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Tuesday, 13 October 2026 11:42

Windows explorer.exe is randomly crashing

My Windows explorer.exe crashes then any open File Explorer Windows close, RetroTask bar and the normal taskbar underneath are restarted. these following is what I have done to track this down. It is most likely an app with faulty Shell Extensions (ShellEx).

The crashing can happen on it's own, sometimes when I right click but because I have not found a pattern to trigger the crash, the diagnosis of the cause is very hard.

Look at this article first

  • How to Find Which Shell Extension Is Crashing Explorer.exe | ShellEx Info
    • Your taskbar disappears and reappears. Your desktop goes black for a moment. You get the dreaded “Windows Explorer has stopped working” dialog. Something is crashing explorer.exe, and the most likely culprit is a faulty shell extension DLL.
    • A systematic guide to identifying the exact shell extension DLL that causes explorer.exe crashes, freezes, and restarts on Windows 11 and 10, from quick 2-minute checks to advanced debugging techniques.
    • Some of my article shares the same information, but was gathered before I found this article.

Things that I tried and have not worked for me

  • SFC 
    sfc /scannow
  • DISM 
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  • Windows Updates
  • Removing various software Especially old and x86 stuff.
    • K-Lite Codecs
    • All Logitec stuff + replaced with OpenLogi
    • X-Mouse Button Control

Things that I tried and not tried yet

Get the faulting Module

The faulting module (a dll file) is usually the cause and is usually very easy to find. However with my issue the faulting module is C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll but it is the program calling it that is the issue.

Below is a couple of methods.

1. Event Viewer

  • When the crash occurs, make a note of the time
  • Open up: Event Viewer --> Windows Logs --> Application
  • Navigate to the time of the error and look for errors, which should look like this


    Faulting application name: Explorer.EXE, version: 10.0.26100.9444, time stamp: 0x03f6c974
Faulting module name: Windows.UI.Xaml.dll, version: 10.0.26100.9444, time stamp: 0x8139c357
Exception code: 0xc000027b
Fault offset: 0x000000000090e383
Faulting process id: 0x20B8
Faulting application start time: 0x1DD5968EB1F0045
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
Report Id: 099d4021-6484-492a-9b33-c38a18fcf5b2
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID:
  • You can see the Faulting module is Windows.UI.Xaml.dll, however this is not the root cause.
  • What the error means
    • 0xc000027b is a stowed exception. This is from my own knowledge, not the search results. A XAML/WinRT component inside Explorer hit an unhandled error, and Windows.UI.Xaml.dll is just the module that raised it.
    • The faulting module is therefore the messenger. The real culprit is whatever XAML UI was running in Explorer at the time (taskbar, Start, Search, Widgets, notification area, Settings flyouts, File Explorer’s XAML parts).

2. Use ShellExView

  • Download ShellExView
  • Hide Microsoft extensions
  • Disable half of the extensions
    • Start with the likely culprits.
  • Use you PC for a while and see if the crash happens again
    • In my case the crash is very sporadic so this can take a while

3. Process Monitor

4. Get a Dump file when explorer.exe crashes, and Analyse it

This can be very useful, but to get the most out of it you need to have some skills.

  • Install WinDbg from the MS Store
  • Enable Crash Dumps for Explorer (via the registry) (a.k.a. WER LocalDumps) 
    # Create dump directory
New-Item -Path "C:\CrashDumps" -ItemType Directory -Force

# Configure Windows Error Reporting to create full dumps
$dump = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\explorer.exe"
New-Item -Path $dump -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path $dump -Name "DumpType" -Value 2 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $dump -Name "DumpFolder" -Value "C:\CrashDumps" -Type ExpandString
Set-ItemProperty -Path $dump -Name "DumpCount" -Value 5 -Type DWord
  • Verify the key is correct 
    Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\explorer.exe"
  • Wait for a crash event
    • A dump file will now be created
  • Open WinDbg
  • Load the dumpfile (e.g. C:\CrashDumps\explorer.exe.5900.dmp)
  • Analyse the dump file
    • Run the command: 
      !analyze -v
      • The symbol files will now be downloaded
        • e.g.: windows.ui.xaml.pdb
        • They can take a while because they are large or the download bandwidth is restricted.
      • Now you should see a result like: 
        ### This is not the complete analysis

EXCEPTION_RECORD:  (.exr -1)
ExceptionAddress: 00007ffbea30e383 (Windows_UI_Xaml!DirectUI::ErrorHelper::ProcessUnhandledError+0x00000000000000fb)
   ExceptionCode: c000027b
  ExceptionFlags: 00000001
NumberParameters: 2
   Parameter[0]: 00000000035254a0
   Parameter[1]: 0000000000000033

...

SYMBOL_NAME:  Windows_UI_Xaml!CLayoutManager::UpdateLayout+5f7

MODULE_NAME: Windows_UI_Xaml

IMAGE_NAME:  Windows.UI.Xaml.dll

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  STOWED_EXCEPTION_XAML_TEXT_Layout_cycle_detected.__Layout_could_not_complete_802b0014_Windows.UI.Xaml.dll!CLayoutManager::UpdateLayout
      • This points to the faulting module being Windows.UI.Xaml.dll but not what performed an incorrect call to it.
      • This did not yield an answer for me, so i pasted the analysis into Claude
        • Windows_UI_Xaml didn’t fail on its own. It killed explorer.exe on purpose because the XAML layout never settled. Your dump doesn’t say which element caused it.
        • The dump identifies the failure. It’s a XAML layout loop in the taskbar’s UI, not a corrupted file or a failed update.
        • The stack is explorer!CTray::MainThreadProc → CTray::_MessageLoop → XAML dispatcher tick → NWDrawTree → UpdateLayout. CTray is the taskbar’s main class, as far as I know. So the loop was in the taskbar’s own UI thread.
        • The c000027b code is a stowed exception. XAML caught its own error and called RaiseFailFastException, so this is a deliberate fail-fast, not memory corruption or an access violation.
        • The faulting thread is explorer’s main shell thread (CTray::MainThreadProc → CTray::_MessageLoop). It hit the problem in a normal XAML render tick (CXcpBrowserHost::OnTick → NWDrawTree → UpdateLayout). That points to a XAML surface hosted in the shell, such as the taskbar, system tray, or a flyout. No single control is identified.
        • Typical cause: In explorer, that usually means a bad interaction between the shell and something that modifies or injects into the taskbar or Start UI. Examples are taskbar/Start customisers like Windhawk, ExplorerPatcher or StartAllBack, or other shell extensions. This is my inference from the stack, not something the dump proves.
  • Get the loaded modules from the dump file which then allows you to take a more targeted look at the culprit ShellEx
    • Run the command: 
      dx @$curprocess.Modules.Where(m => !m.Name.ToLower().Contains("\\windows\\")).Select(m => m.Name)
    • This returns something like this which are all of the loaded Shell Extensions, one of which us likely to be the culprit of the crash 
      @$curprocess.Modules.Where(m => !m.Name.ToLower().Contains("\\windows\\")).Select(m => m.Name)                
    [0x1]            : C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7-zip.dll
    [0x2]            : C:\Program Files\FileZilla FTP Client\fzshellext_64.dll
    [0x3]            : C:\Program Files (x86)\Beyond Compare 3\BCShellEx64.dll            
    [0xc]            : C:\Program Files\Agent Ransack\ShellExt.dll
    [0x16]           : C:\Program Files\Notepad++\contextMenu\NppShell.dll
    [0x18]           : C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\shellext.dll
    [0x19]           : C:\Program Files\LockHunter\LHShellExt64.dll
    [0x1a]           : C:\Program Files (x86)\UltraISO\isoshl64.dll
    [0x1b]           : C:\Program Files\WinRAR\RarExt.dll
    [0x3b]           : C:\Program Files\Open-Shell\StartMenuDLL.dll
    [0x47]           : C:\Program Files\Open-Shell\ClassicExplorer64.dll
    [0x67]           : C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\tiptsf.dll
    [0x117]          : C:\Program Files\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoBase.dll
  • If there is more than one error
    • can run this command 
      .exr -1
      • Swap the number for the particular error.
      • It is usually only the first error that is of use.
    • And expect a result like this: 
      0:106> .exr -1
ExceptionAddress: 00007ffbea30e383 (Windows_UI_Xaml!DirectUI::ErrorHelper::ProcessUnhandledError+0x00000000000000fb)
   ExceptionCode: c000027b
  ExceptionFlags: 00000001
NumberParameters: 2
   Parameter[0]: 00000000035254a0
   Parameter[1]: 0000000000000033
  • Once done, revert the settings
    • Run this PowerShell script to delete the key 
      Remove-Item "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\explorer.exe" -Recurse
    • Delete C:\CrashDumps\

5. Time Travel Debugging (with WinDbg)

I have not done this.

  • Time Travel Debugging Overview - Windows drivers | Microsoft Learn
    • Learn how Time Travel Debugging (TTD) captures process execution to replay and debug issues by rewinding your debugger session forwards and backwards.
    • Time Travel Debugging (TTD) is a tool that captures a trace of your process as it executes and replays it later both forwards and backwards. TTD helps you debug issues by letting you "rewind" your debugger session, instead of having to reproduce the issue until you find the bug.

What Apps are using Windows.UI.Xaml.dll

  • Over time: Process Monitor
    • Download ProcessMonitor
    • Process Monitor monitors file system, registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real time so we can do the following
    • Use Options → Enable Boot Logging if you also need to catch processes that load it at startup.
    • You can filter the results
      • Open the filter dialog with Ctrl+L.
      • Add these rules
        •  Path contains Windows.UI.Xaml.dll.
        • Operation is Load Image.
      • Each matching row names the process that loaded it, with a timestamp and PID.
    • Look for Load Image operations just before the crash timestamp.
      The last Load Image before the crash is usually the culprit.
  • Quick command line
    • Run this command 
      tasklist /m Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
    • This will give you a result like this 
      Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

PS C:\Users\shoulders> tasklist /m Windows.UI.Xaml.dll

Image Name                     PID Modules
========================= ======== ============================================
ApplicationFrameHost.exe     11848 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
CHXSmartScreen.exe           20224 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
ShellHost.exe                 1716 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
explorer.exe                 10088 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
explorer.exe                 22192 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
SearchHost.exe               20952 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
StartMenuExperienceHost.e    26920 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
ShellExperienceHost.exe       6512 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
TextInputHost.exe            20644 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
SystemSettings.exe            8828 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
WindowsTerminal.exe           7048 Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
PS C:\Users\shoulders>
      • I do run Open-Shell which can possibly affect StartMenuExperienceHost.exe, but there are so many users of this software, the crashing would of been fixed by now.

Links

ShellEx

  • How to Find Which Shell Extension Is Crashing Explorer.exe | ShellEx Info
    • Your taskbar disappears and reappears. Your desktop goes black for a moment. You get the dreaded “Windows Explorer has stopped working” dialog. Something is crashing explorer.exe, and the most likely culprit is a faulty shell extension DLL.
    • A systematic guide to identifying the exact shell extension DLL that causes explorer.exe crashes, freezes, and restarts on Windows 11 and 10, from quick 2-minute checks to advanced debugging techniques.
    • This article covers a lot of diagnostics:
      • Method 1: Event Viewer (2 Minutes)
      • Method 2: Binary Search with ShellExView (10 Minutes)
      • Method 3: Process Monitor (Advanced)
      • Method 4: Windows Debug Tools (Expert)
        • Add a PowerShell script to verify it has been set 
          Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\explorer.exe"
        • Add a PowerShell script to remove the reg keys 
          Remove-Item "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\explorer.exe" -Recurse
        • Add a note to remove the “CrashDumps” directory when done
        • Add download links for WinDbg
        • Add a note that downloading symbols can take a while.
        • Add the script to see loaded modules from a Dump in WinDbg 
          dx @$curprocess.Modules.Where(m => !m.Name.ToLower().Contains("\\windows\\")).Select(m => m.Name)
  • Popular Windows shell extension guides | ShellEx Inf
    • ShellEx.info is an independent resource for Windows shell extension problems: slow right-click menus, Explorer freezes, suspicious DLLs, and the tools used to diagnose them (ShellExView, Autoruns, and related utilities).

WinDbg

Debugging Tutorials

Software with Shell Extensions

Windows.UI.Xaml.dll

  • GitHub - microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml: WinUI - A modern UI framework with a rich set of controls and styles to build dynamic and high-performing Windows applications.
  • How to fix Windows.UI.Xaml.dll after a set of updates? - Microsoft Q&A
    • I understand how disruptive it is that after routine updates, core things like Search and Copilot suddenly fail with silent XAML launch errors. Before trying the in-place repair suggested by Q&A Assist, below are some other fixes you can check out first:
      1. Roll back the suspected cumulative updates (if possible)
        • Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
        • Open View update history > select Uninstall updates
        • Remove the one(s) you think affected Windows.
        • Restart the PC > Test search functionality again.
        • If it works, consider pausing updates temporarily.
      2. Re‑register the UWP/XAML app platform
        • Press Win + X > open Windows PowerShell / Terminal (Admin)
        • Run: 
          Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | ForEach { Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" }
          • This refreshes all XAML‑based components, including Defender’s UI
        • Restart your PC and see if the issue is gone.
    • Unfortunately, there is no supported method to repair Windows.UI.Xaml.dll directly. If rollback and re‑registration fail, the in‑place repair install as suggested below is the final possible fix without data loss.
    • The behavior matches known issues where XAML-dependent components (Start menu, Search, Copilot, Settings, other shell apps) fail or crash after certain Windows updates because XAML packages don’t register correctly.
  • File Explorer crashes in Windows 11 upon right click Faulting module name: Windows.UI.Xaml.dll, version: 10.0.22000.348 · Issue #6482 · microsoft/microsoft-ui-xaml · GitHub

Reliability Monitor

  • What is it?
    • Reliability Monitor is a built-in Windows tool that gives a day-by-day (or week-by-week) timeline of crashes, failed updates, driver problems, and other system events, plus a 1–10 stability score for each period — the score is a diagnostic indicator, not something that actually throttles or changes how your PC runs.
  • Open it (any of these):
    • Run box (Win+R) → perfmon /rel — fastest, most reliable route
    • Search → type “reliab” → View reliability history
    • Control Panel → Security and Maintenance → View reliability history (under Maintenance)
  • What it shows:
    • A timeline with a red ✕ for errors/crashes, a yellow ⚠ for warnings, and a blue ℹ for informational events (e.g., software installs)
    • Categories: Application failures, Windows failures (OS/component crashes — this is where your Explorer.EXE crash would land), Hardware failures, and Miscellaneous failures
    • Click a specific day/event → View technical details to get the exact faulting module, exception code, etc. — same data as your Event Viewer excerpt, but pre-filtered to just the failures
  • Links

Windows

 

 

 

 

 

Published in Windows Family
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Wednesday, 09 September 2026 12:17

My QEMU Notes

These are my QEMU notes

  • KVM gives access to the host hardware through the kernel.
  • QEMU emulates the hardware.

How to QEMU install on Windows

Main Software

Frontend GUI for QEMU on Windows

QEMU is by it's nature only a command line application, however you can install QtEMU (Windows) or virt-manager (Linux).

Batch File

This is an example batch script to run QEMU directly from the command line.

This will run a virtio-blk, RAW image file, Logical and Physical sectors set to 4096 and boots with UEFI (GPT, with an EFI System Partition)?

if not exist "D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_OVMF_VARS.fd" copy "C:\Program Files\qemu\share\edk2-i386-vars.fd" "D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_OVMF_VARS.fd"

"C:\Program Files\qemu\qemu-system-x86_64.exe" ^
-L "C:\Program Files\qemu\share" ^
-drive if=pflash,format=raw,readonly=on,file="C:\Program Files\qemu\share\edk2-x86_64-code.fd" ^
-drive if=pflash,format=raw,file="D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_OVMF_VARS.fd" ^
-monitor tcp:127.0.0.1:36000,server,nowait ^
-cpu qemu64 ^
-k en-gb ^
-vga std ^
-machine pc ^
-accel whpx ^
-drive file="D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_disk_2026-09-09.raw",if=none,id=drive0,format=raw ^
-device virtio-blk-pci,drive=drive0,logical_block_size=4096,physical_block_size=4096 ^
-net nic,model=virtio-net-pci ^
-net user ^
-serial tcp:127.0.0.1:1370,server,nowait ^
-rtc base=localtime,clock=rt ^
-object rng-builtin,id=rng0 ^
-device virtio-rng-pci,rng=rng0 ^
-device virtio-balloon-pci ^
-device virtio-keyboard-pci ^
-device qemu-xhci,id=aqemu_usb_hub ^
-name test ^
-display sdl,show-cursor=on,gl=on
  • Notes
    • edk2-x86_64-code.fd / edk2-i386-vars.fd are the filenames used by the official QEMU-for-Windows builds (weilnetz.de)
    • You can simply just change the -drive line if you want to swap the image type. 
      raw
-drive file="D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_disk_2026-09-09.raw",if=none,id=drive0,format=raw ^

qcow
-drive file="D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_disk_2026-09-09.qcow",if=none,id=drive0,format=qcow ^

qcow2
-drive file="D:\VM Backups\Web_Server_disk_2026-09-09.qcow2",if=none,id=drive0,format=qcow2 ^
      • The ^ is a batch file thing to say, this is not the end of the line, carry on. It allows you to split one long line for easier reading. ` (backtick) is the PowerShell version.
    • This is for a virtio-scsi disk 
      -device virtio-scsi-pci,id=scsi0 \
-drive file=disk.qcow2,if=none,id=drive0,format=qcow2 \
-device scsi-hd,drive=drive0,bus=scsi0.0,physical_block_size=4096,logical_block_size=4096
  • 512/4096/4Kn Sectors
    • QEMU exposes logical_block_size and physical_block_size as device properties on the drive/device (not on qemu-img). You set them via -device (or -global), not as a qemu-img switch. 
    • if you want to run 512 sectors, you can do one of the following:
      • Remove the physical_block_size and logical_block_size values
      • Change them to 512. physical_block_size=512 and logical_block_size=512 values
    • You can apply these globally instead of per individual device 
      -global scsi-hd.physical_block_size=4k -global scsi-hd.logical_block_size=4k
      • will set the physical and logical sector size for all virtual SCSI disks for your VM.

Hardware Devices

Information relating to QEMU hardware devices

  • BIOS
  • AHCI
    • An AHCI-attached drive in QEMU is locked to 512-byte logical sectors. This isn't an AHCI-specific limit, it's baked into the underlying IDE device model that AHCI ports use.
      • QEMU's AHCI controller (hw/ide/ahci.c) doesn't implement its own disk device — each SATA port is just an IDEBus with an ide-hd/ide-cd device attached (-device ide-hd,drive=X,bus=ahci.0).
      • That device realization code in hw/ide/ide-dev.c explicitly enforces: "logical_block_size must be 512 for IDE". See https://git.zx2c4.com/qemu/plain/hw/ide/ide-dev.c
      • physical_block_size is not restricted — only logical_block_size is pinned to 512. So you can do "512e" emulation (4Kn-style physical alignment reported to the guest, but still addressed in 512-byte logical sectors):
    • Don't use this except where compatibility is required for the Guest OS.
  • Block Storage Devices
    • An Overview of QEMU Storage Features - QEMU
      • This article introduces QEMU storage concepts including disk images, emulated storage controllers, block jobs, the qemu-img utility, and qemu-storage-daemon.
      • If you are new to QEMU or want an overview of storage functionality in QEMU then this article explains how things fit together.
    • Configuring virtio-blk and virtio-scsi Devices - QEMU
      • Now we move on to look at the two most popular emulated storage controllers for virtualization: virtio-blk and virtio-scsi.
      • This post provides recommendations for configuring virtio-blk and virtio-scsi and how to choose between the two devices.
      • The recommendations provide good performance in a wide range of use cases and are suitable as default settings in tools that use QEMU.
      • The virtio-blk and virtio-scsi offer a choice between a single block device and a full-fledged SCSI Host Bus Adapter.

Troubleshooting

QtEMU

  • QtEMU will not start a virtual machine and you get these errors: `tcp whpx` and `Accelerators supported in QEMU binary:`
     
    • Cause
      • The "Windows Hypervisor Platform" is not enabled.
    • Solution
      • Enable the Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHPX)
      • Enable the Accelerator in QtEMU 
        • QtEMU --> Machine Settings/Preferences --> Accelerator --> Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHPX)
        • NB:
          • Tiny Code Generator (TCG) - no idea what this is
          • Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager (HAXM) - Is no longer supported

Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHPX)

Might move to its own page

Enable

  • Instructions
    • Press Win + R, type OptionalFeatures.exe, and press Enter.
    • In the Windows Features dialogue that appears, you need to turn these on (including their child options)
      • Hyper-V
        • Hyper-V Management Tools
        • Hyper-V Platform
    • Click OK and wait for the process to complete.
    • Restart your PC to apply the changes.
  • Links

Using

Links

  • Official Software
  • Documentation
    • Disk Images — QEMU documentation - QEMU supports many disk image formats, including growable disk images (their size increase as non empty sectors are written), compressed and encrypted disk images.
    • QEMU block drivers reference — QEMU documentation
      • QEMU supports many image file formats that can be used with VMs as well as with any of the tools (like qemu-img). This includes the preferred formats raw and qcow2 as well as formats that are supported for compatibility with older QEMU versions or other hypervisors.
      • Depending on the image format, different options can be passed to qemu-img create and qemu-img convert using the -o option. This section describes each format and the options that are supported for it.
  • Tutorials
    • Stop using Virtualbox, Here's how to use QEMU instead - YouTube - In the first 60 seconds of this video I benchmark Virtualbox vs QEMU. Then follow my quick guide to get QEMU working on YOUR system!
    • QEMU KVM Tutorial for Beginners | Run Windows & Linux on Linux - YouTube
      • Want to run Windows 11 inside Linux, test other Linux distributions, or safely experiment with software without touching your main operating system? In this beginner-friendly tutorial, I'll show you how to install and configure QEMU and KVM on Debian 13, one of the fastest and most powerful virtualization solutions available for Linux.
      • Unlike VirtualBox or VMware, QEMU and KVM take advantage of hardware virtualization to deliver near-native performance, making them ideal for developers, home lab enthusiasts, system administrators, and anyone who needs reliable virtual machines.
      • uses virt-manager for the frontend.
    • QEMU QED
      • The missing manual for QEMU for digital preservation
      • QEMU is also a complex application with a vast range of configuration options. QEMU QED is intended to lower the barrier to first-time users by breaking down QEMU use into more digestible concepts and recipes.
  • Frontend Software (Windows)
  • Frontend Software (Linux)
    • Virtual Machine Manager
      • The virt-manager application is a desktop user interface for managing virtual machines through libvirt.
      • It primarily targets KVM VMs, but also manages Xen and LXC (linux containers).
  • Installing QEMU on Windows
    • QEMU on Windows 10 - Shells KB - Step-by-step guide to install QEMU on Windows 10. Complete tutorial with commands and configuration.
    • How to Install QEMU on Windows: A Simple Guide for Virtualization Enthusiasts
      • So, you want to install QEMU on Windows. Maybe you’ve heard about its reputation as a powerful virtualization tool, or maybe you just want to experience the thrill of running Linux, Windows, or other systems without sacrificing your main setup. Either way, QEMU (Quick Emulator) is a flexible open-source option that can emulate and run multiple operating systems on one machine.
      • Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to install QEMU on Windows, from setup to configuration, with just the right dose of tech and simplicity.
  • QEMU Command Line Generators  (Some are better than others)
Published in Virtual Machines
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Monday, 01 June 2026 09:24

My Claude Notes

My Claude AI and general AI stuff. 

TL;DR

  • Claude is stateless = Every time you respond, the whole conversation is sent and re-read so your token usage gets exponentially more on every response.
  • Use /compact to reduce your conversation size
  • /context will show your current conversation token usage.
  • Use CLAUDE.md to reduce token burn.
  • Plan Mode is very useful
  • **need to chase this** Jobs that don't need an immediate response can run at a 50% discounted token rate, useful for conversions.
  • Pro or Enterprise plan is needed to use Claude in your IDE (i.e. Claude Code)

 

General AI

These will all apply to claude, but also other AI environments.

