A
Alex McKenzie
Please help me form a plan of attack for deciding on what to
buy/build/adjust. I've been getting by with inadequate computing power for
a long time. I've been accumulating some parts, but I feel like I don't
have a solid enough plan for what set of computers to end up at. I want to
build and buy what's needed to get to a stable, strong set of
PCs/servers/laptop for doing development, testing, and general power-user,
with high-end uses in lots of areas--the only high-end ones that come to
mind that I'm =not= needing to be able to do are gaming, CAD, and graphics.
(I'll list my existing hardware (PC and printers/PDAs/etc) and my software
at the end. Basically, I have almost no modern hardware [except a DV
camcorder!], and I have lots of modern software including MSoft's Action
Pack.) I'm sorry for the length of the post. I think that your answers
will help other users who are stuck at mid-powered computing, particularly
if they have lots of software and haven't had the hardware to make use of
it. Please let me know if I've picked the wrong newsgroup or if I should
crosspost--I've never done so but this post is hitting server software and
hardware, desktop/laptop hardware choices and software, and a bit of
business operations.
My questions are, basically, what equipment do you recommend that I
get/build/dispose of, and what server products do you recommend I install
and on which equip? At a minimum, the choices I'm thinking I need to make
include these. Some are either/or, some are stand-alone decisions.
The questions include what equipment to buy/build (and whether to buy or
build), what combination of server products to install and on what
equipment, and what RAID, partitioning and backup strategies to employ. The
questions in brief:
--Get/build one or more strong desktops (or just get and use a super
laptop?)
--Get a super laptop or use the approx 800 mhz one. (I've not researched
building a laptop...)
--Get/build one or more servers (using server boxes, or desktop boxes and
buying RAID card for mirroring, or just relying on programs like fastback
--Partition, and if so, how many with what size, and if on a desktop, then
across how many drives, and if on a laptop, how critical is it to get to a
two drive RAID solution (I think the only one I saw was on a custom maker's
super high end laptop). I've seen recommendations that partitioning is now
non-productive except for keeping drive letters to sizes that fit on DVD
backups, and I've seen recommendations, perhaps mostly older, to at least
partition pure data, especially video, and I've seen ones saying to have
many partitions (Operating system, swap file, applications, temp directory,
data files, and I'm probably missing a category or two).
That includes, do you recommend setting up a Windows 2003 server or Small
Bus Server 2003 or somehow no server (please see below, I'll need some sort
of installation that allows me to use SQL Server (which is in Small Biz
Server and perhaps elsewhere in MSoft's Action Pack), and possibly
Sharepoint (which I think is a standalone).
I'll be going from:
--currently mostly using Win 98 (with lots of reboots voluntarily or
forced),
to as soon as possible always using XP Pro, and if not too expensive to do
now, I of course would prefer to be ready for 64 bit if its cost effective
to be ready now rather than wait for equip to drop a bit.
--currently almost never needing mobility (beyond a great cellphone-palm
combo)
to soon needing it at least some of the time.
I'm not sure that mobility means needing a laptop. (For example, sometimes
I could see using a foldout keyboard with my PDA, or just bringing files on
a USB pendrive or perhaps files and e-mail/desktop along on a MIGO, or
logging in remotely.) And I'm not sure that needing a laptop means needing
the laptop to be so strong as to never need a desktop, and instead maybe I'd
save the strongest needs for when I'm at a desktop, and maybe synch the
desktop's data files with the laptop or use the laptop as the desktop's data
drive. In fact, the wider and heavier the laptops I see, the more I think I
might want a light small one!
--currently occasionally developing in office vba,
to as soon as possible occasionally or more often developing with Visual
Studio and perhaps with other apps, and at least trying out some solutions
that use products that maybe are server based, like sharepoint
server/services, and SQL Server.
--currently having a static pretty simple web site,
to as soon as possible having several, including one that will have dozens
to perhaps several hundred pages, and either could be created as a static
site or, perhaps, as a dynamic one (but one that really doesn't have to be
dynamic, because the data will be the same). Due to the amount of related
pages I need to get into it, I hope to create it programmatically, perhaps
by putting together something that drives Front Page's object model, pulls
files from my data folders, and creates links among them using a
semi-relational database file I'm creating. Or perhaps using what I've read
that Sharepoint with Front Page 2003 can do--if the documentation is not
hype, one could create a data driven site without having the expertise
that's been needed to create data driven sites up to now; however, if the
use of Sharepoint means that regular internet users can't get to it without
an access license, then that won't work.
