Access Table Link ODBC Error -7748

When trying to Link a table from a Progress ODBC connection I was getting something like (reserved error -7748).  In order to fix this I had to create a registry entry under the HKLM.  To do this, open regedit, Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI

Then choose the odbc folder name that you are trying to create a link with, mine is called v7.

Right click on the folder name (or anywhere in the white-space on the left hand side).

Select “NEW” >> “String Value”

Name this Value as follows “WorkArounds2”

Double-click “WorkArounds2” and enter the value of “40960” in value data field, then say OK. Here’s a pic of what my registry entry looked like.

That should be it.  You don’t need to restart Access,  just recreate the link, or the import in access. Here’s the explanation I copied from here where they also have other explanations of workarounds for Progress.

“The ODBC Driver Manager incorrectly translates
lengths of empty strings when a Unicode-enabled application uses a
non-Unicode driver. This workaround causes the DataDirect Connect64 for
ODBC drivers to internally adjust the length of empty strings. Use this
workaround only if your application is Unicode enabled.”

Ubuntu Grub2 default OS on dual-boot system

Just installed Ubuntu 10.10 on my laptop dual-booting with Windows.  I wanted it to default to windows and allow me to choose when to boot into linux.  It used to be that you can just go to /boot/grub/menu.lst and edit the entry there.  With grub2 there are different files that you have to edit.

UPDATE 01/12/12:  The method below works fine, but as you install updates there will be new entries in the grub boot list and you will have to keep on modifying the GRUB_DEFAULT value to get it to boot into Windows.  A better way to accomplish this is to move Windows to the top of the list and leave the Grub Default at 0. A good tool to accomplish this is called Grub Customizer. Follow the instructions at this site and download the Grub Customizer app.  Once installed you can unselect items in your grub menu that you do not want to appear, and also click on the Windows entry (under “OS Prober” heading) and move it to the top of the list by clicking Ctl-U.  Since your Default is 0, and now Windows is at order number 0 in the Grub List it will default to that OS.  The only thing I’m not sure of, since I’ve installed all the updates already, is if an update will place the new list item on the top making you run this program again to place Windows at the top of the list.  Next update I install I will test this out and update this post. (I have tested it out on my system with no problems, but I take no responsibility if somehow your system gets screwed up)

To accomplish the same thing as editing menu.lst, first display your menu choices by running the following command:

$ cat boot/grub/grub.cfg|grep menuentry

which will give you a list like this:

menuentry ‘Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic’ –class ubuntu –class gnu-linux –class gnu –class os {
menuentry ‘Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)’ –class ubuntu –class gnu-linux –class gnu –class os {
menuentry “Memory test (memtest86+)” {
menuentry “Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)” {
menuentry “Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)” {

The first entry above is “0”, so going by the menu above I would like to boot into “4” which is Microsoft windows. Go to /etc/default directory, and then edit the file “grub” with the command

$ sudo vi /etc/default/grub

# If you change this file, run ‘update-grub’ afterward to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.

GRUB_DEFAULT=4
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10

After changing this file and rebooting multiple times and seeing no changes, I discovered (<cough> read the /etc/default/grub comments.. duh!!!) that you must now run the following command to update the grub.cfg file:

$sudo update-grub

that should be it. After running this command and rebooting it correctly defaulted to the 4th entry which was windows.

If you don’t know vi commands.  Just navigate down to the value you want to change and hit “r” and type “4” or whatever number you want to boot into by default.  Then when you’re done save it by typing the following “:wq”  That should do it. Or for a GUI editor use the command “$sudo gedit /etc/default/grub” for a wordpad/notepad type editor.

For more information on grub2 check here

To check what grub version you are running run. Anything equal to or above 1.96 is grub2

$grub-install -v

IE not opening Java applet red x

One of my users was having a problem using an online system that ran a java applet. It would just display a box with a red X where the java window was supposed to be.  I tried a few things before this to get it to work in case they are related to the fix.

1. Reset IE settings in Control Panel >> Internet Options >>  Advanced >> Restore Advanced Settings

2. Added the site in question to “trusted sites”

3. Went to Control panel >> Java >> Network Settings and choosing “direct connection”

What finally worked was  Control Panel >> Internet Options >> Programs and clicked on “Manage Add-ons”. Then under “Toolbars and Extensions” I had to enable the “Java 2 Plug-in 2 SSV Helper” by clicking on it and clicking the enable button. Then I had to close IE completely and open it back up and it came up fine. Hope this helps someone.

Blacklist Dirtbags

What a bunch of dirtbags UCE Protect is, don’t use them ever as a blacklist provider and let them fade away. http://www.uceprotect.net/en/ Here’s the scam they have, and yes it is a scam, they try to explain how it’s not a scam on their site… guess what… not true.

I run mail servers for a few legitimate companies. What happened was that an employee brought their personal computer and plugged it into our network. This computer was infected with a botnet or some sort of email sending virus. I fixed the problem by removing the computer from the network, then proceeded to submit and remove the client IP from multiple blacklists that we were legitimately listed on using debouncer Every one of these sites (11 of them) removed my company within an hour to a day which is an acceptable amount of time. These dirtbags at UCEPROTECT will make you pay $108 to remove you from the list or else you HAVE TO WAIT 7 DAYS. In terms of not being able to send email to companies because of one infraction over the course of 15 years, this is an eternity. This is not only unacceptable, but they’re the only blacklist that I see that uses this scumbag tactic. Of course I will not pay this, let’s call it what it is, ransom. Luckily our major clients and vendors don’t use this list so its not a huge problem.

Just wanted to put an alarm out there to not use them as a blacklist because of these scumbag practices. I could see this type of tactic if you repeatedly get on their list, but 7 days for a one time infraction is flat out ridiculous and shady.