韓國五日之旅(第一天)

引頸期盼韓國旅遊的日子終於來臨了!

從報名7/11旅遊假期後,全家人就開始在期盼著,尤其是小朋友---我女兒與兒子. 原本今年是與老婆計畫到日本東京自由行,帶小孩再次到迪士尼與Hello Kitty等周遭樂園遊玩,原因是小朋友上次去東京時年紀都還很小,幾乎每個景點都已經忘記,再加上上次去玩的各個景點都覺得很有趣,只是時間不夠沒有通通玩到,所以才會想要再次重溫舊夢.只是今年老天不作媒,日本發生核災,老婆與我都覺得此時過去日本不太適合,最後才決議今年到韓國走走.

7/11星期一當天特別早期,因為要打包行李,做最後檢查. 11點左右接機服務也到家門口,順利將我們帶到第二航廈. 雖然是下午3點多的飛機,但考量旅遊團下午1點多就要先集合,及從住家到國際機場也需要1小時的時間,所以特別提早1個小時出門作為若遇到塞車時間的緩衝時間.
很顯然路途一切順暢,12點多左右就到飛機場,距離集合時間還早到將近1小時左右. 既然還很早,就趁著空檔幫家人拍張出發前的照片吧!

等著等著,時間也到了,但遲遲遇不到拿著"品冠"旗幟的領隊,但卻有其他出團人員也出現在預計等候的地點上. 這時,老婆眼尖,看到有位女士拿著"喜鴻假期"旗幟在問一些人士,就趕緊叫我過去詢問. 一問之下才知道,果然是同團的,而這位女士就是我們的領隊,看起來個性很隨和、容易與人相處.

當領隊詢問我們家人確認身分,並拿取護照辦登機證後,我們就緊跟著領隊,深怕一不小心就脫隊. 只是沒多久,領隊又跑來問我們是不是參加這一團的? 真是有點... 再加上辦理托運行李時又跑來告知老婆的護照沒有刷到,真是讓我有點擔心,感覺上做事有點散散的、沒有經驗,不太會管控團體. 心想:這次到韓國可能要自求多福了!

到了仁川機場、出了停機坪後,眼見所有的文字就是一大多看不懂得符號,且周遭隱約聽到如同是看韓劇般的對話,韓國真的到了! 有點如同劉姥姥進大觀園般,"東瞧瞧、西看看",因為這裡到處充滿著新鮮感,畢竟這是我第一次到韓國,應該也是家人第一次到韓國!

通過出關身分檢驗而到了大廳,領隊就把我們全部集合起來,並介紹新的成員---導遊,一位看起來有點學術氣息的男士,經介紹後才得知:這位人士才是這次在韓國五天旅遊中真正帶隊的導遊.再聽他充滿自信的解說及後續行程的安排,此刻心情才算是較愉悅,而心裡一塊石頭總算放下來. 因為先前所擔心已經消逝,畢竟由較有經驗的帶團安排與介紹旅程會較有樂趣些.

在團員上完洗手間且上了遊覽車後,導遊開始介紹稍後行程---"用餐地點及周邊商店",當然,也不忘記推銷日後採買行程"即不建議團員購買太多的東西,只建議買足夠自己用的東西即可".
其中,較讓我印象深刻的介紹就是:"由於回飯店的路程在不塞車的情況下大約是1小時左右,故上車前要先上洗手間",因為這句話在這往後五天回飯店的行程當中都一再重提,我想是因為我們所住的飯店都離市區較遠,所以回飯店車程會較久一點的關係吧!

到了用餐地點,像極台灣店家小吃店般(非飯店內),我們一行人就浩浩蕩蕩走上3F.今晚晚餐為"韓式魷魚湯+五花肉+小菜四碟",雖然看起來不是很豐盛(比不上飯店吧!,我想),但至少還合我口味,且吃得飽,畢竟個人不太挑食. 況且出門前也做過功課,得知韓國旅遊吃與住與其他國家地點旅遊比較起來較一般. 我想:團費較日本便宜但物價較東南亞高,這樣比較應該較客觀些,所以整體而言個人還算可以接受.

吃完飯逛完當地超商並上遊覽車後,導遊首先就與大家商談晚上行程變更---"逛東大門改明天".當然,聽導遊說明原因:"即現在可逛時間短,且今晚又下雨,可能店家會提早打烊",再加上大家舟車勞頓,團員中小孩較多的關係,大家也都同意導遊的安排,無異議地打道回飯店.

