The Asus Eee PC. Saw one in Asianic Computer Shop SM Sucat. They had stocks available but no word yet on pricing. It's so small! Smaller than my Vaio. It's official, I want one! Asus EEE!ASUS EEE
 

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

I had to repair the old Sony Vaio PCG-505SX. I removed a leaking internal (bios) battery just to get it to work again. See that green thing near the laptop hinge? That's the part I had to remove. The Vaio's so thin. :D


An officemate got me this knife pair when she went to Dagupan. It's now part of my weapons collection. :D

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

 

You'll be surprised how much dirt and grime can stick to computers in the course of a semester. Check out the before and after mouse ball pics. :D

PC Repair, Upgrade, Cleaning and Maintenance
1st Sem, AY 2007-08
UP SLIS, Diliman, QC

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

I recently bought a new computer.
 
The old PC was too slow for me, especially for graphics work at the home office (which doubles as my room, or is it the other way around, O_o;;).
 
So I bought some parts and put together this: Core2duo PC (Intel Core2 CPU, 4400 @2.00Ghz, 2Gb RAM, Nvidia GeForce 7300 SE/7200 GS, 512Mb, LG 18x DVD-RW). I also bought a KVM switch, 160GB hard disk, CD / DVD spindles, blank CDRs and DVDs, and cpu side fan for the new casing.
 
 

Here is my old PC (Celeron, 2.13Ghz, 512Mb RAM, VIA S3G Unichrome IGP 32 Mb onboard, HP 12x CDRW, Samsung DVD-combo, Wacom Graphire 4 graphics tablet) at the old home office where I usually do graphics stuff. Disorganized, huh? Reminds me of bullpens I used to inhabit.
 
 
 
Here's my room / home office while I was redecorating and setting up the new pc and home network. I decided to take out the bed for more breathing and walking space. The computer table had to go too since it eats up a lot of space, I used a good ole trusty wooden bench instead.
 
 
 
After transferring my old external 40Gb and 80Gb hard disks and new 160Gb hard disk to the old pc, I installed the old dual monitors, a 80Gb hard disk and the graphic tablet on the new pc. The Nvidia GeForce 7300 SE/7200 GS, 512Mb has support for dual / multiple monitors so I made use of it (others use it for gaming, but I use it for work).
 
I set up an Aten KVM switch so I could use 1 set of keyboard-mouse-speakers for the two pcs (no need for individual keyboard-mouse-speakers). I set it up so the primary monitor is the one that can switch between the old and new pc. I knew about KVM switches but never did try nor had any use for them before. The only time I saw one up close was Qiqo's setup for Ate Shelly's 2 PCs at the UPSLIS. It's cool, I can now surf on the old pc, tap scroll lock twice to switch, and be transported to my work on the new PC. I also set up a home network to so I could transfer files between hard disks on different PCs. The old PC now serves as a file dump.
 
Core2duo 4400  @2.00Ghz on 2Gb RAM very fast... Me like... Here's the new cozy home office. Gorilla too tired? I just lie down and snooze.
 
 

Happy birthday to me...
Happy birthday to me...

I was on my way to Kris and Moira's wedding when I saw Puti aka Muning aka Whitey in front of the Main Library. Waiting for a mouse? O_o;;
So anyway, my birthdays are probably getting weirder by the year. I got some useful stuff from my mom, sister and nephews. I also got stuff for myself. Something for the martial artist in me, something for the inner geek in me, and something for the skill freak in me.


I got myself a pair of ball-bearing nunchucks. I bought these the day I bought the stationary bike at Toby's for the house. They had a pile of nunchucks in their martial arts section and I think I surprised the cashier and the manager when I said I'd like to add the two nunchucks. I think I scared them when I said I'd like to test them before they punch it in (hey, I have to be sure the balance is okay and that the swing / rotation is sweet). I think I awed them a bit when I did flips and rotations. I assume they usually see guys only do swings and transfers. Anyway, I love these guys to death.

I also bought an 80Gb hard disk and an enclosure for the increasing number of files I generate. And lastly...

Yup. It's a unicycle. A new skill / circus toy for me to learn. And I know it's gonna hurt really bad trying to learn this one-wheeled wonder. O_o;; I already fell about a dozen times last weekend just trying to balance myself.

