Open Office is a suite of Office software for wordprocessing, spreadsheets etc. It is not an operating system. The directory paths indicate that it is running Windows, so therefore "automatic" features are automatic, they are not stripped down.
Your reference to this "Guru" is almost funny, he is probably just some tech guy who just happens to know more than you (at this point). None of us here would use the term Guru for ourselves even though our knowledge of electronics and computers etc may be intensive and extensive.
Open Office is a suite of Office software for wordprocessing, spreadsheets etc. It is not an operating system. The directory paths indicate that it is running Windows, so therefore "automatic" features are automatic, they are not stripped down.
Your reference to this "Guru" is almost funny, he is probably just some tech guy who just happens to know more than you (at this point). None of us here would use the term Guru for ourselves even though our knowledge of electronics and computers etc may be intensive and extensive.
Sorry to disagree Peter, but when it comes to forth - You're a guru! But I digress from the OP's problems
The computer was stripped down by a Guru so that it has no...
I start to realize why this machine is hosed
I strongly advise that you try to recover your files by booting a Linux live CD before sending it off to some other "gurus" for repair. It's better to try and get your files off of there and backed up first. Before someone wipes and re-installs the OS.
Reason to always scan a flash drive no matter where it came from, even though or maybe especially right out of the package. Most AV will do this, WebRoot, McAfee etc. You will/won't be surprised by what you find.
Doesn't sound like the "guru" did you any favors like say a backup method, a link to say github or other version control system. So you have a stripped out box with no backup, no recovery tools, and no CMM system to safely move forward as the plant evolves. There is definitely a place in the line at the department of economic security for that "guru". And currently you are still screwed. More so if you have been messing with that box prior to having some make a forensic backup as soon as the problem happened. No matter where you live there is always someone that can be hired to do this competently. Even a few hour drive would be worth doing depending on potential losses.
Genetix,
There is one thumb drive and two USB ports controlling the hardware interface to (1) a propeller micro controller that runs the main plant and (2) the other USB port runs a set of BS2s that gather and display system data on the Eee PC.
Frank,
I am currently looking for a competent person to do the work while I reconstruct the operational "C" program from old outdated printouts.
Tritonium,
The recycle bin has a documents folder that contains three folders: Learn, My Projects, and Propeller GCC Demos. The My Project folder contains only the original downloaded files that came with SimpleIDE. My developed projects are not there. Good thought though.
Some of the best $40 I ever spent was on software called "Active Undelete" ..... BUT, the very first thing I would have done is to remove the hard drive and place it into another machine where the drive in question was a secondary or slave hard drive. Because you have been trying this and that and various other things, the integrity of your files are now compromised.
Do you have another working PC which you can use to download programs on USB drives?
Is there a CD drive or do you know if it will boot from a USB drive?
There are a number of Antivirus rescue disks and other utilities that can be put on a Bootable USB drive.
By the way what were you doing when your computer went haywire?
Heater,
Yes, the reconstruction is taking place on another machine.
I have not written any file nor made any saved changes to the directory...only searches to the whole directory.
Genetix,
My expertise is in other fields, particle and wave function physics research, not in modern computer architectures...I will leave that task to others who are far more competent than me.
As I mentioned earlier in this string of thought, the Eee PC was happily running the two USB ports (1) controlling downloaded set point changes to the propeller controller, and (2) receiving data from a set of interconnected BS2 controllers with the BS2 system data displayed on the PC screen.
This situation ran fine for years with random stoppage of the propeller due to a reset that came through the PropPlug USB interface. A suggestion from the FORUM was to cut the line between the /reset signal to the propeller and the PropPlug and insert a switch. The purpose of which was to close the switch when downloaded code was sent to the propeller then open the switch so that no /reset pulse could reset the propeller. I used the switch may times to change set points on the propeller program and it worked fine for about two weeks when the Eee PC crashed.
I have a gut feeling that keeping the /reset switch open somehow interfered with the operation of the USB port that lead to the computer crash. I am not an expert in how Windows controls the USB ports but I suspect that it performs several checks to determine the health of the port. Perhaps the interface code in the PlugProp does something different when the /reset line is open...I don't know but it is a fact that the crash came after installation of the switch.
