So good news, the computers are up and running!!!! And no data lost (that i can tell or noticed). The desktop still won't run Windows, but i did get some open-source programs to manage my iPod. And by programs and i mean at least two different ones to make it happen. One program to load the music, and other to fix the damage the first program did to my player. But it works for now, and thats all that matter. At some point i'll find something that does everything: loads songs and doesn't corrupt it.
The laptop is up and running again. Had to reinstall Ubuntu to make this happen. But thankfully you can run Ubuntu from the CD and access the hard drive to salvage any random bits of data. Which is a pain but since that random bits of data was all my vacation photos from the trip, i was motivated to learn how to do this. I got to learn about using "chown" command to access files (which has nothing to do with 'clowns') and i also learned that though Linux boxes can easily connect to a networked windows boxes they don't play as well with their own kind. I got to setup a 'FTP' server (which worked but couldn't get it to upload) then i learned to use SSH. Which is far easier to setup. actually almost stupidly easy. which means the geek will want me to try even harder and sillier things to do with Ubuntu. Sadly I am starting to get use to using the terminial to get things done.
No i still haven't posted the pictures from the trip, but i am using the excuse that the computers were broke, and i was busy, and possiblily lazy. :P
well thats all for now.......
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
The un-Midas touch
Well i am making progress, sort of. I could not reinstall Windows on my desktop. Why you ask I still don't know. Was able to boot Ubuntu off the CD and at least confirmed some functionality of the hardware. But all the hard drives were locked out. This was not good; I have a good 150 Gigs of 'data' on one of those drives that I couldn't even think about trying to recollect.
Well after beating my head on a table for a while, I have figured some stuff out. My 80 gig IDE drive is scrap metal. The 40 gig and 250 gig SATA drives are fine. I have installed Ubuntu on the 40 gig drive and it boots normally and seems stable. Windows although finished the initial install will not boot. I still am clueless about that. The data on the 250 gig drive is intacted and useable. phew!!!!!
Second problem, Ipod does not play well with Linux. iTunes was never meant to be installed in Linux even through a virtial machine. There are some open source programs that should be able to connect and manage the iPod but still require a little shoehorning to get to work. I was playing with that while I was trying to get the desptop working, and of course I did something wrong and now my laptop will not boot!!! :'(
I think I have the magical ablity to take perfectly good working hardware and make it completely hosed, or maybe i am finally becoming a proper Linux user ;)
Well after beating my head on a table for a while, I have figured some stuff out. My 80 gig IDE drive is scrap metal. The 40 gig and 250 gig SATA drives are fine. I have installed Ubuntu on the 40 gig drive and it boots normally and seems stable. Windows although finished the initial install will not boot. I still am clueless about that. The data on the 250 gig drive is intacted and useable. phew!!!!!
Second problem, Ipod does not play well with Linux. iTunes was never meant to be installed in Linux even through a virtial machine. There are some open source programs that should be able to connect and manage the iPod but still require a little shoehorning to get to work. I was playing with that while I was trying to get the desptop working, and of course I did something wrong and now my laptop will not boot!!! :'(
I think I have the magical ablity to take perfectly good working hardware and make it completely hosed, or maybe i am finally becoming a proper Linux user ;)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
If it's not one thing its another
So I was on Newegg looking at cameras and I bought a iPod. I'm not really sure how this happened either. There is a list of things in my head that I want and for one reason or another I don't buy, but I have researched into. Most of the time, the things i want cost too much for what I want out of them. An iPod is a good enough example of this. I wanted a small MP3 player with good battery life at least a few gigs of memory (I don't need to store my entire music collection on the silly thing, just enough to give me verity over the week), and not cost an absurd amount of money. An iPod fit most of these requirements except the money part, but they were coming down.
While checking on cameras I decided to check in on the price point for the iPod nano (for those not up on the Apple music players, Nano is the smallest player they make that still has a screen, I expect that in the few years it will be implantable). To my surprise the price point not only dropped but a whole new generation of the model had come out. It had reverted to a form factor of about two generations back (which I liked better anyway) with a larger screen, motion control (which seems silly for a device designed to be used while running and such) and a whopping 16 Gigs of storage!!! Before I knew what was going on they had my credit card number and my new silver nano was on its way.
First impressions: MY GOD ITS SO SMALL!!!!! The packing material and box weights ten times more then it does. Imagine a pocket comb then broke it in half thats about the size and weight we are talking here. I am going to assume Apple designed it to be a little bit rugged but I am a little afraid its going to break in my pocket. That sadly is all I can say about it because I cannot put music on it yet. Why not, you ask. Because about the same time I was ordering the iPod my desktop decided to take a big dump and stop working. Good thing I have two computers ^_^ Windows starts to boot, blue screen of death, reboots, step repeat. Its so hosed that it won't even boot in safe mode, and I have never had that happen before.