Before I start, here's a pink sleepy pig with an outie belly button I got at Tom's World SM South Mall Las Pinas.

Anyway, I wanted to set up my second hard disk with different Linux distributions. SO I did the usual formating, partitioning and adding an OS loader. In this case it was GRUB. Things were going great, I had WinXP, Nimblex, Ubuntu, Damn Small Linux and Geexbox up and running then WHAM! Blue Screen of Death... WinXP or Linux. Seems my PC was overheating, the processor temperature was reaching the auto-shutdown point set at 60 degrees celsius. I suspected that the culprit was the lack of cooling air reaching the processor or lack of contact between the processor and the heatsink. I was right. I replaced the power supply a couple of months ago and had to remove the processor fan to get at it. Back then the grease was already drying up. The PC is a year old so I was half-expecting it to dry up already.

I took the fan and heatsink apart and I was right. Damn things were dirty and air wasn't reaching the processor. Plus the thermal grease was already dry. I didn't have any thermal grease around. The stores in SM Southmall didn't have any in stock as well. So I had to make my own. The grease is important since it allows contact between the heatsink and processor so heat is conducted from the processor and makes for easier cooling by the fan and heatsink. So I googled for alternatives. I found Homemade Thermal Grease! at overclockers.com and Thermal Transfer Compound Comparison at dansdata.com very helpful. Hmmm... Seems toothpaste plus grease could do the trick, so could Brylcreem, but I couldn't find that particular page again since the PC hung before I could bookmark

I cleaned the dirt off the fan and heatsink with alcohol so they would dry fast (couldn't use water, WATER BAD!) Ditto for getting the dried thermal gunk off the processor. There were different recipes for homemade thermal grease, one suggestion was 75% toothpaste and 25% grease. I experimented and came up with a 50%-50% mixture using toothpaste and joint grease. The green gunk I lathered on the processor and slapped on the fan and heatsink. Well... So far so good. It's been a week now and no trouble yet. The processor temperature is down to 48 to 51 degrees. it's been a week and it's still going strong.With the PC in fighting form, I was able to finish the updates on FlipSpin.org (the Summer Swimming Party) and TeatroSanJose.org (Salubong)

Crossposted: gokitomo.com, gorilla.multiply.com, gorilla.vox.com.

Yup, you heard me... Guess what... Last night another minivan blocked our driveway! Jeez, what is it with our driveway and minivans that they like blocking it. It's a different minivan, a silver single-cab, pick-up type Suzuki Carry-all, similar to Meowok's old ride. But this time I heard them park and I immediately went out of the house. I was cleaning my room, heck seems half of my room is junk so I moved them out to make room for incoming new junk, so I was half-naked (shirtless, of course... I don't think the world is prepared for a Gorilla Au Naturelle) when I burst out of the house. Nothing scares the hell out of people than a shirtless Gorilla (ask Cherry). I asked them politely to move their van as it was in the way and I wouldn't be able to go out in case of an emergency. They were apologetic and moved their vehicle.

Problem was that there was a real chance of an emergency last night.

My pamangkinaanak (nephew and godson) has had high fever for the past week and had tests done. I was actually on my way to the Saturday funeral of Lee's brother when my sister texted me that Enzo was to be brought to the hospital. I had to turn back, the decision wasn't hard because the traffic was bad going to Montalban anyway. When the tests came back his white cell count was a bit high indicating infection. A battery of tests, days of no appetite and vomiting up medicine was cause for alarm and his pediatrician asked that he be confined at the nearest hospital which is LPDH (Las Pinas Doctor's Hospital).

Being an uncle isn't all that bad. In fact it's great. But being an uncle (and a godfather, I'm referred to as tito-ninong) has responsibilities attached to it. In times like these I'm the supply line between home and hospital as well as house guard-dog. (Woof!) With my sister stuck at home to due to her delicate next pregnancy, I'm also an ambulance driver just in case. :D I don't think my own uncle-ninong Oben for putting him through hell when I was born. I never get tired of hearing how he had to wade through Espana and UST hospital flood waters to bring supplies to dad, mom and me. (Thanks ninong. :D)

Enzo's one tough patient, they had a hard time putting in the dextrose needle since he's such an active baby. He also bawls a lot when he's in pain. If all goes well and when he responds to the medicines, he's homeward-bound by Tuesday.

