I'm quite unhappy with the state of Online Shopping for Servers.
On the 28th of last month I placed an order from Dell, Dell did not ship my order with the three day shipping I paid for, Infact they never shipped my order at all because of a 'Miss-Configuration' Somehow their online tool set the server up with a DC power supply, That wasnt even an option on the page!
So instead of calling me or emailing me they just sat on the damn order.
Fast forward 10 days, Where the fuck is the server?
We look online, Order is gone.
We Call Dell, They cant find the order, Claim it was never ordered.
Finally we got them to process the order or so we thought but once again the server got held up for a 'Miss-Configuration' This time it was because we had 3 disks in the server one 40 gig disk and two 80 gig disks and we specified we anted Raid 1. Most people would put the two matched disks in a raid 1 configuration, but noo not dell.
At this point we either had the option of starting over or going with another vendor, I chose to change vendors and went to CDW's site to spec out a IBM.
I found a nice IBM for about the same price as the Dell which fit our needs, Using their options page I ordered it with a Extra processor, 4 Gigs of extra ram, One 40 gig disk, Two 120 Gig disks, A RAID 1 controller for the disks and a 3 year warranty.
Monday I got a call from CDW saying that they were out of the RAM I ordered so they upgraded me to 2Gig dimms from 1 Gig dimms.
That was fine, It wasnt supposed to impact the shipping process at all.
Today I got another call from CDW, They said that the Disks I ordered were IDE and the Server was SCSI, Asking about the RAID controller I ordered it was IDE but they said it would not be compatible with the server as the server had SCSI Raid.
Also it turns out their ordering system allowed me to order 3 disks for the server when it only had 2 Drive bays.
So today we ended up switching to a HP from CDW with two 140 Gig Ultra 320 SCSI disks, a Built in RAID 1 controller and 5 Gigs of ram (It came with 1 Gig and we added our 4 from above to the order)
I hope we get the server by Friday, I need to have it received by then for Billing reasons.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Monday, June 21, 2004
Photography
This article http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2004/06/22/dark_room/ makes me want to learn photography now, I've never done much with a camera, I have three or four cheap Digital cameras that produce poor quality pictures if they produce at all, Film sounds damn cool right now.
Scout Update
Well the fuel pump worked for as long as I could run the scout when we tested it.
Unfortunately now the starter has failed.
There is a loud CLUNK when the key is turned which indicates the Bendix is being moved into position but there does not appear to be any power being applied to the starter itself.
Tucson Alternator has 6 Starters that are compatible with my Scout so I'll be getting one from them and installing it this weekend.
Unfortunately now the starter has failed.
There is a loud CLUNK when the key is turned which indicates the Bendix is being moved into position but there does not appear to be any power being applied to the starter itself.
Tucson Alternator has 6 Starters that are compatible with my Scout so I'll be getting one from them and installing it this weekend.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Repairing the Scout
It's been a while since I posted about the problem with the Escort I had been driving.
Unfortunately it still will not start, despite a new timing belt, new plugs, new TFI module, new plug wires, new rotor, new distributor cap, new coil and new waterpump (had to remove it to change the timing belt and it looked warn).
We have given up on the Escort for now as it's cost us a lot of money in parts and we have had no luck in restoring it to operational status so we have gone back to working on the Scout.
Today we ordered a new fuel pump to replace the one that is currently spraying gas everywhere and leaking fuel into my Oil, Checkers had it for about $60 which is about half the price it was when the Scout broke and we decided to hold off on repairing it due to the cost of the part needed when we had other working vehicles.
I'm looking forward to getting the Scout back on the streets again, It's nice and warm out and I want to take the hard top off and maybe even fold the windshield down and go adventuring with it.
Unfortunately it still will not start, despite a new timing belt, new plugs, new TFI module, new plug wires, new rotor, new distributor cap, new coil and new waterpump (had to remove it to change the timing belt and it looked warn).
We have given up on the Escort for now as it's cost us a lot of money in parts and we have had no luck in restoring it to operational status so we have gone back to working on the Scout.
Today we ordered a new fuel pump to replace the one that is currently spraying gas everywhere and leaking fuel into my Oil, Checkers had it for about $60 which is about half the price it was when the Scout broke and we decided to hold off on repairing it due to the cost of the part needed when we had other working vehicles.
I'm looking forward to getting the Scout back on the streets again, It's nice and warm out and I want to take the hard top off and maybe even fold the windshield down and go adventuring with it.
Mexico
I recently left the USA for the first time in my life.
It was a short trip, Just a drive down to Nogales Mexico for lunch, Total trip was just over 3 hours long.
We went to celebrate a bonus my boss got, He treated the entire department to the best Mexican food I've ever had (Wow I should go to Mexico more often!).
Pretty cool, We rented some big SUV thing with three rows of seating yet it still wasnt big enough for the 10 people we had total so we also had a party in Christina's small car.
Leaving the country was easy, just a step through the turnstyle and there I was in another actual country!
Now this was a big step for me as I've only left the state of Arizona one other time since we moved here in 1988.
The restaurant was really cool, A place called La Roca which was partially inside a cave in the side of a big hill.
After we ate we wandered around the Mexico side of Nogales for a while looking for a store to buy some stuff in, That's when I got to see the worse side of life there: little kids begging you to buy their candy/plastic toys, People in wheelchairs and on crutches missing limbs selling things as they moved from car to car at the vehicle entrance to the border.
