1. Get the bios update iso (8duj10uc.iso here) from the lenovo support site.

2. Get 'geteltorito' and extract the boot image from the iso (isobar.c probably works too)

$ wget 'http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito.pl'

$ perl geteltorito.pl 8duj10uc.iso > biosupdate.img

3. Copy the image to the usb thumdrive

$ sudo dd if=biosupdate.img of=/dev/usbthumdrive bs=512K

Here is a copy of the geteltorito.pl script for posterity:

#!/usr/bin/perl

use Getopt::Std;

#
# geteltorito.pl: a bootimage extractor
# Script that will extract the first El Torito bootimage from a
# bootable CD image
# R. Krienke 08/2001
# krienke@uni-koblenz.de
# License: GPL
#
# Get latest version from:
# http://userpages.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito
#
$utilVersion="0.5";
#
# Version 0.5
#    2009/06/22
#    A patch for harddisk emulation images from .
#    For BootMediaType=4 (harddisk emulation) SectorCount is always 1, and geteltorito.pl
#    returns just MBR. This patch guesses the correct bootimage size
#    from MBR (offset+size of the first partitition).
# Version 0.4
#    2007/02/01
#    A patch from Santiago Garcia  to use a virtual sector
#    size (vSecSize) of 512 bytes, as defined on "El Torito" specs and change
#    unpack of the sector count from n to v to get the correct sector count.
# Version 0.3
#    2006/02/21
#    A patch from  Ben Collins  to make the
#    utility work on PPC machines (change from 'L'-encoding in pack to 'V')
# Version 0.2
#    Several patches included from Nathan Stratton Treadway(nathant@ontko.com)
#    to adjust the platform output as well as fixes for other minor bugs
# Version 0.1
#    Initial release
#
# For information on El Torito see
# http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_torito

$vSecSize=512;
$secSize=2048;
$ret=undef;$version=undef;$opt_h=undef;$loadSegment=undef;$systemType=undef;

#
# Read a particular sector from a file
# sector counting starts at 0, not 1
#
sub getSector{
   my ($secNum, $secCount, $file)=@_;
   my ($sec, $count);

   open(FILE, $file) || die "Cannot open \"$file\" \n";

   seek(FILE, $secNum*$secSize, 0);
   $count=read(FILE, $sec, $vSecSize*$secCount, 0) ;
   if( $count != $vSecSize*$secCount ){
       warn "Error reading from file \"$file\"\n";
   }
   close(FILE);

   return($sec);
}


#
# Write eltorito data into a file
#
sub writeOutputFile{
   my($name)=shift;
   my($value)=shift;

   open(OUT, ">".$name)|| die "$0: Cannot open outputfile \"$name\" for writing. Stop.";
   print OUT $value;
   close(OUT);
}

#
# Usage
#
sub usage{
        warn "\n$0 [-hv] [-o outputfilename] cd-image \n",
            "Script will try to extract an El Torito image from a \n",
            "bootable CD (or cd-image) given by  and write \n",
            "the data extracted to STDOUT or to a file.\n",
            "   -h:        This help. \n",
            "   -v:        Print version of script and exit.\n",
            "   -o : Write extracted data to file  instead of STDOUT.\n",
            "\n\n";
        exit 0;
}


# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
$ret=getopts('hvo:');

if( defined($opt_v) ){
        warn "Version: $utilVersion \n";
        exit 0;
}

if( defined($opt_h) || $#ARGV <0 ){
         usage(0);
}

if( defined($opt_o) ){
   $outputFilename="$opt_o";
}

$imageFile=$ARGV[0];

if( ! -r $imageFile ){
        die "Cannot read image/device \"$imageFile\". Aborting\n";
}

#
# Read Sector 17 from CD which should contain a Boot Record Volume
# descriptor. This descriptor contains at its start the text ($isoIdent)
# CD001     and ($toritoSpec)
# EL TORITO SPECIFICATION
# see http://www.cdpage.com/Compact_Disc_Variations/eltoritoi.html
# for details
#

$sector=getSector(17, 1, $imageFile );
($boot, $isoIdent, $version, $toritoSpec,
        $unUsed, $bootP)= unpack( "Ca5CA32A32V", $sector );

if( $isoIdent ne "CD001" || $toritoSpec ne "EL TORITO SPECIFICATION" ){
        die "This data image does not seem to be a bootable CD-image\n";
}

#
# Now fetch the sector of the booting catalog
#
$sector=getSector($bootP, 1, $imageFile );

print STDERR "Booting catalog starts at sector: $bootP \n";

# The first 32 bytes of this sector contains the validation entry for a
# boot. The first byte has to be 01, the next byte determines the
# architecture the image is designed for, where 00 is i86, 01 is PowerPC
# and 02 is Mac. More data give info about manufacturer, etc.  The
# final two bytes must contain 0x55 and 0xAA respectively (as
# defined by the El Torito standard).

