Re: [H] Macbook
Damn, I just bit the bullet and got myself 2 sticks of 1 GB PQI ddr 667 memory. Install was a breeze, and all I have to say is WOW!!! The improvement over stock is mind blowing. I did notice that be to the increase in RAM the Activity monitor shows less usage. I also noticed a marked improvement in heat output. My macbook used to burn my nuts off, now it just lightly roasts them. But still, it's one damn hot machine. Can't use it on the lap for too long, it's more of a tabletop style machine. But all I have to reiterate is DAMN!! WOW!!! 2 GIG ram really shines in OSX! --- dex [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Just got mine too. Runs great. Agreed on the heat issue. Installed these from newegg: 20-221-043NBM 1G|GIGA 200 GR2DS8BD-1GB667GI R You need exact pairs or it won't run dual channel. Otherwise, you can mix and match. Just make sure if you are using same sizes, they are identical modules (same fab, production date, etc.). Otherwise you will get system lockups - especially since the video uses system ram. On 6/3/06, Zulfiqar Naushad [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I just got myself a macbook. The 2 Ghz model with 512 MB of RAM. OSX is slow with just 512 MB of RAM, and I was curious if you need dual channel (2 sticks of RAM) to upgrade the system. I want to upgrade to a minimum of 1Gb, but I wanted to make sure if I can stick in one stick of 1 GB RAM. Also in the event that I have to use 2 sticks of RAM, can I just mix and match manufacturers? I have 1 stick of Corsair DDR2 667, and I can't find those anymore in Saudi. Can I just add another stick of 667 from PQI or Kingston with the Corsair? __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
[H] %program files% variable all hosed
Had to do a repair install of WindowsXP 64 on a machine in the house. Now, the %program files% variable is wonky.. it basically doesn't find it. (ie, go to a prompt, cd %program files% gets nothing) and programs, as a result, also are unable to find their icons, etc. or start quite right. Blah! I've used RegCrawler to fix all drive letter changes (K:\ to G:\) which occurred for god knows what reason, but now I'm sitting here wondering if I just need to blow this thing away and start over, or if there is an easy way to reset the %program files% variable permenantly. CW
Re: [H] %program files% variable all hosed
It's a reg_sz value in: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProgramFilesDir CW wrote: Had to do a repair install of WindowsXP 64 on a machine in the house. Now, the %program files% variable is wonky.. it basically doesn't find it. (ie, go to a prompt, cd %program files% gets nothing) and programs, as a result, also are unable to find their icons, etc. or start quite right. Blah! I've used RegCrawler to fix all drive letter changes (K:\ to G:\) which occurred for god knows what reason, but now I'm sitting here wondering if I just need to blow this thing away and start over, or if there is an easy way to reset the %program files% variable permenantly. CW
Re: [H] %program files% variable all hosed
- Original Message - From: CW [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: hardware@hardwaregroup.com Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 3:25 PM Subject: [H] %program files% variable all hosed Had to do a repair install of WindowsXP 64 on a machine in the house. Now, the %program files% variable is wonky.. itbasically doesn't find it. (ie, go to a prompt, cd %program files% gets nothing) and programs, as a result, also are unable to You support my argument for formatting and reinstalling from the start. Rarely has a repair install went the way I wanted it to go. Most times it just fails to complete. Could it be that repair installs bog down in the tons of updates that have been applied to be completely up to date? I wanted to migrate from a 250 GB hard drive to a 400 GB hard drive. I partitioned and cloned all of my data to my new hard drive. Windows XP would not boot. I tried a repair install and it would not go all the way through. So I reverted back to my 250 GB hard drive and I will live with it until I either change computers or for other reasons do a format and clean install. I clone the results of clean installs on customer's computers. I successfully restore these clones when their Windows crashes. In most situations Windows XP boots ok. My guess is cloning a load that has lots of junk on it does not work. My C Drive has over 17 GB of data on it, mostly applications etc. I have my data files on other partitions. I have went over 3 years without formatting and reinstalling. It is my guess this is a main reason I am not being allowed to clone to a larger hard drive and boot up or to complete a repair install. Chuck
Re: [H] Black Razor