--currently having no employees though sometimes subcontracts,
to perhaps having a secretary / office manager or some sort of solution to
free me to do more sales or billable consulting or development or perhaps
hiring of people to do same. I have a small non-home office available and
have proof of concept on networking between that and the home one.
--currently being basically a sole consultant,
to soon trying to build a multi-people practice. Considering how hard it is
just to deal with the equipment issues alone, I have even more respect for
those who've built consulting practices!
Even my current uses are varied. I'm almost always using at least several
apps and several browser sessions at a time, and sometimes I'm a developer,
and sometimes do tech support and sometimes training. I probably will be
shifting from doing all work at one office to supporting clients at their
companies or doing sales demos on site and occasionally at trade shows.
I want my family to still have access to the net and peripherals, perhaps
only through through separate PCs but at least through profiles that can't
hurt my data.
I can spend $ and time to semi-reasonable amounts, but I do have some good
equipment (80, 120, & 160 gig hard drives), and I'm prepared to buy a high
end laptop if that's the solution or part of it.
High end needs:
--So far, no gaming but I could see bonding with my teen kids<g>.
--ideally I'll have video editing (no need to do that mobilely, I think,
though I realize that if I end up getting a high end laptop I'd probably be
able to do it remotely). I have a cheap DVD+R (not installed anywhere yet),
it's made for going into a 5.25 slot of a desktop or server, not a laptop.
--video recording (portable would be great, but the recording I do away from
the office is for church so it won't pay for itself<g>, so far I've just
lugged a 1.5 ghz desktop and monitor to plug in our DV camera for continuous
recording, and that's a lot of lugging)
--voice recog. (ideally portable, but definitely at the office). I think
that to get better accuracy I'll need some sound card (or for a laptop, USB)
extras. I'm headed toward Dragn's pro version.
--I definitely need =a lot= of RAM because sometimes I need virtual computer
(vmware/Virtual PC) sessions--so far I've done individual ones but want to
link them so I can test, demo, and train applications that are networked.
By "a lot" of RAM, my idea of a high-end laptop is that it would allow me to
put in at least 2 gigs, even if I don't use it right away, and my idea of a
high end desktop is unclear, I probably wouldn't pay an extra $200 or more a
motherboard that could go beyond 2 or 3 gigs.
Note: mostly due just to not being able to take in a fraction of what's
already available to me in Microsoft's Action Pack, and due to having
licensing thanks to the Pack, I've not looked to other languages and
servers. I know they're out there, but don't know whether in my case they'd
be a simplifier or a complication.
What I've got now:
--Perhaps most important, a budget that, if necessary, will allow for
getting a high end laptop and will allow for building or perhaps buying one
to two desktops and one to two servers. (I am halfway through building a
PC, so far so good, so I think that, perhaps with hiring a consultant, I
could build the desktop or server PCs if that would help keep the cost good
without taking hordes of time or having a high risk of ending up with a
brick<g>.)
Software
--MSoft's Action Pack, which gives me 10 licenses of XP Pro, 10 licenses of
Office, most if not all MS servers software (including Server 2003, Small
Biz Server '03), and just about everything imaginable other than Office
developer and Visual Studio
-- NFD Windows Server 2003 (with 25 access licenses), and NFR Small Biz
Server 2003 Pro (with 10 access licenses)
--Office Developer '97
--Visual Studio Pro 2003
--Acrobat, Paperport, DNS 7 Pro (voice recog)
--Mix of Norton & McAffee anti-virus etc software
--Palm simulation software, not yet installed. (This should help for
testing software and for supporting Palm OS's other than those on my
systems, and for not having to reinstall my data when I do
development/test.)
Note--I stay fully licensed, that's non-negotiable. However, I do watch for
deals and have gotten a lot of this by upgrade and rebate deals. That's to
help explain if it seems like I'm half way to having a good set of
development software<g>.