  • My Thoughts
    • AI is not always right, even though it says it is.
      • Claude will tell you when it cannot give an answer, which is an improvement.
    • A new conversation is not always best.
      • Compact your conversation to prevent token burn however this can cause loss of important information.
      • New feature, new conversation
    • 15 to 20 messages is sweet spot.
      • AI can hallucinate after this
      • Circular thinking can also start occuring.
    • The better the prompt, the better the result.
      • Be concise even if you think what your are saying is stupid and it should know.
      • Don't be lazy
      • In `Exclusive File Locking` I had a lot of issues because Claude decided (on it's own) to use stripped Scintilla headers.
      • Don't let Claude cut corners, specify what libraries to use and be as precise as you can to prevent random thinking.
    • Claude is good at stuff everyone does because it is trained on that sort of data, but weird edge cases, it will need you to point stuff out (i.e. the Eureka moment) or it will get confused and give poor outputs.
  • Tutorials
    • How AI agents & Claude skills work (Clearly Explained) - YouTube | Greg Isenberg - I sit down with Ras Mic to break down how AI agents actually work and why most people are using them wrong. Ras Mic explains the mechanics of context windows, makes the case that agent md files are largely unnecessary, and shares his step-by-step methodology for building custom skills that make agents dramatically more productive. Whether you're coding with Claude Code or automating workflows with OpenClaw, this episode gives you the foundational knowledge to stop wasting tokens and start getting real results from your AI tools.
    • 18 Months of AI Coding Lessons in 18 Minutes (10 Tips) - YouTube | GritI Studio
      • AI coding tips that actually work. After 18 months of daily AI coding with Cursor, Claude Code, and other tools, I have distilled everything I learned into 10 tips you can learn in 15 minutes. These are battle-tested workflows I use every single day—no hype, just what actually works.
    • The models we use today are probably the worst models you will use for the rest of your life. In the past year alone, we have gone from AI that could barely autocomplete a function to agents that write entire features, create branches, and open pull requests while you drink your coffee. Hate it or embrace it—AI-assisted coding done the right way is a superpower!
    • Free AI Courses with Certificate | FreeAcademy.ai - Free AI courses with certificate. Learn ChatGPT, Claude & practical AI skills — 100% free, no coding required.
  • Swap Enter and Shift+Enter key behaviour / Disable Enter sending message
    • GitHub - deerhnt/chat-key-changer - "Chat-Key-Changer" is a Chrome extension that swaps Enter and Shift+Enter key behavior in AI chat services for improved usability.
      • Solving the Enter Key Frustration in AI Chat: "Chat-Key-Changer" Chrome Extension - DEV Community
        • Hello everyone! Have you ever experienced the frustration of accidentally sending an incomplete message while chatting with AI?
        • I regularly use ChatGPT, Claude, GitHub Copilot, and other AI services, but I often found myself accidentally hitting Enter while typing long messages, thinking I was adding a new line but ending up sending an incomplete message instead.
        • So I built a Chrome extension to solve this small but persistent annoyance - let me introduce it to you!
    • Chatgpt No Enter Chrome Extension - Amperly - Stop sending AI chat messages by accident. This Chrome extension prevents accidental sends in ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Grok, and Microsoft Copilot.
  • AI Comparisons
  • 3rd Party Libraries / Software
    • GitHub - pytorch/pytorch
      • Tensors and Dynamic neural networks in Python with strong GPU acceleration
      • Has extensive Claude integration
      • This is an AI neural net thing.
  • AI Watermarks
  • Remove custom formatting from AI responses / Copy and Paste Cleaners

Official Claude Sites

Claude Plans

  • Claude Free Plan Limits 2026: What You Get, What You Don't, and When to Upgrade | FreeAcademy.ai
    • Everything about Claude free plan limits in 2026 — message caps, model access, which features are free vs paid, and exactly when upgrading to Pro or Max is worth it.
    • Limits are dynamic: during peak hours or heavy server load, you may hit caps sooner
  • Claude Pro vs Max vs Free (2026): Usage Limits Compared | FreeAcademy.ai
    • Claude Free vs Pro vs Max compared for 2026: usage limits, pricing, the real difference between Pro and Max, and which plan is actually worth it.
    • Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal-based AI coding agent. It reads your entire codebase, writes and edits files, runs commands, and handles multi-step development tasks autonomously. It requires a Pro subscription or higher.
  • Claude pricing and plan limits explained: Full guide to free, Pro, Team, and Max tiers | datastudios.org
    • Anthropic’s Claude platform offers a structured set of subscription plans designed for individuals, professionals, and teams.
    • Each tier differs in terms of model access, context window sizes, usage quotas, and pricing options, making it important to choose the right plan based on workload and expected performance.
    • Claude’s free plan offers Sonnet 4 with shorter session windows.The free plan provides access to Claude Sonnet 4, optimized for balanced performance and speed. Users can open multimodal

Claude Products/Software

Claude Desktop

Claude Cowork

  • Claude Cowork: Claude Code power for knowledge work | Claude by Anthropic
    • Give Claude access to your local files and let it complete tasks autonomously.
    • Claude Cowork brings Claude Code's agentic capabilities to the desktop app for non-technical work.
    • Unlike Chat, Cowork lets Claude complete work on its own. Describe the outcome and cadence, and it takes action and keeps you informed. Come back to the result.
  • Claude Cowork | Anthropic’s agentic AI for knowledge work Anthropic
    • Claude Cowork is a system built by Anthropic that executes multi-step knowledge work on a user's behalf, including research synthesis, document preparation, and file management.
    • It is not a chat assistant.
    • Claude Cowork handles tasks autonomously. Give it a goal and Claude works on your computer, local files, and applications to return a finished deliverable. If it’s repetitive, messy, or just taking too long, assign it to Claude.
  • Claude Cowork, a research preview | Claude by Anthropic
    • Claude Code's power without the terminal.
    • Cowork brings Claude Code’s execution power to Claude Desktop for knowledge work, instead of just code. Delegate complex tasks that pull from multiple sources, need sustained effort, and produce real deliverables. The terminal happened to be where Claude Code lived. Now, that power runs directly on your desktop through a familiar interface.

Claude Code

  • Is an agentic coding tool that handles entire development workflows through natural language.
  • This is the agent app that integrates with software like VSCode.
  • Auto mode is now Claude Code's default permission mode.
    • The new default mode, automatically allows all read permissions but no writes.
    • claudeCode.initialPermissionMode
      • This controls the Claude Code: Initial permission
      • Initial permission mode for new conversations.
        • Unset defers to the Claude Code CLI's resolved default for the session.
        • 'manual' is an alias for 'default', the mode labelled Manual in the UI; set either to always start in Manual.
      • For me this setting is empty.
    • Choose a permission mode (VSCode) - Claude Code Docs - Control whether Claude asks before acting. Switch permission modes with Shift+Tab in the CLI, the mode indicator in VS Code, or the mode selector in Desktop.

Other

  • Claude MCP Clients - Explore various client applications implementing the Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Using Claude

Things I should do

  • Disable enter sending message
  • Goto Privacy Settings --> Toggle "Help improve Claude" to OFF
  • When developing, after each successful feature is added, make sure you do a commit as Claude has a habit of breaking stuff.
  • Don't let conversations get too long otherwise you might be burning tokens for reading the history when you don't need to.
  • On windows, tell Claude to use PowerShell and not BASH because windows does not have this shell.
    • **where should i put this? A local system config?
  • Disable Enter sending message

Tutorials

  • Full Claude Code Tutorials
    • Claude Code - Full Tutorial for Beginners - YouTube | Tech With Tim
      • This video will teach you Claude Code. I'll go over everything and assume no prior knowledge. I'll walk you through the setup and installation. I'll show you how to utilize the tool, the best practices, multiple features, and by the end of the video, you'll be comfortable using this tool to generate some pretty insane outputs and awesome coding projects.
    • Full Claude Code Tutorial for Non-Technical Beginners in 2026 (step-by-step) - YouTube | Futurepedia
      • Uses the Desktop App.
      • This video is a comprehensive, non-technical guide to Claude Code, showing you how to build an app step-by-step without any coding.
      • We cover six different projects, including a website, a game, an automation connecting external tools, and a mobile app with AI Vision.
      • This is all done through the Claude Code desktop app with no coding and at a beginner level starting from zero knowledge.
      • Utilize the power of AI agents and AI automation even if it's your first time using it. Discover the possibilities with Claude AI and a no code app builder to bring your ideas to life, and learn how to build an app with ease.
    • CLAUDE CODE FULL COURSE 4 HOURS: Build & Sell (2026) - YouTube | Nick Saraev
      • The end-to-end, definitive course on Claude Code for beginners! I'll take you through a full four-hour masterclass where I start by teaching you how to set up and install Claude Code in a tutorial, how to configure your IDE or integrated development environment (we'll use Antigravity), how to utilize your CLAUDE.md file as your project brain, how to build your first project in Antigravity using Claude Code in under 15 minutes, advanced Claude Code functionality including hooks, slash commands, and more.
      • I also teach you how to spin up multiple Claude Code instances and have them work on your behalf; how to parallelize work using sub-agents; how to use Git work trees to accomplish many hours of work in just a few minutes; how to conserve tokens and use context management to crush your coding and software projects; how to deploy things to the cloud using Modal and related services, and in general... how to be awesome at Claude Code! Hope you enjoy the tutorial.
    • Master 95% of Claude Code in 36 Mins (as a beginner) - YouTube | Nate Herk
      • In this video, I break down everything you need to know to use Claude Code effectively for building automations.
      • I cover the interface and what actually matters, the WAT framework we use to build every automation, how to communicate clearly with Claude Code and get it to ask the right questions during planning, the superpowers like MCP servers and Claude skills, and how to test, optimize, and deploy your workflows so they run automatically.
      • No fluff, I build a real workflow live so you can see exactly how it all comes together. By the end of this video, you'll understand Claude Code better than most people using it and have a clear framework for building your own workflows.
    • Claude Code: Rules, Memory, and Skills - YouTube | ExamPro
    • This video covers how to use claude.md, rules, memory, and skills to create better project context, more consistent behaviour, and stronger day-to-day workflows.
  • VSCode

Cheat Sheets

Commands

Operational Settings

Project / Persistent Memory

Files

  • Skills / SKILLS.md
    • What is SKILLS.md
    • What are Skills? Python scripts that AI knows how to run?
  • MEMORY.md
    • MEMORY.md acts as an index of the memory directory.
  • CLAUDE.md vs AGENTS.md
    • is calude.md and agents.md the same - Bing Search
      • Yes, CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md are related but serve different purposes.
        • CLAUDE.md is the project context file for Claude Code, used by Claude Code to understand the project context and its rules.
        • AGENTS.md is a universal standard for AI coding agents, used by various tools like OpenAI Codex to provide context and instructions for AI agents.
        • Both files are plain markdown files located at the repository root, but they are read by different AI agents and follow different discovery rules.
        • In summary, while they are related, they are not the same and are used by different AI tools for different purposes.
      • Yes, CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md are related but serve different purposes.
        • AGENTS.md is a cross-tool standard maintained by the Agentic AI Foundation, used by various AI coding tools to provide instructions and context to the AI agent.
        • CLAUDE.md is the native context file for Claude Code, which is used by Claude Code itself to define its behaviour and instructions within a specific project.
        • In summary, while both files are related to AI coding, AGENTS.md is a universal standard for AI tools, whereas CLAUDE.md is specific to Claude Code.
  • Writing CLAUDE.md
    • Updating CLAUDE.md
      • Self-improving CLAUDE.md files - Martin Alderson
        • A simple trick to keep your CLAUDE.md and AGENTS.md files updated using the agent's own chat logs - turning a tedious chore into a 30 second job.
      • Q: Are there any commands to update the CLAUDE.md , I already have one but need to know if Claude can check if the content is still relevant and update it if needed?
        • A: Claude does not have a built-in command to update a CLAUDE.md file, but can help you review and update it!
      • Commands / Instructions (pick one)
        • Read and review it 
          claude "Review my CLAUDE.md file and check if the content is still relevant and up to date"
        • From within an interactive session (claude to start), then: 
          /read CLAUDE.md

then follow up with:

Is this content still relevant? Suggest any updates.
        • To have Claude update it directly: 
          claude "Read CLAUDE.md, check for outdated content, and update it in place with any improvements"
        • Read, Review Changes, Apply changes 
          Please read CLAUDE.md and tell me if anything is outdated or missing

Review it's suggestions,

then ask Claude to apply the changes
  • Excluding sensitive files
    • To prevent Claude Code from accessing files containing sensitive information like API keys, secrets, and environment files, use the permissions.deny setting in your .claude/settings.json file: 
      {
  "permissions": {
    "deny": [
      "Read(./.env)",
      "Read(./.env.*)",
      "Read(./secrets/**)",
      "Read(./config/credentials.json)",
      "Read(./build)"
    ]
  }
}

Models

Model Description
Haiku 4.5
  • Quick fixes, boilerplate, formatting, simple generation
Sonnet 5
  • Small edits and quick lookups
  • Default for 80% of coding tasks
Opus 5.5
  • Features, debugging and code review
  • Architecture decisions, complex refactors, deep code review
Fable
  • The longest, hardest runs

Tokens and Limits

Misc

  • General
    • I Took All 7 Anthropic Courses in One Weekend (Honest Review) - YouTube | Jas Wong
      • I spent one weekend taking all 7 of Anthropic Academy's core practitioner courses so you don't have to. In this video, I give you my honest review of each course + the exact order to take them based on who you are: brand new to Claude, a developer building with the API, or a security practitioner evaluating AI risk
    • I Tested Every Claude Code Feature, These 12 Are the Best - YouTube | Nate Herk
      • I've spent over 500 hours inside Claude's ecosystem, so I ranked every feature from D tier all the way up to S tier based on how much each one actually changes my day-to-day knowledge work and automation.
      • Then I walk through my top 12 in order and explain exactly why each one earned its spot. Keep in mind I'm doing a lot of automation and knowledge work, not heavy software engineering, so you'll probably disagree with some of my placements. That's the point, you value these features differently based on how you use Claude Code.
    • How Anthropic Engineers ACTUALLY Prompt Claude Code - YouTube | Austin Marchese
      • In this video, I break down 4 rules I uncovered from studying how Anthropic's own engineers ACTUALLY prompt Claude Code. Almost everyone is doing it wrong, and once you see these rules, you can't unsee them. No technical experience required, and they apply to any project you're working on.
    • Pairing Claude Code with Local Models - KDnuggets
    • Local models in 2026 are good enough. For the tasks Claude Code handles daily: code completion, refactoring, debugging, codebase explanation; a well-chosen quantized model running locally covers the vast majority of real use cases at zero per-token cost and with no rate limits.
  •  See old Chats
  • Generate Images
  • Generate links to articles
    • Shared links 
      ## Open the shared chat in your browser
https://claude.ai/share/xxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

## Open the shared chat in your Claude Desktop App (untested)
claude://claude.ai/share/xxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
      • These are public or can be private betweens teams (if you have an Enterprise subscription)
      • Sharing creates a snapshot of the conversation that people can open via a direct link.
      • Generate:
        • At the top of the chat page, there is a Share button, click it and share as appropriate.
      • Delete:
        • Desktop App: Settings --> Privacy --> Shared chats --> Manage
    • Private Links 
      ## Open the chat in your browser
https://claude.ai/chat/xxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

## Open the chat in your Claude Desktop App
claude://claude.ai/chat/xxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
      • Chats are private by default
        • Generate:

          • At the top, to the right of the chat's title there is a drop down menu.
          • Select Copy Link

Troubleshooting

  • When I send a prompt I get no response
    • Q:
      • When I send a prompt I get no response, it returns empty immediately with my prompt still in the box?
      • It just started 3 minutes ago. It happens on both claude.ai windows browser chat and Android Claude app.
      • Using the desktop app or a different browser made no differences.
      • Not taking prompts.
    • A:
  • Pressing an arrow key cycles through the message history and wipes my current context window, how do i disable this?
  • If a response gets cut off because it hit a length limit before finishing, here's what actually works:
    • Just say "continue" (or "keep going") — Claude will pick up where it left off in the same conversation.
      • Alternatively "continue where you left off" works pretty well.
    • If it restarts from scratch instead of continuing cleanly, be explicit: "Continue from where you stopped, don't repeat what you already gave me."
    • For code or long documents specifically, ask it to continue from a specific marker, e.g. "continue from the save_config function onward" — that avoids ambiguity about where the cutoff was.
    • If the answer got cut off partway through something structured (a table, a numbered list, a file), it's often cleaner to ask for just the remaining section rather than "continue," since that guarantees no duplication.
    • If it's a genuinely huge task (e.g. a very long document or large piece of code), it can help to ask upfront for it in chunks rather than all at once — that avoids hitting the limit mid-flow in the first place.

Claude Plugins

  • Development
  • .claudeignore
    • .claudeignore is not a native Claude Code feature.
    • There is a third-party npm package called claude-ignore
    • GitHub - li-zhixin/claude-ignore A Claude Code PreToolUse hook that prevents Claude from reading files that match patterns in .claudeignore files, similar to how .gitignore works. - li-zhixin/claude-ignore
  • claude-mem
    • GitHub - thedotmack/claude-mem
      • Persistent Context Across Sessions for Every Agent – Captures everything your agent does during sessions, compresses it with AI, and injects relevant context back into future sessions. Works with Claude Code, OpenClaw, Codex, Gemini, Hermes, Copilot, OpenCode + More
    • claude-mem + cmem — AI agent memory, everywhere
      • AI agent memory, everywhere. claude-mem is open-source memory for Claude Code; cmem links it to any MCP client — Cursor, Codex, more — via one private link.
      • claude-mem takes notes while your agent works — then syncs them to the cloud behind one private MCP link. Pick up exactly where you left off. Every session, every machine.
    • Adding Persistent Memory to Claude Code with claude-mem — Plus a DIY Lightweight Alternative - DEV Community
      • The Problem: Claude Code Forgets Everything. Every time you start a new Claude Code session, the slate is wiped clean. Your coding style preferences, project architecture decisions, yesterday's debugging session — all gone.
      • claude-mem: A plugin that gives Claude Code a long-term memory. It automatically captures what you do during sessions and injects relevant context into future conversations.

Claude Legal

Terms and privacy stuff

  • TL;DR
    • Free, Pro and Max are classed as consumer accounts.
    • Enterprise accounts do not retain  inputs and outputs for the use of Anthropic.
    • All inputs and outputs are retained by default for Free accounts for the use of Anthropic, this cannot be turned off. (need to check for Europe)
    • All inputs and outputs are retained by default for Pro and Max accounts for the use of Anthropic, but this can be turned off.
      • Privacy Settings --> Toggle "Help improve Claude": OFF
      • This ensures your future conversations are not used to train Anthropic’s models, though it does not automatically remove data that was already processed.
      • Data can be retained for 5 years if you do not opt-out.
      • NB: when I created a Pro subscription, I was already opted out for helping Claude. I am in the UK, so this might also be a European thing.
    • Pro and Free allow Non-commercial use only.
      • You agree not to use our Services for any commercial or business purposes and we (and our Providers) have no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity.
    • You cannot use claude to make products or algorithms that will complete against claude.
      • You may not access or use, or help another person to access or use, our Services in the following ways: :To develop any products or services that compete with our Services, including to develop or train any artificial intelligence or machine learning algorithms or models or resell the Services.
    • If you cancel during a period, your service will run to the end of the period. You do have to give 24+ hours before the renewal day, so do it 48 hours before your renewal date to ensure no re-billing.
  • Official
  • 3rd-Party

Other AI (ChatGPT, CoPilot, etc..)

ChatGpt

  • Legal
  • Troubleshooting
    • I cannot click on additional links in the modal
      • The Issue
        • When you give links in your answers and there is more than one, they are presented in a modal with arrows to move to the next one.
        • My issue is when i click the next arrow the new box is drawn away from my cursor so when i move my mouse to click on it the box disappears, how can I fix this so i can access the other links?
      • Cause
        • This is a UI bug.
        • When a the next link name is too short to encompass the cursor, the cursor becomes immediately of bounds, so if you move the cursor to click on the link in the modal, it is closed becaseu the javascript recognises the cursor is out of bounds and performs a close event.
      • Workaround
        These avoid moving the mouse away from the original hover target, so the modal doesn't disappear.
        • Option 1
          1. Click the link button to open the link-preview modal.
          2. Press Tab once.
          3. Press Space to activate the focused arrow.
          4. Keep pressing Space to cycle through the links.
        • Option 2
          1. Click on the webpage in any normal area
          2. Hover the mouse over the link button, do not click, the link-preview modal will now appeare
          3. You can now use the arrows keys to cycle the links
          4. Move the cursor down to click on the link

 

Published in Programming
Read more...
Monday, 11 May 2026 07:24

My Batocera Notes

I have made a PC that will go under me television for playing retro games and I choose Batocera for the OS

Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer or nano computer like Raspberry Pis and Odroids into a gaming console, for one game or permanently.

Batocera.linux does not require any modification on your computer. Note that you must own the games you play in order to comply with the law.

  • If you are a Windows user
    • Immediately after installing Batocera you should format your User Share to ExFat. This allows you to plug your Batocera drive into Windows and access it like a normal drive.
    • See "Format the `userdata` Partition to ExtFat (allow Windows direct access)" for instructions
  • Consider changing your root password from the default (user: root, pass: linux)
    • If you do, write it down immediately and store safely.

 

  • Official Sites
  • What is Batocera?
    • Batocera
      • is an OS built from scratch, it is not based on another distro.
      • Batocera.linux is based on Buildroot.
      • It is a specialized, lightweight Linux distribution built from scratch to act as a firmware-like system, with a heavy reliance on RecalboxOS for its underlying structure and customization
      • It uses a customized version of EmulationStation as its graphical front-end.
      • It has a system partition and Share partition to keep system and user files separate.
    • What is Batocera? - YouTube | Batocera Nation - This video gives you a brief description of what Batocera is all about. Thinking about installing Batocera? This video is for you.
  • Which Emulator is best?
    • Bazzite
      • You are really into gaming
      • Ideal for a dedicated Linux gaming
      • This uses Retroarch
    • Retroarch
      • You have one PC and it is Linux.
      • Your are not using Bazzite.
    • Retrobat
      • Retro gaming on windows
      • You have one PC and it is Windows.
      • Better Steam support
    • Batocera
      • full retro box
      • Games Cabinet
      • Old PC hardware
    • Batpocera VS Retrobat

Installing and Upgrading Batocera

 

TL;DR

  • Flash Batocera to your drive (Etcher/ Pi Imager / USB Imager)
  • Run Batocera
  • Format the `userdata/share` partition to ExFAT
  • Go through all of the settings of the GUI and set as needed
  • Add your ROMs

 

  • install_batocera [Batocera.linux - Wiki] - Official Installation Guide
    • I used Raspberry Pi imager - as per the instructions but you can use Etcher and USB Imager.
  • secureboot [Batocera.linux - Wiki]
    • Secure Boot For Batocera v39 and higher on x86_64 systems, streamlined support for Secure Boot is present.
    • This makes it easier to boot Batocera on PCs which have poor secure boot key management in the native UEFI BIOS.
    • The process detailed below will install Batocera's security certificate into the machine's “Machine Owner Keys” (MOK) into the PC's UEFI variable store.
    • This will allow the machine to execute Batocera's bootloader, which has been digitally signed with Batocera's certificate, even when Secure Boot is enabled in the BIOS.
  • Before You Upgrade Batocera - What You Need to Know! - YouTube | Batocera TV
    • In this video, we go through everything you should know before upgrading your system.
    • How the upgrade process really works, what might change in version 42, and what to do if something doesn’t work after the update.

