Monday, December 31, 2007  

[Worst New Year's Eve ever....]

My rig's still down. I spent the whole of today troubleshooting and figuring out what's wrong with it. But I think I've got it figured out now...

Basically, I had to do an upgrade because my original rig died and I couldn't tell for sure which component broke. I bought a new CPU/MB, RAM and display card. Upon testing, I realised it was my old display card that crapped out.

So I assembled the new parts together with whatever old parts I was re-using. Old is relative, they are really quite new. The oldest component is only 15 months old and some of them are less than a year old. I tried to make it as neat as possible, and here's the end result:


Those of you who have systems assembled by the folks at SLS would probably feel that mine's kinda messy. Well, it is. I can't figure out how they make everything look so neat and tidy. Try as I might, this was the best I could do.

I booted up my new system and all was fine (so I thought). I installed WinXP, and that's when the trouble began. It kept hanging. Once at the black start-up screen, twice after the desktop has loaded, and usually at the blue "Welcome" screen. I tried flashing the BIOS. Didn't work. I tried a whole bunch of other stuff...Using on-board display, removing hard-disks, etc. The problem remained....Until I removed my ancient SB Live! Value sound-card. It was during this process that I discovered yet another problem, but I'll go into that later. I tried using the on-board sound system, but it was so horrible that I couldn't live with it. There was practically no bass. My ancient SB Live! Value beats the on-board hands down.

Try as I might, I couldn't get my SB Live! Value to work. I tried re-seating the card, installing WinXP before as well as after installing the card...Nothing worked. I give up. I'm going to buy a SB Audigy Value tomorrow. I pray that it works. Otherwise, I would either have to settle for the shitty on-board sound or get a whole new motherboard altogether.

I'm actually rather disappointed with the ASUS motherboard I bought. So far, it has been nothing but problems. Besides not being compatible with my SB Live! Value, it also has trouble booting up if you installed WinXP with more than one hard-disk present. This is the problem that I mentioned earlier. I have three hard-disks, and if I installed WinXP with all of them connected, it would not load ("Boot disk failure, insert system disc to etc etc etc...."). The only way for it to load is if the WinXP CD was in the CD drive. I don't get it. And yes, I know about boot priority/boot order in the BIOS and yes, I set it correctly. The only way around this is to disconnect all the other hard-disks during WinXP installation and reconnect them only later on after installation.

So to sum up, my old display card crapped out, my new motherboard doesn't like my SB Live! Value and has a bug when it comes to installing WinXP with more than one hard-disk present. Yes, that took me half of yesterday and the whole of today to figure out. Of course...Along the way, there were several mishaps...

During the course of trouble-shooting, I had the great idea of using my old motherboard. It makes sense...My old motherboard was fine and was supposed to be able to support my new CPU, and my SB Live! Value had no problems running on it. I had to switch CPUs for this to happen. You're not going to believe this...But the heat-sink on my new CPU was stuck to the CPU! I don't know what kind of thermal tape was used, but it might have been cement. I pulled really hard and I managed to pull it out --- with the CPU attached! I finally managed to separate them, but I couldn't installed the CPU into my old motherboard. I took a closer look and realised due to the CPU coming out of its socket with the latch down, some of the pins were bent. I tried fixing it with my fingers and only made it worse and I almost shit-ed myself. If I broke the pins, I think I would have lost it....

Anyway, I managed to fix the pins. And no, the old motherboard didn't work. It didn't recognise my new CPU and I don't understand why. And I think I might as killed it (my old motherboard) in the process.

The next thing to go wrong was the CPU fan connector on my new motherboard. When I removed my CPU/heat-sink to test on my old motherboard, I pulled too hard and broke part of the connector. No big deal, but I have to be careful not to connect the molex wrongly now as it's no longer "keyed".

The next thing to go wrong was an IDE cable for my hard-disk. I still have an IDE hard-disk, and while trying to remove the cable, I tore the cable right off of the IDE connector. Imagine an IDE cable with one missing connector --- it's on the hard disk. I had to use a pair of pliers to pull the connector off the hard-disk, and in the process, dented the pins on the hard-disk (see the pattern here?). But it's not too bad...IDE connectors are quite forgiving towards bent pins. The holes are large enough that they actually "guide" the pins back into the right position.

So there you have it. Everything that's happened thus far. I'm tired, frustrated and sort of pissed. It's almost like a role-playing game (figuring out the display card's the culprit, realising that the new motherboard doesn't like my old sound-card and that stupid problem with WinXP not loading right with multiple hard-disks) with side-quests (swapping CPUs and getting the pins bent in the process, breaking the CPU fan connector and tearing the IDE cable off the connector). Most annoying game, ever.

Here's what my room looked like yesterday. It was much messier today but I wasn't in the mood for photo-taking.




