Jay Gaulard Blog

Power Surge Blocks Access To Server?

Friday, May 23rd, 2008

Last night around 8PM, I heard the surge protectors/battery backups that we have for the computers beep. It’s the first time I heard that since we have been here. I am pretty used to it because they are rather sensitive. Any power fluctuation causes them to beep. It is comforting.

I didn’t think anything of it. Then, a little while later, I tried to access some websites that I have on one of my servers. I couldn’t get on. I tried again a little while later and still couldn’t get on. I asked Laura if she was able to get to the sites and she said no. She told me that she was working on one of them when she couldn’t get to it anymore. I figured the hosting company’s monitoring “red light” would’ve gone off by now and the server would be brought back on line by them. Nothing. I decided to submit a support ticket.

The hosting company responded to the support ticket informing me that they could access the server and all the sites just fine. I then called my sister down in Chapel Hill, NC to see if she could log on to the sites. She could access them just fine too. The strange thing is that I was able to see all the websites on my other server like nothing was wrong.

I responded to the hosting company ticket and let them know that I could not access the servers from only my location, but it seems like the rest of the world was looking at the sites without issue. I felt so left out. They asked me for my IP address so they could check the firewall. That was fine. Then, they asked me to do a traceroute to the server. I did that and the connection timed out at the server. Then, they did a traceroute from the server back to me, and the connection was timing out at my location.

This was all getting kind of odd. They asked that I power cycle the modem. I did and the problem was solved. I was able to access the server again.

What I find puzzling is that I was only blocked from one server in the world…mine. How did this happen. After thinking for a while, I remember right at the moment of the power hiccup, the issue began. Could being on a website at the time of a power surge (or failure) make your modem block you from the website (server) you were looking at?

A New Computer - What Should I Get?

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

This one is for those people out there who know about computers. When people are searching for a new computer, they usually ask me what to get. I say something like, “I design websites, what the heck do I know about computers?” That usually gets some mean look and the person walks away. I haven’t been known for my bright attitude at times.

Well, I usually do ok, but I am getting a little tired of buying computers. I want my next one to last. I bought the one I am working on about 6 months ago. I am going to keep this one for something, but I need a monster. Here is the issue…I work with tons of files. One of my sites has 59,000 image files that I need to copy/paste, delete, move, whatever. That’s just one example. I also have very large files that I need to open/close, etc… My problem isn’t the need for processor power to run huge applications or for gaming, I just need something for big, and lots of files. Uploads and downloads are my middle names. I have been working on getting the fastest servers available and now my bottleneck has become my PC.

Here is what I am thinking:

- Dell Precision T7400 Workstation
- Quad Core Intel® Xeon® Processor E5405 (2.00GHz,2X6M L2,1333) (Do I need a 2nd processor?)
- Genuine Windows Vista® Business, with Media (I’m willing to move on from XP. Plus, Vista actually puts the computer in sleep mode, like I never got XP to do. Big power savings.)
- 3 Year ProSupport for End Users and 3 Year NBD On-site Service (This is important because I want someone in this house if the computer breaks.)
- 256MB PCIe x16 nVidia NVS 290, Dual Monitor DVI Capable ( I know absolutely nothing about video cards.)
- 4GB, DDR2 SDRAM FBD Memory, 667MHz, ECC (4 DIMMS) (I want more.)
- C23 All SAS drives, RAID 5, 3 drive total configuration ( I also know nothing about RAID. I basically want the speed of SAS drives, the speed of two drives working together and the redundancy of a third drive. I don’t know the difference between RAID 0 and RAID 5.)
- Three 146GB SAS Hard Drives, 1 inch (15,000 rpm) (How much faster are SAS drives than SATA drives?)
- PERC6/i SAS/SATA Hardware RAID Card - For Connecting Internal Hard Drives
- Dell 1505 Wireless-N PCIe Card

So there you have it. I already have a monitor, so that’s cool. I think I can save a few bucks by switching out the SAS drives for SATA drives. It depends on what I find out about them. I want more RAM, but didn’t see the option for more. I am wondering about another processor and the video card.

Well, any advice? Am I missing anything?

New Samsung 2693HM 25.5″ Widescreen LCD Monitor

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

Seriously, this is as big as I am going to get. I have been using my 22″ monitor for the past few months, but we need that for the other office. I can’t work on two computers, one having a large monitor and one having only a 19″. I tend to get used to the large one.

