And today it is Windows 8.1 Bootcamp Issues

So I tried to boot into my Windows 8.1 Bootcamp Partition and it was a no go. Showed the green windows window then went black and restarted back into Mac.

I think the problem is that because of my USB issues I had moved my keyboard and mouse to the USB 3 Ports of my CalDigit SATA and USB 3 PCI card, but I have not installed drivers as of yet in Windows. It was fine without them before because I never plugged anything in, but without the drivers, it sure was not happy, and would not restart. So I need to make sure to install those drivers if and when I get Windows working again.

Now I am lucky in that I also have a separate Windows 8.1 Parallels install, for those times when I don’t want to fully boot into Windows, or do anything Graphics intensive. With that I was able to use a USB Key to create a recovery partition, and let it run it’s utilities to fix Windows, but they didn’t work, neither the auto fix or going to a backup.

So then i downloaded the Windows 8.1 Setup program to try and create an ISO so I could have a Windows 8.1 Installer and wipe my drive except my data (a pain, but I don’t have that much installed), but I ran into another problem. The program only works with a Windows 8.1 Serial number, not a Windows 8 serial number, though it was a free upgrade to 8.1! WTF!

Luckily with a little google searching I was able to download the Windows 8.1 ISO thanks to PC Advisor. You basically have to download the Windows 8 Install program, and enter your license number, and get it to start downloading, then quit the program. Then from the same link download the Windows 8.1 installer and run it, and it won’t ask for your serial. When the program finishes you can either make a USB by clicking install by creating media, or create an ISO, which you can use multiple times.

To do the ISO to a USB stick you need to download the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, and install that, and point it at the ISO you saved. Once that is done you need to copy a file to it as explained by PC Advisor or it will make you use the same serial number as the one you used to download, instead of whatever one was used for your install (since I have 2 installs).

Once Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool finishes, it is time for me to try again. I will restart into Windows with the Recovery Partition in, and tell it to re-install but keep my data, and will insert my painfully created USB stick with the Windows 8.1 Installer, and then it is time to re-install all of my programs! YIPEE! And I have had to use a 3rd USB key to use Boot Camp Assistant, to redownload the latest Bootcamp drivers so I can get my mac working once Windows does a mostly clean install!

Will update and let you know how things go.

Having usb issues with my MacPro 4,1 2×2.26 Ghz Quad-Core

In the last few days I have been having USB freezes on my Mac, where all my USB ports seem to die, and only a restart can fix the issue. I had thought it was my beloved Microsoft Trackball Explorer that was causing the issue (as it has been known to cut in and out), and so I detached it and switched to my Kensington Trackball explorer that I bring to work, and it seemed OK today. Sure last night I had to use TechTool and restart into my emergency drive, and run diskwarrior, but I figure that is par for the course after a few hard resets. Anyway, the problem happened again today, and I decided to try something different, since I have a CalDigit USB 3 and SATA card, I tired plugging my Kengsington and Keyboard into that, and low and behold those ports still worked. Now I was in the process of rebuilding my iPhoto library, so I didn’t restart, though I should have as the computer totally hung up shortly thereafter, but I did have time to look at a System Report.

The system report was telling, as it showed all of my USB devices, but still showed my trackball and Microsoft Keyboard connected to the USB 2 port as well as the USB 3 port. Hoping it is not a hardware issue, I decided to reset the SMC, by disconnecting power for a minute, and then reset the PRAM 3 times as I restarted. So far so good, but it usually is after a restart.

Hopefully it is OK now, but we shall see.

FitBit offered me a refund on my Force

So finally FitBit offered me a refund on my FitBit Force, which I am not going to take. I do like the Force. It is a good tracker, and I like having it on my wrist as it makes me think about it more often, I just don’t like that it falls off all the time, and I think because of that I am either going to lose it or it will fall in water and die

I think Fitbit needs to rethink the band and make one with a normal watch band, or even better a watch band that is easily replaceable, and make the fitbit waterproof. And maybe they will with the next generation, but it doesn’t look like they will be rethinking it with this generation. I just hope they learn something from this as I am pretty sure I will lose my fitibit before too long.

Now I just need to get my Fitibit one replaced so that I have a backup when I do lose my force.