After months of toiling with my computer to try to restabilize it with my new video card, I have finally come to the conclusion that the problem is one of two cases: Either the video card and my motherboard really do not get along; or my power supply under certain load is failing to provide the proper level of power to the card or other devices causing a power fault or isn't providing a stable current to devices.
In the last week, my system, under the 600W PSU, locked up sitting idle at multiple times. During one attempt at playing AOE3 with a friend, my system locked up. On rebooting it, the system began reporting that it could not boot. This resulted in my having to fix the Master Boot Record. Once I brought the system back up, I ran check disk twice, against the two partitions on the primary hard drive. Even had a situation at that point where my system wouldn't power on long enough to post. By Saturday, I had swapped by 6800XT back in, along with my old trusty STOCK 420W PSU. Then to correct some damage I'd discovered to my installation of Vista, I wiped the partition and reinstalled. I thought the curse was fading, but I guess not.
As some might know, I've been working on an update for my website for some time. Simply named 'DotHv3,' the update included a face lift, code redesign, directory redesign (placement of files), and what I've dubbed the MADMIN. In the recent update, these were instated while also removing the MADMIN as it is still incomplete. I decided to instead update the main site code with the new design but cut out the incomplete code. I also included several other updates to modules and the menu to reduce code and unnecessary handling.
Result: Site runs a little better.
For any that happen to have, been here over the last couple weeks, you'd have found that the domain is down, contains quickly tossed together front page, or most of the site, but lacking anything requiring a database. Well, I'm happy to finally report that I've got my databases from FrankenTux (my old server) and have begun migrating them here.
Below I am reprinting the text that I have had on my front page for the last week since replacing FT with my new server, which I have named... Gir.
Yes, this is still my Domain. Why is the full site not here? Well, it kinda goes like this.
I run my own server. Due to how the server had originally come about, I'd come to calling it Frankenstien or FrankenTux. It was a system built out of random parts I happened to have around my room. An ATX case, with an AT motherboard (To the curious, the mobo was just new enough to have connectors for both AT and ATX) supporting an AMD K6-2 350MHz CPU, 128MB RAM, and 6 GB HDD space between three hard drives.
Last Thursday, there was a power outage at home, which is where I host my site from. For safe measures, I left all systems off that night. The next morning, I powered everything back on, but FT (short for FrankenTux), went right back off and that was where I had to leave it before rushing to work. When I got home that night, I gave it another try, but it only went a few seconds. So, using the spare power supply I had, I replaced FT's PSU with my good one. From here I was able to bring FT back up, or so I thought.
Over the next few days, FT was extremely unstable. Each day when I tried to access the server, I was not able to. Yet after rebooting, I found the system would only hold for a matter of minutes before entering a hard lock state from which only a hard reset could fix. I determined this was it for my poor little server; it was in its dying throws. I restarted it again and quickly began to backup essentials.
On Friday night, after replacing the PSU in FT, I also went about [finally] repairing my other server, my old windows domain server. That server had a bad video card that was causing beep codes on startup. With the card replaced, I reinstalled the OS, making it into my new linux server. Originally, I had intended to run FT and the new one (this server) conjointly to serve my domain. But, things don't always turn out as we want them. Now I just need to attempt to dump my databases from FT and get them transferred to this system. Once I do that I should be able to make a recovery.
Until then, however, redhydra.com, Domain of the Hydra, is effectively, down.
Since the last time I updated my site (or at least the news) a lot has happened. First, after the last motherboard replacement, my desktop was finally running as it should. In August, I quit my job at Teleperformance, and thus, left the Dell project. I then began working as a contractor under 3M Health Information Systems (3M HIS). I have been working here since. Its a small group here, but its nice. I'm actually suprised at how fast time seems to be passing since I began working here. I find that my knowledge is rather useful here in some respects, mostly due to my background working directly with Windows Domain Administration. And as of the end of February, I am now directly employed by 3M. I have the same job, but the perks are better (Read: Higher Pay).
After leaving TP, I took a week off and took a vacation; went to Lake Tahoe with the parents. Was a good break in between. After returning, I found myself having to reinstall my Windows server. Found out some monkeys had managed to hack into my server. Now note, the thing was only online at the time for like a couple months. So, I nuked it, started over, and overhauled how I was handling security on it. I got everything working except VPN, which took a very long time to figure out what I was doing wrong.
