I’ve been building Mini-PC systems since 2008. I recently got parts to build an AMD Ryzen system based on an ASRock Desk Mini A300.
Those are the parts but in summary:
ASRock DeskMini A300 Chassis
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G 4-Core Processor
Samsung 970 EVO 500GB NVMe SSD
16GB RAM
The chassis comes with WiFi. And it now runs Linux Mint 19.3. It supports the 4K monitor with no issues unlike the previous Gigabyte Brix system, which only supported the 4K monitor under Windows 10 and not Linux Mint.
I have a couple of mini-PC systems that I use to display images in a slide show. One of these systems displays these slides on a 4K monitor and I’ve recently gotten a more modern one for that purpose. Post for that is upcoming soon.
Using these systems to display images of 16:9 Aspect is no problem and most images captured by cameras and cellphones and screen shots from games are of this or approximately this aspect. I use Irfanview on Windows, and the built in image viewer on Linux.
Slide Show of Game Screenshots
However, showing slide shows of vertically aspect images is less than ideal. Too much of the screen is left black to be pleasing to the eye.
Vertical Aspect Image Slide Show
When a large number of images like these are presented, it would be better to be able to quickly make a slide show that shows more than one image at a time on the screen.
But after a few weeks, and raising all DoH / DoL jobs – except fishing and culinary – to about 50, I gave up on this. There was an increasing curve of time to get each new level on the jobs. I completed Shadowbringers with the 430 quest gear.
In support of that crafting experience, I purchased two Additional Retainers.
Normally you get two retainers for each character on the account. These serve as bank and sale-agent for the market. They each provide 175 storage slots and the ability to sell up to 20 items at a time on the market board. They also can be leveled to gather additional materials for crafting or other needs.
Now that I have decided to not continue with DoH / DoL leveling, I no longer need the additional retainers, which cost $2/ mo each for an additional retainer or $12 for each 3 month subscription period for two retainers.
But cancelling the Additional Retainers Service is a Nightmare. I would avoid it at all costs. It took about 10 emails with support and then waiting on the computer for over an hour and a half for a chat with a support person to clarify how to cancel the service, and I need to wait about 2 months and then re-enter my credit card to complete the process.
Cancelling Additional Retainers is truly a nightmare.
Backdated by one year to keep off Front Page of blog.
When submitting a bug report, please use the below template and thoroughly fill out the necessary information. how do I attach a picture?
Date & Time: na Frequency: sometimes World name: na Character name: na Retainer name: NPC name: Monster name: Class/Level: Party or solo: In-game time: Area and coordinates: Housing: Steps:
try to start the launcher
log in
click PLAY
observe crash *Add more steps if necessary
Connection Specs
Type of internet connection/provider: cable
Modem maker/model number: na
■ PC Specs
To obtain the system information, open the FFXIV launcher and select Config → System Information → Display.
-=-=-=-=- System Information -=-=-=-=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=- FFXIV Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-
MyDocument C:\Users\darre\Documents FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE G:\FFXIV\SquareEnix FINAL FANTASY XIV – A Realm Reborn Language 1 Region 2 ProxyEnable 0 ProxyServer unspecified ProxyOverride unspecified
-=-=-=-=-=-=- Application Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-
FFXIVLauncher In-Game Bugs – Post New Thread — Mozilla Firefox [removed for privacy reasons]
-=-=-=-=-=-=- Install Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-
AnyDesk Battle.net Google Chrome Guild Wars Haali Media Splitter MediaHuman YouTube to MP3 Converter 3.9.9.51 Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge Update NC Launcher 2 NewBlue Titler Pro 5 for Corel Steam The Elder Scrolls Online Heaven Benchmark version 4.0 VLC media player World of Warcraft Corel VideoStudio Ultimate 2018 Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x64) – 12.0.30501 Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 x86 Minimum Runtime – 12.0.21005 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x64) – 11.0.50727 Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x86 Redistributable – 10.0.30319 FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 X86 Additional Runtime – 14.26.28720 Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 X86 Minimum Runtime – 14.26.28720 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x86) – 11.0.61030 Aion Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable – x86 9.0.30729 TERA Setup Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x64) – 14.26.28720 Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable (x86) – 14.26.28720 MyDVD Content Pack 1 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 x86 Additional Runtime – 11.0.61030 QtScreenShotArchive version 1.5 TextPad 5 MyDVD Content Pack 2 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 x86 Minimum Runtime – 11.0.61030 ICA Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 Redistributable (x64) – 11.0.61030 Arc Gameforge Client Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable (x86) – 12.0.30501 Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 x86 Additional Runtime – 12.0.21005 SynchQt version 1.1.0 7-Zip 16.04 (x64) GIMP 2.10.14 Guild Wars 2 IrfanView 4.54 (64-bit) Mozilla Firefox 86.0 (x64 en-US) Mozilla Maintenance Service PerformanceTest v10.0 proDAD Adorage 3.0 (64bit) proDAD Route 4.0 (64bit) proDAD Script 4.0 (64bit) proDAD Mercalli 2.0 (64bit) proDAD Vitascene 2.0 (64bit) Riders of Icarus Black Desert Online Runes of Magic Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable – 10.0.40219 Corel Update Manager Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable – x64 9.0.30729 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 x64 Additional Runtime – 11.0.61030 LibreOffice 7.0.3.1 Boris FX Continuum Plug-ins 11 for Corel VideoStudio 2018 Contents64 VideoStudio 3D Title Editor Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable – x64 9.0.30729.17 VSClassic64 Oracle VM VirtualBox 6.1.16 Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 x64 Additional Runtime – 12.0.21005 Microsoft Update Health Tools Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 x64 Minimum Runtime – 11.0.50727 Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 x64 Minimum Runtime – 12.0.21005 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 x64 Additional Runtime – 11.0.50727 NVIDIA Ansel NVIDIA Control Panel 456.71 NVIDIA Graphics Driver 456.71 NVIDIA PhysX System Software 9.19.0218 NVIDIA HD Audio Driver 1.3.38.35 NVIDIA Install Application NVIDIA Display MessageBus NVIDIA Display Container NVIDIA Display Container LS NVIDIA Display Watchdog Plugin NVIDIA Display Session Container NVIDIA USBC Driver 1.45.831.832 IPM_VS_Pro64 Graffiti x64 Corel VideoStudio 2018 Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 X64 Additional Runtime – 14.26.28720 Microsoft Visual C++ 2012 x64 Minimum Runtime – 11.0.61030 VSUltimate64 Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 X64 Minimum Runtime – 14.26.28720 Share64
This is a small Thermaltake Mini-ITX case with Intel Atom D525 motherboard. This is a working system, currently running Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon. Older system suitable for hobby / learning use. Runs Linux just fine. Not suitable for Windows 10. Could use an upgrade of a small SSD rather than the slower hard drive. SSDs are pretty cheap these days and 32 or 64 GB would be plenty of space for Linux. Needs a new motherboard battery.