I hope everything goes well tomorrow when I plug in the Audigy card. I certainly don't want to have another chapter to add to this tragic story. I can't remember the last time I had this much trouble with my computer.

What a way to spend New Year's Eve.

^^^ by Locksley @ 9:17 PM. 4 comments.
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[Annoyed...]

I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but there's a problem with my computer. I couldn't restart the damn thing. If I did so, it would hang before POST, before you see the memory test and the IDE devices. However, fresh boot-ups are fine. I just couldn't restart. I was kinda pissed because it happened during the busy end of the previous semester and my system was only 15 months old.

I decided to stick it out. I didn't try to isolate the problem or anything, I just kept on using the system. After all, how often do you need to restart the computer? WinXP's pretty stable, as far as I'm concerned.

I was gaming on Saturday when my monitor went blank, and a few seconds later, my rig died. It would not boot up at all now. When I tried turning it on, the DVD-ROM lights would keep flashing...It's like someone was supplying power, cutting it off, supplying it again, etc.

I didn't know for sure what was causing the problem. It could be a number of things...The PSU, the CPU/MB, or maybe even the display card. Since I didn't have any spare parts lying around, I could not troubleshoot the problem. I ended up doing a partial upgrade and bought some new parts just so I could find out what's wrong.

I was lucky to isolate the problem on my first try with the new parts. It was the display card.

But now I have a new problem. I've assembled everything together, but while installing WinXP, it would hang whenever it got to the blue "Welcome" screen just before the desktop loads. It's a total hang, with mouse and keyboard both not responding. No hard disk activity neither. I'm so pissed.

I've just performed a BIOS update. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Actually, I suspect it's a hardware conflict with my new display card. I hope not, though. Because I have nothing to test this theory with.

^^^ by Locksley @ 11:16 AM. 0 comments.
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Saturday, December 29, 2007  

[New modem...]

I recently re-contracted my SNBB and they sent me a new modem today, free-of-charge. Basically, it's as if I signed up with them as a new user and thus they sent along the free modem.

I wonder if it has occurred to them that the people who re-contract already have a working ADSL modem? Why would we need another one? I thought about selling the modem...But really, who would buy it? Everyone gets a free modem when they sign up.

I think they should consider giving other freebies to existing users who re-contract.

^^^ by Locksley @ 1:17 PM. 0 comments.
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Friday, December 28, 2007  

[What to do?]

What would you do if a hot girl you don't know adds you on Facebook?

^^^ by Locksley @ 11:04 PM. 6 comments.
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Wednesday, December 26, 2007  

[Hardest Mario stage, ever!]

Subby passed me this link on Youtube.



I laughed so hard, my Dad came in to see what happened. Turn up the volume and listen to what the guy's saying. That's the funny part.

^^^ by Locksley @ 8:24 PM. 0 comments.
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[Mission accomplished!]

The results are out. I achieved my goal. Sometimes, you really don't know what's going to happen. Modules where I didn't expect to do well, I did. I remember being one of the last to complete the MCQs for a particular module's exam (I know because it was an open-book exam and after about an hour, all the flipping noises have died down but I was still busy looking for answers in my textbooks), but as it turns out, I did pretty well.

Yay me!






Look at the fishes go nuts when I drop a cube of freeze-dried tubifex worms into the tank!

The drilling sound in the background is due to the lift upgrading works going on in my area.

^^^ by Locksley @ 2:24 PM. 0 comments.
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[This is it...]

In less than 2 hours' time, my results for the past semester would be released.

To be honest, I've never been this apprehensive. In the past, I always had the mentality that even if I screwed up, there was still a chance to make things right the next semester.

This time round, there is no next semester.

And also, this officially marks the end of my University life. Everything after this is just administrative stuff. I'm still waiting for a reply from a company that I applied to for a job...I should have applied earlier. Things are always slow around Christmas and New Year.

I need to set a deadline for myself to look for something else if that falls through. Maybe 2 more weeks? That sounds fair I think.

We'll see.

Good luck to everyone else receiving their results this week.

^^^ by Locksley @ 10:08 AM. 0 comments.
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Saturday, December 15, 2007  

[Toys from my childhood...]

I was at Sheng Shiong earlier and I saw this toy, which brings back memories.



You can't do much with it. Basically, you put the batteries in, load up the penguins and watch them go. No interaction whatsoever. Still fun, though.

It was a simpler time.

^^^ by Locksley @ 8:45 PM. 2 comments.
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Friday, December 14, 2007  

[Allergic Rhinitis]

I think I might have allergic rhinitis. Or, in simpler terms, hay fever. Which is misleading, because it's not really a fever in the traditional sense of the word.