Another item of interest is that, several years ago, when the Guru was stripping the computer of automatic actions such as switching into and out of Day Light Savings Time, receiving Internet messages that include Microsoft system updates, etc. the computer stopped. I took the machine back to the Guru and he found that Windows was logging as errors in a file associated with attempted Internet communications. There were hundreds, I think, errors in this file and the Guru said that after a certain number of errors logged the computer stopped. He had failed to deactivate something in the machine. He fixed the problem and the machine ran without stopping on that Internet Communication problem.
I cannot discount the possibility that the machine did something similar with the USB/PlugProp interface.
Btw, cutting the reset line or even the transmit and receive lines (disconnected the Prop) will in no way ever affect the USB port, nor the computer, nor any (non)operating system. System updates etc should have been turned off from the very beginning IF you happen to be using Windows. I think you should have given the Guru a wave function....goodbye.
Since you are in what appears to be a research setting then you should be using an Industrial computer.
I built myself a computer a number of years ago out of quality parts and I was surprised that when I stability-tested it that it quickly failed.
I installed the latest motherboard BIOS and it ran for solidly for a week.
It's not uncommon for computer manufacturers to release updates that address issues or user complaints.
I think my laptop has had 5 or 6 BIOS update since I got it almost 5 years ago, and it happens to be a business-grade machine so I have had very issues with it.
To set the record straight, here are the known facts:
The code file that runs the USB interface between the computer and the bank of BS2 controllers is stored in a computer directory file.
The code file that runs the USB interface between the computer and the Propeller controller is stored on a thumb drive along with a SimpleIDE file. I completely forgot that the Propeller was run from the thumb...that is why my .side and .c, .cpp files could not be located using a search. The thumb drive was not inserted in the computer.
I happened to notice the files when I put the thumb drive on another computer. So, no files were lost and the factory is back running properly. Why the stripped down computer detected a problem and stop processing remains as a problem.
It's good to hear that you found everything but you should immediately make backup copies of all your files, be sure to note somewhere that everything is stored on the flash drive, and consider getting a spare or replacement computer.
Keep an eye on that computer and if it runs fine for a while then it may have been a one time event.
I know this may be late to the game, but I have had major pains with the Propeller IDE (Not SimpleIDE) playing games with where it stores files on my Windows 8.1 machine. Drove me crazy and I knew my files should have been stored in the same folder with the install of the application. C:\Program Files (x86)\Parallax Inc\Propeller Tool v1.3.2\Projects. That's where it shows my files inside the program. But when I would browse to that location using Windows Explorer they would not be there. What gives?
Turns out on some versions of Windows, it will play games depending on the application. Windows has a thing called VirtualStore. Some older applications don't play well with the security of the newer versions of Windows. Windows uses VirtualStore to create a temporary redirection of the filesystem for these older programs.
For me the Propeller Tool was such an application. I scared the Smile out of myself one time thinking I had lost all the source code for a project I had like 100 hours of coding in. I had the folder where I THOUGHT I was working from in a backup routine. Only problem was my backup had none of my recent files.
Turns out Windows had redirected them to a folder in .... C:\Users\jfouch\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Parallax Inc\Propeller Tool v1.3.2\Projects
One thing to note before going to look for this folder is, you need to set up Windows Explorer to show both Hidden and system files/folders. Otherwise, you will never see the above path.
Once I found this out, I was able to get the recent copies of my code.
Digging into this a bit further, I found that if you set the program that Windows creates the VIrtualStore for to run as Administrator, this problem goes away. And your application will start to write in the Program Files path again.
Not saying this is the issue Discovery is having, just that it could be. Worth a look. Looks like his app was trying to write to the Users directory, but I'm not sure if VirtualStore comes into play there like it does in the Program Files path.
thank you for the detailed explanation, this disaster is one even I hate on windows.
Over decades windows programmer where advised to and followed the rule that settings (like .ini files) and user data should resist in the directory where the program itself is, by default.(or subdirectories of it)
Simple rule for a single user system. But windows needed to get something like the Linux home directory (separate programs from setting and user data) and keep older programs running.
