Author Topic: A random thread for small computing things that don't really warrant a thread of their own  (Read 294790 times)

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Oh dear, my obsession with multiple drives and partitions means I've only got a handful of drive letters left, or less than none if I plugged in just one more backup disk.  I'm even resorting to A and B (and not with floppies).

Anyone gloating about Linux will be shot!

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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
What's a drive le... *ducks*   ;D


I thought Windows started using double letters or something when it ran out?  Or is that just Excel?

Sounds like a pressing need for Unicode support, in the sense of needing a bigger monitor so you can store more files on the Desktop.

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Windows only offers me single letters.  Must admit I haven't actually tested it with absolutely all of the letters used.  I just know I'd need more than 26 with everything I want connected.

I even fitted a toggle switch to the power to my two internal CD drives so they only take letters when required.  (Quicker than me resetting letters manually).  Also saves annoying noises at boot time.
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It is possible in Windows to mount drives in empty directories, so no need for more than 26 letters.

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
I'll look into that.  Thanks Paul.
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Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Bah.

I was contemplating upgrading the CPU in my desktop machine (currently a Core i3-540) and chucking a bit more RAM its way. Then I saw the price that LGA1156 CPUs go for these days - if you can find somewhere which still has any! So upgrading the CPU will mean upgrading the motherboard, and while my old DDR3-1333 RAM would "work", it'd probably be enough of a bottleneck to really mean I'd have to change that too. All I'd really be reusing would be the case, PSU, storage and (not-quite-so-ancient-but-still-old) graphics card.

I'm finally convinced that the idea of "futureproofing" a PC is a load of dingo's kidneys - while this stuff is all interchangeable in theory, in practice by the time you actually want to upgrade anything you can't.

I don't suppose any of you know a good source for NOS Intel processors? A cheap LGA1156 Core i5 or i7 would be lovely and would justify me slinging another 4gb of RAM at this thing too.

Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
  • Overseaing the building of the death star
Why does win 7 ultimate keep telling me that I need to upgrade my Intel AMT MEI drivers, but then I don't want to have software that allows remote access.  Any one know why I would?

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Bah.

I was contemplating upgrading the CPU in my desktop machine (currently a Core i3-540) and chucking a bit more RAM its way. Then I saw the price that LGA1156 CPUs go for these days - if you can find somewhere which still has any! So upgrading the CPU will mean upgrading the motherboard, and while my old DDR3-1333 RAM would "work", it'd probably be enough of a bottleneck to really mean I'd have to change that too. All I'd really be reusing would be the case, PSU, storage and (not-quite-so-ancient-but-still-old) graphics card.

I'm finally convinced that the idea of "futureproofing" a PC is a load of dingo's kidneys - while this stuff is all interchangeable in theory, in practice by the time you actually want to upgrade anything you can't.

I'm in the same position with the motherboard because I didn't future-proof by getting an 1155 one instead.  I was thinking higher number meant it'll be around longer.  :facepalm:  However, I did get the best CPU I could afford that's still more than good enough...

Quote
I don't suppose any of you know a good source for NOS Intel processors? A cheap LGA1156 Core i5 or i7 would be lovely and would justify me slinging another 4gb of RAM at this thing too.

No, but it's worth a risk on a second-hand one, considering you can get an i7 860 for just £70 off eBay.  I paid £200 for mine new.  4-core (effectively 8-core) 2.8 GHz that you can typically overclock to 3.2 and more.  That's a lot of crunching power for not a lot of real money.
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Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Bah.

I was contemplating upgrading the CPU in my desktop machine (currently a Core i3-540) and chucking a bit more RAM its way. Then I saw the price that LGA1156 CPUs go for these days - if you can find somewhere which still has any! So upgrading the CPU will mean upgrading the motherboard, and while my old DDR3-1333 RAM would "work", it'd probably be enough of a bottleneck to really mean I'd have to change that too. All I'd really be reusing would be the case, PSU, storage and (not-quite-so-ancient-but-still-old) graphics card.

I'm finally convinced that the idea of "futureproofing" a PC is a load of dingo's kidneys - while this stuff is all interchangeable in theory, in practice by the time you actually want to upgrade anything you can't.

