Feb 262006

Microsoft lately has been challenging Linux’s suitability for older hardware, so it seems like a good time to look at Linux distributions that can run on older machines. I took six distributions for a test run on an old machine, and also tried software that turns old hardware into a thin client. The bottom line: Linux is still quite suitable for older hardware. It might not turn your aging PC into a powerhouse, but it will extend its lifespan considerably. 

For these tests, I dug out Igor, an old PC that had been collecting dust in my closet. Igor is a Pentium II 233MHz machine with 64MB of RAM, an 8x CD-ROM drive, a 3GB hard drive, and an integrated ATI 3D Rage Pro video card with 4MB of video RAM. You can run Linux on older and slower machines, but this is the most under-powered machine I had available.

Next, I selected a handful of lightweight Linux distributions that looked promising, and started downloading. The distributions ranged from popular “mainstream” distros such as Slackware and Debian to distros that are specifically developed for lightweight machines, such as Damn Small Linux (DSL). I apologize in advance if your favorite lightweight distro is not represented here.

See the results at http://www.linux.com/print.pl?sid=3D06/02/13/1854251 

We’ve all installed one antivirus package or another 100′s of times. Have you ever tested it to see that it’s working? Eicar has a sstandard (non destructive) virus file that you can put on your machine to see if your antivirus software can pick it up. Go here for more information. The link is: http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

Essnetially, all you need to do is put this string in a text file that is between 68 and 128 bytes long (all in caps and the string must be the first 68 characters of the file). Here’s the string with some CRs added to try to foil the a/v scanner on this machine (remove the CRs if you copy it to your mahine for a test):

X5O!P%@AP[
4\PZX54(P^
)7CC)7}$EI
CAR-STANDA
RD-ANTIVIR
US-TEST-FI
LE!$H+H*

So just copy that data to notepad, remove the CRs and save it as eicar.com and it should show up in your antivirus software as an alert.

Go check out this good SQL tutorial at http://www.firstsql.com/tutor1.htm

SE=
A-TUG February Meeting Reminder


> PLEASE NOTE THE SPECIAL DATE<

DATE: FEBRUARY 23rd
TIME: 6:00 pm
P=
LACE: RED HOOK BREWERY, Portsmouth NH

February’s topic:
"WAN Optimization
Tools and Techniques"

Guest Speake=
r: Doug Green, Network Guru for UNH will be talking about how UNH manages ba=
ndwidth for the campus (dorms, offices, classrooms, staff, etc.).  Thin=
k about how many users are on the UNH network (over 15,000) - how would=
*you* manage the bandwidth?  Doug and his team are using some products=
from Packeteer and Mike Pagliuca from Packeteer will also be on site t=
o show us the technology.

I hig=
hly encourage you all to attend, this is a rare opportunity to hear one of our neighbors talk about how the=
y manage bandwidth in a large environment.  Additionally, you coul=
d probably manage your WAN links better than you are doing it now – come see=
some of the obstacles and options for success.

Specific Topics Include:

  • Application Optimization strategies across the WAN
  • Proactive techniques for combating worms and viruses
  • Network and application performance diagnostic capabilities
  • Packeteer Adaptive Response, Flow Detail Records and more!

Agenda

  • Packeteer product overview =

  • How UNH manages bandwidth=20
    =20
  • Product demonstrations
  • Open discussion

This will be hands-down one of the most int=
eresting presentations of any of the user groups in New England.  Pleas=
e help us get the word out – invite your friends, neighbors, colleagues, cus=
tomers, etc.  The continued success of Sea-Tug and getting quality pres=
entations depends on improved attendance. 
Help keep Sea-Tug alive! 

Meetings are free to attend and you leave wit=
h knowledge, contacts of other network admins in the area, and door prizes!&=
nbsp; A special door prize will be reserved for the attendee who brings the =
most ‘first-timers’ along to the meeting.

For driv=
ing directions or more information, visit
http://www.sea-tug.com

  =
 

Here’s an interesting list of Windows Files and their descriptions.

http://www.easydesksoftware.com/winlist.htm

SEA-TUG February Meeting Announcement =20

–> PLEASE NOTE THE SPECIAL DATE <–

DATE: FEBRUARY 23, 2006
TIME: 6:00 pm
PLACE: RED HOOK BREWERY,=20=

Portsmouth NH

February’s topic: “WAN Optimization Tools and Techniques”=
=20

Guest Speake=
r: Doug=20
Green, Network Guru for UNH will be talking about how UNH manages bandwidth =
for=20
the campus (dorms, offices, classrooms, staff, etc.).  Think about how =
many=20
users are on the UNH network (over 15,000) - how would *you* manage the=
=20
bandwidth?  Doug and his team are using some products from Packeteer an=
d=20
Mike Pagliuca from Packeteer will be on site to show us the=20
technology.

I highly=20
encourage you all to attend, this is a rare opportunity to hear one of our neighbors tal=
k=20
about how they manage bandwidth in a large environment. =20
Additionally, you could probably manage your WAN links better than you =
are=20
doing it now – come see some of the obstacles and options for=20
success.

Specific Topics Include:=

  • Application Optimization strategies across the=
    WAN=20
  • Proactive techniques for combating worms and v=
    iruses=20
  • Network and application performance diagnostic=
    =20
    capabilities
  • Packeteer Adaptive Response, Flow Detail Recor=
    ds and=20
    more!

Join=20
us and enter to win

  • Dinner at the Capital Grill in Boston ($200 Gif=
    t=20
    Certificate)
  • Other=
    =20
    promotional products to be=20
    announced

Agenda

  • Packeteer product overview 
  • How UNH manages bandwidth=
  • P=
    roduct=20
    demonstrations
  • Open discussion=20

This will be hands-down one of the most=
=20
interesting presentations of any of the user groups in New England.  Pl=
ease=20
help us get the word out – invite your friends, neighbors, colleagues,=20
customers, etc.  The continued success of Sea-Tug and getting quality=
=20
presentations depends on improved attendance.  Help keep Sea-Tug=20=

alive! 

=

Meetings are free to attend and you leave wit=
h=20
knowledge, contacts of other network admins in the area, and door prizes!&nb=
sp;=20
A special door prize will be reserved for the attendee who brings the most=
=20
‘first-timers’ along to the meeting.

For driving =
directions=20
or more information, visit
http://www.sea-tug.com

  =
 =20