這時,導遊開始介紹工作人員的任務,(1)遊覽車司機 (2)領隊 (3)導遊 (4)導遊助理與跟團拍照的小妹,當然,介紹過程中也加了一些帶團經驗,即各地人文特質與性質. 當中也穿插了些詼諧的說詞來吸引旅客的注意,從座位安排到行程調度解說,果然是位經驗老道且口才極佳的導遊,因為從上車到飯店,一路上都一直機哩瓜啦地說,在這樣舟車勞頓的行程中讓我沒有睡意地一直地在聽,果然是位當導遊的人才.

也不知道過了多久,在這小雨朦朧的夜晚下,終於來到我們今晚第一個過夜的窩---"四星級的港灣大飯店". 小小的入口、小小的櫃檯,有種類似商務旅遊所住的飯店,因為單單櫃台位置就塞不下我們這團一行約30人(含四位工作人員).

至於房間呢? 簡單樸實、該有的都有,對我而言,這些都已經足夠了!

PS: 只是第一天個人又鬧一個笑話 --- "要五毛給一塊"!

在超商買了韓幣3700的物品,既然給店家韓幣40000. 幸好店家老實還我多的錢來,否則個人將損失韓幣30000,且又鬧國際笑話,到時候人財兩失,好丟臉ㄡ!!!

To expand VMware disk by Virtual Disk Factory

Recently, I make a plan to install SNMP component on all online servers in my job. There is more and more servers need to be install it manually so that this will spend a lot of time to handle for me. Whether has smart & good tool to install it remotely?  I find out one free tool can help me to finish my thought. It is "Solarwinds Enable Enabler for Windows". In official expression, this tool can install, configure, enable SNMP component remotely.
If it is true, I think it will help us to save more time to handle it by remote control.

Due to I have no system right or no time to focus on testing it in company, so I decide to make a lab for verifying at home. Of course, this lab will be built on virtual environment --- VMWare Workstation because it is my familiar virtual tool now.

I never boot the virtual machine of window 2003 system for a long time since Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 is on the market. When I boot it and install the related security hotfix up to date, I find the drive C space is not a little enough.

Whether has method to expand the original disk space? I know there is a command to finish this target, but I forget how to do it. Suddenly, I think I ever use a tool to do the same thing. That is "Virtual Disk Factory".

At first, you have to power off your VM for expanding disk space. In VDF GUI, click "Expand" tab next to click button in Virtual Disk attribute for selecting a .vmdk file.

If VM disk never interrupt or the function is normal, it will pop up a window that show "Current Disk Information" as current disk size = 8GB

In Disk Size group, the first step click GB option next to key in 30 for expanding disk from 8GB to 30GB.

If the above step finish, please click "Expand Disk" button to begin the expand disk process.

Finally, you will see old & new C/H/S and completion message.

Please boot to VM again and check disk size by computer management. You will see the Disk Size is 30 GB but additional disk belong to the second partition.

If you want to extend partition from two to one, maybe you can use tool as Gparted Live CD to do it!

Add "New Disk" on Windows 2008 R2 Server Core by Diskpart Tool

When I have already finished installing Windows 2008 R2 Server Core with Hyper-V role on VMWare workstation, I find out that the system structure never plan the space for Hyper-V location until now. I don't want to locate the system or data file on the same partition. If I do it, maybe it is difficult for me to maintain system performance or extend disk space in the future. As far it will be true if the practice environment use the physical server with physical disk.

So now, I will use remote administrator tool as Computer Management to connect to Remote Server Core for initiating this new disk. When I switch to Storage Management, the error message show up as "The RPC Server is unavailable".

Although the system log tell me the indicator as follows and I also follow it to execute this command on Server Core, the result still fail not to connect to Remote Server Core by Storage Management.

 In my thought, I just want to know whether exist the other method to finish my target except for this GUI tool. By Google, I find out this answer. It is windows built-in utility --- Diskpart.
To study the related document, I decide to do it on Server Core environment for testing.

At first, the diskpart command execute on Prompt Command of Server Core and execute "list disk" for realizing the disk number and status now. In the following image, you will see there is 100GB new disk size to wait for initiating.

To "select disk 0" next to execute "detail disk", it will realize the original disk information as including two partition and volume. Or one is System Rese, the other is drive letter C, and so on.

