A bit of rage here: I was trying to install debian on a partition I had in my hard drive and not only I failed to do so, but I also managed to screw up the rest of the drive, including an emergency partition I had with drivers, basic programs and so on.

Now I'm having lots of fun searching for 10 year old audio drivers. YAY!

Edit: oh, also one of the fans (the one that is supposed to make less noise than the others) is sounding like an agonizing vuvuzuela. This is just PERFECT.

The fan is busted, as for codecs I just use XIPH, works for me.

Also, oh bugger, my middle mouse wheel wont click because the presser on the inside snapped. Bloody brilliant. Putting my foot up my cousin's ass can wait.

It's not just the codecs, I lost that partition with all the drivers (including sound, net adaptor, etc) and basic programs as winrar and some others. I had to wait for my roommate, ask her to lend me her laptop and then download everything from here...

The fan is OK, I kicked it and now it works fine.

While we're on the subject of computers I recommend this: http://ninite.com/

woooooooooow

That will be incredibly useful and time saving when I'm fixing someone else's computer!

I suck at everything computer related. I need step by step instructions to do anything, even if its a small update. My computer's fan is so loud that I can't hear youtube videos while it runs

Since we are in computer issues…

Today, I had an appointment at the Apple Store to get my motherboard replaced since it seems like my graphic card is faulty. Considering that I didn't want any problem with them, I put back my optical drive in my Macbook Pro since I replaced with a 500gb HDD, and replaced the actual HDD by an OCZ Vertex 2 ( also upgraded to 8gb RAM ). So far so good, I boot the system with SSD + Optical drive, no problem, even with my symlinks pointing at folders on a drive no longer connected.

When I arrived at the Apple store, first, the guy wasn't really nice contrary to all the other guy I had encountered there. In Canada, they replaced my keyboard to a Azerty layout free of charge ( guy even suggested a Dvorak keyboard to increase typing speed xD ), my brother got his trackpad and battery replaced free of charge.

He insisted on the fact that he needed the original HDD + original RAM, even though all the log of kernel panic are on the SSD. He also wtf like my machine wasn't serviceable because all the nonskid pad were gone with wear ( during classroom, the table I have aren't flat so it must put some stress on them ).

Also, I wanted to get a key for another keyboard, I just missed the plastic cap:

"One product at a time, you need another appointment for the keyboard and it needs to be under warranty."

I was wtf. Maybe I should have complained, because I just need a freaking broken keyboard to get mine repaired in 5 seconds. In another shop, guy was friendly but couldn't help since he didn't have any broken keyboard :/ I will just get the freaking key on ebay, at least I don't have to deal with stupid guy, I can't wait to get the appreciation rating from Apple.

Back to my machine, white screen of death.

"Your SSD isn't recognized."

I was wtf again. It worked before I left. Took it behind, use his own, it works, so he came back telling me he can't do anything. So, there I leave with a non bootable machine instead of unstable one when using the Nvidia graphic card.

At home, I try the SSD in 3 machines in vain, doesn't work. I'm bummed. Hopefully, I have my previous HDD with a working system, and most of my data were on the HDD which replaced the optical drive, so I didn't lose much. I also have a backup at my other home. SSD is still under warranty, so I will take care of it later. Still, incredible bad timing for it to die.

Sorry about the cOmputer issues. Must suck. I don't own one myself. When I got mine back from my cousin, it blue screened me. So I gave up. X[

@Merun: There are some known issues with some brands of SSDs. IMO the technology is not ready enough to consider them safe. But again, it's just a matter of luck. If you have a valid warranty on them you should have nor problems at all (I hope)

@Aizawa: If I had truckloads of money I'd live far away from computers, listening to vinyls and watching purchased films in the middle of nowhere. But I'm a poor student actually (An IT student to be precise), so I can't live without a computer

BTW, the other day I listened couple of tracks with the Koss pro 4AA headphones and I jizzed in my pants. It's awesome the difference that you can note between listening to FLAC files in your computer with normal headphones and doing it in a proper computer with a decent amp and great headphones...

