Computers/Electronics/Gadgets

[crystalgaze]

I've stopped with numbers temporarily.... The one thing I seem to never really get tired of is computers/electronics/gadgets.... (& somehow I don't seem to ever have enough desk space + storage for them!)

~lol~ Lately, I've been:

1. looking for a way to continue using my old computers & to keep them as speedy as they can be (not installing too many programs). Thus, I'm usually doing a reinstall somewhere, trying to see how it can be tweaked (extra frugal install).

2. learning more about Windows XP (especially for my older computers) & what not to do + what programs not to use so Internet Explorer loads as quickly as it can (for example).

3. trying out dual booting, triple booting & even a quadruple boot.

4. searching for ways to recover an unreadable pen drive. (I only found a method for Windows, though....)

5. exposing myself to different operating systems, besides Microsoft Windows
A. Linux Live CDs: Ubuntu, Moblin (for netbooks), Incognito, etc.
B. Haiku (BeOS inspired)
C. Mac (Unix)

6. learning a little about the different engines web browsers use (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome/Safari), so I can try to safeguard myself against malware

7. attempting to figure out AppGuard (Windows). It's a very good program to help control malware, but it has to be used in a certain way, which can be a chore. (If you only use 1 account on your computer, it should work well without a hitch for the most part.)

8. leave space on the hard disk (adjust partition size at install screen), in case I want to dual boot. (I never used to before now.)

[crystalgaze]

Random


----Of course, I'm always looking for programs/software to use for various purposes.

e.g. wipe iPod (especially older generation ones), etc.


----I like to collect gadgets & try to mod(ify) them. I'm not always very good, but I'm working at getting better. ~lol~ I often shake like a leaf & have a fit when changing something.

----One reason I have been collecting gadgets is that I have old files that I would like to open/rescue/convert to a more modern format. Also, sometimes, older hardware is required for lots of abandonware.... Emulation is a way to go, but sometimes, the original might be less of a headache....



Goals

1. Get all or most of the computers/gadgets/electronics I have lying around in working order. (e.g. putting the operating systems on them.... Windows 3.11, 95, 98, ME, etc.)

2. Know how to use more of the features on my devices/programs.... (I still don't know how to use most of the features on my PlayStation Portable, or iPod or even how RSS feeds work, usenet groups, IRC, for example.)

3. Have a bit of a working knowledge of how things work/how to do things on operating systems (besides Windows). ~lol~ I still don't understand how Macs + upgrades work, the issues that affect that system & the mentality/approach to have when using it (as well as other systems). (I'll get there, though.)

4. One day, I would like to build my own computer (from scratch).

As you can see, there is a lot I don't know, but I'm an enthusiast nevertheless.

[xn728]

im impressed i know nothing ,im mean every time i long on the damned keys have moved ,oh no its not me they do move ,i know this ,coz when i luck hat watt ivy tipped the smelling is hallways rong ,and i no its not me
i can smell jus fine xn728

[crystalgaze]

Wow! Hhmm.... Are you using Windows? What type of computer is it? (Sony, Toshiba, Dell, etc.)

(It sounds like either some kind of malware, mapping of the keys on the keyboard or maybe there's a setting that needs to be changed under the Control Panel-->Regional & Language Options? Keyboard?)

That sounds interesting...!


Edit: Well, I finally learned about debugging tools for Windows. It helps figure out what's causing a blue screen of death. You download the program + the symbols & you can finally read the minidump files to troubleshoot your problem.

[xn728]

just this cheap laptop onika ,but it is not working for me at the moment ,i keep loking for my freind ,but it dosent let me see any more ,never mind if it doesnt work soon i,ll bin it ,,,,,,,ken

[crystalgaze]

Yeah... I know what you mean.... I don't know what it is with my laptops too.... I can usually never get them all working....

1 works but the others don't....

I'm working on them now... Finally got around to slipstreaming, etc... It's not too too bad. Still a challenge though...

[xn728]

i missed you on the forum onika ,,,the floor is yours

[crystalgaze]

The only gadgety thing I've done at the moment is get a newer camera. It is a great improvement from my old one....

New camera: 12 megapixels (Olympus)
Old camera: 3.2 megapixels (Olympus)

I think I will test it out soon.... (Um... After I try to get how it works straight in my head....)

[crystalgaze]

For the camera, I bought a memory card & the company where I placed my order sent me a different brand than what I ordered.

Now... this isn't such a big deal per se, but if everything on the web site says I am to get Transcend, then I shouldn't get A-Data in the mail! (nothing against either of those brands) It just feels like deception/misrepresentation....