The next step is "select disk 1" about new additional disk next to execute "detail disk" for realize the present disk status --- Offline.

To execute command "online disk" and confirm whether its status is online now by command "detail disk".

When you continue to execute "create partition primary", it will fail and show up the error message as follows.

Why? Because the Current Read-only State is Yes!

How to resolve it? To execute "attribute disk clear readonly" this command and confirm it again by "detail disk".  So do that you will see the Current Read-only state is No.

To create primary partition and assign letter by the following command.

To select this partition and quickly format it with NTFS.

To do the above steps, please execute "detail disk" to confirm whether new disk has already been added now.

Or it also can verify the all status by "list disk", "list partition", "list volume".

Until now, I have own the new disk "drive E" for locating Hyper-V file by using Hyper-V management tool.

To create linked clone VMDK by vdk.exe tool

After confirming the hardware to realize whether can install Hyper-V on my computer, I will prepare to build the Lab on VMware environment. I have no enough disk space then so that think whether can create OS by linked clone disk. For this reason, I will prepare to use the built-in function on VMware Workstation because I ever do it successfully on 32-bit Windows XP.

In VMware Workstation, I want to create linked clone on 64-bit Windows 2008 R2 Server by clicking the "Import or Export ..." function.

When click "Import or Export..." in menu list, the Conversion Wizard will show up.

After following the Wizard process and select "Source VM or image", it show me error message "Unsupported guest operating system". So far, I know the Conversion Wizard built-in VMware Workstation cannot convert "Windows 2008 R2 Server" VM or image so that the linked clone activity cannot built now.

Whether is there the freeware utility to create linked clone VMDK? By Google, I find out the vdk.exe can do it! Thank Ken Katos develop this and share it on public environment.

To search this tool by Google and download it on VMDK source, you can see two files --- vdk.exe and vdk.sys.

To open CMD prompt by Run as administrator and switch to VMDK source path, please type the command as vdk.exe open 0 "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmdk" /undo on 32 bit Windows 7 host.

                         Note: VM must power off then and its state is good that boot process is normal before.

In execution process, please ignore any unknown message to type i always due to vdk.exe cannot judge new function.

Finally, it will create new file with extension name .REDO on the source directory.

Do the above steps, please remember to unmount image disk by typing vdk close 0

Next to copy these files to new directory \LinkCloneDisk and remove these extension name .REDO from these new files. So the extension name is .VMDK as follows.

To open "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmdk" by Text editor and correct its content without .REDO extension.

Before Correct it

After Correct it

And parentFileNameHint point to the full path as follows:

Before Correct it

After Correct it

Now you have already created linked Clone VMDK template disk!

How to use it later?

The steps is like before by using the New Virtual Machine Wizard on VMware Workstation.

The key point is that select "Use an existing virtual disk" option on "Select a Disk" step.

And select "Windows Server 2008 R2 x64.vmdk" under the LinkCloneDisk directory.

After finishing the Wizard, the system will be boot normally.

Intel Processor Identification Utility

Due to Boss expectation, I will prepare to learn Virtualization knowledge as VMWare or Hyper-V. Beside reading a good technology from book or Internet,it is very important to make a Lab for testing practice operation. For doing it, I need to know whether my PC can support Intel VT.

I have already lost the motherboard manual for a long time. In this condition, how to know whether exist any utility to realize hardware compatible with virtualization? Thank Google and kindness guy to share the valuable information on Internet. This utility is "Intel Processor Identification Utility".

After keying the related keyword on Intel Download Center and double-click "operating system" depend on your platform,this utility will be downloaded.
Please save as this file next to install it on your computer.

To execute it, you will see the processor information as show on the screen for your reference.

Please confirm whether "Intel Virtualization Technology = Yes " and "Execute Disable Bit = Yes" in the report. If it is true,you will have a chance to install Hyper-V on this computer now.

櫻花服務誠意夠! 但誠信?

昨天星期五下午接到櫻花客服人員電話,原來是詢問先前所安裝的熱水器使用情況如何.這時心裡頓時感到很窩心,想說熱水器裝了都一段時間,先前櫻花在電視上所打的健檢服務不知道是幌子或是真實的,想不到早就忘記這件事但廠商都確實履行承諾,真的誠意很夠!

由於使用上沒有問題,也很禮貌性的回答所提的問題,談話中想到家裡的瓦斯爐最近也一直點不著,或者點著的火焰有時也會忽然熄滅,著實有夠危險!雖然先前櫻花維修工程師也換過點火設備,也告知此台瓦斯爐爐心有問題需要更換,但當時不確定是否廠商所說的是否真實,才先選擇換點火設備試試看.想不到換過一段時間後,問題還是會偶而出現,我想這台設備也該是要修理的時候.故也藉此機會向客服人員告知此事情,希望他們能夠排工程師到府服務.

今天星期六的上午,原本還計畫中午全家外出吃飯,想不到早上10:30左右接到櫻花工程師的電話,說中午要來我家檢查瓦斯爐. 哇!想不到櫻花的服務超屌,昨天下午反映的事情今天就有工程師主動回應並約時間到府檢查,著實讓我覺得很感動,想不到這家公司的服務這們快速,真的讓我心理讓我留下很深的印象!

中午工程師檢查後告知,若單換爐心其成本與換整台新的相差不遠,且此台瓦斯爐周遭管線也有些老舊的問題,故不建議只換爐心. 雖然不知道工程師所講的是真是假,畢竟我對這行也不懂,但衝著櫻花的服務態度,與擔心不換瓦斯爐或問題沒排除可能發生的風險,萬一為了省小錢而把這間房子弄掛,哪豈不是非常不值得,畢竟這間房子是我們一家人的窩,且是老婆與我用畢生的積蓄與貸款所買下來的,萬一房子有個三長兩短,那一家人要住哪裡? 還是花點錢解決問題吧!

由於這台瓦斯爐使用也將近7~8年,原型號已經停產,在工程師與總公司小姐連線得知可換的型號與價格後,告知更換不鏽鋼瓦斯爐且安裝到好費用要NTD 7000元整(包含施工等). 由於價格還在可接受範圍內,且希望今明兩天能裝好,故請櫻花工程師安排離我住家附近最近的櫻花經銷商來府安裝,畢竟只有假日時大人才在家.

下午3~4點時,櫻花經銷商老闆來電告知要過來安裝瓦斯爐,但現貨只有白色玻璃式瓦斯爐可安裝,但設備及安裝費用要NTD 9300元.在得知型號為2620G且立即上網比價後得知,報價僅比網路上貴了300元左右,且店家在附近日後有問題也較好處理,當下就答應請他派工程師安裝.

在工程師安裝完畢且測試點火燃燒均無誤後,付了款以為事情就此結束,沒想到要上網註冊保固資料時才發現,所留下的說明書根本沒有提及"製造號碼",沒有此就無法上網註冊保固.原本想說瓦斯爐檯面上應該會有此序號,故到瓦斯爐周遭查看,赫然發現此瓦斯爐的型號為SG-2221G,與老闆所說的有出入. 此時,趕緊上網查資料,又發現此台瓦斯爐是2007年出產且早已停產,並非是今年機型,且網路上一般價為NTD 8800元(拍賣網甚至有更低到NTD 7500元),功能比2620G差一些,頓時心裡有股莫名奇妙的憤怒,有種被騙的感覺!

試想:誰會花與新品同樣的錢買舊品? 既然是小改款,就表示原本的東西有不足功能或有問題的項目需要被解決,才會出新機型出來. 若要買舊品,就表示消費者想要省錢,哪有可能用新品的價格去買舊品? 真的把消費者當冤大頭!!!

既然發現事情真相,除了向經銷商抗議,當然也向櫻花廠商抱怨.起初,經銷商還在辯解,最後在櫻花某業務的出面協調下,經銷商也說明事情的真相:庫存壓力! 且有誠意解決問題,要退還我NTD 1800元整. 小弟不是貪小便宜的人,只是要個公道,再加上"新的"瓦斯爐已經裝上,"舊的"瓦斯爐經銷商也幫忙處理帶走,若要重裝很麻煩.而小弟又是個怕麻煩的人,故只拿回經銷商退還一半的錢: NTD 800元整,故這次買了SG-2221G花費NTD 8500元整!!!

聽完上述故事,或許您覺得我好像賺到. 錯! 我擔心2007年出產的瓦斯爐日後沒有備品可維修,且買到的是目前PCHOME/YAHOO/GOHAPPY已經停賣的產品,且同樣的價錢少了些同等級的安全功能. 再者,只拿那回經銷商一半的錢,是因為也不清楚拍賣網NTD 7500元產品品質如何,且要加收安裝費,不一定能在今天裝好,畢竟做人不能太貪心!!!

