Audio Adventures in Bluetooth

Bluetooth is crazy making.  But in this case it's just a red herring.  If you are experiencing audio issues with bluetooth, you might want to read on.  I uncovered a logic that's probably bugged a lot of folks. 

If your computer has multiple audio in and out plugs, this may be the source of audio issues.  The fix is simple.  Here's my write up.

Background For My Fellow Geeks -> First Clue: ATAPI 

Realtek Digital showed I had an "ATAPI Internal Jack.  As you already know, TAPI (Telephony Application Programming Interface) started out in the dinosaur age as modem in part to handle audio transmission.  So I searched for "ATAPI" and found this thread.  It pointed to a video.   It's amusing to watch -- rather like a silent movie when your audio is out....  ;->

Audio In and Out Multiple Jacks

To cut to the chase, my Dell workstation has both front and back audio plug-ins.  That's right, two microphone inputs and two speaker plugs.  Obviously this makes it easy for you to plug in your headset from the front.  But it can make it tricky for the 'puter to handle multiple audio channels.

Audio Gets Lost

Intuitively I gather the routing of the audio gets lost.  So the drivers aren't designed to easily thread multiple inputs/outputs.  In addition, defaults are set to give every device exclusive control which just exacerbates the situation.

Fix Part 1 -- Trick Basic Audio Settings

The trick is to go to the Sounds in the Control Panel.  Go to each device listed - both the playback and recording.  Check to see if the settings has been check marked to give exclusive control and uncheck this on each device.  In addition, disable each device.  Next go back to each device and the enable each and every one.  No reboot required.

Part 2 -- Automatic Bluetooth Audio

It gets easier, way easier.  I thought I was still a few steps from my goal to enable audio on my Bluetooth headset.  But after I went through Part 1, it was all downhill.  As the headset was already paired, all I had to do was watch as the computer automatically updated with a couple of drivers.  One was IVT Virtual, which now shows under BROADCOM Bluetooth Device as version 6.2.49.124.  The other is Bluetooth SCO Audio version 6.1.34.104 from IVT Corporation.

Testing

Skype is very handy to confirm both the microphone and speaker side works with my Motorola H690 bluetooth headset. Just run the Skype test call.


Confirm New Settings

FWEIW: Device Manager confirms the following sound, video and game controllers are working:

    Bluetooth SCO Audio
    Intel(R) High Definition Audio HDMI
    Plantronics Calisto Pro Series
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device
    USB Audio DAC
 
Perhaps Realtek Digital Output is totally in control since it is set as default.  Realtek Digital Output shows driver v6.0.1.5678.

Wish me luck, I'm going to log out and reboot..... 

Alert: Mac Genius': "The password for your Apple ID has been successfully reset"

I adore my Mac colleagues, most of all for their idealism and immense pride in seeing Mac stock jump to the highest market capitalization ever.  Just how much more acknowledgment do you need to confirm you are a genius? 

Even those with a Einstein level IQ can be fooled.  Here's a good one for you:

What comes to you Inbox, knows your personalized e-mail address, and has already protected you from fraudulent activity on your account.  Apple of course....

Uhhhh, not.....

But, hey if your credit card company quickly alerts you to a fraudster, Apple is primed to, too. Right?  

Not so fast cowboy.  Even if the skies are not cloudy all day, think about it.  Why not pull the trigger and click?  You may have been targeted by very clever phisher for presumably the most important detail of your system, your Apple ID.

Here's the header regarding the subject line: "password for your Apple ID  has been successfully reset".  (Note: I have disguised my info for obvious reasons.) 

Return-path:
Envelope-to: vm****@*****t
Delivery-date: Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:05:25 -0400
Received: from impinc01.yourhosting****nt.com ([10.1.**.101] helo=impinc01.yourhosting****nt.com)
    by mailscan10.yourhosting****nt.com with esmtp (Exim)
    id 1T4EMu-0005fm-Q0
    for vm****l@*****.com; Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:05:24 -0400
Received: from ltv.pl.159.230.91.in-addr.arpa ([91.230.159.76])
    by impinc01.yourhosting****nt.com with NO UCE
    id pt5M1j06q1fBcZX02t5M76; Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:05:22 -0400
X-EN-OrigIP: 91.230.159.76
X-EN-IMPSID: pt5M1j06q1fBcZX02t5M76
Received: from  (192.168.1.143) by id.apple.com (91.230.159.124) with Microsoft SMTP Server id 8.0.685.24; Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:05:20 +0100
Message-ID: <50350900 .202090=".202090" id.apple.com="id.apple.com">
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:05:20 +0100
From: "Apple"
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.12) Gecko/20101103 Thunderbird/3.1.6
MIME-Version: 1.0
To:
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
 boundary="------------08010700703020309060203"
Subject: [Norton AntiSpam]Your Apple ID password has been reset
X-Bl-Tracker: AAAABBfMaf8XCVhYG7N+3BuzesE=

To learn more, click on the image to view a screen shot of today's e-mail - Don't worry, the view is disinfected.  The malicious sites have been highlighted.  Just don't even think about going to those sites.  Otherwise you might pick up any kind of malware, a key logger would be worst case scenario, to stealthy attack your system. 