I'm in the same position with the motherboard because I didn't future-proof by getting an 1155 one instead.  I was thinking higher number meant it'll be around longer.  :facepalm:  However, I did get the best CPU I could afford that's still more than good enough...

Quote
I don't suppose any of you know a good source for NOS Intel processors? A cheap LGA1156 Core i5 or i7 would be lovely and would justify me slinging another 4gb of RAM at this thing too.

No, but it's worth a risk on a second-hand one, considering you can get an i7 860 for just £70 off eBay.  I paid £200 for mine new.  4-core (effectively 8-core) 2.8 GHz that you can typically overclock to 3.2 and more.  That's a lot of crunching power for not a lot of real money.

Cheers, I'll go for that. I don't typically chance it on the 'bay, but I should give it a second chance ;)

Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
  • Overseaing the building of the death star
Why does win 7 ultimate keep telling me that I need to upgrade my Intel AMT MEI drivers, but then I don't want to have software that allows remote access.  Any one know why I would?

Anyone?

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Why does win 7 ultimate keep telling me that I need to upgrade my Intel AMT MEI drivers, but then I don't want to have software that allows remote access.  Any one know why I would?

To let someone else fix (or invade!) your computer, or for you to access it when away from home, for examples.

In optional updates available in Windows Update, right-click and Hide any that you don't want, then it shouldn't bother you again.  Microsoft sometimes gets the wrong or outdated drivers anyway, so it's best to update drivers via the hardware manufacturer's program or website instead.  Windows 7 once buggered up my graphics driver, so I don't let it touch it again.
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Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
  • Overseaing the building of the death star
That is what I thought but all those things are not going to happen so it is not an issue.

Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Steam on Linux is actually quite good.

Admittedly, the selection of games isn't as good for Windows, but there are some gems in there and I was able to install the Linux versions of some games I used to play on Windows - I had wondered whether they'd consider them separate licences but they don't.

So far I've only played a few Source engine games - Counterstrike: Source, Portal and Team Fortress 2 - but they run really well. I'm quite impressed.

Today I am learning a new language1 - AngularJS. It's absolutely brilliant, I've not had this much fun since learning FORTRAN-77 from a Dr Seuss book2 or perhaps Perl.  ;D ;D ;D



[1] OK, strictly a framework, but it has its own sub-language and structure
[2] I may be mis-remembering here but it had pictures of furry animals with long arms and crazy American jokes in it.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Jacomus

  • My favourite gender neutral pronoun is comrade
Good work, phone!

Has been operating unplugged since 0650 this morning, has hotspotted a Gig of data, almost entirely for my tablet (!!!) and still has 20% battery left.
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." Amelia Earhart

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
I still love the fact that a complete Linux system can be installed and be running in a little over 15 minutes.

I upgraded to Mint 16 Debian at the w/e. Not counting the full backup I did beforehand (not strictly necessary as I really only needed to do an incremental) it took 16 minutes, plus a couple more to restore my /fstab, load a couple more apps, edit the new Mozilla profile.ini files and install the printer. No need for file restore or gui tweaks, of course :smug:.
Pen Pusher

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
I've just received an email inviting me to "Swindon Social Media Training".

Anyone we know?   :P
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
Not guilty, m'lud.

Dibdib

  • Fat'n'slow
I'm just finding out now exactly how screwed the battery in my old laptop is.

Quote
Energy when full: 8.1 Wh
Energy (design): 47.5 Wh

 :facepalm:

Wombat

  • Is it supposed to hurt this much?
Dibdib
Screwed, buggered, utterly shagged.  there, saves you saying it...  ;D
Wombat

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Dr Larrington gave me an iPad Mini yesterday.

What's it for?
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Pretending to do Important Stuffs when you could converse with a Real Person,

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Pretending to do Important Stuffs when you could converse with a Real Person,

I've already got a laptop for that ???
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Pretending to do Important Stuffs when you could converse with a Real Person,

I've already got a laptop for that ???

Yebbut a loptap is so passé; you need the latest igadget to prove how Important and Up-to-Date you are.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Here are the things I can't get it to do (yet):

  • CAPS LOCK
  • Talk to my camera
  • Preview Automatic Diary posts

Stupid device...
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime