USB Hard Drives for Backup

I currently use a USB Maxtor “One Touch” as a system backup device. Given my current server configuration the Maxtor Drive only contains the single .VDI file representing the VirtualBox server environment. While it is important to keep this file backed up, it is even more important to minimize the use of the backup drive. Optimally you should only plugin your backup drive only right before you are about to perform a backup. Immediately after the backup is complete you should unplug the hard drive. Doing so will effectively maximize the life span, and integrity of your drive and associated backup files.

To compensate you can backup your databases in between USB hard drive backups (this assumes that you are using a blog software as a database backend). This will obviously not backup your files, but in the case data loss, having the databases is substantially better than having nothing at all. The database backend typically stored all the text, and configurations that you input into your blog (ie. Wordpress, Typosphere). The server files can be downloaded, and installed again; then the databases simply re-uploaded, but without the databases the files are useless.

ALWAYS BACKUP!

Windows XP Users Important Don’t Delete

In the WIndows XP users managment settings there is an option to delete a user, and save all user files and folders to the Desktop. Obviously this would be done if your logged into a new user, and you wan’t to consolidate the users on the system. Do not use the Windows autosave feature as it most likely will not save the files you want; you should manually backup your files to an external hard drive prior to deleting a user. This is extremely important, and without proper backup your files may be lost.

To repeat, the Windows XP auto save feature, part of the user delete option, is not effective and should not be used on a user account unless you are 200% sure the files are backed up.

Caution: The following contains scolding vent heat

Today I performed this operating and when I went to look in the folder on the desktop, with the backed up files, there was no dam files. Windows XP simply does not work as expected. I think its reasonable that when a person clicks “save files” that the dam OS should save all the users files; apparently Microsoft Windows doesn’t do this. The dialog box specifically says it will save all files on the desktop, and the my documents folder, to a new folder on the desktop. Nope, this simply is not the case.

On a Linux system all user files are stored in a single folde (/home). Holy shit the frusteration today dealing with the retardedly designed Microsoft Windows XP. Frankly I would rather be working on Linux but it seems that the general public is a bunch of potatoes that can only use what is spoon fed to them; baby want a bottle of Windows juice. Well, maybe one day people will grow up and want to use utensils, and then they will reach for the Linux spoon.

The latter metaphore simply means that Windows is the easy choice. Its what can be paid for and people with money never bother to learn something for themselves, they always pay for someone else to do the work for them.

As you can most likely asssume by now I deleted someones user account today, thinking that it would actually backup the user files, but no files were saved. I blame Windows 1’st, and myself 2′nd. I should have assumed Microsoft Windows is retarded, and backed up the files manually to a USB hard drive. I should have been better prepared. Most likely the files can be recovered because they were only deleted. Everyone knows that when a file is deleted its only flagged for overwrite. Because of this files that are deleted can still be read off the hard drive, and hence recovered rather easily.

Ubuntu Restricted Extras - DVD, Avi, Mpg, Mp3, etc…

In the Ubuntu repositories is the extras packages that conveniently contains all that is required to play common media formats. A simple apt-get command and your DVD player is ready to go

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

or:

sudo apt-get install kubuntu-restricted-extras

Evolution on Kubuntu

I have used Gnome for such a long time that all my emails are stored in the .evolution configuration folder. With a default Kubuntu installation Evolution is obviously not installed because it is a Gnome application. This is not a problem, as you can do a single apt-get command to install Evolution and all associated Gnome dependencies. The Ubuntu repositories are set up extremely well, and most of the time all dependencies will resolve perfectly.

sudo apt-get install evolution

Users Managment in Kubuntu and KDE

In gnome you would go to your administration tab, and the users manager; but in KDE is a little different. First go to your KDE button, then system settings. Then click users management. Then click the button at the bottom right corner that says administrator mode. Then to add a user to a group click the groups tab. Select the group that you want to add a user to, and click modify. You will be able to add users to the group now.

Overall the process of graphical User Management is a little different on KDE as compared to Gnome. A user comfortable with Gnome will definitely be thrown off at first.

Halo 3 XBOX 360 - Most Satisfying Kill

In Halo on team slayer, and social slayer my most favorite weapon is the sticky bomb. A kill from the grave is great, but even better is a long distance sticky toss that successfully latches itself onto an unsuspecting victim. Stick, then boom. You know that feeling when you’ve been stuck, and you hear the audio pitch increase as the bomb prepares for explosion; its a cool weapon even when your the victim. Cheers to the sticky bomb, and its popularity as a weapon of sticky proportions.

RAM Upgrade for Desktop and Server Performance

RAM is the most crucial component necessary for graphical desktop and server function. On a desktop system that does not have enough RAM, you will not enjoy the system performance resulting from advanced graphical features such as Beryl or Compiz. The same holds true for a Windows XP system being upgraded to Vista; the advanced Windows graphical features really need a system with at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM. Just having enough RAM is not good, and in practice there should be at least 500 Megabytes of RAM left over after your computer has booted completely. This 500 Megabytes will be required for your web browsing, desktop folders, file copying, and all other internet based data transfers.

Internet based data transfers can consume a fair amount of RAM. As connections to the server increase, the load on the RAM will proportionally. I have recently upgraded my 1 Gigabyte system to 2 Gigabytes; before the system would operate at approximately 80% RAM capacity, and 20% page capacity. After the upgrade the system operates smoothly at 40%, and I have allocated 1 Gigabyte of RAM to my virtual server. Overall I recommend at minimum 2 Gigabytes of RAM for any web server that gets even a modicum of traffic; it is essential for stability, and uptime to minimize page file use.