&^%$ Microsoft

[generalnmx]

Goal: Create a server running Windows for all my file sharing, PVR (which has no decent Linux software), CD Burning, and remote desktop needs.

System:

Via MicroATX Motherboard (Compaq)
PIII 500MHz w/ no fan
1 BIG Case Fan near the processor
1 14GB HD
1 30GB HD
1 Yamaha-brand 40x/24x CDRW
1 Wireless Ethernet card (for upstairs wireless network)
1 Ethernet Card (for downstairs network)
1 Leadtek WinFast PVR Card
1 COMPAQ-brand Case

First problem - Case's power supply broke. Didn't exactly stop working, the plug that the power cord connects to just broke off and retreated into the bowls of the power supply. Since micro-ATX cases are incredibly cheap, and this thing isn't made for spiffiness, I bought a new one for $20 with shipping.

Second problem - Both cases were a pain and took me 2 days to figure out.

Third problem - Installed XP Pro, got the wireless up and working. After a reboot, it decided that the card had to be reinstalled. Then when booting up after the XP logo, it gave a quick blue screen (memory dump probably) then rebooted the computer. Safe Mode wouldn't let me uninstall the drivers because "They were required for booting".

Fourth problem - OK, so maybe XP wasn't the way to go. This isn't suppose to be a super computer, and I don't have a working W98SE computer, so I decided to put W98SE on it. Everything worked fine, except when I installed the Realtek Utilities it couldn't find the wireless network no matter how many times I rebooted. Seems the software doesn't like W98SE, since XP found the network no problem with an "Excellent" signal.

Now I'm on step #5, reinstalling XP. What will happen next?

 

[jegHegy]

you could try win2k, which is, in my opinion, the best version of windows. and here come the preaching linux geeks. which you COULD try if everything else fails. (and would be more secure than a windows server)

 

[generalnmx]

I have Windows 95, Windows 98SE, and Windows XP...legally. I COULD install Windows 2000 illegally, but I'd rather use a legal copy of Windows

 

[Tobriand]

Have you considered that loader that's used for the install of XP? Someone managed to find a way to turn it into an operating system a while back (shellcity mentioned it, I think, or was it techconnect). Or of course, there are multitudes of proggies to hack down the bloat in XP which potentially could make an install of it more stable for you...

 

[generalnmx]

Eh I guess third time is the charm because it works now (knock on wood). I even got remote desktop up and running, so I don't have to jog down to the computer (which is located in a place without a chair).

Now I just need to figure out a way to allow it access to my downstairs network without allowing it to connect to the internet or any other computer in that network.

 

[Swiss_Cheesespam]

No decent PVR software for linux?

MythTV would like a word with you.

 

[diablo2]

what is pvr?

 

[Axeman]

Personal Video Recorder (I think)

Also - why is it that everyone whinges about XP when my XP has always worked absolutely fine, and I rarely get any crashes. It also boots quickly and shuts down quickly, and thats all on an 1800+ processor with 512Mb of SDR SDRAM.

Dunno what people whinge about! (and before you ask - yes - I've used lots of other OS alternatives, and have a dual boot with Mandrake Linux).

 

[sebastian_insua]

Also - why is it that everyone whinges about XP when my XP has always worked absolutely fine, and I rarely get any crashes. It also boots quickly and shuts down quickly, and thats all on an 1800+ processor with 512Mb of SDR SDRAM.

Because it makes them feel big....
Loads of people do it even before they have tried alternatives because they think it is h4rdc0re to only like linux...

...Pah!!!

 

[spray]

i like windows.

i like eye candy and a smooth and accesible GUI. i like the way anything i could ever need i can download from the net and run. i like the fact that everyone i know runs windows and i can use their machines.

my dad has a linux laptop and i just don't like. call me close minded but i've become good with windows, i see no reason to learn how to use a comparatively worse (in my eyes) everyday OS.

xp has been solid as a rock for me. its great how i was able to set up my wireless network using programs already in the OS.

 

[diablo2]

Personal Video Recorder (I think)

Also - why is it that everyone whinges about XP when my XP has always worked absolutely fine, and I rarely get any crashes. It also boots quickly and shuts down quickly, and thats all on an 1800+ processor with 512Mb of SDR SDRAM.

Dunno what people whinge about! (and before you ask - yes - I've used lots of other OS alternatives, and have a dual boot with Mandrake Linux).

thanks axeman

they sound interesting
i wonder why i've never heard of them before

 

[generalnmx]

PVRs are nice. No tapes necessary, just record at full quality directly onto your hard drive. If you don't mind a little less quality you can easily get a full week's worth of shows on a 15GB HDD.

 

[Swiss_Cheesespam]

I dont hate windows, but I don't really like it either. Once they abandoned 9x, and focused more on security, things picked up.

Microsoft still suck as a company, and I would love to see them crash and burn. There is some kind of law suit against Microsoft in europe. Although I dont see it happening, if they could force Microsoft to give up vital parts of their source code to be integrated into linux/wine and ReactOS, that would be awesome.