I don't know why I never bothered looking this up before. I've always had a problem with my nose. I get "colds" easily. As it turns out, it's not a "cold" at all. When you catch a cold, your mucus would be thick. If your mucus is like water, then it's an allergy of some sort. I've known this for a while, but only seriously looked it up today.

I looked through several websites, including Webmd, MayoClinic, Wikipedia and some other sources. Most of what's said describe what I've experienced. Basically, I have an issue with dust. Many people do. If I inhale too much of it, I'd start sneezing and would suffer from runny nose for about 1 to 2 days if I don't do anything about it. If I take some meds, I would probably be okay the next morning. On the whole, I would say that this actually affects my quality of life. On days where I have to go to school (or work, for that matter) and I'm suffering from the symptoms, it would usually be a very miserable day for me because I would be very tired. Fatigue is one of the effects of allergic rhinitis.

Some interesting facts regarding allergic rhinitis is that the risk factor is higher for males, and for first-borns (according to MayoClinic). That's me. And from doing all the research, I found out that the meds my GP gave me for "cold" was actually an antihistamine called chlorphenamine. Looks like he knew all along about my problem, but didn't let me in on it.

Incidentally, chlorphenamine is considered to be an "older" antihistamine, and the effects are considered "mild". That's funny...Considering I really passed out and had "fever dreams" when I took it for the first time in secondary school. I've taken so many of it over the years that now, after taking the chlorphenamine 4 and a half hours ago, I'm not feeling all that different. Yeah, my nose's stopped leaking and I am a tad drowsy but I am still in control and could go about doing whatever I want. Hell, I typed this entire entry while "under the influence". True, it took me an hour (it's 12:45am now, never mind the timestamp), but it's because I'm chatting with YQ on MSN. I don't have to find a bed and lie down. Newer antihistamines don't have the drowsy effect, or have much less of it.

I'll be going for my annual check-up next week. I think I'll bring this up to see if there's anything else I can do for this problem. Right now, there is a set of bed-sheet that we have that I absolutely cannot sleep on, lest I suffer the effects when I wake up in the morning. I would love to be able to live my life without such restrictions.

^^^ by Locksley @ 11:46 PM. 2 comments.
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007  

[Ahmed the Terrorist]



"Silence! I killll youuuu!"

^^^ by Locksley @ 12:22 PM. 0 comments.
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Thursday, December 06, 2007  

[Oh...my....god.........]

Robocop in WCW.



This has got to be one of the silliest things I've ever seen.

^^^ by Locksley @ 7:21 PM. 2 comments.
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Tuesday, December 04, 2007  

[Mistake on Soccernet...]

Soccernet doesn't often make mistakes. When they do, it's worth noting.


Whoever wrote the match report for the Manchester United - Fulham game couldn't decide if United scored one or two goals.

^^^ by Locksley @ 10:00 AM. 0 comments.
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Monday, December 03, 2007  

[Do I know you?]


I was at the coffee-shop earlier, waiting for my take-away order at a table when this guy sat down at the same table. I was looking at him the entire time, but he did not even seem to notice me. He then proceeded to order a bottle of beer, and started drinking. At 5:20pm.

What's wrong with these people? I don't think normal people will do such things. They will ask if the seat's taken, or just sit somewhere else. There were plenty of empty tables, why must he sit at a table with a stranger?

I was convinced that his mind wasn't all there when the beer hostess opened his beer. He took the bottle cap, looked at it, and gestured it at the beer hostess. She shook her head, and he put it back down. That's when I saw it. There was nothing beneath the bottle cap. I suppose sometimes they have some sort of contest or something....But there's nothing written on the inside of the bottle cap, what was he expecting to happen? Another bottle of beer for a worthless bottle cap?

^^^ by Locksley @ 6:46 PM. 3 comments.
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Saturday, December 01, 2007  

[It's over...]

Today was my last exam paper, as an NUS student. I'm officially done. And by all intent and purposes, I've graduated. It's bittersweet...I'm going to miss student life, but I'm also pretty excited about finally being a working adult.

I set two goals for myself when I entered NUS. Sad to say, I was unable to fulfill one of them. The other one, I'm not sure. We'll see how it goes. Either way, I'm not too concerned about that...I've given it my all. Whatever will be, will be.


Took this as I left NUS. That's where I spent two and a half years, before SoC moved this semester.

Never did I expect to walk away from NUS after my final exam all alone (all things considered, I should have, actually). Never did I expect that the last time I ate in NUS would be in the Engineering canteen, with my sister, no less. Never did I expect to make the great friends that I did. Never did I expect to learn so much, and grow so much as a person in the three years I spent there. I think I'm wiser now than I was three years ago, and I'm not talking about book-smarts (which I have very little of, anyway).

^^^ by Locksley @ 7:25 PM. 0 comments.
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