Windows 10 Update!! My how to.....

So if you have found this page searching for the below error codes I hope this will help you. But as all ways I can take no responsibility for any issues you may encounter. Backup Backup, Backup before you do any thing......  

With the release of Windows 10 (Win10), and being a free update if you own Windos 7 or Windows 8, 8.1 this should be simple right...... Well in my case it was not. I have 4 computers running Windows 7, and 1 running Windows 8.1, and all of these systems have the same issues, "Windows 10 is still validating on your system". So My fisrt reaction was to force the update by going to the MS web site and doing it via the update tool. This ended in me having to rebuild my whole system. I failed during the build, and did not revert back to the current state. I later found this could be because I had a second hard drive that was once a primary drive. I upgraded to a SSD, and kept the old HDD as my storage drive, But to not go back to the current state, not good.

I waited a few weeks for the other machines, and even the brand new build, and still no update. So I had to figure this out. First I went to Windows update on my computer and looked up the update history. Here I found an error Windows 10 failed to install error Code 80240020. What the heck does this mean?? I looked it up on Google, and found I was not alone with this issue. So what I found was that the update downloaded but was bad. So I did what I do at work when the updated come down bad (download is corrupt), go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download then running a command CMD Type in "wuauclt.exe /updatenow" This will start the download and update, BUT I quickly got this error after the build started to run "Windows 10 install error C1900101-30018" What the heck is this???? Back to Google and once more found I was not the only one with this error. In this case it could have been my Antivirus, or another start up service running that caused this issue. So I uninstalled my Anti virus, and did a clean boot of windows. Clan boot is simply stopping any non system start up program from starting, You can follow this link to do a clean boot https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929135. Once I removed the AV, and did a clean boot I went back to the above C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download then running a command CMD Type in "wuauclt.exe /updatenow, but this did not work... So off to Google one more time. I found the link to the Windows 10 media builder tool. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10. Follow the link and download the media builder tool for your CPU type. As I have 64bit PCs I used that one. One of the options is to upgrade when you run the media builder, so I ran the update. I sat back and after an hour my first system was running Win 10. I checked it for errors, and found non. I let the system run over night, and then added my content in the morning. It worked!!!!.

The next weekend I did the very same for my Windows 8.1 machine and this worked as well...
As the Win 8.1 machine was older (build and hard ware) it took a bit longer, and when it was done I was every happy. 

So to sum this all up, this free upgrade was not so easy to do....... 

What I did not mention in the above post is I did a full system image before I started the second time. I had to rebuild my computer when I did the first manual upgrade, and did not want to do that again. I used Acronis, as I use it for my job, but there are others and free ones. Here is a link to 5 good ones http://lifehacker.com/5303067/five-best-free-system-restore-tools . I have given the first one a try and it worked for me when I went from Win 7 to Win 8. The last one CloneZilla I have used for years and love it. CloneZilla is a DOS like app that runs under LINUX, and is not what I would recommend for new users. I happen to love this app and it has saved my butt more that a few times.

Guard squad, and jet packs.

Tonight I finished the painting of a guard squad, they just need basing. Then I took some epoxy putty and pressed it into the jet pack mold. I think this will work from me.

Weekend report.

Well this weekend I did some work in my hobby room. First I made another big batch of flock. Once more this is using old tea leaves, and mixing in some paint. I know I said I would post a video, but My camera sucks for video, and I do not have a way to hold the camera while I make the flock. But it is simple. Think of this as more of staining the tea than panting it. I put about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of water in a cup, and squirt paint in. I put in as much as to color the stick I stir it up with. If I pull the stick out and the paint runs off I add more. Once I have my paint and water mixed up I sift in the tea while I mix it up. I stop adding when it lumps up. Keep mixing till it is all covered. Then I put it on a paper plate and chop it up with the mixing stick. I now put it in the microwave for 10sec then mix it up on the plate (repeat about 8 time) to start the drying process. Next I great it by pushing it through a small scrap of window screen over a cup. I will do this twice if the lumps are big. That is it. When I make this I really do this three times each one is a diferent

 Here I tried some pencil shavings, this should make some cool razor grass, or some thing.

 Then I finished off the second half of this squad (the gray uniform on the left), and used the new flock on all 8 of them, and added a bit of static grass.

 I then started on the last squad of them.

Test Game Mat

I have all ways wanted to get/make a game mat but the price of buying one is way too much. So I have decided to make my own. For the last few years I have reviewed a number of posts on how to, as well as viewed a number of videos. So I have formed a plan in my head, and got started.

Materials.....
We I do not have extra cash, so this has to be on the cheap, so here is my material list.

• Cloth: I was lucky to clean out an office and I got some display table heavy cloth covers.
• Flock: What to use. I have been making my own using used tea leaves and paint.
• Rubble/Rocks: For this sample I use cat litter (un-used).
• Latex calk: For this test I had an old tube (was a bit dry and thick).
• Paint: Craft paint supper cheap.
• PVA glue.
• Water.

Tools used.

• Cardboard box: used as a frame.
• Stapler: Attach the cloth to the box
• Putty knife: for spreading the calk.
• Scissors: to cut the cloth.
• Craft stick: to mix calk and paint.
• Paint brushes.

Here are some of the items used.

Now for the cloth on the frame.

Here is the cloth with the calk, and flock added. At this stage I pressed the flock down using a plastic shopping bag, to help stick the flock/rocks and give it texture. Let dry over night.

Next day add some paint, and watered down PVA to the flock to help hold it down.

Next dry brush the dirt and rocks, remove from the frame, and cut the edges clean. Also test the flexibility of the mat. It rolls up and no flock falling off.

Now here is the mat with some minis on it. 

Test mat successful!! It is time to upscale this project, and build a 4x4 mat.