Hello, and welcome to my wiki!

Fixing a PC

christmas list

Imac project

The Professional-aka the suitcase computer

Fixing A G4 tower

Final exam!

Last update :(

I'm almost finished with the suitcase computer, i'm most likely going to stay after school today and try to finish it. The inside is a G3 tower with a 40 gig hd. See here for the link. Other than that, I have also been helping a little bit with the speaker project, an abomination as it is.

I set out originally to buid a computer of a suitcase, but was unable to finsih due to a lack of time. I also got linux running on an iMac, but was unable to install it.

I had started with the linux project, but it was difficult and was unalbe to find the pieces. Then I decided to create the actual suitcase computer, but it was cut short due to a lack of time.

The linux was doomed from the start, it was really a too difficult project for me to undertake. Once I came up with the idea for the suitcase, I made small mistakes here and there with cutting a drilling, but I was albe to make them into successes through some careful planning.

I really wished i had thought of the suitcase farter before, that had the potential to be really good.

Weekly Update 12/22/06::::

This week has been a bad week. I am on my 5th Linux disk and am being very unsuccessful. Also at home, I had a brownout. A brownout is a dip in power, but the power doesn't actually go out. The result of this was a fried G4 tower, which I was almost finished configuring for Music transmission and possibly a server. The power supply not only died, but so did the motherboard. I want to think of something fun to do with it but I don't know yet. I also got my imac that I got from the dump working again, and slavaged some parts from the G4. However, a good copy of mylinux is stuck in the CD drive. Today, my goal is to simultaneously install OSx on the G3 tower and ubuntu on the Graphite G3 imac. OSX should be easy, but the real problem will be Ubuntu.

Weekly Update 12/11/06:::

So far this week, I finally was able to get synergy working cross platform with my laptop. Today, I also have the correct version of linux, so getting the iMacs running with Linux is now able to be done. I plan to burn 2 cd's of it for now, one for me and one for Matt, and hopefully that will work.

mid term update:

Weekly Update: end of nov/beginning of dec:::

So far not much has happened. I got a cool programmed installed called synergy that lets you control multiple computers with one mouse via a server. Mymain goal right now is to get a server running with 2 imacs as slave computers. I am working with a program called pooch that lets you create a beowulf cluster fairly easily and without much hassle, but I am having difficulty with the OS that is installed on the imacs, because uses a different structure. However, I hope to have it working on my graphite imac by the end of class today, 12/8.

Weekly Update 11/13:::

Well, we fried our computer. While working on a case fan< 2 of the bare wires connected to the power supply that gave power to our front fan touched together. I am still working on the write up on it, but it will be linked to this page. Right now we, are working on making a carputer out of a g3 tower. We are still working on how we are going to get power to it in the car, but we think that we needto get the computer in tip top shape before we can do anything else.

Weekly Update 11/6:::

So far this week, Jeremiah and I added a case fan to the front of our computer. We still hav been playing around withy Linux, and we are still working on a permanent installation. Today, 11/8, our class will be venturing over to the middle school to try and salvage a ton of iMacs so we can start playing around with the mac part of computers.

End of Term update::::

What have you done this term?

Jeremiah and I successfully got an old dell running linux. We also made a poster board on the subject of graphics cards. Towards the end of the term, we added a front fan, and soon plan to paint the case and get everything finalized and running smoothly.

What was the biggest challenge for you this term?

The biggest challenge was the fact that we were given a computer that was beyond repair at the very beginning. We spent about 5 classes trying to figure out what was wrong and we finally found that the motherboard was toast. Once we got the Dell, we were unable to find an OS, so we just decided to start messing around with some free linuxes that I found at home.

What have you learned that could be useful outside of school?

I learned how to use linux and how cool linux can be. Most of the otehr stuff that we did I had already known, but it was nice having access to a lot of the parts in class.

Of the thigns you have done this term, what would you like to do more of?

I really want to try case modding, and create a low budget(aka free) gmaing computer that can run Doom, Duke Nukem, emulators, and a few newer freeware games. I would also like to get XP on our computer, but it's tough to find a copy.

Weekly Update (6) 10/26/06

This week started out ok with the hope of getting an operating system, but it turns out that our bios got erased, and I can't find the bios for our motherboard because of its age. I'm not sure if someone messed with it or not, but Jeremiah thinks that someone did. This is abitof a problem because this project is due on Monday. What should we do?

Weekly Update (5) 10/19/06

So far this week, Jeremiah and I are still stuck without an operating system. We have basically just been playing around with our machine's hardware and hopefull by tomorrow we can have XP. I have also been helping other class members with their projects. For example, I helped Nick and Matt put Aida and Winzip on their machine yesterday. Since tomorrow's class will be the pep rally, we will be missing class, so hopefull I can get XP going, but if not, I'm hoping I can start it next class.

