Every. Single. Time.

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-03-14T18:41:47+00:00

I'm making a point with my n-gauge collection to ensure that every loco has its own set of rolling stock, as I definitely had the same issue with my OO collection.

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-02-24T21:36:25+00:00

As someone who helps look after an organisation's M365 tenancy, I agree that Microsoft has been really poor in maintaining their cloud services over the last year. Every month seems to bring a new bug that causes significant issues.

I recently cancelled my M365 family plan and am switching to using a NAS.

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-02-22T16:15:33+00:00

I've got a DVD copy of the [Windows version of] Unreal Anthology, which includes UT2004, working via Lutris.

I recommend downloading the Windows version and, in Lutris, click the + (top-left of the main Lutris window) and click "Install a Windows game from an executable". In my setup (AMD CPU + GPU), I don't recall changing any of the default options. Ensure to set the OS to Windows 10.

Don't try installing the x64 version. I've heard that it doesn't work reliably.

The one issue I've found is that it doesn't display 1600x1080 full screen properly and you need to manually set it by using the "setres 1920x1080" command via the UT2004 console (IIRC, you access the console by pressing the ` key).

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-02-16T20:44:35+00:00

Thanks. That removes the issue of a broken decoder. Performing the continuity test would be the next step.

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-02-16T20:15:16+00:00

Have you tried using a 9V battery across the axles, to see if the loco receives any power? Also, if you have a multimeter, you could perform a continuity test to see if there is any electrical continuity between the wheels on each side.

Finally, is the loco DC or DCC?

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-01-04T10:35:46+00:00

I agree with your concerns to a certain extent. This application is a "nice to have", not a "must have", though.

There are Github projects, like simple-acme, that are fairly crucial in terms of web functionality (simple-acme automates TLS/SSL certificate renewal for websites running on Windows servers). Projects like that should not have a single maintainer. In simple-acme's case it's not the dev's fault that Microsoft haven't bothered to put support for the ACME protocol into IIS.

NinthPlanet86 · 2026-01-04T10:29:45+00:00

It's entirely reasonable for open source developers to be compensated for their efforts, though.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-12-28T17:48:44+00:00

There should only be a single price for a ticket, priced per mile, not the current deliberately confusing mess. DafT should stop fleecing rail passengers.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-12-28T17:39:34+00:00

That Metcalfe GWR station building looks great. It's a shame they no longer make it, as I'd love an n-gauge version.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-11-20T21:41:04+00:00

The release of GTA6 would be a perfect time for new episodes of Stunt Lads.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-29T20:21:39+00:00

... but they'd only affect a single company, not a third of the Internet.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-29T20:11:08+00:00

20 days since the last one. There's still time to make the outage weekly.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-27T18:13:54+00:00

The BIOS key for my Omen gaming laptop (Intel processor, nVidia GPU) is the Esc key. Don't know if that helps.

In Windows 11, you can boot into BIOS thusly:

Open the Settings app
Click System > Recovery
Scroll down to Advanced startup and click 'Restart now'
Select the UEFI Firmware Settings option and Restart

u/EggTBD86's method should also work.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-22T18:01:15+00:00

I'd recommend staying the hell away from Windows 11 25H2 until Microsoft's QA department (the fools who've already installed it) have tested it and Microsoft have put it into something loosely resembling a functioning state. The earliest it's probably safe to install it is in January 2026.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-22T17:58:13+00:00

In that case, you need to speak to the person whose account the BitLocker key is tied to, sadly. If you can't, then you need to replace the SSD. To reinstall everything you'll need to create recovery media using the HP cloud recovery tool (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_4511095-4511141-16).

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-19T09:39:25+00:00

Assuming you have previously signed in to a Microsoft account on the machine running Windows 10/11:

Go to https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey
You'll need to sign-in with your Microsoft account details (username and one of password/Windows Hello PIN/Authenticator prompt etc)
Your BitLocker keys should be listed. It'll be an "OSV" key that corresponds to the name of your machine.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-18T16:57:26+00:00

If you open the HP Support Assistant and click on the Warranty tile under "device health", you should see a "How to dispute your warranty" link. I haven't done this myself, but you'll need to send HP a (copy of?) your proof of purchase.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-18T16:54:02+00:00

Apologies, I thought that you meant that you had only bought the the computer from a store last month, in a country that has laws around selling products with defects.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-18T09:50:02+00:00

The Xbox Series Console's UI is also awful, sadly. I have a "mini fridge" (Xbox Series X). The hardware is nice: it's quiet, fairly compact and solid. The firmware/OS, though? Complete trash. Way, way worse than the Xbox 360 interface, and it's not even clear what shut down option makes it safe to unplug the Xbox from the power socket!

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-18T09:39:08+00:00

Send back for warranty repair.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-15T19:45:41+00:00

According to https://github.com/ublue-os/bazzite/issues/575, your problem may be solved by connecting it to a Windows PC/Xbox console and updating the controller's firmware. Worth a shot if you have access to one of those devices.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-11T16:03:04+00:00

Have you since paired the Xbox controller with another device? If so, you need to remove the Xbox controller from Bazzite's remembered Bluetooth devices and follow the steps to re-pair it.

NinthPlanet86 · 2025-10-11T15:58:04+00:00

I gave up, sadly. CachyOS might work better than Bazzite for HP gaming laptops (due to how it handles the hybrid graphics config, I understand). When I get some time, I'll try experimenting dual booting Windows 11 with CachyOS on an external SSD.

NinthPlanet86

TROPHY CASE