At 03:16 PM 03/06/2006, Winterlight wrote: I have had a Motorola T720i flip phone for a couple of years and the thing is indestructible. I once dropped it into a puddle when it was raining. The phone was completely submerged. Let it dry out over night and it was fine again! I had a Nokia a few years back that I managed to drop while getting out of the car. It survived, face up in two inches of snow overnight. The only damage was the LCD which I cracked driving over it with studded tires. T
Re: [H] %program files% variable all hosed
Yeah no such variable that's where I looked. Maybe I will add it and see what happens CW Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless -Original Message- From: warpmedia [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2006 16:01:58 To:The Hardware List hardware@hardwaregroup.com Subject: Re: [H] %program files% variable all hosed It's a reg_sz value in: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProgramFilesDir CW wrote: Had to do a repair install of WindowsXP 64 on a machine in the house. Now, the %program files% variable is wonky.. it basically doesn't find it. (ie, go to a prompt, cd %program files% gets nothing) and programs, as a result, also are unable to find their icons, etc. or start quite right. Blah! I've used RegCrawler to fix all drive letter changes (K:\ to G:\) which occurred for god knows what reason, but now I'm sitting here wondering if I just need to blow this thing away and start over, or if there is an easy way to reset the %program files% variable permenantly. CW
Re: [H] Black Razor
That sounds like the Achilles heel for the brick that was the Motorola StarTac. Even after cracking my LCD by having the bag of CD's it's was clipped to smack it into a concrete floor, the phone was otherwise un-damageable. Hell I threw it up 2 stories to fall on concrete trying to destroy it when the insurance co. insisted they wanted the core back as part of the replacement (after charging $50). Nothing more than a few dibits in the plastic, gotta love the old ABS plastic cells. Try that with any modern cell with the possible exception of the ruggedized motorola NextTel sells. =) Thane Sherrington (S) wrote: At 03:16 PM 03/06/2006, Winterlight wrote: I have had a Motorola T720i flip phone for a couple of years and the thing is indestructible. I once dropped it into a puddle when it was raining. The phone was completely submerged. Let it dry out over night and it was fine again! I had a Nokia a few years back that I managed to drop while getting out of the car. It survived, face up in two inches of snow overnight. The only damage was the LCD which I cracked driving over it with studded tires. T
[H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
I've spent the weekend playing with Vista after hearing all the perks and the like from those touting it at the Microsoft meeting here in KC on Thursday. The fundamental problem with Vista is one that I don't think is addressed by Microsoft's continual talk of new features being added. That isn't the problem. The problem is that for power users, so many of the common tasks are made cumbersome to impossible that it defeats a big part of the purpose of upgrading. I know of numerous users who keep the base icons out on the desktop (my computer, my network, etc.) along with whatever they most frequent. That's a staple within older versions of windows, so the fact that they are there makes it handy. The display properties tool within Windows Vista is garbage. Theme management and creation, as well as icon assignment is virtually non-existant, it simply cannot be done. So, instead, users find themselves dragging icons out of the menus onto a desktop. Yes, I get it, Microsoft has so greatly improved the tools that you don't need them. But what Microsoft forgets is that familiarity is part of it's advantage. While it is great that they move toward an entirely new lookout, the ability to roll back for those who are very familiar with current environments will be a major perk. The failure to provide for it- which so far is exactly where it is going, creates a distance between the user and the OS. Admittedly, I'm someone who likes to pop open a CMD prompt every now and again to fish things out. I grew up on DOS and I still find it at times to be incredibly easier and more efficient to do what I want to do. Vista takes some of that frustration to all new levels. Because of the way in which the management interface and updates are handled, the user is provided minimal information about what kind of updates are being downloaded and what the purpose of them are. To get that kind of information requires a user to manually do so, click INFORMATION and then MORE. Is Aero Cool? Yes, and there are many things that I find interesting about Vista that I think are the right directions. But fundamentally, outside of a change in interface, has Microsoft really altered anything so groundshaking that I say wow ? No, not really. In fact, many of the base components remain completely