rblog

While Molly has been heroically handling the redecorating, I have been trying to deal with the computer that died during an unusual power outage in Alameda. The computer that died was our server - hosting our photo web site, other misc. websites, this blog, and our Drill Seargant application (Math Flash Cards). After the power outage, I discovered that the machine would not start; push the power button - nothing. Boy, I was feeling good about having recently created a backup system (I had intended to blog my backup story - the short version is that I bought a networked disk drive, connected it to my router, did some strange tricks with Windows NT scheduler and created a two week rotating backup system with weekly full backups and daily incremental backups). I was missing the most recent week's full backup, but I had the full backup from the week before. So, if I could get the machine working again I could even survive the loss of the disk drive.

I brought the machine into work and my IT guy (Derek) tested the power supply - which was indeed dead. Researched power supplies and learned that the quality of a power supply is directly proportional to its weight (http://www.directron.com/psu.html). Was able to purchase a 250W Antac for $30. The last time I was looking a a new power supply it was for an iMac and they were prohibitively expensive ($200), was nice to see the PC price being much less. So, project #1 began - the resuscitation of the old computer.

In parallel, I began to think about a replacement computer. I could get a good Dell for about $600 and it would be a nice upgrade and it would generate a flat panel LCD monitor for Molly, but $600 is not a great deal (it is a good deal, but not great). Then I remembered I had a spare computer that would be just fine. So, I booted the computer and I quickly realized why it was a spare. It was running Linux. Sure, I could have wiped the hard drive and reinstalled Windows, but what fun would that be. Why not recreate all my applications on the Linux machine? So, project #2 began - the conversion to Linux.

Project #1: The power supply arrived two days later and it worked fine - the machine powered up and started to boot. But, it didn't get very far. Repeated attempts led to failures at different points - once getting as far as the login screen. All cards removed, except for the video card, which was displaying just fine. No difference. Swapped RAM. No difference. Swapped in a new hard drive and tried to install Windows onto that hard drive - but the install wouldn't complete. Scratched head in earnest and went home to work on Project #2.

Project #2: Apache2 is part of Linux - hooray! (I was running SuSE 9.0) I restored my backup to one of the Windows machines and copied the files to a USB drive. I inserted the USB drive into the Linux machine - and eventually found a way to access the drive (I used the KDiskFree program, which showed all the disk drives - including the thumb drive.) For any Linux advocates, thumb drives work much better on Windows :). After some battles with permissions and lots of file copying, I had our photo site up and running. In retrospect, I think I should have just done everything as root, but I don't really know. Project #2 lurches into the lead.

Project #1: Back at work the next day, I bring in a new hard drive and start to install Windows on that hard drive using the system. But it won't ever finish - it always dies with a BSOD or just goes into an infinite power cycle loop. But I am able to install the original drive in another machine - and the drive seems just fine. So the problem appears to be on the motherboard (which means the end of the machine).

Project #2: Since Project #1 is in such bad shape, I move to the next part of Project #2, installing DrillSgt. Then I realize that this application requires both the mySQL database and the JBoss application server - but again there was good news - they were both already installed - but it was JBoss 3.2.3 and I had been using JBoss 3.0.x (yes, yes, it was very old). Try as I might, I cannot get my application to work on JBoss. The situation is looking a little bleak - but wait, I can download the JBoss 3.0.x version and try my application on that. A little configuration work and things are working! But the MovableType install looms - and that is challenging under the best of circumstances.

Project #1: Since the hard drive is OK, I decide to try and boot the machine again using the hard drive. Of course it fails, but it seems to fail with some consistency with a STOP ERROR 50. Research on that indicates that it is a pretty generic error, but often related to memory. I again swap out the memory - no difference. Then I remember there is also memory on the video card. I had assumed the video card was good, since I was getting video - but perhaps some of the VRAM is bad. I swap out the video card (for an ancient model we have lying around) - and I can boot! Project #1 jumps into the lead. All I have to do is put back all the cards (somewhere along the way we found that the network card was also bad). Project #1 takes the lead. I take advantage of this opportunity to export the blog entries from MovableType.

Project #2: Begin the MovableType install - after challenging permissions problem and surprising differences between the Linux and Windows versions, I find a site with great instructions (of course, there is always the classic install information at WombatNation). And I can import the blog entries and my site is set up! Except that formatting doesn't work. I even install Samba to access files from the Windows network - but how on earth to do backups to the network drive? Projects are about neck and neck - which kinda figures.

Project #1: Just packing up all the pieces and doing final sanity tests. When things start to get a little flakey again. Strange errors occur (Computer -> Management won't come up some times, pressing the Start button just refreshes the screen, and Windows Update won't work). Project #1 is starting to head south. Let's give it a day.

Project #2: Figure out the template problem and even install StyleCatcher to change the styles (of course, I run into permissions problems, so it isn't working yet). But the system is basically working. All systems are up and running.

Project #1: The computer isn't any better after a night of rest. Project #1 is officially cancelled and our old server is scavenged for parts.

The moral of the story is that Linux and Windows both have their issues, but backups are always a good thing.