Also, I've been looking at building a HTPC/PVR for a while now, but my XBOX does more than enough. I'm getting pretty tired of TV, and what I do like I just download anyway.

 

[spray]

Microsoft still suck as a company, and I would love to see them crash and burn. There is some kind of law suit against Microsoft in europe. Although I dont see it happening, if they could force Microsoft to give up vital parts of their source code to be integrated into linux/wine and ReactOS, that would be awesome.

So you want a product you don't like integrated into something, i'm assuming, you a an ejaculating little fanboy over?

And no, the EU does not have the power to make them give up something integral to their existance. The EU merely used its over extended and unecessary powers to enact part of the "competition policy" and force windows to stop bundling its own media play with its own OS.

 

[Swiss_Cheesespam]

Microsoft still suck as a company, and I would love to see them crash and burn. There is some kind of law suit against Microsoft in europe. Although I dont see it happening, if they could force Microsoft to give up vital parts of their source code to be integrated into linux/wine and ReactOS, that would be awesome.

So you want a product you don't like integrated into something, i'm assuming, you a an ejaculating little fanboy over?

And no, the EU does not have the power to make them give up something integral to their existance. The EU merely used its over extended and unecessary powers to enact part of the "competition policy" and force windows to stop bundling its own media play with its own OS.

Wow, you really didn't read my post.

Didn't say I hated Windows, as you claim I did. I said that it wasn't great, but wasn't horrible. Linux is also quite flawed. I would like source code to be released so Windows applications could be run on Linux/Wine, and ReactOS, a windows clone.

Also, I just said that it would be nice to see them having to give over source code somehow. Note the words "Although I dont see it happening". I did read somewhere that one demand was to hand over source code, I might be mistaken.

So, in summary, I don't think Windows is the Holy Grail of OSes, I don't think Linux is ready for prime time, I like Open Source and the GPL, I think microsoft is a bad company, and everyone knows you don't read before you post.

 

[spongebue]

Now that the NT kernel is being used, I think Windows is OK. I tried Linux a bit, but they update the kernel so much that it is so difficult to install drivers for some vital stuff, such as my network card. To me, Window is good and all, but I hate to fork over $100-200 to a company already worth billions, especially when they are being so big on security with product activation and searches at universities.

 

[Rico]

generalnmx:

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/06/09/0047...tid=185&tid=186

is a good article on Linux-based PVRs.

 

[damaki]

Now that the NT kernel is being used, I think Windows is OK. I tried Linux a bit, but they update the kernel so much that it is so difficult to install drivers for some vital stuff, such as my network card. To me, Window is good and all, but I hate to fork over $100-200 to a company already worth billions, especially when they are being so big on security with product activation and searches at universities.

Yeah, that's true about the NT kernel but that's still far from perfect. And no I'm not a GNU/Linux zealot, I've spent about 50 hours trying to get my adsl modem (Bewan pci st, yeah I know it's supported by Mandrake 10 but Mandrake sucks) to work, recompiling kernel, changing kernel version and whatever but still does not work.

Windows XP already corrupted my boot sector on 2 hard drives, no I cannot boot Windowson these two unless I do a low level format... Yeah that's not the kernel, I know, that's this cheap installer.
I've seen windows XP crashing numerous times, sometimes it wasn't Windows' fault (broken DDR-Ram), sometimes it was, many times. And Win2k is not more stable than WinXP anymore, I have done many tests and I have got my best uptimes with XP. In fact there are more differences between XP and 2k than the ugly XP themes, the 'computer slowing down' interface and the usual new version memory bloat, the kernel have had some changes too.
There's also the idotic swapping system that think it must put on disk every loaded program even even if it won't be swapped.
I don't even mention about the usual bug and exploits.

Still, though I hate about 95 % about windows I use it because I don't have any other choice because my modem refuses to work with Linux, my soundcard does not have any driver (philips acoustic edge). It's not the fault of this happy penguin, I know, it's because of drivers issues. But the reasons aren't my problem the fact is that I cannot use Linux, and I also know I'm not the only one in this case...
To conclude GNU/Linux is great with Linux-proof hardware but when you haven't got it, hell it sucks.

 

[generalnmx]

generalnmx:

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/06/09/0047...tid=185&tid=186

is a good article on Linux-based PVRs.

Yeah, but now I'm in love with Remote Desktop. I like it soo much better then X-Windows through cygwin.

 

[damaki]

Personnaly I'm addicted to Ultr@ vnc. It's a windows specific flavor of vnc with terrific speed on LANs sice it uses some specifical video driver hook. But it remains compatible with plain vnc or tightvnc. And I don't really trust Microsoft for security with a remote desktop.... For Internet use of vnc, I use SSH tunneling with big (1024 bits) dsa key and private key only identification, since vnc uses plain text passwords.