Subject "password for your Apple ID  has been successfully reset"

And get used to it big boys and girls, now that Apple has achieved capitalistic immortality it's become a target for all of the wanna-be hackers looking for a quick hit and run.

Now go out an buy some Apple stock and make me w wealthy woman.  Just kidding....  Perhaps Google might be a better play....

Urgent Alert: Phisher Targets ADP subscribers

Fortunately for me Norton Internet Security 2012 trapped three e-mails this morning.   Each was supposedly sent from ADP.  But they got sent immediately into Junk/Spam folder.  Nice catch Norton....

The reason I'm writing about this is to make sure other folks know about nasty phishing scheme by e-scammers.  

Recent trends have shown phishers are now targeting narrower segments of users by referencing small institutions in their e-mail.  Like today's email, you may find a very legit e-mail address.  

I'm not the only one that got targeted today Scam Expert on Blogspot.com.  Actually his e-mail was even more aggressive since it was requesting a transfer of funds immediately to cover the payroll account.  Naturally the aim was to get a wire of large funds from the unsuspected recipient into the scammers' offshore account.
 
The trick is to not click on the malicious links they embed in the email.

This is what you might see in your InBox - Notice the links are not exposed; read on below to see what's under the hood of this vehicular scam and run. 

Here's the raw text with the links in red (altered slightly so that you won't accidentally click from here) :

 


ADP Security Management Update

Reference ID:  70345



Dear ADP Client                                                                                                   June 2012

     

This message is to inform you of the upcoming ?Phase 2? enhancement to ADP Security Management (formally ADP Netsecure).  This is where you manage your users? access to ADP?s Internet services, and includes the self-service registration process. 

 Effective June 9th, ADP Security Management will reflect a new user interface.  This will include tasks such as Account Maintenance, User Maintenance, and Company Maintenance within Security Management. 


Please review the following information:

?         Click here   to view more details of the enhancements in Phase 2

?         Complete the What?s New in Security Management Service here <messenia.com/100mbY7P20E/index.html>  (Expected to take about 15 minutes)

?         View the Supported Browsers and Operating Systems, listed here . These are updated to reflect more current versions to ensure proper presentation of the updated user interface.  It is important to note that the new ADP Security Management is best accessed using Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 8 or Mozilla Firefox Version 3.6, at minimum.

 This email was sent to active users in your company that access ADP Netsecure with a security role of ?security master? or ?security admin?.  You may have other users that also access ADP Netsecure with other security roles.  Please inform those users of these enhancements, noting that the above resources will have some functionality that does not apply to their role.


As always, thank you for choosing ADP as your business partner! If you have any questions, please contact your ADP Technical Support organization.

Ref: 0609 MSAMALONIS1@TWNSHP

 

[This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of  the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, notify the sender immediately by return email and delete the message and any attachments from your system.]

 

Cherry Hill Township provides a secure environment for all information concerning our residents and all other business concerns. The information contained in this email is intended only for the individual(s) addressed in the message and may contain privileged and/or confidential information that is exempt from disclosure under applicable law.

Cherry Hill Township provides a secure environment for all information concerning our residents and all other business concerns. The information contained in this email is intended only for the individual(s) addressed in this message and may contain privileged and/or confidential information that is exempt from disclosure under applicable law.

