1237c98e64a4
tech



Hello Wayne - 

CA>> Based on what I've read USB v1.1 is very slow when using
CA>> an external hard drive or CD burner. USB v2.0 is some
CA>> multiples faster but I've only witnessed it used with an
CA>> external CD burner. That is so very fast it's almost hard
CA>> to believe. HP has the v1.1 USB from the factory. 

WC> Great, looks like another machine is in order :-( 

I guess you can put in a USB v2.0 card as you could add serial
ports to older machines but why bother? USB v1.1 will operate
scanners, flashcard readers, and most printers. The only need
for USB v2.0 seems external drives from what I've seen so far. 

--8<--cut 

WC> Thanks, snagged it today anyway but I'll do a file compare
WC> to assure it's the real deal. 

Keep in mind it's shareware ($35). 

--8<--cut 

CA>> Didn't someone or several people mention that monitors
CA>> sitting in storage unused will wind up with bad capacitors
CA>> or something to that effect? 

WC> Yup, me. TV's too, electrolytic capacitors depolarize and
WC> moisture gets into high voltage parts like the flyback.
WC> Flip em on once a month for 20 minures or so. I've got two
WC> SVGA's that are in need of repair but it's not priority as
WC> it's not an easy job in many cases. One might be an easy
WC> job from symptoms. 

I've probably got a few dead monitors in storage then. :-\ 

--8<--cut 

CA>> Here in the 'TECH' echo, if we all wanted to get serious
CA>> about this hobby we would have to admit we are all using
CA>> the most inferior hardware platform available. Intel is
CA>> cr*p and we all know that (I think?). At times I feel
CA>> sorry for Microsoft having to write software for the worst
CA>> possible hardware money can buy. 

WC> I'm moving to AMD and may have to get motherboards from
WC> Taiwan. 

I was referring to Intel and clones. The platform itself is
cr*p. 

WC> Between the Intel CPU ID numbers and a proposed chip in
WC> U.S. PC's that reports downloaded software, supposedly to
WC> prevent piracy but who knows what the powers that be and
WC> hackers may do with this :-( 

I've never worried about any of that. I keep backups, always
have, and just don't stress myself about the clowns who panic
at every new virus or worm out there . Life is much the same.
You can imagine boogeymen in every shadow or just wait for one
to appear then deal with it. ;-)

WC>> I want to finish the 486 box and get it to where I can
WC>> access it easily so I can play more with Linux. 

CA>> With the return of Maurice Kinal to the Linux echo you
CA>> have a good shot at 'playing with Linux'. Maurice is one
CA>> who hasn't been condescending to those who want to get an
CA>> older (smaller) version of Linux up and useable. Maurice
CA>> is also quite knowledgeable with hands-on experience the
CA>> others pretend to have when all they've done is install
CA>> 'distros' and have no actual personal experience with
CA>> smaller installs. 

WC> I'd be thrilled to get around the damned Verizon SMTP
WC> authorization to send error message and failure, otherwise
WC> I've got a handle on it. 

Ask in the Linux echo. Other Linux users may have some
experience with SMTP authentication themselves. I vaguely
recall mention of some new SMTP thing or other but no details
at all. 

WC> Well I DO wish I could recall the file that sets
WC> environmental variables. 

Why do you need to set an environment variable? 

WC>> Snag an old small, say 6 - 8 Gig hard drive perhaps
WC>> complete with an old box from an upgrade shop and dual
WC>> boot Win 3.1 - Linux? A Pentium 200 0r 200 MMX would be
WC>> nice as I have a box that'll run that with a non-smoked
WC>> CPU as backup. 

CA>> 200mhz is where things begin to get interesting and
CA>> response is much snappier. It's a good place to start. My
CA>> 66mhz Linux is good as text-only and intolerable when
CA>> trying to use any type of Linux GUI. It's OK for W31 use
CA>> though. :-) 

WC> I origiginaly loaded 98 on the 200 MHz NEC and it wasn't
WC> too slow. 

Nope. W98 seems quite happy at 200mhz IMHO. 

WC>> I would like add a second physical drive to the H.P. but
WC>> that wimpy power supply that comes with the box scares me
WC>> for permanently adding a second physical drive :-( 

CA>> I don't think the newer IDE drives suck as much wattage as
CA>> the older MFM, RLL, ESDI drives did. Two drives seems
CA>> doable on most machines with power supply failures being
CA>> no more frequent that before with one MFM drive. :-) 

WC> Scared here, IIRC the 84 watt power supply is the _upgrade_
WC> for the PS that comes with the H.P. box. I'll slap in a
WC> dual ribbon cable and clone a drive but leaving a second
WC> physical in scares me. 

