Thread: Need a New Computer

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I'd be very leary of cheap cases that include power supply's. cheap power supplys are generally not a good idea, they can fail in 2 weeks, or 2 months, can't tell when, but they will, and sometimes, they'll wipe out a motherboard or hard drive when they go. you will want all ethernet cable connecting them, no wireless.. ither way is just as easy in Ubuntu, but with the wireless you would need to install the restricted broadcomm drivers, but fast wireless is only 100 MBPS. you can run full gigabit with ethernet.. also, if your connecting them togther directly ( no switch ) you will need a crossover patch cable, rather than a regular cat 5/ cat 6 patch cable. if your running 3 computers you will need a gigabit ethernet switch.

Matt, I have the Gigabit Ethernet switch given in the microWulf list of components along with another switch to permit using the mouse, keyboard and monitor on each box by switching to the four different boxes. After setup that will be less useful but initially it may be helpful. Just about everyone has warned about the power supplies but we will see how it goes. All the computational links are by Ethernet, but wondering how to connect to the Internet. Our home wireless network is for all WINDOWS systems and I have read up on a LOT of stuff related to hooking up a LINUX box to the Internet and it looks to me that the simplest answer is to run a 100 foot Cat6e cable.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

I just downloaded Firefox 2.?.?.?.?.?.(or whatever)

Holy moly - the speed makes IE6 look like a Model T in comparison to a Ferrari

I'll have to get used to some screen differences - but I can probably handle that little problem

Any clue as to what Brent added - 'Trackback' which is below the message box?

Originally Posted by DennyW

Just click on it, and it will explain it.

That was the first thing I tried - it doesn't. I guess since I've never wanted nor needed it, I still don't

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

Matt, I have the Gigabit Ethernet switch given in the microWulf list of components along with another switch to permit using the mouse, keyboard and monitor on each box by switching to the four different boxes. After setup that will be less useful but initially it may be helpful. Just about everyone has warned about the power supplies but we will see how it goes. All the computational links are by Ethernet, but wondering how to connect to the Internet. Our home wireless network is for all WINDOWS systems and I have read up on a LOT of stuff related to hooking up a LINUX box to the Internet and it looks to me that the simplest answer is to run a 100 foot Cat6e cable.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Right, that's what I figured.. using a KVM switch to run 1 monitor/ set of pehriferals for
multiple computers... your wireless network will get picked up with the restricted broadcomm drivers installed.. if you run hard line, remember, you can only go 150' b4 you need a switch in between.

I run my dialup internet thru a shared windows internet connection on a win 2k computer.. should be no problem for you. IP and stuff is all set to automatic in ubuntu by default so whatever IP/ DNS windows pushes, Ubuntu will pick it up

Denny / Matt How do I rename my various drives. I finally figured out with a little bit of research that by plugging in my internal memory card reader BEFORE I loaded my OS which is XP Home that it would take the normal 'C' hard drive designation. The hard drive became (H). This really is no problem but semantics, but then...... I can reload XP, but not sure that it's necessary. Disconnecting the card reader and manually renaming the drive really doesn't work. It just names it (C) (H)

Oh yeah, my second card reader, a Rosewill just died after 2 days so I'm relegated to my 5 year old $5 unknown brand external version until I decide on which to buy this time .

Originally Posted by IC2

I did try IE 7 a while back and after some pain reloaded IE 6.

I too tried IE 7 and it seemed to have more bugs (Typical for anything new Microsoft releases) than a june bug convention.
The only reason I keep IE around is because of Microsoft updates. Seems as though some don't want to load properly with Firefox.

Originally Posted by DennyW

click start, help and support.

Type in drive letter, and go.

It gives details for changing them right there. Easier than me typing all that.

Thanks Denny
I can and did change some. But the hard drive..... the system wont "allow" it so whatever - if I have to reload XP, then I can (probably) fix it then.

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

I too tried IE 7 and it seemed to have more bugs (Typical for anything new Microsoft releases) than a june bug convention.
The only reason I keep IE around is because of Microsoft updates. Seems as though some don't want to load properly with Firefox.

I'm leaving IE6 on for just that reason, regardless of the fact it occasionally crashed my computer. IE7 - what a waste!!! But I think I already said that

I don't remember how to switch drive assignment in windows. I can tell you how to do it in Ubuntu linux tho, just right click on the drive in the storage media folder, click unmount, then right click and click mount as, change it to what you want. it dosn't use drive letters, it uses things like /hda1 and /hda2 rather than C: or E:

Originally Posted by Matt167

I don't remember how to switch drive assignment in windows. I can tell you how to do it in Ubuntu linux tho, just right click on the drive in the storage media folder, click unmount, then right click and click mount as, change it to what you want. it dosn't use drive letters, it uses things like /hda1 and /hda2 rather than C: or E:

Matt
The XP "system" will not allow a change in the primary drive according to my attempts and the pop up screens that tell me that I'm in error. I can change anything else - but the operating hard drive .

Originally Posted by DennyW

What you said in #162, you have to un plug everything except the main drive, and boot up like (only that drive showing), that in order to make that the C drive. I always do the main hard drive, then, add the other hard drives, then the extras, like readers and so forth. That may be your problem.

I tried that as well when I had the cover off - my guess is that XP wont let you change the hard drive with OS on it without a full reload - and if I do that, I'll bite the bullet and get the XP Pro and start all over. It really is no problem - except to my anal (but cluttered) "orderly" mind . I can name every other drive whatever I want ... but (H) , so......

Originally Posted by DennyW

Well, after a short time, you will get used to it, and when someone asked about your C drive...You can say, I don't have a C drive....

Exactly

(Wot's a sea drive?? Mercruiser?? Duhhhh)

im trying to sell a computer so i can get a trans, its pretty badass but it's a desktop!!!!

Originally Posted by IC2

Matt
The XP "system" will not allow a change in the primary drive according to my attempts and the pop up screens that tell me that I'm in error. I can change anything else - but the operating hard drive .

you might encounter that problem. it is because the boot sector sees that, you could trick it by editing the registry, but I would not attempt that. the easier fix is to remove all accessory drives, boot the system, make sure there drivers are removed ( if appicable ).. then boot the system once, it will recognize the boot drive as C:, reinstall other drives and they should go E:
and D: first