Best posts made by bbigford

@coliver said in MangoLassi mobile app...:

Why does it need a mobile app? It works really well from my mobile device.

Maybe I'm alone but I use apps more when available. Especially using split apps. If I'm texting someone while reading a thread, I'll split it and do both instead of switching back and forth. Just an example though cause now most texting apps have Quick Reply in the notification drawer.

Is a lack of an app a lack of demand then?

I will say MangoLassi in mobile web works better than Spiceworks on my desktop browser in many things.

@zuphzuph said in MangoLassi mobile app...:

Here brotato... runs as a separate app instead of the browser:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2hN18UEjZskRlFzTWpiT0hnODg/view?usp=sharing

Dude, that's awesome.

@DustinB3403 said in New Thermostat:

I mean, if I had a smartstat and it was hacked, I'd just flip the breaker and go buy a new unit...

The units are cheaper than the Ransom.

Assuming it did get hacked and ransomed from an Internet connection... I'd have to look into it, but if it's under warranty, you could probably send it in and they'd wipe it at no cost. That would fall under a gray area of "defective or not working as intended". That would go more into the ethics on the user side more than anything I think. Sending something in that the company should cover. One could argue the opposite side I guess "well if it was more secure... it's not like I'm installing stuff, so the software was designed poorly."

@DustinB3403 said in New Thermostat:

@BBigford said in New Thermostat:

@DustinB3403 said in New Thermostat:

I mean, if I had a smartstat and it was hacked, I'd just flip the breaker and go buy a new unit...

The units are cheaper than the Ransom.

I'd have to look into it, but if it's under warranty, you could probably send it in and they'd wipe it at no cost. That would fall under a gray area of "defective or not working as intended".

But if it's the dead of winter could you be without heat for however long it takes to get it returned? I suppose you could reinstall the original thermostat....

We keep the old thermostat for when we go to sell the house. Although now thinking about it, we'd probably leave the Nest as we'd want a more updated unit (or something different all together like the EcoBee again).

So yeah we could just install the old unit, or buy a new one for $20 (no schedule).

Fully aware I'm doing this...

@coliver said in Commands in-line with OC ?:

This is a paragraph

This is a single line

oh, I see what you mean then... ``` has to go on it's own line. That is what I was missing. Thanks for clarifying. Opening up a quote showed how you did that.

Creating from Windows without buying software, like TransMac.

I popped in a Hiren's BCD 15.2 and it would boot but not allow me to choose any options. Created a bootable ISO of DBAN and it wouldn't see it when holding Option on boot up.

Created the bootable USB with Rufus... tried a variety of options including GPT, MBR, exFAT, FAT32. Couldn't get it to boot for the life of me. Model number is A1297.

Any ideas why booting from USB won't work? I've had this issue in the past with some Macs but never cared to troubleshoot. Usually just ended up creating an optical disk with DBAN on it.

Maybe I can't use Rufus, but instead have to use something like TransMac. Not sure why that'd matter since an optical disk with DBAN works fine (but a Hiren's disk doesn't).

@zuphzuph said in DBAN a MacBook:

@BBigford It could just be a UEFI boot too potato.

I did choose UEFI... I tried MBR, GPT (UEFI), etc... showed you the Rufus screen shot.

@Breffni-Potter said in Breaking Bitlocker:

Bitlocker can be cracked in seconds if certain conditions are met and most travelling laptops meet those conditions.

The cost of the tool to do it? Freely available on the internet and the dark web.

What kinds of conditions?

@travisdh1 said in Breaking Bitlocker:

@Breffni-Potter said in Breaking Bitlocker:

Bitlocker can be cracked in seconds if certain conditions are met and most travelling laptops meet those conditions.

The cost of the tool to do it? Freely available on the internet and the dark web.

"If they can touch it, they can own it" still applies.

I definitely agree. Just curious of any specific software or techniques that people might be privy to.

They should fly you out to California.

Don't forget your skimpy bikini. Gotta get some sun on that fair skin.

@thwr said in Got a Pi:

@BBigford said in Got a Pi:

The port size on the Zeros is the only thing I couldn't get past. Pi 3 is where my preference is.

Different use-cases

I agree. I was trying to use it the way that someone would use a Pi 3 as a zero client because of the super cheap price.

This is a rant.

Super basic to start, and have done this many many times. When the most very basic thing stops working... I had a RRAS setup and configured because my test network wasn't getting out from the beginning. Nothing worked, so I pulled the NIC team from RRAS. Still nothing, physically removed the second card and stripped my virtual switch and started over with the only card left, plus a private adapter for VMnet2. Nothing... Stripped and started again. Installed a DC after RRAS was configured. DC on a private network, couldn't get out.

