Attention nerds.
Here's a guide if interested:
If you aren't a total nerd who has setup a symbolic link for iTunes, you can totally tune out right now.
Problem:
When I was updating my iPhone 4 from iOS 4.3.5 to iOS 5, an extremely large iPhone backup is performed. During the backup I was getting an error:
"An error occurred while backing up this iPhone (-1303). Would you like to continue to update this iPhone?
Continuing will result in the loss of all contents on this iPhone."
Yikes.
Well, I decided to try 6-7 more times over the next hour and I noticed the backup always seemed to fail about 5% of the way in. I tried a number of things including rebooting the phone, turning off antivirus on the PC, and deleting the backup contents to force a new one. This didn't help.
Solution:
If you set up a symbolic link, then get rid of the symbolic link, at least for now.
While the symbolic link has been extremely helpful and hasn't prevented my backups in the past, this time it had to go. I took the symbolic link out (you do this by sending it to the recycle bin) and ran the update again. I immediately noticed the backup was taking a lot longer than the previous attempts. This immediate change in behavior was hopeful. The backup is completed. The upgrade is going now.
I admit this could have just been a coincidence but I'm not above mentioning it. It is possible that, because my symbolic link removal worked, the error was simply related to hard drive reads or writes that were failing. This may mean that some users can get by with just repeated attempts and get lucky. I don't have enough data to draw a conclusion.
Good luck people.
P.S. The update is complete. I have iOS5.
If I could have a real life cybernetic implant, the first one I'd get would disable Sticky Keys on any PC I come in contact with.
So apparently there is a new law on the books requiring California restaurant chains to post calories on all of their menu boards. In my usual tone, here is what I had to say about it.
From: Cody S
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 1:50 PM
To: Justin R
Subject: I love it
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/7248713.html
Cody
----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Justin R
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 1:58 PM
To: Cody S
Subject: RE: I love it
Next they'll be requiring resident dietitians to be preset at every McDonalds. It's a slippery slope. Just look what they did to poor Jonathan's book:
Greetings, friend.
You are attempting to reach Justin; However, he is out of the office until August 19th and has left me, a lowly robot, in his place to perform his duties.
Unfortunately, I am merely version 1.0 and I am only capable of responding with this auto-generated message informing you of both Justin's leave and my temporary cognitive limitations.
In the future, should I become sentient, I will gladly assist you further. In the meantime, please wait until August 19th for Justin's return.
Respectfully,
Justin Reinhart II
You are attempting to reach Justin; However, he is out of the office until August 19th and has left me, a lowly robot, in his place to perform his duties.
Unfortunately, I am merely version 1.0 and I am only capable of responding with this auto-generated message informing you of both Justin's leave and my temporary cognitive limitations.
In the future, should I become sentient, I will gladly assist you further. In the meantime, please wait until August 19th for Justin's return.
Respectfully,
Justin Reinhart II
Either Los Angeles is burning or the tobacco companies have gotten more aggressive with their advertising.
Congratulations!
Your credit score has exceeded 720. The Individual Fertility Suppression Field™ by TransUnion® has been deactivated. You may now contribute your genes to the Utopian dreamworld to which we have all become accustomed.
Your credit score has exceeded 720. The Individual Fertility Suppression Field™ by TransUnion® has been deactivated. You may now contribute your genes to the Utopian dreamworld to which we have all become accustomed.
There are many ways to measure success. One of them being: The number of nickels you receive from charities.
Recently, a charity mailed me a whole nickel. This raises the amount of money I've received from charities over the years by infinity percent. You too can be a success story just like me. Just follow these simple instructions:
(1) Visit the LA Zoo to get your name into their database
(2) Wait for them to submit your home address to Childrens' Hospital of Los Angeles
(3) Receive your fortune
All thanks to the Children's Hospital's Not-For-Profit marketing campaign! Not-For-Profit! You don't say!