untouched which makes Vista a Microsoft-Bob like Shell on top of Traditional XP. Yes, I realize there is more to it then that, but let's cover what is not, and will not change: * File System remains NTFS. Yes, there are new options for Disk Encryption - but be prepared, as MS explained to us in a tech meeting, if you use it and your motherboard or another device fails, your data is WORTHLESS. They will never issue a recovery or backdoor because doing so would make the entire technology a joke, so if you use it, be prepared, you better be backing up. This makes it not nearly as convenient, safe or movable as current drive encryption which can allow for a drive to move to a different PC, etc. provided the right codes. * Drive management (WDM) while changed does not provide a more open or user-oriented standard, rather, it further closes the driver standard with regards to authorized drivers, which puts smaller firms innovation in the realm of hardware on the real backburner. * Widgets. Be prepared, Widgets are cool, and there will be tons of them, but as a matter of seriousness, does an analog clock on your desktop really help you that much? Poker? Sodoku? Yeah, maybe not. Microsoft's guide toward widgets and RSS is a neat throw out toward Apple's similar technology within MacOS. In fact, a lot of Vista seems to really work hard to BE MacOS. The problem is, it isn't a very good MacOS, and the interface things we loved about XP are sadly missing. * Management and control functionality are scattered and poorly organized. Within Windows XP, a right click on your desktop puts all options for desktop properties in one application. Within Vista, it brings up a personalize menu featuring five different programs you can chose from, each of which handling one specific function (resolution/theme/screen saver) This turns a function that took one click within Windows XP into a minimum of three clicks in order to view desktop properties. Does this really simplify things? * Speaking of that, even within the current beta we received (5348, there may be a newer one, I'm sure there is, this is what they were handing out however) the device manager is still almost entirely worthless. Even within Windows XP 64, unknown devices are at least labeled somewhat (Epson; FDC-GOLD; etc.) for you to find drivers. Within Vista, it all still remains unknown USB real helpful that is. I'm sure this part will change. * Vista's shutdown/reset routine is laughable. By maximizing the start menu real estate the hibernate button takes, and having a swing out present reset/shutdown, it is
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
At 17:13 6/4/2006, CW, wrote: I've spent the weekend playing with Vista after hearing all the perks and the like from those touting it at the Microsoft meeting here in KC on Thursday. The fundamental problem with Vista is one that I don't think is addressed by Microsoft's continual talk of new features being added. That isn't the problem. The problem is that for power users, so many of the common tasks are made cumbersome to impossible that it defeats a big part of the purpose of upgrading. Thanks for this great review. I think I'll stick with W2K and avoid the authorization hassles of XP, and the obfuscation of Vista. Start Here to Find It Fast! - http://www.US-Webmasters.com/best-start-page/ $8.77 Domain Names - http://domains.us-webmasters.com/
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
on a side note I beta test for Duocor and system guardian backup, my source in Japan tells me Vista is giving them fits, backups do not boot being the main one so something else is afoot if even something that should be simple as a backup will not boot. Means a new version of ghost too I'm sure. Me on the fence on this one. fp At 03:13 PM 6/4/2006, CW Poked the stick with: I'm glad that Microsoft danced us up and talked to us about how great Vista would be, and how it would really drive the market. Right now, based on what I have in front of me, I don't see it. With Windows XP betas, Win2k, even Windows 95, you walked out of it saying There are at least 5-10 features that are fundamental OS changes that significantly impact work. Vista isn't any of those. Unlike XP which really changed the way for USB connectivity, brought NTFS home, as well as significant improvements in networking and drive management.. Vista just doesn't seem to bring a single functionality change to Windows that makes you say this is a must have. I keep getting email from MS that intones that hey, it's not functionally complete. Ok, fine. But unless the functionality is a total scrap of the UI as well as a change in the file structure, mapping and networking functionality which right now seem like a throwback in usability, I don't know how adding more things helps this frankenstein. -- Tallyho ! ]:8) Taglines below ! -- Man: There is nothing more miserable and more arrogant.