Using Batocera

  • General
  • Keys
    • File Manager: F1
    • Menu: Spacebar
    • Hotkey: On the xbox one controller, it is the Xbox logo button.
    • Exit Emulator: Hotkey + Start/Menu
  • Game Achievements

BIOS and ROMs

  • General
    • Retrogaming BIOS Guide – What You Really Need (And What You Don’t) | Batocera TV
      • TL;DR: Only add BIOS files as you need them as you probably do not need as many as you think and this strategy prevents your system getting laden with unwanted files.
      • In this video, we're breaking down the truth about bios files in retro emulation — and why grabbing a full pack is almost never the right move.
      • Most emulators do not need a BIOS.
      • If you have issues with playback, an external BIOS might fix this.
      • Do not use a massive BIOS pack as you will never need most of them.
      • A lot of open BIOS are already included in Batocera.
      • Some emulators do need a real official BIOS
      • You can scan you Batocera system to see what BIOS files you need. 
        SETTINGS --> GAME SETTINGS --> MISSING BIOS CHECK
      • You don't always need dozens of BIOSes from different regions.
      • Playstation - Only 1 region free BIOS is needed for all regions (US/JAP/EU).
      • Build you setup, 1 BIOS file at a time.
  • Adding ROMs
    • Download single games as you want, you don't need massive ROM packs with games you are never going to play on your drive.
    • Extract the ROMs from their zip files (except for ROMsets, e.g. MAME)
    • Puts ROMs directly into the folder with no sub folders (Flat Directory Structure)
  • Do You Need to Unzip ROMs?
    • Emulators will play zipped files but they have to be decompressed on every use.
    • Zipping a ROM saves very little space.
    • Having them decompressed means you can apply ROM hacks and stuff to them.
    • Do not uncompress ROMsets (except for ROMsets, e.g. MAME)
    • Do you need to unzip ROMs? | CyberPost - A Retro Gaming Deep Dive
  • Folder Structure
    • Reddit - Please wait for verification - No meta description
      • You can't do this. Generally everything needs to be in a flat directory structure per rom type.
      • Separate folders are usually only for additional artwork, audio, etc.
      • Any actual sub folder support is subject to the emulator being used.
      • user interface settings --> show folders: never --> always
  • ROMsets
    • ROMsets - arcade [Batocera.linux - Wiki]
      • A ROMset is a set of all the different game ROMs emulated by a particular MAME version.
      • Essentially, the “game's files”. These are different from the typical ROMs used in convential home consoles, as instead of one ROM existing for a game, a ROMset is particular to the version of the arcade emulator being used.
    • Some people call massive collections of games, e.g. a Megadrive collection a ROMset, but this is a different thing.
  • Downloading
  • ROM Hacking
    • SMW Central - We are the primary resource for Super Mario World ROM hacking and the home of the SMW hacking community. 
    • The PokéCommunity Forums - This is a Pokémon forum for Pokémon fans all over the world. Discussions include games, trading card game, strategies, TV series, movies, role play, fan fiction, and trivia
    • Romhacking.net - Classic video game modification community. Home to ROM hack mods, fan translations, documents, utilities, homebrew, and other learning resources..
  • Opensource BIOSes
    • EmuTOS
      • EmuTOS is a Free operating system for computers based on Motorola 680x0 or ColdFire microprocessors.
      • It features functionality similar to TOS, which powered the Atari ST and its successors between 1985 and 1994.
      • GitHub - emutos/emutos
      • EmuTOS User Manual - The User Manual for EmuTOS.
    • AROS Research Operating System
      • The AROS Research Operating System is a lightweight, efficient, and flexible desktop operating system, designed to help you make the most of your computer.
      • It's an independent, portable and free project, aiming at being compatible with AmigaOS at the API level (like Wine, unlike UAE), while improving on it in many areas.
      • An alternative to the KickStart BIOS.
    • Openbios - PCSX-Redux - An open-source alternative to a retail PSX bios (Playstation).
  • How To use TOSEC

Addons

Hardware

  • Hardware Reviews
  • WiFi and Bluetooth
    • Try the hardware you have, you might find it just works.
    • Not all BT and WiFi is supported.
    • Wifi and BT combos seem to have issues in Linux.
    • The driverless dongles (aliexpress, eBay etc...) are not driverless, they present a USB drive with the drivers on it.
    • hardware:compatible_dongle_list [Batocera.linux - Wiki] - This list is out of date and a lot more devices out of the box are supported.
    • USB-WiFi/home/Recommended_Bluetooth_Adapters_for_Linux.md at main · morrownr/USB-WiFi · GitHub
      • I have started this list because of my strong recommendation to Linux users to avoid USB WiFi adapters that include bluetooth support.
      • I have seen too many problems with combo adapters over the years.
      • There are technical reasons for the problems that users see with combo adapters and problems happen on both Linux and Windows.
      • I will explain this in detail on this page as I have time.

Storage

  • How to Fix Boot Partition Space Issues in Batocera - Step-by-Step Tutorial - YouTube | Batocera TV
    • Batocera just keeps growing with every release -€” more features, more systems, more updates!
    • But with all these improvements, you might run into a problem: your BOOT partition may no longer have enough space to handle automatic upgrades.
    • In this video, I’ll guide you step-by-step through the process of extending the BOOT partition so you can keep updating Batocera without any issues.
    • We’ll use Ventoy to create a bootable USB stick and GParted to safely resize the partitions — a method that’s simple enough for anyone to follow.
  • store_games_on_a_nas [Batocera.linux - Wiki]
    • Store games on a NAS Instead of using the internal storage or an external USB key/hard drive to store your userdata (games, saves, configuration, etc.), you can use a NAS (Network Attached Storage) instead.
  • Format the `userdata` Partition to ExtFat (allow Windows direct access)
    • This allows you to plug your Batocera drive into Windows and access it like a normal drive.
    • This should only be dome immediately after installing Batocera becasue it wipes all the files on the drive.
    • After the format, Batocera will restore the required folder structure.
    • Problem getting into userdata\share folder through windows | Reddit
    • Instructions
      1. Install Batocera to your USB drive
      2. Run Batocera
      3. Set this option for future disks 
        SETTINGS --> EXTRA DRIVE FILESYSTEM TYPES: EXFAT
      4. Goto 
        SETTINGS --> FRONTEND DEVELOPER OPTIONS --> FORMAT DISK
      5. Format with these settings 
        DEVICE TO FORMAT: INTERNAL
FILE SYSTEM:      EXFAT
      6. Reboot Batocera
      7. Press F1 and navigate to the userdata partition and verify there is a filesystem there.
      8. Shutdown Batocera
      9. Now using DiskGenius (Free) remove the "Hidden" attribute from userdata partition.
      10. Done.
        • You can now boot Batocera on your choosen hardware and at any time, you can now unplug the drive and use Windows to put ROM, BIOS and media files directly onto the userdata partition.
  • batatocera remove a drive from the ignored list (I cannot verify this)
    1. Press [F1] on the main menu to open the File 
    2. Manager.Navigate to /userdata/system/.
    3. Open the batocera.conf file with a text editor.
    4. Look for lines that mention ignored devices, often in the format ignore.uuid=[UUID] or ignore.label=[LABEL].
    5. Remove or comment out (add a # to the beginning) the line that corresponds to the drive you want to bring back.
    6. Save the file and reboot Batocera

Networking

  • Enable Network Sharing on Batocera
  • Web Control Panel
    • Enable networking as shown above and connect to: 
      http://batocera:1234

or

http://<your-batocera-ip>:1234
    • NOTIFICATION SERVICE UNREACHABLE
      • es-webserver [Batocera.linux - Wiki]
        • EmulationStation Web Server Emulation has an embedded web server, mainly used internally by other services like the Content Downloader to update/refresh the games lists.
        • This UI is designed to get notifications, and to enable them, you need to go to SYSTEM SETTINGS → SERVICES → ES_WEB_NOTIFIER. Currently, it displays which game is currently running in the web UI.

Troubleshooting

General

  • troubleshooting [Batocera.linux - Wiki] - Troubleshooting for various aspects of Batocera.
  • Download game not showing in my list
    • you need to run 
      SETTINGS --> GAME SETTINGS --> UPDATE GAMELISTS
  • Internet Status shows "not connected" even when connected
  • Network Connection
    • network_issues [Batocera.linux - Wiki] - Network issues This is for general networking issues. If you're specifically after assistance with Wi-Fi connections (such as missing drivers), check out its dedicated page instead.
  • Troubleshooting No display on TV after using fine on a monitor (1280x1024)
    • Causes
      • Connecting to the TV through a cheap HDMI source changer.
      • Swapping between the monitor and the TV.
    • Why
      • The issue is that the EDID of the monitor is stored in the graphics card and that resolution is incompatible with the new screen.
      • The graphics card  does not want to change it's resolution or refresh rate to correct itself.
      • It could also be the TV that is stuck on a particular refresh rate and will not automatically change. eg 50Hz/60Hz.
      • It is probably cause by a the HDMI change not sending the negotiation information (EDID) in time or at all.
    • Solution to restore screen
      • Make sure you are connected directly to your TVs HDMI port.
      • Do full power down on Batocera and your TV
      • Power on and see if Batocera now works. Eventually this will reset your graphics card and TV.
      • When Batocera is now working on your TV, you can go back to using your HDMI swapper which is now passing the EDID/resolution/Refresh rate correctly.
    • Workarounds
      1. Force Batocera to use a known good resolution and refresh rate e.g. 1920x1080@60Hz
        • This might allow batocera to load and work but the BIOS and loads screens might look funny.
        • Once booted you can then revoot and the BIOS screen loks normal.
      2. Connect directly to a your TV's HDMI port.
      3. Try a different TV/Monitor.
      4. Turn HDMI splitter on before turning batocera on.

Batocera not Booting

You have imaged your USB drive successfully but Batocera will not boot.

Batocera supports these boot types:

  • UEFI + Secure Boot (preferred)
  • UEFI + No Secure Boot
  • MBR/CSM/Legacy (Easiest)

Notes before we start

  • The MBR type of booting is very resilient and practically if your system supports it, Batocera will just boot if it is enabled.
  • On modern UEFI systems you have to enable CSM to allow MBR booting. On the very newest of systems there is only UEFI boot type available.
  • Sometimes your have to disable secure boot to be able to boot Batocera, however there is now an installable key to get around this.
  • Fastboot, in the BIOS, has been known to cause booting issues, so I would recommend disabling this anyway.

Look at the official docs

My Setup that is not working

  • ASUS Vivobook S16 (S3607CA)
    • This does not have CSM so I cannot legacy boot, I must rely on UEFI.
    • I cannot disable the TPM.
  • USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter
  • 870 EVO (2TB) SSD

The Issue

No matter what setting I change (Fastboot, Disable Secure Boot, different USB adapters) my laptop can see my external Batocera drive (Samsung Evo), but does not see any bootable OS on it so I cannot select Batocera and boot it.

What I did

  • I tried adding some UEFI entries but they were never shown or available to use.
  • I updated to the latest BIOS (Using Windows) and now it can see USB 3 bootable items from my Batocera drive.

    Batocera (sobetterExt 204)
Batocera (sobetterExt 204)
Batocera (sobetterExt 204)
  • I disabled Fastboot
    • Not sure this was needed, but it is a good thing and saves power anyway.
    • I turned it back on to test and I could still see the USB boot items
  • I then booted and added the security key from the disk (as per secureboot [Batocera.linux - Wiki])
    • The Vivobook did give me some warnings during this process, but nothing unexpected.
    • I still have Secure Boot on.
    • I cannot disable my TPM.
    • Enrolling a new key from will cause any required Bitlocker key to be reprovided. This might be an internal drive on your laptop which has your Windows installation on it.
  • I went back into the bios to set the boot order
    • to boot USB first by disabling the `Windows Boot Manager`option.
  • I am now getting getting a `Secure Boot Violation` error message.

    Secure Boot Violation
Invalid signature detected. Check Secure Boot Policy in Setup
    • This is because there are 3 bootable options on the Batocera disks and the wrong boot file is being used causing the error to be generated.
    • The installed certificate/key does not match this particular boot binary.
    • Secure Boot Violation Fix | Booting Batocera HDD or SSD | Retro Gaming Guy
      • In this video I show you how to fix a secure boot violation when loading a new SSD or HDD into your PC. In this instance I've just installed a fresh 2TB Batocera HDD into my HP PC for retro gaming emulation.
      • He disabled Secure Boot which does not fix this specific issue directly and should be classed as a workaround.
  • I deleted the unwanted manually added boot entries in the BIOS.
  • Batocera now boots as expected.

The Solution (TL;DR)

  • Update the BIOS.
  • Leave Secure Boot on.
  • Disable Fastboot (optional)

Workarounds

If the non of the fixes above work you can

  • Manually add a UEFI Boot entry in your BIOS 
    For Batocera v39 and higher: /EFI/batocera/bootx86.efi
For Batocera v38 and lower: /EFI/BOOT/bootx86.efi
    • install_batocera [Batocera.linux - Wiki]
      • Most motherboards should automatically add detected EFIs to the list of permitted bootable drives, but certain motherboards require this to be a manual action.
      • Add the file at EFI/boot/bootx64.efi from the Batocera boot drive. This can be avoided entirely by switching secure boot off.
    • Use Linux efibootmgr Command to Manage UEFI Boot Menu - LinuxBabe
      • The Linux efibootmgr command line utility is a very handy tool to manage UEFI boot menu.
      • This tutorial shows you how to use efibootmgr with 5 examples.
  • Use a Windows disk or WinPE Recovery
    • Boot of a Windows disk
    • Select `continue to Windows`
    • You might no have a Batocera option you can pick
  • Alternative Boot Manager
  • Legacy Boot Fix
    • shoulders: I do not know if this is a thing.
    • GitHub - Nomuarch/batocera-legacy-boot-fix
      • Fix Batocera boot issues (Error 1962) on older business PCs. Includes manual guide and automated MBR/Legacy conversion script.
      • You're trying to install Batocera on an older business PC (like Lenovo H50-50, ThinkCentre, HP EliteDesk, Dell OptiPlex from 2014-2016 era) and getting one of these errors.

Links

 

Published in Emulators
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Monday, 04 May 2026 13:25

Commodore Printable Media Preservation

This article will include the capturing of non-digital media from Cassettes, Cassette Inlays, Disks, Disk Sleeves, Manuals, Newsletters, Packaging and anything else that is printed.

Scanning Software

  • NAPS2 - Scan documents to PDF and more - NAPS2 is free scanner software made easy. Scan to PDF, edit your documents, and use advanced features like OCR. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  • SANE - Scanner Access Now Easy - SANE is an application programming interface (API) that provides standardized access to any raster image scanner hardware (flatbed scanner, hand-held scanner, video- and still-cameras, frame-grabbers, etc.).
  • IrfanView - One of the most popular viewers worldwide. This software also handles batch scanning.
  • ScanTailor Advanced | Book Scanning Post-Processing Hub - The official community portal for ScanTailor Advanced. Explore professional book digitization tools, advanced image processing algorithms, and comprehensive guides for modern archiving.

Plus4world

Preferred method for Inlay, Tape and Disk Scans

  • Forum (#44544) - Plus/4 World - Their recommendations for capture
    • About the covers: if readable, a 950px max wider JPG would be enough, if you want or need (for readability needs) a bigger one, we use to put up the 950px wide one with a [Larger picture] link for a bigger version.
    • About disks and cassettes: 950px wide JPGs would be large enough.
    • Manuals: if simply leaflets, or limited to few pages, page(s)'s scans would work; if they're quite big, sort of *real* manuals, we use to include'em as publications, and yes PDF is the preferred format in that specific case, although sometimes in the past times we also used to simply add a link to the PDF manual straight in the archived software's page.
    • I also prefer that the inlay scans should be a single front and back so they can be printed out, unlike some of the scans where the inlays have been cut up into to several bits.
    • Examples: All newer inlay scans are kept as one, e.g. check Hidra for a recently added one. A lot of the older ones have been replaced already, e.g. check Tycoon Tex (which used to be "cut" as well). If you see anything like Bandits At Zero - those can be replaced with higher quality scans as well. Not a high priority, but should be done if possible.
    • Q: Is it best to use a flatbed scanner or a camera to get the tape images?
      • best approach:
        • Flatbed scanner for paper
        • Camera for cassettes.
    • Q: Can scanning 5 1/4 inch disks in a flatbed scanner harm them? i.e. ionise the magnetic material etc..
      • I'm not sure if it would be affected, I don't remember this question ever coming up. My suggestion would be: either try this with a dummy disk first (that you wouldn't mind getting destroyed), or scan only the disk sleeve, or just take a photo as if it were a cassette.
      • Don't worry, it will not affect the disk when you put it in a photocopy machine or scanner. It is the same as if you'd use a torchlight on it...
      • Digitally imaging and verifying them first, negates this issue.
      • Will Scanning Floppy Disks Corrupt The Magnetic Disc? - This tutorial sets out to test whether the process of scanning the surface of 3.5 inch floppy disks will damage the disk's magnetic storage medium?
      • Can you scan a floppy disk safely? - Commodore 64 - Lemon64 - Commodore 64 - Probably a very silly question, but can you safely scan 5'' 1/4 disks without damaging the contents? As in putting them in a scanner. Thanks.
  • Further Notes
    • All scanned tapes, they should all be rewound before taking a picture.
    • When scanning floppy disks, if they are in the sleeve make sure all of the label is shown.
  • Good Tape examples

Retro Commodore

  • Recommended Software
    • IrfanView
    • ScanTailor Advanced
  • Tutorials
  • Specific Notes
    • Make sure, when you scan that you scan in a lossless format.
    • PNG/TIFF and 600dpi (TIFF can be lossless or lossey, if you use JPG compression, so if using TIFF, either do it uncompressed or use lzw, deflate or zip algorithms for compression which does not affect the byte stream.)
    • Most scanning software can be configured to use other formats, but even very expensive highends scan in jpg and sends to the software to be saved in png/tiff.
    • My own does it.. so I'm using sane on linux for this scanner.
    • Automatic doc2pdf software/drivers etc tend to make lossy formats, which is why I've built my own pipeline.
    • if you want to check your scanning capabilities, make a single scan, and send it to me before you start scanning.
      • I tell this to people, unfortunately most don't do it, so they scan everything.
      • Only to find out they need to redo all their work, I recently had a bloke who wanted to scan his books, he did so in 150dpi and jpg, destroying the books spine (the glue crystalized), and he didn't want to start over.
    • I have just tested naps2.
      • even though saving as tiff, my scanned images have jpg artifacts so they are saved in a lossy format.I wouldn't use it.
      • I wouldn't use it.
      • for batch scanning on windows, I use irfanview, otherwise as I said, using sane on linux.
      • shoulders: See my notes above on NAPS2 on mitgation
    • For the material that has clamps/staples(?), remove them, and make them on the document scanner.
    • When it isn't possible to use the adf scanner, one of these makes wonders - choose the right size for your flatbed
    • Always work on a copy of the original. (I'm starting to remember quite alot of things that I really don't think about anymore, kinda like breathing - also because many of the processes are automated now).
    • Irfanview is free and does a great job of batch scanning
      • I've been using it for scanning since I began scanning, and as a pic viewer before that... I'd guess for some 20+ years.

NAPS2 - Resolving Lossy Image Quality

I have just tested NAPS2 and even though saving the scans as TIFF, my scanned images have JPG artifacts indicating they are saved in a lossy format.

Cause

  • By default the scans are saved as JPEG when first made. So when you go on to save/export them the artifacts will already be present.
  • The program does not save the scans in memory, it commits them straight to disk.

Solution

  • Edit the profile's advanced options and enable "Maximum quality (large files)". This force the lossless PNG format to be used for the initial save to disk.
    • Step 1
    • Step 2
    • Step 3

Additional

Links

  • NAPS2 General Discussion: Which quality when checkbox "Maximum quality" is unchecked? | Sourceforge
    • Q: 
      • In "Advanced Profile Settings" there is an option "Maximum quality" which determines the jpeq quality of the scanned page.
      • Which quality level is taken when this checkbox is disabled/unchecked?
    • A:
      • "Maximum quality" means that PNG encoding (lossless) is used instead of JPEG.
      • If you're saving to PNG, that option makes sense, otherwise just pick a high JPEG quality because PNG takes up a lot more disk space.
  • NAPS2 - Question about PDF sizes | Sourceforge
    • The quality slider is just for JPEG I think?
    • PPP probably uses JBIG2 compression, which NAPS2 doesn't support at the moment (it uses G4 which isn't quite as good). I don't think I will be able to add support for JBIG2 in the near future.
    • Yes, it would have to be the lossless version of JBIG2 to avoid that problem.
  • NAPS2 - picture compression within pdf files | Sourceforge
    • Yes, NAPS2 only uses JPEG and PNG currently. JPEG2000 and JBIG2 support is something I'd like to add in the future (for JBIG2 specifically lossless only, to avoid the known issues with lossy mode).
  • Imported .jpg images are reencoded => quality loss · Issue #160 · cyanfish/naps2 · GitHub = Fixed
  • colour pdf size - compression · Issue #80 · cyanfish/naps2 · GitHub
    • I've implemented this on my fork, from an old pull request from Luca De Petrillo that was sent here years ago. It add JPG codec to the compression and we can change the compression quality. I had to adapt it since the code was there from a long time and rewrite it.
    • It work really well. Using it in combination of MAX Quality in your profile, allow you to keep your source at full quality without any losses (PNG), and then tweak the PDF Export to your liking to have the best file size and quality.
    • Also since the source is not degraded, you can do edits and it still look perfect.
    • Was able to get almost a ratio of 5/1 on certain PDF files (75% quality). To propose a new Pull Request I need to get accustomed with this new code since that was done with the 6.1.2 source.

 

Stargazer Manual Scanning Notes

These are just for reference at the minute as they are very in complete

  • Create PDF from images
    • select images
    • print
    • tick 'Fit picture to frame'
    • use custom size
    • select portrait in printer properties
    • print using `Microsoft Print to PDF`
    • use an online convert tool to put to A6

Other Preservation Links

 

Published in Emulators
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Thursday, 30 April 2026 10:09

Debugging with VSCode and Edge (PHP / JavaScript)

I will cover how to debug languages (PHP, JavaScript) and CMS that I use with VSCode, Edge, Xampp, xDebug and other diagnostic tools as required.

These instructions might not be the most complex but they will explain the basics allowing you to get started without pulling your hair out. I find when you have a soft start you are able to pick the more complex concepts easier, and more crucially, on your own.

While I will concentrate on using Edge as my browser there will be a lot of cross over to Firefox and Google Chrome, especially between Edge and Chrome as they are both based on the Chromium browser.

VSCode / Common

Tutorials

General

  • How do I add a breakpoint?
    • Select a line and press f9
    • When you hover over a line you will see a greyed out red ball, click here to add a breakpoint, not on the line number
  • Search or filter debug variables in the various debug panels
    • When you have the cursor in the relevant panel, you can press any key and the highlight row will move to the first record starting with that character (i.e.: a,b,c,d,$)
    • If you press F3 (or CTRL+ALT+F), a search menu will appear. You can then search or filter for a variable or it's value.
    • Both the methods above work for the various debug panels, not just for variables.
  • Where can I see Debug Variable values
    • Variables View
    • Watches View
    • Hover over a variable in the code
    • Inline (if enabled)
    • Notes:
      • Execution must be paused by a breakpoint for these to work.
      • The hover method parses \n as a new line where as the View method.
  • Display Debug Variables Inline
    • When enabled, the runtime variables found by the debugger will be displayed inline with your code. This setting does not affect the popup action when you hover over a variable or the Watches and Variables Views.
    • To enable:
      • Add the following to your settings.json 
        "debug.inlineValues": true
      • Settings --> Debug --> Debug: Inline Values
    • VS Code tips - Debug: inline values - YouTube | Code 2020
      • With Debug: Inline Values, VS Code shows the runtime value of variables directly in the editor while debugging
      • This makes is easier to understand your program’s current state and how it ended up there.
  • Resize the Debug Hover Widget (Hover Tooltip, Hover Tooltip Popup, Hoverbox, Hover Popup, Modal Popup, Debugger Tooltip)
    • Q: In vscode I use Xdebug and on the right it has a variables view where you can see the variables for debugging. When you hover over a variable,  a modal popup appears, how can I make this modal popup larger?
    • A
      • In Visual Studio Code when debugging with Xdebug (or any debugger). Unfortunately, VS Code doesn’t provide a built-in setting to directly resize or scale that hover popup.
      • The hover popup does have scroll bars and will expand as needed i.e. you expand an array.

Troubleshooting

  • Debug buttons are not showing? how to fix?
    • Run --> Start Debugging
  • All debug stuff is under the run menu

JavaScript (Edge)

Read the Console

This might sound obvious, but there is always information in the browsers console.

Examine the console for errors, warnings and notifications.

Output to the Console / console.log()

You can use console.log() to output all sorts of information about variables, functions, classes and results into the console, although you might find using debugger easier for this. A console.log() can be used to output different messages depending on the result of a calculation or function and so on. For instance you would have a console.log() for success and one for failure.

  • Put one of the following in your JavaScript, selecting the sort of output you want. 
    ### This will output the value `12345678` stored in the variable (`abc`) to the console
var abc = 12345678
console.log(abc);

### This will output the text `This is a message` to the console
console.log('This is a message');

### This will output `123` to the console
console.log(100 + 23);

### This will output the specified function (debounce) as text to the console. Useful to see if the function is defined
console.log(window.debounce);

Example Output:

    ƒ debounce(func, timeout = 300) {
      let timer;
      return (...args) => {
        clearTimeout(timer);
        timer = setTimeout(() => { func.apply(this, args); }, timeout);
      };
    }
  • Run your code / Load the page
  • Read the console
  • Examine the console for notifications.

Debugging using the Sources Tab in DevTools

This is the traditional method of debugging using your browser and is usually JavaScript debugging as it is the browser (Client Side) that executes the code.

Notes

Edge DevTools shows Array(0) not Live Data - DevTools Array Inspection

Using this code as our example:

var chartDataDataset = _(timeScaleSegments).map(function(timeScaleRange, timeScaleIndex){ return countsPerTimeScaleIndex[timeScaleIndex] || 0; }).value();

In Edge DevTools, I can use debugger; to stop JavaScript and then examine the variables and objects. When I look at the chartDataDataset, DevTools shows Array(0) but DevTools knows that it has 3 arrays in it.

How do I use DevTools to Get a Live Reference so I can see these arrays in this object/array? 

Explanation

You're encountering a common behaviour in DevTools (including Edge and Chrome) where objects like arrays show as Array(0) at first glance — especially when the data is lazy-loaded or the object is logged in a way that doesn't immediately expand its contents.