This is the 2nd time it has happened, & I am through purchasing items from them. They just get on my f-ing nerves! & when I called them on the carpet for it, they still insist I must pay return shipping when clearly they are the 1s who f-ed up in the 1st place. Oh wonderful!

Those dirty suckers! Any way, yes... I know.... Anger management....

[aim]

Gaze... do you have a blog? You've got so many interesting things inside of you... just wondering.

[crystalgaze]

~lol~ No Amy, I don't have a blog! I.... am not sure what I would do with one!

I guess I should look up how to blog! ???


Alright.... I have a story for you! It even has a title:

My Samsung & My Panasonic!


Okay... Well I am seriously proud of myself for.....

Are you ready for this one?




Are you sure you're ready for this one?




I am pretty happy I figured out HOW TO USE THE MICROWAVES in the house.


First, I don't know why it took me SO long.... I guess that's what I get for not reading the manual (as if I know where that is any way)!!

The Samsung was my grandpa's, so I guess that's what makes this memorable for me.....

There's a nifty feature called Auto Reheat on the Samsung..... (Duh!) You press once for a plate of food, 2x for casserole & 3x for soup! How about that?! & yeah, my soup came out warm yesterday, without me having to put it back in for more time.

OH YA,,,, I'M DOIN' GOOD!


As for the Panasonic, the option is called Sensor Reheat.... I find my food is hot after the 1st beep to let you know just a few more seconds to go!


THANKS TO MY SAMSUNG + MY PANASONIC! All hail + long live!

[crystalgaze]

This is probably.... obvious to some.... but if you are going to get a pen drive/thumb drive/USB flash drive/external USB drive, please, PLEASE, PLEASE consider the read & write speeds.

If you will be transferring huge files (backup copy of a CD or DVD), you will seriously want to pay attention to the write speed OR ELSE THE TRANSFER/COPYING THE FILES WILL TAKE A LONG TIME.

(What should only take a few minutes or so will take 45 mins to 1 hour or more! If you have that type of time or patience, okay then.)

I got a pleasant surprise today when I was making a backup copy of some CDs today to store on a pen drive. IT WAS SO SLOW THAT I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY DRIVE!

But no, no, nothing was wrong.... It just has a really low write rate. If you're getting a pen drive today, the write speed should be at least 10. However, I've seen some that are 18, 20, & 26 mb/s. Read speeds should be in the 20s or 30s; I've even seen some in the mid-50s.

The best thing to do is to look for a pen drive that is balanced--that the read & write speeds are close to each other. (e.g. 31 mb/sec read speed & 26 mb/sec write speed or 20 something read speed & 14 mb/sec write speed)

The same files I copied to my pen drive that took an hour ONLY TOOK 5 MINUTES on a Seagate FreeAgent Go.... & that pen drive was close to one of the latest!

This is yet another rant from me..... Hopefully there won't be any more for the rest of the day.

[crystalgaze]

Since I couldn't sleep, I semi-geeked for a bit.... Slipstreamed SP3 + Post SP3 MS Updates into a copy of XP Professional I got when I was in school a few years ago...

I am trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the gadgets that are lying around my space....

After some thought, I've decided:

my parent's desktop = XP Home (the copy that came with it)

my netbook = Vista (?)

my old, old laptop that didn't work for a LONG time= XP Professional (to have a system for Slipstreaming Projects)

my new toy..... I'm not sure yet.... I have to figure out what it can run.... (Memory is sort of low....) I'm leaning toward putting Haiku OS on it....

I am a little addicted to electronic gadgets, particularly older equipment... It is always very interesting seeing the gadgets of yesteryear. The gadgets also help me build my confidence with technology because there is no way I'd be able to avoid it, when I start working....

[crystalgaze]

My computers have acted up & I am trying to troubleshoot the problem they are giving me.

On 1 computer... part of the keyboard stopped working.... Oh heavens! I used a USB keyboard with it, but that was unnerving a little bit... & the thing is: The keys seem to work.... but nothing shows up on the screen when they are pressed.

On the other, there is a card reader & I am wondering if it is malfunctioning, so I am using an install to see if the card reader still works....

[crystalgaze]

Okay.... You haven't seen me more than usual because my computer & my parent's computer was done for a bit....

The desktop had some badware (malware, I mean) on it.... & well... I did lots of scans to make sure the computer was clean.... I will most likely reformat Ma & Pa's computer soon just to be sure....!