Upgrading CPUs and other topics

In addition to adding 16GB of memory by replacing the 16 GB with a 32 GB set in my Dell 2950's I will be installing 4 new E5460 3.16 GHz quad processors to replace the E5345 2.33 GHz processors to boost processing speed. I assume I can reuse the existing heat sinks and just swap out the CPUs. I should have the new CPUs by the 31st and should have the memory upgrades by then as well. I will try to post some pictures of the process when I do it. Once all this is done I should have some powerful Ubuntu servers running 12c Oracle RAC...if not, I will have a bunch of stuff to sell on Ebay!

I am also in the process of learning the ins and outs of 3D scanning and printing using a Ciclops scanner and the ANET A8 DIY 3D Printer. Of course things are not off to an auspicious start. The primitive mounts on the Ciclops for the lasers cause issues with focusing and calibrating the lasers, I hope to have that fixed with some new laser mounts once I get the Printer working. In addition I have ordered some replacement green lasers for the red ones it currently uses. The CMOS in the camera used it much more sensitive to Red and you have fewer scanner issues if you swap out red for green lasers according to the experts.

The ANET A8 DIY printer is whole nother story. I assembled it over the course of two days, then calibrated it, did the bed leveling, checked that the extruder and heated bed worked as they were supposed to and then, not even half-way through the first test print the Mosfet on the control board for the heated bed fried, frying the control board. I have ordered and obtained a RAMPS 1.4 upgrade control board and am now just waiting on the DuPont connectors and Dupont crimper I need to complete the upgrade, at my own cost of course. The reason at my cost is because GearBest, where I bought the printer has crappy support. I have also purchased an upgraded power supply. These are suggested upgrades from long time A8 users.

I contacted GearBest to get a new board since this was literally less than a week since I got the printer. They said I obviously did something wrong and it was my fault so they wouldn't replace it. They offered me a generous 200 points (about 4 USD) for my trouble. This is the second time their support has been shall we say less than stellar. The first time was with a G2 mini-computer I bought from them which was DOA, I immediately notified them of this, they marked the report as "processing". It has been a year since then, and I reminded them to which they said since it had been a year, they couldn't do anything! In short, don't expect good client service from them, they are just a clearing house for cheap Chinese electronics, toys and games.

Well, I will keep you posted on progress.

Going to Ubuntu

Well I was sitting in my home office looking at my servers. I've done that a lot in the last couple of years. Wondering why I was having such difficulty installing Oracle Linux and getting the darn things to be more than room heaters. Admittedly it hasn't been a full time pursuit. Anyway I have decided to install Ubuntu since I could get installation dvds and didn't have to jump through download this, make boot disk that. I have also ordered 32 gig upgrades for both servers. Hopefully I will be able to install Oracle12c RAC and get my cluster up and running. I may also download meshlab and a slicer so I can create files for my 3D printer. Currently times to conver the vertices into faces is extreme on my laptop.

Anyway, will be posting my progress. The