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How To Hard Reset Or Format Nokia 5800 When Touchscreen Keypad Out Of Service?

Walker — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:05:14 +0000

I stumbled upon the secret key to format or hard reset Nokia 5800 after the touchscreen keypad failed to work. To be precise, the software keypad appeared and closed in a second.

I do not know what exactly caused the keypad failure. By guessing, it could be the side effect of corrupted memory card.

But, the main point here is to record down the trick to hard reset or format Nokia touchscreen phone or smart phone powered by Symbian OS S60 5th Edition UI (e.g. Nokia 5800).

The hard-reset or better known as format Nokia phone is simply to perform a factory restore, i.e. a process to restore the phone to factory default settings.

For my case, hard-reset did successfully fix the keypad problem (where the software keypad appears and closes immediately).

Although this “secret key” does format Nokia 5800, it COULD NOT reset the Nokia 5800 lock code or security code back to the default 12345!

That’s why I knew it won’t reset my Nokia 5800 lock code, after found out the v21 firmware is no longer presents an alpha-numeric keypad for entering my valid lock code that made up of alphabets only :-(.

So, what is the secret key to format or hard reset Nokia 5800?

For non-touchscreen Nokia phone, like my earlier N73 that running on S60 3rd Edition UI, the so-called secret key to format or hard reset is by pressing call key, asterisk key, and the numeric key 3 while power on the device, until the Nokia logo appears.

For Nokia touchscreen phone, like Nokia 5800 and probably valid for next smart phones running on S60 5th Edition UI too, press the call key (green), cancel call key (red) and the camera shutter button while power on the device, until the Nokia logo appears.

This 3-key to format or hard reset Nokia 5800 is tested and working on firmware v20.0.012 and the latest v21.0.025.

The first symptom of successful format / hard reset is the touchscreen vibration turning on (if you’ve turned it off before hard reset).

Next, depend on your phone settings before hard reset / format, you’re prompted to enter PIN code followed by lock code (remember, the lock code remains same as what you’ve set for it).

Then, the interface request you to choose your country followed by setting the date and time for the phone.

Nokia 5800 Lock Code Problem After Upgrade Firmware To v21.0.025

Walker — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:12:55 +0000

The latest Nokia 5800 device firmware was out in the earlier of April but only yesterday I had mood and free time to upgrade my touch touch baby.

Although the earlier firmware upgrade from v11 to v20 didn’t erase user data (e.g. contacts, notes, calendar entries, settings, etc), I made two copies of backup before flashing it with NSU (one backup to memory card by using the inbuilt backup function while another one save to my Vista SP1 Desktop via Nokia PC Suite).

Luckily I had done this; otherwise I might have to cry for a day :-).

Why? Because I was panic and went on to “format” the phone after found out the keypad to enter lock code is no longer default to alpha-numeric!

For those who have gone through the Nokia 5800 firmware update from v11 to v20 should know that the v20 presents an alpha-numeric keypad defaulted to alphabet input.

As the Nokia security code (a.k.a. lock code) is used to be numeric only so the new default touchscreen keypad poses difficulty to most users. The novice even find it a great challenge or a nasty glitch and complained about lock code not working or security code fails soon after upgrading to this v20 firmware.

Although I filed the same complaint, but I knew that it can be easily fixed in no time. What I did was to update the lock code from numeric to alphabet, using the first of three characters on each key. So for example, the lock code 23267 is then set to “adamp” :-)

However, this “fix” made me crazy as soon as the phone rebooting after the v21 update completed. Now the v21 presents a numeric keypad, no more alpha-numeric, to enter lock code or security code!

This round, patience and alert are not with me, totally out of control, as my other half urged me to go out on time for dinner with parent-in-law. Due to the pressure of time, I panic and decided to format the darn phone with three secret keys, even that kind of “factory restore” doesn’t reset the Nokia security code. Somehow, I did it and end up to lost those user-based data and settings. WTF!

