mendipjohn
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Posts posted by mendipjohn
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Hi,
I have a 120gb Seagate HDD and have used 40gb.
For me personally, thats down to the following things:
- the number of PC games i install (not all are installed atm, but they use many gb's)
- if you use large application suites such as Microsoft Office, which can use a few hundred mb
- the amount of music you download/copy onto your disc, can easily run in gb's
- the amount of installers you store on your hdd from the internet and CD roms (presently 2.8gb after a slim down)
- perhaps the size of your paging file/virtual memory. If you have alot of ram, it will get big (i have 512 ram, so its not that huge)
- video editing, recordings can use huge amounts of space
- the size of all your browser, installers or other cached content (it might not be alot, but 100mb is still 100mb used up)
Cant think of anything else right now, but your disc can be used quite readily. Of course at the end of the day it depends how you personally use your computer
Who cares if its "only" 80gb, i have machines with 40gb, and they run fine. At the end of the day, as with performance, the true benchmarks by which you need to measure your machine are how you use it. On that note, dont need to feel that you need more disc drives just because your total capacity is inferior
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@jcarle
Indeed I agree, I would never suggest anyone buy cheap, low quality parts which are likely to fail
Particuarly as you mention, the core components such as mobo, cpu, ram, psu, hdd, even graphics cards perhaps. Summarised, any of the more expensive components are worth getting right first time round, as if they do fail, you ca end up in alot of bother.I was just suggesting that on the basis of the cost of hardware, and the power consumption of hardware, the latest technology isnt always worth purchasing unless your really keen, or have need to use it
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Whoops! I only posted after someone else did
Normally browse through the more recent topics, and since this was up there...
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Thanks guys,
I have used MySQL but only on servers for powering internet boards etc and I really find myself out of my depth trying to manage it.
The OpenOffice Base looks great, and I already use OpenOffice Suite for other purposes and the interface is similar to Access. Just working out how to download it now
Thanks.
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Sounds quite a grand spec platform for a first time build
Nothing wrong with being grand at all, but my advice to people these days is dont spend money unecessarily on computer hardware. My thinking is that system performance is measured as much by the tasks it is used for as well as benchmarks and reviews, and when you account for running costs as well, I encourage people to focus on good value, reasonable performace components and longer term cost effectiveness. Whatever you buy now, given a few months, it wont be so special, and may well be much cheaper. Check socket T is the right path for your build before deciding anything
(sorry if that is a little off topic)
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Hi there,
I use MS Office Access presently but I am using a Student and Teacher license which prevents me using the software (legally) for commercial use.
That means I am looking for a database application to use on a commercial basis. All i need is a relatively simple relational database application, preferably reliable, quite cheap, not to tacky and with low system requirements.
I wasnt convinced by anything I found doing a web search so I just wondered if anyone here had any ideas or special recommendations
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Regular beeps are normally a RAM problem.
I hope you had the machine turned off at the mains and grounded whilst it was cleaned? Static is the main cause of hardware problems if people dont take the correct precautions.
Also, if you didnt turn the power off fully, try unplugging the computer for around 30 seconds and plugging it back in. This when charge gets trapped in the capacitors or something and thats the way to clear it.
I dont think that is it though because it was beeping which would suggest it was powered on. The best thing to do is check the memory in another machine or try some alternative memory in your own.
How did you clean it? Might help determine the cause of the problem
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I have recently started using WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) at home.
It does greatly speed up the internal distribution of updates, but you'll find your server downloading alot of files depending on your settings. I think the last time I checked my server was downloading an additional 6gb of files!
My server is also low spec, and WSUS strains it a bit when it comes to performance, which isnt all that handy when it is performing multiple functions on my network.
Also note, that to get clients to update from your LAN server, you need to alter the Windows Update group policy object. Now that is simple enough, but you would have to ensure you changed it back to default settings before returning the machine to the customer, or their computer would still be looking for updates from your servers LAN address
It is a good technology, and it would be advantagious for you to use it, as you could really accelerate update times on the client machine. However, I would suggest you consider the following:
- your server spec (can it run WSUS and still perform its other network duties)
- server storage space (depending on your options, you'll end up with several gigabytes of updates)
- your internet connection (is it capped? how fast is it? will the update download time depreciate the value of using WSUS?)
- an appropriate patch management policy (dont send those computers home looking for your LAN server!)
