Subj : USB lock up - poo! To : Ky Moffet From : Barry Martin Date : Sun Jan 03 2021 11:21:00 Hi Ky! > KM> In the early stages, only USB. But later on... Double Vision > KM> (AMD/Asus of ?2006 vintage) seems to have had basically the same > KM> flaw... USB was crappy for a long time (would only do USB1 during > KM> boot), but given a few more years for those caps to dry out, > KM> guess what, it stopped being able to write to the HD. As I > KM> discovered when I tried to install a new OS on the durn thing. It > KM> is now retired to the cannibal pot. > Mmmmmm - using the motherboard with the USB lockup issue as a NAS might > not be such a good idea in the long term. Maybe just keep it for when a > MythTV Frontend needs upgrading. ...Trying to think of some project I > could use for experimenting..... KM> Yeah, that's the kind of job where you don't need anything but KM> the ability to display a picture. So long as it can do that, and KM> only needs to READ from the OS disk, no one cares if nothing else KM> works. OK/Agree/Makes sense. I was more or less trying to make sure I wasn't overreacting and so effectively junking an otherwise good board. Use as a NAS was 'dangerous' in my mind because of the Southbridge issue but maybe only the USB section was failing and so not using that -- nope. KM> Or why Tarnish works perfectly well as a secondary KM> streamer, tho has become incompetent for anything else. Hmm: I could have an 8-core MythTV Frontend! KM> OS arrives already installed on a removable HD so no one cares if KM> Tarnish can't write files correctly. Probably makes logfile KM> errors but doesn't matter. It still groks internet and plays KM> video to the screen, and that's all I require of it. If the OS KM> goes wonky, I just make another copy and life goes on as before. Yup -- and Tarnish might just last another ten years and be fine as a streaming device. > KM> Once the USB problem starts, I don't think I would trust it for > KM> mission-critical anything. Definitely not for storage you rely > KM> on. > Had thought that originally (so not as a NAS) but then figured ask: if > just a problem with the USB section would have been no big deal. KM> Yeah, those pesky multifunction chips... Good for compactness, not so good when things start to fail. > KM> Seems to be the case even with apps that don't really use more > KM> than one core, or not very well. It is REALLY noticeable with > KM> SeaMonkey. > Yes: I have 'suspected' several apps have no clue how to run on multiple > cores - just too slow (to start/load, do a process, etc.). Oh well, > Since I haven't a clue how to even start writing something beyond script > I'll be happy with waiting a second or two. KM> SM knows how to use multiple cores, but apparently there's a KM> Point of Inefficiency with fewer cores vs memory usage. Not only KM> does CPU usage shoot up to 100% far more often, it also KM> completely clogs up RAM whenever this happens.... FAR less often KM> on the slower quadcore than on the faster core2duo. On otherwise KM> identical hardware. I suppose I could swap CPUs between Cash and KM> Tarnish and solve the problem, but this sounds like work. It's not too much work to swap CPUs. it's the associated work that pops up! Open the case, see dust bunny families so clean those; while you're inside may as well do an upgrade.... > > > KM> Oh, speaking therewhich, found a USB driver for DOS that works > > KM> Ugh, will have to remind me another day. > > Is today the day? I do have one or two PS/2 to USB adapters -- not the > KM> No, this has nothing to do with that. Only for USB storage > KM> devices, like flash drives. > Plugging in a thumbdrive into the PS/2 adaptor wouldn't work: data and > power lines up, but the data doens't go to the right place inside the > computer. KM> Right-o!! Tho I suppose someone has attempted the translation... KM> imagine how many keystrokes you could fit on a 128GB flash KM> drive!! Well let's see, IIRC on the Heathkit GR-3000 TV the remote matrix was 8x8, and I think bits not bytes, so ... a lot!! > KM> Strange facts and useless information: if possible, use PS/2 with > KM> your DOS machine. Seems MODE CON RATE=32 DELAY=1 to speed up the > KM> keyboard does not work with USB keyboards!! > My guess is the command link to convert the PS/2 instructions to what is > used by the USB keyboard is missing, or maybe there is no equivalent > instruction in a USB keyboard (already at 'fast'?). KM> Actually, because the CON thingee only controls CONSOLE ports. Oh! The obvious! Reminded me of when I was working at the store and one of the portable devices lost it's programming. We were sent a floppy (it was a l-o-n-g time ago) and cable -- plug the cable into COM1 of the computer and the other end into the device, run programme, done. That's fine, except all of the computers we could potentially use had a different serial port; COM2 was the right type. (I got involved because I 'knew' computers and was trusted not to screw things up.) Nothing found to work, the Operations Manager and I are in the Computer Room as there as old computer running the lighting. Nope, same wrong port. OM gets on the phone to Support as we've run out of options, I ask her if I can try something (figuring if I ask and get permission to test something if I should somehow screw up I'd be in less trouble). "Sure, go ahead" and she continues with Support who is suggesting they make up a cable to adapt - cable's going to cost $50 or some ridiculous price. Me: "DeeDee! I'm done with the download and it's working!" Usedthe old DOS help command: /? ==> help screen displayed, one line was the switch to switch from default COM1 to COM2 (or any other), so command + switch, all done! :) KM> Tho apparently if I wish to invest in an expensive gaming KM> keyboard, I could get one with the USB polling rate being KM> settable in hardware. KM> https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/11/540742485413557856 KM> / Wow! Think how fast I could flip through those Solitaire cards when the battery on the mouse dies! ...As you know I'm not into gaming but can appreciate for those who do. Know there's all sorts of 'tricks' like the sponginess/firmness of the key, travel distance, suppose even spacing. > KM> And wireless USB keyboard does not work during boot if used via > KM> KVM. > Is the KVM Switch wired or electronic? If the old wired type I'm > thinking should work but if electronic can see why it wouldn't work: the > switch isn't sending the identification data through/in time to the > computer. KM> Old wired type don't speak USB at all. Works fine once Windows KM> boots up, but not until then. OK. I'm thinking might be more the BIOS not detecting/knowing what to do. I've been playing a bit with a system using a wireless keyboard and mouse (USB dongle). System boots fine, just if I want to access the BIOS I need to plug in a USB keyboard. MY BIOS doesn't know how to talk to the dongle; guessing maybe similar on your side. KM> In the olden daze I found myself with an identical pair of KM> motherboards, with consecutive serial numbers, where one only KM> worked with a P60 CPU overclocked to 66MHz, and the other only KM> worked with a P66 CPU underclocked to 60MHz. This made no sense, KM> but they insisted! (or, what buggy steaming piles those earliest KM> Pentium boards were...) Maybe they were blaming the Pentiums for the "2 + 2 = 5" errors and should have been blaming the motherboard! > I would prefer having a decent heatsink/fan combination suitable for > normal usage. Off hand I don't recall if I purchased as a CPU/cooler > combination; if so that implies proper normal performance. Oh well. > ..And with the new Intel-based system when I get it I will be using a > heavy-duty heatsink/fan. KM> The last one I bought is a stock HP cooler, and didn't look like KM> much but had good user reviews -- it's a small heatpipe thing KM> with one fan, and you wouldn't think it would be adequate for an KM> i7 or xeon, but CPU idle temp hovers around 30C !!! That's a nice cool idle! Taking the time to scan through reviews is usually worthwhile: benefit from the trials and errors of others! KM> Big factor seems to be solid copper foot, and as much copper KM> elsewhere as possible. KM> Nickel foot looks nice but works like crap (nickel is not good at KM> transmitting heat). So it seems when the desired result is to move heat then a good heat conductor works better! I'm not into the looks of a computer so much as the action. My cases are about as plain as possible on the outside, inside functional and roomy, though I still lean towards the mindset of more bays is better - I don't need to install four 250 GB HDDs any longer to get a TB of storage! As for the RGB fans, etc., if they'd turn red when getting too hot and blue when cool that would be OK, but otherwise. > Whatever is profitable! ...Did see a refurbished MSI motherboard > advertised last night. Interesting - until I read the reviews: some not > cleaned very well -- thermal compound residue (I could accept that) and > dust -- I could accept the dust too but sort of implying these boards > were found in a corner some place. Also bent pins and other things > making me a little scared of this particular offering. KM> Yeah, when you start seeing bent pins, that's