Used for years to show Youtube and other Media on large TV. Supports HD resolution.
For Sale: $50 – Rescue this older system to give it a good home.
Hardware Specifications
CPU Intel Atom D525
RAM -2GB DDR2
Graphics Nvidia GT218 [ION]
DVD RW Drive – compact laptop style drive.
HD – 250GB WD Caviar 3.5″ SATA
WiFi with external antennas included. Ethernet port.
Graphics Output: DVI, VGA. Supports HD – 1920×1080.
USB 2.0 – 2 Rear, 2 Front. Booting from USB Stick works fine.
Sound in / out.
Power cable and DVI monitor cable included.
Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse not included.
Needs a new motherboard clock battery.
Here’s the Hard Drive:
BIOS Pictures
Use Numpad + and – to adjust date/time. Best to replace Clock Battery soon.
Running Linux Mint 20
Fresh install of Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon used to test system. Installed via USB stick. DVD Drive also works fine. Linux Works fine. Updated Linux via WiFi to latest.
Credentials:
User Test, password test, auto-login on boot.
For Sale
Placed for sale on Craigslist 20 Feb 2021. $50
Note this post was backdated by one year to keep it off the front page of blog.
I periodically check in with games I’ve played to see how they are doing.
So Tera got a new launcher and has a new update. Yet another new class for Elin, of course. One track mind those folks, don’t we think? Anyway.
The problem is that the update is downloading so slowly that it will take over 7 hours to get it, and I have a very fast internet connection.
And yet the download speed for Tera is 1-2 MBytes / sec, which if you convert to bits / sec is about 10-20 Mbps. What a joke. Looks like they don’t really want me to play.
Recently I’ve been listening to more of Sean Carroll‘s lectures on the mysteries of Quantum Mechanics. I won’t summarize those arguments here so this can be a short post. I’ll include a link to a recent lecture of his so you can catch up if you like.
I want to suggest another theory for an interpretation of Quantum Mechanics that I have not heard mentioned before. I may have missed it, but it’s a new idea to me. Here goes.
What if the difficulty in the interpretation of QM called the Observer Problem is actually a simplification that makes it easier to “Program” the simulation that is our Universe. That is, what if our universe is a Simulation in the sense that Nick Bostrum proposed.
Got the power supply and have hooked it up and the system is under test. Thankfully, nothing was blown except the power supply.
Here are comparison photos between the old and new power supplies. The 850Watt Focus and the 1000Watt Prime. Same manufacturer and both fully modular so that the cables could just be re-plugged into the new supply. Worked like a charm. Back up in about 30 minutes. No cables to replace or re-route.
October, 2017 I built an AMD Ryzen System with all new components. It’s been great. I’ve upgraded it with a second SSD and a second larger HD for video game captures.
Today, the power supply blew.
As you can see, the top blew out of the main large Electrolytic Capacitor. There was even an embossed X where the blowout was supposed to occur if pressure built up. Well at least, it didn’t blow sideways all over the place.
I ordered something from NewEgg. It was a very small item – 0.28 lbs. And they shipped it for free via UPS and USPS “Innovations”.
Here are the tracking pages both from NewEgg and From UPS. I’m sure the NewEgg page is just an automatic digest from the UPS data, so NewEgg is not the issue here. But notice the route and expected delivery date reported by UPS. What a JOKE.
So the service that UPS is using here is called USPS Innovations, which is apparently a service where UPS gets to use USPS for the “Last Mile” delivery of the package to save the UPS driver from driving to my home. No problem. But there are two nonsense things with UPS reporting of the tracking and delivery times for this service.
UPS sends the package from California to near FREAKING Seattle Washington, before sending it back to me in Oregon 1/3 of the way from California to Washington. In other words, a thousand miles out of it’s way.
UPS reports that it’s only going to take USPS less than a day to get it almost 400 miles from Fife, WA, near Seattle to me in Coos Bay.
So either, UPS just made a mistake about how long it would take USPS to deliver on that last mile – eh hem last 400 miles.
Windy Weather 