My D-Link DFE-528TX Network Card

Nothing fancy to show off here. Just would like to share a network interface card (NIC) I bought recently a D-Link DFE-528TX 10/100 Fast Ethernet Desktop PCI Adapter.

Here are some crap about the card (I got it from D-Link website):

• 10/100Mbps auto-sensing with single shielded RJ-45
• 2-bit PCI Bus Master operation
• Full/half duplex support
• Low network command processing overhead
• Runs Win95, 98, NT, ME, 2000, NetWare, Unix
• Easy-to-view diagnostic LEDs

I had been facing some problems with my pc recently including blue screen of death once in a while (but not frequent), Windows XP hung at loading when restart PC, lagging problem and error while pinging. Coincidently, these problems occured when I was having network connection problem.

Thus I suspected that it might be caused by my onboard network chip. Foreseen that a NIC is not that expensive, I decided to buy one to have a try.

The reasons I bought D-Link DFE-528TX and not other model are:
1) Not sure what brand of NIC is better, other brands to choose from - Zyxel, Tecom.
2) D-Link is one of the market leader in low end end users' network products.
3) D-Link brand is well-known for its "quality" network products (Quality or not much depend on the description of different users).
3) The salesgirl gave me this card after I told her I am looking for a network card.

The NIC had been installed into my PC with the on board one had been disabled. After trying for few days... well... I would say not much help.
1) PC still lag in some extend
2) Blue screen not yet be seen (Touch wood!! Hope it won't be seen!!)
3) Pinging error - network so far still ok so didn't actually ping
4) Windows hang at loading page - errr.. if not mistaken it did hang once after I change to the new NIC!

Oh ya! It is made in China!

Inside PIKOM KL PC Fair 2009

I think by now most of you especially those "buaya" already satisfied enjoying pretty PC fair show girls which I posted previously at here and here. (If you still not satisfy, I can't help much neither as that's all I have). Now back to more serious topic, about the PIKOM PC fair itself which was held from 1oth - 12th April 2009 at KL Convention Center.

[PIKOM PC fair 2009 layout plan]

Actually nothing much I would like to write about it, but this is my first visit to KL PC fair which was held inside KL Convention Center. Before this, I did attend PC fair in KL once but that time it was held in PWTC and KL Convention Center was still a myth.

The pc fair basically can be divided to 2 major categories. The one at the upper floor was specially for major IT brands such as Sony, DELL, Samsung, Canon, NEC, ASUS, HP, Panasonic, Lenovo, Acer and so on.

[SONY]

[SAMSUNG]

[DELL]

[ASUS]

[NEC]

[Hewlett-Packard]

[Panasonic]

[Lenovo]

[Acer]

Internet Service Providers (ISP) and also various telecommunication companies were also here.

[K-One, specialized in GPS device]

[U-Mobile, a new telecommunication company (018)]

[Maxis Broadband]

[Celcom Broadband]

[P1 W1MAX - a new wireless ISP]

Then the one at the ground floor was consists of common PC-related manufacturers booths, major camera manufacturers, PC shops and also online games booths.

[Pen Drive]

[Seagate - specialized in hard drive]

[PDA Expert]

[Not much cheap DVD-R for sale this time]

[An online game booth]

[Random shot in pc fair]

["Sardine" pack crowd, really jammed and crazy!]

[Shopping for computer peripherals]

These are major camera brand booths:

[Olympus]

[Canon IXUS!!]

[Nikon]

[Sony]

Some other interesting random pics took in PC fair:

You will see this alert everywhere in the pc fair. Beware of Pick Pocket! Yeah! definitely you need to aware for pocket-pickers at all time. You never know who is walking behind you because it was really too packed inside the exhibition halls.

Wheel of fortune also inside the pc fair? Yeah, but I don't think you can play as you like. You must purchase something from the booth in certain amount for this!

Now, is SHOT OF THE DAY time again! See the casing below? From far, it was nothing special. Just a silver color CPU casing with a transparent plastic at one side of it.

But if you see the casing closely, did you see anything special? Yes! You notice there is a King Kong catching a girl inside the CPU case? Isn't it cute?!! I think it is just for decoration.

Good Bye My First PC!

I had my first ever personal computer in my life which I had been dreaming for long time after my form 5, in year 1996 or 1997. It was an AcerEntra series with Intel Pentium processor, 16MB of RAM and about 2.0GB of hard disk. The pc also came with a 14" AcerView color monitor. That was the latest technology at that time and that was the first time in my life I had a computer at home! You can imagine how excited I was at that moment.

[My first ever pc set in life]

[AcerEntra CPU with Intel Pentium inside]

The PC was a gift from my 4th aunt who was staying in Kuching. She was using her company's special loan payment scheme which allowed her to pay the pc by loan with very low interest rate. In view of pc usage getting common in daily life and company's given benefit, she bought us this pc as at that time buying pc was a burden to average families and she wished us have chance to expose to computer technology. Beside pc, she also bought us a NEC PinWriter P2000 dot matrix printer. This set of pc and printer costs her more than RM4k! You can imagine how expensive pc was at that time. Bare in mind we are talking about RM4k in 12 years back and not RM4k in 2008!

I really wanna thanks my aunt for her kindness to buy us this pc. Without it, I won't be knowing pc so well. Without it, I won't build my interest toward pc. Without it, I won't be an IT graduate by now! Thank you auntie! This pc is very meaningful to me and family.

[NEC Pinwriter P2000 dot matrix printer]

However, when the time passed by and the computer technologies keep expanding, the pc slowly became outdated. When I bought my 2nd pc when I was studying in university, the old pc had been put aside.

Until last two weeks, I saw in a newspaper that there would be PIKOM PC Fair in Sibu from 28th to 30th Nov and in conjunction with this, an e-waste recycling program would be held, I made up my mind to send my old pc there. Although the pc has some historical value in my life but I have no choice as there is no space to accommodate the pc anymore. Unless I can buy a space to be my personal museum to keep old things, otherwise I can't keep them forever, can I? Furthermore, it is better to dispose pc in this way rather than throw it into the rubbish bin as some computer components can release toxic which can pollute the environment.

So this morning, after breakfast I started to pack up pc components which wanted to be disposed including a AcerEntra CPU, a AcerView 14" monitor, 2 keyboards and a NEC Pinwriter P2000. After that, I brought them to the place where the e-waste recycling program is with my car.

[Computer hardware that were ready to be disposed and recycled]

When arrived at the place, which is at Sibu Exhibition Centre, with my heavy heart, I carried them out one by one and placed them with other computer hardware which had the same fate. Sorry pc, I hope you understand that I really have no choice but to leave you here.

[E-Waste Recycling site at Sibu Exhibition Centre car park]

[My poor pc and friends were placed at e-waste recycling site]

I asked the person-in-charge how are they going to manage such a huge amount of unwanted computer hardware, he told me that they will be sent to China for component extraction such as gold or silver then the remaining parts are unusable and will be disposed. So pc, you will be travel to China soon, so wish you have a save journey!

[Other computer hardware waiting to be disposed or recycled]

Good bye my first ever pc in life! I will be missing you and I hope you will enjoy your new life in China!

[Good Bye pc and friends!]

As a reward of taking part in this e-waste recycling campaign, old pc owners will be given a t-shirt sponsored by Computer Sales and Services Association of Sarawak. There were 2 colors to choose from, striking green or white. I chose striking green as it looks better than the white one.

[The reward t-shirt]

From Notebook HD to Notebook Cooling Pad

Initially I planned to buy myself a notebook hard disk today. So as a friend of mine who wanted to buy himself a first external hard drive (HD). He had been waiting for me for almost a month since I told him I have such planning to buy a hard drive to replace the one inside my laptop which was spoiled about 2 months ago. So, we went to a shopping complex together to hunt for the hard drive.

When we were looking at the 2.5" hard drive, I suddenly changed my mind. I didn't know why this happened, but in a split second, I suddenly felt that maybe it's not the suitable time for me to spend on another hard drive as I actually have a spare 80GB 2.5" hard drive which I can use it on my laptop, just that I need to put some efforts to move the data in it to other storage. So I canceled my initial plan but not my friend.

[HD hunting]

Therefore, my friend continued on his HD hunting. As for me, I just busy around helping on eyes and giving him some opinion. HD itself is not hard to find but external enclosure of the HD that do. We spent more time choosing a suitable and eyes pleasing enclosure. After some thought and consideration, my friend finally found one which met his taste. He also got a 320GB notebook HD which costs around RM240.

[External HD enclosure that met my friend's taste]

Maybe I didn't want to go back home with empty hands, I suddenly think of wanted to buy a notebook cooling pad for my laptop. The reason why I felt to get one is because I suspected one of the reason my laptop HD spoiled was the heat generated by my laptop. Weak cooling fan on my laptop caused the laptop always functioning in high temperature condition and this might shorten the HD lifetime.

There were various kind of cooling pad for selection. Some pads were made by plastic and some by aluminum. Aluminum pad is more expensive than plastic one. I finally decided to go with this one which cost me RM69, no more no less.

[This cooling pad cost me RM69]

The main reason I chose this cooling pad was because it has a full aluminum heat sink pad. As you all know, metal is a better heat conductor than plastic. So, with aluminum pad, the heat from the laptop can be passed to the cooling pad more effectively thus giving better cooling effects to the laptop.

[Features printed on the box]

After paying the amount, we went for a tea-time before went back home. Well, at least I didn't go back with empty handed after my previous planning to get a 2.5" HD had being canceled in no reason.


++++++ More pics ++++++

[4-port USB 2.0 hub on the right side of the cooling pad]

[Left side look of the cooling pad]

[I guess it is made in China, what do you think? ;p]

[China English?]

[Bottom side of the cooling pad]