Easy it aint, kept getting this...

The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log for more detail.

But here's how to fix it,

Get MySQL

First download MySQL

• MySQL Download

Install MySQL

Now unzip the executable and install it, when it's finished and asking you if you want to run the configuration tool, don't; we'll deal with this in a minute.

Install Resource Hacker

Now to fix the MySQL Instance Configuration Tool, so it will install the MySQL service in Vista, download Resource Hacker...

• Resource Hacker

Unzip it and open it's folder, then Right-Click on ResourceHacker and Run as Administrator.

Edit Resources

Now using Resource Hacker open the file...

• C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\MySQLInstanceConfig.exe

Navigate to 24 / 1 / 1033 and look at the config on the left. On line 6 you should see asAdministrator, change this to requireAdministrator then click Compile Script; then finally Save the file.

Run MySQL Instance Config

Finally run the MySQL Instance Configuration tool from within...

• C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\MySQLInstanceConfig.exe

This should now be able to create the system service and finally give you MySQL running on Windows Vista.

With Windows Vista you will automatically have the main user (you) and a disabled Administrator account, which is part-used for you to install software, etc. when you're logged in.

But how do you enable this Administrator account so you can really take control of Vista and make it do what you want it to do, no questions asked, here's how...

• Open the Start Menu
• Type cmd to find the Command Prompt, then right-click and Run As Administrator

Now type...

Net user administrator mypassword
Net user administrator /active:yes

(change mypassword for anything you want)

Now log-out and switch over to the Administrator account using the password you picked.

After setting up my new HP laptop with Vista and ArchLinux I thought I'd post how to replicate the same setup to help anyone else wanting to do the same, so here's a guide to do this with the latest Windows Vista and Arch Linux; enjoy!

Install Windows Vista

First off install Vista. Now when it gets to asking you about how much disk space to use, say half (250gb drive => 128gb approx), this will mean the other half will be unused space (perfect for your linux build).

Install Vista and set it up, when you're happy and it's running ok continue to the next step.

Get ArchLinux

By now you should have two hard-drive partitions, one with Vista (NTFS) and one blank; now we're going to sort that second one out.

First download the relevant ISO disc image,

• ArchLinux ISO

Download it and burn it to CD, it's only 120mb so shouldn't take too long. Once done insert it into your laptop and re-boot with it so it starts up the installer on bootup.

Install ArchLinux

When the installer boots up and shows the blue install screen you'll see 6 options, let's go thru each one...

1. Prepare Hard Drive

Don't choose Auto-Prepare, it'll wipe your hardrive and destroy Vista, select Partition Hard Drives which will put you in the disk partition tool.

You should see two entries, one will be...

1. [boot] [primary] [ntfs]
2. ...... [unknown] [unknown]

The first is setup as the boot partition (the one which will boot on startup) and you know it's Vista as the filesystem is marked as NTFS, the other is unknown; our target for the Linux install.

So select the unknown one and create, mark it as a primary partition, select write to write the change and then quit to continue. Note the name of the new partition (e.g. hd0/sda2) and goto step 2.

Note: SDA = SATA, the machine i'm using has SATA drives, if you've got older IDE drives it'll be HDA0.

2. Set Filesystem Mountpoints

With this we'll want to set which partition we want to use as a swap disc, but as we didn't create one, select none.

Next you'll be asked which partition will be used as the root one for this install, select hd0/sda2 (or whichever name you wrote down in step 1). Continue to step 3.

3. Select Packages

Here we select which packages we want to install, ArchLinux is broken up into 4 separate blocks; base being the core o/s. Select all four as we'll be wanting all the tools to practice (otherwise you can choose 'base' and customise later). Step 4...

4. Install Packages

This will install ArchLinux to your target FileSystem, shouldn't take long; once done goto 5...

5. Configure System

Now configure your system, with most options choose the defaulty chosen options; afterwards your configuration will be written to the new system. Now onto the important step 6.

6. Install Bootloader

Now we'll install the bootloader to allow you to select on-bootup which O/S to start. Choose GRUB as your bootloader, you'll then be taken to the bootloader's config file.

