It finally happened. What you ask? I'll provide a small hint. This blog is being written on a Dell Desktop P4 @ 1.8GHz with 2GB of RAM running Linux Ubuntu. Good god some body help me! Of the 5 systems I used to have I am now down to a pathetic 2 not including my girlfriend's laptop. Her laptop is one step above this Dell and the remaining system consists of a AMD Athlon Barton 3300 down clocked due to an overheat which damaged the core to 1.74GHz and 3GB of RAM. The HD 1000 Watt monster code named 'Twister' bit it much harder than the previous inconvenience of a mere hard drive failure. The other Western Digital hard drive is still functioning perfectly but now the motherboard has failed. It was not a sudden -hey the thing won't turn on- but a slow painful death. Over the course of the past few months it would 'post' but not pass the memory check until the 4th or 5th reset. Then BIOS failures followed -thank goodness for Gigabyte's Dual Bios- causing reflashes and blue screens of death upon XP boot. Yes yes, I know, an Intel Q6600 is a 64Bit quad core and I should have been on Vista but I have been waiting for Windows7 which, as luck might have it, is set for release next week. Fate as it seems has determined that now is the time for me to start spending some serious cash on new systems. The meteor has fallen, the technological dinosaurs that are my computers have had their run and must now go extinct. Bottom line I need a system capable of playing and rendering HD video for YouTube and burning Blu-Rays.
My options are broad and over the last few days my PC component websites of choice have been the majority of my browsing.
1.Replace the mother board with another Socket 775 board
2.Build a HTPC using the Q6600 and a microATX with ob HDMI leaving remaining parts (graphics etc) towards replacing my obsolete AMD Athlon
3.Build a dirt cheap AMD HTPC and do option 1 to replace my AMD
4.Go hog wild and build a HTPC, two i7's (1366 of course) and a storage system for transfers from my Tivo3HD, say 16TB of storage and replace my aging network infrastructure with a new 24port Netgear switch.
Obviously I'd love to do option 4 and add a laptop but money is finite at the moment. Stats to follow.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
My poor sad pathetic excuse for a computer... well, computers
Its been a while since I've built a new computer system and the situation while dormant is starting to show its ugly head. New system standards have made most of the rigs I still use completely obsolete while my latest build is now simply acceptable.
I have 5 computers in total, not including the spare computer parts which take up space in my desk drawer. I'm not sure why I keep the extra cards, I just do. Still the 5 that I do have do what they need to do and haven't given me any real issues aside from a few fan failures and a power supply. No big deal until the unexpected from my newest system. Of all the computers I expected to fail, my HD equipped powerhouse that handles my TiVo downloads, HD video editing, and High Definition video viewing on my Samsung 52" LCD is the last one in my mind. The failure is again a minor one and one that is actually somewhat desirable. When I built that particular system I did something that I usually do not do. I purchased my hard drives from an independent seller at the Market Pro Computer Show & Sale. Normally I would be hesitant to buy storage drives from an independent seller but I had yet to have a Western Digital drive fail and figured the risk was low. Of the two 500GB SATA drives my secondary (D:) hasn't quite failed but I can hear the constant sound of the armature attempting to read data. Along with that the read / write speeds have fallen and the other day it dissapeared completely from my drive list. Scandisk discovered corrupt sectors confirming my fears and as it clicks away while I watch History Channel movies over the internet I know its days are counting down.
All is not lost though! As luck would have it Western Digital just released their new 2TB drive for a mere $299! I needed more space anyway so as soon as NewEgg has them in stock the shipping will commence! The system will now be 2.5 TB in total storage capacity. Oh the amount of HD video I can store from my TiVo on that.
My other systems while running well are reaching the end of their life expectancy. I've needed to upgrade the power supplies to keep up with the increased draw as the components age and replacement components are either more expensive than they were when they were brand new, or are not even available anymore. That horrifying fact accounts for the remaining 4 systems I have. All run AGP graphics, have IDE drives and old single core Cpu's. Now those systems all have multiple hard drives which I will have to deal with as each system fails since repairing them is just not cost effective at all. This is the dilemma I will be contemplating and analyzing over the next several months as I determine the best way to start replacing and or consolidating my resources into a more efficient package.
I have 5 computers in total, not including the spare computer parts which take up space in my desk drawer. I'm not sure why I keep the extra cards, I just do. Still the 5 that I do have do what they need to do and haven't given me any real issues aside from a few fan failures and a power supply. No big deal until the unexpected from my newest system. Of all the computers I expected to fail, my HD equipped powerhouse that handles my TiVo downloads, HD video editing, and High Definition video viewing on my Samsung 52" LCD is the last one in my mind. The failure is again a minor one and one that is actually somewhat desirable. When I built that particular system I did something that I usually do not do. I purchased my hard drives from an independent seller at the Market Pro Computer Show & Sale. Normally I would be hesitant to buy storage drives from an independent seller but I had yet to have a Western Digital drive fail and figured the risk was low. Of the two 500GB SATA drives my secondary (D:) hasn't quite failed but I can hear the constant sound of the armature attempting to read data. Along with that the read / write speeds have fallen and the other day it dissapeared completely from my drive list. Scandisk discovered corrupt sectors confirming my fears and as it clicks away while I watch History Channel movies over the internet I know its days are counting down.