To make this more 'transparent' for the windows user they 'hid' it from the user.
Read and write access to folders like 'program files' are silently redirected to user\appdata\xxx. What a horrible construct.
For future safeguard have you cosidered putting all valuable files on Dropbox? It has saved me over and over again when computers die. I have at least five computers with the same Dropbox files synced so even if dropbox cloud lost everything (never seen this happen) then all my files are spread over 5 computers. There is no excuse not to have multiple copies of important files.
So, the issue is resolved. NOT!!! I have seen the term factory used here a few times and that says enterprise consisting of one or more people who may be dependent upon this factory for a paycheck or return on investment. People to whom you have an obligation to protect in the course of your work. Now that you have blown a lot of man-hours (yours and forum members) on this problem, STOP!
It has already been suggested along with some methods to BACK UP what you have, so I'll not beat that dead horse further. What is concerning also is the fact that you "forgot" a fairly important aspect of how your system runs. You and all the rest of us are simply organic constructs and should we meet the wrong end of the proverbial beer truck, subject to catastrophic failure. So, in the unlikely event that should happen, where would that leave the factory and those dependent upon its proper functioning? For me, it's a hobbie; the wife will simply scrape it all into the round file and send the test equipment to charity or schools. Somehow I don't think yours is a hobby level operation. As such you really should either document or better yet, hire a professional to document all of the processes and supporting code, systems and procedures so that should you choose (willingly or not) to move on, entropy or a sudden failure does not mean the end of the enterprise. Proper documentation means someone can step in and continue where you left off to expand and/or maintain what you built. It also enables you to move on should you choose in the future without leaving the enterprise at a dead end.
Just my two cents worth. Ok, well it's bargain day +/-....
Probably the most valuable two cents, frank, on this thread so far.
That documentation is also very valuable for oneself. How often have you come back to some code after not looking at it for ages and totally forgotten how or why it works?
At least it might be a reminder as to where one has put "missing" source files
I'm having a playful poke there. But hey, exactly that has happened to me a few times.
Dropbox is good. Putting source in a proper management system is better. Use git and Github or Bitbucket.
Try doing a save as on a new project. When that window pops up, what do you see?
I once had a CAD user support call like this. It turns out the files were going into the CAD directory in the Program Files directory. They were only visible through the save as window from the CAD program.
I had them get to that window, and do a copy paste on the files to the desktop. Then Ihadthemchange working directory. Then delete old files from that save as window.
If you don't see your files, browse around with that window.
BTW, I have a POS netbook with Starter on it. Works great for dev work. It's not the OS.
Whatever you do, don't reinstall, etc... those files are probably on there.
Did you look in the Administrator user folder?
Did you ever have to run as admin on that program, or grant permission for Windows to do that?
Comments
Your reference to this "Guru" is almost funny, he is probably just some tech guy who just happens to know more than you (at this point). None of us here would use the term Guru for ourselves even though our knowledge of electronics and computers etc may be intensive and extensive.
Sorry to disagree Peter, but when it comes to forth - You're a guru! But I digress from the OP's problems
You said that your computer doesn't have internet access but do you use Flash drives with this computer?
Flash drives can infect a computer with viruses.
I strongly advise that you try to recover your files by booting a Linux live CD before sending it off to some other "gurus" for repair. It's better to try and get your files off of there and backed up first. Before someone wipes and re-installs the OS.
I notice Knoppix was suggested above. http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html
Doesn't sound like the "guru" did you any favors like say a backup method, a link to say github or other version control system. So you have a stripped out box with no backup, no recovery tools, and no CMM system to safely move forward as the plant evolves. There is definitely a place in the line at the department of economic security for that "guru". And currently you are still screwed. More so if you have been messing with that box prior to having some make a forensic backup as soon as the problem happened. No matter where you live there is always someone that can be hired to do this competently. Even a few hour drive would be worth doing depending on potential losses.
Just wondering
Have you tried the obvious and checked the recycle bin?