Recently, a charity mailed me a whole nickel. This raises the amount of money I've received from charities over the years by infinity percent. You too can be a success story just like me. Just follow these simple instructions:
(1) Visit the LA Zoo to get your name into their database
(2) Wait for them to submit your home address to Childrens' Hospital of Los Angeles
(3) Receive your fortune
All thanks to the Children's Hospital's Not-For-Profit marketing campaign! Not-For-Profit! You don't say!
The envelope.
I've got to know!
Not this one!
The best part about all of this is they repeatedly use the phrase "to help children battling for their lives!" They print it once, emboldened, on at least every page and (obviously) on the envelope. It sounds serious so I decided to read their plight.
Apparently, as many as 13,000 accidents occur every year to elementary-age children who injure themselves at school, mainly on unsafe (non-padded) playground equipment. Here I was picturing a romanized "gladiatorgarten" where children duel each other for sport, the last SnackPack, and more importantly: "For their lives!"
Scarier yet is the contradictory statement printed in the paragraph just prior, that announces 2.2 million children are injured while attending school. My calculator informs me, "But that implies 2,187,000 of those injuries are intentional! How can this be?" Even character map is skeptical. ( ¿¿¿ )
Also enclosed is a plea to send the nickel back containing their favorite slogan, in case I had missed it.
"Don't forget to return the enclosed nickel - we need every nickel to help children battling for their lives!"
How sad. These children are at war and the hospital is mailing out the very nickels they use for sustenance, or to forge weapons, or however it is that they use them.
In addition to the blood-nickel, I received about 50 self-addressed stickers with both me and my girlfriend's name on them. This is in fact quite thoughtful. I shall remember to thank the machine that mass-produced these, if I decide at some point to go in the hole -$0.36 to send the nickel back.
Apparently, as many as 13,000 accidents occur every year to elementary-age children who injure themselves at school, mainly on unsafe (non-padded) playground equipment. Here I was picturing a romanized "gladiatorgarten" where children duel each other for sport, the last SnackPack, and more importantly: "For their lives!"
Scarier yet is the contradictory statement printed in the paragraph just prior, that announces 2.2 million children are injured while attending school. My calculator informs me, "But that implies 2,187,000 of those injuries are intentional! How can this be?" Even character map is skeptical. ( ¿¿¿ )
Also enclosed is a plea to send the nickel back containing their favorite slogan, in case I had missed it.
"Don't forget to return the enclosed nickel - we need every nickel to help children battling for their lives!"
How sad. These children are at war and the hospital is mailing out the very nickels they use for sustenance, or to forge weapons, or however it is that they use them.
In addition to the blood-nickel, I received about 50 self-addressed stickers with both me and my girlfriend's name on them. This is in fact quite thoughtful. I shall remember to thank the machine that mass-produced these, if I decide at some point to go in the hole -$0.36 to send the nickel back.
I've given a lot of thought about writing, and why someone would want to make a blog. I'm not sure where to begin so will instead share with you my most recent thoughts -- completely uncensored.
I wonder if I should write a blog?
What makes a good writer?
Is writing ability proportional to social skill?
I wonder if I can display my inner-most thoughts in graph form?
Was the time it took to put together a (hopefully) legitimate looking visual aid worth this joke?
How about this one?
Man, these graphs look so official. I feel like a scientist. I could do with one more.
Okay. I've successfully exploited the graph to make myself laugh and also inflate the length of this post. All in a day's work. Time to go and celebrate.
I wonder if I should write a blog?
What makes a good writer?
Is writing ability proportional to social skill?
I wonder if I can display my inner-most thoughts in graph form?
Was the time it took to put together a (hopefully) legitimate looking visual aid worth this joke?
How about this one?
Man, these graphs look so official. I feel like a scientist. I could do with one more.
Okay. I've successfully exploited the graph to make myself laugh and also inflate the length of this post. All in a day's work. Time to go and celebrate.