Non-PC Hardware
--an old laserjet and a modern multi-function deskjet/officejet, currently
used just for copying and printing because I got it up and running quickly
and at the time I did, HP didn't yet have drivers for XP. And several
scanners, one new USB, one uses a card (perhaps pre-ISA), and one goes on
parallel port (which maybe is practical again now that printers are USB?)
--An ancient but still working fax machine.
--several cable routers, including a wireless one I've put off trying
because of security.
--wireless card for laptop, and I think one wireless ISA card.
--several old Palm Pilots and keyboards, and a good Palm-based cellphone,
USB based. No Pocket PC yet, but would like to unless there's a good
simulator so I could develop/test/train. For perhaps another year, my own
PDA preference probably will stay at Palm.
PCs
--a couple of super old laptops (roughly 100 to 133 mhz, RAM 40 to 128, hard
drive max 2gig), they're OK for the kids to do homework but I'm curious if I
should junk them in order to get better control of the kids' computing by
making the kids have "regular user" profiles in XP, which means having
stronger computers.
--an approx 800 mhz laptop, 256megs currently in it, max 500 allowed. Hard
drive is approx 6 megs. Has a DVD/CD, no writer, but has USB (possibly USB
2) so can handle external USB, and has built in firewire so could handle a
firewire writer. I got it used so I'd have something for an on-site
requirement coming up, but I'm not committed to keeping it.
--a half dozen Pentium desktops ranging in the 100 to 350 mhz range, I
scavenge parts from some (e.g. I just grabbed an apparently 64 megabyte
video card but it was in a white slot (ASI?) not an AGP slot. And I've
actually been using the 350 for years, it's got jazz, 380 or so RAM, and
poorly functioning Win 98.
--1.4 name brand pentium, bought refurbished and never really worked right.
It came with XP Home but thanks to having the Action Pack I'm thinking I'll
clean-install XP Pro after moving the data to safety.
--A half built desktop, 1.6 or so Athlon (which seems to run at 1.2 mhz or
so equivalent) in a 1 gig memory board that presently I've maxed out (two
500 meg memory modules), I started building it partly to get comfortable
with changing system level equipment like CPUs and fans. The building went
great so far. Now that it actually is time to choose what drives to put in
and what operating system and what partitioning, it led me to draft this
post, because I'm unclear whether to install server software on it, or
upgrade the processor, or go get a powerful box & board & CPU, or....
--Four or five full sized monitors (17 inch, 19inch, 21 inch)
--Several small monitors (14 / 15 inch). Currently using them for:
-- at church, when I lug my strongest desktop for DV several-hour
recording, I grab one of these so I don't have to take a heavier one.
Video equipment/software
(Just in case it's helpful, I'll detail the video recording equipment
situation. My top need is to get the above things on track. So I hope this
is not a distraction. And perhaps having Digital video could tie in to
making some training content.)
-- DV+R equip: I recently got a low cost but 8x DVD +R that fits in a
desktop. I haven't installed it yet, somewhat due to time but mostly
because I'd like to finally get a solid strategy and then put it in once
instead of installing it in one PC and then ending up moving it.
-- VCR that might or might not have S-Video out; I'd have to check the back.
(This relates to being able to convert our old VHS tapes to DVD.)
-- DV camcorder (connects to PC via firewire) and a couple of pretty old
full size VHS camcorders. With the VHS I always just have given the tapes
out after direct recording, so no editing. The goal is to transition to the
DV camera and to make DVDs, and I'm getting there slowly. I think I've got
recording to the PC down now, and upon deciding one way or another on DVD
equipment I'll need just a bit of practicing in order to be ready to shift
away from VHS. Ideally I'll be able to convert a few of our VHS recordings.
-- Note--so far, no high-end video software, I've experimented with MM2
which comes with XP.
-- As far as making training content, I used to use screen recording
software, it would record whatever was going on on the screen, and
optionally capture spoken audio. It might not run on XP/2000. So, I could
risk installing it and risk the system's stability, or could install it
under a virtual PC / vmware.
Whew! It feels good just to get all of this listed. I'd guess that a lot
of others who've been on their own for a long time might also have a mix of
equipment and goals. Thanks for reading this and for any answers, it will
help others as well as me.