I had some time to spare so I passed by the Asianic computer store to get these babies: ASUS V9400-X 128Mb DDR AGP graphics card and LifeView FlyTV Prime full PCI TV card (FM radio, TV, camcorder). Now I can make TV vidcaps and transfer the videos we have on tape. Plus, I can now strike out some stuff from my wishlist. I got the graphics card upgrade idea from Olan and Meowok who I visited last Friday on a graphics business and personal call (burp, thanks for the chocolate cake and soda). :D After some nightmarish installation procedures, I was able to make it work with my two monitors. Seems my onboard 64Mb won't work when there's an AGP card installed. Next stop, a better PCI graphics card for the second monitor (it currently runs on an ancient S3 Virge 4Mb).

Found my way to SM South Mall last Sunday, November 12. I was there for kitchen utensils and retro PC purposes but I just couldn't resist passing by the UFO Catchers again after my rounds.

There were two little girls and one little boy there with their yaya and they were trying their hand at the Hello Kitty-filled UFO Catcher which I frequent but with no luck at all. What drew my attention was they were talking to each other in English. Not colegiala English, they spoke in halting (but correct) English. I don't know, but I was so amused that I got these three kitten while they were making the rounds of the other UFO Catchers. They were exclaiming. "Look! He got one!" And then "He got another! And another!"

After I was finished with the machine they were already lined up behind me to try their luck. I just grabbed the three kittens from the top of the machine (that's where I put them when I'm on a roll) and handed it to the three of them saying "Merry Christmas." I think they were too shocked to reply because I just turned around and headed for the car. Sigh. I just felt so good after that, I always do... Putting smiles on other people's faces...

I made the trip to SM because we had this old, heavy, broken-down Compaq Presario 1070 (Series 900D) lying around the house. Its specs: Intel 266Mhz, 16Mb RAM, 1GB HDD, CD-ROM, FDD, 12-inch screen and touchpad. It's obsolete, no more spare parts anywhere except for other broken models which I can't seem to find.

My mother and sister used it for for their school papers when it was working. About two years ago it started to deteriorate. I've opened it up, had to have the floppy disk drive replaced as well as reformat a couple of times. Then the "102 - System Board Failure" error appeared. That meant the main board was dead, no bios tweaks, no Linux and rescue live-cd booting possible, only board replacement could save it.

All the shops I went to exhausted all their contacts (even Compaq and HP calls but no dice). Even asked my brother-in-law George to ask his brother-in-law Erwin who owns a computer business to look at it. No dice. Bye-bye Compaq Presario 1070.

There are some PhP12,000+ replacement boards out there, but I personally think it would be better to just buy a new laptop. So now we're left with a very big "brick" (useless piece of hardware). But it's salvageable for parts. Only thing I knew which could be salvaged was the Toshiba 1Gb hard disk. So after loosening a few screws I was able to open up the wrist rest to expose the hard disk at the lower left side of the bottom portion of the laptop.

A few more loosened screws later and I was able to remove the hard disk. All that was needed was to detach the ribbon connector. Done.

My "brilliant" plan was to encase the hard disk in a cheap 2.5-inch laptop hard disk enclosure, they cost only PhP500+. The HD enclosure connects via USB 2.0 to any computer, which means I could have a 1Gb portable HD (okay, so it's big and clunky and only 1GB, but PhP500 is way cheaper than a PhP1,000+ 1Gb or PhP2,000+ 2Gb USB flash disk).

To my dismay, after making the rounds of all the PC shops, the 2.5-inch Toshiba 1Gb laptop hard disk was so thick and obsolete that it won't fit into the newer 2.5-inch laptop hard disk enclosures. Sigh. I trodded home but not before buying kitchen spoons and forks my mom asked for and doing the UFO Catcher routine.

I think all I could do now is probably buy one of those enclosures and "mod" / modify it to fit (read that as wreck the casing or just use the connector and make a new casing). That would probably be my project for next week.