Status Update: April 2018
on Odin
April 2018
This is just a quick status update on where things are.
Hardware
Backup Drive
The hardware is mostly built. I realized I did not have any 3.5” bay adapters to install my backup drive into, so that’s been ordered from CaseLabs. Once that comes in, I’ll install that drive and be able to start making OS backups using CloneZilla.
Filters
The DEMCifilters don’t really fit. With the fans in push/pull configuration, the sound is about 10 times louder with the top panel attached. Obviously, I want it attached. I don’t really want to move the filters to the outside of the case (subject to the claws of jumping cats) but I may have to. Too bad there isn’t a double-height top panel for this case.
Monitor
ASUS still hasn’t released my Asus ROG SWIFT PG35VQ (not PG35Q, which is totally different) so I am still using my old Samsung T240HD. I really am looking forward to upgrading to the ROG Swift PG35VQ Gaming Monitor - 35 inch, Ultra-WQHD, HDR, 21:9 Curved, 200Hz, G-SYNC™.
You might be wondering why I wouldn’t rather go with the 4k monitor. I have been running the Dell M3800 laptop (Ubuntu) with a 4k touchscreen for a few years now. While it does have a lot of real estate, there are a TON of programs that do not work well on a 4k screen (think non-HiDpi-aware). Some, like IntelliJ, work fine. Others, like Charles Proxy, Multisystem, Postman are a complete joke on 4k… unless you like having the screen the size of a postage stamp with all the text overlapping.
Anyway, I am looking forward to trying a larger widescreen (if lower resolution) monitor… if it ever comes out.
Fan Extension Card
Though the card came with the motherboard, it often shows no power when it boots. That prevents the radiator fans from throttling down, and also disables three thermistors. Thought I doubt it will help, I think I’ll grab a few more molex cables and put it on its own power cable. Surprisingly, the PSU came with very few molex cables.
Software
Ubuntu 18.04
It’s honestly been a real pain. It’s been very unreliable, constantly segfaulting. To be fair, it isn’t going to be released for another month. I’ve been trying to help out by filing bug reports; though I don’t honestly know how helpful that’s been.
I consider Arch or Kali; but to be honest, as long as I am doing Google development for a living, this is going to be less of a pain… if it stops core dumping that is…
…and if I can find all the nitty gritty places that are sneakily hiding power management features and burn them with fire.
Oh, and for some reason the network is going really slow. I think it might be the placement of the antennae between the magnetic levitating fans.
I’ll be moving them once I have somewhere to move them to. In the meantime, I need to see if I can figure out something on the software side that might be slowing them down.
Windows 10
I also attempted to install Windows 10 on another NVMe from grub (so that I can play ESO, COE, Assassin’s Creed, etc). So far, that’s been a no-go. I think I’ll have to put it onto it’s own USB instead of having a single USB for everything. I was trying to loopback it from an NTFS partition since it is over 4GB and I think I should just extract the files…
Live USB
I have been working on a Live USB for recovery reasons. You know, MemTest86+, CloneZilla, netboot.xyz, the current Ubuntu ISO, etc. I have the UEFI boot working for Ubuntu and netboot. Still have to get it working for MemTest and CloneZilla.
