From: adam@address.invalid
Moe Trin wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Sep 2012, in the Usenet newsgroup alt.os.linux.mandriva, in
article
> , Adam wrote:
>
> [Was out of town since 9/15 - I _think_ that may be my last overseas
> business trip.]
Is retirement looming? :-)
>> That brings me to three questions to ask HP, all about the BIOS:
>
> Agree - those do sound valid
I asked HP about the first two, why the BIOS update appeared to install
but still reported the same version and date, and why apps reported
"hardware virtualization disabled" regardless of the BIOS setting.
(Other users of the identical model had those same problems.) After
only a little troubleshooting, HP said it's a hardware problem and I'd
have to send the whole computer to their service center, shipping and
servicing at no charge as it's under warranty. (No "loaner" -- I
asked.) I sent it, after removing everything I'd added and wiping the
HD as best as I could given limited time.
My conclusion is that either the problem is indeed in the hardware
(motherboard design?), or else this is cheaper for HP than having a new
BIOS done. Either way, I expect to get back (in about two weeks) a
different model of computer. That means a new install of Mandriva (or
other distro), and several weeks getting it configured the way I want
it. I did remember to do a backup of "stolid" to DVD before wiping the
drive.
Fortunately "eris" (2007 Compaq) is still working, so I moved it from
the bedroom to the LR. I couldn't get Mandriva or Mageia connected to
the 'net easily, so while I sort those out I'm using CentOS 6.3, which
already had Wi-Fi working. I'm not putting much effort into configuring
it, but I do have the basic web apps and a word processor working, plus
the network printer, which are the only essential things right now.
It's annoyingly slow now that I'd gotten used to "stolid", but that's
only temporary.
>> The OEM mouse is already flaky (only three months).
>
> No warranty?
Yes, but I'd rather have them tackle only one in-warranty problem at a
time to prevent confusion on their end. Besides, I can buy a comparable
mouse for under $10.
>> Nonstandard but mountable? Wouldn't "ls $MOUNTPOINT >> file" succeed
>> with anything that's mounted?
Although I suppose a CD used for "packet writing" (UDF format) wouldn't
be recognized (and therefore not mounted) on a different system that
isn't set up for packet writing.
[stolid memory]
>>> but the change solely as a function of installed RAM makes no sense.
>
>> If it's using RAM to store some sort of paging table or cache table,
>> I think the size of that would increase with total RAM installed.
>
> I dunno, but that doesn't sound right.
Not to me either. There's probably an explanation somewhere on the web.
[UPS]
>> We discussed this a while back, and agreed that an outage over 60"
>> probably means power will be out for a while. In fact, after about
>> 20', power came back on flickering incredibly, long enough for the
>> UPS to start up the computer again, then power was out for about two
>> hours. I see what you meant about allowing battery power for several
>> starts.
>
> That's why I want to shut down after the 60 second point. Once I
> get the word to shut down, all of the systems are safe to power off
> about 30 seconds later worst case, so that _should_ allow enough
> battery for at least two more cycles.
I don't think my battery got below 60% charged, and that was after two
cycles of five-minute discharges (at under 25% load).
> While changing planes in LA, I saw an ad from Fry's listing a 2 TB
> Western Digital external USB3 drive for $90. I'll have to see what is
> being sold here.
As I understand it, eSATA is still much faster than USB 3. One reason I
chose my external HD was that it had both USB 2 and eSATA connections.
[drugs]
>> Of course the patent only said "we invented this
>> new chemical", with nothing about uses for it, if indeed there
>> turned out to be any.
>
> That's understandable - the generic name would not have existed until
> the compound is invented. As for the uses, none have been approved
> by the authorities, so that's out as well.
In some cases, invented chemicals may be useless for their intended
purpose, but have other uses. A not-very-good adhesive became the
Post-It. One experimental heart medication turned out to be relatively
ineffective but had unexpected side effects, so it's now marketed as
Viagra. Also, generic buproprion (sp?) is approved as both the
antidepressant Wellbutrin and as Zyban to help quit smoking.
>> Unfortunately not all brands of generics work equally well. One of
>> the immunosuppressants I was originally on was Cellcept, but when a
>> generic became available, the transplant surgeons at Albany weren't
>> convinced it would work as well so they switched everybody to the
>> similar Myfortic, not available generically.
>
> I can't second guess the surgeons obviously, but that sounds as if
> the generic isn't a duplicate which sounds like a failing on the FDA
> end of things. Hmmm, my PDR does list Cellcept, but not Myfortic.
My 2010 PDR has Myfortic. Another of the immunosuppressants I'm on (I'm
on three, so there can be a lower dosage and therefore fewer side
effects for each) is Prograf. Since my transplant, it's gone generic
(tacrolimus) but the surgeons feel the generic is okay. They just asked
me to call when I make the switch, and I'm guessing they may have me go
for more frequent lab work (locally) when that happens.
[auto transmissions]
> Back in the 1950s, the driver-ed car(s) [...] all were manual
> transmission four-door sedans.
Isn't that what the students would most likely be driving afterward?
> The four students in the car got a quarter of a class period
> each at the wheel, and three quarters of a period "observing".
Exactly like my class in the late '70s.
> Your time behind the wheel was reduced once
> the instructor deemed you able to pass the state drivers test (at my
> school, administered by the school) and it ceased altogether (but not
> the classroom time) once you got your license.
My school district had dropped driver ed a few years before my time, so
the only option was to take it in summer school in another district. I
already had my license before the class started, but Driver's Ed got me
an insurance discount and my senior license at 17 instead of 18.
In other news, Charlie, my neighbor and friend who'd been moved to
hospice, died last Thursday. He was 52. Obviously not unexpected, and
[continued in next message]
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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