A fellow Marx collector asked recently for information about sets containing the elusive Marx windup 490 (also sometimes called the mechanical 490), so I thought I would share what I know about set number 452.
Marx train set 452
When Linux won’t boot off DVD or USB
I went to install Linux (Debian) on an old Asus socket 775 motherboard (a P5LD2) and had a litany of problems getting my installation media to boot. Here’s how I finally got it installed.
Microsoft Security Essentials alerts – don’t call “Microsoft”
Last Tuesday night my oldest son came into the room and told me he thought one of our computers was being hacked. So I kicked into incident response mode and walked into the other room to be greeted with a computer loudly telling me that Microsoft Security Essentials was unable to clean a virus and to immediately call Microsoft.
Instead I immediately shut down the computer. Here’s why.
Replace missing Lionel brakewheels with sew-on snaps
I saw an old tip recently regarding using sew-on snaps to replace missing Lionel brakewheels. Reproduction brakewheels generally are available, but sew-on snaps work well, are readily available at any store that sells sewing supplies, and they’re cheap.
Moving SSH off port 22 doesn’t do much for security
A week or two ago, a stranger approached me with some advice about securing routers: move SSH off port 22.
Since arguing with strangers is what the Internet was apparently invented for, I’ll argue against the benefits of moving SSH off port 22.
My first blog post for Qualys
A chance conversation with a Qualys customer a few weeks ago veered off topic really fast, but it led to another conversation, which caught a manager’s attention and led to my first blog post for them.
Rental property: a good investment
Is rental property a good investment? It certainly is if you do it right.
Here’s what you need to know.
Cleaning Lionel track in a dishwasher
When faced with a big box of dirty old Lionel track, a common question is whether you can just clean it up by putting it in a dishwasher.
With a few caveats, the answer is yes, but I wouldn’t say I recommend it.
Commodore 64 vs 64c
The Commodore 64 went through a number of revisions throughout its long life. The most outwardly visible of those revisions was the transition from the tan, boxy C-64 to the thinner, lighter-colored 64c. If you’e wondering about the Commodore 64 vs 64c, here’s what you need to know.
A 960 GB SSD for $188
If you’re in the market for a 960 GB SSD but you’ve been waiting for a deal, here’s one that’s been worth waiting for: an A-Data SP550 for $188. It’s remarkable only for the price, but what a price.