I bought this Samsung 2693HM 25.5″ Widescreen LCD Monitor (2693HM) the other day and Circuit City delivered it to me today. I thought I would be ready for it. I have to say, it’s kind of big and bright. It’s going to take some getting used to.

I am sure I will, I did with the other one.

What I am going to do with the 22″? Well, as I mentioned above, I am putting that one in the other room. Then, I am going to take the 19″ and use it here, for the computer I am using right now. Then, when I get my new computer (just wait for that one), I will hook this big monitor up to it.

No more messing around.

Seagate 250GB FreeAgent Desktop Drive

Thursday, December 13th, 2007

I run Windows Vista. I have a C: drive that can hold 290GB. I also have a D: drive that can hold 7.68GB. This D: drive is also known as the “Recovery” drive. Windows Vista has a fancy feature where you can set up a backup schedule to back up all your files and stuff from the C: drive to the D: drive. I think this is really nice.

There is only one problem. After I set up the backup schedule with all the recommended settings, I ran the backup. About half way through, I received a message informing my that the D: drive was full. Hmmm…that’s really interesting. Am I doing something wrong?

The reason this puzzles me is that this computer is only a few months old. Why in the world would Circuit City sell a computer with a large hard drive and a tiny backup drive? At this very moment, I remain puzzled. There has got to be something I am missing.

Oh well. I went on CircuitCity.com today and browsed through the external hard drives. I came across the “Seagate 250GB FreeAgent Desktop Drive” and thought it was a great deal. I could plug this external drive into my computer and have it run as the backup drive, once a week or so. I can even put it on the scheduler. That’s pretty cool. With the 250GB capacity, things should be good.

Here are my concerns…I am still wondering if I was doing something wrong with the current backup drive. Also, I am hoping I don’t run into any snags with this new drive, such as, “Oh, this drive won’t hold those types of files” or something like that. The drive is only $79 and change, so it’s worth the gamble, I guess. I plan on using the external drive for a full system backup and restore (if need be).

Blogging, Careers, Online Storage and Mobile

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

There’s No Money In The Long Tail of the Blogosphere

In a recent post here, we examined the reasons that people feel compelled to blog. From the post and the comments it received, it became clear that quite a few people are blogging to make money. The reality is that it is difficult to make money in the long tail. In this post we examine why that is and look at other aspects of long tail economics.

10 Hot Computer Driven Careers

While traditional IT careers will probably stay in-demand for the foreseeable future, don’t forget the alternatives. From climate modeling to revolutionizing the very fabric of life itself, there are plenty of enjoyable computer jobs to keep the computer professional creatively engaged.

Google preps online storage service

Offering would compete with recent products from rivals Microsoft, Amazon.com and Facebook.

The Mobile Web remains far off, and inevitable

“Within 10 years more people will be accessing the Internet from their mobile . . . than in the home from a PC,” said Geraldine Wilson, vice president of connected life at Yahoo! Europe. “In emerging markets most people’s first contact with the Internet will be with a mobile phone.”

Google hopes to undercut coal with cheap, renewable energy

Google’s latest plan to put all that money to good use is to announce an initiative that will develop renewable energy that’s cheaper than coal.

Hydrogen Cars, Broadband, Recycling and AMD

Monday, November 19th, 2007

Blogger takes Honda’s $10m hydrogen fuel cell FCX Clarity for a test drive

What would you do if Honda handed you the keys to a $10 million car that emits only water vapor? Everything legal, that’s what. Read AutoblogGreen’s first in-depth review of a car some lucky people will be able to lease next summer. When will the rest of us get to drive a hydrogen car?

Broadband speeds days numbered?

Enjoy your speedy broadband Web access while you can. The Web will start to slow down as early as 2010, as use of interactive and video-intensive services overwhelms local cable, phone and wireless Internet providers

Think Recycling Computers Is A Good Thing? Think Again

Most people think they’re helping the earth when they recycle their old computers, televisions and cell phones. But chances are they’re contributing to a global trade in electronic trash that endangers workers and pollutes the environment overseas

Is AMD Doomed?

Can a $622M dollar cash infusion plus reasonably profitable GPUs give AMD enough breathing room to prove its gamble on true quad core was a good one? The jury is still out, but the portents are not very encouraging. The tech world really needs a scrappy, nimble CPU company like AMD, just like it needs a scrappy, cool computer company like Apple.