For my birthday, I gave myself a new video card. I picked up an eVGA GeForce 8800GT. Its a cripsy card, but it runs a little on the hot side. I also, to this day, still have trouble playing games with the fan running on auto control. In January, I ended up finally having to RMA the card because I couldn't play any games, no matter how high I had the fan running without the card overheating and my system locking up. The new card, while it still runs hot, runs overall cooler than the original, and I haven't had as much trouble with it.
Next on the list is still something that is a fond memory, and I certainly would love to do again (pending I can afford to avoid flying coach). At the first part of December, I went to Hong Kong. While the pollution is a bit on the high side, its a very interesting and fun place. I was extremely intrigued by the place. Compared to Salt Lake, Hong Kong is a VERY different place. There was a bit I found myself having to get used to there. First being that mass transit is much better than personal transport. I found myself traveling by train or bus quite often. The rest of the time was on foot. At the end of each day, my feet were in pain. I am definitely not used to that extreme of walking.
One thing that I found rather interesting was a few of the markets there. Two areas, Ladies Market and Temple Street (as well as another a few streets over from Temple Street) are open air markets. These are streets that end up with dozens of little shops crammed into a small area and taking over the entire street (note, small street anyhow). On these, feet traffic is the only method available. At times, there can be so many people there that intersecting roads are completely closed off from vehicle traffic. Another area was called the Jade Market, or Jade Street. This was a street where nearly every shop for several blocks sold little else by Jade items. Items ranging from jewelry to statuettes. Beyond that, I ended up a couple times at the "Computer Centres". One is a place that is almost entirely Computers, the other is devoted more to games and consoles. Trying to find a deal in these places can be quite interesting. It can take a while to wander between all the shops and find the best deal. In one case, looking for a router, the same thing was found at several shops, usually with different prices. Considering that its a very compact place, its hard to believe the variety in pricing.
On another day, we took a while to go out and see the Big Budda on Lantau Island in a place called Ngong Ping. Look it up on Google Maps, the thing is truly massive.
The one thing that made me scared of the place though, was the lack of Pepsi products. I had mostly Sprite and water while I was there with an occasional Pepsi. It took me a week to find what would seem to be the singular store in all of Hong Kong that sells Mountain Dew. And in that one care, its in single cans. (Apparantly imported from central California based on the ad for some place in Santa Cruz). If you got there and are a Coke person, you'll be just fine. If, on the other hand, you're a pepsi person like me, be prepared to hunt. Finishing out that bit, I must say, thank you Lai for showing me around Hong Kong.
Well, I think I've covered everything, if not I can always just add more. Its my news... blog.. thing.
Last week I received two hard drives. I got the 250GB on Thursday, and the 160GB on Friday. After getting the two of these, I shifted data around on my system and made the 250 the primary with a partition for Windows XP Pro and one for Windows Vista Ultimate. The system appears to be mostly stable at this point, but there are still random issues that must be seen to. First is the fact that the Chipset fan is still fragged. Second, while it may just be nothing, one of the hard drives in the system has been periodically making noise already. Shortly after this, I took the system down, pulled out the motherboard, and 2 of the hard drives, re-cleaned everything, and made an attempt to try to correct the fan. After which, I reconnected the motherboard into the case and everything to it. Once all back in, the Chipset fan cooperated for all of 5 minutes. During work and restarts following this I found that the D: Drive connected to the second SATA port had vanished completely, according to Windows. So I shut down the system and reseated the hard connections. I also found that I'd not reconnected the Optical drives data connection. After these, all drives were as they should. However, due to the increasing problem, I've taken to shutting down the system when not in use for extended periods of time and tending toward other options of entertainment as I may not be playing WoW as much as I'm limited to my notebook at this point. Well, there goes power grinding my way up to 70 for a bit.
In the course of all these problems, I'd concluded the problem was directly being caused my motherboard, and as time has progressed that fact is becoming more and more apparent. So, I contacted ASUS regarding this problem. The initial response would be best described as a no thought process paste-it answer. The second disregarded the problem and blamed the RAM. The third, while short accounted toward the problem (and finally provided a good contact number). So now, when I get home tonight, I'll be calling Asus to see about RMA options... for the second time with this motherboard. So once again I'm hailing my Dell Inspiron 9300 as my lifeline system.