Update Your FreeDNS.afraid.org Dynamic DNS and specify IP Address

When running behind proxies or VPNs, the Dynamic DNS auto-updater in your router or computer isn't always able to detect the correct IP address upon update.

This will cause the dynamic DNS to point to addresses which won't route the data request back to the right IP

In order to remedy this, I've created a little Python script which fetches the correct WAN IP from the router and updates FreeDNS with the right IP.

Where can you find your token? Visit the Dynamic DNS page and copy the link for "Direct URL".

Once that's all done, just find a good time to run the script. I find that running it upon startup works well for me.

Source

• networking - Dynamic DNS at freedns.afraid.org using a Fritz!Box - Super User

Windows 10 Technical Preview & Virtualbox: Your PC needs a restart. Error Code: 0x0000000A

At time of writing, I tested this with the latest version of Virtualbox v4.3.22 and Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 9926.

Correct steps to failure

• Set up the 32-bit virtual machine

• Select the 32-bit technical preview ISO.

• Start it up and watch it burn.

• BOOM!

Your PC needs a restart.

Please hold down the power button.

Error Code: 0x0000000A

Parameters:

0xFFD00000

0x000000FF

0x00000003

0x8158B5E3

The fix for it

This baffled me for some time because I thought VirtualBox was buggy or something. Oddly enough, telling Virtualbox to expect a 64-bit operating system will fix it.

I'm not sure if this is a bug within Windows 10 (because it worked fine in previous technical preview releases) or a bug with VirtualBox. Either way, hope it gets fixed before Windows 10 gets released!

 

Source

• virtualbox.org • View topic - Error 0x0000005D, when setup Windows 10. NX and VT-x enabled

Run Windows 7 on a OSX (Macbook Air, Pro, etc) with Bootcamp

Although the instructions are for Windows 7, the same should apply for Windows 8.1.

Preparing your USB installer

• Insert the USB you want to use as the "install source"
• Copy your Windows 7 ISO file to the desktop
• In the Spotlight (magnifying glass in the top-right corner of your screen), type in "bootcamp"
• Select "Boot Camp Assistant"

• Click continue to pass the intro screen
• Select "Create a Windows 7 or later version install disk"
• Select "Install Windows 7 or later version"
• It'll automatically select the ISO file for you and the destination disk, but double check it just to make sure.
• Once ready, click continue
• Confirm you're OK with wiping the destination USB.
• Wait ages for it to copy files to USB.
• At the end of that, it may ask you to plug the Macbook into a power source (if you're running on battery)
• Now is a good time to ensure that you're connected to the internet. If you don't, it'll make you restart the bloody process because you're not online... Yes, it happened to me first time I tried this. You'll only get a notification with the "OK" button, no retry.
• Now you'll have to wait for it to finish downloading Windows hardware drivers (about 1GB I think). This will take a really long time as well, so go play Shovel Knight or something.
• Once it's done, select how much space you want to allocate your operating systems. I pretty much gave as much space as I could to Windows because there's no intention of coming back to OSX.
• It'll automatically reboot into the Windows setup after it's done resizing the partitions.

Installing Windows

This step is pretty straight forward. The only thing you need to make sure is that you format the bootcamp drive appropriately.

• Select "Custom (advanced)" when you get to the "Which type of installation do you want?" screen
• Select the "BOOTCAMP" drive
• Click "Drive options (advanced)" to reveal more options
• Click "Format"

 

• Give it time to install and prepare Windows. It'll automatically reboot once or twice during that process.

Configuring Windows

Once you're in Windows, there's a few extra steps are involved in making the operating system more tolerable for day to day use.

Assuming you still have the installation USB plugged in:

• Open up Windows Explorer and go to X:\Bootcamp\ (where X: is your USB drive, labelled WININSTALL).
• From there you can find the Bootcamp setup for Windows.
• Run the setup

• This will automatically proceed to install driver software for your hardware such as touchpad, graphics card, motherboard, webcam, etc.
• It'll need to restart your computer before you can continue.
• Once you're back in, look for "Boot Camp" in the start menu.

• Once you're in, go to the "Keyboard" tab and tick "Use all F1, F2, etc keys as standard function keys"
• Go into "Trackpad" and configure the trackpad to your liking. Look at my configuration if you're unsure what you want as "normal" settings.
• That should be everything needed for you to get up and running with Windows on a Macbook.

 

Sources

• Mac Basics: Using Windows on your Mac with Boot Camp - Apple Support
• Install Windows on your Mac - Boot Camp Help
• Frequently Asked Questions about installing Windows 7 with Boot Camp - Apple Support