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Hobbies 2022

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Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
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As part of the smooth running of the forum, it is our policy that a moderator will set up certain recurring threads in the General Discussion section at the start of each new year. This section has been set up in accordance with those forum maintenance arrangements.

This thread will be open for posts on 1 January 2022.
 
I've found a use for an old Lenovo computer with faulty graphics output by installing Truenas/Freenas and thus turning it into a home server/cloud/shared disk. My iphone and every other computer I have can store files and images on it.

It does not need a screen so the faulty graphics do not matter. Next job on it will be to replace the HDD with a SSD and leave it on 24/7.

Passes the time on dull winter days ... :)
 
oldMohawk said:
I've found a use for an old Lenovo computer with faulty graphics output by installing Truenas/Freenas and thus turning it into a home server/cloud/shared disk. My iphone and every other computer I have can store files and images on it.

It does not need a screen so the faulty graphics do not matter. Next job on it will be to replace the HDD with a SSD and leave it on 24/7.

Passes the time on dull winter days ... :)
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do you remember the vast amount of dumb terminals there were around for free:grinning:
 
We are having a new security system installed this morning. My wife who is a very private person has some hesitations/concerns. The system has four cameras plus the front doorbell. My new hobby will be monitoring that on my phone, iPad and notebook. Not as complicated as what oldMohawk did but I think it will be exciting to look at and also has audio recording capability. Oh, and yes it will be monitored remotely and ties to central station.

I'm sure the new will wear off quickly but at least something through the bad weather days!
 
oldMohawk said:
I've found a use for an old Lenovo computer with faulty graphics output by installing Truenas/Freenas and thus turning it into a home server/cloud/shared disk. My iphone and every other computer I have can store files and images on it.
Click to expand...

Similar re purposing here. HP t730 now has OpnSense on it to provide some protection to the house internet. All solid state and on 24/7. The problem is keeping the internet going for my other half, and still being able to fiddle about, which is more fun.

Richard Dye said:
We are having a new security system installed this morning.
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I bought a 4 camera setup (from a big online retailer at the beginning of the alphabet) and installed it myself. Recording is to a self contained disk. Internet connection is optional for remote viewing. Over here there are specific regulations that stop you from pointing such cameras off the property, and warning notices have to be posted for visitors, such as at the gate. Privacy for others is important. So all the cameras are near the perimeter pointing inwards. When a neighbour had some stuff stolen, madame flic (plod) and friend still came round to ask if I might have any useful recordings :confused:.

My first computer was a ZX81, bought as a kit. Carefully treasured. Now, if a distinction is made between computers, including iPad and the like, and embedded computers, such as washing machine, radio etc, I could probably make a good impression on a skip with the amount of computers and associated stuff laying around. All absolutely necessary of course :laughing: and still working as well as the day it became obsolete.

Andrew.
 
Richard Dye said:
We are having a new security system installed this morning. My wife who is a very private person has some hesitations/concerns. The system has four cameras plus the front doorbell. My new hobby will be monitoring that on my phone, iPad and notebook. Not as complicated as what oldMohawk did but I think it will be exciting to look at and also has audio recording capability. Oh, and yes it will be monitored remotely and ties to central station.

I'm sure the new will wear off quickly but at least something through the bad weather days!
Click to expand...
Sounds good Richard. I think having it installed is the best procedure. I installed cameras myself looking front and back and they record slots when human moving shapes are detected but it is not 100%. I can remotely look at the camera outputs over the internet. It was useful once proving a delivery driver had not delivered when he said he had.
 
oldMohawk said:
Sounds good Richard. I think having it installed is the best procedure. I installed cameras myself looking front and back and they record slots when human moving shapes are detected but it is not 100%. I can remotely look at the camera outputs over the internet. It was useful once proving a delivery driver had not delivered when he said he had.
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oldMohawk, that’s pretty much what we have! I looked a doing the install but the guys we have know the best places for the cameras (not what I think). We spoke to friends a retired policeman and an FBI agent both concurred with our set up. Our only outer looking camera is on the doorbell.
 
Reference post#2 I've since bought a 256Gb SSD and installed it in the old computer. It was a quick job because I simply took out the DVD drive and used it's slot, power, and data cables, but left the HDD in place unplugged. With no moving parts in it I can leave it permanently on.

I installed Windows 10 to confirm all was working and then replaced Windows with TrueNas. I now have a fast shared drive which all my computers can use. If I take a photo with my phone I can send it to the shared drive and immediately see it on another computer.

It's a hobby of sorts !
 
oldMohawk said:
Reference post#2 I've since bought a 256Gb SSD and installed it in the old computer. It was a quick job because I simply took out the DVD drive and used it's slot, power, and data cables, but left the HDD in place unplugged. With no moving parts in it I can leave it permanently on.