scrapyard salvage. KM> Also, the good dealers generally do free shipping, or at worst at KM> cost. The scoundrels make their money on the shipping fee and KM> don't care if it's dead and returned. A single report of a bent pin wouldn't have been bad but there were several -- red warning LEDs going off! To me reasonable postage is fine: I'm paying for it either in the price of the merchandise or separately -- reminds me of the cartoon where "$14.95 and $1 postage" and the shopper's mad; $15.95 + free shipping" and the shopper's all happy. (OTOH I did pay a dollar extra for a product but saved something like $5 for shipping -- and it was the same vendor!) > > KM> I'd grab the board first, as there's usually some flexibility in > KM> Unless you're into high-end gaming or crunching databases or the > KM> like, whatever CPU comes along will be perfectly good. The $20 > KM> CPU -- yeah, it's kind of a sweet spot, because it's plentiful > KM> and not in demand by gamers, yet pretty much peak performance for > KM> that price range. > Right. My high-end gaming is Solitaire, though lately getting into > Mahjongg. Database stuff is more like having the system find the file I > need. My 'higher-end' need is more because I don't build a system all > that often and know the system will slowly slow down. KM> As the world becomes heavier and harder to carry... so basically KM> whatever board has the right feature set and whatever compatible KM> CPU is at a good price point. There is such a thing as agonizing KM> over the decision until it's so outdated that you have to start KM> over. BTDT!! At this point I'm not ready to do the switch: had put off a bunch of stuff just because I "couldn't see" ==> wasn't wearing one contact lens to reshape the cornea to it's natural shape in preparation for the cataract surgery. I'm extremely nearsighted; could get around fine, just the detailed and distance stuff was screwed up as one eye was 20/20 (with correction) and the other ...whatever "-1600" means. (Surgery went fine; "new eyeball" has a lens of '6' and the average is 23 or 25 -- just means I'm extremely nearsighted. Seeing now close to 20/20 -- distance viewing is pretty close to 20/20 but close I'll need to use the reading glasses more often ==> new lens doesn't adjust! > KM> https://www.cpubenchmark.net/ > OK, thanks - have heard of and visited sites with Passmark data; > probably have been on CPUBenchmark.net, And LIS select the motherboard > and then the CPU to go with it, which is easier than the other way > around -- I had sort of been collecting information on the Newegg CPU > offerings to get a starting point on what I wasn't overly familiar with: > locked and unlocked, cores, threads. Then have clock speed and core > number and threading options and ...... KM> Locked and unlocked is only of interest to overclockers, which is KM> to say gamers. Most i7 CPUs can be overclocked if the motherboard KM> allows it. Four cores covers any sort of everyday use; more might KM> be useful if you're doing video editing or running some game that KM> can use 'em (many still don't); same with threading options. This KM> all kinda falls under who cares because whatever falls on your KM> head will be overkill anyway. Higher clock speed is KM> generally better than lower, but will be limited by the KM> motherboard's CPU support range anyway. KM> I'd say the only real decision is how much money you want to KM> invest. More money will get a newer faster board and CPU. The KM> price break point really is i7 vs i9. i9 would be nice for long KM> term but not for an extra thousand bucks. OK - good info. I'm not into overclocking as of the opinion if one needs to be making the system faster should have gotten somethign faster in the first place. (There's a reason for 100% as maximum.) I wasn't quite sure if locked vs. unlocked had some other options besides revving the clock cycles. And yes, faster just means I wait less. I probably won't notice any difference between say 2.8 GHz and 3.2 GHz. And as you said, some of what it can do is limited by the motherboard and then the programme. Oh, here's a question: I'm running Oracle VM Virtualbox and there was seomthing in the VM configuration about number of cores. Is this a 'virtual core' or is it using a real core? So my question is sort of if I allocate two cores via VM/to VM are any being taken away from the actual machine and so should be compensated for? ...Something like if I have a six core CPU and allocate VM for two do I only have four left? (And I used six two and four to make the example/question easier - I hope!) As for the thousand dollars - uh, no. I'm not even wanting to spend a thousand dollars on the entire system. > KM> For quicker compare, they also have an Everything At Once chart > KM> for various categories of CPU, more or less organized by socket > KM> and age. > KM> http://twilightasylum.com/pc/cpus.htm > Between the two sites I should be able to figure out something decent. KM> This one is mine, from when I was shopping for CPU upgrades on KM> eBay. What does it support vs what is available and how do the KM> benchmarks compare? Westworld's CPU support covers such a KM> ridiculous range that it makes a good example -- from painfully KM> slow to somewhat fa$$ter than I cared to invest in for an old KM> box. Maybe that's why the site sounded familiar! KM> I could also upgrade Bullet per my chart, but requires either a KM> fairly pricey and rare CPU, or a modified Xeon, and either way KM> would max out power consumption for not much benefit. Since its KM> job is mostly file server and occasional backup desktop, and it KM> already runs hot, not worth the cost. Sometimes it's just not worth it. > KM> I've had so many vidcard fans either go rattly or die that > KM> fanless has become a requirement if I'm paying money for it. Fact > KM> is those little fans are crap. And by the time you get up to a > KM> card with big fans, it's way more $$$ than it's worth to me. > I have mostly gone by spec and price for the video cards around here. > AFAIK all of the TVs except the most recent one only do 1080 so no need > to have a 4K-capable video card. Plus the TV stations only put out 1080 > max anyway. KM> Next time I buy one it'll probably have to do 4k if only because KM> I'd like to have a better monitor, but hardly priority. Right. Sort of like my 'rule' of when looking to buy something try to plan ahead. I might now only need a video card doing 1080 but eventually 4K will be the norm. I was also thinking of dual monitors here at the computer desk. The desk prohibits because of the hutch cubbyholes and I like/need the storage. Old monitor is mounted to the wall and can swivel over the hutch - sometimes handy, sometimes not (as covers up other things). > TV's HDMI input was recognized at the higher definition the video card > adjusted tself to the higher resolution (probably 3840x2160): man was > the Ubuntu Desktop display tiny!! KM> Oh yeah, that is a problem.. Adobe CS2 suite is really stupid KM> about menu scaling, and Illustrator's menus almost require a KM> magnifying glass to even FIND them. At a mere 1920x1080. Hate to KM> think what they'd look like on a 4k screen! (I hear this problem KM> never did get fixed in the version you can buy on a CD, and now KM> they're subscription only. I won CS2 at a trade show.) If teeny-tiny at 1080 they'd almost disappear at 4K! One other problem I had with that computer/TV combination was MythTV was 'getting confused'. Forgot what the problem was but configuring the main screen to 1080 (from probably 4K) corrected. (MythTV is technically an overlaid window -- can shrink and see the Desktop underneath. I'm guessing one window at "1K" and the main one at 4K confused something.) > KM> By the time you have more USB3.x ports, the whole thing is > KM> expensive enough that there's no point in cutting corners. > Probbaly true -- not disputing, just not enough personal experience. I > do use the number of USB ports, daughtercard slots, etc., as a > guideline. KM> Yep... once you've bought the mansion, you don't skip on the car. One of the technicians at the store where I work said he had been to some of the million dollar houses here and there were empty rooms: couldn't afford to furnish! > KM> Yeah, when the OS doesn't know how to scale icons and text... > Not sure that it couldn't, was easier to force the lower resolution. KM> Depends on your distro and desktop. KDE is good about letting you KM> set font sizes (anything you want), but rather stupid about icon KM> sizes (small, medium, large). I use a rather XP-like theme which KM> makes the window controls big enough to find... some of the KM> 'modern look' themes wind up with controls so small you need KM> one-pixel accuracy to use at all. Oh Good Grief! Off hand I don't know what the specifics are but the icons in the Favourites Bar (to the left in Ubuntu) are about 3/8" squares. The hide/min-max/close are about an eighth inch and about as small as I like conveniently. Could go a little smaller if I had to. KM> This is old, but you get the idea... KM> http://doomgold.com/images/linux/KDE_Screenshot_20171021_011530_fi KM> lemanagers.jp Oo! I kinda like the italic font for the Favourites labels. And FWIW it loaded immediately - no 'scanning'. > > I'm not