Category Archives: General Interest

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%ProgramData% and Roaming Profiles

All of my desktop products use the Windows %ProgramData% folder to store files such as configuration files, log files, database files and so on. Basically any file that needs to be written to is stored there. It’s simply not good practice to store files that need to be written to in the %ProgramFiles% folder because there’s no guarantee the Windows user will have write permissions on files stored there. Now, usually the %ProgramData% folder can be found here:

c:\Program Data\

I store the data for each program in a folder something like:

c:\Program Data\Program Name\

That’s all dandy but when an application is 32bit Windows can be configured (via the UAC) to use a “VirtualStore” for any files that are modified and Windows considers that those files should be protected. I am not entirely sure why, but the ProgramData folder can be thrown in this boat and it ends up getting virtualized. The upshot of this is that when I go and take a look at a config file for one of my programs (in the C:\ProgramData\Program Name\ folder) the file is either empty or contains only the initial set of data. Yet, the program still runs perfectly and is saving config options without issue. So where is Windows actually storing the files that the software is changing? It’s here:

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\ProgramData\Program Name\

Hopefully this blog entry stops me from tearing my hair out in the future when I am looking for this location again!

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 11

First of the split rounds this week. The two games of real uncertainty are the Collingwood v GWS match up at the MCG and St Kilda v Melbourne at Docklands. Collingwood are sitting in the top four with 7 wins, all against the bottom 7 teams on the ladder. By contrast, GWS have beaten two top 8 sides, both at home out at Spotless. However, it is an away game for the Giants and this evens things up. Don’t surprised to see the team of top 10 draft picks roll the Pies though, and for that reason I’ve selected the Giants.. The other uncertain game is the scrubber showdown, the Saints v the Dees. It’s heaven versus hell and by hell it’s hard to pick a result. I’m going with the Saints simply because they’ve got St. Nick up forward and the Dees, well they’ve got Bernie who is a naughty little boy. Carn the Sainters (first time I’ve tipped them this year).

Game My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
Port Adelaide vs Geelong Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide
Gold Coast vs Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle
West Coast vs Essendon West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast
North Melbourne vs Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney
Collingwood vs GWS Giants GWS Giants Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood
St Kilda vs Melbourne St Kilda St Kilda St Kilda St Kilda St Kilda

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 10 Results

My own tips surpassed all the systems this week. They all missed the FRE/RIC and the NTH/WCE upsets and chose Essendon solely on ladder position and similar with the Western Bulldogs.

Results Round 10

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
7 5 5 6 5

Current Leaderboard (Round 10)

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
68/90 53/90 56/90 57/90 58/90

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 10

Carn the crowies! 🙂

Game My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
Fremantle vs Richmond Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle
Carlton vs Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide
Gold Coast vs Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney
Essendon vs Geelong Geelong Essendon Essendon Essendon Essendon
Port Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Port Adelaide Western Bulldogs
GWS Giants vs Brisbane GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants
North Melbourne vs West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast
St Kilda vs Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn
Melbourne vs Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 9 Results

I was quite right calling the COL/KAN and BRI/STK games as close and having the potential to go either way. Of course they went AGAINST the way I expected. All the systems outdid me this week, hasn’t happened much this year.

Results Round 9

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
6 8 8 7 7

Current Leaderboard (Round 9)

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
55/81 48/81 51/81 51/81 53/81

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 9

There’s some interesting matches this week according to the systems. They show the biggest predicted margin so far this season (SYD v CAR) and the smallest predicted margin (RIC v ESS). In fact, the RIC v ESS game has a zero margin in 2 of the systems. I think Richmond are the likely winners of the game, they’ve beaten better sides in the last few weeks than the Bombers. Personally I think the BRS v STK and COL v NM are close games too. Collingwood still hasn’t beaten a side of note and their ladder position is deceptive, I think the Roos have their measure. The Lions and St. Kilda are both rubbish and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Saints get the lollies up in BrisVegas.

Game My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
Sydney vs Carlton Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney
Hawthorn vs Gold Coast Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide
Western Bulldogs vs GWS Giants GWS Giants Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs
Richmond vs Essendon Richmond Richmond Essendon Richmond Essendon
Adelaide vs Fremantle Fremantle Adelaide Fremantle Adelaide Fremantle
Brisbane vs St Kilda Brisbane St Kilda St Kilda Brisbane Brisbane
Collingwood vs North Melbourne North Melbourne Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood
West Coast vs Geelong West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 8 Results

Well, my two 50/50 tips went against me this week (damn you GWS and Sydney). All of the systems managed to beat my own tips, which is what happens when you tip on gut feel rather than logic. Did I already say damn you GWS and Sydney?

Results Round 9

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
9 0 0 0 0

Current Leaderboard (Round 9)

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
49/72 40/72 43/72 44/72 46/72

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 8

I found it tough tipping this week with 2 very doubtful games and 2 more that could easily end in upsets. I’ve tipped Adelaide over GWS despite Adelaide’s long injury list, and GWS playing at home. GWS have never looked like beating Adelaide and I can’t see a 10 goal turn around from the last time they played at Metricon. I’ve also backed in Hawthorn against the Swans, they’ve got three great players coming in, the game is in Melbourne, and the Swans didn’t convince me last week against the Cats despite coming home with a wet sail in the final quarter. Don’t be surprised to see an upset in the ESS/BRI or the POR/RIC games either.

Game My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
Geelong vs Carlton Geelong Geelong Geelong Geelong Geelong
St Kilda vs West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast
GWS Giants vs Adelaide Adelaide GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants
Gold Coast vs Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood
Hawthorn vs Sydney Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn
Fremantle vs North Melbourne Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle
Essendon vs Brisbane Essendon Essendon Essendon Essendon Essendon
Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs
Port Adelaide vs Richmond Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 7 Results

One real upset this round (Port failing against the Lions), and a 50/50 game that went against all the systems and my own tips (damn you Richmond). My own tipping is leading all the systems comfortably now.

Results Round 7

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
7 5 5 5 6

Current Leaderboard (Round 7)

My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
44/63 34/63 37/63 38/63 40/63

AFL Tipping Spreadsheet – Round 7

An interesting round of tipping this week. On the surface there’s a few obvious games but closer examination suggests 3 games this round could go either way. ESS v NM, CAR v GWS, RIC v COL are all up in the air. At first glance NM, GWS, and COL seem like simple picks. However, NM has only beaten quality opposition once (GEEL in Geelong), GWS has had one good win (last week v HAW) but other than that hasn’t beaten anyone of quality, and COL and RIC are both diabolical. COL has had a few wins but last week showed their real colours when they came up against a decent team (GEEL) that pantsed them. That all being said I can’t bring myself to tip Carlton or Richmond at all because they are rubbish. And Essendon is surely due for a massive down game after WADA announced the appeal to the 2012 Essendon doping program earlier in the week.

Game My Tips System 1 System 2 System 3 System 4
Essendon vs North Melbourne North Melbourne Essendon Essendon Essendon Essendon
Adelaide vs St Kilda Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide
Hawthorn vs Melbourne Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn Hawthorn
Carlton vs GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants GWS Giants
Sydney vs Geelong Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney
West Coast vs Gold Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast West Coast
Western Bulldogs vs Fremantle Fremantle Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs Fremantle
Richmond vs Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood Collingwood
Brisbane vs Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide Port Adelaide