Another question from the big bag ‘o search queries: When you’re shopping for an SSD, is TRIM better than Native Command Queuing? It’s an interesting question, and my first inclination is to say no, because TRIM and NCQ solve two similar but distinctly different problems. But the more I think about it, the more I [...]
All posts tagged BIOS
Is TRIM better than Native Command Queuing?
Posted by Dave Farquhar on March 9, 2012
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2012/03/is-trim-better-than-native-command-queuing/
Beware the Mebromi, my son
Symantec has identified Mebromi. a piece of malware that not only infects the MBR, but also infects the Award BIOS, making it very difficult to detect and eradicate. By hooking into the BIOS, Mebromi can easily re-infect a system the next time you reboot. Which is exactly what it does.
Posted by Dave Farquhar on September 16, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/09/beware-the-mebromi-my-son/
Happy birthday, IBM PC!
The IBM PC 5150 turns 30 today. IBM didn’t invent the personal computer, but if your computer has an Intel or AMD CPU in it, it’s the direct descendant of the beige box IBM unleashed on the world on August 12, 1981. Without a huge amount of effort, it’s even possible to run most of [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on August 12, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/08/happy-birthday-ibm-pc/
What I would do to fix Dr. A’s computer
I left my conversation with Dr. A nearly convinced he doesn’t really need a new computer. The local store is pitching him a new $700 Dell Inspiron with a 1 TB hard drive and 6 GB of RAM and a 17-inch screen. But he could upgrade to a 1 TB hard drive for less than [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on August 3, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/08/what-i-would-do-to-fix-dr-as-computer/
Upgrade diary: Compaq Presario C552US
The Presario C552US shipped from the factory with a 1.6 GHz Celeron M single-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, and Windows Vista Home Basic. It’s the most miserable computing experience I’ve seen in a very long time, if ever. I don’t know how they ever sold a single one of these machines, performing like that. Fortunately, [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on July 9, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/07/upgrade-diary-compaq-presario-c552us/
Using ATA Security eXtension BIOS to add hard drive password protection
Most desktop PCs don’t have the ability to set an ATA password in the BIOS, precluding you from enabling the onboard AES-128 encryption in a drive like the Intel 320 SSD. If you’re willing to hack your BIOS or burn a boot ROM to put in a network card, Arne Fitzenreiter has ATA Security eXtension [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on July 3, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/07/using-ata-security-extension-bios-to-add-hard-drive-password-protection/
SSDs and built-in encryption–and how to enable it
Update: This entry was based on preliminary information that turned out to be incorrect. Please see the following update. One of the last knocks on SSD performance is that they don’t perform well with full-drive encryption. But on Sandforce 1200- and 2200-based drives, and the next-generation Intel 320 drives introduced today, that’s not an issue [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on March 28, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/03/ssds-and-built-in-encryption-and-how-to-enable-it/
On troubleshooting
My Windows 7 upgrade was supposed to be a one-hour project on a Saturday afternoon. It dragged on until Wednesday. I’m at the point now where I probably have an hour’s work left on the machine–it’s Thursday now–but it’s late and I’m not sure I feel like it. The answers–loading the BIOS defaults and changing [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 10, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/02/on-troubleshooting/
How I fixed an infuriating printer problem
Windows 0.7 Windows 7 and my HP Laserjet 4100 weren’t getting along. And I was pretty livid about it. I paid $125 for my Windows 7 upgrade, and for that money, I got to mess around for 4 days trying to get better-than-1997 functionality out of what’s supposed to be the latest and greatest. I [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 9, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/02/how-i-fixed-an-infuriating-printer-problem/
How I fixed a maddening Code 43 in Windows 7 (no firearms involved)
Gatermann talked me into trying one last time to re-install Windows 7, and if it didn’t work, he’d help me go Office Space on it. Those of you who’ve been following me for the past week will know I started installing and trying to use Windows 7 on Saturday, and it didn’t go well. Among [...]
Posted by Dave Farquhar on February 8, 2011
http://dfarq.homeip.net/2011/02/how-i-fixed-a-maddening-code-43-in-windows-7-no-firearms-involved/