Thank you!
buy/build/adjust. I've been getting by with inadequate computing power for
a long time. I've been accumulating some parts, but I feel like I don't
have a solid enough plan for what set of computers to end up at. I want to
build and buy what's needed to get to a stable, strong set of
PCs/servers/laptop for doing development, testing, and general power-user,
with high-end uses in lots of areas--the only high-end ones that come to
mind that I'm =not= needing to be able to do are gaming, CAD, and graphics.
(I'll list my existing hardware (PC and printers/PDAs/etc) and my software
at the end. Basically, I have almost no modern hardware [except a DV
camcorder!], and I have lots of modern software including MSoft's Action
Pack.) I'm sorry for the length of the post. I think that your answers
will help other users who are stuck at mid-powered computing, particularly
if they have lots of software and haven't had the hardware to make use of
it. Please let me know if I've picked the wrong newsgroup or if I should
crosspost--I've never done so but this post is hitting server software and
hardware, desktop/laptop hardware choices and software, and a bit of
business operations.
My questions are, basically, what equipment do you recommend that I
get/build/dispose of, and what server products do you recommend I install
and on which equip? At a minimum, the choices I'm thinking I need to make
include these. Some are either/or, some are stand-alone decisions.
The questions include what equipment to buy/build (and whether to buy or
build), what combination of server products to install and on what
equipment, and what RAID, partitioning and backup strategies to employ. The
questions in brief:
--Get/build one or more strong desktops (or just get and use a super
laptop?)
--Get a super laptop or use the approx 800 mhz one. (I've not researched
building a laptop...)
--Get/build one or more servers (using server boxes, or desktop boxes and
buying RAID card for mirroring, or just relying on programs like fastback
--Partition, and if so, how many with what size, and if on a desktop, then
across how many drives, and if on a laptop, how critical is it to get to a
two drive RAID solution (I think the only one I saw was on a custom maker's
super high end laptop). I've seen recommendations that partitioning is now
non-productive except for keeping drive letters to sizes that fit on DVD
backups, and I've seen recommendations, perhaps mostly older, to at least
partition pure data, especially video, and I've seen ones saying to have
many partitions (Operating system, swap file, applications, temp directory,
data files, and I'm probably missing a category or two).
That includes, do you recommend setting up a Windows 2003 server or Small
Bus Server 2003 or somehow no server (please see below, I'll need some sort
of installation that allows me to use SQL Server (which is in Small Biz
Server and perhaps elsewhere in MSoft's Action Pack), and possibly
Sharepoint (which I think is a standalone).
I'll be going from:
--currently mostly using Win 98 (with lots of reboots voluntarily or
forced),
to as soon as possible always using XP Pro, and if not too expensive to do
now, I of course would prefer to be ready for 64 bit if its cost effective
to be ready now rather than wait for equip to drop a bit.
--currently almost never needing mobility (beyond a great cellphone-palm
combo)
to soon needing it at least some of the time.
I'm not sure that mobility means needing a laptop. (For example, sometimes
I could see using a foldout keyboard with my PDA, or just bringing files on
a USB pendrive or perhaps files and e-mail/desktop along on a MIGO, or
logging in remotely.) And I'm not sure that needing a laptop means needing
the laptop to be so strong as to never need a desktop, and instead maybe I'd
save the strongest needs for when I'm at a desktop, and maybe synch the
desktop's data files with the laptop or use the laptop as the desktop's data
drive. In fact, the wider and heavier the laptops I see, the more I think I
might want a light small one!
--currently occasionally developing in office vba,
to as soon as possible occasionally or more often developing with Visual
Studio and perhaps with other apps, and at least trying out some solutions
that use products that maybe are server based, like sharepoint
server/services, and SQL Server.
--currently having a static pretty simple web site,
to as soon as possible having several, including one that will have dozens
to perhaps several hundred pages, and either could be created as a static
site or, perhaps, as a dynamic one (but one that really doesn't have to be
dynamic, because the data will be the same). Due to the amount of related
pages I need to get into it, I hope to create it programmatically, perhaps
by putting together something that drives Front Page's object model, pulls
files from my data folders, and creates links among them using a
semi-relational database file I'm creating. Or perhaps using what I've read
that Sharepoint with Front Page 2003 can do--if the documentation is not
hype, one could create a data driven site without having the expertise
that's been needed to create data driven sites up to now; however, if the
use of Sharepoint means that regular internet users can't get to it without
an access license, then that won't work.