even sure if more than one station. > KM> Or the fact that I've done long stretches with no TV! > You don't know what you're missing! (Or should that be I don't know > what I'm missing?!) KM> Peace and quiet? :D :) I'll admit to 'needing' some background noise: part of my 'job' growing up was monitoring Dad's office and if the radio station went off the air or did a sports or talk radio thing to change the station - was supposed to be relaxing music. So I'm used to music/something in the background, but do admit lately it is nice to hear quiet every so often. > KM> Now that I can positively say I've never seen. For one thing, we > KM> didn't have Prince brand spaghetti out west of the Mississippi. > KM> Creamettes for us! > Yes, I'm on the western side of the Mississippi also -- just barely: > (city) blocks, not even a mile. (Good news: live on a bluff so if > Mississippi water starts lapping at my doorstep we're all in a heap of KM> Don't jump! Would have to get a really good push-off as while the hill is steep it's not that steep: "cannonballllll! " > doo-doo!) AFAIK the Prince brand is New England. I think Creamette is > a national brand -- think I remember seeing seeing ads when I lived out > there but as was living with my parents didn't need to buy food. Pretty > sure have seen the dark green box out here -- usually the Hy-Vee > (grocery store chain) is cheaper so buy that. KM> Hy-Vee, none of that out here! Nope, they're strictly Midwest -- "437 stores" comes to mind but that could be something else. If that's right about four to six are in Davenport. KM> Do you still have Red Owl and Piggly Wiggly? Nope. Was in Piggly Wiggly when I visited friends in Tampa. Haven't heard of 'Red Owl'; for some reason almost soynds like could be a tobacco shop. > > KM> Side note: I desperately need a different form of Courier. Dark > > KM> Courier doesn't grow nicely and gets all weird, like someone > > KM> colored in all the 'windows' in the letters. Regular Courier > > KM> isn't dark enough. SeaMonkey doesn't believe Bold exists. *sigh* > > I've been using Thunderbird for e-mail and the default "Variable Width" > > font. Hmm, maybe enlarge the default size to medium or a notch larger? > > (With Thunderbird on the same configuration page as selection of the > > font in Preferences.) > KM> Nope, doesn't work. I can enlarge it, but it doesn't play nice. > KM> Gets all blotchy. > Still using that .41mm CRT huh? Font smoothing, maybe?? KM> LOL, nope, that ain't it. The problem seems to be Seamonkey's KM> scaling. So I actually need a different font that I don't have to KM> scale up. Well I don't think this is what you are needing but might give a hint: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=2834855&start=360 (Started on page 25 of a 36 page thread!) This hit seemed it might be interesting but was down for maintenance: https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=19/10/26/0332247 Well, "Dark Mode Craze did More Harm Than Good" was the thing that got my interest: with Ubuntu 14.04 and probably still is there were display mode options for something like default, high contrast, etc. High Contrast was "holy !" to my eyes: very difficult to read because almost burning due to too much contrast. Wondering if it's not the scaling but something else like a contrast-type setting. > I tried Googling "Courier font enlarge gets blotchy" and nothign really > looked worthwhile to check further. > OK, took out the 'Courier' in the request and closer; maybe this has a > hint? https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000557.htm KM> Nope, smoothing works everywhere else. So the 25 of 36 pages article may give a clue -- I half-recall something about smoothing. > KM> You're using the HTML editor, which I never do. Plaintext editor > KM> uses your fixed-width font. I prefer Courier for that, but can't > KM> seem to find one that's dark enough. > Quit adding water to your inkjet cartridge! OK, that just reminded me > of something: there is a way to add holes to the character to stretch > the ink. Too many/too large a hole would make the font light because > not enough ink being used. I don't know if the modification made for > the printer would affect the looks on the screen. KM> Yeah, some printer drivers let you use "economy mode" and print KM> every other dot instead of all the dots. I'm not sure monitors KM> have any such function. They call it 'dead pixels'! Hehehehe-clunk! ¯ BarryMartin3@ ® ¯ @MyMetronet.NET ® .... Senior texting: ROFL,CGU Rolling on the floor laughing, can't get up. --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com | 856-933-7096 (454:1/1) .