Wekkly Update (4)

during this week, Jeremiah and I started the repair project, but we soon found out that our motherboard was fried. The fans spun, but there was no power getting to the motherboard. Since then, I was simply given the task to help other people in their struggle to get broken computers working again. So far it has been hit or miss.

Weekly Update (3)

So far this week we have started the repair portion. We are finally done with the project that had lasted for almost 3 weeks, and we are actually into the practical stuff. Last class we learned about how to identify what was in the computer by looking at the outside of the case, and we made a wiki on it describing what it was like.

Weekly Update(2)

This week, we have been working on our actual visual part of our project. We will most likely be able to finish today and be successful...Until next week!

Weekly Update(1):

This week, Jeremiah and I basically just worked on the wiki below. We researched information on the topic of graphics cards, and then tried to explain what graphics cards are and what they do. We spent as much time as ppossible trying to figure out how they worked and what they did. We also did some research on the games that they are applied in and what exactly effects the graphics processing on a computer. We also compared some graphics cars to others and tried to figure out which wa sthe best, and which would be the best buy for a student who wants to play the occasional game but is lacking the finance for a top of the line graphics card.

This wiki will be about Graphics Cards in computers, including...

-Some graphics card history

-What they do

-How they work

-How you would troubleshoot the problem

-How to install and use this device

LINKZZZZZZZZZZ

Duxtech Home site, yo

Build Repair home site, son

How Stuff Works

ABC's of graphics cards

Wikipedia

History-

Graphics cards were first introduced into in computers but in video game consoles, as a separate graphics processing unit in video game systems such as the Atari 800 and 5200 in the late 1970s. One of the first computers to support an external graphics processing unit was the Commodore Amiga in the 1980's. Then came windows, and the demand for 2D graphics became more. S3 graphics came out with the Porsche 911 of 2D graphics chips in 1991, officially kicking off the official demand for better hardware and eventually 3d graphics.

The first 3D graphics cards came out in Playstation and the Nintendo 64, adn the demand for it in PC's became apparent. One of the first was the ATi Rage, along with the 3dfx voodoo. One of the first successful cards was the nVidia GeForce 256. Then came DirectX, which was an API, which helped control the cards and support the games. ATi came out with their very popular Radeon 9700 card in 2002, and it is what created the basic demand for graphics cards today.

What is in a graphics card?

A graphics card is mainly a circuit board with a fan and usually a VGA and/or a DVI connector that goes to the monitor. It also has ram and the Graphics Processing Unit, or GPU. It is basically a nmini computer all built into one card. Most graphics cards today require a fan, because better cooling means better performance.

What does it do?

A graphics card takes the signal sent from the computer and transfers the signal into information the monitor can pick up in forms of color. As with many consumer products these days, the more expensive it is, the better the car it is.

Installtion:

Most graphics cards have either a PCI Express interface or an AGP interface. PCI is faster, but the motherboards themselves are quite expensive. The same is true for AGP but vice versa. Installation is very easy, as simple as cracking open the computer and plugging the card into the appropriate slot. The slot is usually set apart by being the topmost, and a different color from the PCI slots. Once the card is plugged in and installed, usually there are drivers that need to be put on for it to play games, but the card will work right off the bat initially.

Today, there is an interface called SLi(nVidia) or Crossfire(ATi) that allows you you to have 2 graphics cards via PCI express. One of the fastest cards on the market is nVidia 7950 GX2, which contains the processing power of 2 cards in SLi all built into one. On the other hand, it does cost over $500 for one card, so you must be well funded. However, there are cheaper solutions. A very reliable one is the nVidia 7600 GT XXX, but you aren't going to find a decent card for less than $100.

Troubleshooting:

A big problem with graphics cards these days is heat. If you have a high end video card, and your computer all of a sudden reboots, don't be worried, usually this is a circulation problem. It is recommended that you shut off your computer, and try to get as much air circulation into the case as possible.

Another common problem are driver updates, especially with older ATi cards such as the Radeon 9000 series, which many users still use in their computers. Often times it takes time to search for the driver, but once found and upgraded, everything is hunky dory.

Why is my text so big?

Often times after putting a new graphics card in, the resolution is set very low. First, you would need to check your contol panels. Go to the start menu and clcik on control panel, and then go to adjust visual settings. There is a small dragbar that lets you increase the resolution, which in turn makes the text look a more normal size. If you are on the max resolution, you need to reinstall(or install for the first place) your graphics drivers.

What is SLi...the future?

SLi stands for scalable link interface. It allows you to combine the power of two PCI express graphics cards into one motor that can power all of your graphics cards. As mentioned before, SLi works only with PCI express graphics cards, and allow more power dedicated to the demand of graphics processing.

Sli Motherboard, allows you to have 2 PCi express graphics cards working like one.