Subj : USB port issue -follo To : Ky Moffet From : Barry Martin Date : Mon May 25 2020 10:48:00 Hi Ky! > > Yes, it would almost seem the gaming excellence would translate to > > super-fast CPU and GPU reaction -- how much work is it to put up a black > > or any coloured letter on a screen read from a hard drive compared to if > > an objects strikes another at a 47ø angle..... > KM> Actually it's very difficult, but it's also a distinct subset of > KM> CPU math -- so to wow gamer benchmarks, the CPU only needs to be > KM> good at game-related math, not at math in general. Have > KM> repeatedly seen this problem with AMD "gamer" CPUs, where when > KM> you ask 'em to do math that's not-gaming, they get really > KM> sluggish. (Windows Tubes screensaver is actually a good test; > KM> it's apparently very math-intensive.) > I see we've found more holes in my thinking process! It would seem > gaming math would be built on general math. Probably in real life but > not in computers. KM> Mostly it's "is this in front of that, if so draw it" type math. KM> Crunching a database is a different animal. So 'layering'. > As for Windows' Tubes screensaver, reminded how the 'snake' screensaver KM> I've never seen that! As I recall the 'snake' Wildcat! screensaver is similar to the Windows one just is in black and white but does have shading. > for Wildcat! is extremely CPU-intensive (at least here): slams my CPU > usage to 100%, or at least with the old system. Changed to the 'text' > one and just a spike when the sign moves to a new position KM> Woah.... I'll have to see if I can get a screen shot of it -- let's see if I remember how to get to that configuration option... something I don't fiddle with as know it is wrong. > KM> You CAN underclock 'em, ya know. At least if the BIOS lets you > KM> mess with CPU settings. Most CPUs will work just fine > KM> underclocked, including set at lower voltage. > Trudge-trudge-trudge....! I don't think I've ever fiddled with > clock speeds. The BIOS on this system will allow user configuration. > The problem I was having originally was probably more due to the one > stick of RAM being faulty, which I had assumed was OK by the quick test > being performed at boot. (MemTest 86+ even passed the stick on its > quick check option which took longer than the BIOS's.) KM> Yeah, I've had MemTest pass bad RAM too. One was given to me KM> marked BAD, worked anyway for a long time, eventually started KM> causing bluescreens. So it was bad, for certain values of bad. Yup. %) Had one years ago which misbehaved on my system but checked out fine on a tester (maybe it was a test system) and in someone else's computer. > KM> Oh, another AMD shortfall: Double Vision (of the Socket939) CPU > KM> is one that can be severely overclocked. Nominally 2.0GHz, but > KM> can be clocked to nearly double that if the BIOS supports it > KM> (mine will only give me 10% more). So... have found I can either > KM> set RAM to its correct 400MHz (instead of the 333MHz the BIOS > KM> wants to default to), OR I can set the CPU to 2.2GHz, but not > KM> both. Clocking RAM where it belongs made WAY more difference, so > KM> guess which I did. > Ummm....! Set the RAM correctly! KM> You win a banana! Sometimes it pays to monkey around!! > > Yeah!! ...Can you use 4x 4GB DDR3 PC3-10600 (1333)? A few years ago I > > accidentally picked up this server memory. HP 21576835. (Googled - > > didn't seem to show anything.) > KM> Oh yes, this is *exactly* what I can use!! Frankenservers R Us. :D > E-mail where you want it sent if you haven't already deciphered my > contact address at the bottom. (So Barry underscore Martin under- > score three at q dot com.) (I have't look at e-mail yet this morning.) KM> I believe I have now done so. Will come from rez at doomgold dot KM> com. (Stable address since I own the domain.) And how did you KM> know tomorrow is my birthday? :D (Well, today by when you read KM> this!) Yeah, and you're still a year younger than I am! So um, yeah, the RAM will be your birthday present! Just a little late because of, um... ah... you didn't tell me what you wanted until the last minute!! Did receive the e-mail and your address; will probably send out Thursday when I go grocery shopping. Will let you know for certain. > Yuuhhhhhp: I've been semi-sorta on the lookout for a good Intel-based > motherboard and CPU based on all this; what you just said pretty much KM> So what exactly are you looking for? That's part of the problem: I don't know! And I sort of combine 'CPU' with "Motherboard" as know they have to be compatible though can be bought separately. Fast -- I do not like waiting for the CPU to scratch it's head. This system boots via a SSD and the data is on a HDD. Current CPU is a (AMD) FX-8320 -- eight cores, I think 3.2 GHz though couldn't find the speed quickly. Not sure if I really need 8 cores. USB 3; not sure if need 3.1 but expansion slots are good. "Plenty" of USB 2 and USB 3 ports (front panel too!, or at least the option -- have an expansion panel card). Gigabit LAN. Video -- separate card is fine though if a decent onboard one; HDMI over DVI because of the monitor (can use an adapter). Audio I'm connecting to the audio out as goes into the amp and bookshelf speakers. Could use an extractor. Also probably/eventually a second monitor so if integrated video that little detail. I like