Applications
ITunes install package failure
Recently had to look at an iTunes install failure. A new iPhone had been obtained
(not by me I hasten to add) and needed to be commissioned via iTunes on a PC
(running Vista in this case).
After downloading the latest file (v 8.2) and running the install I got –
An error occurred while attempting to create the directory: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\SyncServices\Schemas\Bookmarks.syncschema
Retrying was no good so had to cancel out and got a message to the effect of –
Error type 2330
Schema folder is inaccessible or corrupt (not only politicians eh! – sorry)
Possibly a package error
Trying to open the folder just gave the above error again.
I tried to delete the Schemas folder but not allowed because stuff was existing
inside it and I couldn’t access it – however I was able to rename the folder to
xSchemas and then the install worked OK.
How the original folder was corrupt I don’t know but the new install fixed it and
the iPhone sync’ed up OK and upgraded its firmware.
Expression Web BOM problem with PHP pages
Editing a .php page within EWD introduced a BOM when
the file was saved -
eg: <?php
 is ef bb bf in binary and signifies UTF8 character set.
There is no "Save without BOM" option in EWD
Bibble Pro will not show main image in XP
The trial version of this photo processing app installs OK on XP but when run I found that the
main image window was truncated to the extent that only the lowest
part of the window (about the height of the status bar) would show.
This of course renders the app completely useless.
The fix for this is quite easy once known - Right-click on shortcut to bibblepro.exe file
and select Properties>Compatibility>Display Settings.
Check the box for Disable Visual Themes.
As it happens the app has problems with anything other than the standard XP themes
(I use Black Mesa, a custom theme) and this setting allows the app to function
without having to continually switch back to a standard theme for the desktop
HTMLGate application triggers Office 2000 installation process on startup
On startup the Office 2000 installation appears and gives -
The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk that is
not available.
Insert the 'Microsoft Office 2000 SR-1 Professional' disk and click OK.
If the Office 2000 CD was installed the following error was encountered -
Error 1305. Error reading from file:
D:\PFiles\VStudio\Common\IDE\IDE98\Resource\1033\MSENV2UI.DLL.
Verify that the file exists and that you can access it.
The problem was that the HTMLGate app required the HTML Source Editing tool from
the Office 2000 suite. This tool was set as install on first use and HTMLGate
was obviously the first app on my PC to require this.
The 2nd problem with error 1305 was a bad block on the Office 2000 CDROM so once
the Office files were copied to the C: drive and the faulty DLL found elsewhere
the Office install proceeded and fixed the issue with HTMLGate on startup.
The XP system and application error logs were useful in showing the bad block
issue and the HTML Source Editing calls.
Using SyncBack application with DVD-RAM for backup
The freeware version of SyncBack is excellent for doing incremental backups
and synchronising files/folders.
Initially however I had difficulty getting it to work with my DVD-RAM
recorder.
Recorder: LG 4120B (HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-4120B)
Media: Panasonic 4.7G DVD-RAM
OS: XP Pro SP1
Usefully XP will support DVD-RAM as installed however the support is
limited.
The MS driver appears to use a version of the MEIUDF.SYS driver which allows
read/write in FAT32 format but only
read in UDF format.
Using SyncBack with the MS driver didn't work since the SyncBack application
requires UDF devices and the XP driver will only write with FAT32.
Luckily I found an LG driver that improves things a bit.
I just ran the setup.exe and the PC needed to reset but afterwards the
SyncBack app worked fine
Addendum:
LG = Lucky Goldstar (Korean manufacturer)
MEI = Matsushita Electrical Industries (Panasonic is a brand along with
Technics and others)
UDF = Universal Disk Format (types 1.5 and 2.0)
HL-DT-ST = Hitachi LG Data Storage
Location of LG driver: http://www.besy.co.uk/projects/windows/dvd-ram.htm
Details of MS support: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283588/en-us