HP Zbook Studio x360 G5

for very long time, i haven't purchased my own laptop, and last week i have received my new Zbook Studio G5. it is also the most expensive laptop that i have purchased at RM12k+

There are a couple of reason why i choose it. One is it has the combination of hardware performance i want - i7 8th generation with vPro, SSD (although only 500GB, but when i have more budget i can slot in another nvme ssd), nvidia P1000 and touch screen with pen. The hardware performance is essential for my work that involves software development involving computer vision and artificial intelligence. it is also graphically intensive as i deal with CAD software. One extra pulling factor is it has the pen input that i have long to have.

In addition, it does have a number of latest connection technologies, Bluetooth 5, thunderbolt 3. What is good is that it comes with a HDMI output, this save the trouble of hooking up to a bulky convertor to hook up for presentation, something i need to use frequently

Although i am not an artist, i enjoy writing and sketching ideas with pen. Zbook Studio G5 is paired with a WACOM pen. So far i am still very much a beginner with pen and there is nothing much that i can shout for it yet. But i do find that there is no good way for me to attach the pen to my laptop, although it comes with a holder that slots into the sd card slot. i worry that the protruding holder might break as i travel. Although the pen itself has magnet and can attach itself to the arm rest area of the laptop, that makes closing the lid not possible and risky (screen is easily broken if one accidently close the screen with the pen beneath. I find the way Microsoft surface attach its magnetic pen to the screen area is more convenient and elegant. Now i am thinking to shop for a leather holder for the pen. The pro is that the pen is responsive, and i have installed a couple of pen friendly program to try it out

Fresh paint
Tracing
One note
paint 3D
xodo
autodesk sketchbook

another thing i like after a few day usage is the feel of the keyboard, the keypress is responsive and the way the pad response to the fingers are very good. HP has really make a good keyboard for this.

troubleshooting visual studio 2017 community fail to install with event viewer

My visual studio 2017 community fail to install. after some troubleshooting, i find it is useful to use the windows event viewer


on windows search, search for event viewer. for my error it seems to be related to another program that i am running. after i end that program, installation of visual studio can be run without error

troubleshooting .net framework 3.5 won't install on windows 8.1

when this .net 3.5 framework cannot install on my windows 8.1 it make other installation fail (sourcetree, visual studio 2017). it also make uninstallation fail (like visual studio 2015)

after following some forum, i follow this thread https://www.softwarecrew.com/2012/07/net-framework-setup-verification-tool-adds-net-4-5-windows-8-support/

i install the .net framework verification tool and verify that .net 4.0 is running, and there are some comments on forum to suggest removing .net 4.0. i hesistate

eventually on the same blog by Aaron Stebner on .net framework cleanup tool at https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/astebner/2008/08/28/net-framework-cleanup-tool-users-guide/
As mentioned by Aaron, this tool is the last resort. Good news is that within this blog there is this .net framework repair tool 

i download and run the repair tool till the step to restart the windows installer service for me. i then successfully install .net framework 3.5 (along with 2.0 and 3.0). the last step is of course restart the pc