Computer troubleshooting series #4: Remove devices from Windows 10 "Cast to Device" right-click menu
2024-05-01 Reading time: 11 minutes
Problem Description
As shown in image , there are devices called "HUAWEI FreeBuds Studio" and "Beats Solo3". These devices were bluetooth headphones I have owned years ago, and I stopped using them for at least a year. I am very confident that either of these devices are located at least 5,000 miles away from my computer.
I have made the following effort to eliminate them:
- Delete whatever such entry from "Settings" app ->"Devices"
- Delete whatever such entry, either hidden or not, from "Device Manager" (devmgmt.msc)
- Delete whatever such entry from "Control Panel" -> "Devices and Printers", and elsewhere if I can find them
- Search for these names in "Registry Editor" and delete results where appropriate
- Search for these names in the system drive, from text and non-text files, and delete results where appropriate
- Search for these names in the system drive from text files, learn an association between device names and GUIDs, then search for these GUIDs in Registry Editor and delete results where appropriate
- Search for binary encoded strings of these names from REG_BINARY records in Registry Editor
- Clear Network and Sharing Center cache and reset Network settings as instructed by Microsoft Community agent
- Apply quality and driver updates, clear caches and restart the computer.
At this point, I can not find any apparent trace of the existence of these devices on my computer, yet the Cast to Device menu still displays them. To the extent of my imagination, I have no idea what I should do next, other than recklessly decompiling %system32%\playtomenu.dll.
I am running a 64-bit Windows 10 Pro, Version 22H2 Build 19045. My device is a Surface Laptop Studio i7/32GB/1TB version, and my Bluetooth adapter is built-in.
I would really, really appreciate it if you can give me any advice on how to remove those devices from the menu, without disabling the menu itself.
However, I do not welcome answers that ask me to run antivirus, check Windows update, use Windows troubleshooters, run sfc /scannow or dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth, or re-install the OS. If you are tempted to reply with one of these low-effort low-value template answers, please kindly don't.
Be a water thief: Hacking the dormitory water boiler in a top 20 university in China
2024-02-09 Reading time: 15 minutes
The research was completed in 2015. The vulnerable system was removed in 2016 without regard to the existence of this research. The paper was written in 2018 when I was still an undergraduate in medical school with no CS background, and translated into English in 2023. Don't laugh at my stupidity.
Background
In China, tap water is generally unsafe to drink directly, and Chinese people have developed the habit of boiling water before drinking it since the 1950s. That is why in most university dormitories, the management team either allows kettles in individual rooms or provides convenient access to public boilers.
I was a student from out of the province, was adjusted to the most miserable major in the university, Clinical Medicine (in China, it's not a big money maker), and spent most of my time on the oldest and shabbiest campus. The dormitory buildings were old, the maintenance was poor, and the electrical circuits were worn out. It was rumored that one year before we came, there was a fire incident caused by overloaded electric cables. Therefore, kettles were strictly forbidden in our rooms. The way we obtained boiled water was as follows. Unless otherwise stated, any currency in this paper is the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY). ... Read more
Exodos Shanghainus - Escaping from Shanghai during 2022 COVID lockdown
2024-01-23 Reading time: 101 minutes
Originally written by Me in Chinese, June 2022.
Translated by ChatGPT 4 and revised by Me, January 2024.
"Shanghai Jokes" were collected from the Internet. Other portions Copyright (C) 2022-2024 Me. All rights reserved.
Shanghai Joke
In the spring of 2022, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, many regions were affected by the conflict, resulting in a shortage of living supplies. In Russia, due to sanctions, import and export trade was hindered, leading to a scarcity of some resources as well. Among the following options, which region is suffering the most severe famine?
- A. Kyiv
- B. Mariupol
- C. Moscow
- D. Shanghai
Before 2022, no one would deny the fact that Shanghai was an international metropolis. Foreign capitalists flocked here, domestic job seekers eagerly came in droves, and it seemed everyone had a bright future ahead (我们都有光明的未来). Many even regarded Shanghai as a model city in China for its civility, rule of law, adherence to principles, and humanitarian concerns. In fact, in my first few months in Shanghai, I became a fervent admirer of the city, a true believer in its superiority, a spiritual Shanghaiese (精沪分子). "There are reasons why Shanghainese look down on outsiders", I thought, and my impression of Shanghai was deeply rooted in this belief.
However, by April 2022, I found myself desperately trying to escape Shanghai -- as much as I loved this city before, that was how much I wanted to leave it now. Will I ever come back? I don't know. One thing is certain, though: Shanghai will never lack people. As many as have fled now, even more will come in the future. Whether I will be among those returning to Shanghai, though, is something I cannot predict at this moment.
Here, I am willing to share the magical journey of my escape from Shanghai, but before that, let's first explore the history of this "discipline" of fleeing Shanghai -- ... Read more
Computer troubleshooting series #3: trouble with scroll wheel in a Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse
2024-01-22 Reading time: 6 minutes
Lorem Ipsum Hospital
| Name | Gender | Department | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HU, Tianjian | M | Comp. Sci. | y2024 m01 d04 |
CC: Mouse scroll wheel malfunctioning for 1d.
HPI: The patient connected a bluetooth mouse to his computer. He was not able to use the scroll wheel to scroll through the screen as when he did so the page either stayed frozen or slightly moved in an unexpected reverse direction.
PMH: The bluetooth mouse was connected to an Apple MacBook computer (model unknown) and exhibited similar behaviors before re-pairing with current computer.
CURRENT HEALTH Hx: The patient is experienced with everyday usage and basic troubleshooting of Windows OS. Denies bluetooth or HID hardware development experience.
PE: Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse powered by one AA battery on a soft rough surface. Laptop computer with Windows 10 22H2 Pro x64. Attached proprietary recharger, USB hard drive via USB-C, and iPhone via USB-C. Visible open programs are Task Manager, Firefox, Thunderbird and Telegram.
Rx: ... Read more
Quick Links / 快速链接
2023-09-05 Reading time: 2 minutes
| 🙋🏻♂️ | 🔤 | 🌐 |
|---|---|---|
| About me | For English please click here | View contents in all languages |
| 私について | クリックして日本語で閲覧 | 全ての言語のコンテンツを閲覧 |
| 关于我 | 点击此处查看汉语内容 | 查看所有语言内容 |
Computer troubleshooting series #2: trouble drawing signature in browser with a touchscreen pen
2023-08-23 Reading time: 3 minutes
Lorem Ipsum Hospital
| Name | Gender | Department | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| HU, Tianjian | M | Comp. Sci. | y2023 m08 d23 |
CC: Unable to draw signature with touchscreen for 5 minutes.
HPI: The patient was trying to enroll in USPS electronic signature service and found out that he could not draw his signature with fingers or the touchscreen pen. However, the mouse could draw a signature.
PMH: The patient encountered similar problems with in-browser form signing services based on Adobe software. The patient is familiar with different touchscreen behavior patterns exhibited by software with varying levels of touchscreen compatibility.
CURRENT HEALTH Hx: The patient is experienced with everyday usage and basic troubleshooting of Windows OS. Denies Windows touchscreen application development experience.
PE: Laptop computer with Windows 10 22H2 Pro x64. Attached proprietary recharger, USB hard drive via USB-C, and iPhone via USB-C. Problematic website is opened in Firefox. Visible open programs are Task Manager, Firefox, Thunderbird, Telegram, Sticky Notes, and Visual Studio Code.
Rx: ... Read more