So, when you pause in the debugger and hover or inspect an object such as chartDataDataset, DevTools might show:

Array(0)

This often happens when:

  • The array is created very recently, and DevTools evaluated it before it was populated.
  • You're looking at a snapshot rather than a live reference.
  • The array contains complex or nested structures, and it wasn't expanded at the right time.

Solutions: How to See the Actual Data

Here's several methods on how to see the full data, the live snapshot, which will show the "hidden arrays" in DevTools.

Log It After It's Created
  • Right after chartDataDataset is defined, add: 
    console.log(chartDataDataset);
  • Then expand the array in the Console — this shows a live reference, not a snapshot.
Use the Debugger Step-by-Step
  • Set a debugger; statement after the line where chartDataDataset is defined: 
    var chartDataDataset = _(timeScaleSegments)
  .map(function(timeScaleRange, timeScaleIndex){
    return countsPerTimeScaleIndex[timeScaleIndex] || 0;
  })
  .value();

debugger;
  • In Edge DevTools, go to the "Scope" section while paused.
  • Find chartDataDataset in the "Local" variables.
  • Expand it — now you should see the correct length and its items.
Use Console to Manually Inspect

It still says Array(0):

  • Go to the Console tab.
  • Type chartDataDataset and press Enter.
  • Now inspect the expanded structure manually.
Use JSON.stringify() if Needed

This won't work well if it contains circular references, but it's useful for flat data.

  • Use the following in your code: 
    console.log(JSON.stringify(chartDataDataset, null, 2));
Use the Watch panel (semi-live)

While not fully "live", this lets you re-evaluate on demand as you continue stepping.

  • Go to the Sources tab.
  • While paused at a debugger; or breakpoint, add chartDataDataset to the Watch panel.
  • This updates as you step through code.
Use $0, $1, etc. or inspect variables in Console

You can select an object in the Elements or Scope tab and reference it in Console using:

  • $0 (currently selected object)
  • $1, $2 for previous ones

Or, just manually type chartDataDataset into the Console after it’s defined. That always evaluates it in real-time.

Additional Notes

  • What Doesn't Work for Live Viewing
    • Expanding the object in the Scope or Call Stack sidebar sometimes shows a snapshot, not a live object.
    • If you hover over the variable name, the tooltip can be stale.
    • Logging and immediately expanding while paused may not reflect later mutations.
  • Pro Tip: Freeze Object Snapshot
    • If you right-click a logged object in Console, you can choose “Store as global variable” (e.g., temp1).
    • This lets you inspect it freely in the Console, and it won’t change unless you reassign it.

PHP (Core) - might move

  • How do I get PHP errors to display? - Stack Overflow
    • This always works for me: 
      ini_set('display_errors', '1');
ini_set('display_startup_errors', '1');
error_reporting(E_ALL);
    • However, this doesn't make PHP to show parse errors that occurred in the same file. Also, these settings can be overridden by PHP. In these cases the only way to show those errors is to modify your php.ini (or php-fpm.conf) with this line: 
      display_errors = on;

PHP (Xdebug)

Software Needed

Config Files

Below are the xDebug configurations I use.

My VSCode Config

  • This lives in launch.json
  • In VSCode, if you hover over these settings, intellisense will show you more information. Might require the Xdebug extension to be installed.
"launch": {
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Listen for XDebug",
            "type": "php",
            "request": "launch",
            "port": 9003,
            "xdebugSettings": {
                "max_children": 128,
                "max_data": -1,
                "max_depth": 3
            },
        },
        {
            "name": "Launch currently open script",
            "type": "php",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
            "port": 9003,
            "runtimeExecutable": "D:\\websites\\php\\php.exe"
        }
    ]
},

An Alternative VSCode Config

I have not used this, it is just for reference because I do not understand the additional options.

{
    "name": "Launch Built-in web server",
    "type": "php",
    "request": "launch",
    "port": 9003,
    "program": "",
    "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
    "runtimeArgs": [
        "-dxdebug.mode=debug",
        "-dxdebug.start_with_request=yes",
        "-S",
        "localhost:0"
    ],
    "env": {
        "XDEBUG_MODE": "debug,develop",
        "XDEBUG_CONFIG": "client_port=${port}",
        "XDEBUG_TRIGGER": "VSCODE"
    },    
    "serverReadyAction": {
        "pattern": "Development Server \\(http://localhost:([0-9]+)\\) started",
        "uriFormat": "http://localhost:%s",
        "action": "openExternally"
    }
    "pathMappings": {
                "/srv/www/mywebsiteroot": "${workspaceRoot}",
                "/app/": "${workspaceRoot}"
    },
    "stopOnEntry": true,
    "log": true
}

php.ini Config

  • This has annotations to make editing the config easy.
  • I always put this at the end of the file.
  • If you want to use Xdebug and OPCache together, you must have the zend_extension line for Xdebug below the line for OPCache, or in a file starting with a higher number (ie. 99-xdebug.ini vs 20-opcache.ini), otherwise they won't work properly together.
  • Page not found - Stack Overflow - Stack Overflow | The World’s Largest Online Community for Developers
  • zend_extension = xdebug
    • TL;DR it is an alias call and is not needed if you call a DLL directly.
    • This allows you to swap the DLL file without having to change the php.ini when you upgrade PHP etc...
    • Why do I need `zend_extension = xdebug`? (Staging) | Stack Overflow
      • read few lines below zend_extension=xdebug. There is:"If Xdebug does not show up, or you get a warning from PHP that an xdebug.so file or similar was not found, you might need to use the full path instead of just zend_extension=xdebug, such as zend_extension=/usr/lib/php/20190902/xdebug.so.". Maybe wizard checks only if you have zend_extension = xdebug. So if it works with full path then don't bother this.
    • php - Why do I need `zend_extension = xdebug`? - Stack Overflow
[XDebug v3]

; https://xdebug.org/
; https://xdebug.org/docs/all_functions
; https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings
; https://xdebug.org/docs/upgrade_guide - (V2 -> V3) including replacements
; https://xdebug.org/docs/develop
; https://xdebug.org/docs/errors

;;;; Binary Location

; Download here: https://github.com/xdebug/xdebug/releases
; Xampp uses: 64-bit Thread Safe, for this version of PHP
; Example file explained : php_xdebug-3.5.1-8.2-ts-vs16-x86_64.dll
;   3.5.1  = xDebug Version
;   8.2    = Target PHP version 
;   ts     = Thread Safe / nts = Not Thread Safe
;   vs16   = Visual Studio version used to compile the DLL
;   x86_64 = Supported Archietecture
; Thread Safe vs Non Thread Safe
;   https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5793751/what-are-the-technical-differences-between-the-thread-safe-and-non-thread-safe-p
;   If you're running Apache (or IIS) as FastCGI (or CGI) then you want the Non Thread Safe version of PHP.
;   If you're running Apache as default (as a Module), then you'll want the more traditional Thread Safe version.
; Direct dll call
zend_extension = "D:\websites\php\ext\php_xdebug-3.5.1-8.2-ts-vs16-x86_64.dll"
; Alias call
;   Download php_xdebug-3.5.1-8.2-ts-vs16-x86_64.dll
;   Rename it to php_xdebug.dll
;   Move the downloaded file to D:\websites\php\ext
;   Use this call method below instead of the direct dll call.
;zend_extension = xdebug

;;;; Connection Settings

xdebug.mode = debug,develop
    ; https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings#mode
    ; debug is needed for step debugging
    ; develop is needed to show orange `Call Stack`
    ; https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67274848/xdebug-3-not-showing-stack-trace-on-fatal-error-since-upgrading
xdebug.client_host = thebrain
    ; Can use an IP here but hostname is better
xdebug.client_port = 9003
    ; default port: 9003
xdebug.idekey = "vsc"
xdebug.file_link_format = "vscode://file/%f:%l"
    ; Clickable Stack Traces
    ; xdebug.file_link_format = "netbeans://open/?f=%f:%l"
    ; IDE Links stack traces and errors - https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings#file_link_format - Read the Readme

;xdebug.start_with_request = yes
    ; The functionalit starts when the PHP request starts, and before any PHP code is run.
    ; I do not use this because i use a browser plugin
    ; https://buildio.dev/xdebug-and-its-impact-on-performance-xampp/
    ;  It instructs XDebug to start a debugging session at the beginning of every PHP request. 
    ;  This means that XDebug will be active for all PHP executions, whether they are accessed through a web browser, CLI, or any other method that invokes PHP.

;xdebug.start_upon_error = yes
    ;Xdebug will trigger a debugging connection when a PHP Notice or Warning appears, or when a Throwable (Error or Exception) is thrown.
    ; This will be intiated by the browser, i think you have to have netbeans waiting in debug mode
    
;;;; Logging

; All warnings and errors also show up in the diagnostics log that you can view by calling xdebug_info().
; All data is appended

;xdebug.log = "D:\websites\tmp\xdebug\xdebug.log"
    ; https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings#log_level
xdebug.log_level = 7 
    ;controls how much information is logged.
    
;;;; Remote

;xdebug.remote_autostart = 0
    ; This must be off otherwise curl_exec() will crap out the debugger - dont know about V3
    ; ?? https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings#start_with_request
;xdebug.remote_mode = req

;;;; General

;xdebug.collect_return = off
;xdebug.max_nesting_level = 100
    ; For Gantry - https://docs.gantry.org/gantry5/troubleshooting/max-nesting-level use 256
;xdebug.show_exception_trace = 1
    ; When this setting is set to 1, Xdebug will show a stack trace whenever an Error is raised - even if this Error is actually caught.
;xdebug.show_local_vars = 1
    ;This shows local variables in the stack trace
    ;https://xdebug.org/docs/develop
;xdebug.var_display_max_data = 16384    
;;NOT in V3 - I Need to find the equivalent
    ;xdebug.auto_trace = off
    ;xdebug.collect_includes = on
    ;xdebug.collect_params = off    
    ;xdebug.default_enable = on
    ;xdebug.extended_info = 1
    ;xdebug.manual_url = http://www.php.net    
    ;xdebug.show_mem_delta = 0

;;;; Trace options

;xdebug.trace_options = 0
    ; When set to '1' the trace files will be appended to, instead of being overwritten in subsequent requests.
;xdebug.trace_format = 0
;xdebug.trace_options = 0
;xdebug.trace_output_name=crc32    
; NOT in V3 - I Need to find the equivalent
    ;xdebug.trace_output_dir= "d:\websites\tmp\xdebug\trace"  

;;;; Profiling - https://xdebug.org/docs/profiler

;xdebug.xdebug.profiler_append = 0
;xdebug.profiler_output_name = cachegrind.out.%p
    ; or "cachegrind.out.%t-%s"
; NOT in V3 - I Need to find the equivalent
    ;xdebug.profiler_aggregate = 0
    ;xdebug.profiler_enable = 0
    ;xdebug.profiler_enable_trigger = 0
    ;xdebug.profiler_enable_trigger_value = ""
    ;xdebug.profiler_output_dir = "D:\websites\tmp\xdebug\profiler"
    
;;;; Value Dumping

;https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings#dump.*
;xdebug.dump.SERVER = REMOTE_ADDR,REQUEST_METHOD
;xdebug.dump.GET = *
;xdebug.dump_undefined=1

Xdebug

Office Sites

Official Docs 

General

  • PHP-FPM and clear_en
    • Some web servers have a configuration option to prevent environment variables from being propagated to PHP and Xdebug
    • For example, PHP-FPM has a clear_env configuration setting that is on by default, which you will need to turn off if you want to use XDEBUG_CONFIG.
    • Make sure that your web server does not clean the environment, or specifically allows the XDEBUG_CONFIG environment variable to be passed on.
    • From https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings 
  • Should I disable `output_buffering`
    • Whether you need to disable output buffering for Xdebug depends on what you're trying to do and which Xdebug feature you're using.
    • When Output Buffering Matters with Xdebug
      • For step debugging (breakpoints, stack traces): Output buffering typically doesn't affect the debugger itself. Xdebug's step debugging communicates with your IDE via a separate network protocol (DBGp), so buffered output doesn't interfere. You can leave output buffering enabled.
      • For error handling and stack traces: If you're relying on Xdebug to display error stack traces in the browser, output buffering can sometimes cause issues because the trace needs to be sent before any other output. However, this is rarely a problem in practice.
      • For the profiler or code coverage features: Output buffering has no impact on these features. They operate independently of output.
    • When You Might Want to Disable It
      • Early fatal errors: If a fatal error occurs very early in your script (before output buffering is flushed), you might miss Xdebug's error output. Disabling buffering ensures error information displays immediately.
      • Streaming responses: If you're working with streaming or chunked output, output buffering can interfere with your ability to see real-time data.
      • Debugging output order: If you're debugging and want to see exactly when output happens in relation to code execution.
    • General Recommendation
      • Leave output buffering enabled for normal development. Xdebug works fine with it.
      • If you encounter specific issues (missing error traces, unexpected behaviour), you can temporarily disable it to test: just set output_buffering = Off in your php.ini or use ob_end_flush() in your code.
  • How to have XDebug send log entries to VS Code 'Debug console' window?
    • php - How to have XDebug send log entries to VS Code 'Debug console' window? - Stack Overflow
      • If you set your PHP error_log setting to syslog and PHP will send all error log messages to stderr, which Xdebug will then send to the IDE.
      • Xdebug itself does not send error_log messages to the IDE, but there is now an xdebug_notify() function, with which you can send messages (strings, and variables) to the IDE as well.
      • xdebug_notify() works, thank you! However, setting error_log to syslog in php.ini, restarting Apache, then issuing error_log("test"); in PHP (8.2) does not work for me.
      • I am using php_xdebug.dll 3.2.0.11.
  • Show Full Variable Content in the VSCode View
    • In this section I will address how to setup your Xdebug View to present variable information correctly.
    • Xdebug Variable Full Content in VSCode | Praveen Dias
      • The below configuration adjustments are necessary to enhance the debugging process within Visual Studio Code when utilizing xdebug. By specifying an increased “max_children” value and enabling unlimited “max_data,” developers can obtain more comprehensive insights into complex data structures and object hierarchies during debugging sessions. Additionally, the limitation imposed on “max_depth” to a value of 3 prevents excessive recursion depths, striking a balance between thoroughness and performance. 
        "xdebugSettings": {
    "max_children": 128,
    "max_data": -1,
    "max_depth": 3
}
    • Variable truncation in the VSCode View
      • This can be annoying when you just what to see the full variable. The following will remove the character limit and thus the truncation. You can also just set a higher arbitrary limit such as 512.
      • Goto the Xdebug settings in your VSCode launch.json 
      • Add "max_data": -1 into your xdebugSettings: 
        "xdebugSettings": {    
    "max_data": -1    
},
        • I usually put the xdebugSettings below the port declaration if it does not exist.
    • Can't view the full content of string variables with more than 512 characters in VS Code XDebug Debug Console · Issue #815 · xdebug/vscode-php-debug · GitHub
      • Q:
        • You will see only the first 512 characters, instead of the full string value.
        • For XDebug there is a special setting, that can extend this limit to more than 512 characters: https://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings#var_display_max_data
        • But even if I set it to higher values or use -1 - it doesn't resolve the issue: 
          ini_get('xdebug.var_display_max_data')
"4096"
      • A:
        • The maximum length to be transferred in a debug session is controlled by settings set within the debug session. The INI settings do not control this.
        • You need to set the max_data in your launch,json. See the xdebugSettings section in the README.
        • I would like to have a special "details" window where I could fetch the whole data of a variable, but VSCode does not currently offer such a UI element.

Debugging via the Command Line (CLI)

These all assume that Xdebug is setup correctly in php.ini

  • Do one of the following
    1. Launch PHP with several switches: (can get to work) 
      php -d xdebug.remote_enable=1 -d xdebug.remote_mode=req -d xdebug.remote_port=9000 -d xdebug.remote_host=127.0.0.1 -d xdebug.remote_connect_back=0 path/to/script.php
    2. Set an environment variable that configures Xdebug: 
      set XDEBUG_CONFIG=remote_enable=1 remote_mode=req remote_port=9000 remote_host=127.0.0.1 remote_connect_back=0
    3. mine test: (nb: no spaces in the seperate statements, but 1 space between each) 
      php -d xdebug.remote_enable=on -d xdebug.remote_autostart=0 -d xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp -d xdebug.remote_mode=req -d xdebug.remote_host="192.168.1.226" -d xdebug.remote_port=9001 -d xdebug.remote_connect_back=0 -d xdebug.remote_log="d:\websites\tmp\xdebug\xdebug_remote.log" -d xdebug.idekey="vsc" cron.php
  • Other method (unverified)
    • Run the following the command line
    • set XDEBUG_CONFIG="idekey=vsc"
      • works, i think this enviroment variable is temp)
    • unset XDEBUG_CONFIG
      • this deletes the variab
    • Now
      1. open a cmd prompt and navigate to the folder with the script in it. You can run from anywhere but this makes it easier
      2. have netbeans debug ready
      3. Run: set XDEBUG_CONFIG="idekey=vsc"
      4. Run your script ie: php cron.php (in the folder with the script)
  • Links

Functionality

These sections cover the main functionality of Xdebug.

There are many ways to trigger debugging:

  • $_GET
  • $_POST
  • $_COOKIE
  • Always start with each request
  • xdebug_break()
  • xdebug_start_trace()
Step Debugging
Profiling
Function Tracing
Flame Graphs
Development Helpers
  • General
    • Xdebug: Documentation - Development Helpers
      • help you get better error messages and obtain better information from PHP's built-in functions.
      • Xdebug's development helpers allow you to get better error messages and obtain more information from PHP's built-in functions. The helpers include an upgraded var_dump() function; location, stack, and argument information upon Notices, Warnings and Exceptions; and numerous functions and settings to tweak PHP's behaviour.
Code Coverage Analysis
  • General
    • Xdebug: Documentation - Code Coverage Analysis
      • Analyse whether your tests cover your whole code base.
      • Code coverage tells you which lines of script (or set of scripts) have been executed during a request. With this information you can for example find out how good your unit tests are.

Troubleshooting

  • 12 Most Common Xdebug Issues (and How to Fix Them) - DEVSENSE Blog
    • A practical guide to the most frequent PHP debugging problems with Xdebug and IDE-integrated debuggers, and how to fix them.
  • when xdebug does not work then: (These were formed when I was using Netbeans but should still be valid for VSCode.)
    • Add a breakpoint to the first file that gets opens (i.e. index.php) and see if it works
    • Make sure you set a static IP in your network controller
    • Only have 1 active network controller
    • Set the ip address in the php.ini to match
    • `Path Mappings` are usually not needed but if they are add them. if they are there and dont work try removing them. thse should not change once you have things working
    • check Netbeans is working and you could also turn on `options --> php-debugging --> stop at first line`
    • verify where you have a breakpoint the pointer will actually hit.
    • make sure the connection settings are correct
    • use your computer name as connection host
      • use the computers hostname ie e6540 as this stops things work if you are on a DHCP
      • e6540.lan and e6540.yourdomain.uk will work if configured but will involve an external DNS lookup
  • For those having connection issues the 2 bug fixes are:
    • Use your systems IP, do not use 127.0.0.1
    • The Project's `Path mappings` in Netbeans sometimes need to be set.

Watches

Tutorials

Notes

  • This is very powerful debugging feature.
  • if you right click on a variable you can add it to WATCH
  • VS Code will break when the expression evaluates to true. You can also break when a value is false, just get the expression right.
  • Remember it will only evaluate in the current frame (The Tokens, Values and Symbols available to the current page being debugged)
  • You can conditionally look for variables with a watch, but they do not pause execution or allow you to go to where there were defined etc... probably becasue they can be at mulitple places or it is outside of the frame.
  • Xdebug + VSCode can pause when a watch expression evaluates to true, but not directly.
    • A watch in VSCode does not trigger a pause — it's only for observing values while already paused (e.g., at a breakpoint).
    • If you want Xdebug to automatically pause when a variable equals classic-doors.vm, you need to use a conditional breakpoint, not just a watch so to confirm, a breakpoint needs to be active which pause the execution.
  • Why Watches Alone Don’t Pause Execution
    • They only evaluate when execution is already paused (at a breakpoint or step).
    • Are not triggers for a pause by themselves.
  • Watch expressions are only valid in the current context/frame.
  • You cannot Watch a whole class, just variables.
  • You must manually add a watch expression. Static properties do not automatically appear in the Scope panel.
  • Xdebug does not automatically list static properties in the “locals” section because they're not part of the current stack frame.
  • You must explicitly watch/evaluate them.
  • Static private properties can still be read by Xdebug — visibility rules do not apply in the debugger.
  • Why you can’t “just watch the class” directly
    • Xdebug shows locals, superglobals, and object properties in the current frame.
    • Static properties are not part of the stack frame, so the IDE must manually request them.
    • Most IDEs only request statics if you ask explicitly (via watch or evaluation).
  • Why you cannot watch a class directly
    • Xdebug’s debug protocol only allows watching variables, not types.
    • A class is not a variable/value at runtime, so the IDE cannot fetch it automatically.
    • The only way to pull information about a class is to evaluate code on demand — which is what the Reflection workaround does.
  • Xdebug shows locals, superglobals, and object properties in the current frame.
  • Static properties are not part of the stack frame, so the IDE must manually request them.
  • Xdebug itself cannot auto-enumerate all static properties of a class — the debugger protocol doesn’t send them unless the IDE explicitly requests them. Most IDEs do not automatically fetch static properties, so you must use a workaround.

View Static Variables (Watch)

Static properties do not automatically appear in the Scope panel, you must add a Watch Expression to see the static variable such as:

$this::$variable
\CMSApplication::$VAR
Payment::$payment_details
PaymentMethodCreditnote::$creditnote_details

This then shows the values of it underneath just like in the variables part.

Other options (not tried)

  1. Declaring the class as a variable 
    $this->paymentMethod = new $Payment;
$chicken = new $Payment;
  2. Reference the static with an echo or another variable locally on your code so they appear as a local variable.
  3. Using Xdebug breakpoints + xdebug_info()
    • If you put a breakpoint anywhere and call: xdebug_info();
    • Then open the debugger console, you can run: print MyClass::$myStaticVar
  4. Using Xdebug’s function breakpoint and class filter
      • If the static variable is modified inside a method of another class, set a breakpoint inside that method. Xdebug will pause, and the IDE will allow you to evaluate: OtherClass::$theStatic

Alternative Methods - View Static Variables (Watch)

Here are all practical methods depending on what you want:

  • Method 1: Use Reflection to dump all static properties
    • Add a temporary debug line anywhere you have a breakpoint: 
      $ref = new ReflectionClass(MyClass::class);
$statics = $ref->getStaticProperties();
    • Then inspect $statics in your debugger (it will appear as a normal array and expand cleanly).
    • This is the most reliable and IDE-agnostic way.
  • Method 2: Use var_dump() (with Xdebug formatting)
    • Inside a breakpoint: 
      var_dump((new ReflectionClass(MyClass::class))->getStaticProperties());
    • Xdebug will pretty-print all static values.
  • Method 3: Add a “Class” Watch Expression in IDE
    • Most IDEs don’t show static values automatically, but this trick works:
    • In the Watch panel add 
      (class_exists('MyClass') ? (new ReflectionClass('MyClass'))->getStaticProperties() : null)
  • Workable Solution: Watch a Reflection snapshot of the class
    • Add this to your Watch panel: 
      (new ReflectionClass(MyClass::class))->getStaticProperties()
    • This will display all static properties as an array that you can expand.
  • Optional: include constants and methods too
    • If you want all class metadata, add this instead: 
      new ReflectionClass(MyClass::class)
    • You will get:
      • class name
      • parent class
      • interfaces
      • constants
      • static properties
      • methods
      • attributes
    • Everything — fully expandable in the Watch pane.

Why Reflection works

  • A class is not a runtime value you can “watch,” but Reflection lets you create an object representing the class.
  • That object is watchable — so your IDE can display all its properties.

View Object Variables (Watch)

This is just the same as viewing Static Variables but with the following format:

$this->app->components->payment->PaymentMethod                        - This shows all of the variables of the object
$this->app->components->payment->PaymentMethod->$creditnote_details

Execution has paused, now open where the watch condition was matched?

I have not verified if this method works or if it is made up by AI

if the watch expression matched and execution paused, then VSCode should already be stopped at the line of code where the condition was met, or just before it, depending on when the expression was evaluated.

To find where in the code this happened, when execution has paused:

  • Look at the Editor:
    • VSCode should automatically jump to the file and line where execution paused.
    • This is where the watch expression was true during execution.
  • Check the Call Stack Panel:
    • On the left in the "Run and Debug" sidebar, open the Call Stack section.
    • This shows the current and previous functions/methods called.
    • Click the top frame (usually bold) — this is where execution is paused.
    • If not on top, click through frames until you find the one where your variable appears.
  • Use the Variables Panel:
    • Under "Locals", "Globals", or "Superglobals", you can find your variable.
    • Hover over it or click to expand — this helps confirm it’s the correct scope and line.
  • Use the Debug Console:
    • At the bottom panel, go to the Debug Console and type: 
      where
    • Or check the current file and line via the stack: 
      bt
    • (These commands may work better in Xdebug CLI, but the Call Stack tab in VSCode is your main guide.)
  • If VSCode Did Not jump to the right line automatically (rare but can happen), try:
    • Clicking the Call Stack topmost frame.
    • Hitting Ctrl+Shift+Y (or View > Debug Console) to check the output.
    • Use Step Over / Step In to advance execution a few lines if paused mid-function.

Break Points

With xdebug_break()

You simple add this function into your code and when it is called, it instanciates a breakpoint and causes the execution to pause.

  • How to create
    • Create breakpoints in VSCode
    • Use xdebug_break() within your code to force a break.

Standard Breakpoints

You simple create a breakpoint on your code using the GUI of VSCode and execution is paused at this point.

Conditional Breakpoints

Example Conditions
$payment_id == 90
$payment->id == 90
Payment::$payment_details['payment_id'] == 90
Payment::$payment_details['payment_id'] == true
Payment::$payment_details['payment_id'] == false
isset($payment['id']) && $payment['id'] == 90
How To Use a Conditional Breakpoint
  • Find places in your code where a variable (any you suspect) might be set or passed. Start in relevant classes, views, or controllers.
  • Click the gutter next to a suspect line (this sets a regular breakpoint).
  • Right-click the red dot → Edit Breakpoint...
  • Set a condition, like: 
    $template === 'classic-doors'
    Or if unsure of the variable name, use:
    strpos($template ?? '', 'classic-doors') !== false
  • Save and run the debugger
  • Result:
    • When that condition is true, Xdebug pauses, and VSCode opens the exact file/line where it matched.
    • You can now inspect the stack, code, and variable state.

Practical Examples / Methods

To get Xdebug in VSCode to pause (break) when any variable equals classic-doors, you can follow one of these approaches depending on your version of Xdebug and PHP:

  • Method 1: Use a Conditional Breakpoint in VSCode
    • If you know where the variable might be assigned (or checked), set a conditional breakpoint:
      1. Open the PHP file where variables might be set or passed.
      2. Click in the gutter next to the line where the variable is assigned or used.
      3. Right-click the red dot → Edit Breakpoint
      4. Enter the condition, for example: 
        $variable === 'classic-doors'

         or

        $pageTemplate === 'classic-garage-doors'
      5. Make sure the variable is in scope at the line you set the breakpoint.
  • Method 2: Set a Watch Expression
    • Go to the "Run and Debug" panel on the left.
    • Expand the "WATCH" section.
    • Add an expression like: 
      $someVariable === 'classic-doors'
    • This won't pause execution, but will show you when it's true — combine this with stepping through relevant code.
  • Method 3: Use xdebug_break() in Code (Temporary Debug Hook)
    • Add the code where needed: 
      if ($someVariable === 'classic-doors') {
    xdebug_break(); // Forces a debug pause if Xdebug is connected
}
    • Then reload the page or trigger the code path — it will stop here.

Tracing

Function Trace - Worked Example -  Show in what order WordPress files are loaded

  • Q: I want a list, in order, of all files loaded by WordPress so I can see how it is loading to help me better understand an issue I am having with a website.
  • A: If you're specifically trying to trace all the files that WordPress loads in order, Xdebug can give you exactly that, but not via the Call Stack in VSCode, because that only shows function calls at the point of a breakpoint. What you want is a file inclusion trace.
Common

This is required for all methods.

  • Enable the Trace mode in php.ini by adding the `trace` to the allowed modes 
    xdebug.mode = trace
xdebug.mode = develop,debug,trace
  • Configure the output directory (pick one) 
    xdebug.output_dir="D:\websites\tmp\site.trace"
xdebug.output_dir="D:\\websites\\tmp\\site.trace"
xdebug.output_dir="D:/websites/tmp/site.trace"
xdebug.output_dir="/tmp/site.trace"
    • The log file (*.xt) will be created in the specified location (e.g. D:\websites\tmp\site.trace.xt)
    • Double-backslashes \\ or single-quoted forward slashes / both work.
  • Optionally you can also add: 
    xdebug.show_error_trace=1
xdebug.show_exception_trace=1
Method 1 - Via Request Trigger

This method is the easiest and allow you to turn it on and off very quickly, however your will end up tracing the whole application.

Instructions

 

  • Make sure the common steps above are completed.
  • Install one of the `Browser Plugins` from above.
  • Enable `Trace` in the plugin.
  • Load your page.
  • Examine your Trace file in the defined location.

 

Method 2 - Explicitly by Code (xdebug_start_trace() & xdebug_stop_trace() )

This method can be useful for tracing particular sections of code.

Instructions

  • Make sure the common steps above are completed.
  • Add this to the very top of your wp-config.php or index.php (or even better, a custom MU plugin): 
    xdebug_start_trace('/tmp/wp-trace');
  • Then after the request, you’ll get a trace file like: 
    /tmp/wp-trace.xt
    • This file will contain a line-by-line trace including:
      • include, require, include_once, etc.
        Function calls
        Timestamps and memory usage
    • The trace will look like this: 
      0.0001  104856  -> require_once(/var/www/html/wp-load.php)
0.0023  105321  -> require_once(/var/www/html/wp-config.php)
0.0032  106544  -> include_once(/var/www/html/wp-settings.php)
0.0045  107120  -> require_once(/var/www/html/wp-includes/load.php)
    • You’ll get a full ordered list of everything WordPress is loading and when.
  • Stop the Trace
    • You can stop the trace explicitly: 
      xdebug_start_trace();               - This will output a file to the folder defined by `xdebug.output_dir`
or
xdebug_start_trace('<location>');   - You can specify a location for the trace file. Accepts same formats as `xdebug.output_dir`
    • Or let it stop automatically when the script ends.
  • Examine your Trace file in the defined location.
Notes

debug_backtrace()

These inbuilt PHP functions allow you to Log Stack Traces.

REST API (i have some links)

HTTP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting Xdebug, Xampp and Netbeans to work together in Windows can be a tricky thing and I want to address that here. These instructions will get debugging working all on the same PC and IP.

A symptom of a PC that is not setup correctly is this Netbeans Socket Exception error. You get this error when Netbeans cannot communicate with Xdebug and is usually because you are running them both on the same computer and therefore IP so the traffic routing is getting mixed up. It could also because something else is running on the debug port you have selected.

Netbeans Socket Exception error

These Settings Work

These settings are what I am using now and work well.

Windows

  • You need to set a static IP on your ethernet adapter (or wifi)

php.ini

    • Use your static IP to set xdebug.remote_host. Setting a static IP seems to fix most connecion issues. xdebug does not like 127.0.0.1 it works sometimes but can be problematic.
    • Swapping xdebug.remote_port to 9001 helped when xdebug just stopped working. The default is 9000.
    • Disable output_buffering in your php.ini by altering/uncommenting the following line 
      output_buffering = Off
    • Add the following code to the end of your php.ini file. 
      [XDebug]

zend_extension="D:\websites\php\ext\php_xdebug.dll"
;zend_extension="D:\websites\php\ext\php_xdebug-2.5.4-5.6-vc11.dll"
xdebug.idekey = vsc
xdebug.profiler_append = 0
xdebug.profiler_enable = 0
xdebug.profiler_enable_trigger = 0
xdebug.profiler_output_dir = "d:\websites\tmp\xdebug"
xdebug.profiler_output_name = "cachegrind.out.%t-%s"
xdebug.remote_enable = 1
xdebug.remote_autostart = 0
xdebug.remote_connect_back = 0
xdebug.remote_host = "192.168.1.160"
xdebug.remote_port = 9001
xdebug.remote_handler = "dbgp"
xdebug.remote_mode = req
xdebug.remote_log = "d:\websites\tmp\xdebug\xdebug_remote.log"
xdebug.show_local_vars = 9
xdebug.trace_output_dir = "d:\websites\tmp"

;xdebug.show_exception_trace = 1

      Minimum working settings

      These are the minimum settings I have found to work but are here only for reference.

      [XDebug]

;zend_extension="D:\websites\php\ext\php_xdebug.dll"
zend_extension="D:\websites\php\ext\php_xdebug-2.5.4-5.6-vc11.dll"
xdebug.remote_enable=1
xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp
xdebug.remote_mode=req
xdebug.remote_host=192.168.1.160
xdebug.remote_port=9001
xdebug.idekey=vsc

Netbeans

(Tools --> Options --> PHP --> Debugging)

  • Debugger Port: 9001
  • Session ID: vsc
  • Maximum Data Length: 2048 - I think this is the default
  • Stop at First Line: off
  • Watches and Balloon Evaluation: All off
  • Show Requested URLs: off
  • Show Debugger Console: On

Browser

You need to send a trigger to Xdebug via your browser to trigger the debugger. You can send the trgger via GET/POST but you need a plugin for this.

Test Debugger is working

Now you have configured your system as above you need to test it before you can rely on it.

  • Set a breakpoint in Netbeans on the index.php (or a PHP file that is parsed) in your software project, preferably one before the content is displayed. (or you can enable the ‘Stop at First Line’ option in the Netbeans config
  • Start debugging in Netbeans
  • Open your project in a chrome browser with the xdebug helper plugin enabled
  • If the browser and Netbeans stop at the breakpoint, everything is working

Diagnostics

Things that Might help

If xdebug does not work straight away then trying these things might help.

  • could disabling ipv6 in the network adapter help? because xampp has issues with ipv6
  • xdebug might fail if you have multiple version of xampp running
  • Localhost is mapping to ::1 and not 127.0.0.1
  • Not all lines can act as breakpoints, these are displayed as cracked breakpoint markers in Netbeans. These breakpoints will not work because Netbeans does not like them. To fix this yoou should choose another breakpoint.
  • Run the Xdebug on another server which has another IP
  • Get the latest dll from xdebug site (i.e. php_xdebug-2.5.4-5.6-vc11.dll)
  • Comment out any zend extensions
  • Some people use port 9001 when they have issues with 9000.

Test the port is not already in use - dbgtest.php

This code is taken from 21.4.2 How to Set Up XDebug | Oracle

<?php
$address = '127.0.0.1';
$port = '9000';
$sock = socket_create(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
socket_bind($sock, $address, $port) or die();
socket_listen($sock);
$client = socket_accept($sock);
echo "Connection established: $client";
socket_close($client);
socket_close($sock);
?>

However I found this slightly better version from dbgtest.php · GitHub

<?php
// adapted from https://blogs.oracle.com/netbeansphp/entry/howto_check_xdebug_installation
$address = $argv[1] ?: '127.0.0.1';
$port = '9000';
$sock = socket_create(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
socket_bind($sock, $address, $port) or die();
echo "Listening to $address:$port\n";
socket_listen($sock);
$client = socket_accept($sock);
echo "Connection established: $client\n";
socket_close($client);
socket_close($sock);
  1. Create a php file with the code above called dbgtest.php and put it in the htdocs folder of your xampp server
  2. Change the port to 9001 if that is the port number you are using/diagnosing
  3. Enable sockets - extension=php_sockets.dll
    • only be need for the test script
    • You enable this by uncommenting the appropriate line in the php.ini
    • if you do not enable this you will get this error 
      Call to undefined function socket_create()
  4. Close Netbeans if that is running.
  5. Restart Xampp
  6. Run the script

If there is something running on this socket you will get an error as shown below. This shows that some other process is using the port 9000.

Warning: socket_bind(): unable to bind address [10048]: Only one usage of each socket address (protocol/network address/port) is normally permitted. in D:\websites\htdocs\dbgtest.php on line 5

Workarounds

These are a few workarounds I tried and might work for you. These are not designed to be a permanent fix.

Method 1

  • Make sure netbeans and xampp are not running
  • Put the basic xdebug settings in php.ini
  • Enable extension=php_sockets.dll in php.ini
  • Run xampp
  • Put a copy of the oracle script in your Webroot and run it. This causes xampp to open socket on 9000
  • Now open and run NetBeans debugging

* I am not sure if you need to do the IP fix aswell for this to work. It is all caused by routing issues on the loopback system of the PC. Or sockets might be needed.

Method 2

  • Turn of netbeans debugging (leave netbeans open)
  • Run the dbgtest.php to allow xampp/xdebug to grab the port
  • Now start netbeans debugging

Method 3 - (if working and then stops for no reason)

  • Close Netbeans, Xampp and browsers
  • Restart them all

Links

Published in Programming
Read more...
Sunday, 25 January 2026 13:57

My Diet and Health Regime Notes

TL;DR I am not a doctor. These are notes for myself that other people might find useful. Your health and body are your problem and if you have any health issues consult your doctor, not me.

I have had some general health issues which are probably due to bad diet and lifestyle. The advise I got from a Urinary Consultant was limited and in one particular case wrong, so I have decided to figure this out myself and write it up here for a reference.

My Regime

TL;DR

  • For a Man
  • Reduce Visceral Fat
  • Reduced Cortisol Levels

Food

Shopping Order

For 28 days.

this not complete and I might move it or remove this section. It should be a list of what I need to go and buy so I don't have to think about it.

  • Supplements
    • Omega 3
    • Multi viatamin
    • Vitamin d
    • Meal replacements (for dinner)
    • Electrlyte tables
    • B12 tables
    • Creatine
    • Aswaganda
      • For the ken get melatonin and l-theanine
  • Foods (buy weekly)
    • Yakult
    • Salt and honey – what type of salt? See cotriosol videos
    • Steak
    • Chicken
    • eggs

Timetable

Time Food Fluids Supplements Exercise Notes
00:00          
01:00          
02:00          
03:00          
04:00          
05:00          
06:00          
07:00  Breakfast Meal
  • 500ml Water
    • with Electrolytes
    • 2 x Coffee is allowed
  • Yakult
  • Multi Vitamin
  • Vitamin D
    • 1 Tablet (1000 IU / 25mg)(nurse)
  • Creatine
    • (5mg) to start with
    • (20mg) for cognitive enhancement
  • Omega 3
    • 1 Tablet (EPA: 180mg, DHA: 120mg)
  • B12
    • 1 Tablet (100mcg / 1000μg)
    • (50mcg to 100mcg)(nurse)
  • 30 mins on treadmill
    or
  • 30 mins brisk walk

NB: Keep heart in fat burn zone
  • Within 30 minutes of waking (30-30-30)
    • Eat breakfast
    • Do Exercise
08:00          
09:00          
10:00          
11:00          
12:00 Meal Replacement / Protein Drink        
  • 10 to 20 minute walk after meal, and must be within 30 mins
13:00          
14:00          
15:00          
16:00          
17:00 Normal Meal      
  • 10 to 20 minute walk after meal, and must be within 30 mins
18:00          
19:00 Stop Eating Stop Drinking
  • Ashwagandha
    • 1 Tablet (500mg)
  
  •  Stop eating and drinking 3-4 hours before bed
20:00          
21:00          
22:00          
23.00    
  • Melatonin ???
  • L-Theanine ???
  • Magnesium Glycinate ???
  • 1 tablespoon of Honey and unrefined Sea Salt, right before bed ???
  
  • To be ready for bed, you must fall asleep within 20 minutes
  •         = Sleep

Diet Rules

For things that are not obvious in the table above. 

  • General
    • Total water per day = 2.5l - 5.0l (i am working on this)
    • 1g of protein per pound of ideal weight
    • Once you have diet sorted, fast 1 day a week (TBA), you must be doing the diet for a while and it be your routine.
    • At least one meal needs bulk/fibre to block up the gut. This allows for proper water absourbstion by stopping the water just going straight through.
  • Meal target types
    • Breakfast = Protein
    • Dinner = Protein + Carbs + Fibre
    • Tea-Time = 
  • Food for Exercise
    • Before: Carbs
    • After: Protein
Meals I can eat
  • Breakfasts (Protein)
    • Meal 1
      • Steak piece (butcher)
      • 2 x Scrambled eggs with a little milk
    • Meal 2
      • 2 x Boiled Eggs
      • Lettuce
  • Normal Meals
    • Meal 1
      • Pickled Onions
      • Iceberg Lettuce
      • Meat (pick one)
        • 2 x Butcher's pork sausages
        • Chicken Piece
        • Steak Piece
      • Spoonful of cheese
    • Meal 2
      • Pickled Onions
      • 2 x eggs that are omega3 enriched (at least free range) (3 eggs a day is safe)(this guy eats 3 -6)
      • Steam mixed vegetables
      • Meat (pick one)
        • 2 x Butcher's pork sausages
        • Chicken Piece
        • Steak Piece
    • Meal 3
      • Steamed Vegetables
      • Chicken
      • New Potatoes
      • Ppickled Beetroot/Onions
  • Snacks
    • Hard boiled eggs for snacks
    • Banana
Diet Suggestions

These are just some a collection of ideas.

  • Values
  • Meal Plans
  • General
    • At least one meal a day needs bulk to block the gut (e.g. Fibre). This allows for proper water absorption by stopping the water just going straight through.
    • Low carb diet seems to be a good thing
    • More protein in diet causes
      • more metabolism of it burning up my calories
      • more protein in diet tend to remove belly fat (see articles)
    • Eating six eggs 3 x 3 (breakfast/dinner/tea) not a bad thing
    • Brussels sprouts are really high in protein
    • Smaller portions (trick yourself by using a smaller plate at the same time)
    • Do not buy processed food.
      • No processed, get meat from a butcher that has not been processed
      • Most processed foods tend to be high load GI and not good for you because all of the fibre and other stuff is removed.
    • Steam, not Boil
    • Grill rather than Fry
    • Low Glycemic rate food is better?
      • The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels after consumption.
      • Foods with a high GI cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, while those with a low GI lead to a slower rise.
      • Glycaemic index and diabetes | Diabetes UK
    • High Protein Foods: 16 Foods for High Protein Meals - Research shows it's really important to eat enough protein. These high protein foods can help you lose weight, gain muscle, and feel great.
    • When buying food
      • Don't just go to the shop, you will buy junk.
      • Plan your meals, then only buy what is needed, better still, order online and don't go to the shop.
      • You should by at least 1 week's worth of stuff, after this fresh food might go off.
  • Specific Foods
    • Eggs
      • Eggs are a super food
      • Whole eggs are among the healthiest and most nutritious foods on the planet.
      • They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, eye-protecting antioxidants and brain nutrients that most people don’t get enough of.
      • Whole eggs are high in protein, but egg whites are almost pure protein.
      • Protein content: 35% of calories in a whole egg. 1 large egg contains 6 grams of protein, with 78 calories
      • Eggs with omega3 in and/pasture from fed chickens is better
      • Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled | USDA FoodData Central - USDA FoodData Central produces thorough resources for navigating and understanding nutritional info to support dietary choices and nutritional analysis.
      • how much protein in an egg | Google Search
        • Nice lookup table 
        • Egg, boiled: 13% protein
        • Egg, fried: 14% protein
      • Egg Nutrition - Official UK Information | Egg info
        • Eggs are a natural source of many nutrients including high quality protein, vitamins and minerals. Including B2 (riboflavin) and B12. Find out more about the nutritional value of eggs.
      • Protein in egg | How much protein in an egg | Egg info
        • On average, a medium-size egg contains around 6.4 grams of protein which makes up around 12.6% of the overall edible portion. Find out more about protein in eggs.
        • There are on average between 5.2 and 7.5 grams of protein in an egg, depending on its size. For information on all sizes see below.
      • Eggs and a balanced diet | Egg Recipes | Egg info
        • Our bodies require a broad range of different nutrients to stay healthy - these nutrients ensure we are able to carry out our basic functions to keep alive and well.
        • A healthy diet can be achieved by consuming foods in their correct proportions and quantities which provide us with all the vital nutrients we need.
        • The Eatwell plate illustrates how to get your proportions right for a healthy diet.
      • How Many Eggs Can You Eat in a Day? The Surprising Truth - YouTube
        • For many decades, people have been advised to limit their consumption of eggs, because the yolk is high in cholesterol.
        • It was thought that if you ate cholesterol, it would raise cholesterol in the blood and contribute to heart disease... That was wrong.
      • What Happens When You Eat 3 to 4 Eggs Daily? - YouTube | Dr. Eric Berg
        • Eggs have gotten some bad press, but what’s the truth? Are eggs bad for you? What about eggs and cholesterol? In this video, find out about the unique nutrition profile of eggs and the benefits of eating 3-4 eggs daily.
      • Eat Eggs Daily for 14 Days and THIS Happens to Your Body - YouTube | Dr. Eric Berg
        • What would happen if you ate eggs every single day for 14 days? The results might surprise you.
        • Eggs are one of the most misunderstood foods, but when you look at the science, they’re packed with nutrients that can seriously upgrade your health. In this video, we break down exactly what happens inside your body when you eat eggs daily.
      • Boiled Egg on an Empty Stomach - How Your Body Digests It 🥚 #digestivehealth #healthyeating - YouTube - AI 3D video showing what happens to an egg when you eat it.
Shopping / Where and What to Buy?

Gym

Timetable

Day Time Exercise Notes
Monday 11.00 - 12.30    
Tuesday      
Wednesday 11.00 - 12.30    
Thursday      
Friday 11.00 - 12.30    
Saturday   Walk  
Sunday   Walk  

Exercises

  • Treadmill
    • 10 Mins
  • Pec Fly / Rear Deltoid
    • 3 x 10
    • This is the joysticks one
    • do both far back where i pull in, and close together where I push out
  • The leg one / Leg Curl
    • 3 x 10
    • push and pull
  • Seated Row
    • 3 x 10
    • Pad in chest
    • Start with arms straight with a little tensions
    • keep arms in tight on my chest and back
  • Biceps / Triceps
    • 3 x 10
    • Dog Rope
    • arms at 90 and pull down keeping shoulders straight
    • keep arms in tight on my chest and back
  • Abdominal / Low Back
    • 3 x 10
    • Hug the roller
    • Keep back straight
  • Lat Pull Down
    • 3 x 10
    • ones with the thumb issue
    • keep back straight
    • this one gets me
  • Multipress
    • 3 x 10
    • Chest press / incline press / shoulder press
    • This is too nar at the minute
    • This is the lifting and pushing one
  • Assisted Pull Ups
    • 3 x 10
    • I just sank on this one
    • not for me yet
  • Swimming
    • This is great for stretching and not being bored with exercising.

