"CPU'd"

On the Smoothwall front I now have it working. I was using a HDD from a computer a yard sale gave me for me. Unfortunately it was hosed after only a few days of use in the firewall. So I have a hosed HDD and I'm using one of my other HDDs for the firewall and it's once again working. I've now even ghosted it in hopes that would help if I ever had problems again. I also put some of the yard sale computer's RAM into the Smoothwall computer to help it out a bit.

On other fronts my main computer's CPU was up to and including 60 degrees Celsius, which is bad. I mean I'm no expert but I'm assuming that's not a good temperature. But despite a thresh-hold setting the computer did not auto-reboot. At least I assume that's what that thresh-hold is supposed to do. This is important, ya see, because I finally went and bought some name brand thermal compound to help cool it off. After taking entirely too long to apply the damned stuff. I also dusted out my heat sink, took it apart and further dusted it out, I mean I really dusted the thing out. It's only been 10 months :).

Anyway, as in the first time I put on thermal grease 10 months ago if I play a game for too long the computer will auto-magically reboot. No I should also mention it's probably not because the CPU is too hot because the CPU is reporting back a chilly 44 degrees Celsius. That's at least 15 degrees cooler and the 'puter was NOT rebooting when it was up to and including 65 degrees during game play. So why is it rebooting?! And if I forgot to mention it I left the computer on idle all night and it didn't reboot, so obviously the problem has to do with extensive CPU usage for extended periods.

Well I do have other thresh-holds. I have thresh-holds for voltages, the temperature of the mobo, and any number of other variables. I suppose it could be one of those. But the fact remains the only variable is the new grease. I know it can take up to 100 hours of use for the CPU to "accept" the new grease and all but this is rather bad. Why is it rebooting? I bought yet another new game, Empire Earth, and the computer now loves to reboot at crucial points in the game play. It's really annoying (as I mentioned).

Speaking of which, Empire Earth is turning out to be at least a semi-decent game to play. Supposed to be the third installment from the Age of Empires people. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this isn't quite it actually. I think I definitely have a problem when it comes to computer games, and I need help. Of some sort. I really shouldn't be buying this number of games this often. Those cheap $10 a piece games aren't so cheap when you buy large groups of them or 3 in a week. Ya know?

So I did see Kill Bill: Vol. 2 last week. As expected it was much, much different from the first one. Hardly any blood at all. Even some cool humorous type stuff ("nah, I'm just fuckin' with ya"). I thought it was extremely well acted and seeing Vol. 1 would not have been absolutely necessary. I would definitely give it a high rating if so prompted to give a rating.

I'd like to mention The Shield for a moment. Outside of something subtler in the '70s I don't think too many shows have tried to cover the sexual assault of a male. No show I've ever seen anyway, but then I don't watch a whole lot of "edgy" or "gritty" cop shows or other dramas. The Shield now is covering such an issue and its managing to point out some rather obvious double-standards. The victim exhibiting symptoms that are ignored by peers and co-workers, unsympathetic spouses, feelings of guilt and shame on the part of the victim. Only no one looks for it because the victim is male. This really is a unique sort of show isn't? I'm also surprised it's still on the air, with or without the "TV-MA" rating.

Now I suppose I could talk about politics, if I felt like it. For instance when it seemed Bush really needed to attack back, back in 2000, he really didn't do any attacking what so ever. However when he doesn't need to do it so much, now for instance, he does run attack ads. Which isn't a bad thing. Kerry is an extremely open and obvious target. Honestly, what the fuck's his problem? I would suggest sit back and don't say shit but he even managed to fuck that up.

_____  ¶ 11:27 PM