A friend of mine has been a huge fan of PC hardware used to build inexpensive Mac OSX systems, and suggested I should as well, by handing me an Intel motherboard installed in a heavily modified Sun IPX case. It looks odd, but is geekily satisfying.
In any case, for a while, I have run OSX Mavericks (10.9) with varying (and diminishing) degrees of success. Every time I applied updates to 10.9, something would either stop working (like sound), or would work less well.(like video performance or any use of Flash). Months after the release of Yosemite, I decided it was time to start with a clean slate, so I bought a 240GB Crucial SSD mSATA drive and went through the steps here.
Of course, not everything went to plan - otherwise, this would not be a very interesting article!
Motherboard: Intel DH61AG, 8GB RAM
Disk: Crucial M500 240GB mSATA internal SSD
External USB Bluetooth adapter: IOGear GBU521
External USB Audio adapter: Sabrent AU-MMSA
Apple TrackPad
In MultiBeast, I started with a minimal group of items:
EasyBeast
ALC892 audio (on-board audio chipset)
TRIM patch (because I am not using an Apple SSD)
AppleIntelE1000e v3.1.0 (Network driver)
1080p Display Mode (because I have a 1080p monitor - might not be needed)
Verbose Boot (to see any issues that pop up as the system boots)
There were a few challenges that came up - most I could fix (kernel panics, due to my own error), and another I simply punted and worked around (no audio).
This board is small, and is pretty simple. It has Realtek ALC892 audio and Intel's HD3000 video, and is mostly compatible with the general installation steps. There are a few items that will be necessary if you are doing the same thing.
USB Boot issues: The USB3.0 ports don't work properly with OSX when booting the USB stick, so use the USB 2.0 ports.
Boot failure after install (Boot0 issue): The instructions here were exactly what I needed. I chose a Crucial M500 240GB mSATA SSD drive, and it has the "problem" configuration. I ran into kernel panics when I did this the first time, but it was because I didn't run the "dd" command properly - I wrote to disk0s1, when the instructions say to write to disk0s2.
Audio: The on-board audio was problematic with the original Mavericks install, and before the installation of Yosemite was not working at all - I had retreated to the less-elegant Sabrent AU-MMSA, a simple but reliable solution to the issue. Following the instructions did not yield working audio, so I tried an alternate solution in this thread that had helped others - to no avail. I went back to the Sabrent USB audio adapter, and audio is working fine with that.
The system seems reliable - power save is working fine (this is a desktop, and it comes in and out of standby just fine). I'm happy with the result thus far!
Showing posts with label tech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tech. Show all posts
31 December 2014
10 August 2011
VMware certificate issues!
Here and there I post some interesting technical detail I run across, but this one will be pretty esoteric for most.
I currently manage several VMware Infrastructure 3i clusters (ESXi 3.5). I don't upgrade on a regular basis, because, well, these systems just run. They're not highly exposed (they're behind a firewall) and none of the host ports are exposed to the public internet. That said, an upgrade to VMware 4.1 is forthcoming!
As a result, I didn't become aware that VMware has a certificate on their systems against which patches are checked - and that this certificate was expiring in June 2011.
Using the VMware Infrastructure Update tool, I tried to update the ESXi systems I have at my DR site (in preparation to update those in production), and while one updated without trouble, the second failed, with "Signature check failed." in the esxupdate log (in /var/log/vmware/, if you're logged into the console on the host.)
Because this is an ESXi system, I didn't have the (relatively) easy RPM-based update mechanism that the ESX systems have, and all of what I could find from VMware indicated the same thing - that I needed to get the most recent version of ESXi 3.5 on an ISO, boot from that and perform the upgrade that way.
That seemed like way too much work, in particular because these machines are 1975 miles away from me.
The contents of the particular ESXi offline patch file I needed (ESXe350-201105401-O-SG, downloadable here includes three components - firmware, VMware Tools, and the Virtual Infrastructure Client.
The patch file is in a Zip format, though ESXi has no "unzip" tool, so I opened that archive and pulled out the three zip files it contained. The one that matters is the one with the firmware (in this case, ESXe350-201105401-I-SG.zip).
