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Storage is cool
How about putting a second hard disk in the machines and put the temp dir and pagefile on that? It should speed things up a bit... I don't know if it's enough to be usable though.
Ancient Computer; Modern Browser, Security software
- Thread starter Mercutio
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Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Have the users clean and wipe their hard drives, with you as phone support. Then have them reinstall everything. That way he pays them, and, you answer a few phone calls.
Sounds like with a 10 minute startup, they really need to be clean installed, and, then loaded with minimum software.
100 bucks for a PATA SSD would make the boxes useable for a LONG time, I suspect.
Only thing would be any upgrade would probably NOT have PATA without a pci card.
I can't help but wonder if VMWARE might make actual better use of the ram and hardware then the current OS does. From my testing, the only way it could really be terrible is if
XP is paging a bunch of stuff. Wonder if reducing the size of the pagefile would minimize the writing XP does to it? Or increasing the amount of RAM XP uses for Kernal size, IIRC, puts much more of the OS in ram, and speeds things up.
You could certainly Nlite an install for the machines...
I guess at some point, you have to tell the guy isn't much I can do for you, for free.
Sounds like he's using your social position to extort free work from you.
If that's the case, and, you're ok with that, just do things that require labor, but not money. It's not that big a deal to do a clean install, or nlite an os for a box, while you have 10 other installs going at the same time. Also, I'm sure you have MUCH faster hard drives, used, in a giant pile somewhere you could put in these machines.
You need to make a decision what your free hardware and software support is.
I posted about my computer challenged roommate, who, after being given about 500 dollars in used video cards, picked the monitor up, and threatened to throw it out the window. I only do stuff now for him that directly effects my financial situation, i.e.
pretains to getting paid. For example he can't attach a file to send to a vendor, and wants me to do that today, in email...
Also, limit the suggestions you make. I could put this 32 gig SATA SSD in his machine, but, I'd end up doing all the work, and something would be wrong, and, I wouldn't get paid, so screw it.
What he doesn't know about, he can't complain, or try and manipulate me into doing. Try the same with your leech...
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
IIRC this client is somehow family to the place he is employed. Not a fun situation.
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
Someone take the shotgun away from Greg before he blows his leg off.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Thanks, but, I don't have a shotgun. 375 H&H perhaps, but no shotgun.;-)
That said, Sam's in a bad spot, and I understand what that's like...
How about giving the users this link:
http://www.tweakxp.com/performance_tweaks.aspx
and having them do the work??
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Since my uncle lost one leg, then was told he would loose the other, due to disease, and, having been a pro bike rider, decided he would rather remove his head with a shotgun, please excuse me if I don't find that remark very funny.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
It's even more retarded than that but the net result is the same.
The users wound up with their Internet Explorer icons changed to point to K-Melon, and ClamWin for AV and they've been given instructions to just leave their computers on and locked, rather than shut down. Of course, there's another wrinkle in that one of these machines needs to run UPS Worldship, but I can't do anything about that, either.
Well, not being any kind of pro, but with some experience in rediculously outdated machines, may I remind you of XPlite and 2000lite: http://www.litepc.com/xplite.html
The downloads are still working ..
It's been a while now, but I recall that unloading IE from these old monsters did loosen them up a lot ..
And BTW, 98SE isn't quite dead yet: http://www.msfn.org/board/windows-member-projects-f91.html
The downloads are still working ..
It's been a while now, but I recall that unloading IE from these old monsters did loosen them up a lot ..
And BTW, 98SE isn't quite dead yet: http://www.msfn.org/board/windows-member-projects-f91.html
fb
Storage is cool
Another solution might be to get an Atom+2GB RAM for ~$130-$150/machine+labour (if he could be convinced to spend that obscene amount of money on hardware.) It would probably be almost usable, but it's probably better to leave it and wait until the customer realizes that the machines are unusable and then sell him a couple of real computers.
Sol
Storage is cool
How about opera mobile? Can't get much lighter browser wise but I'm not sure if it'll actually be that faster given it's really only a development tool. (Plus I can't see any way to turn off the on screen keyboard)
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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You haven't met him, he's a hottie
(j/k, Greg)
Hmmm. Girl with giant tits in Costco tonight thought the same, but, since I'm SOOO out of practice, I failed to take the looks to advantage;-(
dating sucks....
For perspective, I asked Diane Hsu to marry me. She said no, but, not before she was the best, ever....
Try Playboy bunny, March 88 if you don't know who Diane Lee Hsu is...
So, since jealousy is well established, eat your hearts out...
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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I mean like 44 FF, by the way. One in 5-10 million...
Stereodude
Not really a
You're pretty close to Silicon Valley right?
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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You're pretty close to Silicon Valley right?
ROFL!!
Never thought of that angle, joke wise;-)
A closer inspection might have revealed fakes, but, I don't think so. Still, she was NOT hiding them. Red, low cut top, blonde hair, very pretty face, and in shape.
ddrueding
Fixture
LOL. 38C is plenty for me!
Stereodude
Not really a
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Nothing logical about it. More hardwired, thanks probably to my mother and upbringing.
My mother looked a LOT like Sofia Loren. She had her breasts reduced when she got older
to 38DD.
Oedipus Rex is probably laughing right now, but, certain characteristics effect me, and, have nothing to do with logic.