Notes

  • Getting down on toes and forearms exercises most muscles in the body

Recommended Daily Nutrient Intake

Recommend intakes of various stuff.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamin / Mineral Nutrient Reference Intake (NRV) Notes
Beta-Carotene
  • NHS: none set
  • Vitamins and minerals - Others - NHS - Find out about vitamins and minerals including beta-carotene, copper, potassium and zinc.
    • It's turned into vitamin A in the body, so it can perform the same jobs in the body as vitamin A.
Biotin
(Vitamin B7)
  • Vitamin Bottle: 50μg
  • NHS: none set
Calcium
  • Vitamin Bottle: 1000mg
  • Vitamin Bottle: 800mg
  • NHS: 700mg
Chromium
  • Vitamin Bottle: 40μg
  • NHS: 25μg
Copper
  • Vitamin Bottle: 1mg
  • NHS: 1.2mg
Folic Acid / Folate
(Vitamin B9)
  • Vitamin Bottle: 200μg
  • NHS: 200μg
Glycine
  • 1.8g
  
Iodine
  • Vitamin Bottle: 150μg
  • NHS: 140μg
Iron
  • Vitamin Bottle: 14mg
  • NHS: 14.8mg
Magnesium
  • Vitamin Bottle: 375mg
  • NHS: 300mg
Manganese
  • Vitamin Bottle: 2mg
  • NHS: none set
Molybdenum
  • Vitamin Bottle: 50μg
  • NHS: none set
Niacin
(Vitamin B3)
  • Vitamin Bottle: 16mg NE
  • 16.5mg NE
Omega 3
  • Bottle: 300mg
    • EPA: 180mg
    • DHA: 120mg
  • BHF: 450mg
    • EPA + DHA
  • BDA: 450mg
    • EPA + DHA
  • Omega-3 foods for heart health | BHF - BHF
    • Omega-3 foods are beneficial for your heart. Here's how they help keep your heart healthy and which foods are a good source of omega-3s.
    • Some omega-3s are essential fatty acids, building blocks of the fats that your body needs to work properly. Your body cannot make them, so you have to get them from your diet.
    • The omega-3 fatty acids that are most important to our health are:
      • Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is in some nuts and seeds and the oils made from them.
      • Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which is mainly in oily fish but also white fish and seafood.
      • Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is also mainly in oily fish but also white fish and seafood.
    • ALA is an essential fatty acid. Our bodies can convert some of the ALA we eat to EPA and DHA, but only in small amounts. So, although EPA and DHA are not essential fatty acids, it’s helpful to include sources of them in our diet too.
    • Aim for roughly 450mg per day, which is the equivalent you’d get from eating the recommended amounts of fish.
  • Omega-3 - BDA
    • You may have heard that eating foods rich in omega-3 fats could help to keep you healthy. This Food Fact Sheet looks at which foods contain omega-3 fats, how much we need and the benefits for our health.
    • Choose a supplement that provides you with the same daily amount provided by eating one to two portions of fish per week (about 450mg EPA and DHA per daily adult dose)
  • Omega 3 fats | Heart UK
    • Omega 3 fats are essential for good heart health. Read about the foods that contain them, how much to eat, and why they're good for you.
    • Our bodies can’t make ALA, so we need to get it from the foods we eat. It’s mainly found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
    • Our bodies can make some EPA and DHA from ALA in the food we eat, but only a small amount. So, it’s good to eat foods that already contain them.
  • What is omega-3 and am I getting enough of it? - BBC Food
    • We’re told omega-3 is vital for good health, but why? And what should we eat to get it?
    • Omega-3 isn’t just one specific nutrient – it’s the name of a family of fatty acids. The three main omega-3s are ALA, DHA and EPA.
    • ALA is a short-chain fatty acid, while DHA and EPA are long-chain.
    • They are all referred to as an ‘essential’ nutrient, which means our bodies need them to function, but can’t make them from anything else. That’s why we need to get omega-3 from the foods we consume.
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Health Professional Fact Sheet
    • Omega 3 fatty acids overview for health professionals. Research health effects, dosing, sources, deficiency, side effects, and interactions here.
    • A typical fish oil supplement provides about 1,000 mg fish oil, containing 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA, but doses vary widely.
Pantothenic Acid
(Vitamin B5)
  • Vitamin Bottle: 6mg
  • NHS: none set
Phosphorus
  • NHS: 550mg
Potassium
  • Vitamin Bottle: 2029mg
  • NHS: 3500mg
Riboflavin
(Vitamin B2)
  • Vitamin Bottle: 1.4mg
  • NHS: 1.3mg
Selenium
  • Vitamin Bottle: 55μg
  • NHS: 75μg
Sodium Chloride
(Table Salt)
  • NHS: 6g
    (2.4g of Sodium)
Taurine
  • Vitamin Bottle: 1g
  

Thiamin
(Vitamin B1)
  • Vitamin Bottle: 1.1mg
  • NHS: 1mg
Vitamin A
  • Vitamin Bottle: 800μg RE
  • NHS: 700μg RE
Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin Bottle: 1.4mg
  • NHS: 1.4mg
Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin Bottle: 2.5μg
  • NHS: 1.5μg

 
Vitamin C
  • Vitamin Bottle: 80mg
  • NHS: 40mg
Vitamin D
  • Vitamin Bottle: 5μg
  • NHS: 10μg
    (varies with environment)
Vitamin E
  • Vitamin Bottle: 12mg α-TE
  • NHS: 4mg
Vitamin K1
  • Vitamin Bottle: 75μg
  • NHS: 1μg/1kg of Weight
Zinc
  • Vitamin Bottle: 10mg
  • NHS: 9.5mg

Vitamin Bottle values might be different to the NHS ones because:

  • They are rounded.
  • They are European values.
  • The NHS values on the article are out of date.

Life Style Nutrients

These are not needed for a normal life but aid in improving it.

Nutrient Recommended Intake (RI) Potential Benefits for Notes
Ashwagandha
(a.k.a Indian Ginseng)
  • up to 1000 mg
  • 120mg to 2g
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Stress
  • Vit Direct Ashwagandha Capsules 30s | Home Bargains
    • Take 1 capsule daily with water, preferably with a meal.
  • What is Ashwagandha? | Ashwagandha Benefits & Uses | H&B
    • Ashwagandha is an ancient herb with potential. Early studies suggest it may help with pain, inflammation, immunity and even how your body handles everyday stress – so let's look into the science
  • Ashwagandha: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews | WebMD
    • Learn more about Ashwagandha uses, effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, dosage, user ratings and products that contain Ashwagandha.
    • Ashwagandha has most often been used by adults in doses up to 1000 mg daily, for up to 12 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
    • Ashwagandha contains chemicals that might help calm the brain, reduce swelling, lower blood pressure, and alter the immune system.
  • Ashwagandha Uses, Benefits & Dosage | Drugs.com
    • Learn about the potential benefits of Ashwagandha including contraindications, adverse reactions, toxicology, pharmacology and historical usage.
    • Dosage
      • Anxiety: Doses ranging from 125 to 12,000 mg/day have been used for anxiety(66): 300 mg twice daily of ashwagandha root extract for 10 weeks(77); and standardized ashwagandha extract dosed at 240 mg once daily for 60 days and 500 mg twice daily (titrated up on week 2 from 250 mg twice daily) for 12 weeks has been used.(72, 75)
      • Sleep quality: Ashwagandha root extract 300 mg twice daily for 10 or 12 weeks may improve some sleep parameters.(73, 77)
Creatine Monohydrate
  • 5g is good for muscle development
  • 20g improves muscle and brain power, the first 5mg is absorbed by the muscles...
  • Helps build Muscle
  • Helps reduce Fat
  • Improve cognitive function
L-Theanine
  •  200mg - 400mg
  • Stress and Anxiety Reduction
  • Improved Sleep
  • Cognitive Function and Alertness
  • Immune Support
  • Neuroprotection
  • What is L-Theanine
    • L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea and some mushrooms that may help reduce stress, improve sleep, and support cognitive function.
    • L-theanine is a non-protein amino acid primarily found in green and black tea and certain mushrooms, and it is also available as a dietary supplement in pill or tablet form. It is structurally similar to glutamate, a neurotransmitter, and can influence brain chemicals such as GABA, dopamine, and serotonin, which are involved in relaxation, mood, and cognitive function.
  • Dosage and Safety
    • L-theanine is generally considered safe for short-term use, with doses up to 900 mg daily used in studies for up to 8 weeks without serious adverse effects. Mild side effects may include headache or sleepiness. Safety during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or in combination with certain medications (e.g., chemotherapy) is not well established, so consultation with a healthcare professional is recommended.
  • Considerations
    • While L-theanine shows promise for stress reduction, sleep improvement, and cognitive support, more research is needed to confirm long-term benefits and optimal dosing. It should not replace medical treatment for anxiety, sleep disorders, or other health conditions.
    • In summary, L-theanine is a natural compound with potential calming and cognitive benefits, commonly consumed through tea or supplements, and generally safe when used appropriately under guidance.
  • Your Guide To L-Theanine | Holland & Barrett
    • L-theanine is a unique amino acid found in tea that can help your mental function. In this article you will find everything you need to know, from its uses to its side effects.
  • L-Theanine: Dosage, Benefits, and Side Effects | healthline
    • L-theanine is an amino acid in green and black tea and some mushrooms. Learn about the possible benefits and side effects, as well as dosage information.
    • A 2019 review found that around 200 to 400 milligrams (mg) of L-theanine per day could help to ease anxiety and stress.
  • Theanine: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews | WebMD
    • Learn more about Theanine uses, effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, dosage, user ratings and products that contain Theanine.
    • As medicine, L-theanine has most often been used by adults in doses of 200-400 mg by mouth daily for 4-8 weeks.
  • L-Theanine: 10 Health Benefits, How to Take, Dosing & Side Effects - Tua Saúde
    • L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that may improve focus, reduce stress, support sleep, aid weight loss, regulate blood sugar, strengthen the immune system, and lower blood pressure. Learn how l-theanine works, its benefits, dosage, and possible side effects.
    • The usual adult dose ranges from 200 mg to 400 mg per day, depending on the condition being addressed.
    • The recommended dosage for adults is typically 1 capsule of 200 mg, twice a day, taken every 12 hours.
  • L-Theanine Uses, Benefits & Dosage | Drugs.com
    • Learn about the potential benefits of L-Theanine including contraindications, adverse reactions, toxicology, pharmacology and historical usage.
  • L-Theanine: What It Is and 3 Benefits | Cleveland Clinic
    • Are you always turning to a cup of tea to lull you to sleep or to decompress from a long day? Turns out the supplement L-theanine may be able to produce the same effects. Here’s what we know so far about this amino acid.
Magnesium Glycinate
  • 400mg - 420mg
  • Sleep and Relaxation
  • Anxiety and Mood
  • Muscle and Nerve Function
  • Bone and Heart Health
  • Blood Sugar Management
  • Migraines
Melatonin
  • 8mg
  • 0.5 - 5mg
  • Improved Sleep
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Anxiety
  • temporomandibular disorders (TMD)
  • Take 30 mins before bedtime
  • Melatonin is a supplement for sleeping
  • Natural compound produced by the body
    • Melatonin is a natural compound produced by the body, primarily in the pineal gland, and is involved in regulating sleep-wake cycles. It is commonly used to treat insomnia, jet lag, and to help reset the circadian rhythm. Melatonin is available as an over-the-counter dietary supplement in various forms, including tablets, capsules, and gummies.
    • Potential benefits include improved sleep quality and duration, while side effects may include dizziness, daytime drowsiness, and headaches. It's important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting melatonin, especially for long-term use or if you have underlying health conditions.
  • Melatonin: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews | WebMD
    • Learn more about Melatonin uses, effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, dosage, user ratings and products that contain Melatonin.
    • But it can cause some side effects including headache, sleepiness, dizziness, and nausea.
    • Don't drive or use machinery for 4-5 hours after taking melatonin.
  • Melatonin - Wikipedia
  • Melatonin: Side Effects & Dosage Guide for Sleep | Drugs.com
    • Learn what melatonin is, how it helps with sleep, recommended adult and child doses, common side effects, and long-term safety considerations.
    • Advanced description of dosage and for which conditions ans situations.
    • You can overdose on this medication.
Modafinil
  • 100mg - 200mg
  • Cognitive Enhancer
  • Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting drug used to treat excessive sleepiness due to narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, or shift work sleep disorder. It is sometimes used off-label as a cognitive enhancer. Modafinil's exact mechanism is unclear, but it affects many neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Some studies suggest it may enhance performance on complex tasks in healthy individuals; however, no long-term studies have tested whether modafinil prevents cognitive decline or dementia. Modafinil is generally considered safe for most people with minor side effects such as headache, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, and anxiety.
  • Understanding Modafinil's Cognitive Effects | NeuroLaunch - Explore modafinil's mechanism of action, its impact on neurotransmitters, and clinical implications for cognitive enhancement.
  • Review of ‘smart drug’ shows modafinil does enhance cognition | University of Oxford
    • The drug modafinil was developed to treat narcolepsy (excessive sleeping), but it is widely used off-licence as a ‘smart drug’ to promote cognitive enhancement, where qualities such as alertness and concentration are desired to assist someone with, for example, exam preparation.
  • How to Buy Modafinil Online at Tesco Pharmacy in the UK [2026] - Modafinil.org
    • Interested in buying modafinil at Tesco Pharmacy in the United Kingdom? Our guide has all the answers! We explain what problems you may encounter and share places where you can buy modafinil online OTC in the UK.
    • In the United Kingdom, modafinil is widely used to promote wakefulness and improve cognitive abilities, especially in professions requiring sustained focus and mental acuity.
    • You need a prescription to purchase in the UK.
    • Besides, while possessing modafinil for personal use without a prescription is generally allowed, selling or distributing it without authorisation can result in legal issues.
    • Yes, it is possible to buy modafinil online at Tesco Pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription. Due to its status as a prescription-only drug, it requires a licensed healthcare provider’s approval to ensure its proper use.
  • Buy Modafinil in the UK [Updated • 2025] The A-Z Guide
    • The #1 GUIDE on how to buy Modafinil in the UK. If you're curious where to buy the world's best nootropic online in the United Kingdom, look no further.
    • Buying modafinil in-person in the UK requires a prescription
    • Buying modafinil online in the UK does NOT require a prescription
    • We recommend buying modafinil online from Buy Moda or Modafinil XL
    • But at doses of 100-200mg, both clinical studies and anecdotal experience have shown that most individuals tolerate Modafinil very well.
    • Also known as Provigil.
  • Order ModaXL 200mg with Fast UK Delivery (Royal Mail) - ModafinilUK
    • I have not used these but their warehouse is in Garstang.
  • Where to Buy Modafinil in the UK [2025 Guide] - ModafinilUK
    • Want to buy Modafinil online in the UK? It is important to research the laws and regulations governing the sale and purchase of modafinil before buying.
    • Here we discuss the modafinil laws in the UK and the best online supplier to order generic modafinil without a prescription in the United Kingdom.
    • Also discusses benefits and side effects.
  • Modafinil | Drugs | BNF | NICE
    • View modafinil information, including dose, uses, side-effects, renal impairment, pregnancy, breast feeding, contra-indications and monitoring requirements.
  • My 'smart drugs' nightmare - BBC News
    • The use of smart drugs is growing among students. But do they work?

Typical Values / Food Groups

The different types of food you should eat as part of a healthy diet

Reference Intake of an average adult.
Typical Values Reference Intake (RI)
Energy 8,400kJ / 2000kcal
Fat 70g
of which saturates 20g
Carbohydrates 260g
of which sugars 90g
Fibre  -
Protein 50g
Salt 6g

Units and Measures

  • General
  • Traditional Measurements
    • g (Gram)
      • 1g = 1000mg = 1000000μg
    • mg (Milligram)
      • 0.001g = 1mg = 1000μg
    • μg / mcg (Microgram)
      • 0.000001g = 0.001mg = 1μg
  • Types
    • RI = Reference Intake
    • NRV = Nutrition Reference Value
  • International Unit (IU)
  • RE, α-TE, and N
    • When you see RE, α-TE, and NE on nutrition labels or in dietary tables, they are standardised units used to express vitamin activity, not just raw weight. Here’s what each means:
    • RE – Retinol Equivalents
      • Used for Vitamin A.
      • Vitamin A comes in different forms:
        • Preformed vitamin A (retinol) from animal foods
        • Provitamin A carotenoids (like beta-carotene) from plant foods
      • Because these forms have different biological activity, they’re converted into a common unit: Retinol Equivalents (RE).
      • Classic conversion (older system):
        • 1 µg retinol = 1 µg RE
        • 6 µg beta-carotene ≈ 1 µg RE
        • 12 µg other provitamin A carotenoids ≈ 1 µg RE
      • Note: Many countries now use RAE (Retinol Activity Equivalents) instead of RE, which has slightly different conversion factors.
    • α-TE – Alpha-Tocopherol Equivalents
      • Used for Vitamin E.
      • Vitamin E exists in multiple forms (tocopherols and tocotrienols), but alpha-tocopherol is the most biologically active form in humans.
      • So vitamin E content is expressed as α-TE, meaning the amount adjusted to reflect the activity of alpha-tocopherol.
        • 1 mg alpha-tocopherol = 1 mg α-TE
        • Other forms of vitamin E are converted into alpha-tocopherol equivalents based on their biological potency.
    • NE – Niacin Equivalents
      • Used for Vitamin B3 (Niacin).
      • Niacin can come from:
        • Niacin (nicotinic acid)
        • Nicotinamide
        • Tryptophan (an amino acid the body can convert into niacin)
      • to account for this, it’s expressed as Niacin Equivalents (NE).
      • Conversion:
        • 1 mg niacin = 1 mg NE
        • 60 mg tryptophan ≈ 1 mg NE

Hydration 

  • General
  • Coffee
  • Tea Vs Coffee
  • Does drinking water make you hungry?
  • Why when I drink water does it go straight through me
    • Why Does Water Go Straight Through Me? - Biology Insights - Ever wonder why water seems to go straight through you? Discover how your body efficiently processes hydration and when to be concerned.
      • Caffeine is diuretic
      • Rapid consumption of a large volume of water can also trigger a quicker excretory response. The body’s systems respond promptly to large fluid inputs to prevent imbalances. While the small intestine rapidly absorbs water, the kidneys work to process this influx, especially if the body perceives it as an excess.
    • Why Does Water Go Right Through Me? Understanding the Science Behind Frequent Urination - Water Filter Spruce - Have you ever wondered why water seems to go right through you? Perhaps you’ve noticed that you need to go to the bathroom frequently after drinking water, or maybe you’ve experienced a feeling of bloating or discomfort in your abdomen. Whatever the case may be, there are a number of reasons why water might seem to pass through your body quickly, and in this article, we’ll explore some of the most common explanations.
      • Caffeine is diuretic
        • Tips for Optimizing Hydration
          • Consume electrolytes
          • Drink enough water
          • Limit diuretics
          • Monitor urine color : Monitoring the color of your urine can help determine whether you are properly hydrated. Aim for a light yellow color, indicating adequate hydration.
        • Tips for Staying Hydrated
          • Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go
          • Flavor your water
          • Set reminders
          • Eat water-rich foods: Many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, cucumbers, and strawberries, are high in water content and can help you stay hydrated.
          • Avoid sugary drinks: Sugary drinks like soda and sports drinks can actually dehydrate you, so it’s best to stick with water or other low-sugar options.
        • Most people urinate between six and eight times per day.
      • Avoid These Big Mistakes When Drinking Water - YouTube - Tired of hearing conflicting information about how much water you should drink? Watch this video to learn about some common myths surrounding drinking water and what the truth really is.
        • Your urine should not be clear.
        • You ned electrolytes and Sea Salt (t=150)
        • 2.5 litres of water a day
        • Don't drink lots before you eat
        • Low carb ketogentic diet + lots of water --> Keto flu of Keto Fatigure = need more salt to fix
        • Vegetables: 80% - 90% is water
        • Meat: 60% and 65% is water
        • When you oxidise fat (exercise), you generate water and CO2
        • diabetes or to much calcium in the blood (Hypercalcemia) makes you thirsty, can cause excessive urination, which is probably why you are thirsty.
    • Jons Thoughts on drinking
      • Dont drink 1Litre in one go, your kidneys will go into overdrive to get balance.
      • You must work out the max amount of water you can drink per hour eg: 1 x 300ml drink per hour
      • Which does not cause you to piss it out 1 hour later. This is no hydrating you if it happens.
      • NB: When you drink water you effectively dilkute your electrolytes, so drinking water with electrolytes should be a consideration in formualting a drinking pattern.
      • Nurse said
        • He drinks between 4-5 litres a day and that 2 litres a day is not enough for me.
        • If you get dry lips, you are not drinking enough
        • When you drink a lot of water, you dilute the electrolytes currently in your body and also cause them to get flushed out of your system quicker than you want via urination. They will need replacing.
        • Definitely do not drink the water all in one go
      • Amount of water
        • Don't drink lots of water in one go, it will cause the kidneys to go into overdrive.
        • 500ml max an hour, and this is the most you should do in one go.
        • 750ml is classed as a full bladder, you can go up to 950/1000ml if you hold very strongly.
        • Nurse said 4-5 litres
        • Work up to it from 2l by 500ml every couple of days to find my balance.
        • If my lips are dry at any pint of the night or day my water intake is not enough
        • I must make sure I take on electrolytes because the more water you use the more dilute they become and could obviously be excreted out at a greater rate.

Health Issues and Causes

Bad diet and lifestyle can lead to these issues.

  • Cause of Fatigue
    • Too much exercise
    • Electrolyte depletion
    • Not enough energy (usually in the form of carbohydrates)
    • Dehydration
  • Causes of frequent Urination
    • Drinking to much on one go - The kidneys will try and get rid of most of the liquid to regain balance.
    • Cortisol presence during sleep cycle
    • Too much Caffeine
    • Diabetes
    • Hypercalcemia (lack of calcium)
    • Constant Pee-ing at night can be caused by
  • Causes of getting up through the night (not always urination)
    • Cortisol presence during sleep cycle
    • Drinking after 18.00
    • not leaving 3-4 hours after last meal before going to bed.
  • Night Eating Syndrome (NES)
    • Investigate
  • Lead Poisoning
  • Painful/Sore Foot

Lifestyle Recommendations

General

  • After a meal need to do 20mins of walking (while burning virseral fat off)
  • It's Embarrassingly Simple - YouTube | Papa Tates - Fitness and nutrition is really that simple
    • Carbs before lift
    • Protein after lift.
    • Fruits before and after.
    • Water and electrolytes all day
    • Caffeine when you're lazy.
    • It's really that simple.
    • Stop overcomplicating.
  • 4 Ways to Lose Weight Without Counting Calories - YouTube
    • This video outlines 4 evidence-based ways to lose weight without counting calories or consciously controlling portions. We all know that the standard advice to "eat less, move more" doesn't work that well.
    • hi carb foods: reducing these helps loose weight: sugars, sodas, bread, pasta
  • How Long Does It Take to Put on Muscle? | The Art of Manliness - Don't be fooled by unrealistic expectations. Learn the truth about building muscle and how long it takes to see noticeable results.
  • Do You Chew Your Food Enough? Doctor Explains - YouTube | Dr Sermed Mezher
    • Chewing your food thoroughly is more than just a mechanical step in digestion; it is a critical signal to your endocrine system. 
    • The process of mastication, or chewing, triggers a complex hormonal cascade that communicates with the brain to signal satiety.