Haven't seen this mentioned
Dave
There is one thumb drive and two USB ports controlling the hardware interface to (1) a propeller micro controller that runs the main plant and (2) the other USB port runs a set of BS2s that gather and display system data on the Eee PC.
Frank,
I am currently looking for a competent person to do the work while I reconstruct the operational "C" program from old outdated printouts.
Tritonium,
The recycle bin has a documents folder that contains three folders: Learn, My Projects, and Propeller GCC Demos. The My Project folder contains only the original downloaded files that came with SimpleIDE. My developed projects are not there. Good thought though.
Discovery
If there is something up with the storage on that eepc of yours you lessen the probability of recovering any data with every write you make to it.
How long have you been walking on thin ice like this?
Do you have another working PC which you can use to download programs on USB drives?
Is there a CD drive or do you know if it will boot from a USB drive?
There are a number of Antivirus rescue disks and other utilities that can be put on a Bootable USB drive.
By the way what were you doing when your computer went haywire?
Yes, the reconstruction is taking place on another machine.
I have not written any file nor made any saved changes to the directory...only searches to the whole directory.
Genetix,
My expertise is in other fields, particle and wave function physics research, not in modern computer architectures...I will leave that task to others who are far more competent than me.
As I mentioned earlier in this string of thought, the Eee PC was happily running the two USB ports (1) controlling downloaded set point changes to the propeller controller, and (2) receiving data from a set of interconnected BS2 controllers with the BS2 system data displayed on the PC screen.
This situation ran fine for years with random stoppage of the propeller due to a reset that came through the PropPlug USB interface. A suggestion from the FORUM was to cut the line between the /reset signal to the propeller and the PropPlug and insert a switch. The purpose of which was to close the switch when downloaded code was sent to the propeller then open the switch so that no /reset pulse could reset the propeller. I used the switch may times to change set points on the propeller program and it worked fine for about two weeks when the Eee PC crashed.
I have a gut feeling that keeping the /reset switch open somehow interfered with the operation of the USB port that lead to the computer crash. I am not an expert in how Windows controls the USB ports but I suspect that it performs several checks to determine the health of the port. Perhaps the interface code in the PlugProp does something different when the /reset line is open...I don't know but it is a fact that the crash came after installation of the switch.
Another item of interest is that, several years ago, when the Guru was stripping the computer of automatic actions such as switching into and out of Day Light Savings Time, receiving Internet messages that include Microsoft system updates, etc. the computer stopped. I took the machine back to the Guru and he found that Windows was logging as errors in a file associated with attempted Internet communications. There were hundreds, I think, errors in this file and the Guru said that after a certain number of errors logged the computer stopped. He had failed to deactivate something in the machine. He fixed the problem and the machine ran without stopping on that Internet Communication problem.
I cannot discount the possibility that the machine did something similar with the USB/PlugProp interface.
Discovery
I think you need a new "guru".
Discovery
Particle and wave physics, cool!
Which model Eee PC is it?
Since you are in what appears to be a research setting then you should be using an Industrial computer.
I built myself a computer a number of years ago out of quality parts and I was surprised that when I stability-tested it that it quickly failed.
I installed the latest motherboard BIOS and it ran for solidly for a week.
It's not uncommon for computer manufacturers to release updates that address issues or user complaints.
I think my laptop has had 5 or 6 BIOS update since I got it almost 5 years ago, and it happens to be a business-grade machine so I have had very issues with it.
The code file that runs the USB interface between the computer and the bank of BS2 controllers is stored in a computer directory file.
The code file that runs the USB interface between the computer and the Propeller controller is stored on a thumb drive along with a SimpleIDE file. I completely forgot that the Propeller was run from the thumb...that is why my .side and .c, .cpp files could not be located using a search. The thumb drive was not inserted in the computer.
I happened to notice the files when I put the thumb drive on another computer. So, no files were lost and the factory is back running properly. Why the stripped down computer detected a problem and stop processing remains as a problem.
Discovery
It's good to hear that you found everything but you should immediately make backup copies of all your files, be sure to note somewhere that everything is stored on the flash drive, and consider getting a spare or replacement computer.
