Major update on the Linux config guide. This is bad.

So, I have an update on the Linux guide again. I have a bad update this time. I picked a machine that's not going to last much longer.

Since the machine is a sinking ship any day now, I think I feel comfortable talking about the machine I used for real now. I used an HP IQ500 series AIO. IQ506 specifically. It's time to walk away, ideally.

So far, the machine is looking to be a loser.

First, let's start off with the beginning of the failures to come. The first failure was the hard drive.

What's the problem with the hard drive?

In short, reliability problems and reset SMART data. The seller reset the POH on a drive with problems but didn't reset the other values, as best as I can tell. I could have exposed them in the SMART testing I did to check the real health. It's not pretty. It's going strong RIGHT NOW but it's done any day. I already did a backup of the machine as a precaution.

The hard drive is screwed. Not very fun, but whatever. I took their word and was lied to so this is my fault.

The second problem is the LCD backlight (CCFL)/Inverter. When the inverter acts up, I consider the panel a service part too. Once these start to flicker due to the inverter, the panel is very, very, very often bad too. It will die on the next inverter you install sooner rather then later. In fact, this one is basically been ruled out to panel.

Will you fix the panel issue?

In short, NO. I am not fixing this failure, no matter how much people ask. These panels cost way too much and the only ones left are used that also came out of used machines from the era, if not older. The pool is flooded with panels I do not want to trust for long. People want $80 for these things too. $80 for a 8 year old panel with questionable reliability is NOT WORTH IT to me. It might be worth it to the kids starting out (yes, I used to be there.) but I can get equipment a lot easier now. I do not need to use questionable parts anymore. This is why I am not fixing it. I can replace the inverter but it's a waste of my time, because it will burn out for real the second time. The second failure will be $80+ to fix. I don't know the cost of inverters, but I would imagine $10-30.

If one part burns out on CCFL hardware, it's better to walk away and be done with it. If you replace parts, the part that made it the first time will go out the 2nd time. You are throwing money at a problem that is going to repeat.

• I am going to work on the guides and make the text as good as I can get it while I pick a machine. I know what I like and I am looking out, but I do not want to mention this yet. I need some level of protection if that is also a loser that allows me to walk away and end the misery without committing to a machine.
• I compromised with the IQ506. I'm not doing that again. These machines are not what I want for myself, and I do not think these machines are worthwhile if you can walk away and get a nicer machine. The time I have had with Merom is reinforcing why I have the standards I do for the guide (which are not being discussed yet. I know EXACTLY what it is). I will still compromise in the sense you won't see a Quadro Xeon desktop with 24GB of ECC memory HP Z series desktop. I will probably look at slightly beefoer office machines, at a minimum. I want a machine I can use without worrying and that I can have some confidence will last a while, but is also realistic to what will likely be the main hardware people use here. I do not expect anyone here to be using machines with nVidia Quadro cards with Intel Xeon processors with 24GB of ECC memory. As much as I would love to do that, I can't and probably shouldn't.
• You will not see updates for a while on this guide. Well, at least public ones where I offer to let people see it in the groups I am in here. I am keeping it to myself for a while.
• I am going to use it until it dies off but I am no longer using it for the guide.