Useful Thoughts and Actions Taken

Toolbar Icons and Image Files do not display on Secondary Monitor Images show up as Empty Frames

Description of Issue

I was baffled when I opened my images in IrfanView and Paintshop Pro.  I later observed that when editing using MS Word that the icons in the tool bar would disappear when I dragged a mouse over them.  A googling I went and found nothing for days until I found an entry mentioning how it was a secondary monitor issue.  I then confirmed that issue by dragging PaintShop Pro and MS Word to the primary built in monitor of the laptop I use.  With MS Word when I dragged the mouse over where the icon should be it would reappear.  With PaintShop Pro I tried moving the image and that did not make the image return.  When I changed the zoom by rolling the mouse wheel the image returned.

Confirmation of Solution

When I found Graphics Bug in Windows 7 after installing August 2017 Security Updates  I realized I had a good fit for my problem.  Upon uninstalling the KB4034664 patch and rebooting the problem was fixed.  

Research Links

 

What triggers the problems

The problem appears when all of the following conditions are met:

  1. Windows 7 (or Windows Server 2008)
  2. The patches of KB4034664 or KB4034679 are fully installed
  3. The currently logged on user is not a local System Administrator on the computer, but a user with limited rights or a domain user
  4. The system has multiple monitors
  5. The monitors are setup such that certain parts of the screen have negative screen positions. For example a secondary monitor is setup to be left of the main monitor. Or a monitor is setup to have a higher top border than the main monitor
  6. An application window is positioned so that it is within the area of the screen that has negative screen coordinates.
  7. This application window uses the Windows API function “StretchDIBits” (or a variant) to draw a graphic on a device context directly linked to that window.

Workarounds

These workarounds exist:

  1. Upgrade to Windows 10 / Server 2012
  2. Uninstall KB4034664 / KB4034679 patches from the system
  3. Log on with a user that is a full local administrator
  4. Only use the application on the main monitor, not a secondary monitor
  5. Arrange the monitors such that no part of a monitor has negative screen coordinates. (See details in next paragraph)
By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

Silver Bar Testing to Avoid Counterfeits and Partial Fakes

A careful perusal of Ebay makes it quite evident that there are many fake silver bars floating on the market.  Chinese made fake precious metal coins and bars are being sold on on the internet.  Obviously buying from a reputable vendor is a good idea.  Even if you buy from a reputable vendor what if they have been gamed successfully?  They would have a set of tests that any reasonably good engineer could probably design a product that would fool them. It pays to be able to spot the real thing yourself.  

Research Links

Tested Items

SD Bullion Proclaim Liberty 10 oz Silver Bar

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

Yoast Search Engine Optimization SEO PlugIn for WordPress Blogs

Control What Facebook Shows When You Share Your Link

The Yoast SEO plugin is a good tool for a novice at search engine optimization to improve their websites searchability and google ranking. The Yoast SEO plugin also allows you to control what your google search result entry and facebook shared link webpage preview will look like.  

Notes on the operation of FaceBook

Facebook only scrapes a page when you initially place a link in it.  If you change a webpage you need to trigger a rescrape.  Using Yoast SEO you can override everything for Facebook sharing.  

One bad point about this plugin is that it seems to be coercing you to give up your login credentials for your google search console which is likely your gmail credentials also.  I have been trying to do the manual method by retrieving the google secret code but keep getting a problem flagged when I enter the validation code.

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago