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Comment: Re:It doesn't appear in Disk Cleanup (Score 1) 207

by BigDish (#37908498) Attached to: ASUS Running Out of Hard Disks

It's not that simple. There are multiple code branches of Windows (LDR vs GDR) and the old files can be needed for future servicing. Assuming the OP is talking about the WinSxS folder, the OP basically just irreparably broke servicing (adding/removing features and hotfixes/service packs) on this Windows install.

DO NOT DO THIS.

Comment: Ceton/ATX Networks - exactly what you want (Score 1) 539

by BigDish (#32829796) Attached to: Sidestepping A-to-D Convertors For Town Government's Cable TV?

http://www.atxnetworks.com/bulk-qam-to-qam-gige-analog

Does exactly what you want - it can bulk-decrypt cable channels and output them as CleaQAM. Unfortunately, if you only have 32 TVs, you likely can't afford it.

To be quite frank, Comcast doesn't care about you. 32 sets is a small setup. Something like that, or using modulators is how the big boys do it, but you're talking $10,000+ (if not $100,000+) depending on your requiements.

Comment: You need to ask "should I?" and not "how can I?" (Score 5, Informative) 618

by BigDish (#31809916) Attached to: What Advice For a Single Parent As Server Admin?

Where to start: Scrap all your ideas and start over.
Yes, everything you asked for can be done. The reality is though is that, with the amount of complexity you are asking for, you will be a full time sysadmin for them - you might as well quit your day job now.

Your setup is simply too complex for a non-techie (and to be honest, as a techie, I don't want to have to admin something that complex at home). You need to stop asking "can I" and ask "should I?"

Windows PCs joined to active directory can let you manage them, set logon hours, etc.

Why do you care to know if the PCs are sleeping/on/off/whatever?

A router running DD-WRT will let you deny internet access based on hours and/or PCs in a simple manner. To be perfectly honest, I hate the concept of internet filtering (by parents or otherwise) as I believe it is another step toward turning people into drones, rather than teaching them to think for themselves, so I'm not even going to offer any suggestions on that subject.

I agree with the other posters, the system you have suggested will end as follows:
1. The kids will learn how to hack around it. This can be a good thing or bad thing, depending on your point of view
2. The system is so complex it will never work and the parent will never use it as they have no clue
3. You will grow to hate it as it will take too much of your time.

Comment: Re:Something is wrong with Win7 power management (Score 0) 349

by BigDish (#29824905) Attached to: Windows 7 On Multicore — How Much Faster?

Keeping in mind that you have provided almost no information in your post, this is most likely either a BIOS bug or a configuration issue on Linux - I'm leaning toward both actually. Once the OS takes over power/thermal management from the BIOS, the BIOS basically stays out of the way - so Windows is getting control over your fan and managing it.
Upon soft rebooting, I would expect the BIOS to step back in, but it sounds like this isn't happening - here is the BIOS bug. Now, you likely do not have Linux configured correctly to do thermal management, so if you only boot in Linux, the BIOS is still handling it, but if you have loaded Windows first (and your buggy BIOS has not reset it) nothing is handling it.

Comment: Re:OBD - On-Board Diagnostics (Score 1) 478

by BigDish (#29433727) Attached to: "Right To Repair" Bill Advances In Massachusetts

OBDII has a very limited code set - primarily related to emissions. When my car got "Airbag error 15" OBD2 did not help, nor was it publically documented what error 15 was, as this is not an emissions-related issue.

The tools are there and cheap for certain problems, and expensive (thousands of dollars) for the complete suite.

Comment: Re:Um, I'm doubtful (Score 2, Interesting) 362

by BigDish (#29222739) Attached to: US Call-Center Jobs — That Pay $100K a Year

Depends on the call center. I work in what is effectively a call center for a large software company at the escallation site (in the US). Me and my peers love our job, Salaries get into the six-figures after you've been here for 2-3 years (not that they start low, mind you), customers don't scream at us, and we aren't taking calls as fast as we can. I have a friend that works escallations for a large PC company and it's a similar experience for him,

I completely understand that my experience is not a typical call center, but not all call centers suck.

Comment: Re:Onboard UPS not new (Score 3, Informative) 386

by BigDish (#27432999) Attached to: Google Reveals "Secret" Server Designs

Agreed, the onboard UPS is not new. I have a ~10 year old (I believe the CPU is a K6-233) device meant as a SOHO file/print/webserver from IBM that has a built-in gel-cell battery for UPS power just like this server does. Google is 5+ years too late.

Anyone want my prior art to invalidate the patent?

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