Print Spooler Error in Windows 7 under Boot Camp

BACKGROUND:

A few months ago I installed Windows 7 on my Macbook Pro (13″ Unibody running Snow Leopard).  Yesterday I decided to try and boot into my Win7 Boot Camp partition via VMWare Fusion v2.03.  Doing this installed VMWare tools to Windows 7.

PROBLEM:

Today, when I booted directly into my Windows 7 partition (not via VMWare), I noticed that I couldn’t print anything anymore.

I checked the Event Viewer and found the following error in the System log:

The Print Spooler service terminated unexpectedly.

In the Application section of the Event Viewer, I found the following:

Faulting application name: spoolsv.exe, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bd3d1

Faulting module name: TPVMMon.dll, version: 2.0.51.5, time stamp: 0x48359080

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x000000000000846e

Faulting process id: 0x1300

Faulting application start time: 0x01caa2aa2c4394d8

Faulting application path: C:WindowsSystem32spoolsv.exe

Faulting module path: C:WindowsSystem32TPVMMon.dll

Report Id: 7188e318-0e9d-11df-9123-895fd79b6e49

Faulting application name: spoolsv.exe, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bd3d1Faulting module name: TPVMMon.dll, version: 2.0.51.5, time stamp: 0x48359080Exception code: 0xc0000005Fault offset: 0x000000000000846eFaulting process id: 0x1300Faulting application start time: 0x01caa2aa2c4394d8Faulting application path: C:WindowsSystem32spoolsv.exeFaulting module path: C:WindowsSystem32TPVMMon.dllReport Id: 7188e318-0e9d-11df-9123-895fd79b6e49

The only thing I could attribute the Print Spooler issue to was VMWare Fusion.

I tried uninstalling the VMWare Tools program listed in the Control Panel > Uninstall Program section, but it would not remove.  No errors were displayed, but the program wouldn’t remove from the Programs list.

SOLUTION:

I deleted the following folder (and all related subkeys) from the Registry (via Start > Run > regedit):

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetContro lPrintMonitorsThinPrint Print Port Monitor for VMWare]

Lunch at Bento Ya Masako

Though I have lived in Upstate NY most of my life, today was the first time I have ever eaten at Bento Ya Masako.  It would be easy to miss this little gem because the only identification that there is a restaurant is a small folding sign on the sidewalk.  Behind the sign is a green door that leads you to the second floor where the “restaurant” is located.  This, in itself, is unique because all other Corning restaurants are on the street-level.

The restaurant had approximately 6-10 tables and behind the counter was the small one-stove kitchen where every dish was made individually by the owners.

Not knowing what to order, I decided to try the Yakiniku Bento which was comprised of spicy beef stir-fried with cooked cabbage, carrot with hijiki, cucumber salad, and rice.

The price was $8 which included free, help yourself, tea.  The serving size was very generous.

Overall, I was very pleased with my lunch at Bento and will definitely be eating there again!  Om nom nom!

Yakiniku Bento

VB: Disable all controls on a form

I use this code to cycle through all controls on a form and disable them.  After each control has been disabled, you can then specify individual controls that you wish to be enabled.  This is a handy way to force users to click specific buttons or enter data in specific fields before the rest of the controls on a form become active (enabled).

Private Sub LockControls()
‘ Disable all the controls on the form
Dim ctrl As Control

For Each ctrl In Me.Controls
ctrl.Enabled = False
Next

Me.txt_Log.Enabled = True ‘ re-enable the log box
Me.progBar.Enabled = True ‘ re-enable the progress bar
Me.lst_ItemGroups.Enabled = True ‘ re-enable the listbox
End Sub

To enable all controls on the form, use the following function:

Private Sub UnlockControls()
‘ Enable all the controls on the form
Dim ctrl As Control

For Each ctrl In Me.Controls
ctrl.Enabled = True
Next
End Sub

‘ Disable all the controls on the form

VB.NET LEFT and RIGHT functions

VBA and VB6 developers are used to the familiar LEFT and RIGHT string manipulation functions.  However, VB.NET no longer has these functions built-in. As a result, when I create a new VB.NET application, I create the following two functions which I can then use to replicate the “old” LEFT and RIGHT functionality.

Public Function Left(ByVal Value As String, ByVal Length As Integer) As String
‘ Rereate a LEFT function for string manipulation
If Value.Length >= Length Then
Return Value.Substring(0, Length)
Else
Return Value
End If
End Function

Public Function Right(ByVal Value As String, ByVal Length As Integer) As String
‘ Recreate a RIGHT function for string manipulation
If Value.Length >= Length Then
Return Value.Substring(Value.Length – Length, Length)
Else
Return Value
End If
End Function

How to speed up or slow down a song in Garageband

Here goes my first video tutorial…

In this example, I will show you how to speed up or slow down an MP3 track using Apple’s Garageband software.

1. Create a new “Loops” track
2. Drag the MP3 file into the track pane
3. Press Control + Alt (Option) + G
   1. Once you do this, the track color will change from orange to purple.
4. Click on the track
5. Click the Track Editor button (scissors icon)
6. Check the Follow Tempo & Pitch checkbox
7. Select the Project LCD mode (this is the only mode with a Tempo option)
8. Change the tempo from 120 (default)
   1. To make the song faster, raise the tempo
   2. To make the song slower, lower the tempo

That’s all there is to it!