Figured "well, I can set my DNS to Google for now @ 8.8.8.8". Nothing.

Wait 5 minutes, ask someone to take a look at it. When they sit down, I go through the whole she-bang, showing them everything (which at this point isn't much. Mostly just adapters and RRAS). We notice that I now magically have connection.

If this had worked at all last night, I wouldn't be here today. But now I get to spend a whole day not studying. AWESOME.

Right-click your Hyper-V server and go to Hyper-V Settings. Under "Server" (not user... it's not the same thing) > Enhanced Session Mode Policy > Allow enhanced session mode.

Do you prefer to work for a company and receive a pay stub, or consult by forming your own business?

I know there are some ex-consultants out there...

@JaredBusch said in Consult or work for a company?:

@BBigford said in Consult or work for a company?:

Do you prefer to work for a company and receive a pay stub, or consult?

I know there are some ex-consultants out there...

Even if you consult you should form a company and receive a paycheck.

Not doing so leaves you extremely open to lawsuits.

I added some info. I meant consulting by starting up your own company. Not just some schmuck with no business license, etc.

I would also mention something about NICs, if the person plans on experimenting with networking throughout, teaming, etc.

Also, RAM selection. Not vendors or speeds but mentioning things like ECC and why someone might pay the little extra.

@scottalanmiller said in SMB resources on the move:

@BBigford said in SMB resources on the move:

@scottalanmiller said in SMB resources on the move:

@BBigford said in SMB resources on the move:

@scottalanmiller said in SMB resources on the move:

Funny, this conversation is exactly the counter to the 9-5 thread. These solutions that you want to replace are literally, in nearly every case, only existing in situations where someone brings in a VAR masquerading as a consultant, who sells things to make the vendor happy even though they are terrible solutions for the customer and are so obviously so that it's pathetic that the customer doesn't know enough IT to bust them.

Lol obviously I wouldn't want to sell myself as a VAR. I'm just trying to find ways to save SMBs money while still making the environment highly manageable.

I understand, my point was that in the other thread it was mentioned that it was thought that we were exaggerating that people actually pretend to be consultants while really being a VAR, that the VAR side really influences them to fleece customers, etc. Yet this whole thread is you looking for solutions to exactly that problem... all the customers you know are getting fleeced in this way.

Maybe it's just early but the first half of your post suggests I'm just pretending and really I'm trying to be a VAR. But then the second half suggests I'm trying to help them, because they are getting fleeced.

Not what I meant. My point was that customers with fewer than twenty users, with onsite AD and Exchange (especially Exchange) are normally the result of VARs fleecing them. You are looking for a solution because you are finding so many VARs doing this to people.

Thanks for the clarity. That makes me feel better. I felt like a piece of sh*t for a minute for even asking the question that I really didn't know much about.

So I've got a niece that needs a mobile device. It's something that would just bump around the house so it can't be completely stationary, but is mainly going to be used for Office online (Word mostly), looking stuff up, etc. Just school work for a 4th grader. A Chromebook would run about $150-200 which is more than reasonable.

But right now I'm typing this out on a Netbook my mom gave me for nothing. I told her not to get it as she has been using Chromebooks, but she bought an Asus Netbook anyway, for printing to a non-Google Cloud Print ready Canon. Literally all this was used for, was to print about 20 copies of softball tournment schedules each year for about 2-3 years, so it has minimal use. Well that printer hit the bricks and I got her an Epson WF-2750 for a super good deal ($65 on a flash sale and is GCP ready). She loves it, and hated that the Netbook was super slow with Windows 10.

I've tried Korora, Fedora, Solus, and Mint so far. I am trying to stay away from Tiny Core Linux and Puppy Linux. I know they are light weight but I also want something that looks nice for her. The CPU is I believe an Intel Rockchip 1.1GHz (not entirely sure), with 2GB of RAM.

The only other thing I'm looking at is an SSD (Kingston V300 120GB for $45). Any super lightweight distros you've been happy with that look good?

@travisdh1 said in Batteries? Batteries explode!:

@BBigford said in Batteries? Batteries explode!:

@StrongBad said in Batteries? Batteries explode!:

This is why you are never supposed to put a laptop or tablet into checked luggage on an airplane.

@StrongBad said in Batteries? Batteries explode!:

This is why you are never supposed to put a laptop or tablet into checked luggage on an airplane.

Do they swell with barometric pressure or are you suggesting that the ramp agents throwing it around can cause a battery to become unstable?

Yes.

The question was an either or... So I'm guessing 'yes' is to both in combination.