Alternative Diets

  • 30-30-30
  • 80-20 diet ?
  • Collagen diet
    • Anatoly uses this
  • Wisey 28 day plan
  • Paleo Diet
  • 30-10-30 
  • Keto diet with intermittent fasting
    • 4 months hard keto intermittent fasting | Google Search
      • A four-month commitment to a "hard" keto and intermittent fasting (IF) regimen is a highly restrictive approach that combines high-fat, ultra-low-carb intake (under 30-50g per day) with 16:8 or 18:6 eating windows, or even One Meal A Day (OMAD). Many individuals in this scenario report significant weight loss—often ranging from 30 to over 50 pounds depending on starting weight—due to accelerated fat-burning and reduced calorie consumption.
      • Here is a breakdown of what to expect based on 4 months of hard keto and IF:
        • 4-Month Results and Experience
          • Rapid Initial Weight Loss: Many report losing 10-15 pounds in the first month alone, with, in some extreme cases, up to 100 pounds lost over 4 months.
          • Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss: The focus often shifts from scale weight to body composition changes, as the combination of keto and IF helps preserve lean muscle while burning stubborn body fat.
          • Adaptation Phase: The first 2-4 weeks often involve the "keto flu" (fatigue, headaches, irritability), which typically subsides as the body becomes fat-adapted.
          • Physical Changes: Clothes become noticeably looser, and people often experience a significant reduction in bloating and inflammation.
          • Sustainability Challenges: After 3-4 months, many find strict keto difficult to maintain due to limited food variety, leading to potential "cheating" or burnout.
        • Benefits of the Combination
          • Enhanced Ketosis: IF accelerates the depletion of glycogen, forcing the body into ketosis faster.
          • Reduced Appetite: High-fat meals paired with reduced eating windows often lead to a natural, effortless decrease in calorie consumption.
          • Increased Mental Clarity: Participants frequently report sharper focus and increased energy levels.
        • Challenges and "Hard" Side Effects
          • Physical Side Effects: Constipation, bad breath (ketosis breath), insomnia, and reduced energy during workouts can occur.
          • Nutrient Deficiencies: Long-term strict keto (3-6 months) can lead to deficiencies in vitamins A, C, K, and folate.
          • Potential for Overeating: Due to small eating windows, some may feel pressured to overeat, causing stomach discomfort.
          • Heart Health Concerns: Sustained high saturated fat intake can lead to increased LDL cholesterol in some individuals.
        • Tips for Success over 4 Months
          • Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to avoid side effects like low blood pressure.
          • Electrolytes are Crucial: Replenish sodium, potassium, and magnesium to prevent keto flu symptoms.
          • Listen to Your Body: If extreme fatigue sets in, consider easing the fasting window (e.g., move from 18:6 to 16:8).
          • Focus on Whole Foods: Avoid relying solely on processed, high-fat "keto snacks" to ensure adequate nutrition.
        • Disclaimer:
          • It is important to consult a healthcare professional before starting such a restrictive diet, particularly if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medication.
      • Sources
  • Fasting
  • Misc

Other Stuff

  • Get rid of Thigh FAT
  • Healthy Diet Advices
  • Blood pressure
    • General
      • Blood pressure test - NHS
        • Find out why a blood pressure test is important, how it's done and what your blood pressure reading might mean.
        • Your blood pressure is usually considered high if it's either:
          • 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional
          • 135/85 or higher when checked at home
    • High Pressure
    • Low Pressure
      • Low blood pressure (hypotension) - NHS
        • Find out about low blood pressure (hypotension), including what the symptoms are, when to get your blood pressure checked and treatments for low blood pressure.
        • can cause symptoms such as dizziness or fainting.
      • Low blood pressure headache: Causes and treatment - While many people with low blood pressure (hypotension) may not have symptoms, some people do experience headaches as well as other symptoms.
  • Reduce Cholesterol
  • Health recommendations by WHO
    • Water Intake: Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily
    • Exercise: 150 minutes moderate activity per week
    • Sleep: 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly
    • Steps: Aim for 10,000 steps daily
  • Sleeping
    • No more than 8 hours should be needed normally.
    • Unless you fall asleep with 20 minutes of going to bed, you are not ready for sleep 
    • Try THIS if you can't fall asleep! - YouTube | Doctor Myro
      • If you cant fall asleep in 20 minutes your brain is stuck in an active thinking loop.
      • Your brain has evolved to stay alert when something feels uncertain or unresolved.
      • Staying in bed when your mind is racing is just training your brain to associate your bed with anxiety.
      • To quiet your brain you need to switch from thinking to sensing, get up go to a quite room, dark environment, absolutely no screens and then read, listen to music, try a wind down exercise, but only go to bed when you are ready to sleep. If it is still not happening half an hour later, take 0.5mg of Melatonin, not more, it is a common misconception, but more just gives you more side effects. 200mg - 400mg of Magnesium Glycinate can also work wonders.
    • How long should naps REALLY last? - YouTube | Dr Myro - How long do you nap?
      • Your naps should never be 30 minutes because that is how long it takes for your body to enter deep sleep, even REM sleep. cutting that off and you're going to wake up groggy. Might as well be a walking zombie.
      • 10 - 20 mins is where it's at. Even if you don't fall asleep, you enter non-sleep deep rest and that's great for midday brain fog, alertness, memory retention. There's even a 60% dopamine increase with a non-sleep deep rest. It's like loving life again and you're more productive.
      • Now you want the same benefits as 8 hours of restorative sleep, 90 minute nap. That's all it takes.
    • why do i get hungry before bed | Google Search
      • You get hungry before bed due to insufficient daytime calories, unbalanced meals (low protein/fibre), poor sleep disrupting hunger hormones (ghrelin/leptin), stress, boredom, dehydration, or your body's natural circadian rhythm signaling a need for fuel after activity, with hormonal shifts like your period also playing a role. It signals your body needs energy, but it could also be emotional, so assess if you're truly hungry or just craving. (Google AI)
      • Nighttime hunger often happens because of inadequate daytime eating, high activity levels, or habits that trigger the brain to crave a late-night snack. Other common factors include stress-induced high cortisol, poor sleep quality, or needing more fiber and protein to stay full. A light, balanced snack can help, but regular, intense hunger might require reviewing your daily diet.
      • Key Reasons for Pre-Bed Hunger:
        • Insufficient Daytime Nutrition: Not eating enough or skipping meals during the day, particularly neglecting protein or fiber, causes hunger to catch up with you at night.
        • Habit and Conditioning: If you regularly eat before bed, your body becomes conditioned to expect food at that time, triggering hunger signals on autopilot.
        • High Activity Levels: If you had an intense workout, your body may be demanding more energy to recover.
        • Stress and Emotional Eating: Stress and anxiety can trigger increased hunger and make you crave comfort, leading to late-night snacking.
        • Poor Sleep/Hormones: Poor sleep quality messes with hunger-regulating hormones (ghrelin and leptin), often causing late-night hunger.
        • Dehydration: Sometimes, the body mistakes thirst for hunger
      • How to manage it:
        • Eat Balanced Meals: Ensure your dinner includes a mix of carbohydrates, fiber, and protein to keep you satiated.
        • Smart Snacking: If you must eat, choose nutrient-dense, light options like nuts, yogurt, or fruit.
        • Hydrate: Drink herbal tea or water to help calm cravings
        • If you are constantly waking up famished, it could be due to blood sugar issues, and you should consider consulting a healthcare professional.
      • Sources:
    • Sleeping on the Floor: Is It Good or Bad for You? | Casper Blog - Updated 9/25/2025 Sleeping on the floor may improve posture, circulation, and help you stay cool, but it can also cause discomfort, worsen allergies, or lead to restless nights. If you try it, ease in gradually, use proper support, and choose a position that keeps your spine aligned -€” or consider a firmer mattress for similar benefits without the downsides.
    • Sleep After a Workout: Is It Good or Bad? | healthline - After doing intense exercise, some people feel the urge to take a nap. We'll discuss the pros and cons of sleeping after exercise.
    • REM, Light, Deep: How Much of Each Stage of Sleep Are You Getting? - Fitbit Blog - Discover how to read and interpret your sleep-stage data with these tips from the scientists who helped develop it.
    • Oversleeping Secretly RUINS Your Day! DON'T DO THIS! #shorts - YouTube - Sleeping 13 hours to 'catch up' actually causes sleep inertia, a groggy state that impairs cognition for hours. It's like a computer rebooting from deep shutdown, not standby. Worse, it shifts your circadian rhythm, making Sunday nights harder and perpetuating sleep debt.
    • The surprising truth about sleep! - YouTube | Doctor Myro - Bad for health, good for the economy!
    • Medieval People Slept in Two Shifts Every Night - YouTube | StickToHistoryUK - Before electric light, people across Europe slept in two blocks every night, with an hour awake in between. Historian Roger Ekirch found more than 500 references to it. 
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • When and how should I take my Supplements
    • The Truth About Supplements: Timing, Pairing & Usage Mistakes You Didn’t Know | Health and Me
      • Supplements can support your health, but using them the wrong way may limit their benefits. From the best times to take them to which foods enhance absorption, and the subtle mistakes many of us make without realizing, this guide explores everything you need to know to get the most from your routine.
      • Supplements should complement, not replace, a balanced diet and professional guidance.
      • This has a nice table and tells you when and with or witout food.
    • When to Take Vitamins and Supplements - YouTube - Are you taking supplements or vitamins that aren’t as effective as you thought they’d be? It could be that you’re just taking them at the wrong time of day. ...
    • Is timing everything? Why it matters when you take your supplements
      • Taking all your supplements in one go? There'€™s a better way. Your routine can make or break how your body benefits from those nutrients, according to our expert
      • Can’t I just take a multivitamin in the morning and call it a day?
      • Some vitamins are better absorbed on an empty stomach, while others require food. And if certain ingredients interact negatively, they won’t be absorbed properly.
    • When is the best time of day to take protein? | H&B
      • Our nutritionist has done the heavy lifting and found the facts about when to take protein. Here'€™s what you need to know about choosing the right type and fitting it into your routine
      • If we look at someone who trains in the morning, then having a protein-rich breakfast such as protein-fortified cereal, eggs on toast or a protein shake will aid their recovery and help the muscles to repair after their workout.
      • When we exercise to a high intensity, we need to compensate for the muscle protein breakdown, so we need an additional intake of protein.
      • “A lot of people think that they need to have a source of protein immediately after exercise – or within about 30 minutes – but research suggests that it might actually extend to several hours,”
  • Heart Rate
    • Your heart rate - BHF - Your heart rate (also known as your pulse rate) is the number of times your heart beats per minute (bpm). Everyone’s heart rate is different and can change over time.

Exercising

General

Motivation

Best Time

  • The Best Time To Exercise -€“YouTube | Dr. Berg
    • In this video, we’re going to talk about the best time to exercise.
    • The best time to work out is in the evening. When you work out in the evening, you recover much more quickly than if you work out in the morning. You also burn more fat.
    • Keep in mind that exercising in the evening will spike your cortisol a small amount, but it normalizes much faster.
    • If you are an adrenal body type, you may benefit from walking in the morning. However, for those who are not, high-intensity interval training is ideal in the evening.
    • If you work out twice a day, try doing your light workout in the morning and more intense exercises in the evening.
    • You should see a big difference in your results and recovery when you work out in the evening.
  • When is the best time to exercise? - BBC REEL - YouTube - There is no doubt that a healthy lifestyle should include some sort of exercise regime. But recent scientific studies have explored the benefits of time-specific workouts.

Working out Symptoms

Exercises

Notes

  • Tools
    • BMI Calculator
      • Free Body Mass Index calculator gives out the BMI value and categorizes BMI based on provided information from WHO and CDC for both adults and children.
    • Symptom Checker with Body from WebMD - Check Your Medical Symptoms
      • WebMD Symptom Checker is designed with a body map to help you understand what your medical symptoms could mean, and provide you with the trusted information you need to help make informed decisions in your life for better health.
  • Nutrition
  • Foods Nutritional Values
    • USDA FoodData Central - USDA FoodData Central produces thorough resources for navigating and understanding nutritional info to support dietary choices and nutritional analysis.
    • Nutritional Values For Common Foods And Products - Nutritional facts database with detailed analysis, advanced search and tools.
    • Composition of foods integrated dataset (CoFID) - GOV.UK
      • McCance and Widdowson’s 'composition of foods integrated dataset' on the nutrient content of the UK food supply.
      • Download McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset 2021: user guide
      • McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods integrated dataset is the official UK national food composition database, providing comprehensive macronutrient and micronutrient profiles of more than 3000 most commonly consumed food and recipes in the UK.
    • EuroFIR » European Food Information Resource
      • EuroFIR AISBL is an international, member-based, non-profit Association under Belgian law was set up in 2009 to ensure sustained advocacy for food information in Europe.
      • Our mission is to be an independent provider of validated food composition and supporting information across Europe and beyond in cooperation with FAO Infoods. We are committed to advancing FAIRification of food-related data and fostering its application through research and commercial endeavours to support improved nutrition and health amongst citizens
      • Food composition data is at the heart of what we, at EuroFIR, do. It feeds into the numerous Food Composition Databases (FCDBs) we have in FoodEXplorer.
    • Glycemic Index – Glycemic Index Research and GI News | The University of Syndney - Search our comprehensive database of GI tested foods. Complete with data for Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, serving size, direct references to the studies used to CALCULATE the VALUES, and more!
  • Nutrient Information / Recommended Intake (RI)
  • Foods and their Benefits / Help sites
    • The Eatwell Guide - GOV.UK
      • The Eatwell Guide is a policy tool used to define government recommendations on eating healthily and achieving a balanced diet.
      • Tis is a plate of food that illustrates how to get your proportions right for a healthy diet.
    • The Eatwell Guide - NHS - Read about the Eatwell Guide, which shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
    • The Eatwell Guide and Resources | Food Standards Agency - The Eatwell Guide makes healthy eating easier to understand by giving a visual representation of the types of foods and drinks we should consume and in what proportions to have a healthy, balanced diet.
    • Food facts - Healthier Families - NHS - We're here to help your family be healthier and happier. Find out more about what's really in the food we eat and how to make healthier food swaps to cut back on the sugar, salt and fat in your family's diet.
    • Weight Loss & Diet Plans - Find healthy diet plans and helpful weight loss tools - From healthy diet plans to helpful weight loss tools, here you'll find WebMD's latest diet news and information.
    • Action on Sugar - Action on Sugar - Action on Sugar is a group of specialists concerned with sugar and its effects on health. Learn more here about sugar and it's effect on health.
    • SELF Magazine - Women's Workouts, Health Advice & Beauty Tips
  • OMAD
    • One Meal a Day
  • Electrolytes
    • Water vs Electrolytes: What You Need to Know About Hydration - YouTube - What's the difference between plain water and electrolytes? Who needs to add electrolytes to their water?
      • Drinking to much water without adding electrolytes can make dehydration works
      • Sodium, potassium and magnesium
      • when you exercise, sweat or are on a low carb diaet you are loosing electolytes
      • if you are only drinking plain water you are diluting your electrolyte conecntration even more, this can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle cramps, brain fog adn dizzinessor headaches
      • so if you are someone who does not eat a lot of processed food, if you eat a lower carbohydrate diet, if you are an athelete or use saunas regulary you need to be replenishing your eletrolyrtes.
      • but before you grab any electrolyte drink, make sure to check the label, most have added sugar and dont actually have a lot of eletroytes = use SODIE (15% off with code HCK15)
    • Do electrolytes make a difference? Experimenting with SaltStick! - YouTube - Electrolytes are minerals including sodium, potassium, calcium, and more that everyone's body requires. But they seep out in sweat, so as we demonstrate in this experiment, it's important to replace them any time you sweat a lot. Water alone is not enough.
      • Electotlyes are minerals, including salt that our body needs to function.
      • runing drinking loads of water but mouth is still dry
      • Low electrolyte symptoms include:
        • cramping
        • fatigue
        • headaches
        • confusion
        • Heat exhaustion
      • They demo'ed: SaltStick Tablets
    • Adding This To My Water Changed Everything - YouTube
      • Use Celtic Salt
      • Most people think hydration is just about drinking more water. But if water is going straight through you... or you feel bloated, tired, or still dehydrated... it’s not a water problem, it’s a cellular hydration problem.
      • Hydration happens inside the cell, not just in your bottle.
        • That’s why minerals matter.
        • That’s why electrolytes matter.
        • And that’s why how you hydrate is just as important as how much.
      • Once I understood this, my energy stabilized, headaches became less frequent, and I stopped feeling like I needed to constantly chug water all day.
    • Do electrolytes make a difference? Experimenting with SaltStick! - YouTube
      • Electrolytes are minerals including sodium, potassium, calcium, and more that everyone's body requires. But they seep out in sweat, so as we demonstrate in this experiment, it's important to replace them any time you sweat a lot. Water alone is not enough.
      • We've tried tons of electrolytes, and SaltStick is our favorite because it's EASY. You just eat it like candy in addition to drinking water (it tastes as good as candy too)! The alternatives are bottles of sports drink or electrolyte powders that you mix into water, both of which add complexity to a hike or workout. With FastChews, you don’t need to mix or wait… just chew ‘em!
    • Water Isn’t Enough: The Importance of Electrolytes for Hiking and Running – Thruhikers: Renee and Tim
      • So, what are electrolytes? They’re the minerals in our bodies that carry an electrical charge. They include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and more. 
      • This is a deep dive.
    • THIS Is What Happens When You Run Out of Electrolytes (NOT GOOD) - YouTube | Dr. Eric Berg DC - Electrolytes are essential. Find out the warning signs of low electrolytes!
  • Viseral Fat
    • Visceral fat is a type of body fat located deep inside the abdomen, wrapping around organs such as the liver, pancreas, intestines, heart, and kidneys. Unlike subcutaneous fat, which lies just under the skin and can be pinched, visceral fat is not visible from the outside and cannot be felt easily. It is sometimes called “active fat” because it actively influences how your body functions, including hormone regulation and metabolism.
    • Visceral Fat: Why It's Dangerous and How to Lose It - Visceral fat is hidden fat that wraps around your abdominal organs. Find out why this belly fat is dangerous and how to get rid of it.
    • What Is Visceral (Belly) Fat? Weight Loss & Getting Rid of Body Fat - Visceral fat is belly fat that wraps around the abdominal organs inside your body. Unlike subcutaneous fat, you cannot feel or see visceral fat, making it harder for weight loss.
    • What Is Visceral Fat & How To Get Rid of It
      • Visceral fat is a type of body fat everyone has. Learn about how it can impact your health.
      • some excellent ways of getting rid of it including fasting.
  • Cortisol / Viseral Fat
    • These sources include Cortisol Notes which helped for my new diet.
    • General
      • I Might Get Banned for Saying This About Cortisol & Insulin (not what you think) - YouTube
        • Why Your Belly Fat Won't Budge (The Cortisol-Insulin Connection)
        • Discover the hidden hormonal pattern that keeps belly fat stuck—even when you eat clean and exercise daily. This video explains the science behind visceral fat, cortisol receptors, insulin resistance, and provides 6 evidence-based solutions you can implement today.
        • 10 to 20 minute walk after meal, and must be within 30 mins
        • Salt and honey before bed
        • Once you have diet sorted, fast 1 day a week You must be doing the diet for a while and it be your routine.
        • Meal target types
          • Breakfast = protein
          • Dinner = carbs
      • 12 Signs of HIGH CORTISOL You Can See - €“ Doctor Explains - YouTube
        • Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone, and while it’s essential for survival, too much of it over time can cause real harm. In this video, Dr. Barron goes over 12 physical signs that may point to elevated cortisol levels, like facial puffiness, stretch marks, and easy bruising, and explains what sets normal stress responses apart from more serious conditions like Cushing’s syndrome or the effects of long-term steroid use. She also covers what causes cortisol to rise, when to consider testing, and how to bring levels down naturally through sleep, nutrition, and recovery. If you’ve noticed changes in your body and you’re wondering whether cortisol could be involved, this video will help you make sense of what’s going on and what to do next.
        • Cushings Syndrome = a severe condition that can cause the symptoms below
        • 12 Signs:
          • Moon Facies (only for severe) (a.k.a Cortisol Face)
          • Buffalo Hump - Hump at the top of the neck (only for severe)
          • Purple Striae - Stretch marks on the upper legs and gut.
          • Easy Bruising caused by thin skin
          • Central Obesity (i.e. viseral fat). This is hard to fix with addressing the cause of the high cortosol
          • Muscle Weakness
            • High cortosol can cause your muscles to break down over time
            • You may notice weakness in your arms and legs.
            • Find it hard to get out of a chair or climb stairs
          • Insomnia or restless sleep
          • Hair thinning
          • Acne and Oily skin (leading to adult achne)
          • Elevated Blood pressure
            • Cortosol causes you blood to retain sodium increasing tension in your blood vessels
          • Recurrent infections or slow healing
            • cuts, scrapes or injuries take longer to heal than they use to
            • get sick more often
          • Anxiety, Irritability, or Emontional Numbness
        • Causes of High Cortisol
          • Medical, chronic stress or lifestyle
          • Cushing’s syndrome
            • Causes the body to uncontrollably produce cortisol
            • Rare
            • Can be caused by a tumor
          • Corticosteroid Medications.
            • Long term use of steroids is the highest cause ofr medically induced high cortisol
            • Long term use can give symptoms to cushing's syndrome
          • Physiologic Elevation
            • Chronic Stress
            • Pain
            • Illness
            • Sleep Distruption
            • NB:In the short term it's a healty survival response. But over tiome is the stress is not addresses, those elevated levels can begin to wear down the body.
        • Pseudo-Cushings
          • Can be caused by:
            • Alcoholism
            • Major Depression
            • Sever Obesity
            • Uncontrolled diabetes
            • NB: The key difference is that once the underlying problem is treated, cortisol level usually goes back to normal
        • How to lower cortisol
          • Go to bed at the same time every night and try to sleep 7 to 9 hours.
          • Avoid screens like phones or TV before bed. They keep your brain alert and can raise cortisol.
          • Along with sleep mental rest is just as important.
            • Deep Breathing
            • Stretching
            • Yoga
            • Quiet time (without ditractions)
            • NB: These can calm your nerveous system. These activities tell your body that it's safe, whihc helps lower stress hormones like cortisol.
          • Your diet plays a major role too.
            • Don't dkip meals
            • Choose food with protein, fibre and healthy fats instead of sugary snacks.
            • When you blood sugar goes up and down too quickly, your body may release too much cortisol.
          • Natural Suppliments can help
            • Ashwagandha: is a herbal supplement that has been shown in some studies to gently lower cortisol levels.
          • Balance your physical activity
            • Exercise is good, but too much intense exercise without enough rest can raise your cortisol level instead of lowering it.
            • Make sure your body has tome to recover between workouts and mix in lighter activity like walking or stretching.
      • Always Waking Up at Night? - 1 TBSP Kills Cortisol FAST To Fall Back Asleep - YouTube
        • If you’re waking up at 3 a.m. with your heart racing and your mind wired — it’s not a sleep problem, it’s a cortisol problem. In this episode, Ben explains why your body wakes up during “liver time,” the real reason behind nighttime cortisol spikes, and the 1-tablespoon sleep hack that shuts it down fast.
        • You’ll learn exactly how raw honey and sea salt work to stabilise blood sugar, balance hormones, and calm the nervous system — plus five long-term steps to reset your metabolism, improve sleep, and burn fat more effectively.
        • Take these (Honey, Salt, Magnesium)
          • 1 table spoon of raw organic unfiltered honey with sea salt right before bed or even when you wake up at 3am
          • Also take a high quality magnesium supplement before bed. There are 7 different types and you can get a supplement with them all in.
          • Has links in description.
        • 5 steps to fix this issue long term
          • Stop eating 3-4 hours before bed.
          • Cut out seed oils and refined sugar.
          • Support the live daily.
          • Get morning sunlight exposure
          • Get Vitamin G
            • first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
            • This is a social thing, not chemical.
            • Vitamin Gratitude, it is the feeling of gratitude.
        • Nighttime routine to prevent 3 AM Wakeups
          • Dim lights 1 hour before sleep.
          • Do 5 minutes of slow breathing or gratitude journaling.
          • Avoid screens or blue light after 9p.m. (or at least an hour before bed)
          • Take Magnesium Glycinate or L-theanine if you're under stress.
          • End the night with your 1 tablespoon of honey and sea salt mix. (right before bed)
        • FAQ
          • honey and salt trick should be only for 7 - 14 days as you fix the other things. it is not for long term but can be re-introduced if required in the future.
          • It has to be unrefined sea salt. normal salt will not work.
          • You can test Cortisol levels at home using saliva, and it is called the `Dutch Test`, or via urine. can only be got from practitioner.
      • Do You Have a Cortisol Face? - YouTube | Drberg 
        • Are you struggling with a round, puffy face—even though your diet hasn’t changed? It might not be what you're eating… it could be your stress hormones.
        • When your body produces too much cortisol, it starts to break down muscle from your legs and butt, turning it into fat around your belly and face. This leads to the classic “Cortisol Face” – a bloated, swollen face caused by chronic stress, not overeating.
        • It's coming from stress not your diet.
        • When your body has too much cortisol it robs protein from your legs and your butt and turns it into fat around your midsection, it also puts it around the face, giving you this roundish face.
        • On of the best antidotes to lowering cortisol is something called L-Theanine. It increases Alpha brain waves to help calm you down so you can get into a really nice deep sleep and sleep through he entire night.
        • L-Theanine also increases GABA and Serotonin as well as melatonin which is the sleep hormone.
        • the best time to take L-Theanine is about an hour before you go to sleep at night.
      • This Miracle Liquid Melts Belly Fat & Kills Cortisol In Just 1 Day - YouTube | Ben Azadi
      • This Miracle Liquid Melts Fat & Kills Cortisol in Just 1 Day! (Scientific Proof) | Dr. Ben Azadi - YouTube - What if one simple liquid could help lower cortisol, reduce belly fat, and calm your body in just 24 hours? In this video, Dr. Ben Azadi breaks down the real science behind a powerful drink that supports fat loss by targeting stress hormones, not starvation.
      • How to Force Your Body to Burn Visceral Fat (Drop Cortisol) - YouTube | ChillFit Mode - If you are "skinny fat" or struggling with a stubborn belly that won't go away despite caloric restriction and cardio, the problem isn't your willpower. It’s your survival mechanism.
      • Waking Up at 3AM & Can't Lose Belly Fat? Do THIS to Drop Cortisol - YouTube | ChillFit Mode - If you consistently wake up between 2 AM and 4 AM, staring at the ceiling with your heart pounding, it is not "just insomnia." It is a biological fire alarm called Nocturnal Hypoglycemia.
      • If I Wanted to Lose Belly Fat By Summer, I'd Do This - YouTube | Jeremey Ethier
      • 8 Foods to Eat Every Day to Destroy Visceral Fat (Backed by Science) - YouTube | Leonid Kim MD - Visceral fat is not just a storage of energy, but it’s a biologically active tissue, which is why it can be so hard to lose it. Visceral fat responds better to certain biochemical signals, so in this video, I want to go over what those signals are and the rights foods to target to help lose visceral fat faster.
      • This Will Get You to 0% Visceral Fat in 30 Days (Drops Cortisol) - YouTube | Thomas DeLauer
      • How to Force Your Body to Burn Visceral Fat (Drop Cortisol) - YouTube | Health Systems Explained - If you’ve been dieting and exercising but stubborn belly fat refuses to go away, the issue may not be discipline — it may be biology. 
      • Drop Cortisol to Force Your Body to Burn Visceral Fat (Morning Routine) - YouTube | Stay Fit With Dom - Are you struggling with stubborn belly fat that just won’t go away — no matter how clean you eat or how hard you work out? The problem might not be your calories… it could be your cortisol levels.
      • Drop Cortisol to Force Your Body to Burn Visceral Fat (Morning Routine) - YouTube | Science Within Your Body
        • Waking up with stubborn belly fat—even when you eat clean and sleep well—can be a sign your Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) is out of sync.
        • In this video, we break down a simple morning protocol designed to calm stress hormones right after you wake up, switch off the body’s “fat storage” signals (including the LPL pathway), and help your metabolism stay in a fat-burning state for the rest of the day.
    • Tests
    • Levels
      • expected cortisol levels during the day | Google Search
        • Cortisol levels follow a strict circadian rhythm, peaking early in the morning (6 a.m. to 8 a.m.) at 10–20 mcg/dL and declining throughout the day to their lowest levels around midnight. Levels typically drop to 3–10 mcg/dL by 4 p.m., ensuring the highest concentration upon waking.
        • Typical Daily Cortisol Rhythm (Blood Serum)
          • Morning (6 a.m. – 8 a.m.): Highest levels, typically 10 to 20 mcg/dL (roughly 275–555 nmol/L).
          • Late Afternoon (Approx. 4 p.m.): Significant decline, usually 3 to 10 mcg/dL (roughly 85–275 nmol/L).
          • Midnight: Lowest levels (nadir).
        • Key Details on Cortisol Variation
          • Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR): Levels often surge by 50–60% in the 30–40 minutes immediately after waking.
          • Measurement Units: Results are generally measured in micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL) or nanomoles per liter (nmol/L).
          • Factors Affecting Levels: Stress, infections, illness, and medication (such as steroid use) can significantly influence these levels.
          • Exceptions: People working night shifts may have a reversed rhythm.
        • If testing for deficiency, doctors usually order a morning test; for excess (like Cushing's syndrome), a late-day test is more likely.
        • Sources
  • Simple vs Complex Carbohydrates
    • Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates: Function and Examples - You may have heard that eating complex carbohydrates is better than eating simple carbs. But why? And if it’s so important to know, why don’t nutrition labels tell you if the carbohydrate content is simple or complex? We explain the importance of carbohydrates and how to identify simple carbs vs. complex carbs.
    • Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates / Nutrition / Carbs - As a dietitian, I'm often asked to explain the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates. While most people have heard that complex carbohydrates are better for you than simple carbohydrates, what's often unclear is how the two differ, and why the differences between the two affect your health.
    • Good Carbs and Bad Carbs: The Truth about Carbohydrates - Carbs have a bad reputation in the dieting world but should not be completely eliminated from our diets. There are good carbs and bad carbs we explain which ones are good for you.
    • The Carbohydrate Advantage - Choose Complex Carbohydrates for Lasting Energy and Good Health
    • Good vs. Bad Carbohydrates: How Do You Tell the Difference? - Not all carbs are healthy. Here’s how refined and complex carbs differ, and which sources to choose.
    • Are Potatoes Good Carbs? Week& - Most nutrient-rich complex carbohydrates like potatoes have a welcome role in a healthy diet. Unfortunately, the impact of the starch in potatoes can place them in the "bad carb" category for some people.
  • Dangerous Carbohydrate
    • The #1 Most Dangerous Carb in the World - YouTube | Dr. Berg
      • You could be consuming the world’s most dangerous carbohydrate without even realizing it. This hidden carb spikes your blood sugar, even more than actual sugar. Find out about the #1 most dangerous carb in this video.
    • This Carb Spikes Blood Sugar WORSE Than Sugar - YouTube | Dr. Berg
      • The most dangerous carb in the world is not sugar. It’s not even classified as a sugar, yet it spikes blood sugar higher than sugar itself.
      • This factory-engineered carbohydrate bypasses every warning label you’ve been taught to look for. It’s marketed as “zero sugar,” costs pennies per pound, and is added to thousands of everyday products, including gluten-free foods, baby formula, baked goods, and sports nutrition.
      • And the health consequences are massive. The average person consumes 65–250 pounds per year of this industrial starch without realizing it.
  • Pooping / Stool
  • Oxygen Saturation
  • Hair
  • Strange Signs you're actually healthy
    • Itchy when you exercise ---> healthy circulation
    • Enjoy peeing --> nervous system working well
    • Get oosebumps easily --> sharp nervous system
    • Hungry same time daily --> hormaones in sync
    • Crave bitter foods --> liver + bile flow support
    • Pass gas daily --> healthy gut microbiome
    • Feel naturally sleepy at night --> balanced circadian rhythm
    • Wake up without an alarm some days --> nervous system and cortisol regulation
    • Breathe deeply without effort -- strong respiratory and oxygen efficiency
    • Your pee is light yellow --> you're hydrated and not flushing too much.
  • Cure Migraines
  • Cure Anxiety
  • Reverse Aging
  • Mental Improvement