I extracted the folder contained within it (ESXe350-201105401-I-SG) to the desktop on my Windows workstation. I then uploaded the folder to a datastore reachable from the host.
At this point I verified that no VMs were running on the host, and I switched it to maintenance mode.
Not knowing what all I would need to execute in this directory, I got on the console (I enabled SSH a while ago), and navigated through the filesystem into the ESXe350-201105401-I-SG folder (in my case, it was in a folder off the root of a datastore called "DR-Test", so /vmfs/volumes/DR-Test/update/ESXe350-201105401-I-SG). The important script therein is "install.sh", and as it was not set executable (it was -rw-------), I performed a "chmod 755 -R ESXe350-201105401-I-SG", so the script could run.
I then ran the script (typing "./install.sh"). The script ran a quick filesystem check, then indicated progress with percentages (0%, 14%, 28%, ...). Once it was finished, I went back to the VMware Infrastructure Client and rebooted the host.
In a few minutes, I was up and running the new version ("vmware -v" showed "VMware ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 build-391406.
Let me know if this helps you!
Thanks to VMwareWolf for the good info.
I currently manage several VMware Infrastructure 3i clusters (ESXi 3.5). I don't upgrade on a regular basis, because, well, these systems just run. They're not highly exposed (they're behind a firewall) and none of the host ports are exposed to the public internet. That said, an upgrade to VMware 4.1 is forthcoming!
As a result, I didn't become aware that VMware has a certificate on their systems against which patches are checked - and that this certificate was expiring in June 2011.
Using the VMware Infrastructure Update tool, I tried to update the ESXi systems I have at my DR site (in preparation to update those in production), and while one updated without trouble, the second failed, with "Signature check failed." in the esxupdate log (in /var/log/vmware/, if you're logged into the console on the host.)
Because this is an ESXi system, I didn't have the (relatively) easy RPM-based update mechanism that the ESX systems have, and all of what I could find from VMware indicated the same thing - that I needed to get the most recent version of ESXi 3.5 on an ISO, boot from that and perform the upgrade that way.
That seemed like way too much work, in particular because these machines are 1975 miles away from me.
The contents of the particular ESXi offline patch file I needed (ESXe350-201105401-O-SG, downloadable here includes three components - firmware, VMware Tools, and the Virtual Infrastructure Client.
The patch file is in a Zip format, though ESXi has no "unzip" tool, so I opened that archive and pulled out the three zip files it contained. The one that matters is the one with the firmware (in this case, ESXe350-201105401-I-SG.zip).
I extracted the folder contained within it (ESXe350-201105401-I-SG) to the desktop on my Windows workstation. I then uploaded the folder to a datastore reachable from the host.
At this point I verified that no VMs were running on the host, and I switched it to maintenance mode.
Not knowing what all I would need to execute in this directory, I got on the console (I enabled SSH a while ago), and navigated through the filesystem into the ESXe350-201105401-I-SG folder (in my case, it was in a folder off the root of a datastore called "DR-Test", so /vmfs/volumes/DR-Test/update/ESXe350-201105401-I-SG). The important script therein is "install.sh", and as it was not set executable (it was -rw-------), I performed a "chmod 755 -R ESXe350-201105401-I-SG", so the script could run.
I then ran the script (typing "./install.sh"). The script ran a quick filesystem check, then indicated progress with percentages (0%, 14%, 28%, ...). Once it was finished, I went back to the VMware Infrastructure Client and rebooted the host.
In a few minutes, I was up and running the new version ("vmware -v" showed "VMware ESX Server 3i 3.5.0 build-391406.
Let me know if this helps you!
Thanks to VMwareWolf for the good info.
16 July 2009
Keep your smile intact!
This will sound a bit like an advertisement, but it isn't - I am just a happy customer passing on what I have found...
---
I don't like going to the dentist, though I'm not phobic about it. Up until a year ago, I was always really bad about flossing until a few weeks before my next dentist appointment - and mainly because I didn't want that regular speech about how important it was to floss.
I know it is important for me to take good care of my teeth. It is a very rare occasion that I go to bed without brushing - and because I'm so easily distracted, I often would find myself brushing for 5 minutes, because I'll lose track of where my brush has been...