My server: Pentium II 350mhz, 192mb RAM, 40gb HDD - WSUS folder is so far 6.4gb big!
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If your browser is IE or Firefox, you can block ActiveX, JavaScript etc and set basic cookie privacy levels all via the browsers internet control panel.
IE also supports RSACi content filtering which can be password protected against setting tampering. I dont use this myself so I dont know how effective it is, but I have previously used the internet control panel to lock down security in IE.
Browser controls are a good place to start, as sometimes you cant be sure what third party applications are taking control over
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Surely the best way of fixing it is to perform a complete uninstall, delete the Microsoft Office folder from Program Files and perform a full reinstall onto the drive of your choice. I know Office 2000 isnt the fastest installation on the block, but it will probably save you alot of time and trouble in the longer term.
Of course the uninstall function may not work depending on how you moved the files around. You mentioned the Windows games not working either? What Windows version are you running? If it is something easily broken like 98, you might have problems.
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That sounds fantastic
I can imagine all the effort and work this pack requires and the last thing you want are people demanding things from you, but I just wanted to check incase using the SP when it becomes available would lead me to manage my 2000 systems differently to the regular update fashion people are used to.
Oh, one final thing, which is even more challenging, could this pack be deployed through WSUS which I have recently deployed on my network
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Surely if IE7 is in the beta stages, someone can suggest modifying the icon to Microsoft themselves
If IE7 is to deliver competitive changes and rival the likes of more recent browsers such as Firefox, surely someone can manage to replace one icon. If they cant, I hope we can look forward to seeing it again in the new version of Windows as well Have you checked to see if this icon is the same in XPise? I dont use XPise myself at the moment, but if the icon was changed there, you should be able to find out how from the creators.
XPise btw is generally an XP face lift, focusing on icons and graphical improvements. It can be found here: http://xpero.msfn.org/
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This looks a great idea, but I would want to ask a couple of Post update points.
- Would Windows/Microsoft Update work properly after using the unofficial SP?
- you mention a SP5a/5.1 with latest product improvements. One of the listed ones is BITS2. The last time I used Windows 2000 w/SP4 fresh install, BITS2/HTTP 5.1 was the first update is downloaded (to allow access to Windows Update). Can you really get away with not including this in the first release?
- Legality. It sounds like this is just a big hotfix pack and doesnt actually alter the Operating system or files themselves. All the same, is your planned pack legal to use and deploy in any given environment.
Anyhow, those are just the points which sprung to mind.
I like 2000 as a backup system after XP, and I do use it. I wish you and the project success and will be ready to try out whatever you produce as soon as it is released
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Well I have fitted extra RAM and I did buy a new hard disk... when I got it.
I guess that is sufficient to justify purchasing an OEM license.
I gathered the important bits of the OEM license were as follows:
- installed as a fresh install
- cannot be used to upgrade a previous version of Windows
- may not be upgraded with an upgrade version of Windows
- system support is not provided by MS
- may only be used on one system and cannot be transferred to any other system
- system hardware may be upgraded
- may be reactivated as many times as necessary on the same machine
I am a registered OEM system builder so I knew some of those points already.
Now I am sure I read somewhere through Microsoft that a change of motherboard meant new license? I dont intend to ever modify this system much anyway, just ensuring that by purchasing and installing an OEM version, I am not responsible for piracy, infridgement etc. As I said, might become part of a business one day and I dont want flak from Microsoft or anyone else for a licensing fault, infringement of license agreement etc.
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I have a Dell OptiPlex GX1 low profile machine which I purchased from eBay. It came with Windows 98 but no license key.
I want to install Windows XP and may eventually use it for business use. I know OEM licensing is supposed to be only for a new PC, but since its so much cheaper than buying a FPP, can I buy an OEM license and use it?
This is the only machine I want to license and I want to use XP Professional. Surely MS would rather have some of my dosh than none of it at all?
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I used ME for a full 2 years before moving to XP Pro.
Those were bright days. The only frustration at stablility became of own occassional doing!
But, at the end of the day, it was a quick OS, and looked more modern, based partly on the Windows 2000 interface. The feature set was much improved too.
I far, far prefer it to 98SE! I am afraid (not being scathing) 98SE was horrid, from the slow start up times, to the heavy DOS components to that nasty murky green background colour to the random unreliablility.
