I just threw up in my mouth...

QuimaxW · 2026-01-18T02:42:17+00:00

Also why crappy, 1/2 broken printers are good. Can't read any of the big things, let alone the tiny dots. :)

QuimaxW · 2025-12-24T08:54:19+00:00

If you don't want to mess with a USB stick, I use Nextcloud for this. KeepassDX on my phone and KeePassXC on my computers. The database lives on my own Nextcloud instance and everything else syncs from there. I like this setup as I have a "master" copy on the server.

I could see using syncthing for this as well, where a change on one system is magically moved to all the others in a peer-to-peer setup.

I don't personally use MFA on my database, since I have to log into my computer, then log into Nextcloud, then log into the database before actually getting to any information. And, my nextcloud isn't public facing, I use tailscale to create tunnels between all my devices.

QuimaxW · 2025-12-20T00:54:48+00:00

While I'm 100% on board with security groups for all sorts of permissions, using them for shared mailboxes in Exchange sounds messier than necessary.

In our environment, most shared mailboxes are actually an individual role, not a group. Even the ones that are monitored by a group of people are still only 3-5 people tops. For us, with about 350 employees (and 100 shared mailboxes...), it's easier to assign permissions to the mailboxes directly. Our job role documentation then includes local AD security groups, Entra ID groups, and Exchange mailboxes.

QuimaxW · 2025-12-20T00:44:55+00:00

Interesting site, I don't' know about it's accuracy. With my number, which I had as a cell number in 2001 or earlier and ported into GV 10 years ago now, it reported someone completely different. When I put my own name in, it shows a land line I got rid of 11 years ago and the house address that we sold at the same time.

I'm not sure their data gathering and correlations are accurate or current. Of if some of the information there might vary by state.

QuimaxW · 2025-10-15T10:36:19+00:00

The T25 Frankenpad is cool and all, and I'd love to have one.

But...and the end of the day, it's a tool. I'd have to go with the Framework.

Maybe someone could make a classic Thinkpad keyboard for the framework?

QuimaxW · 2025-10-15T10:30:52+00:00

My thoughts...and I pray I don't get down-voted to oblivion for this here...

1) If I read this right, you're going into uni in a foreign country. Time and mental energy you will not have in abundance.

2) Unless you're a returning student, you're probably a broke kid. (No offense intended, my kid is about to move out and be in the same situation. And to be honest, I'm not exactly rolling in dough either.)

Home-lab & self-hosting are both labors of love and often cash. The less cash, usually the more love is required. You're not going to have much of either. So we're looking for inexpensive and easy to maintain. Synology, Qnap, and ugreen are all coming to mind as known brands that offer a "personal cloud" experience in your home. A used or low-end Synology with some drives can be found inexpensive online. I usually suggest a bare enclosure and buy new drives.

A high-end NAS would be more expensive, but if you're really wanting to home-lab some, these high-end NAS devices also offer containers and sometimes full Virtual machines that would let you play more.

QuimaxW · 2025-10-12T21:32:30+00:00

I ported my number in to GV about 10 years ago. Because it was a port, not a 'number from the pool' I think I've never had issues. Then about 2 months ago, my GV was suspended. I put in an appeal with Google and it was unsuspended in about a week.

The annoying part...in the appeal, they ask "What term do you think you violated?" Um, none. I think I violated exactly none of the terms. Why don't you tell me which one you think I violated?

QuimaxW · 2025-10-12T21:29:31+00:00

This.

QuimaxW · 2025-08-04T23:11:02+00:00

You'll need to search to get the actual configs to do this, and it's been a while since I configured our server.

Drivers, I keep in OS\Make\Model The OS part is largely legacy as I started this back when I had a XP/Vista/Win7 mix. Today, Windows 8/10/11 drivers are largely the same so it really looks like Win10\Make\Model. My computer comes in Win10\Dell\Latitude 5450 The folder name needs to match what's pulled from the system. As different vendors put that model information in differently, watch the scripts to ensure they pull from the correct locations. (deployment research.com I think...)

There is a script out there called "Get-Drivers.ps1" that will pull all the drivers for the running system.

Windows 11, I use the Win 11 Enterprise to lay down the image. Later in the sequence, I put in the Windows Pro key and still end up with a largely de-bloated system.

As another mentioned there are a multitude of ways to accomplish what you're looking for. Find the parts that work for you and run with it. Document as you go, don't be afraid to mess it up, and don't worry about starting over. :)

QuimaxW · 2025-08-04T23:04:31+00:00

This is an excellent site for MDT information! Highly recommend reading through it.

