride.  It should be an interesting trip!  If you want to be notified when I update the blog, send an e-mail to andy@vanosdale.com and I will add you to my update list.

5/16/2006 1:10:57 PM UTC      Comments [0]  Travel

Tennesee Governor Phil Bredesen announced today that all public Tennesee colleges and universities are opening their door to any displaced students in the Hurrican Katrina disaster areas.  All the students need to do is contact either a 1-800 number or their closest university, get registered for classes, and start attending.  More than likely, colleges and universities in those areas will not be operating until at least next year.  I applaud Governor Bredesen on his initiative to keep higher education going for those students affected.  The state will even find on-campus housing for those needing it.  This is a unique opportunity and one that I am proud of my home state making available.

For more information on how you can help out the victims of this disaster, please visit the American Red Cross's website.  My deepest sympathies are with everyone in this time of need.

9/2/2005 2:49:18 AM UTC      Comments [1]  

Abstract: With the development of Media Center Extenders (MCX), you can not join the Media Center PC to a domain.  This document will outline steps you can take to create a mapped drive for a MCX when media files are stored on a domain-based computer’s shared folder.

NOTE: This article assumes you have shared the proper folder on the domain computer and set the permissions correctly for the user account on the domain.  Within the article, the password will be exposed in plain text in a batch file.  If you do not wish to have your account’s password shown, it is recommended to create a new domain account.

Determine User Accounts for Media Center Extenders

You need to determine what user account is associated with the MCX for the mapped drive.  If you have only one MCX or want all MCXs to be mapped with the same share and credentials, you can skip over this section.

1. Open Media Center Extender Manager (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Media Center -> Media Center Extender Manager).

2. Choose the MCX from the list and click Properties.

   1. If you do not know which MCX is the one you want, you will need to match it up with the Device ID from the MCX. 

      1.  From the MCX, go to Settings -> Extender -> About

      2. Match the Device ID with the one in the list.  Device IDs in the list are in bold print.  Also, the status should show Connected for the device.

3. Write down the user account from the Media Center Extender Properties dialog box.  It should be in the form of MCXn where n is a number.

4. Close out of the Media Center Extender Properties dialog box and the Media Center Extender Manager.

Create the Batch File

You will need to create a batch file to handle the drive mapping process.

1. Start Notepad (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Notepad).

2. Enter in the following text:
   net use z: SHARE PASSWORD /user:ACCOUNT /persistent:NO

3. Replace SHARE with the share on the domain computer using the following syntax:
   \\COMPUTERNAME\sharename

4. Replace ACCOUNT with the domain account using the following syntax:
   DOMAIN\username

5. Replace PASSWORD with the password for the account.

6. Open the Save As dialog box (File -> Save As).

7. In the Save in drop down menu, choose the drive where Windows is stored (most PCs use C:).

8. Create a new folder called Scripts.

   1. Click the New Folder icon ().

   2. Type Scripts to replace New Folder.

      1. If this does not work, right-click on New Folder and choose Rename.

9. Select the Scripts folder and click Open.

10. In the Save as type drop down menu, choose All Files.

11. In the File name text box, type in MCX.bat

12. Click Save.

13. Close Notepad.

Share the Scripts folder

You will need to share the scripts folder as the NETLOGON shared folder.  This will help enable logon scripts for the local Media Center PC.

1. Open the Run dialog box (Start -> Run).

2. Type in the following:
   X:\Scripts

3. Replace X with the drive letter chosen in the previous section.

4. Click OK.

5. Right-click anywhere in the white space and choose Properties.

6. Click on the Sharing tab.

7. Click the Share this folder on the network check box.

8. Type in NETLOGON in the Share name text box.

9. Click OK.

10. Close the Scripts folder window.

Set a Logon Script

You will need to set the MCX.bat file be the logon script for the MCX user account.

1. Open the Start button.

2. Right click on My Computer and choose Manage.

3. Expand the Local Users and Groups tree (click on the + symbol).

4. Click on Users.

5. Right click the user account that you wrote down in the first section and choose Properties.

   1. If you did not write one down, choose the first MCXn account listed, where n is a number.

6. Click the Profile tab.

7. In the Logon script text box, type in MCX.bat

8. Click OK.

9. You can either do this for each MCXn account listed if you want all MCXs to access the same content on the folder or close the Computer Management window.

Add the Folder for a Media Center Experience

Now that you have the drive mapped, you should be able to add the drive using the Add Music, Add Pictures, or Add Videos wizard.

1. If your MCX is turned on, turn it off and then back on.

2. Select the experience you want to add media.  For instance, My Music.

3. Press More Info or Details on the remote and choose Add Music.

4. Select Add folders and choose Next.

5. Select Add folders on this computer and choose Next.

6. Select the Z: folder and choose Next.

7. Choose Finish.

8/19/2005 2:31:52 AM UTC      Comments [3]  Media Center

Welcome back to my blog!  I just got back from my internship with Microsoft this summer.  As time goes on, I'll have plenty of postings here about my career, developing, testing, school, life, etc.  I'll get some of my articles I did earlier for Media Center so that you all can still use them (expect them up by the end of this week).  Ok, time for bed. :)

Andy

8/17/2005 5:42:00 AM UTC      Comments [0]  Life