Recent Posts

3876

Living Room / Re: Dual operating systems 32- and 64-bit. Need advice on possible XP memory issues

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 28, 2008, 03:13 PM »

when it comes to power supplies some are really annoyingly loud -- i wouldnt even think of buying a power supply that wasn't proven and written about how quiet it is.

-mouser (July 28, 2008, 12:52 PM)

Noise is why I like the Antec Sonata cases; they are designed to be quiet and the PSU comes with the one I'm considering.

video cards can be same way

Don't I know it!     That's why I was at least considering a passively cooled card.  Not much point in being quiet and overheated, though.

-- id search for a model which people have commented about how quiet it is. newegg has great user reviews and comments and is a wonderful way to find out real opinions about hardware like this.

That's a good idea, I'll poke around some.

Just had my main system resurrected.  Its card is very quiet.  A new case fan and PSU have about trebled the overall noise level, though.

Thanks for the input!

3877

Living Room / Re: Dual operating systems 32- and 64-bit. Need advice on possible XP memory issues

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 28, 2008, 12:46 PM »

Thank you very much for the responses.  Most helpful.   

3878

Find And Run Robot / Re: too many updates !!!

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 28, 2008, 08:21 AM »

We have too much fun developing software and getting feedback from users to switch to a slower development cycle

-mouser

So, you're working in tandem?   

(I was glad to hear that you're also working on that comprehensive, lucid, updated help file for FARR  )

3879

Find And Run Robot / Re: Latest FARR Release v2.107.04 beta - Sep 23, 2012

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 27, 2008, 08:08 AM »

FWIW I like it.  Thanks for the effort!

3880

Living Room / Re: Gizmo's Tech Support Alert Newsletter Merges with Windows Secrets

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 26, 2008, 06:45 AM »

Some whine. Others mourn.

-40hz (July 26, 2008, 02:12 AM)

Good mourning!

3881

Living Room / Re: Gizmo's Tech Support Alert Newsletter Merges with Windows Secrets

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 07:27 PM »

I don't see what everyone is complaining about

-cthorpe (July 25, 2008, 02:49 PM)

Speaking for myself, I just like to be Grumpy.  I'm fed up with being Sneezy and intend to continue being Dopey... no big challenge for me.

As you see, Carl, there's a faction here with the belief that things have deteriorated WS-wise and the hope that the trend won't continue. I think we share a kind of hopeful scepticism.  I bet most of us have paid up, too.

3882

Living Room / Re: Dual operating systems 32- and 64-bit. Need advice on possible XP memory issues

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 07:12 PM »

Thanks for those replies, gentlemen.

I'm thinking... ouch, it hurts to do that   


[Edit -- I've thunk]
It seems that what it boils down to is that it's anybody's guess what will happen with extra RAM in a board running 32-bit Windows. ASUS says don't do it, but they said that about my last mobo, too.

I'd be interested to know, in light of your comments re power supply, if you consider this case to be adequate.  It comes with a 550W p/s which makes it really quite inexpensive but its prime benefit for me is that it's relatively quiet.  My wife has one of the Sonata line and it's really good at holding down the racket.  (At the moment I'm sitting beside my old, full-tower, all-SCSI system which is a little like sitting in an aircraft hanger while someone winds up a Harrier jump-jet).

Antec Sonata Plus 550 case.
http://www.hardwares...rets.com/article/500

I'm thinking of using a passively-cooled video card.

Locally I see KINGSTON MEMORY DDR3 4096MB (2X2048MB) $220 which doesn't seem bad... am I missing something?

     

3883

Living Room / Re: Gizmo's Tech Support Alert Newsletter Merges with Windows Secrets

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 11:52 AM »

At least you got a copy ...

-Carol Haynes (July 25, 2008, 10:43 AM)

Yep!  It says right on the address here: Carol Haynes...

3884

Site/Forum Features / Re: Idea for our upcoming Fundraiser - Volunteer Stuff for Donators

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 11:51 AM »

$500 - i will name the first squirrel i see outside of my window in your honor
$10,000 - i will mail you a picture of the squirrel
$50,000 -  i will capture the squirrel and put a name collar on it
$100,000 - i will build a house for the squirrel and put your name on its tiny mailbox

-mouser (July 25, 2008, 10:36 AM)

Good job we haven't started yet, I just ate the last one...