--currently having no employees though sometimes subcontracts,
to perhaps having a secretary / office manager or some sort of solution to
free me to do more sales or billable consulting or development or perhaps
hiring of people to do same. I have a small non-home office available and
have proof of concept on networking between that and the home one.
--currently being basically a sole consultant,
to soon trying to build a multi-people practice. Considering how hard it is
just to deal with the equipment issues alone, I have even more respect for
those who've built consulting practices!
Even my current uses are varied. I'm almost always using at least several
apps and several browser sessions at a time, and sometimes I'm a developer,
and sometimes do tech support and sometimes training. I probably will be
shifting from doing all work at one office to supporting clients at their
companies or doing sales demos on site and occasionally at trade shows.
I want my family to still have access to the net and peripherals, perhaps
only through through separate PCs but at least through profiles that can't
hurt my data.
I can spend $ and time to semi-reasonable amounts, but I do have some good
equipment (80, 120, & 160 gig hard drives), and I'm prepared to buy a high
end laptop if that's the solution or part of it.
High end needs:
--So far, no gaming but I could see bonding with my teen kids<g>.
--ideally I'll have video editing (no need to do that mobilely, I think,
though I realize that if I end up getting a high end laptop I'd probably be
able to do it remotely). I have a cheap DVD+R (not installed anywhere yet),
it's made for going into a 5.25 slot of a desktop or server, not a laptop.
--video recording (portable would be great, but the recording I do away from
the office is for church so it won't pay for itself<g>, so far I've just
lugged a 1.5 ghz desktop and monitor to plug in our DV camera for continuous
recording, and that's a lot of lugging)
--voice recog. (ideally portable, but definitely at the office). I think
that to get better accuracy I'll need some sound card (or for a laptop, USB)
extras. I'm headed toward Dragn's pro version.
--I definitely need =a lot= of RAM because sometimes I need virtual computer
(vmware/Virtual PC) sessions--so far I've done individual ones but want to
link them so I can test, demo, and train applications that are networked.
By "a lot" of RAM, my idea of a high-end laptop is that it would allow me to
put in at least 2 gigs, even if I don't use it right away, and my idea of a
high end desktop is unclear, I probably wouldn't pay an extra $200 or more a
motherboard that could go beyond 2 or 3 gigs.
Note: mostly due just to not being able to take in a fraction of what's
already available to me in Microsoft's Action Pack, and due to having
licensing thanks to the Pack, I've not looked to other languages and
servers. I know they're out there, but don't know whether in my case they'd
be a simplifier or a complication.
What I've got now:
--Perhaps most important, a budget that, if necessary, will allow for
getting a high end laptop and will allow for building or perhaps buying one
to two desktops and one to two servers. (I am halfway through building a
PC, so far so good, so I think that, perhaps with hiring a consultant, I
could build the desktop or server PCs if that would help keep the cost good
without taking hordes of time or having a high risk of ending up with a
brick<g>.)
Software
--MSoft's Action Pack, which gives me 10 licenses of XP Pro, 10 licenses of
Office, most if not all MS servers software (including Server 2003, Small
Biz Server '03), and just about everything imaginable other than Office
developer and Visual Studio
-- NFD Windows Server 2003 (with 25 access licenses), and NFR Small Biz
Server 2003 Pro (with 10 access licenses)
--Office Developer '97
--Visual Studio Pro 2003
--Acrobat, Paperport, DNS 7 Pro (voice recog)
--Mix of Norton & McAffee anti-virus etc software
--Palm simulation software, not yet installed. (This should help for
testing software and for supporting Palm OS's other than those on my
systems, and for not having to reinstall my data when I do
development/test.)
Note--I stay fully licensed, that's non-negotiable. However, I do watch for
deals and have gotten a lot of this by upgrade and rebate deals. That's to
help explain if it seems like I'm half way to having a good set of
development software<g>.
