Qbittorrent Settings

Network Interface (VPN Binding): You bound qBittorrent to your specific WireGuard network interface (wgpia0) in Tools > Options > Advanced. This creates a permanent kill switch that prevents traffic from leaking outside the tunnel.

Search Plugin Updates: You updated the search engine plugins in the Search tab by clicking "Check for updates," which resolved the issue where the search module was failing to recognize plugins.

Seeding Automation: In Tools > Options > BitTorrent, you enabled the Seeding Limits by checking the box for "When ratio reaches".

Ratio and Removal: You adjusted the "When ratio reaches" value to 0 and changed the "then" dropdown to "Remove torrent" to ensure the client automatically removes files once the download is complete.

Set upload speeds to 0

ShareX Set To Irfanview

I like ShareX to open a snip with IrfanView. Sometimes when updating, I lose that setting.

This is one way to restore it.

What likely changed is the default app to open the snip. Go to default apps and IrfanView and set jpg or png or whatever to IrfanView default. I like this way best.

Or you can set up a "task" "action"

Streaming, APKs, and Whatever

Stuff I want to remember.

I had APK files that would not delete on my Fire TV Stick. DefSquid did it.

Stremio:

1. Install on PC first and set it up.

2. Create an account.

3. Go to Torrentio, and set it up

remove some of the addons, remove camera links, sort by seeders, limit 15GB

now install Torrentio

When you install Stremio on a streaming device, it will install the way you set it up on the PC.

Some links

Kevin Porteous

Magic Wormhole File Transfer With Rymdport

Magic Wormhole File Transfer With Rymdport

  Why use Rymdport

Magic Wormhole requires Python and is run in the Command Prompt.

Rymdport is a Magic Wormhole GUI written in Go, so it contains everything to run and is cross-platform.

  Where to get it

Rymdport is a GitHub project and can be downloaded from there.

Or it can be installed with Winget: winget install Jacalz.Rymdport

  How to run it

After install you could search for the exe file located in AppData to start it.

Rymdport is added to the environment variables, so typing Rymdport in CMD will run it.

Eventually, it should show up in the start menu.

  The Passphrase

It will create a passphrase, or you can create a custom passphrase.

The passphrase must contain numbers like "123" separated by a hyphen - and some letters "abc"

If I'm using it on my own PCs, I use a simple phrase that is easy to remember and type.

If I am sending to someone, I would use the phrase Rymdport creates and send it to the person receiving.

  How does it work?

It creates a peer-to-peer connection, zips the files and sends.

This is why you can send a folder or multiple folders.

  Does it work?

It is simple and lightning fast.

I have not used it on huge files yet, so I don't know if it chokes on big ones.

Ok, I just transferred a Win11.iso from Minnesota to Florida. I was no speed demon, but it didn't choke.

I need to try it the other direction. In MN I have Spectrum with slow upload. In Florida I have fiber that uploads at 700+ even over wireless.

ShareX My Favorite Snipping Tool

I may want to say something about it.

Nothing replaces it.

Text Extraction

No default hotkey is set up.

Go to the hotkey section and add

OCR > Ctrl + Alt + Print Screen

Windows has added text extraction to it's Snipping Tool but it is miserable. Too many clicks.

PowerToys text extraction is good and sometimes even better under some circumstances.

Rise of Nations Game

It's an old game, but I like it.

Most modern laptops would not have trouble running it, except for the resolution.

On my Dell XPS-13 with ridiculously high resolution, I found this trick.

When started, go to "options", then "graphics" and "reset to default".

The print to do this will be very small, but find a way to do it.

When you accept the change, it may be on something like 1400 by something.

You might be better served by changing to 1920x1080 or whatever.

Once you have it set the way you want it, exit the program.

Now find the rise2.ini. Use EverythingSearch.

Right-click, choose "properties" and check "read only".

Now, when RoN starts it can't alter the .ini file and should continue to work.

If you want to change resolution after doing this, you will have to change "read only" to edit.

The resolution can be changed manually in the .ini file.

Clonezilla - I'm trying it next time.

Clonezilla

I use Rescuezilla but always avoided Clonezilla because of all the questions.

I'm trying it next time and here is my cheat sheet.

Clonezilla

Restart PC to be certain of clean start and not fast start from a shutdown.

Make sure to know the size of the disks to identify them later for source and destination.

Step,Selection to Make,What it actually means

Language,En_US.UTF-8,English.

Keyboard,Keep default,Don't touch it.

Start,Start Clonezilla,Let's go.

Mode,device-device,Disk-to-Disk (not making a file).

Skill Level,Beginner,Crucial: Skips 20+ confusing settings.

Type,disk_to_local_disk,From one internal drive to another.

Source,Select your OLD drive,Usually sda or nvme0n1. Look at the size!

Destination,Select your NEW drive,Double check this. This drive will be wiped.

Skip Check,sfsck,Skip checking/repairing the file system.

Choose K0 and move/resize the partitions later.

End Action,Choose (reboot/poweroff),Pick what you want it to do when done.

Clonezilla will ask you to confirm three times. It wants to be absolutely sure you aren't about to wipe the wrong drive.

Type y and hit Enter.

Type y and hit Enter again.

It will ask one last time about the Boot Loader (GRUB/MBR). Type y and hit Enter.

Windows 10 Update

I've upgraded a bunch of unsupported Windows 10 PCs to 11 successfully.

Some of them were Legacy boot. And they booted fine after I upgraded.

One did not and I destroyed it trying to fix it.

I think I could have gone to BIOS and bumped the bootloader to #1.

In any case, I should have done this before the upgrade.

Check to see if UEFI is available in BIOS

then

CMD admin

mbr2gpt /validate /disk:0 /allowFullOS

if passes

mbr2gpt /convert /disk:0 /allowFullOS

then

Go to BIOS and select UEFI boot

If I doesn't have an EUFI BIOS, don't convert to GPT

Summary of what I think

Windows 11 will boot on Legacy only bios

A UEFI BIOS may be set to boot Legacy but it is a UEFI bios

A Legacy only, non UEFI bios can not handle GPT. It's MBR only

Ubuntu 24.04 Setup

I've always ignored Ubuntu for other distros. I just fired it up in a VM and actual like it.

Here is my current list of "necessary" first things. 

Linux terminal pasting requires cntl + shift + v. If you get a strange prefix to the command, there are likely unexpected symbols in the paste. Look for a following ~ or something.

(You wouldn't believe all the "expert" explanations AI's gave me. Gemini finally said, "You probably have an odd character in your command". Gemini has become my favorite for this kind of question.)

vm tools installed

Best server selected "Download From"

Extension Manager Installed

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager chrome-gnome-shell

Gnome tweaks installed

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Do this (at the end of the script, tab to Ok to continue)

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

f you wish to install Synaptic and VLC, they can be combined into

sudo apt install synaptic vlc

After enabling the share folder in VM you may need to mount.

sudo vmhgfs-fuse .host:/ /mnt/hgfs -o allow_other

The folder resides in /mnt/hgfs/VB_Share

Permanent (Auto-Mount on Boot)

Create the mount point: sudo mkdir -p /mnt/hgfs

Edit /etc/fstab with root privileges: sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add this line at the end:

vmhgfs-fuse /mnt/hgfs fuse defaults,allow_other,_netdev 0 0

Make symbolic link to the share

ln -s /media/sf_VB_Share ~/VB_Share

It appears in the Home folder. Drag it to the left panel. This also works in Windows CMD or Powershell.

Hint: In terminal you can drag/drop a folder or file and the path will appear.

Shortcuts

Nautlis file explorer has "create link" disabled in preferences. Turn it on.

Now you can right-click on a file or folder and create a shortcut.

Setup Suggestions

https://www.hackingthehike.com/ubuntu2404-guide/

RustDesk and Tailscale

Hints:

Checking Status In CMD

tailscale status

"windows  active; direct" is a good sign

tailscale netcheck

"UDP: true" is also a good sign

I'm an Anydesk guy. I tried RustDesk and it was fine but I didn't feel that their servers were as fast as Anydesk. Rust encourages setting up your own server which is more work than I wanted. With Tailscale you can establish a direct link between the two PCs through an encrypted Wireguard tunnel. This should be the game changer.

The LoL part. I suppose Anydesk can be connected through Tailscale. I do like the thought of open-source RustDesk so I'm trying both.

winget install --id=Tailscale.Tailscale -e   

winget install --id=RustDesk.RustDesk -e   

Set up a Tailscale account.

Set up RustDesk on the Host PC - Go to security, unlock and enable ip connections.

It's so easy I'm not spending more time explaining now.

On the remote machine enter the ip of the remote and the password.

Caviot: Keep Anydesk active. I had to use it to stop and start the Tailscale service today. Don't know why so time will tell. The speed is worth it. an iperf test maxed out the upload from the office.

Can't wait to get to my Florida 1GB fiber and run the test from there.

Iperf windows version must be used and run from the command line to work.

Download the iperf for windows folder

Open CMD admin in that folder and run

On office

iperf3.exe -s -p 5202

On laptop

one stream

iperf3.exe -c <REMOTE_TS_IP> -p 5202 -t 10

multiple streams

iperf3.exe -c <REMOTE_TS_IP> -p 5202 -t 15 -P 4

Great Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27apZcZrwks

I was working with Copilot first and then Gemini with this iperf test. Its a little crazy with these guys. They give you Powershell, Windows Command Shell and WSL Bash commands to use. I've learned to appreciate Terminal. I can have all three tabs open in one program and jump back and forth. I now know why WSL Ubuntu is useful. I just had it enabled out of curiosity.

Bonus: In Windows file explorer you can access the network share folders like you would on a local network. It's quite amazing.