3885

Living Room / Re: July 25th - Happy SysAdminDay you poor b*stards

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 10:39 AM »

I could go on forever I think

-Gothi[c] (July 25, 2008, 08:44 AM)

So, you're not completely satisfied?

Thanks a bunch for what you do!  When things run smoothly it's all too easy to overlook the very fact that they do, giving little or no thought to the effort that lies behind the apparent normalcy.

3886

Site/Forum Features / Re: Idea for our upcoming Fundraiser - Volunteer Stuff for Donators

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 10:33 AM »

Or is this a bad idea?

I don't think it's a bad idea at all.  Time will tell.
The only real way to predict the motivational value of promotions is by some kind of testing.

Unfortunately I can't think of anything that I can offer in order to contribute to the cause.
I don't think 'for a donation of $25 I'll insult your intelligence' will really cut it.

3887

Living Room / Re: Gizmo's Tech Support Alert Newsletter Merges with Windows Secrets

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 10:25 AM »

Well that's the first newsletter out and indeed now we're paying to hear about free software. What do people think?

-justice (July 25, 2008, 09:32 AM)

I'm on the fence.

It would have been nice to see this 'first' version leap into the ring as a hero rather than shambling in half asleep.

I tried to be devastated on behalf of the group but managed only to feel slightly disturbed.

3888

Living Room / Dual operating systems 32- and 64-bit. Need advice on possible XP memory issues

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 25, 2008, 10:11 AM »

Here's a long one but I'd really appreciate some help from the hardware experts, please.

Two-part Problem:

• Principal system significantly screwed up (p/s shot, 2 HDD dead)
• Lack of time

Three-part Solution:

• Use backup system
• Commission local supplier to assemble replacement system
• Sort out dead system some fine day

New System spec:

• Storage: 4 x 500GB HDD SATA, 2 x Optical SATA
• Case: Antec 300 or 900, p/s Antec 850W
• Video: Dual DVI card (don't do serious video, don't do intensive media)
• Chip: Intel Quad QX 9450/R 45nm 12mb l2 cache,1333 fsb
• Mobo: ASUS P5E3 Premium/WiFi-AP @n http://ca.asus.com/p...2069&modelmenu=1

Only the chip and the (mobo are really relevant to my question.)

Other Background:

• Must use a Windows system -- it will be XP Pro. VISTA is not an option.
• Have some legacy stuff that might well run afoul of driver problems in a 64-bit Windows
• Want more that 3.25GB RAM available

So, conflicting objectives.  More RAM = 64-bit O/S = driver conflicts 

Now, brilliantly, it has been suggested to me that a solution is to install a rack hard drive to swap
in and out to boot with different operating systems. Use 32-bit XP O/S when drivers dictate. Use
64-bit XP O/S to get some real work done.

Great!  But here FINALLY, is the nub of my question.
If I populate this mobo with 8GB DDR3 RAM, so that I can romp along in 64-bit XP Pro, will having
that much RAM in some way screw up the operation of 32-bit XP Pro?  Or will most of the RAM
simply be ignored by 32-bit XP -- can't use it, but does no harm?

Does anybody here know for sure, from personal experience?
(Try getting a straight answer from ASUS!)

My current ASUS mobo has 4GB DDR2 RAM, and XP 32-bit sees 3.25GB and just doesn't care about the
rest (nor do I).  ASUS itself recommends <3GB RAM for a 32-bit O/S. 

Thank you for the time you spent reading this!

3889

Clipboard Help+Spell / Re: A new name

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 24, 2008, 06:06 PM »

You could always keep the name and change it too.

How about CHASTE?

Clipboard Help And Spell (Text, Everything).   

-Dormouse (April 18, 2008, 01:52 PM)

Well, if you want to go that way, how about CHASuble?   Might have mass appeal.   