既然要拿回經銷商應退還錢的一半,理當是900元,為何是800元? 因為我算錯了... ^__^|||

回憶上海之行(5)

"埔西"應該是比"浦東"還要熱鬧吧! 因為昨晚哪們晚check-in,寫完報告交作業後也已經快1點,理當早上應該是酒店的叫醒服務叫我起床,但沒想到一早就被汽車的喇叭聲吵醒,可見這裡的人民的生活較富裕,路上車子較多,所以整體的喇叭聲也較大聲些.

既然起床,也就趕快盥洗及整理公事包,因為住的地方離公司有一段距離,稍後要坐車到公司.當初會想住在這個地方,一來是公司屬於VIP會員,故費用上有打折,且離輕軌很近,二來是若住在公司較近的酒店,樓下是夜總會或KTV,晚上很吵根本無法入睡,且周遭有些夜生活,不太適合純潔的我,故預定酒店時,早已委託當地主管幫忙安排較清閒與安靜的地方.

用完早餐後,趕緊請酒店服務人員幫我叫車.因為這是我第一次從住宿到公司,人生地不熟,不知道要如何坐輕軌上班;另一方面第一天到此公司,總希望給人家好印象,避免落人口舌,且身上又有當地同事託我從台灣帶來的五本雜誌,加上背包揹著很重的NB,所以才想要坐Tax上班.雖然有點奢侈,但為了安全與安心,還是先坐車探探路好了.日後路若摸清楚了,再坐輕軌也不遲,因為在這裡要待上8天之久.

進公司之後才發現第一天要見的人請假、不在公司,此舉叫我心裡"七上八下、坎珂不安",心想:往後日子的溝通協調應該很有挑戰吧! 是他故意躲我? 還是要向我下馬威? 還是原本就安排好? 出差前行程都已經事先知會,禮貌上有朋至遠方來,今天理當應該見個面、談一談.若有不得不的理由,也應當事先告知才對. 在沒有事先被通知,進公司才知道此事的我,說實在,當時心裡也有點不高興,因為有總不被尊重的感覺!

雖然當下當地另一位主管有向我說明他請假的原因,我也只能打哈哈地附和著,因為我也不知道真正的動機為何.畢竟我來此主要目的是化解雙方的誤解、不是再製造誤會,只能先以正向思考、人性本善的思維來看待此事.一天見不到人,也不能就此將之後的計畫耽擱,為今之計,只好將之後的計畫前後對調、見機行事了.

幸好有將原本計畫調整,也有先自己開導自己,雖然今天要見的人有短暫地進公司,也禮貌性地問候,但根本無法照我原定的想法做訪談. 彼此見面交談中也沒有讓人家留下不好的印象.再加上自己主動找他說明此次出差至此的目的為何,開誠佈公及用行動讓他覺得我的誠意,慢慢地化解彼此間的隔閡.當然,也幸好另一位主管從旁協助,他也就慢慢了解我們的用意.
其實,說穿了,個人覺得是:"兩岸的生活與習慣不同,突然要人家改變,多少都會有些抗拒,這是人性;況且我們早已經歷過此歷程,也早已忘記改變的當下,我們內心的掙扎與矛盾,雖然我們都知道這樣做是好的."

就如同開車按喇叭,在當地好像是一種習慣,因為有些行人不守規矩、紅燈行走,或許開車的人將此舉視為正常且應該的.但若此行為在台灣,或許就有人出來向您嗆聲或扁您,嚴重的話甚至個人會惹來殺生之禍. 所以,一樣的行為若發生在不同的環境下,也會有兩種不同的結果!

總算完成事先的計畫,雖然中間臨時多了一項任務,但還是不負眾望,有達成出差前的承諾,也就順利地按照原回程時間回到台灣.否則現在的我,應該還在大陸奮鬥著.

回家真好,畢竟這裡的人、事、物較熟悉,因為從小到大就在此,也感謝老天爺,讓我這次出差能順利與平安,僅有小小的感冒而已.

這次出差中有度過一個兩天的假期(星期六、日),有沒有到其他地方走走?答案將在最後一篇回憶來說明.