Kernel Panic - Not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0)

Just a quick brain dump after I recovered my home server running centos 7. I had to recover it because it was failing to boot after I did  
yum update
I have to admit, it was partially my fault it failed. I was running several python scripts trying to brute-force something for one of the CTF (Capture The Flag) I'm doing at the moment :)
Yum froze when it tried to update python... I couldn't see any other option than kill the process. After restart... I was getting sad message:
Kernel Panic - Not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0)

I was able to boot using previous kernels and recovery mode so a quick google search gave me a command to remove invalid kernel (all commands have to be run as root or with sudo):
First find out the exact version of the kernel you want to remove:

yum list kernel

Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: mirrors.clouvider.net
 * epel: mirrors.coreix.net
 * extras: mirrors.vooservers.com
 * updates: mirrors.coreix.net
Installed Packages
kernel.x86_64                   3.10.0-327.el7                         @anaconda
kernel.x86_64                   3.10.0-514.2.2.el7                     @updates
kernel.x86_64                   3.10.0-514.6.1.el7                     @updates
kernel.x86_64                   3.10.0-514.10.2.el7                    @updates

Then remove the invalid one:

yum remove kernel-3.10.0-514.10.2.el7

 Run update again (this time without python running in the background ;) )

yum update

Restart to enjoy your new kernel (you do not have to do this immediately but it's good to check rather quickly if everything will work after reboot)

shutdown -r now

IIS - SSL certificate installation - Cannot find the certificate request that is associated with this certificate file. A certificate file must be completed on the computer where the request was created.

Recently I had to install new SSL certificate on Windows Server 2008 R2 running IIS 7.
Just like everybody else I generated CSR (certificate signing request) and sent it to CA which was issuing certificate for me. They sent me the certificate in PKCS7 format. When I tried to "Complete Certificate Request" in IIS Manager by giving a domain name as "friendly name" which is a REQUIRED field it said:
"Cannot find the certificate request that is associated with this certificate file. A certificate request must be completed on the computer where the request was created"

So my first thought was that the certificate was generated incorrectly and is corrupted. But that would be highly unlikely... the CA I used are one of the biggest and most trusted.

So how to fix it?

• you have to start certmgr.msc
• import this certificate into your personal certificates.
• right click on this certificate and choose properties
• EDIT friendly name because it is most likely EMPTY (I'm sure you can see the problem here)
• close the properties window
• export this certificate
• use this new exported cert with KNOWN friendly name and now the Complete Certificate Request should work without issues!

Why I hate TFS even more...

Situation:
 - you have an open solution
 - you need to access code from another solution which is in TFS (but not on your disk)
 - so...

•  go to "Team Explorer"
• double click on "Source Control"
• find the code you need and right click
• select "Map to local folder"
• select location on your local hard drive
• click "Map"
• click "Yes" to prompt: "Newly mapped items will not be downloaded until you execute a get. Do you want to get $/SomePlaceWithCode now?"

Now what? All people with common sense would think TFS will just download this code...

No, this is not what is happening... TFS tells you that you have to close the currently open solution to do that.... How retarded is that? Why would you need to close solution for this? To download some files not even in solutions directory?

Obviously  "Compare..." option is retarded as well - BIG time.

If you are comparing whole solution (quite a big one) and you want to revert/or whatever just one file at a time - TFS will refresh the whole tree again after modifying each file... which might take another precious minute. Unless everybody in TFS development team is always reverting all files at once and never one by one I just can't understand why this feature is broken so badly.

Is there any manager in Microsoft's TFS team which ever worked with SVN / Perforce / Git ?

I hate TFS :) and I'm not the only one...

Opinions on TFS

http://amplicate.com/hate/tfs

It's freezing cold in London today

Snow... wind... I want to move to some warm and sunny place!!!

Why I WILL NOT buy another Samsung printer

About 4 years ago I bought a printer. Samsung ML-2510 to be specific.

I don't print that much (600 copies in total) therefore I was expecting to use this printer until it runs out of toner - which I expected to happen in about 10 years.

Some of you probably laugh and say I'm crazy but I can show you HP Laserjet 1010 which I have for more than 10 years and it is still working! The key is to keep it clean...

So what's wrong with Samsung printer you may ask...

In my opinion NOTHING! It was complaining to replace toner for some time (3-4 months) but all copies were perfect quality. No grey strips no dust - they were exactly the same as when the printer was new so I ignored those warnings and decided to wait for the toner to really be gone.

Recently the printer not only complained about toner but also stopped to work entirely. It still says that the only problem is toner...

Is this planned obsolescence Samsung? Will the printer work just fine if I'll buy new toner? Maybe toner with microchip inside which will tell the printer it is empty only because it thinks it's too old?

Reseting chip in Samsung's printer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsYMGEhiWvw

ps I'm not saying HP at the moment isn't using planned obsolescence because I simply don't know.I just know there is nothing like that in HP LJ 1010 model which I have.

Were are these politicians talking all the time about environment, how green we should be, how to create another tax because the car is 4WD or has a bigger engine...?

Where are politicians when real waste happens?

I'm trying to learn how to use SiteCore... why oh why somebody wrote this great piece of engineering :)