So trying to reinstall Windows. The quick format failed so I am having to do it the slow way. Its about 59% through. At this rate it might be done some time tomorrow. Makes me seriously want to install Linux on the box. It may not be that much more stable then Windows but at least its free.
While checking on cameras I decided to check in on the price point for the iPod nano (for those not up on the Apple music players, Nano is the smallest player they make that still has a screen, I expect that in the few years it will be implantable). To my surprise the price point not only dropped but a whole new generation of the model had come out. It had reverted to a form factor of about two generations back (which I liked better anyway) with a larger screen, motion control (which seems silly for a device designed to be used while running and such) and a whopping 16 Gigs of storage!!! Before I knew what was going on they had my credit card number and my new silver nano was on its way.
First impressions: MY GOD ITS SO SMALL!!!!! The packing material and box weights ten times more then it does. Imagine a pocket comb then broke it in half thats about the size and weight we are talking here. I am going to assume Apple designed it to be a little bit rugged but I am a little afraid its going to break in my pocket. That sadly is all I can say about it because I cannot put music on it yet. Why not, you ask. Because about the same time I was ordering the iPod my desktop decided to take a big dump and stop working. Good thing I have two computers ^_^ Windows starts to boot, blue screen of death, reboots, step repeat. Its so hosed that it won't even boot in safe mode, and I have never had that happen before.
So trying to reinstall Windows. The quick format failed so I am having to do it the slow way. Its about 59% through. At this rate it might be done some time tomorrow. Makes me seriously want to install Linux on the box. It may not be that much more stable then Windows but at least its free.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Final thoughts
So it seems some of you are still checking this blog for more crazy stories about my trip. Silly rabbit; blogs are for whining and lamenting about your life. But I'll indulge you all a little further with some final thoughts.
1: New Zealand is a place that even when you want to go home, you still know you didn't have enough time there.
2: Soy lattes should be found on every street corner. (I'm spoiled now, and going through caffeine withdrawals)
3: I know whats wrong with American foods now: high fructose corn syrup. Everything in NZ/Aus is made with just sugar and you can tell!!!
4: I am willing to single handedly try to get meat pies to catch on here in the states.
5: There is a point at which breath-taking views start to lose their impact. Then it becomes how hard was it to get to see that view. Next time I'll plan to hike for three days then spend one day in a small gray cubical, so then I'll be excited about going out and playing again.
6: Only under special and very controlled circumstances should friends go on a long vacation together. Somehow it always ends up being a bad idea. I blame no one for this; I have been on other long vacations were I never really talked much with the friend afterwards. This trip went much smoother then that.
7: Although I thought it was silly and strange at first, ending almost every conversation with "No worries." started to really grow on me. I think I'll start using it for now on.
8: Jet lag is not worst going east rather then west; it just effects your normal day more.
9: You should never avoid going on a long trip cause you are worried about all the stuff you have to do at work, because it will still be sitting there waiting for you just the way you left it.
10: It is possible to completely stretch out across four seats in an airplane to sleep while remaining buckled in. The crew will let you sleep like that as long as you want as long as they see your seat belt. This is the preferred way to do a 10+ hour flight. I was only awake for about an 1.5 hours total on the return flight.
1: New Zealand is a place that even when you want to go home, you still know you didn't have enough time there.
2: Soy lattes should be found on every street corner. (I'm spoiled now, and going through caffeine withdrawals)
3: I know whats wrong with American foods now: high fructose corn syrup. Everything in NZ/Aus is made with just sugar and you can tell!!!
4: I am willing to single handedly try to get meat pies to catch on here in the states.
5: There is a point at which breath-taking views start to lose their impact. Then it becomes how hard was it to get to see that view. Next time I'll plan to hike for three days then spend one day in a small gray cubical, so then I'll be excited about going out and playing again.
6: Only under special and very controlled circumstances should friends go on a long vacation together. Somehow it always ends up being a bad idea. I blame no one for this; I have been on other long vacations were I never really talked much with the friend afterwards. This trip went much smoother then that.
7: Although I thought it was silly and strange at first, ending almost every conversation with "No worries." started to really grow on me. I think I'll start using it for now on.
8: Jet lag is not worst going east rather then west; it just effects your normal day more.
9: You should never avoid going on a long trip cause you are worried about all the stuff you have to do at work, because it will still be sitting there waiting for you just the way you left it.
10: It is possible to completely stretch out across four seats in an airplane to sleep while remaining buckled in. The crew will let you sleep like that as long as you want as long as they see your seat belt. This is the preferred way to do a 10+ hour flight. I was only awake for about an 1.5 hours total on the return flight.
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