In examining the e-mail meta data I discovered each of the three came from three separate IP addresss.   In case you want to view a little of this meta data, here's an edited example.   (Edited to remove identifiers particular to my accounts and services)

 Return-path:
Envelope-to: my email address
Delivery-date: Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:30:02 -0400
Received: from impinc01.yourhostingaccount.com ([10.x.xxx.xxx] helo=impinc01.yourhostingaccount.com)
    by mailscan21.yourhostingaccount.com with esmtp (Exim)
    id 1SkIXa-0006Df-3o
    for my email address; Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:30:02 -0400
Received: from 187-13-8-252.user.veloxzone.com.br ([177.47.134.243])
    by impinc01.yourhostingaccount.com with NO UCE
    id TtU11j02n5FF4s102tU2un; Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:28:04 -0400
X-EN-OrigIP: 177.47.134.243
X-EN-IMPSID: TtU11j02n5FF4s102tU2un
Received: from [93.182.156.28] (account ADP_FSA_Services@ADP.com HELO ivsaqu.gitjhp.com)
    by 187-13-8-252.user.veloxzone.com.br (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.3)
    with ESMTPA id 303803475 for vmarechal@marshallassocs.com; Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:29:58 -0300
Date:    Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:29:58 -0300
From:    "ADPClientServices@adp.com"
X-Mailer: The Bat! (v3.5.30) Educational
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
Message-ID: <9965831373.C5Z7AFUK487211@bmqtgofohjkyro.akufuqowzpxyz.biz>
To:
Subject: [Norton AntiSpam]ADP Security Management Update
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
  boundary="----------2871472B85EFCC7"

My conclusion: these bad guys have assembled a 'bot' network of typically unsuspected "white hat" locations to elude immediate exposure.  


Basically, besides being skeptical, you protect yourself by keeping your anti-virus and your operating system up to date. 

 

Freebie Software Can Cost Too Much

Today I have had a revelation about a "free" software that I really find useful.  But after such a painful ordeal, I have to get the word out. and posted a review on Sofpedia.   I'm also covering the software here just in case I can spare someone else the torture that I endured which lasted for weeks.

How excruciating?  Just follow this sequence closely - apparently the devil is in the details applies here.   This one just so happens to be one of the most invasive freebies that I've ever encountered.  When I first installed CutePDF it slipped my attention that it was going to overwrite my default search in favor of Ask.com and affect my browser toolbar too. Within minutes I  simply uninstalled the Ask.com app in Add/Remove Programs. 

Uninstall didn't clean this up, it actually made it much worse.  Simply put, CutePDF, isn't.
As a professional software consultant, I was vexed with operating system hang ups and software stalls.  With a relatively sophisticated system, I persevered.  Whatever the problem was despite some rather lengthy discovery procedures, I couldn't heal the machine.   Sure at one point  I noticed lingering folder called Ask.com.  Either I found it in the Program Files or Program Data, I can't remember which, but that was soon pushed into Recycle Bin.  


You would think that would be the end of it --- But nooooo, it just compounded my daily nightmares. 

Each boot up, was an exercise in patience.  Since it was looking for code that didn't exist, my CPU would hang then get dragged down to a painful crawl.  Sure, I'm fanatical about  performing tune-ups and emptying temp files, yet was plagued with the most sludgiest performance in recent memory.  It  continued even after I upgraded to Norton Internet Security 2012.  I was beginning to think maybe I had picked up a really big nasty.

Mind you I run radical, "up the kazoo" protection the likes of Windows Defender, MalwarerBytes, aforementioned Norton Anti-Virus, NoScript on Firefox, plus redundant firewall shields up.  But this problem was so grievous I prepared for the ordeal to nuke/repave.  BTW, the event viewer wasn't helpful to diagnosis this problem since it ran only identified as a CLSID and it used an innocuous software tool to check for updates. 

Finally, after more than two weeks of torture, today I discovered that CutePDF had surreptitiously set up in Task Scheduler not one but two daily scheduled events, one to check for Ask.com toolbar upgrades to run in the background the other of questionable purpose pointing to temp files that no longer existed.  If either of these updates failed, they would continue to run hourly, for three days.  Unless of course you rebooted daily in which case it wouldn't quit !  [insert pig sound here -- SUUUEEEE!]

Honestly the only reason I gave it any stars at all in my Softpedia review is that, after putting me through all of that, I'm now able to use CutePDF unimpeded.  Yeah, we'll see if this hold true after I reboot. 


Just saying -- this cutie pie "gotcha" CutePDF cost me hundreds of dollars of down time, weeks of frustration, requiring extreme diligence to locate the problem and oh --   just a few extra minutes to resolve. 

  Like I'm just saying --- word to the wise.

Microsoft reported in May 2011, one in 14 downloads
from the Internet may now contain malware code, cited in the
Wall Street Journal

Read About a New Productivity Tool

Well, I've got another article published. This time it's about NeatReceipts, a most fabulous tool to turn shoeboxes into data. Truly it's neat cause it shares data with Act!, via Outlook, Quicken, QuickBooks, and a bunch of other applications

Check out the article at Intuit's resource for ProAdvisors.

Sigh of Relief

Success at last.