Scroll down to the bottom of the file and uncomment the bottom entry until it resembles...

# (2) Windows Vista
title Windows Vista
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

This will add to your selection list an entry pointing to your first partition so you can select to boot Vista. Scroll up to the top of the file and check these lines, adjust as appropriately...

• timeout 5 ...this sets the seconds to wait until booting the default entry

• default 1 ...once the timeout expires GRUB will boot the option 1, ArchLinux, if you want to boot Vista instead, change it to 2.

• fallback 0 ...if the default can't be booted, the fallback will be started, in this case the ArchLinux FallBack system created when we just installed ArchLinux (think of it as it's Linux's safe-mode, only much more powerful).

If you're happy with the setup, press CTRL+X to save the file and continue.

You'll next be asked where to place the Bootloader, we want to place it inside the MBR of the Drive so it will be launched when the disc spins up. The MBR is the first sector of the Hard Drive and commonly called the Master Boot Record.

You'll be presented with probably 3 options...

/SDA
/SDA1
/SDA2

Choose the first, this will be where the MBR is located.

Now you're finished, exit the Installer by selecting Exit Install, then type REBOOT to reboot.

The computer should restart and present you with the GRUB bootloader menu, where you'll now be able to select which O/S to start; job done.

• ArchLinux
• ArchLinux GRUB

Setting ROOT Password

Please note that with this initial install your ROOT account won't have a password assigned to it, posing a poblem later on down the line.

So when you've booted into ArchLinux, and typed 'root' as the username and hit ENTER to login, type...

passwd

To set the 'root' account's password.

Changing The Config

To edit the GRUB config later on, do...

nano /boot/grub/menu.lst

Settings

So as you know, the system config files are located in...

• /etc/rc.conf (main system config)
• /boot/grub/menu.lst (grub boot menu)
• /etc/lilo.conf (lilo boot menu)
• /etc/mkinitrd.conf
• /etc/hosts
• /etc/fstab
• /etc/modprobe.conf
• /etc/modules.conf
• /etc/resolv.conf
• /etc/conf.d/*
• /etc/profile

Well at my new job and have to say I'm lovin it, can't believe how lucky I was to land this position; team excellent, so proud!

However my new machine's running Vista so it's a little awkward getting .NET development kicking on it smoothly from XP. So here's some pointers to get fellow ASP.NET developers up & running...

Setting up IIS

IIS comes with Vista Business edition, but to enable it, do...

• Goto Control Panel then Programs & Features
• Click Turn Windows Features on or off
• Wait...
• Tick Internet Information Services
• Click *OK*... done.

Startup Items

To change what programs are launched at startup, do...

• Click the Start button on the Vista Taskbar
• In the Start Search box type System Configuration
• Vista should do live search and have the System Configuration program at the top of the list
• Click it.

Once it has opened up, click the Startup tab to configure what things run on machine start-up.

Things you don't need

• Windows Defender that can be replaced by a lower memory-footprint app called Spybot Search & Destroy. So untick that to stop it hogging resources and install S&D (note: when installing S&D make sure you say yes about installing it's resident checkers, good tools).

• MsnMsgr (aka. msn messenger) you can also untick, if you don't ever use it, Skype is so much better.

• AcroTray (adobe acrobat distiller helper), untick if you hardly ever use it.

• Office Startup Helper (not sure about the name of this one but know ms office comes with one), not needed if you hardly ever use office in your day-to-day life.

Disabling UAE

Although dangerous as it allows the usual user to run As Adminstrator (a thing which all this security was introduced to prevent as running as admin was allowed in xp, etc, and incurred user's installing bogus viral programs), you can disable it.

To disable this, if you really really want to,

• Click the Vista Start button
• Type Local Security Policy in the Search box and click when the app appears
• When asked to allow it to open, say yes
• Select Security Settings \ Local Policy \ Security Options
• Scroll down the list until you get to the ones called User Account Control

From here you can set the kind of behaviour Vista will perform based on certain user actions (e.g. install software, browse network, etc.)

• More Info...