Random thoughts.... [Tech Edition]

Motherfucker.... I scored a free dev workstation from work (Precision T1650) that I was using as a make shift testing server for a while in the office. So I migrated my NAS into it, and wanted to use it as my media server since it's significantly more powerful than my old af Mini. Except that the motherfucking built in NIC is dead.
 
Motherfucker.... I scored a free dev workstation from work (Precision T1650) that I was using as a make shift testing server for a while in the office. So I migrated my NAS into it, and wanted to use it as my media server since it's significantly more powerful than my old af Mini. Except that the motherfucking built in NIC is dead.

I have a pile of brand new PCIe gigabit NICs at work that came from a batch of machines that arrives with two installed, I'd send you one if it wasn't a pointless exercise with shipping costs. Easy enough to get your hands on one I suppose though?

Stupid question - since it was a test server, any chance you turned off the NIC in the BIOS? I've done that before when testing imaged machines so I don't do a stupid, plug it in without thinking and fuck up the AD accounts.
 
I have a pile of brand new PCIe gigabit NICs at work that came from a batch of machines that arrives with two installed, I'd send you one if it wasn't a pointless exercise with shipping costs. Easy enough to get your hands on one I suppose though?

Stupid question - since it was a test server, any chance you turned off the NIC in the BIOS? I've done that before when testing imaged machines so I don't do a stupid, plug it in without thinking and fuck up the AD accounts.
Thanks but yeah it’s pointless they are like 10-20 a pop from a store like 10 mins away.
Not a stupid question but no, it was networked mostly used for spinning up random shit. I’ll double check though because I was messing with BIOS settings to enable legacy boot and easily coulda done something derpsy.

EDIT: Interestingly enough your "stupid" question actually gave me a good starting point, NIC works on boot up but is then disabled by the OS for some reason. Researching it now.
EDIT1: Figured it out, because interface is recognized as em1 vs eth0 I had to add it to auto start
 
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EDIT1: Figured it out, because interface is recognized as em1 vs eth0 I had to add it to auto start

Bloody Linux. :p I hadn't considered the OS being the issue. Related to Dell Precisions, I did have to really fight with the one and only Precision T7600 we have to rebuild it to Windows 10 though last week, eventually giving up on getting drivers to use the SAS RAID controller working with Windows PE and using the standard SATA controller to image the machine, then re-enable the controller to allow Windows to install it. Pain in the arse but I had wasted enough time.

Anyway, I finally got my hands on another GoPro audio adapter after breaking my original. Not a new toy as I already had one so not posted there. These things are like hen's teeth, GoPro themselves don't have stock on the UK store and neither do Amazon. Fortunately I found that Currys (UK electronics store) had stock and were cheaper than GoPro or Amazon with free delivery. Now to not break this one.
 
Eww Windows :p
Remember Linux is user friendly, it's just very choosy about it's friends.

In other news one of my drives is throwing SMART errors :/
 
So... I've gone a bit overboard and treated myself to a new computer. And by "going overboard", I mean a Dell XPS 13 laptop with a docking station and a 27" 4k monitor. Part of the motivation was that I'm now able to plug my work laptop into that same docking station, which makes working from home (which is a rare thing.... but anyway) that much more pleasant compared to hunching over the laptop at the dinner table.

And in typical Linux fashion, it mostly works. Just the tiny drawback of web browsers not being able to use the audio output at the docking station. sigh
Ah well, I guess I have to figure it out...
 
Dell XPS 13 laptop with a docking station

Is that the WD15 USB-C dock?

We're using those at work now, good bits of kit but I can't for the life of me work out why they chose to have one each of HDMI and mini-DP, it's a pain to connect up dual monitors when we're used to Microsoft docks with dual mini-DP and old Dell E-port docks with dual (full size) DP.
 
I was gong to say that I have a similar dock at work and it works fine with Linux. Only issue is display drivers because work machine is an embarassingly overpowered Precision laptop with a Quadro making display link drivers a very poor choice.

Welcome to the 4K club, it is hard to go back after that :)
 
Welcome to the 4K club, it is hard to go back after that :)
Well, on a big screen it's fine (I think 27" is rather the low end for it to make sense, or even under). The laptop itself has a native 4k resolution on a 13" screen. That's just ridiculous.
 
Well, on a big screen it's fine (I think 27" is rather the low end for it to make sense, or even under). The laptop itself has a native 4k resolution on a 13" screen. That's just ridiculous.
Mine (well work one) is 4K on a 15”, it’s pretty amazing actually, as long as your OS lets you scale appropriately everything looks amazeballs
 
Mine (well work one) is 4K on a 15”, it’s pretty amazing actually, as long as your OS lets you scale appropriately everything looks amazeballs
Had this setup on a Dell XPS I had for work before, hated it. Windows scaling works fine in 90% of all cases, but the remaining 10% are unusable (think a terminal or Java/Swing UIs with 0,5mm large letters...). Got a 1080p matte screen on my current Precision 5520, scaling turned off hard (manual 100% on all devices), so much better. Although I'll admit that Macbooks with Retina displays look amazing, and OSX scaling actually works as opposed to Windows.
 
Had this setup on a Dell XPS I had for work before, hated it. Windows scaling works fine in 90% of all cases, but the remaining 10% are unusable (think a terminal or Java/Swing UIs with 0,5mm large letters...). Got a 1080p matte screen on my current Precision 5520, scaling turned off hard (manual 100% on all devices), so much better. Although I'll admit that Macbooks with Retina displays look amazing, and OSX scaling actually works as opposed to Windows.
I think I found your problem ;) Hint: It’s made by a company in Redmond
 
I would dearly love to use something else, but there's no way I can effectively work on projects with a different OS from everybody else :) MBPs (running OSX) and Dell Precisions (with Windows) are the only options, and since my previous project was a huge .NET application that only runs on Windows, I'm stuck with the Precision for a while still. I could opt for a Macbook next time I'm due for a replacement... though the current generation's keyboards suck majorly in my opinion. The Precision with 1080p is actually rather nice, all things considered.
 
Ewww .NET, why would you do that to yourself? I’m the only one on my team with Linux everyone went to OS X
 
I tried an Oculus Rift S this weekend, looks like its time to sell the Rift CV1. Brighter, sharper screen, lighter headset, fits over my large glasses (have to wear old glasses in my old Rift) and lack of external cameras make for a compelling package.
 
gaiz with the wd15, remember to do firmware update to them if there is issues with them.
 
If anyone using Plex got one of those July 4th lifetime plex offers and isn't using it I'd appreciate a code.
 
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