$validateEntry=substr($sector, 0, 32);

($header, $platform, $unUsed, $manufact, $unUsed, $five, $aa)=
               unpack( "CCvA24vCC", $validateEntry);

if( $header != 1 || $five != 0x55 || $aa != 0xaa ){
        die "Invalid Validation Entry on image \n";
}

print STDERR "Manufacturer of CD: $manufact\n";
print STDERR "Image architecture: ";
print STDERR "x86" if( $platform == 0 );
print STDERR "PowerPC" if( $platform == 1 );
print STDERR "Mac" if( $platform == 2 );
print STDERR "unknown ($platform)" if( $platform > 2 );
print STDERR "\n";

#
# Now we examine the initial/defaultentry which follows the validate
# entry and has a size of 32 bytes.

$initialEntry=substr($sector, 32, 32);

($boot, $media, $loadSegment, $systemType, $unUsed,
       $sCount, $imgStart, $unUsed)=unpack( "CCvCCvVC", $initialEntry);

if( $boot != 0x88 ){
        die "Boot indicator in Initial/Default-Entry is not 0x88. CD is not bootable. \n";
}

print STDERR "Boot media type is: ";
if( $media == 0 ){
        print STDERR "no emulation";
        $count=0;
}
if( $media == 1 ){
        print STDERR "1.2meg floppy";
        $count=1200*1024/$vSecSize;
}
if( $media == 2 ){
        print STDERR "1.44meg floppy";
        $count=1440*1024/$vSecSize;
}
if( $media == 3 ){
        print STDERR "2.88meg floppy";
        $count=2880*1024/$vSecSize;
}
if( $media == 4 ){
        print STDERR "harddisk";
        $MBR=getSector($imgStart, 1, $imageFile );
        $partition1=substr($MBR, 446, 16);
        ($unUsed, $firstSector, $partitionSize) = unpack( "A8VV", $partition1);
        $count=$firstSector + $partitionSize;
}
print STDERR "\n";

# Only use the internal sector counter if the real size is unknown
# ($count==0)
$cnt=$count==0?$sCount:$count;

print STDERR "El Torito image starts at sector $imgStart and has $cnt sector(s) of $vSecSize Bytes\n";

# We are there:
# Now read the bootimage to stdout
$image=getSector($imgStart, $cnt, $imageFile);

if( length($outputFilename) ){
   writeOutputFile($outputFilename, $image);
   print STDERR "\nImage has been written to file \"$outputFilename\".\n";
}else{
   print "$image";
   print STDERR "Image has been written to stdout ....\n";
}

First, the smoke.  I think the smoke box did not start smoldering because I should have put it on earlier, when I was heating the barbecue, not once I had stabilied the temperature.  The fire was not high enough at that point to start the wood smoking.  If it was already smoking, I think it would have maintained generating the smoke, but it was too cold to start the fire.

Second.  The time.  The meat was still cold when it when on the bbq.  If you check the initial temperature when I put the meat on the bbq, it was still basically at fridge temperature in the center.  It took almost a full hour on the heat before the internal temperature was up to room temp.  Given that it only took an hour to get the internal temp to room temp, I'm not sure if that fully explains why it took basically twice the expected time to get to final temp.  Of course heat transfer is a complex process, so who knows.

Anyway, the recipe for the rub made more that I used for this experiment so I figure I should do another in a few weeks.

Another important note, running the bbq for 10 hours at lowest heat used about 1/4 of a tank of propane.

Here are photos of the meat, almost every hour (I missed a few).

Just starting 12 pm

1 pm.

2 pm.

3 pm.

4pm

6pm

7pm

8pm

9pm

10pm

12pm.  Post pulling.

Meat, rub, mustard.  I am cooking a 4 lb pork butt roast.  A cut of shoulder meat.  Following the recipe here, I made a rub and then applied it by first applying a layer of mustard and then the rub.  This was yesterday at around 5pm.

Here is a run down of the tools I'm using.

My gymboss interval timer.  Usually this is used for, you know, exercise.  However the timer can go as high as 99 minutes, so I have has set it for 6 intervals of 60 minutes.  I've has also used this timer for grilling, 5 intervals of 2 minutes for cooking steak, and pork chops etc.

A grill thermometer.  I am using this to measure the temperature on the grill, as opposed to the temperature read by the thermometer integrated into the barbecue lid.  More accurate temperature monitoring means more accurate cooking.

This is my little smoke box.  You fill it full of wood chips.  The box is then placed in the bbq and heated until the wood starts to smolder.  This creates smoke that helps to flavour the meat.  Unfortunately, I messed this part up and did not heat the box high enough to get the wood smoldering.  So no smoke this time.  :(

The machine.  This is my Weber Genesis.  The cooking machine for today's little experiment.  1 burner on at lowest flame seems to maintain the internal temp at 225.

The meat as it just goes on, around 1pm.

The meat after the first hour.

First, install gpointing-device-settings.  This will allow you to tame the touchpad.  Second, install laptop-mode-tools.  This enables all sorts of battery saving tricks when you are on battery power.  With the stock 6 cell battery, I am getting battery life estimate of 8-10 hours, although I have not verified this by leaving the laptop running.  Although I should also say that most of the time, I am programming, which may actually be a fairly low power operation.  I do have wifi enabled and firefox open as well.

So far I really like it.  The keyboard is great.  The layout is vi friendly and most of the buttons feel like they are where they should be.

I am getting used to the touchpad, it does feel like I am getting better with it, (and using gpointing-device-settings definitely helps).  However I would not say the touchpad is great.  Due to the thinkpads having the trackpoint, the physical buttons are above the touchpad, which is not what I was used.

The X220 seems to work fairly well out of the box with Ubuntu 11.04, I did not have any showstopping driver issues.  That said there are currently a few shortcomings with the linux support for the HD 3000 graphics, those may not be resolved until 11.10, so that kind of sucks, but accelerated 3D is not a big reason for me getting this laptop.  Compiz runs fine, so that's really all I need.

Anyway, I am very happy with this little laptop.  The design is simple, but most things seem to be just right.

I plants a line of Wild Geraniums along the fence in front of the house.  Behind that a line of Wild Columbine, and behind that some Barren Strawberry.  Hopefully, in a few years the Geraniums and Columbines will have filled out to be small bushes, (like the 3 year olds that I have in other places) and the Barren Strawberry will have spread out as a ground cover.

In the back I planted some more Broad Leafed Waterleaf, I like the way the look and they filled in really nicely in just one year.  I also picked up a few Maidenhair ferns for the fern area, to go with the sensitive and (what I think are) Cinnamon ferns.

All the bushes from last year are starting to show new growth now.  The Spicebush did its flowering, and the red elderberry has its flowers opening now too.  The others are getting the leaves, although the Maple Leaved Viburnum is growing new shoots from near the ground, not much from last years branches.  Although all the shrubs were planted last year, so they are still getting started.  It looks like most of the stuff that I planted last year survived.  Although there are still a few plants that I don't expect to be up yet.

Of the older plants, many are coming back with a vengeance this year.  Our May Apples are at least 45 cm tall, most of them are two leaves and thus should flower.  The Bloodroots are starting to form nice clumps, and the Wild Ginger are also spreading nicely.  The front yard Canada Anemones are coming up strong and probably cover about 50% of the 2m x 2m areas they are planted in.  The Wild Strawberry has covered 100% of that area, although it seems happy to live between the other plants.  There are also Heart Leaved Asters growing in there and they are certainly spreading out.  As all these plants are sharing a contained area, I am interested to see how they will eventually stabilize.  There are a couple other plants thrown in the mix too, although nothing that is spreading as aggressively as those first three.

The shrubs generally appear to be getting started.  The Spicebush looks like it is getting ready to flower, the Pagoda dogwoods are opening, the Ninebark and Mapleleaved Viburnum both appear to be getting ready to start, although not too much activity yet.  The Red Elderberry is getting going with small leaves, and buds, but the Black Elderberry hasn't done much yet.

Our trees are starting to bud, but no real leaves to speak of yet.

Check the gallery for photos!



I guess that does not look all that fancy.  What about from the back:

That probably gives away the joke to most of you.  How about a peek inside:

I put a new Home Theater PC inside an old VCR case!  Heh, I think that's kinda funny.  It is an MSI E350, whcih is a dual core AMD Fusion CPU which has an integrated graphics processor that is actually reasonably powerful (powerful enough for this application).  It is running Ubuntu 10.10 with XBMC as the media software.  Due to some software issues it is not using the graphics accelerator for video playback, but I hope to fix that soon.

XBMC is pretty nice, although I am still looking for a skin that I like.  There are some strange usability issues when trying to control it via a remote control.  (There is an IR reciever hiding behing the VCR's face plate).  On the upside, I really like its ability to fetch content off the internet.  In particular getting various videos from places like TWiT and Revision3.

This HTPC also has a 2 TB hard drive, so I have dumped all of my music on it.  I am also thinking of ripping our heavily watched dvds (Arrested Development, Burn Notice) on there too.  That way we can watch them without messing around with disks, as well, we can copy them onto ipod/ipad/other devices without having to resort to physical media.

Anyway, I am still playing with everything, but so far I am enjoying it.

I managed to get about 40 images before the battery competely died, which is ok, but I had to keep the camera off unless I was ready to take a picture, which meant that I probably missed a few shots.  Oh well.  I'll try to never do that again.  You can see the pictures in my bouldering gallery.