But as often happens, the road to success may be paved, but there's a few pot holes to navigate.

Or in my case a crash. After almost 24 hours of running import, I looked up to notice the famous blue screen. I didn't even catch the implosion. All I got was a stinky DOS error message.

So what to do? I didn't give it too much of a thought. Just try again.

I set up a less ambitious import. My plan was to run several smaller imports. The import tool came with a handy merge of duplicates tool but given my issues, I decided to turn it off.

The original challenge was to coalesce 3 Excel worksheets. Each one had 6,000 contacts. The trouble was that each xls had the SAME contacts with both duplicate and different fields. The goal: One central ACT! database. Had I not had a special import tool, there could have been tens of thousands of duplicates.

The existing ACT file had to be upgraded to hold all of the new data. Fifty fields were added (from 84 fields to 134 fields). New skins had to be created to view the incoming information. So three snazzy skins were set up each for Contacts, Groups, and Companies. Existing Groups numbered 47, with 76 subs were brought over intact.

There were no duplicates created by this import. The only duplicates were a result of existing duplicates in the source files (in both Excel and pre-existing ACT! contacts).

Only 10 contacts had truncated information due to field limitation.

After the import, the new ACT database contained over 8,000 contacts with a better database design. Some of the new fields including Yes/No buttons to speed data entry. Groups grew to 109 to enable greater productivity.

I am very proud to have accomplished this arduous task. Plus I am looking forward to seeing the next version of this import tool to come out within the week. It should be interesting to see if some of my suggestions have been included in the new release.

It's Been 17 Hours and Still Running an Import

True Story

You wouldn't believe it. I started this import of Excel data into an ACT! database at 2:15pm yesterday. After a minute or two, the status of the import shows "Not Responding" Import window shows only the frame, all of the content has disappeared. Why now after 17 hours am I still hopeful to have a successful import?

First step: Open the Task Manager. It shows running at 100%. Now how do I differentiate between a crash or if this massive import is still running? Of the various columns I select quite a number of them to indicate current status.

Currently running tasks:
Sqlservr.exe
I/O Read bytes at 32 billion, I/O Write bytes 124 billion and a virtual memory at 758K KB.

ACTSage.exe
I/O Read bytes at 14 billion, I/O Write bytes 22 billion and a virtual memory at 335K KB.

Excel.exe
I/O Read bytes at 44 million, I/O Write bytes 7 million and a virtual memory at 135K KB.

AppSvc32.exe
I/O Read bytes at 5.3 trillion, I/O Write bytes 1.7 trillion and a virtual memory at 12K KB.

But even if I did check the Task Manager carefully, I'm not positive this thing is still running. However, since I am able to also check an import log, I'm in better shape.

Fearing to interrupt the import process, I don't open the log directly. Instead I copy, using right click, onto my desktop. So now I'm able to open a copy of the log to check the process. It reveals of the nearly 6K ACT contacts, greater than 2/3rds have already been imported. This log file is the only real evidence I have that my mission is well underway. This import tool is well designed to include this kind of ancillary reference. I scroll down to the end and find of the 5,936 contacts, 4,124 have been confirmed to be written in ACT!

Because the log file details in the operating system show the date created as well as last modified, I calculate an estimate of how long this import will need to run to finish the last third of the contacts (1,812).

Since it has taken 17 hours to write 4,124 contacts, that works out to 242 contacts per hour. As I divide the 1812 by 242 the results is 7 more hours. If this works, the total import time will be 24 hours.

Why would an import take so much time? Well the tool I'm using has so many settings. Besides bringing in the contacts, it will create companies. More powerful for me is the ability to create groups.

Originally this client had another ACC (ACT! Certified Consultant) set up their database. It was poorly designed. Bad design results in a reduction in productivity. There were too many fields. In addition, nebulous field labels meant the user could be easily confused. So there could be a slack off on entering vital information.

This import means a lot to me. The client may have lost faith, but I'm on a mission. Therefore I'm willing to let this run. All told this will take over 24 hours. Billable hours? Well I did sleep through some of this. ;-> The lessons learned are as follows:


Lessons regarding Import

*Avoid when ever possible using an immature tool. The version of this import tool is 1.0.17. Unavoidable this time... But the tool is sufficently well designed to have an import log.

*Make sure the power settings on the control panel do not turn off the hard drive.

*Use the Task Manager to show the running processes.

*Copy the import log rather than opening it directly which could spoil the only verification tool in the import app.

I'm signing off. I'm a bit weary from the hypervigilance necessary on this import - now running at over 18 hours....