Adventures in Computing - Part 2

I decided to upgrade my desktop.  Originally I had thought I'd just dual boot it, keeping Windows 7 on it as is and just adding Ubuntu 10.10.  The thought also crossed my mind to dual boot Linux with Windows Server 2008 R2, but then quickly realized this required a 64bit machine which I unfortunately did not have.  So back to plan A of Windows 7 and Linux.  During the installation process of Ubuntu, however, I realized just how bad my video card was.  I had known it was on its last leg, but I didn't realize that it was basically dead and just on life support.  This realization came to me when I noticed that I was unable to read the installation instructions for Linux.  So... onward and upward!

New plan.

Now I knew I needed to buy a new video card.  If I was going to do that, I might as well upgrade my machine a bit more to also support Windows Server 2008 R2 like I had wanted.  Okay... next hurdle is to figure out what hardware is needed.  I'm no hardware person by any means.  All I know is that I need a motherboard and processor to support 64bit, new RAM, and a video card that actually works.  Thankfully I have amazing friends who do know lots about hardware.  I get some great advice and help picking out the following components from NewEgg.com:

• MSI 870-G45 AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
• AMD Sempron 140 Sargas 2.7GHz Socket AM3 45W Single-Core Processor SDX140HBGQBOX
• Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model CT2KIT25664BA1067
• GIGABYTE GV-R435OC-512I Radeon HD 4350 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Low Profile Ready

With overnight shipping (cause I needed it snappy to get the ball rolling on my project), it came to about $200.  Not bad at all!  And I get to keep my desktop alive!

Adventures in Computing - Part 1

My most recent adventure in computing began with the need to have a computer strong enough to support my thesis project.  While my thesis project is not very computationally or programatically intense, it does require a few things that I did not have at the start of this journey.  This included a 64bit machine to run Windows Server 2008 and a computer to run a Linux server off of.

Now... granted, I have a desktop computer and three laptops in my possession.  Two of the laptops are EEE PCs with no real power.  Their beauty is in the fact I can travel with them with little fear of breaking them and they are crazy light weight.  My other laptop only 32bit which runs Windows 7 and is my main computer.  It has it's own issues, but we won't get into that here.  Then my desktop!  My wonderful, wonderful desktop (no sarcasm, honest).  This big guy came to me in 2003... so it's a bit old, just a bit... Last summer brought it back from the dead by replacing the power supply and upgrading it from Windows XP to Windows 7.  This would be my best bet for my thesis project.  Why keep this computer alive?  Well... let me tell you.

My desktop was a gift.  My late uncle Mike (favorite uncle, btw) and my dad pitched in together to build me this computer back in 2003.  It was top of the line at the time.  Hand build by my uncle.  And the first computer which was mine from the beginning, not just a hand-me-down like all the other computers I had been using before.  They even made sure that the colors matched me (black and silver themed).  It was perfect!

So happy!  My own fancy desktop computer.

Me with my Uncle Mike and my desktop

See how nice it looks?  Got my Matrix screen saver and everything.  ^_^

So, to me this desktop means a lot.  My uncle passed away not long ago and this desktop feels like a "living" reminder of him.  He built it for me.  I will rebuild it for him.  Make him proud.