Keep an eye on that computer and if it runs fine for a while then it may have been a one time event.
Then tie a string around one finger to remind you where its is
Turns out on some versions of Windows, it will play games depending on the application. Windows has a thing called VirtualStore. Some older applications don't play well with the security of the newer versions of Windows. Windows uses VirtualStore to create a temporary redirection of the filesystem for these older programs.
For me the Propeller Tool was such an application. I scared the Smile out of myself one time thinking I had lost all the source code for a project I had like 100 hours of coding in. I had the folder where I THOUGHT I was working from in a backup routine. Only problem was my backup had none of my recent files.
Turns out Windows had redirected them to a folder in .... C:\Users\jfouch\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Parallax Inc\Propeller Tool v1.3.2\Projects
One thing to note before going to look for this folder is, you need to set up Windows Explorer to show both Hidden and system files/folders. Otherwise, you will never see the above path.
Once I found this out, I was able to get the recent copies of my code.
Digging into this a bit further, I found that if you set the program that Windows creates the VIrtualStore for to run as Administrator, this problem goes away. And your application will start to write in the Program Files path again.
Not saying this is the issue Discovery is having, just that it could be. Worth a look. Looks like his app was trying to write to the Users directory, but I'm not sure if VirtualStore comes into play there like it does in the Program Files path.
thank you for the detailed explanation, this disaster is one even I hate on windows.
Over decades windows programmer where advised to and followed the rule that settings (like .ini files) and user data should resist in the directory where the program itself is, by default.(or subdirectories of it)
Simple rule for a single user system. But windows needed to get something like the Linux home directory (separate programs from setting and user data) and keep older programs running.
To make this more 'transparent' for the windows user they 'hid' it from the user.
Read and write access to folders like 'program files' are silently redirected to user\appdata\xxx. What a horrible construct.
sad,
Mike
Drives me up the walls when Windows does that and I wish I knew why.
The BASIC Stamp Editor does that every now and then.
As far as I can tell it resolves to "Windows hides my files but I forgot where I put them anyway".
Agreed. Future users with similar issues could also benefit from a title update.
@Discovery, hope you are OK with this. Change made.
Please anyone PM me if I could've done better.
It has already been suggested along with some methods to BACK UP what you have, so I'll not beat that dead horse further. What is concerning also is the fact that you "forgot" a fairly important aspect of how your system runs. You and all the rest of us are simply organic constructs and should we meet the wrong end of the proverbial beer truck, subject to catastrophic failure. So, in the unlikely event that should happen, where would that leave the factory and those dependent upon its proper functioning? For me, it's a hobbie; the wife will simply scrape it all into the round file and send the test equipment to charity or schools. Somehow I don't think yours is a hobby level operation. As such you really should either document or better yet, hire a professional to document all of the processes and supporting code, systems and procedures so that should you choose (willingly or not) to move on, entropy or a sudden failure does not mean the end of the enterprise. Proper documentation means someone can step in and continue where you left off to expand and/or maintain what you built. It also enables you to move on should you choose in the future without leaving the enterprise at a dead end.
Just my two cents worth. Ok, well it's bargain day +/-....
That documentation is also very valuable for oneself. How often have you come back to some code after not looking at it for ages and totally forgotten how or why it works?
At least it might be a reminder as to where one has put "missing" source files
I'm having a playful poke there. But hey, exactly that has happened to me a few times.
Dropbox is good. Putting source in a proper management system is better. Use git and Github or Bitbucket.
I once had a CAD user support call like this. It turns out the files were going into the CAD directory in the Program Files directory. They were only visible through the save as window from the CAD program.
I had them get to that window, and do a copy paste on the files to the desktop. Then Ihadthemchange working directory. Then delete old files from that save as window.
If you don't see your files, browse around with that window.
BTW, I have a POS netbook with Starter on it. Works great for dev work. It's not the OS.
Whatever you do, don't reinstall, etc... those files are probably on there.
Did you look in the Administrator user folder?
Did you ever have to run as admin on that program, or grant permission for Windows to do that?