Non-PC Hardware
--an old laserjet and a modern multi-function deskjet/officejet, currently
used just for copying and printing because I got it up and running quickly
and at the time I did, HP didn't yet have drivers for XP. And several
scanners, one new USB, one uses a card (perhaps pre-ISA), and one goes on
parallel port (which maybe is practical again now that printers are USB?)
--An ancient but still working fax machine.
--several cable routers, including a wireless one I've put off trying
because of security.
--wireless card for laptop, and I think one wireless ISA card.
--several old Palm Pilots and keyboards, and a good Palm-based cellphone,
USB based. No Pocket PC yet, but would like to unless there's a good
simulator so I could develop/test/train. For perhaps another year, my own
PDA preference probably will stay at Palm.
PCs
--a couple of super old laptops (roughly 100 to 133 mhz, RAM 40 to 128, hard
drive max 2gig), they're OK for the kids to do homework but I'm curious if I
should junk them in order to get better control of the kids' computing by
making the kids have "regular user" profiles in XP, which means having
stronger computers.
--an approx 800 mhz laptop, 256megs currently in it, max 500 allowed. Hard
drive is approx 6 megs. Has a DVD/CD, no writer, but has USB (possibly USB
2) so can handle external USB, and has built in firewire so could handle a
firewire writer. I got it used so I'd have something for an on-site
requirement coming up, but I'm not committed to keeping it.
--a half dozen Pentium desktops ranging in the 100 to 350 mhz range, I
scavenge parts from some (e.g. I just grabbed an apparently 64 megabyte
video card but it was in a white slot (ASI?) not an AGP slot. And I've
actually been using the 350 for years, it's got jazz, 380 or so RAM, and
poorly functioning Win 98.
--1.4 name brand pentium, bought refurbished and never really worked right.
It came with XP Home but thanks to having the Action Pack I'm thinking I'll
clean-install XP Pro after moving the data to safety.
--A half built desktop, 1.6 or so Athlon (which seems to run at 1.2 mhz or
so equivalent) in a 1 gig memory board that presently I've maxed out (two
500 meg memory modules), I started building it partly to get comfortable
with changing system level equipment like CPUs and fans. The building went
great so far. Now that it actually is time to choose what drives to put in
and what operating system and what partitioning, it led me to draft this
post, because I'm unclear whether to install server software on it, or
upgrade the processor, or go get a powerful box & board & CPU, or....
--Four or five full sized monitors (17 inch, 19inch, 21 inch)
--Several small monitors (14 / 15 inch). Currently using them for:
-- at church, when I lug my strongest desktop for DV several-hour
recording, I grab one of these so I don't have to take a heavier one.
Video equipment/software
(Just in case it's helpful, I'll detail the video recording equipment
situation. My top need is to get the above things on track. So I hope this
is not a distraction. And perhaps having Digital video could tie in to
making some training content.)
-- DV+R equip: I recently got a low cost but 8x DVD +R that fits in a
desktop. I haven't installed it yet, somewhat due to time but mostly
because I'd like to finally get a solid strategy and then put it in once
instead of installing it in one PC and then ending up moving it.
-- VCR that might or might not have S-Video out; I'd have to check the back.
(This relates to being able to convert our old VHS tapes to DVD.)
-- DV camcorder (connects to PC via firewire) and a couple of pretty old
full size VHS camcorders. With the VHS I always just have given the tapes
out after direct recording, so no editing. The goal is to transition to the
DV camera and to make DVDs, and I'm getting there slowly. I think I've got
recording to the PC down now, and upon deciding one way or another on DVD
equipment I'll need just a bit of practicing in order to be ready to shift
away from VHS. Ideally I'll be able to convert a few of our VHS recordings.
-- Note--so far, no high-end video software, I've experimented with MM2
which comes with XP.
-- As far as making training content, I used to use screen recording
software, it would record whatever was going on on the screen, and
optionally capture spoken audio. It might not run on XP/2000. So, I could
risk installing it and risk the system's stability, or could install it
under a virtual PC / vmware.
Whew! It feels good just to get all of this listed. I'd guess that a lot
of others who've been on their own for a long time might also have a mix of
equipment and goals. Thanks for reading this and for any answers, it will
help others as well as me.
Thank you!