Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy) LTS -64bit

One of the bigger things happening in the OS industry right now is the arrival of Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron). The final version is available and many of us have been testing it out for a week. Almost as big as the release of 8.04 is that of GNOME 2.22 which is part of the update package.

This newest version is the most major revision to Ubuntu, but its been getting a serious amount of attention. It’s hard to tell exactly if this is because of the increasing groundswell of attention surrounding the distribution, if it’s excitement about just how good Ubuntu is getting, or it’s just standard Ubuntu-mania, but, as always, it’s worth checking out. Hardy Heron has a few substantial changes that are worth noting before you get started, including the addition of a new kernel, Wubi (to install Ubuntu through Windows), umenu (launcher), GNOME 2.22, Firefox 3.04 beta, a spiffy new background, and a whole lot of minor tweaks. This is a LTS (long-term support) release with at least three years of support on the desktop and five years for servers. Ubuntu also comes with Active Directory support this time around which will be big for potential business users.

The standard installation is dead simple and now you can install Ubuntu through Windows, using Wubi, like it is any other application. I actually used a third (and probably the longest) method, and upgraded from 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon). This took some time to do all the downloading and upgrading, but the process worked perfectly on the first try and just required a few clicks in the Update Manager. Any way you do it, the installation is getting to be extremely slick and it was both painless and problem-free this time around.

Once you load things up, Hardy Heron is not that different from what you would expect. The menus are tweaked and there is that new heron background, but most things are classic Ubuntu. All the features were supported and worked perfectly except for the third mouse button which normally triggers scrolling.

Support for most hardware is no longer an issue. The biggest thing I noticed initially was Firefox 3.0, as well as the improved graphics the system uses when clicking a shortcut icon or opening/closing windows.

When just kicking around in the OS there is not a whole lot to see. If you don’t use Ubuntu a lot you will probably be struck by how everything just works and how fast operations can be even when you aren’t on the most powerful or newest hardware available. Some nice additions this time include Compiz usability features, the Brasero disk burner, Transmission BitTorrent, and Vinagre VNC client, which all appear in the stock build.

If you are a usability fanatic you will definitely fall in love with the instant hopping between virtual desktops (mouseover the desktop and scroll up or down), the painless OS updates, and the Deskbar Applet, which allows for instant searches right from the toolbar. The whole package works well and once you get used to it it is powerful and quick.

One feature I really grew to like is Heron’s system monitor. This is basically an improved version of what you see in the Windows Task Manager, where you can see what is happening with your CPU, as well as memory and swap. You can also see what is happening with the processes and file system in just seconds. Of course, all this is possible through the command line, but this is a great step forward in getting Ubuntu operation and administration a bit easier to digest for people who are new to Linux or who just don’t want to troubleshoot in the console.

Another big feature is the inclusion of X.org 7.3 which is overdue but will definitely come in handy as it makes screen and graphics preferences much easier to work with.

It was pretty easy to make an assumption about 8.04–it’s a great leap forward for Ubuntu and the distribution is looking better than ever. This is just about what everyone says after each release, but it’s really impressive to see how far things have come over the past few generations.

Hardy Heron is going to be a great choice for both your desktop and notebook.

If you haven’t tried Ubuntu, definitely give the live CD a shot and don’t be afraid to give it a go alongside a Windows installation if you simply can’t part ways with XP or Vista.

AT-PSU Conversion

Jolly Swagmans Mods

AT-PSU Conversion

I am going to Mod an old AT-PSU for use as a Lab bench PSU

Using a 230 Watt AT-PSU, and will have output voltages of,

+12v -12v +5v -5v & Ground

Things needed are

1 x AT -PSU

2 x Red banana Terminal Posts

2 x Yellow banana Terminal Posts

1 x Blue banana Terminal Posts

1 x White banana Terminal Post

1 x Black banana Terminal Post

1 x (120mm x 70mm x 40mm) Hobby Box

2 x Panel Mount Fuse holders (Small)

2 x 5mm LED's (green + amber)

2 x 120ohm .75watt resistors

1 x 2amp small glass fuse

1 x 5amp small glass fuse

2 x 10 Ohm 10 Watt Load resistor

1 x 16Amp 240volt DPDT toggle switch

10 x 4mm ring crimp lugs

1 x 20mm Blank PVC plug

Zip ties for wire management ect.