free expansion ports, mainly for the option when upgrading -- so if a PCIe16 is used for the video card a 'spare' PCIe16 is a plus. So anything in the $79.99 and under bin?! > cinched it for me to not do AMD any longer, or at least for my primary > systems. ("Secondary" being the MythTV Frontend computers around here.) KM> Yeah, I'll use an AMD if it falls on my head, but not for a KM> primary or anything critical. And I won't pay money for 'em. (Er, KM> well, I think I paid $5 for the upgrade CPU in Westworld, only KM> cuz it was 4x faster than what came with it, that being pretty KM> useless.) -- Have also noted much corner cutting on the AMD KM> motherboards over the years... crappy chipsets... all sorts of KM> things to love. Not!! Unfortunately appears I learned the hard way too. AMD isn't bad, just isn't quite fitting with my needs/usage. KM> Well, they DO support cheaper type RAM, but you can't use it with KM> anything else! Maybe there's a reason for that?! > The good news is I did a 'split' in the installation: the OS is on the > SSD and the data on the HDD. Could use a new SSD with the Intel-based > OS, though then I loose all the added-on utilities onthe AMD-SSD. Will > have to see about how others did the switch -- ideas? KM> I like to do OS on the SSD and data on the spinning rust... so I KM> fail to see the problem. You can just clone to the SSD KM> using something like PartitionWizardFree [Windows] (dunno if KM> Clonezilla knows how to align SSD partitions) so why would you KM> lose anything? I've been dragging around the same Utilities KM> directory for a dozen systems now; there are probably still DOS KM> utils from the 1980s in there... The "loose something" is the vague concept of differences between the AMD version and the Intel version. Of course the to me slightly sloppy and confusing use of "amd64" and "i386" terms: really is 64 bit and 32 bit respectively, but a newbie would probably think "AMD" and "Intel". > Reminder! Probably have somewhere an ANSI of a finger with a reminder > string tied around it.... My current USB 3 hub has blue LEDs but only KM> Haha you do! > indicate the port is connected: the USB 2 scanner is blue, the USB 3 > external HDD is blue, the dead metal thumbdrive I'm using as a ground KM> WTF?? Can you say 'idiot lights'? I thought you could! > When I wrote 'tight' up there actually meant number of ports and not > physical closeness. At the time I was using the 4-port hub did have two > 'permanent' devices plugged in, sometimes three, occasionally all four > used, so the port availablity was 'tight'. KM> Oh! In that case, more hubs. Yes! :) As I wrote somewhere, the 4-port hub made sense for the original plan. > The Cooler Master I'm using was gifted from a friend in Michigan as he > couldn't figure out how it was to install. I think he was confused by > the dumbed-down line drawing instructions and didn't realize the > motherboard connector (holder) had to be swapped out, though he also had KM> Oh, I hate when that happens. I'll admit to being classified as 'school smart' and sometimes the 'dumbed down' stuff is confusing! He did do a "smack the forehead" when I told him. > mentioned about a concern of moving the pipes holding the cooling liquid > too much and cracking, thus leaking. (Was he talking about the same > cooler??) Both of those did cause me to hold back on my swap. ...Anyway, > unless one really twists the heat sink itself it's not going to break > (this model, anyway), the need to swap the motherboard holder portion > did confuse me for a few minutes. The 120mm fan appears to be able to > use a standard replacement: comes with brackets to snap to the heat > sink. KM> So far so good?? Yes -- and it's not _that_ old yet to have plastic fatigue or the fan clog up! PSensor (utility I'm using to monitor temperatures) has been showing higher CPU temperatures lately, probably because it is also warmer in the Computer Room, probably because it is warmer outside. > I'm just not into those pretty lights that have no real use. Everyone I > know personally gets overwhelmed by the number of computers up here; > they wouldn't know a CPU from RAM if laid on the table. KM> Hahahaha... what all do you have there nowadays? I remember the KM> SuperXT and the Mythbuntu, but otherwise I don't think we've been KM> introduced. Yes, I sort of miss the Super XT just because it so upgraded. The original Laser (brand of computer) motherboard could do a lot more than the original CPU, hard drive, etc. allowed. The system I'm on now is an Asus M5A97 R2.0 motherboard with an AMD FX-8320 cpu running at -- umm - fast. 3.1 or 3.2 GHz comes to mind but not sure off-hand. 32 GB of RAM but never seen it get above 8 -- sort of thinking in a new system I probably would go with the option of 32 again but just install 16 - so maybe take half out of this one for it to use and the new system would have the other half. The SSD is I think 120 GB. The original plan was to split the card in thirds: one for the boot, the other two for 'fast storage", sort of a RAM drive of the NV type. During the trials and tribulations of installing (because of the original faulty RAM stick) I did play with UEFI, which takes a bit of the drive -- it's just in there. Was running low on room in the boot partition so expanded that into one of the "storage/NVRAM" areas. Hard drive is 3 TB -- waaaay too much but better than running out! At this point still a little uncomfortable with the solid state drives, though not enough to not use as a boot device ==> if fails can boot from a DVD or thumbdrive. OTOH is the data drive fails one is an outta-luck- duck and has the fun of recovering from condensed-format files from the backup NAS in the basement. OK, so that's that system. There's the MythTV backend system, the various systems downstairs...... > Yes, for you might be worthwhile to check out. The only thing I need > Windows for is to occasionally run recovery software for munged > thumbdrives. KM> What do you use for that? After a while a sledgehammer! EaseUS Partition Master, SanDisk Rescue Pro. Thought I had a Lexmark recovery utility but not finding it. Part of the need for the thumbdrive recovery utilties was I had purchased several 'blue' 16 GB thumbdrives from an on-line company with which I've had good experiencs, name-brand thumbdrives. Bought the blue version because liked the colour. Some time later similar offer, decide to go with the gold version -- no reason other than quick distinguishing: I have on the blue one and on the yellow. The yellow ones though spec'd the same as the original blue ones are junk -- most failed quickly. I would have returned/RMA'd except would have cost what I paid for to ship back -- how come they can ship to me in an envelope packet and I have to use a box? So that brand has been blackballed by me. KM> ...Still running Virtual XP for the BBS stuff and X10 > (ActiveHome) but both have a Linux option, just haven't gotten a Round > TuIt -- probably mired in the dust of those projects! KM> Since Silver has 32GB RAM (and can take 32GB more when I find a KM> good price on matching stuff) I think the way it's going to go is KM> XP64 (being utterly stable, and an interface I like) for the base KM> system, and VMs with XP32 for the stuff that needs 16bit, and KM> PCLinuxOS for when I need a 'modern' browser. KM> Was astonished to see XP64 immediately phone home and download KM> 1.5GB worth of updates!! Uh, yeah! Especially as 'no longer supported'! > I have on one (maybe more) motherboard a LED next to the RAM > which is there to mean it's running properly -- nice little plus to make > diagnostics a little easier when something goes wrong. KM> Yeah, functional LEDs are one thing... emulating an Xmas tree, KM> tho.... Silver's New! Improved!! guts have half a dozen tiny KM> LEDs, but they all mean something. Power on, RAM powered, boot KM> sequence, that sort of thing. I've got a motherboard or two with similar indications. To me fine as helpful. The first motherboard I had with the "hey! I may not be on but the power cord is stil plugged in" LED I thought was a good idea. > As for the LEDs on the RAM, not sure what they would indicate other than > "bein' purdy". I'm running 6.1 GB usage right now -- and that usage line > is usually White Sands Proving Grounds flat -- boooooorrrrrinnnnng! KM> Purdy apparently is it. How the heck are you using 6.1GB RAM?? "Easily" as now at 6.8. LibreOffice 355 MB (6 or 7 open documents) Gnome (combined a few) 457 MB Virtual Box (" " ") 170 MB Psensor 90 MB (temperture and fan monitoring) Pithos 69 MB (Pandora music utility) etc. etc., etc. > That too! One of the reasons I've not bought cutting edge anything -- > usually initial release too expensive and pretty much know they're going > to find problems/bugs. KM> I don't like cutting edge much myself, because the only KM> difference between that and bleeding edge is who does the KM> bleeding! I don't mind spending money when necessary, but usually the brand-new stuff is "overpriced" and the price comes down shortly. Also the new technology is unproven, so has several links to work out. Also generally noot too much works with the new technology -- as the tagline says, "Who did the owner of the first modem talk to?". > You've seen the picture on the Internet of someone using a box fan to > cool their computer! (Open case.) KM> No, but that's how I repaired a friend's Mac... only needed a new KM> PSU fan... PSU was *riveted* inside the case. Let's just let it KM> hang open instead... Well the good news is it probably won't loosen during shipping!! Many-many-MANY moons ago the store had a vendor for the iMacs -- the ones that came in bright colours (blue, orange, lime green) and were all-in-one: CRT + motherboard + power supply + whatever else in the somewhat egg-shaped case. Vendor ran his own shop and also repaired the IBM compatibles -- we discussed as I was interested in learning more so I could sell them better, plus maybe getting one. Decent units, just not a good fit for me as I liked to be able to go inside to upgrade and do my own repairs -- IIRC the PSU was encased in epoxy, no way to upgrade except through the USB ports, etc. > > > Why it's so dark out?! > > KM> The light all prismed away! > > I'll have to reflect on that! > KM> I don't see anything. Is it dark? > Do you have your eyelids open? Ah! your hands are in front of your eyes! KM> How can I tell? It's dark! Ah! I forgot you're not where one is surrounded by the glow of the city lights! Here it's like living with a giant night light! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... What do you call a bunch of chickens playing hide-and-seek? 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