After cooling down, I found out that actually I can press the # key continuously for few seconds to get back that freaking alpha-numeric keypad, in order to enter my valid lock code that made up of alphabet only. (Probably, this “shift” key might also works in the v20 keypad for entering lock code as well. Mind to leave a comment for answer of this?)

Now, I am not sure this round the v21 update does erase the settings, contacts, notes, calendar entries, etc, but I am certainly able to restore all those user-based settings and data from the backup in memory card, that made by Nokia 5800 backup function in the File Manager icon.

How To Fix Windows Update Error 80072EFD In Vista SP1?

Walker — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:12:38 +0000

At most of the time in office, my Dell Latitude connects to Internet via proxy server and the Vista Windows Update downloads the patches directly from Microsoft servers as usual.

However, the Windows Update was not working while I was abroad and had direct access to Internet via unsecured public WIFI.

At first, there was no error or warning displayed in the program window. After a few tries, it finally displayed a red stripe, telling me “Windows could not search for new updates”, together with an error code 80072EFD.

What the heck is this? I had disabled the proxy setting in IE8 and no problem to surf Internet (even the p o r n sites :-). Windows Live Messenger worked perfectly too.

Therefore, it was expected to work in no time, as I thought the Windows Update should be referring to proxy server setting of Internet Explorer.

Apparently, it’s not that case. Upon checking with Google, I learn that the Windows Update proxy server setting is independent of IE Internet Options.

Then, how to fix the error code 80072EFD, to get the Vista SP1 Windows Update works correctly, when I am connecting to Internet directly?

The answer is of course to disable proxy server of Windows Update:

1) Open an elevated Command Prompt window – click the Vista Orb (Start button), type command prompt, right click the Command Prompt shortcut in the Program list and select Run As Administrator.

2) To display the current proxy setting of Windows Update, execute this command:

netsh winhttp show proxy

3) If the proxy server is shown in the “show proxy” result, then execute this command to disable the Windows Update proxy setting:

netsh winhttp reset proxy

The “reset proxy” will effectively configure WinHTTP proxy server setting to DIRECT (meaning to direct access Internet and no relying on a proxy server).

After disable the WinHTTP proxy setting (in which my Vista SP1 Windows Update is referring to), it started to download the latest Windows Defender definition update and security update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 (KB957789). Happy now :-)

How To Use Putty-generated RSA Key To Login Linux OpenSSH Server?

Walker — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:28:04 +0000

In order for Windows users to remotely login Linux servers via SSH protocol, I suggest the Putty freeware (a SSH client for Windows that is also supporting legacy, insecure telnet and rlogin protocol).

For the sake of better security, most system administrators enforce SSH authentication over Public-key cryptography based on RSA algorithm.

(Sounds complicated and high-tech? No worry. You don’t have to know all these scary terms to make this trick works – engineer is applying what the scientists have found).

So, How to use Putty-based RSA public-key with OpenSSH server?

The public-key generated by Puttygen is not compatible with the one generated by OpenSSH.

However, you can manually modify the Putty-based public key before appending it to authorized_keys file:

1) Open Puttygen (Putty Key Generator), click Generate button and move the mouse cursor randomly within the key section/frame to create the key with default settings (e.g. SSH-2 RSA of 1024 bits).

2) When the key generation completes, create a strong passphrase in the text box provided.

3) Then, click save Public Key and Save Private Key button, one after another, to save the pair of key to local hard disk.

4) Transfer the Puttygen-created public key to Linux server (in my test case, it’s RHEL 5.2).

Let’s say this public key is only meant for Walker user account, save that public key in Walker’s $HOME/.ssh directory.

5) Open the Putty public key with Vi editor (any text editor of your choice):

Delete the lines initial with four dash and “Comment”.
Join the remain lines into one, single line.
Initial that single line with ssh-rsa keyword (a space at the end).

Not get it? Take a look at my “silent” screencast:

Red Hat Linux 5 Man Page Displays Weird Characters

Walker — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:08:01 +0000

This is not a new issue of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. I have seen this problem since Red Hat Linux 8 Professional and apparently it is applicable to RHEL 5.2

As shown in the following screenshot, for example, the man fstab displays some Chinese-like characters to replace original texts in fstab help page.