98SE has "outdated" written all over it, and whilst creating service packs will extend its use, its only fair that ME has the same star treatment, when it is actually better.
me hates crappy hardware98 will accept crappy hardware
me is more picky than xp is
Not true in my opinion
ME has far better support for hardware. Especially USB devices such as flash drives and zip drives. ME just gets on and installs them, 98 needs 10 million driver files to even detect them half the time.
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You would be suprised how fragile telephone leads are!
I have frequently (in the past) been unable to connect using dial-up when these have become faulty or completely broken without my knowing.
Might be an idea to check any extenstion leads or any other cables which tend to be moved or stretched quite frequently.
Try a replacement cable, as you cannot visually see faults because the cables are so fine under all that plastic (also why they break so easily)
Also check you have all the appropriate ADSL microfilters installed, and check any telephone surge protection in place is compatible with the connected devices.
Sometimes my trouble was caused by the modem itself! Whilst restarts often fixed it, I would suggest trying a different modem, preferably a "hardware" one, as those software ones are really crumby.
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Do you know how much all that is worth!
I would be running all of them simultaneosly if there were enough PCs But if I had to choose, Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition would be the one.
Its an all round version of the 2003 server platform and any experience with it can be quite easily applied later on to Enterprise Edition if you eventually migrate.
I learnt 2003 on a Standard Edition Trial and it is suberb (be sure to install the updates, the Service Pack 1 RC1 seems very good so far and might as well me applied).
I much prefer it to 2000 Advanced Server, but cant afford the license fee!
I did want to try a trial of SBS 2003, but there was a setup error, something wrong with the CD me thinks
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Out of interest, whilst I know it is harmless and my AV picked it up, what happens on a PC where it isnt detected for whatever reason?
Does any message appear?
Interested incase I can use it as a generic anti-virus test, wondered if there was any message along the lines of "hehe you have no AV" to verify it had run in the first place, you never know with some PCs
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sp1 went on fine for me B)
Compared to the huge folder of induvidual updates I have collected in preparation to patch future installs, it seems very worth while, even if it is only a beta/early release/whatever you want to call it.
Though the odd problem might happen once in a while
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Noticed your signature logo and thought I would give it a go, so I went through the process of making a XP SP2 unattended CD (though this one wasnt unattended to save creation time) and I must say, ran it on Virtual PC 2004, and I am very very impressed
The qaulity is fantastic, and it really is an enhancement to the OS (though you missed a couple
)Its sure to go in all my fully unattended CDs made in future
A great effort well appriciated
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I found SP2 has many improved networking features, especially for wireless networks and it isnt really recommended to remove it
I use Windows Firewall and NIS simultaneosly, which sounds stupid I know but there are times when I have to simply disable NIS altogether.
It is terrible for interupting network traffic, and you end up spending ages opening up all your ports again as NIS blocks something new each time!
This is probably not relavant to this topic, but it is handy advice anyway when using NIS on a network
:-An easier way to ensure that it isnt NIS causing problems on a fixed IP network, is to use the Personal Firewall > Configure > Networking > Trusted/Restricted Zone.
As long as your network is safe and secure, you can feel confident adding specific IP addresses, which gives them full access through your firewall.
I would suggest that you dont remove SP2 though.
Often when I log on, my PC has no internet activity through the LAN, so I have to disable and re-enable the LAN connection. It works again after that
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Me on a geography field trip to Lulworth Cove, Dorset on a lovely November's day
http://www.mendipcomputing.co.uk/images/mi...hn_12_11_04.jpg
(227kb)
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Depends on your needs.
Active Directory has the advantages of stronger security and central authentication, though this is not everyone's cup of tea for a casual home network.
This setup is best for paranoid users (like me) who desire security or have a large infrastructure to manage.
A workgroup configured server is simpler to access from local computer accounts and so makes life easier for the user. Where security is not a great issue this is fine.
A workgroup-based server is much simpler to manage, and so is indeed quite easy to work out
I actually find experimenting with servers is actually good fun
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Particuarly as you mention, the core components such as mobo, cpu, ram, psu, hdd, even graphics cards perhaps. Summarised, any of the more expensive components are worth getting right first time round, as if they do fail, you ca end up in alot of bother.
what ANTIVIRUS do u use?
in Malware Prevention and Security
Posted
Using a years trial version of Computer Associates EZ anti-virus. Installed it from one of those old, discontinued Feb04 MS Windows Update CD-ROMs. It takes little disk space, has excellent update options and has little impact on system performance