Arrival

[kerravonsen]

I have a computer! Well, to be precise, I have a plastic box that looks like a computer, but I don't know if it works yet; I have not yet plugged it in.

It was deposited at my parents place last night, but I wasn't going to post about it until it was actually in my possession.

I had my usual dinner at my parents' place tonight, and Dad walked back with me with the computer on a trolley (you know, one of those moving-trolley things).

And now it is here in my study.

I have not plugged it in, partly it is late and I know that as soon as I plug it in, I will be wanting to start installing GenToo Linux on it, which will take a Long Time. Another reason not to plug it in is because I have discovered that I need to get another powerboard, because I've run out of slots on the existing ones. (I suspect an electrician would be horrified at the number of powerboards I have chained off one electricity socket, but tough.)

I have succeeded in moving my original desktop to a spot beside my desk instead of on top of it, and the new box is where the old one was.

I'm not sure what my best plan of attack is; I need to move at least one PCI card from the old machine to the new one (the SCSI card, which my scanner attaches to, along with a couple of other peripherals that I don't really use much). Fortunately I won't need to move the network card or the USB 2.0 card because the new computer already has a network card and USB 2.0. Of course, assuming that GenToo recognises them, that is.

Plan A would be to move the card, and then install GenToo, so that I only have to configure it once.
Plan B would be to start installing GenToo, just to make sure that the machine is okay, and then put in the SCSI card later because I know the card is known.

I want to minimize the downtime of the old machine, because it's still my server until the new machine is up and running, and ideally, they should both be running at the same time (if I can remotely log in to the old machine, it should be okay to move the monitor and keyboard and mouse to the new machine).

In any case, the plan is to get the new machine all installed with GenToo and move all services over to it. If I can get the old machine fixed, then I'll move the services back to it (mail, web, mailing lists, webmail) and use the new machine for fun things (especially things that chew up CPU like, well, screensavers...)

Comments

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you finally got it.

But it sounds like a long and involved process to get it all set up properly and with as little down time as posssible.

[kerravonsen]

But it sounds like a long and involved process to get it all set up properly and with as little down time as posssible.

It is indeed. But that's the price one pays for the flexibility of having the machine set up exactly that way one wants it. And also because fixing the old machine will probably involve it being taken away to be worked on, which means I really have to have all the services running on the new machine before I can get the old machine fixed.

I should probably make a long list of steps to be taken, so that I can tick them off as I do them, and I won't feel as if it's a neverending slog.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Yay for new computer!

[kerravonsen]

Thanks.

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[kerravonsen]

Thanks.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I hope this will be the start of a long and happy relationship.

One of the first things I did on moving into this house was get the electrician to install eight plug sockets in the corner where I have the computer.

[kerravonsen]

Congratulations! I hope this will be the start of a long and happy relationship.

Thanks.

One of the first things I did on moving into this house was get the electrician to install eight plug sockets in the corner where I have the computer.

Hmmm. What with what reapermum says below, perhaps I shall have to do that.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I keep getting exasperated that every advance in technology seems to demand one more plug.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so relieved that it finally arrived. I've been thinking about you and praying that it would just get delivered already. Yay!

[kerravonsen]

Thanks.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

I know it's probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but if you really are chaining powerboards please check the total power usage. I can only give UK figures, but our power sockets are rated at 13A at 220V. So don't let your equipment total more than 2800W from one wall socket.

Yes, you will know not to do that, but I'm good at remote worrying.

[kerravonsen]

No you're not teaching your grandmother to suck eggs; I'm really not up on that sort of thing. No, I don't know how to check the power usage. Yes, of course it has to be done with the appropriate measuring device, but I don't have one, I don't know what it's called, and I don't know where to buy one. I suppose I could ask at Dick Smith's, they'd be the most likely candidate to have such a device.

It's frustrating, because the point is probably moot: there is only one electrical outlet in the entire room, so as far as I can see, I don't have any choice about the powerboards.

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

You can get an approximation of you power usage by reading the label on the back of the machines and adding them together. Either you will find a number of W(atts) or A(mps). Multiply your A by 220 to get the number of W.

My scanner is 22.5W according to the label on the back. No individual item will be very high, but they do add up.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!

[kerravonsen]

Thank you.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yay! I hope all the work you have to do an them both goes well.

[kerravonsen]

Thanks. Me too. Half of me is nervous that the New Computer will turn out to be a lemon. (sigh)

[jthijsen.livejournal.com]

At last! I feel setting up a new computer just the way you like it is lots of fun, so I wish you many hours of enjoyment.