Geez, 84 watts IS small. I can see why you aren't comfortable
with that. 

WC> I burned a 486 150 watt PS when I added a CD-ROM and second
WC> drive, that's why I now have a 300 watt AT supply 

Well when dealing with older hardware we have to resist jumping
at the obvious. Could be the PS was borderline and you just
barely nudged it over the line? 150 watts were typical for many
years from what I've seen. 

WC>>> When Charles Angelich mentioned the cable though it had
WC>>> already been on my mind as a no-cost next place to go I
WC>>> had little confidence in my idea until Charles also
WC>>> mentioned it spurring me to swap the cable out. 

RJT>>> Sometimes it works that way. 

CA>> See? LOL 

WC> Yeah, I'd thought of it but hadn't moved on it, 

No need to do anything I was just sharing a private giggle. I
think it's sorta funny. 

WC> thanks again as everything is smooth here on this machine
WC> now. 

You're more than welcome. 

--8<--cut 

WC>>> Neither drivers.com nor H.P. support has a software
WC>>> solution to bring the modem into V.92 compliance from
WC>>> it's current KFLEX V. 90 standard. All the reports I see
WC>>> are work arounds that limit the modem to 33600 with a
WC>>> firmware upgrade required to bring it into compliance :-(
WC>>> I've found an acceptable external hardware data -fax for
WC>>> 50 bucks but I'd like voice as well. 

CA>> You haven't mentioned what you want 'voice' for? Using a
CA>> computer as an answering machine seems overkill and eats
CA>> hard drive space rapidly IMO. 

WC> NET2PHONE, talk to Austrailia all day for a buck or so :-)
WC> Not essentiqal but desirable. NET2PHONE may even work on a
WC> data modem - sound card, never looked at it. Hey I like
WC> Supervoice software and the H.P. with monitor on power save
WC> and H.D. spun down can't be drawing much. Need to look in
WC> thrift shops for an amprobe. 

AFAIK newer versions of AIM can do voice over the Internet. My
kids don't want to try it. I've asked them to so that I could
hear how good it is but they tell me I would need broadband for
it to work. :-\ 

Maybe that would be a good project for me some day when I feel
perky. A program to compress voice in realtime and transmit it
to a 'player'. Sounds easy enough to do. 

--8<--cut 

CA>> I've never found any of the 'special' voice or other
CA>> software that is normally given with the purchase of a
CA>> modem available anywhere for downloading and I've checked. 

WC> Supervoice is payware, www.supervoice.com IIRC and I
WC> downloaded the SupraMax complete voice - fax and data
WC> package software from Diamond Multimedia, for free. 

Went to the above website and "more info", "buy now", and their
"comment" form page all lead to "page not found". I emailed
them and told them their website is messed up. ;-) 

--8<--cut 

CA>> If you have W31 on one machine and W9x or newer on the
CA>> other machine you can use a laplink null parallel cable
CA>> with "Total Commander" to transfer files quite rapidly via
CA>> FTP between the machines. It's what I use here on my
CA>> machines. :-) 

WC> I need to snag that cable. I've got both the other cables
WC> but not a 9 pin - 9 pin serial cable. 

The null serial isn't needed if you have laplink cables. Even
DOS can use laplink cables. :-) 

WC> Amazing how many 16 bit apps from 3.1 I've copied to a
WC> directory in this machine operate fine with Win 98. Bet 16
WC> bit WS-FTP will work as well. 

Yes seems most will work but I'd not use 16 bit WS-FTP. It
doesn't understand long filenames and that can be troublesome
when accessing servers that do and use LFNs. 

WC> I've got shortcuts to many of my 16 bit apps and they work
WC> fine. I especially like my brunette slide show screen saver
WC> and am happy I'd loaded the ATA MACH video driver on it
WC> before moving it to the 486 and copying the contents to the
WC> H.P. with the essentially defunct Colorado tape drive
WC> clone. Connects to LPT1 and I've found two tapes that can
WC> be persuaded to restore but it requires persistence as it
WC> claims the tape unusable the first few go rounds. 

Most people I've discussed tape drives with seem to feel it is
the drive failing and not the tapes. I'm inclined to agree with
that assessment. 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

___ * ATP/16bit 2.31 * 
... DOS the Ghost in the Machine! http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/

--- Maximus/2 3.01