I'd bludgeon the guy to death if he showed me that kind of attitude. I have a mac myself up in the attic and I rarely use it, but I spent so much damn money on it as an investment for working on extremely large files, so if something goes wrong by God you better fix it before I decide to whup your ass.

I never considered them safe, hence why I didn't put any critical data on it. 3 years of warranty but I would rather not have another which fails after 6 months.

For music, I'm using Shure SE530 out of my iPhone, since it's the audio with less noise I have and it remains a lossless portable setup.

I have thought for some time about a new audio setup, with some Grado headphone, and a portable amp, either a Ray Samuels or a Fiio, if I can't shell out the money xD. From what I know, the best audio out on a computer is using an external sound card as it has its own power circuitry. I think computer generates too much noise, it's the case on mine. That's also why I'm considering a Fiio with an integrated DAC…

And for those who are afraid from my post, music is serious business, get a decent set of headphone and forget about stock earbud. Earbud should be forbidden anyway, it's either headphones or in-ear for quality, and no need to shell lots of money, just get something decent for 50$, they exist.

@Quenlin: ¿Extremely larger files? I fail to see how a (recent) mac can be better on that. Until the G5 (PPC processors) they were great for compiling, processing data and compressing, but now that they use intel processors MACs are just overpriced PCs with standard components. I don't think they are a good idea, for the price of on mac you can buy a 2 times better PC with the exact same architecture and install it OSX if you want.

@Merun: +1. The difference you can note from stock earphones connected to your PC and good headphones connected to a good sound card with FLAC files in it is just jaw dropping. Too bad the external cards and the headphones are expensive as hell.

If you LIKE music is a must have tho. I've listened to loseless classical recordings on a really good system and It was like floating in front of the stage.

Mac can be overpriced depending on your criteria. Currently, the Macbook Pro is the one best fitting my needs. Very good matte screen in 16:10, 1680*1050 with a good contrast viewing angle, which I calibrated, so it's my machine for Photoshop / SAI. Core I7 for crunching numbers, compiling and virtual machine, and for once, the limited range of Apple laptop allows them to have non official replacement for the optical drive to put an HDD. My brother who has a more powerful ASUS laptop is still jealous of the screen and my second HDD, since he also have a SSD but no secondary HDD. Oh, and we have 2 recent ASUS, and both of them doesn't support Wifi over the 5ghz frequency, which is must a in wifi crowded area like Paris.

Also, for laptop, size matter, so I need portable as I move a lot, and something which can be used on its own. A good laptop for me, is a laptop usable without a mouse, and after years, I haven't seen one better than Apple's.

For the guy at the Apple store, I'm waiting for the Apple survey.

Now on the other hand, for a desktop, I can't wait to build a gaming rig, perhaps in June, with Ivy Bridge ( Core i5 at least, unlocked of course ) and either a Radeon 7000 or Kepler…


Considering my current plans, I think that any audio setup will have to wait for Christmas, doujinshi and computing will have priority since I already have a very good audio setup.

My 'gaming rig' is the same that 8 years ago: P4, 1Gb RAM and ATI radeon X800. I don't need more to play theme park world and a random shooter/RPG and emulate gameboy games.

I only need sound cards and MOAR HARD DRIVES! No matter how much can it hold, I've discovered that you never have enough storage capacity.

I will eventually update it, because I'm getting deep into photography and I need an IPS panel and craploads of ram to work with big files

BTW Merun, ¿Do you recommend any external sound card that works good?

I could crave for a good screen too. Either an Eizo ( wallet is bleeding from just the name xD ) or a Wacom Cintiq ( wallet is bleeding again ), and all that need to be calibrated ( except the Eizo with integrated calibration lol )

I didn't look much for external sound card. I have heard about Apogee, and also know that some Fiio and iBasso amp have their own DAC, some even support 24bit/96khz