Transfer User settings from OpenOffice to LibreOffice

To transfer user custom settings such as user-defined colors from OpenOffice (Windows) to LbreOffice in Ubuntu Linux:

- In Windows,copy the whole "user" folder from:
 c:/Documents and Settings//AppData/Roaming/OpenOffice.org/3/user

- In Ubuntu, rename the folder $HOME/.config/libreoffice/3/user to another name for backup.

- Overwrite with the user folder from the source you copied.

Note: Take note that there might be other libreoffice folder in your home folder in Ubuntu but do not bother with that. Only the folder under .config will take effect.

Note: If you don't to replace the whole user folder such as that you would like to only transfer specific settings, just look into the folder and edit the file accordingly. For example, custom colors are defined in standard.soc file in XML format.

Lost files when switching users on Windows 7

In case you finds some of your files stored in Desktop folders or any user folders after switching users in Windows 7 (logout and login as different user), stay calm. You might be able to locate your files in "C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile" folder.

Upgrade to Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS (4.0.3) on Samsung Galaxy S2 (Malaysia)

Yesterday spending my Sunday morning, I have upgraded my Samsung Galaxy S2 to the new Android OS 4.0.3 code-named Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS).

After the upgrade, my Galaxy S2 is like running on a new engine. The UI is now much more neat and clean, and many new exciting features such as face-unlock, much much better Gmail app, high resolution image for contact icon, etc and most of all, much longer battery life! (after almost a normal working day ends at 7pm charged since 8am in the morning, it still has 64% left). One more thing to note: before upgrade, my S2 does not have the Chinese language option in the System Language setting. If you bought the first batch of S2 during its early launch, you will have the same version like mine (probably it's the European version). After upgraded to this ICS kernel, the Chinese language option is back on the menu...

The steps are relatively simple but you got to do these at your OWN RISK:

- Backup all your stuffs on your phone, and transfer all your data to external SD card and your PC as well as 2nd backup (read this):

• SMS with SMS Backup and Restore app
• Contacts and Calendar sync to Gmail account
• Call Logs with Call Log Backup and Restore app
• Installed Apps with Astro app
• media files, ringtones, music, data files, etc
• memos
• tasks
• etc

- It's highly advisable to reformat your phone in Recovery Mode to wipe off all the content from your previous OS, which is believed to cause unstability in ICS if you don't do that. But make sure your backup has been done properly. Remove your external SD card from the phone while you are performing the reformat.

- get the right official kernel image DXLP7 for Asian Galaxy S2 model from this forum. Look for DXLP7 and download from the Multi-CSC link.

- Follow the steps in this blog . There is also a link to root your new ICS.

- Once booted into new ICS, if you found that many of your previous settings are preserved (such as wallpaper remained the same before upgrade), it's advisable to performe a Factory Reset, which is believed to ensure better stability of your new ICS.

- Enjoy your new ice-cream sandwich!

Ping & access Windows PC from Linux via computer name instead of IP address

From Linux, when you tried to ping or access another Windows PC in the same local network using it's computer name, you will get "Unknown host" error and so on. You will also not able to access the website available from these Windows PC via their computer name such as http://windows-svr

To get that solved, install winbind in your linux. Then edit the file /etc/nsswitch.conf and add in "wins" in the line as follow:

hosts: files mdns4_minimal [NOTFOUND=return] dns mdns4 wins

and reboot your linux... Done!

Must-have Add-ons in Thunderbird

• Auto Compress File - to compress attachments into a single zip file with 1 click
  
• Folder Pane View Switcher - to switch the view in folder pane
  
• gContactSync - to synchronize Contacts with Google Contacts so that all your Android devices contacts are synced as well
• Lightning - to add calendar and task funtionality as in Outlook
• LookOut - to support calendar event and invitation (TNEF encoded) from Outlook
• More Snooze - customize the snooze duration options for calendar event and task reminders
• Provider for Google Calendar - to sync calendar with Google Calendar so that all your Android devices calendars are synced as well
• QuickFolders - easily access to frequently used folders
• Tag Toolbar - easily tag emails
  

Sync contacts & calendar between Mozilla Thunderbird and Nokia E72 with Google apps (Gmail & Google Calendar)

I have been spending some time to make my contacts and calendar events in Mozilla Thunderbird with Lightning add-on on my laptop synchronized to my Nokia E72 mobile phone. Meaning that, all my contacts in Thunderbirds address book as well as the calendar events are always synchronized in my laptop and nokia E72 as if they are the same copy of information accessible from both my laptop and mobile phone on the go.

To save similar others' saving time in achieving what I did, here are what you can do:

1. You need to have a Google account for access into Gmail and Google Calendar. If you are using Google Apps, please ensure that in your Mobile service settings (from Google Apps Dashboard), the "Enable Google Syn" are enabled.

2. Besides Lightning, you also need to install these 2 Add-Ons:
- Provider for Google Calendar
- Zindus

3. In the Calendar of Thunderbird, create new calendar and select "On the Network" and enter your Gmail calendar feeds URL which will normally look like the following. You can find this URL in your Calendar Settings -> Calendar Details under Calendar Address, click on XML button.
http://www.google.com/calendar/feeds//public/basic

4. For Zindus, just set it to auto-sync to your Gmail account.

5. At this stage, all your contacts and calendar events will be automatically synchronized to your Google account. Next, we have bring in the mobile phone into the party.

6. On E72, create a new Mail for Exchange profile. Enter the settings as required by the wizard as follow:

Exchange Server: m.google.com
Secure Connection: Yes
Access Point:
Sync while roaming: No
Use default port: Yes
Username: Your full Google email address
Password: Your Google Account password
Domain:

7. Enable the settings of "Synchronize Calendar" and "Synchronize Contacts". DO NOT enable the "Synchronize Tasks" or emails. You must disable the "Synchronize Tasks" or otherwise the whole thing will not work at all.

8. The Mail for Exchange profile that was configured earlier will automatically work in the background.

9. For email synchronization, just use Gmail wizard to create another profile on E72 to read/write email of your Gmail account. You can set your E72's home screen to only notify emails on this profile instead of the Mail for Exchange profile.

10. Now you can try create a calendar event, or edit a contact in your contacts on your E72, and a short while later you will find them automatically updated to your Mozilla Thunderbird. The time to get updated on both sides might be longer according to your synchronization schedule settings on your E72. Be patient that even if you set it to "Always On", it will still take some time to get updated in either way.

Enjoy!

p/s: Unfortunately, Google account still does not support Tasks synchronization. Hopefully it will implement it soon.

Hard Reset your Nokia E72 (Restore to Factory Default)

After few weeks trying and stressing my new E72 with many applications, I am satisfied with what the E72 is capable of and I decided to make a clean reincarnation for the powerful gadget.

I tried to use the Restore to Factory Default function in the phone settings menu, but it seems that this only performed a soft-reset. It does not really restore the phone to the very fresh out-of-factory conditions.

I have also tried the *#7370# way but it is not working as well as it does not really hard-reset to the very fresh conditions.

At last, I have found the real way of reincarnating this E72. Just follow these steps:

1. While the phone is off, hold these buttons Capslock + Space + Backspace at the same time (you might need an extra hand to do that easily) and press the power on.

2. Keep the buttons pressed until the phone is booted up with the Nokia standard tone.

That's it. Now your E72 is reincarnated. Be warned that all your previous applications, settings and data on the phone's memory will be vanished. Please do a complete backup of your phone before doing this.