I now wish to learn spanish as only Jeff and Dora could really understand what people were offering us and what was on the menu in the restaurant and I really want to go back to Mexico again.
It was a short trip, Just a drive down to Nogales Mexico for lunch, Total trip was just over 3 hours long.
We went to celebrate a bonus my boss got, He treated the entire department to the best Mexican food I've ever had (Wow I should go to Mexico more often!).
Pretty cool, We rented some big SUV thing with three rows of seating yet it still wasnt big enough for the 10 people we had total so we also had a party in Christina's small car.
Leaving the country was easy, just a step through the turnstyle and there I was in another actual country!
Now this was a big step for me as I've only left the state of Arizona one other time since we moved here in 1988.
The restaurant was really cool, A place called La Roca which was partially inside a cave in the side of a big hill.
After we ate we wandered around the Mexico side of Nogales for a while looking for a store to buy some stuff in, That's when I got to see the worse side of life there: little kids begging you to buy their candy/plastic toys, People in wheelchairs and on crutches missing limbs selling things as they moved from car to car at the vehicle entrance to the border.
I now wish to learn spanish as only Jeff and Dora could really understand what people were offering us and what was on the menu in the restaurant and I really want to go back to Mexico again.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Cars, Gotta hate them.
Well I'm pissed off.
Yesterday on the way to work a belt broke on the car I'm driving.
I got it switched out without a problem but somehow now the car will not start, the starter turns the engine over, I've got spark from the plug wires and I can smell gas yet it does not start.
I wish I lived close enough to work to bike or walk at times like these.
Yesterday on the way to work a belt broke on the car I'm driving.
I got it switched out without a problem but somehow now the car will not start, the starter turns the engine over, I've got spark from the plug wires and I can smell gas yet it does not start.
I wish I lived close enough to work to bike or walk at times like these.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Lan Party!
Wow,
I had so much fun this weekend at Chris's lan party.
There were 6 of us including myself that attended, We started at about 2pm and ran till 2am, 12 hours of continuous gaming!
We played two games, Battlefield Vietnam and Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour, Alternating between the two of them as we got bored or tired of one.
This was a whole lot of fun and I cant wait till I can go to another one.
I had so much fun this weekend at Chris's lan party.
There were 6 of us including myself that attended, We started at about 2pm and ran till 2am, 12 hours of continuous gaming!
We played two games, Battlefield Vietnam and Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour, Alternating between the two of them as we got bored or tired of one.
This was a whole lot of fun and I cant wait till I can go to another one.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Long work day
8:45 AM - 8:07PM
Today we did a site re-launch which took a lot of work, a number of things had to be fixed at the last minute.
It looks like I'll have another long day tomorrow, 10-8 and then late night work at like 11pm or 1am to replace a failed disk.
Today we did a site re-launch which took a lot of work, a number of things had to be fixed at the last minute.
It looks like I'll have another long day tomorrow, 10-8 and then late night work at like 11pm or 1am to replace a failed disk.
Friday, May 14, 2004
Guess he's gone.
It looks like the homeless dude has moved on to another corner or another town, It's been 3 days now since I've not seen him on the way to or from work.
I took the jug of water out of the car, No need to carry it any further.
I took the jug of water out of the car, No need to carry it any further.
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
No homeless today.
Today I decided I'd bring a gallon of fresh bottled water with me to give to the homeless guy begging on the street corner.
Unfortunately he was not there today, I'll bring it with me tomorrow and friday and hopefully he will be able to accept it on one of those days.
Unfortunately he was not there today, I'll bring it with me tomorrow and friday and hopefully he will be able to accept it on one of those days.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Fruit Juice
I Saw the same homeless man as yesterday begging on the corner again today.
Today he received from me a bottle of fruit juice destined to be for my lunch.
Tomorrow maybe I'll pack something extra for the guy, a breakfast bar maybe.
Today he received from me a bottle of fruit juice destined to be for my lunch.
Tomorrow maybe I'll pack something extra for the guy, a breakfast bar maybe.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Todo
Organize bookmarks.
Backup iPod.
Finish backup script.
Setup disk mirroring on Blue & White G3
Find a new cell phone.
Clean office.
Clean bedroom.
Rebuild carburetor on Scout.
Change fuel filter on Escort.
Donate to binderbulletin.
Purchase Scout Factory repair manual.
Clean desk.
Clean hard drive.
Re-OS server with Solaris 9.
Return Chuck's games and anime.
Backup iPod.
Finish backup script.
Setup disk mirroring on Blue & White G3
Find a new cell phone.
Clean office.
Clean bedroom.
Rebuild carburetor on Scout.
Change fuel filter on Escort.
Donate to binderbulletin.
Purchase Scout Factory repair manual.
Clean desk.
Clean hard drive.
Re-OS server with Solaris 9.
Return Chuck's games and anime.
Good things.
Today I did two good things.
On the way to work I stopped to make a left turn and gave my cold soda that I was bringing with my lunch to the homeless man begging on the corner.
On the way home from work I followed a older gentlemen 6+ miles until I could catch up with his vehicle to tell him that at the last light he had stopped at that his vehicle had leaked excessive amounts of fluid.
On the way to work I stopped to make a left turn and gave my cold soda that I was bringing with my lunch to the homeless man begging on the corner.
On the way home from work I followed a older gentlemen 6+ miles until I could catch up with his vehicle to tell him that at the last light he had stopped at that his vehicle had leaked excessive amounts of fluid.
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