All posts by mkizer

Windows

Preventing an automatic reboot after Windows Update runs

Leave a comment

If you have Windows Update set to run in the middle of the night (as most of us do), it is rather annoying to return to your computer in the morning only to find that it has automatically rebooted due to an installed update. There is a way to prevent this from occurring, but it does require a registry hack (Windows XP/Vista/7/8).

  • Run regedit and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows
  • Create a new key under Windows and call it WindowsUpdate
  • Create a new key under WindowsUpdate called AU
  • With AU selected, in the right-hand pane right-click and create a new DWORD. Call itNoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
  • Double-click the DWORD and give it a value of 1.
  • Reboot and Windows Update will stop automatically rebooting your computer.
Dev

How to retrieve data from an Oracle database with VBscript

Leave a comment

(This post was originally published September 21, 2006)

This article will give you a brief example of how to create a VBscript process that can retrieve data from an Oracle database. The techniques presented here can more than likely be adapted to connect to other databases as well. I’ll walk through a script that I wrote to solve a small problem with a web-based application that I support. The finished script will also touch upon techniques for logging and setting the date/time from within a VBscript process. Continue reading How to retrieve data from an Oracle database with VBscript →

Billiards

Supplemental APA 9 Ball scoresheets

Leave a comment

(This post was originally published March 07, 2006)

I play pool (billiards) in a American Poolplayers Association (APA) league here in San Diego and developed a couple of supplemental 9 Ball scoresheets to assist in the scorekeeping task.

Keeping score in 9 Ball matches involves tracking balls pocketed, innings, dead balls and defensive shots…quite a bit to keep track of, but not too bad if you pay attention. Both teams playing in the match keep score and should compare their results after each rack to make sure they both agree. If the scores are different, it causes delays in the match while “who pocketed what” is figured out. It also can cause the players in the match some undo distraction and a break in their rhythm while it is sorted out. Continue reading Supplemental APA 9 Ball scoresheets →