I installed Windows 10 to confirm all was working and then replaced Windows with TrueNas. I now have a fast shared drive which all my computers can use. If I take a photo with my phone I can send it to the shared drive and immediately see it on another computer.

It's a hobby of sorts !
Click to expand...
Clever, I think!
 
oldMohawk said:
replaced Windows with TrueNas.
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Good move. I was looking in that direction. I have a mini PC that will take the required 8GB RAM, but I wanted to have an SSD in there with the TrueNas system on, and the data on external disks. I have lots of USB available, but TrueNas is not useable in that setup. I am currently using a Netgear ReadyNAS with 4 x 4TB in RAID. It works OK but I am wary of unsupported proprietary software. I already deny it any internet access via the firewall.
Yes, I agree, it is a hobby.
Andrew.
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
Good move. I was looking in that direction. I have a mini PC that will take the required 8GB RAM, but I wanted to have an SSD in there with the TrueNas system on, and the data on external disks. I have lots of USB available, but TrueNas is not useable in that setup. I am currently using a Netgear ReadyNAS with 4 x 4TB in RAID. It works OK but I am wary of unsupported proprietary software. I already deny it any internet access via the firewall.
Yes, I agree, it is a hobby.
Andrew.
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More Hobby work needed ... :)
After installing TrueNas I found that it cannot have data on the same partition so I have a temporary USB for data. I should have used Windows to partition the SSD before TrueNas was installed. I need to reinstall Windows to partition the disk and then reinstall TrueNas on one partition with data on the other. Setting up 'permissions' is tricky.
TrueNas on my Win 11
Screenshot (302) (Medium).jpg
 
oldMohawk said:
More Hobby work needed ... :)
After installing TrueNas I found that it cannot have data on the same partition so I have a temporary USB for data. I should have used Windows to partition the SSD before TrueNas was installed. I need to reinstall Windows to partition the disk and then reinstall TrueNas on one partition with data on the other. Setting up 'permissions' is tricky.
TrueNas on my Win 11
View attachment 166598
Click to expand...
Way over my head :)
 
oldMohawk said:
More Hobby work needed ... :)
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My 'instinct' would be to put your 256 GB onto the disconnected drive cable. Fit a small SSD where you have the the 256GB on the DVD connection. Put TrueNas on the little one and data onto the 256. Why ? Operating system and data separation. A whoops! update to TrueNas should leave your data alone. Adding another disk at some time later for redundancy / data protection would be easier on a data only channel. Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs.
Richard Dye said:
Way over my head :)
Click to expand...
I would bet several $ that you have a hobby or interest that would make my head spin o_O. Tell us about it :).

Andrew.
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
My 'instinct' would be to put your 256 GB onto the disconnected drive cable. Fit a small SSD where you have the the 256GB on the DVD connection. Put TrueNas on the little one and data onto the 256. Why ? Operating system and data separation. A whoops! update to TrueNas should leave your data alone. Adding another disk at some time later for redundancy / data protection would be easier on a data only channel. Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs.

I would bet several $ that you have a hobby or interest that would make my head spin o_O. Tell us about it :).

Andrew.
Click to expand...
All hobbies on hold right now, just tested positive for COVID! But they have wheels.
 
Do take care Richard. We had it last August and unfortunately I had never felt so ill. But I suppose at 90 didn't expect any difference. Had to call the GP about one condition but receptionist fobbed me off so phoned 111 and had great help
My real reason for writing was to say that like Richard all this talk about computers goes above my head. But so many more things still able to do, particularly browsing on this site and finding out about things that people are involved in
 
johnny082 said:
Do take care Richard. We had it last August and unfortunately I had never felt so ill. But I suppose at 90 didn't expect any difference. Had to call the GP about one condition but receptionist fobbed me off so phoned 111 and had great help
My real reason for writing was to say that like Richard all this talk about computers goes above my head. But so many more things still able to do, particularly browsing on this site and finding out about things that people are involved in
Click to expand...
Thank you! Usually I can keep up with computers but it seems like the last year has been a blur with more of the same ahead! Bu5 we are here and that is the most important thing!
 
Blender is a super programme. You could print your creation with a 3D printer now.
 
Morturn said:
Blender is a super programme. You could print your creation with a 3D printer now.
Click to expand...
I've discovered that the handle is hollow with eggshell thickness ... bit of a problem if cup was real ... :rolleyes:
Untitled.jpg
Should be fun trying to discover what went wrong ...
 
oldMohawk said:
I've discovered that the handle is hollow with eggshell thickness ... bit of a problem if cup was real ... :rolleyes:
View attachment 167045
Should be fun trying to discover what went wrong ...
Click to expand...

It’s how Blender and other 3D modelling programmes work. You are only creating a surface or mesh. There should be a “Make Solid” option in the menu.
 
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