3890

Living Room / Re: DVD Drive eject issues

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 24, 2008, 07:05 AM »

Huh!  I had this happen recently -- puzzled the heck out of me too.  The box in question has one Plextor and one LG.  Push all the buttons you want, no eject but soft eject worked (to my amazement).  If you hadn't mentioned it here I'd still be thinking I'd imagined the whole thing!

I checked all the cables, fiddled around some... drives back again.  Had a brief spell of the 'sticky directory' issue.  Shortly after that my power supply began refusing to boot the machine (Enermax 650w) followed by one of the hard-drives biting the bullet. 

This little tale of woe doesn't help you a bit, I know.  Just wondered if my combination of circumstances gives any clues.  Haven't come to grips with it as I'm busy, so I just said some rude words and shifted to another system.  There's no back-up quite as effective as a redundant system.

Hope you get it sorted!


[Edit -- can't spell, evidently can't proof-read until after posting *sigh*]

3891

Living Room / Re: [rant] updating drivers :(

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 23, 2008, 10:52 PM »

Sorry you've been going though it, Tomos.

Here's a little something to tide you over

3892

Living Room / Re: Spore Creature Creator Released - Make Cody Creature Contest!

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 23, 2008, 09:53 AM »

poor little cody is going to have nightmares when he sees this.

-mouser (July 23, 2008, 01:33 AM)

I think that is Cody, playing Hyde and seek 

(Probably going to go after spammers in the new-product areas.)

Nice work Stoic Joker!

3893

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Guitar & Drum Trainer Software for Musicians Wins Shareware Industry Award

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 22, 2008, 09:21 PM »

Great news, well done!   

3894

Official Announcements / Re: DonationCoder/Veign Programming Contest Results Posted

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 22, 2008, 03:04 PM »

Congratulations to the entrants... all of them!
I am glad that I am not one of those who had to try to decide on a winner.
All of the entries look extremely impressive to me.

Thanks to Veign for providing the stellar prize, and whose other contributions to DonationCoder are obvious at many points.

And... let's not forget that strange, cat-like creature without whom none of us would be enjoying ourselves here.

Let's take the chance to say thank you to

3895

Living Room / Re: Anyone Here Using a Drobo?

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 22, 2008, 01:40 PM »

I wonder what could cause such a forbidding bug and take all that time to fix?

-J-Mac (July 22, 2008, 01:11 PM)

Hard to say, but it's good to know that my system here is finally f}¦Åd, what a relief!

3896

Living Room / Re: Show us the View Outside Your Window

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 22, 2008, 08:09 AM »

I think we are going to have to give you your own blog space on DC ... "The sayings of cranioscopical" 

-Carol Haynes (July 22, 2008, 03:58 AM)

Let me complete the unspoken portion of that thought...

And then lock it away so the rest of us don't have to suffer any longer. 

3897

Living Room / Re: Show us the View Outside Your Window

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 21, 2008, 09:11 PM »

One day I went outside to see three chicks in that position and they couldn't get up without help!

-Carol Haynes (July 21, 2008, 08:38 PM)

Sounds like an episode from my ill-spent youth 

And remember the proverb -- and this one works very well at boardroom-level -- the one-legged chicken doesn't scratch up the barnyard. 

3898

Living Room / Re: Show us the View Outside Your Window

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 21, 2008, 07:22 PM »

Carol it looks like you are running a half-way house for wayward animals

-mouser (July 21, 2008, 04:43 PM)

I'll say!  That chick is clearly drunk!

3899

Living Room / Re: Show us the View Outside Your Window

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 21, 2008, 04:09 PM »

One of my cats (Crackers) had a poorly paw and took some comfiort from a friend!

-Carol

You really shouldn't cross your eyes like that, Carol 

3900

Living Room / Re: Advice: Never use your ISP provided email address

« Last post by cranioscopical on July 21, 2008, 03:53 PM »

For years now we've had my wife's e-mail through http://www.pobox.com. It's a service that simply receives e-mail and forwards it on to any address you specify. Change ISPs? Simply change the address your e-mail is forwarded to.

-Jimdoria (July 21, 2008, 09:31 AM)

I too use pobox, with satisfaction, but I see that some others of the suggestions here offer greater economy.  Hmm...