There might be two or more than a dozen of ways to fix it. But, I am stick at one good old trick as long as it works.

Of course, I appreciate your kindness of leaving a comment to share your alternative trick.

Simple trick to fix Linux man page from displaying weird characters

Use your favourite editor to open /etc/man.conf and append this following line:

NROFF /usr/bin/groff -Tlatin1 -mandoc

As soon as you save the changes, Linux man page is displaying human-readable text :-).

How To Disable Keyboard Power Button?

Walker — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:10:59 +0000

I was using the good old “mechanical” keyboard made in 90s. Although there is no Windows key to trigger Windows Flip 3D in Vista, I never thought to make a change as I like the feel of pressing those “hard” keys for so many years.

Now I have to replace this old buddy as my wrist getting pain just recently :-). I went to shop a replacement and finally took this A4Tech X-Slim Multimedia keyboard.

It’s not better than Wearnes keyboard made for MS-DOS, but I like its compact layout, where the size is almost matching my Dell Latitude D410.

Other than lacking of ergonomics features, I kinda dislike the power button that seated right above F1 key. Because of this terrible power button, I had accidentally shutdown Vista while there were tonnes of job running on the Desktop.

In order to avoid third “accident”, it must be disabled immediately before I have time to uncase and break the circuit!

Steps to disable the keyboard power button in Windows Vista

Click the Vista Orb (Start button), type power options in Start Search text box and hit ENTER key to open Power Options window.

Click the Change Plan Settings of the active power plan follow by Change Advanced Power Settings.

Locate the Power Buttons and Lid option and set the Power Button Action to Do Nothing.

Please take note that this option not only disables the keyboard power button. Indeed, it will disable all power buttons, including the one comes with CPU casing.

That is fine for me, as I never press the power button to shutdown Windows. However, I appreciate if you could share with me a better way to disable the power button on a keyboard only, preferable by tweaking existing Windows settings without relying on third party software (definitely not to break the key physically).

How To Create Putty-based RSA Public-key For OpenSSH Server?

Walker — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:00:53 +0000

If you want to remote access Linux server via SSH protocol from Windows system, I recommend you to use Putty (a Telnet/SSH freeware for Windows and UNIX; developed by an English man called Simon Tatham).

To strengthen security, don’t ever use plain text password, try to use RSA-based Public-key cryptography for user authentication. The Puttygen (Putty Key Generator; another freeware of Simon) can generate both RSA and DSA-based key pair.

However, the RSA public-key generated by Puttygen is not 100% compatible with OpenSSH server (the dominant SSH server in most Linux distributions).

To make it work, you need to modify the Putty-based RSA public-key before appending it to authorized_keys file.

Steps to generate Putty-based RSA key pair to login Linux OpenSSH server

1) Open Puttygen program and click Generate button to create a 1024-bit, SSH-2 RSA key pair. After clicking the Generate button, move the mouse cursor inside the Key frame repeatedly (Puttygen need these movements to create a “perfect random key pair”).

2) Once the key pair generation complete, think of a “strong” password and enter it twice in the Key Passphrase and Confirm Passphrase text boxes provided in Key frame.

3) Click Save Public-key and Save Private-key buttons to keep these two keys in local hard disk.

4) Transfer the public-key to your Linux home directory (assuming this public-key is made for yourself) and open it with vi editor (any text editor of your choice).

5) The original Putty-based RSA public-key is similar to this:

You need to delete the lines started with “4 dash” and “Comment:” (i.e. first two and the last line).

Next, join all the remaining lines into one, single line.

Then, insert this ssh-rsa keyword (with a trailing space) in front of the single line.

The final, modified Putty-based RSA public-key will looks like this:

6) Now, append the modified Putty-based RSA public key to $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys file and you’re ready to use Putty to access Linux OpenSSH server with private and public key generated by Puttygen.