1 x SPST small toggle switch (optional)

1 x 3pin Fan header (optional)

A soldering iron, Solder, Shrink tube various sizes,

Heat Blower to use on shrink tube, Multimeter

*** CAUTION should be used when working on PSU make

Sure it has been turned OFF or not used for at least a day

Before attempting this MOD as PSU capacitors retain residual

HIGH Voltages and Will give you a nasty SHOCK if touched ***

STEP 1

Take off the PSU cover and check all wiring and components are OK,

STEP 2 (Optional)

This part may be Optional if you wish to have an easier accusable

240/110 Volt 5 Amp fuse, as most PSU,s have one on the circuit board

Either as a clip in or are soldered in.

I chose to Remove the soldered fuse and replace with two wires going to

a Small Glass Fuse Holder mounted on the case Front, with 5 Amp Fuse.

The Fuse mounts in right Cable slot in below pic

STEP 3

Now Cut 1 Red +5Volt wire and 1 Black Ground wire (about 150mm)

Enough to attach to the 10 ohm 10 watt Resistor.

Slide on some shrink tube of correct size to the legs of Load Resistor

And shrink leaving 10mm of wire for soldering.

Also slide some tubing on the Red & Black wires that you have just cut

And strip ends pre solder both wires and resistor and then attach one wire

at either leg of Resistor, Slide the Shrink tubing over the

Soldered joint and Shrink

Now mount the Resistor to the side of case as per above picture as

this will provide some sort of cooling and act like a heat sink

as the resistor will get rather warm, Also I have used some AS5

Thermal compound added to the back of resistor to aid in Cooling.

Attach using zip ties.

1 10 Ohm 10 Watt Resistor should be enough as a latching load on

the 5-volt side without this the PSU wont start, you can also join

another in series if this is not enough.

STEP 4

Now I have chosen to use a Hobby Box for my Terminals and Switches

to be mounted, you can if there if sufficient room mount these into the

case side, but I proffered to isolate them in box.

Plan out where you want the power switch and Terminals, ect to go and

Drill appropriate size holes for mounting, and 20mm hole in rear of box

for wiring loom to pass through.

The box has been mounted to the lid part of the PSU just above the

Ventilation slots, you may choose to mount where you prefer.

STEP 5

Cut the Power Switch cable to length to reach new switch, Solder wires,

AS per wiring diagram as shown in STEP 1 pic. And shrink tube wires

and power switch to make sure is double insulated from low voltage side.

Cut the 3 Black Ground wires to length and terminate at one of the terminals

on the Fuse holder mounted on your switch panel, and then a Black wire from

the other terminal of this fuse holder to the black Banana Post using crimp

ring lugs, The remain Black wires can be trimmed short near circuit board

and a piece of shrink tube placed over them.

Now cut 3 Red (actually you only need 1wire, 3 wires will give you

extra load current) to length and terminate at the +5 Volt

Red Banana Post terminal, (I have used 2 terminal posts +5Volt

This will be optional if you want)

Now cut 3 Yellow wires and terminate these to the Yellow +12Volt Banana

Post terminal (I have used 2 terminal posts +12Volt

This will be optional if you want)

The remain Yellow wires can be trimmed short near circuit board

and a piece of shrink tube placed over them. (Optionally you may want to keep

1 of these Yellow +12Volt wires for cooling Fan for Resistor see later)

Now Cut the Blue and the White and if there is 1 Orange wire to length

And terminated the Blue wire to blue Banana Post Terminal and the white

To the White Banana post Terminal.

The Orange wire if present is the PG line (Power Good) this may be used to

Connect to the Amber LED +leg and the -leg to 120ohm resistor then too

Black Ground Post

Now Optionally I have put in Fan header and Small toggle switch, for Fan testing

This is entirely up to you wether you want this.

Connect a Green LED +leg with a wire to Yellow +12volt Post and the -leg

to the 120ohm Resistor then to the Black Ground Post, this will then sow that

Your 12 volt line is UP /ON

STEP 6 (Optional)

Now for added Cooling of the Load Resistor I have placed a 80mm 12v

Fan mounted on a Bracket to aide in cooling this would be connected to a black ground and one of those Yellow +12volt wires we saved earlier.

See picture below, and also shrink tube wires.

Picture above also shows where the 20mm Blank plug goes to block the

hole the original wiring loom came out before we modded the PSU,

And the 240/110volt 5Amp Fuse holder where the old power switch

Cable came from.

The 2Amp Fuse we place in the Fuse Holder in the Terminal panel this

Protects the -Ground from any short Circuit mishaps for anything

that is connected to the terminals.

So there we now have a Lab Bench PSU to use for all those Hobby projects

Or just simply to test out Fans ect

Also the Feet are another Optional extra just some MDF pieces

Covered with non-slip mat.

*********DISCLAIMER*********

This Mod is what I have done to make a Lab PSU from an old AT-PSU

Jolly Swagman takes NO Responsibility if you undertake to do or

Replicate this MOD and something goes wrong as working with 240/110Volt

Circuitry is Dangerous if you DONT know what you are doing.

I am a Qualified Electrical “A” Grade Special Class Electrical Mechanic.

I hope all goes as well for you, as it did for me.

Jolly Swagman

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Nvidia Graphics Card-Blog#2

Well all has been well with the newer Graphics card on the Wife's System, and have been very impressed with its performance, The XFX Geforce 7600GTS 256meg XXX edition are fantastic. IMHO, and would recommend them very highly.

ATI Graphics Cards- Blog # 1

Well I bought my partner (Wife) a new computer last year, NOW a P4 3.2Ghz Intel-965- S-775 fsb800, Asus P5GZ-MX Motherboard, 2-Gig DDR2 @677mhz, ATI X1300pro-PCI-E 256meg-DDR3 Graphics, 120Gig Sata HDD, DVD/RW, Media Card reader, 550watt Emac-SuperCool psu, ATX case.
And had nothing but problems with it, and after going back to computer shop 5 times it has been totally rebuilt to the above specs, but still we were having alot of issues with the ATI graphics card, so after 7 months of it being returned also back and forth from shop, we also got no real support from ATI-AMD.com either so we pulled the card out to it back for its final trip to computer shop and demanded a refund, and got it too after some deliberations.
Now the Computer has a NVIDIA-XFX Geforce 7600GTS - XXX Edition 256meg-DDR3 graphics card with the newest 162.18 drivers and control center, and not a problem to be found, everything just works as it should,
Will never ever deal with ATI again, even there Newest cards have faults, but our new friend the trusted old Nvidia is here to stay......

Jolly Swagmans Blog #2

Well still been working on my Server finalizing the setup and still have a few Web Site pages to get finished, have added an ATI Driver setup how to- there is currently a newer set of driver available at the ATI site and installation is very similar also docs available there too,
Hope these will be of some use to all that need them.

Jolly Swagmans First Blog

Welcome to Jolly Swagmans Blogs,
Well I have been using Linux now for about 12 months and the more I do the more I like it, and Windows XP pro has been has been getting rather lonely, but I do still have to now then visit it as I,m afraid for my Digital Photographic work my canon printer still needs it, and of course the odd game that isn't supported by other OS's.

I fist was introduced to the Linux World via SmoothWall Firewall, a Firewall Distro based on Linux, and i must say one of the Worlds Best Firewall Systems.
I built the System from a disused Pentium 3 PC that I had just laying around collecting dust, so after reading up on some info, I came across while surfing the great WWW, I decided to put it into action.
Details to SmoothWall Express at SmoothWall.Org and forums are in the links list

I have been using Ubuntu Feisty 7.04 as my main Linux Distro, but started out with Fedora Core 6, and have dabbled into Foresight Linux, Puppy Linux, DSL and CentOS-5 server.
I have now nearly completed my Ubuntu Feisty 7.04 Server and I must say am very impressed with it so far.