 

 

 

Published in Health
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Wednesday, 29 October 2025 09:16

My QWcrm Notes

This is a temporary holding page for my QWcrm notes.

 

General Finance notes from J

  • A paid invoice or expense is paid/closed/zero balanced, it stays closed. Once this transaction is done, it is done.

Vouchers

  • MPV (Multi Purpose Voucher) = Gift Card
  • SPV (Single Purpose Voucher) = Phone Card

Payment System

  • Payment.php
  • PaymentTypeCreditnote.php
    • Payment Types controls the specific logic for the target of the payment eg: Creditnote, Expense, Invoice, Otherincome
  • PaymentMethodCreditnote.php
    • Payment Methods control the specific logic for the source of the payment eg: Cash, Cheques, Credit Notes, Other Incomes.....
    • These will appear as available payment menthos on the payment page, filtered when required i.e. a creditnote cannot be used to pay for a credit note, same for Vouchers (giftcards/SPV/MPV)

Credit Notes

  • What are they for
    • General
      • Add a credit note to reduce the amount you owe your supplier, or record a refund received from a supplier.
      • There are a few types of credit note and are based on payment direction.
      • These can be used like cash payments but are not included in financial calculations for the purpose of turnover, profit or tax.
      • Once an invoice or expense has been closed, and this also applies when closed with a credit note, it stays closed, this transaction is complete. Future refunds and credits can reference an invoice or expense but not change those transactions.
      • A credit note is issued or received referenced to an expense or invoice it doe snot alter it. The credit will sit on a client or supplier to be used on a later
      • When a sales credit note is issued
      • A credit note can be used to clear a balance on a partial or zero paid invoice or expense without using real money.
      • A credit note in QWcrm allows you to split it between real payments (refunds) and credit that can be used on other things you sell.
    • Types (What are they for specifically)
      • Sales Credit Note (Client)
        • Store credit for a client, no attached invoice, a gesture of goodwill etc..
      • Sales Credit Note (Invoice)
        • Can use these to zero out a client invoice that is unpaid or zero paid without using a real payment.
      • Purchase Credit Note (Supplier)
        • A supplier sends you this to give you store credit and will NOT be attached/referenced to an invoice.
        • These will be an uncommon thing but still exist.
        • This can be applied to a future expense from this supplier.
      • Purchase Credit Note (Expense)
        • A supplier sends you this to give you store credit and will be attached/referenced to an invoice.
        • This can be applied to a future expense from this supplier.
  • Button Locations
    • client:details
      • Sales Credit Note (Client)
        • No restrictions
        • Controlled by creditnote::checkRecordCanBeCreated()
        • Used to refund real money to a client without an invoice, or they can use the credit to purchase other items
    • invoice:details
      • Sales Credit Note (Invoice)
        • Must have an invoice_id and have == 0 balance
        • Controlled by creditnote::checkRecordCanBeCreated()
        • Used to close invoices with outstanding balances without accepting or sending real money
    • supplier:details
      • Purchase Credit Note (Supplier)
        • No restrictions
        • Controlled by creditnote::checkRecordCanBeCreated()
        • Used to reduce the amount you owe your supplier, or record a refund received from a supplier.
        • The refund can be in the form of credit with the supplier (via their credit note system) or a real payment such as cash or bank transfer.
    • expense:details
      • Purchase Credit Note (Expense)
        • Must have an expense_id and have == 0 balance
        • Controlled by creditnote::checkRecordCanBeCreated()
        • Used to reduce the amount you owe on an expense, or record a refund received from a supplier against an expense.
        • The refund can be in the form of credit with the supplier (via their credit note system) or a real payment such as cash or bank transfer.
    • creditnote:details
      • Record Refund / Refund to Client
        • assign a real payment to the client ? or supplier
        • {if ($creditnote_details.status == 'unused' || $creditnote_details.status == 'partially_used') && $creditnote_details.client_id}
        • This allows you to record sending real money to a client or supplier.
      • Apply Credit Note to Invoice
        • Use the credit note as payment on an invoice 
        • {if $creditnote_details.status == 'unused' && $creditnote_details.invoice_id}
        • This allows you to easily use the credit note as a payment against the invoice specified on the credit note.
          • This is the same as: the Invoice --> Apply Payment --> Select Credit Note and fill in the CR details.
      • Apply Credit Note to Expense
        • Use the credit note as payment on an expense 
        • {if $creditnote_details.status == 'unused' && $creditnote_details.expense_id}
        • This allows you to easily use the credit note as a payment against the expense specified on the credit note.
          • This is the same as: the Expense --> Apply Payment --> Select Credit Note and fill in the CR details.
  • Creditnote::checkRecordCanBeCreated()
    • This functions checks if this type of credit note is allowed, it is not currently checking if the credit note will be applied successfully.
    • Different Credit notes process types (do I need a standalone version)
      • Sales Credit Note (Standalone) - (client:details)
        • Used to refund real money to a client without an invoice, or they can use the credit to purchase other items
      • Sales Credit Note - (invoice:details)
        • Used to close invoices with outstanding balances without accepting or sending real money
      • Purchase Credit Note (Standalone) - (supplier:details)
        • Used to refund real money to a supplier without an expense, or they can use the credit to purchase other items
        • Used to record a refund from a supplier without a related expense.
        • The refund can be in the form of credit with the supplier (via their credit note system) or a real payment such as cash or bank transfer.
      • Purchase Credit Note - (expense:details)
        • Used to record a refund from a supplier with a related expense (eg: parts and services).
        • The refund can be in the form of credit with the supplier (via their credit note system) or a real payment such as cash or bank transfer.
  • Payment::getCreditnoteActionTypes()
    • Gets the different CR types from the DB
      • sales_apply => Sales Apply
      • sales_refund => Sales Refund
      • purchase_apply => Purchase Apply
      • purchase_refund => Purchase Refund
  • Links (might need sorting)

How To (in QWcrm)

  • Invoice partially paid (dead guy scenario)
  • Invoice fully paid - refund
  • Invoice partially paid - refund
  • Expense fully paid - refund
  • Expense partially paid - refund
  • Store Credit - Using credit notes not giftcard.

Credit note Q and A from J

  • Close with a sales invoice, then raise a standalone creditnote for a refund? or are they tied in some how?
  • Do i need a credit note system for expenses?
    • = Yes, otherwise how would i record refunds
    • When you get a refund from a supplier you can add it as a cash payment, you do not have to use the credit note system but this will lack full tracking and is only for small transactions such as `Petty Cash` transactions.
  • Do i need a credit note system for otherincomes? if I dont get the money, there is no other income?
    • = No, you would only enter this when you get the money, not before.
  • How to handle an expense with part payment?
    • Post as cash received, i.e. cash ??
  • How to refund a part paid expense
    1. zero the balance with a CR (using non-standalone via expense:details)
    2. refund the real payments by the client via another credit note
  • Dead guy scenario - has only paid half of his bill but is now dead, how do i write off his balance
    • = `Sales Credit Note` to zero the balance on the invoice. No real money will be used but I can close the invoice and it no longer annoy me.
  • Credit note = Credit towards a cost
  • Credit note must be attached to a purchase invoice or sales invoice
  • A debit note can be used to add a payments.
    • I am not sure what these are, or if needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published in General
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Saturday, 11 October 2025 13:58

My Ventoy Notes

My Ventoy notes.

Misc

  • Upgrade Ventoy on USB: Easy step-by-step guide - YouTube | Bootable USBs
    • Learn how to safely update Ventoy to the latest version on your USB drive. This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to maintain configurations, update iso files, and ensure compatibility with Windows 11.
    • Discover the seamless way to keep your Ventoy USB drive up-to-date without losing any of your stored ISO files or configurations! This easy-to-follow tutorial walks you through the process of updating Ventoy to the latest version, ensuring a smooth transition while keeping all your data intact.
    • Whether you're a first-timer or an experienced user, this guide is designed to help you upgrade your bootable USB with ease and confidence. Stay ahead with the newest features and improvements of Ventoy - watch now and update like a pro!
  • Ventoy Disk Layout / Technicals
    • Ventoy Disk Layout In MBR | Ventoy
      • This shows how a Venoty USB drive is layed out.
      • Why MBR?: MBR is the only selection in order to support Legacy BIOS system.
    • Legacy BIOS Access Range Limitation | Ventoy
      • When booting from legacy, there is a limit of 137GB. So if that's the case with the BIOS in your machine and you install Ventoy into a USB drive with large capacity(e.g. 256GB), you will run into problem when booting.
      • There is an access limitation in some Legacy BIOS of some vendors. For example, some Legacy BIOS can't read the disk beyond 137GB. If you search "Legacy BIOS 137GB" in the internet, you will get many informations about that.
  • Plugins
    • Windows VHD Boot Plugin | Ventoy
      • Ventoy use this plugin to boot VHD(x) files with Windows 7+ in it.
      • Both Legacy BIOS and UEFI are supported. Both fixed and dynamic VHD(x) are supported.
      • For Windows 10 v1809+, in addition to NTFS, VHD(X) files can also be stored in the exFAT partition.
        • [Shared] Windows 10 v1903 (19H1) supports exFAT+VHD(X) mode | wuyou.net
        • How to boot Windows 10 VHD with ventoy at exFat partition (Windows VHD Boot Plugin) - YouTube
          • In this video, I Am about to show you how to boot Windows 10 VHD from ventoy, relying on the exFAT file system.
          • Since the FAT/exFAT file system, commonly used in flash storage media such as large-capacity U Disks and USB Drives. and Windows 10 1903, has been able to mount native support for VDH / VHDX virtual disk files from FAT/exFAT partitions. We can use this feature and format the windows partition to the exFAT file system to be able to boot the VHD using ventoy.
          • Note:
            • Use Win10 v1903 or higher (20H2 in this project used).
            • It will be slower than the exFAT startup speed in the traditional model, even NTFS.
            • VHD boot only supports dual NTFS or exFAT, doesn't support NTFS in exFAT, or versa.
            • the virtual disk can be fixed or dynamic size but recommended to use fixed if there is no space problem

Settings

  • Set Tree View as default
    • You can configure Ventoy to always show folders by adding/modifying the ventoy.json file with the following code: 
      {
    "menu_style": "tree"
}
    • Place this file in the ventoy folder on your USB drive.
    • F3 will toggle the view irrespective of this file

Upgrading the VHV/VHDX plugin

Current Issues

  • either Windows 11 or my Lenovo laptop (and its drivers) are used and not compatible with my other machines, or DiskGenius does not like building a WinPE based on Windows 11.
  • Win10 WinPE Rufus images will not load, winload.exe error.
  • the VHD plugin needs updating to use the latest DLL etc.. 
  • Ventoy VHDX plugin might not like my Windows11 WinPE as it moans about Partition1 being on exFAT and not NTFS.

Instructions

  • Get the current Windows 10 plugin and upgrade the various files with those from my Windows 11 Pro PC. Ypu could use those from a Windows 11 Pro DVD if you do not have a live up to data system

Links

Pictures of failed loads (old VHD plugin)

Ventoy Warning - Partition1 (exfat) is Not ntfs, the VHD(X) file may not boot normally

Windows Boot Manager - Boot from VHD

Windows Boot Manager - winload.exe missing

 

 

 

 

Published in Applications
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Saturday, 04 October 2025 16:05

Rebuild the Windows Search Index

Rebuilding the Windows Search Index, which includes the Outlook Search, can resolve various issues:

  • Windows Explorer does not responding but crashes or restarts.
  • Whenever Windows Explorer is opened, it freezes and shows the "App Not Responding" dialogue. Then it crashes or shows the contents of the folder I clicked and freezes afterwards.
  • Slow searching.
  • Missing items in the index.
  • Having trouble finding emails in Outlook?
  • Is your search returning incomplete or incorrect results?
  • If you search for items in Outlook and don't receive the results that you expect.

View the Index and it's Status

There are several ways and places to view the search index properties and its progress in rebuilding. After you have wiped your index it is useful to see how things are going.

  • Indexing Options (Classic)

    • This will only show how many items are indexed and if there is indexing in progress. There are a few ways to view this window:
      1. Windows Key + I --> Privacy & security --> Search --> Find my files --> Classic --> Customise search locations
      2. Open Start menu and type: Indexing Options
      3. Outlook 2021 --> File --> Options --> Search --> Sources --> Indexing Options
  • Windows Search (New)

    • Windows Key + I --> Privacy & security --> Search
    • Now look at the top of the page and you will see the number of Indexed items and Pending counter.
  • Outlook Search Index
     
    • This will shows you how many items left to be indexed
    • Click in the search box
    • Toolbar --> Search Tab --> Search Tools --> Indexing status

Make Indexing faster

Disabling the indexer backoff will allow indexing to finish faster while you're active on the computer instead, but it will use more system resources.

  • Run gpedit.msc
  • Navigate to: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search: Disable indexer backoff:
  • Set it to On (Default is Off)
  • Restart the Windows Search service
  • Once your index is rebuilt, set Disable indexer backoff  to Off and restart the Windows Search service.

Make Sure Outlook Emails are Indexed

We need to ensure that Outlook is on the Windows Search Index

  • Open Outlook
  • Navigate to File --> Options --> Outlook Options --> Search --> Indexing Options
  • Make sure Outlook is selected.
  • Completely restart Outlook to fix minor glitches that may be affecting the search function.

Outlook items are only indexed when Outlook is open

  • Once I opened Outlook and viewed the indexing progress, the number of items pending to be indexed went up, and kept going up for a while. Indexed items started increasing aswell.
  • Once the items are indexed, you do not need Outlook open.

Reset Excluded Folders and Rebuild the Search Index

The following Powershell script fixes a lot of issue with the Windows search and is what I used.

  • You can reset everything (exclusions, index database, config) back to default using this PowerShell script. It bypasses the broken GUI and directly clears both the index data and registry entries:
  • This will fully wipe the Search Indexer state and restore clean defaults.
  • After a reboot, Windows will begin re-indexing only the standard folders.
    • A reboot is not needed, but I did it anyway.
  • You should open Outlook now so all of it's emails can get indexed.
# Stop Windows Search Service
Stop-Service -Name WSearch

# Delete the current search index database and configuration
Remove-Item -Path "$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Temp" -Recurse -Force

# Optional: Reset registry exclusions (set back to defaults)
Remove-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gather\Windows\SystemIndex\Sites\LocalHost" -Name "DefaultGatherPolicy" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gather\Windows\SystemIndex\Sites\LocalHost\Paths" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Start Search Service
Start-Service -Name WSearch

Notes

  • If any exclusions still reappear, it means they’re being pushed by a policy or a background process.
  • It adds all of the users folders in rather than specifying document and picture folders which is the default configuration of a new Windows PC/Profile.
  • This old arrangement that I had (separate Document, Picture, Video folders etc..) listed in the index might of been because my system was upgraded from previous Windows versions (XP --> Win7 --> Win10 --> Win11)

Links

  • General
    • Enable or Disable Enhanced Mode for Windows Search in Windows 10 & 11 - MajorGeeks
      • Windows 10 has added many settings to manage Windows Search. By default, Classic mode is on by default, which only searches your libraries and Desktop. The Enhanced mode can search your entire PC.
      • In this tutorial, we help you choose between the two and customize Windows 10 & 11 Search.
    • Weird looking paths get added to Windows 10 search index and break search - Super User
      • A few times in last weeks I have noticed that search from start menu wont find any files. Simply rebuilding the index did not fix this. Looking deeper into indexing settings I found that there was strange looking path being included in the index, one that I had not put there.
      • CSC stands for "Client Side Cache" which is used to hold Offline Files. These are local copies of files that exist on SMB shares like mapped network drives. By default, Windows indexes the CSC so that you can quickly find any network files that you've opened recently. The CSC index can become corrupt and put a full bork on indexing.
  • Explorer Crashing
  • Rebuild the Windows Search Index
    • how to delete all exclude folders in search indexer and revert it to default? - Microsoft Q&A
      • This has a Powershell and a Batch script method.
      • This is the additional batch file, just in-case it goes offline. I have not used it. 
        sc config wsearch start= disabled
net stop wsearch
REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v SetupCompletedSuccessfully /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
del "%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Windows.edb" /a
del "%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows\Windows.db" /a
sc config wsearch start= delayed-auto
net start wsearch
:: reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gathering Manager"
:: reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search"
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gathering Manager" /v *path
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v *dir*
reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WSearch"
icacls %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\
icacls %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Temp\
icacls %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications
icacls %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows
PAUSE
PAUSE
    • How to Reset Windows Search in Windows 11 | NinjaOne - Reset Windows Search to fix slow search and missing results. Use PowerShell, Registry Editor, Control Panel, and other methods to restore search speed.
    • Reset and Rebuild Search Index in Windows 11 | Windows 11 Forum
      • This tutorial will show you how to manually reset and rebuild the search index for accurate search results in Windows 11.
    • How to Delete and Rebuild the Windows 10 & 11 Search Index - MajorGeeks
      • Windows 10 keeps an index of all your searches so that you can get the fastest search results.
      • If you find that you're getting slow, missing, or incorrect results than it might be time to delete and rebuild your search index.
    • How to rebuild Search Index in Windows 11 | TheWindowsClub - You can reset, repair, rebuild Search Index in Windows 11/10 via Indexing Option Control Panel applet or by using this BAT file. Learn how.
  • Rebuild the Outlook Search Index
    • How to Rebuild Your Search Index on Microsoft Outlook [TUTORIAL] - YouTube
      • Having trouble finding emails in Outlook? Is your search returning incomplete or incorrect results?
      • It might be time to rebuild your Outlook search index!
      • In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to fix Outlook search issues by resetting and rebuilding the indexing system — a fast and effective way to bring back accurate and lightning-fast results.
    • How to Rebuild the Outlook Search Index (Step-by-Step Guide)
      • Fix Outlook search issues! Rebuild your search index on Windows, Mac, or Exchange to restore accurate and fast search results.
      • This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions for rebuilding the index on Windows and Mac systems, as well as for Exchange environments.
  • Troubleshooting Indexing Issues
    • Fix Windows 11 Indexing Issues: Troubleshooting Guide | Windows Forum
      • Indexing issues on Windows 11 can be as frustrating as a stubborn jam at your favorite coffee machine—especially when you're trying to search for that elusive file during a crunch time.
      • Windows indexing is the unsung hero that catalogs file properties and metadata to ensure speedy searches, but sometimes it just refuses to play ball.
      • If you're encountering the notorious message “Indexing is not running” or noticing that your searches start only to stall mid-air, you're not alone.
      • Here’s a deep dive into why this happens and how you can get your indexing service back on track.
      • Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter: msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic
  • Outlook Search Not Working
    • Outlook Search Isn't Working? Here's How to Fix It | How-To Geek
      • Those emails didn't just disappear.
      • Ensure Outlook is on the Windows search index. Open Outlook, then navigate to FIle > Options > Outlook Options > Search > Indexing Options, and make sure Outlook is selected.
      • Completely restart Outlook to fix minor glitches that may be affecting the search function.
      • Try using the Search and Indexing troubleshooter or update Outlook to resolve search-related issues.
    • Outlook 2021 indexing not working - Microsoft Q&A
      • After installation of outlook 2021 all the mails have been downloaded but I am not able to search any mail through search bar. indexing not working after rebuild database.
      • Run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter: msdt.exe -ep WindowsHelp id SearchDiagnostic
  • Disable Indexing
  • Make Indexing Faster
  • Excluded or Included Folders
    • This Excluded or Included depends on whether you are using the Classic or the Enhanced version of Windows Search.
    • Add or Remove Search Index Locations in Windows 11 | Windows 11 Forum
      • This tutorial will show you how to add or remove locations to be excluded or included in the search index in Windows 11.
      • Microsoft is beginning to roll out a change that brings those two settings pages together so you can easily access to all the Windows Search settings under a single settings page via Settings > Privacy & security > Search. 
    • How to stop Windows Search from auto-excluding repository folders? - Super User
      • Windows search indexer is adding most paths to repository folders (both .git and .svn) to the exclusion list.
      • I can remove them manually of course, but each time I rebuild the index - they are re-added.
      • I can add them as indexed locations, but I'd have to do that each and every time I add a new repository and I add them in varying locations depending on relation.
      • Why is Windows excluding these and how can I alter that behavior?
    • search indexing - How to reset and clear all previous Windows Index config? - Super User
      • This is where Windows Indexing rules (exclusions) are located in the registry, which are not only easier to manage/export/import, but are reflected in Windows Settings awful UX for this: 
        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\CrawlScopeManager\Windows\SystemIndex\WorkingSetRules\

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\Gather\Windows\SystemIndex\Sites\LocalHost\Paths\
    • Hide Files and Folders from Search Results in Windows 11 | TheWindowsClub - In this article, we will demonstrate how you can hide files and folders from your Search Results in Windows 11 or Windows 10.

 

Published in Windows General
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