How To: Fix Safari 3.2 Crashing

I’m still a huge fan of Apple’s Safari Browser. I feel it’s faster (and much less of a memory hog) then Firefox.

But, the 3.2 Updated introduced a strange bug. Whenever I use tabbed browsing, it started crashing a lot. Clearing Cache and deleting preferences have not fixed at all. Even Onyx didn’t seem to help.

I was able to find a nice utility called AppleJack that really helped a lot. It can be downloaded from this VersionTracker Link: http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19596

Once AppleJack is installed reboot the computer. While it’s restarting hold down the ‘s’ key to go into single user mode. type (as an admin user): applejack auto restart

The computer will do a bunch of stuff cleaning up files, checking disks, etc, then reboot automatically. After this, Safari should all be good to go.

I have also heard that reinstalling Safari totally with the stand along installer off of Apple’s website fixes this issue.

How To: Create and Import vcf VCards

How To: Create and Import vcf VCards

VCards are simply virtual business cards used to exchange contact information. They are easily recognizable with the .vcf file extension. Vcards have rapidly become a universally excepted way of transferring contact information between devices. They can be sent to most phones such as Blackberries and iPhones, or to all the popular Email programs and multiple contact collection programs.

The first step in creating a VCard is actually the hardest. Below is an example of my own VCard:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:2.1
FN:Rick Hamell
N:Hamell;Rick;;;
TEL;PREF;CELL:971.555.5555
EMAIL;INTERNET:rick@hamell.net
URL:http://RickHamell.com
URL:http://www.1nova.com/blog
URL:http://www.1nova.com/photoblog
UID:efc38667f3b9ab04495f9c54d2587950
REV:2008-10-27T20:47:59Z
END:VCARD

As can be seen it shows all the important contact info that would be found in any contact program. In addition to Email addresses it includes my phone number and URL to my website.

Many programs such as Apple’s Address Book, or Microsoft Outlook will allow exporting a contact to a VCard file. They can also be edited with a text file as long as the conventions in structure are observed. The easiest method is to use an online generator. I prefer Wacomenance.co.uk but the one at Vicintl.com is more streamlined and compatible. Keep in mind that while MOST programs should read all the fields in a VCARD, some will drop fields such as second and third email addresses.

After creating a card the next step is to import it in to the preferred Contact Program.

Microsoft Outlook:

  • Click on File menu, then choose Import And Export.
  • Click to select the Import a vCard file (*.vcf) check box, and then click Next.
  • Select the vCard file, and then click Open.

Microsoft Entourage:

  • Open Entourage
  • Click on Address Button
  • Drag .VCF file to upper right hand window of Entourage

Apple Address Book:

  • Simply Double Click on the .VCF Card

Mozilla Thunderbird:

  • Attach VCard in Email to self
  • Click on VCard
  • Click OK in “New Card for” Dialog Box

Keep in mind that VCards only really work well with one contact at a time. This is not the way to export or import a fully populated address book. Also, it’s best to be careful where the file goes as it could be used for malicious purposes. Only send the file out to people known to you.

How To: Give Windows Server more then 4GB of Swap

How To: Give Windows Server more then 4GB of Swap

There are a hundred reasons why people need more then 4gb of swap files on Windows these days. By default this is not always enabled, especially if the computer’s RAM was upgraded to a larger amount. On the same token, if the machine has 8GB of memory, then the swap files need to be increased also.

All instructions are assuming the Service Pack 2 or above is installed. If it’s not, install it.

First step is to upgrade the file system to NTFS, not FAT32 if it is not already done.

At the command line type: convert c: /fs:ntfs /v

Upon the next reboot the computer will automatically change the filesystem. Keep in mind this could take some time depending on how big the hard drive and how full it is. Alternatively if the disc is blank already it’s a easy step to simply reformat and go.

Next is to edit the boot.ini file and add /PAE to it. It may also be a good idea to add /MAXMEM if the physical memory is over 4GB is size.

On the other hand, having swap files larger then 4GB can cause system performance issues. Adding faster drives is a possibility but not always practical. Instead it may be better to create multiple page files.

1.) Create Multiple Empty Directories. These can be on the same drive or even across multiple drives. So it could look something like this:

C:SwapFile1
F:SwapFile2
G:SwapFile3

2.) Open the Registry: Click Start, Click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.

3.) Locate the Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControlSessionManagerMemoryManagement

4.) Delete any entries currently there.

5.) Add:
C:SwapFile1pagefile.sys 3000 4000
F:SwapFile2pagefile.sys 3000 4000
G:SwapFile3pagefile.sys 3000 4000

Or if they’re all on the same drive:
C:SwapFile1pagefile.sys 3000 4000
C:SwapFile2pagefile.sys 3000 4000
C:SwapFile3pagefile.sys 3000 4000

6.) Reboot the computer. Upon boot up it should create these files automatically.

Check the virtual memory settings:
7.) On the desktop, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

8.) Click the Advanced tab -> Click Performance Options -> Click Change.

At this point there should be a noticeable speed difference, especially on machines that are using large files, such as databases, graphics, IS or similar programs.