I was pleased that my dentist told me I was "dentally boring" two years ago, though he still indicated that I needed to floss more. This was my third visit to him after about a 4-year hiatus from going to the dentist (which was preceded by a 5-year hiatus from going to the dentist), so I figure I must have pretty good teeth!
Still, I got to thinking about it - I do want my teeth to last me as long as possible. While I don't like going to the dentist, I like oral surgery even less. Dental pain is like bone pain - best avoided!
With that in mind, I started looking at how I care for my teeth. I had been satisfied with my regular toothbrush - toothpaste was the most variable item in my oral hygiene. The dentist had suggested one of the ultrasonic toothbrushes (like the Sonicare or Oral-B Sonic), but I thought they were way too expensive (over $70), considering the cost of a perfectly effective regular brush was well under $5.
When I went to my parents'-in-law in Colorado during Christmas 2006, I discovered that I had somehow left my toothbrush at home. Stopping at the Super City Market in Montrose, I found the Oral-B Sonic Complete toothbrush that my dentist had recommended on sale - so I went ahead and took the plunge.... and I have never looked back.
It takes a little bit of getting used to it, but it makes good brushing incredibly easy. No need to really "brush" - just apply a little pressure as you run it over the surfaces of your teeth, and it does an excellent job. I don't like tartar-control toothpaste (too gritty for me), and this does an exceptional job of keeping it under control with regular toothpaste. I do not like that it has a "non-user-replaceable" NiCd battery, but as of now, I'm still using the original battery. Generally, the battery typically lasts about 2 years, and it is tricky to replace. Don't just put it on the charger after every use - I charge mine just once a week. New replacement heads are also inexpensive and available on eBay.
That said, it still doesn't prevent me from needing to floss. My main issue with flossing is wrapping that floss around my fingers and having circulation cut off as I struggle to get the floss between my tightly-spaced teeth!
The solution I currently use is the Reach Access Flosser (on the right here). I don't have to put my fingers in my mouth, it works very well, is convenient, and the floss is quite durable!
One other item - and I only heard this recently, from my hygenist - that it is best to floss first, then brush. The only reason they brush then floss you is to get the polishing media out from between your teeth!
Certainly, do what you think is best, is most cost-effective and comfortable, but don't just brush as you always have simply because of inertia. Technology has advanced - leverage it to your advantage!
---
I don't like going to the dentist, though I'm not phobic about it. Up until a year ago, I was always really bad about flossing until a few weeks before my next dentist appointment - and mainly because I didn't want that regular speech about how important it was to floss.
I know it is important for me to take good care of my teeth. It is a very rare occasion that I go to bed without brushing - and because I'm so easily distracted, I often would find myself brushing for 5 minutes, because I'll lose track of where my brush has been...
I was pleased that my dentist told me I was "dentally boring" two years ago, though he still indicated that I needed to floss more. This was my third visit to him after about a 4-year hiatus from going to the dentist (which was preceded by a 5-year hiatus from going to the dentist), so I figure I must have pretty good teeth!
Still, I got to thinking about it - I do want my teeth to last me as long as possible. While I don't like going to the dentist, I like oral surgery even less. Dental pain is like bone pain - best avoided!
With that in mind, I started looking at how I care for my teeth. I had been satisfied with my regular toothbrush - toothpaste was the most variable item in my oral hygiene. The dentist had suggested one of the ultrasonic toothbrushes (like the Sonicare or Oral-B Sonic), but I thought they were way too expensive (over $70), considering the cost of a perfectly effective regular brush was well under $5.
When I went to my parents'-in-law in Colorado during Christmas 2006, I discovered that I had somehow left my toothbrush at home. Stopping at the Super City Market in Montrose, I found the Oral-B Sonic Complete toothbrush that my dentist had recommended on sale - so I went ahead and took the plunge.... and I have never looked back.
It takes a little bit of getting used to it, but it makes good brushing incredibly easy. No need to really "brush" - just apply a little pressure as you run it over the surfaces of your teeth, and it does an excellent job. I don't like tartar-control toothpaste (too gritty for me), and this does an exceptional job of keeping it under control with regular toothpaste. I do not like that it has a "non-user-replaceable" NiCd battery, but as of now, I'm still using the original battery. Generally, the battery typically lasts about 2 years, and it is tricky to replace. Don't just put it on the charger after every use - I charge mine just once a week. New replacement heads are also inexpensive and available on eBay.
That said, it still doesn't prevent me from needing to floss. My main issue with flossing is wrapping that floss around my fingers and having circulation cut off as I struggle to get the floss between my tightly-spaced teeth!
The solution I currently use is the Reach Access Flosser (on the right here). I don't have to put my fingers in my mouth, it works very well, is convenient, and the floss is quite durable!
One other item - and I only heard this recently, from my hygenist - that it is best to floss first, then brush. The only reason they brush then floss you is to get the polishing media out from between your teeth!
Certainly, do what you think is best, is most cost-effective and comfortable, but don't just brush as you always have simply because of inertia. Technology has advanced - leverage it to your advantage!
20 January 2009
Protect your data!
As previous posts have made clear, I am a bit of a packrat. I might need that 24V AC power supply sometime, so it goes in the power supply drawer, along with MANY others.
Needless to say, this collective nature applies to the digital realm as well. Over the past 20 years, I have collected a terabyte or few of digital data. Between a decade or so of email, amusing pictures, sound samples, documents and all my digital media files, I maintain a pretty good-sized file server at home to keep all this data in one place.
Keeping it organized is certainly an omnipresent challenge (as it is everywhere else in my life), but I'm less concerned that it will be lost now.
When the 10-year-old computer that was my home server finally refused to boot even a newly-installed OS, I took the opportunity to build anew the server and tackle the issue that had caused me concern for a few years - how to back up all the important stuff?
DVD media has a lot of capacity, but once you get to a certain amount of data, it becomes a bit cumbersome to burn all those discs. Also, as the data changes, how do you keep track of the new from the old on all that separate, often read-only media?
I liked the online backup options much better, as I have good cable-based broadband at the house, and their software will track the changes to the files. However, in order to leverage best the inexpensive "unlimited" online options, the client must be installed on a "workstation" OS - such as Windows XP or 2000 Professional. The second caveat is that the backup software is smart enough to only back up data on locally-attached drives. It will not include mapped network drives or USB-attached volumes in its backup set.
Much as I like Windows 2000 Pro, I figured that if this system was going to have the longest legs, it was best to stick with something that wasn't already out of current support, so Windows XP Professional it was. All the "server" apps I needed it to run (TiVo Desktop, Rio Receiver server, VMware server, as well as file/print sharing) would run fine there - all that was missing was a DNS and DHCP server, which I can get by without for the moment.
Trouble was, I didn't have much extra space on the XP server I had built. It was an amalgamation of various drives, and only one disk was protected from failure by a second mirrored disk. Much as I liked having the online backup, I'd much rather protect from failure in the first place. But if I had a second server, how would I back *that* up? I only wanted to have one server and backup set to maintain.
Enter the home SAN. I have worked with UNIX systems for a long time, and thought I might have found a loophole - iSCSI-attached volumes are block devices just like local disk. Would my backup software (Carbonite) see through my ruse and refuse to back up the data on those "locally attached" iSCSI volumes?
I bought several big drives on sale and installed them into one chassis, and installed Openfiler. Openfiler is a general-purpose storage device - it can act as a Windows file server, as an NFS server or as an iSCSI SAN device. It is not terribly easy to figure out if you are tech-challenged, but it is a worthy alternative to buying a "real" SAN. The system is flexible and permits you to build RAID volumes in software as well as in hardware. I wholeheartedly recommend gigabit ethernet hardware for communications between the server and the SAN (if you can make the whole path speak Jumbo Frames, so much the better) if you'd like performance to be as good as it can be.
Am I happy with what I've assembled? Thus far, yes. Speed to the SAN-attached disks is not horribly slow (between 75 and 200 Mbit), mainly limited by the speed of the controller card. I can always add additional space to the server by adding more drives to the SAN (I have 3 free SATA controller ports). And best of all, the Carbonite software *does* backup the SAN disks.
Needless to say, this collective nature applies to the digital realm as well. Over the past 20 years, I have collected a terabyte or few of digital data. Between a decade or so of email, amusing pictures, sound samples, documents and all my digital media files, I maintain a pretty good-sized file server at home to keep all this data in one place.
Keeping it organized is certainly an omnipresent challenge (as it is everywhere else in my life), but I'm less concerned that it will be lost now.
When the 10-year-old computer that was my home server finally refused to boot even a newly-installed OS, I took the opportunity to build anew the server and tackle the issue that had caused me concern for a few years - how to back up all the important stuff?
DVD media has a lot of capacity, but once you get to a certain amount of data, it becomes a bit cumbersome to burn all those discs. Also, as the data changes, how do you keep track of the new from the old on all that separate, often read-only media?
I liked the online backup options much better, as I have good cable-based broadband at the house, and their software will track the changes to the files. However, in order to leverage best the inexpensive "unlimited" online options, the client must be installed on a "workstation" OS - such as Windows XP or 2000 Professional. The second caveat is that the backup software is smart enough to only back up data on locally-attached drives. It will not include mapped network drives or USB-attached volumes in its backup set.
Much as I like Windows 2000 Pro, I figured that if this system was going to have the longest legs, it was best to stick with something that wasn't already out of current support, so Windows XP Professional it was. All the "server" apps I needed it to run (TiVo Desktop, Rio Receiver server, VMware server, as well as file/print sharing) would run fine there - all that was missing was a DNS and DHCP server, which I can get by without for the moment.
Trouble was, I didn't have much extra space on the XP server I had built. It was an amalgamation of various drives, and only one disk was protected from failure by a second mirrored disk. Much as I liked having the online backup, I'd much rather protect from failure in the first place. But if I had a second server, how would I back *that* up? I only wanted to have one server and backup set to maintain.
Enter the home SAN. I have worked with UNIX systems for a long time, and thought I might have found a loophole - iSCSI-attached volumes are block devices just like local disk. Would my backup software (Carbonite) see through my ruse and refuse to back up the data on those "locally attached" iSCSI volumes?
I bought several big drives on sale and installed them into one chassis, and installed Openfiler. Openfiler is a general-purpose storage device - it can act as a Windows file server, as an NFS server or as an iSCSI SAN device. It is not terribly easy to figure out if you are tech-challenged, but it is a worthy alternative to buying a "real" SAN. The system is flexible and permits you to build RAID volumes in software as well as in hardware. I wholeheartedly recommend gigabit ethernet hardware for communications between the server and the SAN (if you can make the whole path speak Jumbo Frames, so much the better) if you'd like performance to be as good as it can be.
Am I happy with what I've assembled? Thus far, yes. Speed to the SAN-attached disks is not horribly slow (between 75 and 200 Mbit), mainly limited by the speed of the controller card. I can always add additional space to the server by adding more drives to the SAN (I have 3 free SATA controller ports). And best of all, the Carbonite software *does* backup the SAN disks.
18 September 2008
Windows device cleanup!
Ever wonder how Windows remembers (read: doesn't need to install drivers every time you connect it) your USB drive, external monitor(s), DVD-ROM drive, etc? It keeps track of everything that it ever detected (through Plug and Play or otherwise).
Forever.
While researching VMware physical-to-virtual (P2V) and virtual-to-physical (V2P) conversion, I couldn't figure out why I kept receiving error messages about an IP address configured on an interface that was no longer in the system. I did some digging, and found this Microsoft KB article, which outlines the two-step process to finding all these hidden devices (which can cause some unintended conflicts).
Have a look at your system, and see just how much old junk you can pull out of there!
Forever.
While researching VMware physical-to-virtual (P2V) and virtual-to-physical (V2P) conversion, I couldn't figure out why I kept receiving error messages about an IP address configured on an interface that was no longer in the system. I did some digging, and found this Microsoft KB article, which outlines the two-step process to finding all these hidden devices (which can cause some unintended conflicts).
Have a look at your system, and see just how much old junk you can pull out of there!
13 January 2008
Purge, purge, purge...
As a proper card-carrying technophile, I have collected far more than my fair share of electronics and other computer-related miscellany over the years. Since 1991, I have accumulated so much stuff that I have bins, boxes and drawers full of computer electronics with no current purpose... for anybody. Eventually, one gets to one of the big questions:
Just how many vintage-1995 PCI video cards does one need?
As it turns out, I don't need any.
Nor do I need ISA-bus modems - or, in fact, ANY ISA bus components whatsoever. Nor Socket 7 motherboards. Or that extra Pentium Pro system. Or those 30-pin SIMMs.
You're getting the picture. I need to get rid of a lot of stuff.
The purges have begun, with the shipment (finally!) of almost 50 pounds of cards, cell phones, mice, cables, etc. to Dell as part of their recycling program.
The realization that I needed to get rid of this stuff happened long ago, but it was made more... temporally important... by virtue of the new house (and the need to move all of our stuff from our old place. I didn't want to just toss this stuff out with our regular trash, because isn't the right way to dispose of all the lovely lead, mercury, cadmium and other nasties that lurk within all this gear. In searching around, I stumbled onto Dell's Recycling page and ordered two of their "Consumer Recycling Kit with one airway bill" for US$10.
Over the next 22 months, I collected many cards, motherboards and other not-so-goodies and filled a box - finally ending up with 49 pounds and 14 ounces of electronic junk, and shipped it off this past week.
I had occasion to look around again, and realized that I needed to send more. I had given the other "Recycling Kit" to my similarly-afflicted friend Brad Schutter, so I figured I'd just order up a few more. Returning today to the link I found via Google today resulted in immediate disappointment, however, as I couldn't find any links to that which I'd previously ordered.
Fortunately, despite my tardiness in using them, my order was still within the 2-year window into your order history that Dell allows, so I found the original Dell part number (310-6492) - and lo and behold, I found the page with the actual item.
Take stock of the old electronics you (or your company) have in your posession, and consider this viable (and valuable) option for getting rid of the now-worthless electronic clutter that a) you no longer need to keep around, b) you can't sell on eBay for US$0.01, and c) has no value to charities like The National Cristina Foundation.
Just how many vintage-1995 PCI video cards does one need?
As it turns out, I don't need any.
Nor do I need ISA-bus modems - or, in fact, ANY ISA bus components whatsoever. Nor Socket 7 motherboards. Or that extra Pentium Pro system. Or those 30-pin SIMMs.
You're getting the picture. I need to get rid of a lot of stuff.
The purges have begun, with the shipment (finally!) of almost 50 pounds of cards, cell phones, mice, cables, etc. to Dell as part of their recycling program.
The realization that I needed to get rid of this stuff happened long ago, but it was made more... temporally important... by virtue of the new house (and the need to move all of our stuff from our old place. I didn't want to just toss this stuff out with our regular trash, because isn't the right way to dispose of all the lovely lead, mercury, cadmium and other nasties that lurk within all this gear. In searching around, I stumbled onto Dell's Recycling page and ordered two of their "Consumer Recycling Kit with one airway bill" for US$10.
Over the next 22 months, I collected many cards, motherboards and other not-so-goodies and filled a box - finally ending up with 49 pounds and 14 ounces of electronic junk, and shipped it off this past week.
I had occasion to look around again, and realized that I needed to send more. I had given the other "Recycling Kit" to my similarly-afflicted friend Brad Schutter, so I figured I'd just order up a few more. Returning today to the link I found via Google today resulted in immediate disappointment, however, as I couldn't find any links to that which I'd previously ordered.
Fortunately, despite my tardiness in using them, my order was still within the 2-year window into your order history that Dell allows, so I found the original Dell part number (310-6492) - and lo and behold, I found the page with the actual item.
Take stock of the old electronics you (or your company) have in your posession, and consider this viable (and valuable) option for getting rid of the now-worthless electronic clutter that a) you no longer need to keep around, b) you can't sell on eBay for US$0.01, and c) has no value to charities like The National Cristina Foundation.
16 September 2007
There *are* some smart people in this world...
We regularly hear about the stupidity that exists all around us. Just turn on the television or radio, watch any moderately successful movie, read any popular fiction, open your local newspaper - you won't have to look far. Between reality TV, talk shows and mind numbing drivel, one might be lead to think there is not much intellect out there. Certainly, much of what is offered to us is not geared to engaging our brains.
Output from the brightest and most ingenious is somewhat harder to find, but they do have outlets as well.... TED.com is one of those outlets.
Instead of spending a few hours watching TV, have a look at the Technology, Entertainment, Design website. Some of the most brilliant minds at work today are invited to speak (often quite articulately) for only 20 minutes on their subject.
Two examples:
Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do.
Aubrey de Grey says we can avoid aging.
Watch with an open mind. Listen to genius speak.
Output from the brightest and most ingenious is somewhat harder to find, but they do have outlets as well.... TED.com is one of those outlets.
Instead of spending a few hours watching TV, have a look at the Technology, Entertainment, Design website. Some of the most brilliant minds at work today are invited to speak (often quite articulately) for only 20 minutes on their subject.
Two examples:
Tony Robbins asks why we do what we do.
Aubrey de Grey says we can avoid aging.
Watch with an open mind. Listen to genius speak.
21 August 2007
Getting going...
Not a day goes by that I don't learn something new. Sometimes it isn't that significant, but some days can be eye-opening.
I decided a bit ago to begin making notes of the interesting things I learn each day. Sometimes, it is something technical, and will require explanation - other times, it may be insights into personalities, or just something that I find neat.
Of course, I may learn things that everyone else already knows - and that's okay. I figure there are going to be others that may need the clue I only just found!
In any case, that's the introduction. On to the thing I learned.
---
I was concerned that there was something wrong with my laptop, because while sitting at my desk all day, the system would get quite warm. There is a direct correlation between heat and reduction in an electronic component's lifespan (as well as a corresponding increase in my power bill), so I felt it important to determine why my laptop was running hot.
Most heat in a computer system is created by the stationary electronic components - mainly the processors (GPU or CPU). This laptop is a Dell Inspiron 8600, with a 1.6GHz Pentium-M processor - a CPU well known for low power consumption.
In troubleshooting this, I discovered that Windows XP gives you the ability to adjust the CPU's SpeedStep configuration. SpeedStep allows the CPU to drop to a lower-power mode in order to minimize power consumption (maximize battery life, reduce system heat). Drivers for this have been available for all versions of Windows since Windows 95. Windows XP integrated the driver, so it functions without any notification to the user that it is there.
To change the SpeedStep mode, go to the Power Options, and adjust the "Power Scheme". There is a good amount of info at Bay Wolf's Support Site.
Addendum 30 September 2007 - One of the fellows who developed SpeedStep documents its behavior in XP in greater detail.
I decided a bit ago to begin making notes of the interesting things I learn each day. Sometimes, it is something technical, and will require explanation - other times, it may be insights into personalities, or just something that I find neat.
Of course, I may learn things that everyone else already knows - and that's okay. I figure there are going to be others that may need the clue I only just found!
In any case, that's the introduction. On to the thing I learned.
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I was concerned that there was something wrong with my laptop, because while sitting at my desk all day, the system would get quite warm. There is a direct correlation between heat and reduction in an electronic component's lifespan (as well as a corresponding increase in my power bill), so I felt it important to determine why my laptop was running hot.
Most heat in a computer system is created by the stationary electronic components - mainly the processors (GPU or CPU). This laptop is a Dell Inspiron 8600, with a 1.6GHz Pentium-M processor - a CPU well known for low power consumption.
In troubleshooting this, I discovered that Windows XP gives you the ability to adjust the CPU's SpeedStep configuration. SpeedStep allows the CPU to drop to a lower-power mode in order to minimize power consumption (maximize battery life, reduce system heat). Drivers for this have been available for all versions of Windows since Windows 95. Windows XP integrated the driver, so it functions without any notification to the user that it is there.
To change the SpeedStep mode, go to the Power Options, and adjust the "Power Scheme". There is a good amount of info at Bay Wolf's Support Site.
Addendum 30 September 2007 - One of the fellows who developed SpeedStep documents its behavior in XP in greater detail.
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