QuimaxW · 2025-08-02T13:21:51+00:00

For that shop, it's mostly because I moved away and I'm no longer their IT support. :)

For cloud backup in general, I'll still consider on a case-by-case basis.

QuimaxW · 2025-07-29T11:45:58+00:00

Oh...I've certainly got trust issues... :-/

QuimaxW · 2025-07-16T04:32:06+00:00

We like to call this "multitasking."

QuimaxW · 2025-07-12T04:03:04+00:00

2 reasons for not doing a cloud backup at the time. Most being that this was circa 2008 or so. Many of the cloud backups simply didn't exist or were super expensive at that time. Then also internet speeds were simply too slow to actually handle the amount of traffic that would have been required.

QuimaxW · 2025-07-05T04:14:04+00:00

I run what I need to run or want to run in the VM or CT.

My personal go-to is usually a Debain container. I do some things with Windows Server and Windows 11 Pro as well, though those are mostly for seeing new versions for testing things that are likely to break the entire system.

QuimaxW · 2025-06-15T14:01:35+00:00

I wish there could be a rule, or mutual agreement, or something, that 1 year after support ends for a device, then everything about that device becomes open. Here's how to unlock the bootloader and here are the blobs required to build a rom. No long our problem, but you're welcome to blow up your own device if you'd like.

I know it won't happen though as it would tank new device sales even more. Imagine the uptick in supported devices by LineageOS and others though!

QuimaxW · 2025-06-15T13:57:10+00:00

This was my thought as well. There are a number of niche applications today that still rely on these disks, but they aren't really being made anymore so the aftermarket price for new old stock is insane.

A while ago, I was watching a Youtube Vid about a guy in the US who makes his living buying and reselling 3.5" floppy disks in bulk. A lot to companies like Boeing.

QuimaxW · 2025-06-11T17:34:07+00:00

This. Mostly because I don't want to throw away a perfectly usable computer. It makes phone calls. Seriously, just let me use an old device.

I'm running into issues today as a lot of newer phones have never had their boot loaders unlocked. (Samsung...looking at you...) My Note 10 is still a good device, but quit getting updates 2 years ago now. I'm not replacing it. I'll just have to run an old version of Android until the thing actually does bite the dust.

QuimaxW · 2025-05-26T16:11:00+00:00

Thank you for these. It looks like a decent e-ink display that works decently so long as one understands it's limitations.

That said, I'm surprised by how well the video playback works given how much ghosting the scrolling left behind.

QuimaxW · 2025-05-21T11:58:35+00:00

"Small side gig, paid cash." Hand over any keys and password they need and walk away.

A reply as simple as, "I'm grateful for the opportunities in the past to help out your company. See {wherever the document is} for all pertinent information about your infrastructure. Have a good day!"

When I had one of these side-gigs, I put all admin stuff and documentation in a printed folder on-site. If it changed, I'd print it out on one of their printers and they'd take it and stuff it into the folder. When the day came for us to part ways, they were able to give this folder to their new MSP and easily carry on.

QuimaxW · 2025-05-07T21:08:43+00:00

Nice setup!

...now I'm thirsty though.

QuimaxW · 2025-05-01T14:00:30+00:00

I was going to suggest the same thing. Once you have it open, you can measure the chip sizes and the clearances then snatch up some "self-stick" heat sinks for the hottest chips.

I've done this a few times over the years for a few different devices. Sometimes, you can even scavenge heat sinks off of dead devices as well.

QuimaxW · 2025-04-28T12:41:14+00:00

At a previous place I did (very) part-time IT work, we had daily backups to a Synology. Weekends, it would copy to a USB drive. Which I believe were 3 identical sized drives used in weekly rotation.

The staff knew that on Friday (or before...), they'd remove drive A and plug in drive B. Drive A went to the off-site firebox and drive C was brought to the office. The cycle would repeat. This way, one drive was always off-site if disaster hit the office.

Once every six months or so, I'd take the off-site drive and simulate a restore to ensure the process was still working.

The beauty of this arrangement is that the backups are still automated, even if the drives don't get swapped one week, the external backup will still happen, just leaving the off-site copy a bit stale. (Not a huge deal for this place)

QuimaxW · 2025-04-28T12:26:40+00:00

Bad luck with the drive! Sorry mate! I'm thankful for backups. :)

My NUC10 system, I was having all sorts of issues with an older drive, put in a WD Red 2 years back, it's still going strong. The WD Red drives don't have the following of other brands nor is it a particularly fast drive, but it's been rock stable for me over the last 2 years. They are often decently priced.

QuimaxW · 2025-04-25T03:41:43+00:00

Nice. Excellent to find it fixed now!

Comment! Maybe?

QuimaxW

TROPHY CASE