All is not lost though! As luck would have it Western Digital just released their new 2TB drive for a mere $299! I needed more space anyway so as soon as NewEgg has them in stock the shipping will commence! The system will now be 2.5 TB in total storage capacity. Oh the amount of HD video I can store from my TiVo on that.
My other systems while running well are reaching the end of their life expectancy. I've needed to upgrade the power supplies to keep up with the increased draw as the components age and replacement components are either more expensive than they were when they were brand new, or are not even available anymore. That horrifying fact accounts for the remaining 4 systems I have. All run AGP graphics, have IDE drives and old single core Cpu's. Now those systems all have multiple hard drives which I will have to deal with as each system fails since repairing them is just not cost effective at all. This is the dilemma I will be contemplating and analyzing over the next several months as I determine the best way to start replacing and or consolidating my resources into a more efficient package.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Valentine's Day Spectacular
Another Valentine's Day done and over. Was it as successful as I hoped? You'll have to ask her that. I will give Pro-Flowers a thumbs up for finally getting the bouquets right for once. It took them 4 times to get it right but finally, FINALLY! they managed to get not one but BOTH orders correct! This is the first time if I remember correctly that I haven't had to call and complain.
Its somewhat strange but for some reason I never thought I could enjoy Valentine's Day as much as I do now. Maybe it has something to do with Naomi. Up until her, every relationship I've ever been in Valentine's Day was a horror, a dreaded day that I deemed created by women to drive men (those who care about their wives/gfs) into a frantic distraught maniac that no matter what they do, they know the person their with will have expected or wanted more. I always felt my gifts were inadequate, silly, stupid, or just flat out pathetic. Maybe it was because back then everything was done last minute. A day before or the day of Valentine's day I would be exactly what I described "oh $*!T" mode. How this woman, this amazing woman, has turned me into someone that now plans ahead with enough time to think things through and come up with something creative is beyond me. I still in my mind feel that what I do is not enough and I need to do more but perhaps that is a good thing and the way it's supposed to be.
The amazing thing is while I feel this way, and I'm sure there are others who feel strongly enough that Valentine's day is now a day you look forward to, there were numerous interactions with people on that day and the day prior that made me feel sick and sad for the state of some people and their relationships. One example at the Wawa the other morning as I began my morning run to Virginia. A man and his son were in line in front of me purchasing a few things. The clerk had just about finished ringing up his items when the man blurted out "crap I'd better get the wife a stupid rose or I'll be in deep shit" I thought to myself, a single rose from Wawa, bought at the very last minute because if he didn't there would be a fight. I just stood there and shook my head wondering how buying something for his wife could induce such disgust, anger and annoyance for him. When I see and hear people talk about their relationships like that it really shows for those of us who are in loving wonderful relationships just how lucky we are and how much we need to hold on to what we have no matter what it takes.
Happy Valentine's Day
Its somewhat strange but for some reason I never thought I could enjoy Valentine's Day as much as I do now. Maybe it has something to do with Naomi. Up until her, every relationship I've ever been in Valentine's Day was a horror, a dreaded day that I deemed created by women to drive men (those who care about their wives/gfs) into a frantic distraught maniac that no matter what they do, they know the person their with will have expected or wanted more. I always felt my gifts were inadequate, silly, stupid, or just flat out pathetic. Maybe it was because back then everything was done last minute. A day before or the day of Valentine's day I would be exactly what I described "oh $*!T" mode. How this woman, this amazing woman, has turned me into someone that now plans ahead with enough time to think things through and come up with something creative is beyond me. I still in my mind feel that what I do is not enough and I need to do more but perhaps that is a good thing and the way it's supposed to be.
The amazing thing is while I feel this way, and I'm sure there are others who feel strongly enough that Valentine's day is now a day you look forward to, there were numerous interactions with people on that day and the day prior that made me feel sick and sad for the state of some people and their relationships. One example at the Wawa the other morning as I began my morning run to Virginia. A man and his son were in line in front of me purchasing a few things. The clerk had just about finished ringing up his items when the man blurted out "crap I'd better get the wife a stupid rose or I'll be in deep shit" I thought to myself, a single rose from Wawa, bought at the very last minute because if he didn't there would be a fight. I just stood there and shook my head wondering how buying something for his wife could induce such disgust, anger and annoyance for him. When I see and hear people talk about their relationships like that it really shows for those of us who are in loving wonderful relationships just how lucky we are and how much we need to hold on to what we have no matter what it takes.
Happy Valentine's Day
Monday, February 9, 2009
You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much?
Informative, and mind boggling! Read this:
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
Verify at : http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US .
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 M ILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht
12. The National policy Institute, estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin.
Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm >
14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One million sex crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States ..'
Verify at: http: // www.drdsk.com/articleshtml
The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
Verify at : http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html
5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html
9. $200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US .
Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html
11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 M ILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht
12. The National policy Institute, estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf
13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin.
Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm >
14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One million sex crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States ..'
Verify at: http: // www.drdsk.com/articleshtml
The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
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