Fixed Windows 8 boot into black screen with mouse cursor problem

This morning, I found my laptop unable to boot up to Windows 8.

During boot up, it stuck at a black screen with mouse cursor. The mouse cursor is movable. There were harddisk activities which eventually stopped, and nothing happen next. No Windows logo shown, and no login screen.

I've tried the following but nothing worked:

• Press ctrl-alt-del, nothing happened.
• Press the Power key to turn off the laptop, then press the Power key again to start up. It went to the same situation.
• Press F8, F12, shift-F12, etc. during boot up, nothing happened. There was no boot menu shown up.

I searched the Internet and found that this is a problem faced by many. I fixed it by having an abnormal power off in the black screen with mouse cursor, and let Windows heal itself during the next boot up progress.

To do so, unplug the power cable, and remove the laptop battery while it is still in the black screen with mouse cursor, after the harddisk activities stopped. Wait for 30 seconds, then put back the laptop battery and plug back the power cable. Press the Power key to turn on the laptop. Viola! Finally Windows is back to normal.

The key to this fix is that, you need to abnormally power off the system. The problem won't fix if you press the Power key to shutdown properly and restart.

I checked the Event Viewer, can't find anything logged about this problem. Microsoft, why your Windows always caught us by surprise, and yet left us clueless to troubleshoot the problem???

Download and read the Handbook for Goods and Services Tax (GST) for Businesses

Malaysia government is going to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1 April 2015.

The Royal Malaysian Customs Department has published a Handbook for Goods and Services Tax (GST) for Businesses, which is a very good reference book for everyone in Malaysia to have better understanding about this upcoming GST. You can download its e-Book for free from their website.

Click here to download the Handbook for Goods and Services Tax (GST) for Businesses.

The content of this 183-pages handbook consists of:

1. Salient features of GST

• What is GST?
• Proposed GST model
• Basic elements of GST
• Registration for GST

2. Accounting for tax

• Charging output tax
• Entitlement of input tax
• Apportionment rules
• Credit note & adjustment
• Debit note & adjustment
• Bad debt & adjustment
• Filing of GST return & payment
• Record keeping 

3. Implementation of GST and business preparation

• Preparation for implementation of GST
• GST implications
• Tax code
• Business preparation for GST
• Supplies spanning GST
• Non reviewable contract
• Special refund

Beside this handbook, you can also find many information about GST implementation in Malaysia from this official website: http://gst.customs.gov.my/en/Pages/default.aspx

Top 30 property developers in The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards 2014

The Edge Malaysia has just announced the Top 10 winners in their Property Excellence Awards 2014, which are:

• Sunway Bhd
• Sime Darby Property Bhd
• SP Setia Bhd
• UEM Sunrise Bhd
• Gamuda Bhd (Property Division)
• Tropicana Corp Bhd
• IGB Corp Bhd
• Eastern & Oriental Bhd
• Mah Sing Group Bhd
• IOI Properties Bhd

Following the Top 10 winners above, the subsequent Top 11-30 are:

• UOA Development Bhd
• I&P Group Sdn Bhd
• Bandar Utama City Corp Sdn Bhd
• IJM Land Bhd
• KLCC Property Holdings Bhd
• Glomac Bhd
• YTL Land & Dev. Bhd
• Eco World Development Group Bhd
• Naim Holdings Bhd
• Bandar Raya Developments Bhd
• WCT Land Sdn Bhd
• Selangor Dredging Bhd
• Wing Tai Malaysia Bhd
• MKH Bhd
• Paramount Corp Bhd
• KSL Holdings Bhd
• PJ Development Holdings Bhd
• OSK Property Holdings Bhd
• Plenitude Bhd
• TA Global Bhd

Congratulation to the Sunway Group for winning this award. Besides, their Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat also won The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award 2014.