Why Car Salesmen Think its Okay to Screw you, And what you can do about it!

This is a good article on common arguments a car salesman may throw at you during the buying process. Very informative, kind of funny, but SO true!

Brother Printer Update

Monday, September 17th, 2007

Well I hooked up the new Brother printer. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical, because I have never actually used that brand. I was very used to HP printers.

I think every printer I ever had has been an HP, except for that one Epson printer I bought back in the day. I remember I bought it over in Danbury, CT. I was so excited. I brought it home and hooked it up to my laptop. I printed the first page and looked at the outcome. All the print looked “spattered.” I printed a few more sheets…same thing. I thought there was something wrong with the printer, so I brought it back to the store. I handed it to the guy behind the counter and told him what happened. He said, “Did you use the special Epson paper?” I said, “What?” He continued that the Epson printers need special Epson paper so the ink doesn’t spatter. I almost started laughing. I told him that I have been using regular copy paper with every printer I have ever used and the print had been just fine. Now I was supposed to start buying special paper just to use an Epson? Pleeeeeease. I just bought an HP instead and the regular copy paper worked fine. Life was good.

Anyway, this new Brother printer seems to be doing the job nicely. It’s not too big on the desk and it seems like it can live up to the “Workhorse” nickname it has. The print is very clear. It should be fine for my two pieces of paper I need printed per year…yeah, just fine.

Hey, if there’s a problem, I’ll let you know.

Brother HL-5240 Laser Printer

Monday, September 17th, 2007

So I returned the HP laser printer. I was getting a black line down the right side of the paper every time I printed a graphic. I didn’t need the hassle. I even uninstalled the driver and reinstalled the new one from the HP website. Nothing worked.

Really, I am getting too old to diagnose a brand new printer that is supposed to work when plugged in. I paid for the plug and play technology when I bought a brand new laptop and desktop and, pardon me, I expect it to work. It’s HP’s job to have updated drivers for printers they claim to work with Windows Vista.

I returned the printer to Staples today with no problem. I went over to the shelf and grabbed a bigger Brother HL-5240 Laser Printer. All I really wanted was a small home office laser printer, but walked away with something described as a “work horse.”

I am going to hook this one up tonight and see what happens. I looked on the Brother website and saw printer drivers for Windows Vista. I will let you know what happens.

HP Laserjet 1018 - Vertical Black Lines - Windows Vista

Sunday, September 16th, 2007

I was showing off last night while trying to print out some nice letterhead that I made. I printed the envelope with no problem, but when I printed out the full 8 1/2″x11″ piece of paper, I got this annoying vertical black line on the right side of the paper.

It seems to be a clear, solid black line, not some fuzzy thing that is caused by physical damage to the toner cartridge. I searched Google for, “laserjet 1018 problem black lines” and came across this good thread about “HP LASERJET 1020 MICROSOFT 64 bit and 32 bit DRIVERS.”

Some other people seem to be having the same problem. I can print from Microsoft Word just fine, but when I add an image, such as a .jpg or a .gif, that’s when I get the line.

People on the thread solved this issue by installing the beta driver. I may do this, but I am hesitant, since the driver is a bit bulky at around 58MB.

Anyone else having the same issue?

Now This is Living

Saturday, August 11th, 2007

Ooh aah…Not only did I drink my coffee on the porch this morning, I had the opportunity to set up my laptop and drink a beer at the table this evening. I have to tell you, it’s very nice.

There is nothing like surfing the web with a wireless connection on the porch while drinking everyone’s favorite Double Bock. I am actually writing this post out here right now. all I hear is crickets. Laura and I just finished dinner and are pretty pleased with the whole thing. I am not sure if she is more pleased with the fact that I made dinner or if I made her eat out here with me.

Well, here is a picture I took for you…

The oil lamp on the table is the one Laura just got from her grandfather’s house. The two candles are the “Off” candles that I bought for the Tanglewood concert. I was a little forced to start up the laptop tonight because I haven’t ran it in a while and I was feeling a little guilty. I miss it. This will also give me the chance to renew the Norton System Works that it came with. Also, there are a bunch of updates that it needs. Hey, maybe this will be a nightly thing for me. All we need now is the futon, so I can sleep out here.

PS - The picture is a little blurry because it is an almost-night shot. I had my camera on the night setting, which acts really weird.