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
One of the other problems vista will face is market confusion. There will be EIGHTEEN different versions of Vista Basically seven commonly available versions, double that so you have 32bit / 64 bit versions. Add in tablet edition, as well as other upgrade versions... Vista makes me think of matrix reloaded. Liked the original can't figure out how they screwed up the sequel CW Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless -Original Message- From: FORC5 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2006 16:35:55 To:The Hardware List hardware@hardwaregroup.com Subject: Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage. on a side note I beta test for Duocor and system guardian backup, my source in Japan tells me Vista is giving them fits, backups do not boot being the main one so something else is afoot if even something that should be simple as a backup will not boot. Means a new version of ghost too I'm sure. Me on the fence on this one. fp At 03:13 PM 6/4/2006, CW Poked the stick with: I'm glad that Microsoft danced us up and talked to us about how great Vista would be, and how it would really drive the market. Right now, based on what I have in front of me, I don't see it. With Windows XP betas, Win2k, even Windows 95, you walked out of it saying There are at least 5-10 features that are fundamental OS changes that significantly impact work. Vista isn't any of those. Unlike XP which really changed the way for USB connectivity, brought NTFS home, as well as significant improvements in networking and drive management.. Vista just doesn't seem to bring a single functionality change to Windows that makes you say this is a must have. I keep getting email from MS that intones that hey, it's not functionally complete. Ok, fine. But unless the functionality is a total scrap of the UI as well as a change in the file structure, mapping and networking functionality which right now seem like a throwback in usability, I don't know how adding more things helps this frankenstein. -- Tallyho ! ]:8) Taglines below ! -- Man: There is nothing more miserable and more arrogant.
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
Me on the fence on this one. fp Yeah, the DRM alone is enough to repel me. I just hope they keep supporting XP with service packs. It's been a while since SP2... George --- My project page, comin' at ya: http://www.gammaburst.net Particle Fury: Eye-catching 3D memory benchmark. Over 20,000 downloads. PhoenixSID: FPGA-based digital/analog music synth a'la the C64's 'SID' sound chip. Robotics stuff and more!
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
Sounds like good times for x86 Mac users who still need to use windows with boot camp! At least until the next DirectX version comes out Vista only (god forbid) and forces gamers to make a choice. If you want (almost) free legit windows XP (screw 2K) take the 1st college course for MCSE and get XP as part of your learning tools. =) George Pantazopoulos wrote: Me on the fence on this one. fp Yeah, the DRM alone is enough to repel me. I just hope they keep supporting XP with service packs. It's been a while since SP2... George
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
While it is bad, its not that confusing. See: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_editions.asp Only 17 version. Which really isn't that bad as starter is only for developing areas and the N versions are just for Europe. Plus all the editions besides starter have two different versions for 32 bit and 64 bit which are the same feature wise. So in the end only 6 different editions to keep track of in the US (making 12 different versions) 4 business editions and 3 home editions (ultimate falls under both). Tablet functionality and media center are built into the OS (i.e. no different versions like XP is today) the full list is: Windows Starter 2007 Windows Vista Home N (Europe only) Windows Vista Home Basic Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Business N (Europe only) Windows Vista Business Windows Vista Small Business Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Vista Ultimate - Original Message - From: Chris Reeves [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: The Hardware List hardware@hardwaregroup.com Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 7:51 PM Subject: Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage. One of the other problems vista will face is market confusion. There will be EIGHTEEN different versions of Vista Basically seven commonly available versions, double that so you have 32bit / 64 bit versions. Add in tablet edition, as well as other upgrade versions... Vista makes me think of matrix reloaded. Liked the original can't figure out how they screwed up the sequel CW Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless
RE: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
Not that bad or confusing? I'm sure M$ is not going to give refunds or exchanges of you buy one edition and end up needed another one. Just buy the most expensive, most feature laden one. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Eli Allen Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 9:49 PM To: The Hardware List Subject: Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage. While it is bad, its not that confusing. See: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_editions.asp Only 17 version. Which really isn't that bad as starter is only for developing areas and the N versions are just for Europe. Plus all the editions besides starter have two different versions for 32 bit and 64 bit which are the same feature wise. So in the end only 6 different editions to keep track of in the US (making 12 different versions) 4 business editions and 3 home editions (ultimate falls under both). Tablet functionality and media center are built into the OS (i.e. no different versions like XP is today) the full list is: Windows Starter 2007 Windows Vista Home N (Europe only) Windows Vista Home Basic Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Business N (Europe only) Windows Vista Business Windows Vista Small Business Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Vista Ultimate - Original Message - From: Chris Reeves [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: The Hardware List hardware@hardwaregroup.com Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 7:51 PM Subject: Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage. One of the other problems vista will face is market confusion. There will be EIGHTEEN different versions of Vista Basically seven commonly available versions, double that so you have 32bit / 64 bit versions. Add in tablet edition, as well as other upgrade versions... Vista makes me think of matrix reloaded. Liked the original can't figure out how they screwed up the sequel CW Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
I have access to the Vista betas via my company's MSDN subscription. I've played with some of the previous betas and pretty much came to the same conclusion as Chris. First off, the system requirements are a joke. One of the nice things about previous versions of Windows is that they would run (slowly, perhaps) on systems with low amounts of RAM. I once had Windows 2000 Server running on a P2-300 with 128MB of RAM, running as an Active Directory domain controller in a production environment. Vista requires 512MB of RAM as a minimum. Areoglass's requirements are also a joke. I'm sorry, but I shouldn't need to have a dedicated graphics controller with 128mb of RAM just to get transparencies, the weird ALT-TAB replacement, etc. I'm running on a 6 month old Dell Inspiron 700m laptop with an Intel 850 graphics chipset. Granted, it's not the best, but I'm sorry, it should be enough to run Vista with at least some of the 3D effects. The UI changes are extremely frustrating. The stanard File - Edit - View menus on explorer windows are gone. You have to dig through some menus to enable them. The new start menu is pretty bad as well. I didn't really look into Device Manager at all, as the system supported all of my hardware right out of the box. I also didn't care about encrypting my file system, so I can't comment about any of Chris's experiences there. XP, I believe, is pretty much the pinnacle of Windows development. Vista is mostly XP with some eyecandy, IE7, and a lot of frustrating usability changes. I don't think people are going to rush out and say HEY I GOT TO UPGRADE TO VISTA like we saw with Win95 (or even to an extent with XP.) Vista will move units only because OEM's will preload it. Playing with Vista has made me more interested in desktop Linux. I'm typing this in Thunderbird from SuSE Enterprise Linux Desktop 10 RC1. It's actually the first Linux I can say that I have played with that things mostly just work. Novell has invested a LOT of RD into making Desktop Linux much, much better. I think SLED 10 would be great on a lot of corporate desktops. Maybe in 2-3 more releases it may be ready for Joe Consumer. Unlike Vista, I can actually *USE* the 3D desktop effects (XGL). I'm just afraid of having to support Vista when it comes out. It will be the first version of Windows that I won't know inside and out. -ben
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
I've been playing with the beta as well, on a pretty good laptop, 512 megs, P4 1.7 gig Mobile processor, 5400 rpm drive, and it's shite. It says this laptop is only a 1 on the hardware scale. Most sub-systems test as 3, but since the graphics is only 32 megs, it downgrades the whole system since I can't run Aero. ;) First thing I did after install was change it to Classic mode, but still don't like it. Too hard to find things when you want to actually make changes. :( I've spent the weekend playing with Vista after hearing all the perks and the like from those touting it at the Microsoft meeting here in KC on Thursday. The fundamental problem with Vista is one that I don't think is addressed by Microsoft's continual talk of new features being added. That isn't the problem. The problem is that for power users, so many of the common tasks are made cumbersome to impossible that it defeats a big part of the purpose of upgrading. -- JRS [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please remove **X** to reply... Facts do not cease to exist just because they are ignored.
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
I think that is what they want fp At 07:37 PM 6/4/2006, Ben Ruset Poked the stick with: I'm just afraid of having to support Vista when it comes out. It will be the first version of Windows that I won't know inside and out. -ben -- Tallyho ! ]:8) Taglines below ! -- Earth was interesting, and worth the money I paid for it.
Re: [H] I'm convinced, Vista is garbage.
Areoglass's requirements are also a joke. I'm sorry, but I shouldn't need to have a dedicated graphics controller with 128mb of RAM just to get transparencies, the weird ALT-TAB replacement, etc. I'm running on a 6 month old Dell Inspiron 700m laptop with an Intel 850 graphics chipset. Granted, it's not the best, but I'm sorry, it should be enough to run Vista with at least some of the 3D effects. But the big claim to fame of Aero is a completely 3D rendered desktop. Gone is the 2D mode--your desktop is rendered just as any modern game is. This, naturally, consumes a lot more memory and GPU resources. I'm very curious to see what else can be done now that the interface is truly 3D... Honestly, I think one of the biggest advantages of Vista will be moving the audio driver out of kernel mode and into user mode. I can't tell you how many times I've had to reboot computers just because the sound driver hiccupped. Printing is also supposedly new, finally getting away from the old buggy spooler used for years. The new network stack is supposedly more responsive, too... I guess I'm just cautiously optimistic. Make no mistake, though: Vista probably won't be going on my machine until SP1. Greg
