A new geek love: MSSQL

You know a POSTS >> ADD NEW is actually going to mean something when you have to create a new category for it.  Such is the case with MSSQL.  It started as a requirement to facilitate a growing Access database used on a piece of extensively used software.

So – what’s the next logical step when facing an ailing access db? migrate to sql is what i thought or what i knew to do. Not exactly understanding the underpinnings of SQL – the table, the columns the connection strings the ODBC, the ’sa’ user – NONE OF IT!

Seems ignorant now – or maybe naive – perhaps more of an innocent desire to start somewhere. Ahh.. i like that!

So it started as that – An installation of SQL Server 2005 with Management Studio. What the heck was management studio.. well the name blandly explained what was involved.. but – to what extent i anticipated relying on and utilizing this studio of management was not even a twinkle in my eye.  We’re talking a year ago – and I’d read up on my SQL installation and how to create a new database and how to back up a database but we’re talking truly simpleton tasks at this point – however having grazed over reference material for days – i felt inclined.

A year or so later – here I sit having urges to type a transact-sql query to mine a piece of data out of our precious database. Urges that feel like a 7 or 8 year old yearning to wake up extra early on saturday to watch cartoons or play video games.

Simply amazing.

IT is about time.

Having spanned the course of several thousand hours – or several weeks – whatever suits you best.. it has been a while since me and the old blog got down with each other – as it were.

Well – tonight marks a new personal geek directive to actually post the little things i think during the day.  The little thoughts i say to the geek up there… “we’re gonna blog that bit of… X Y or Z”.. that never happen.

Well tonight i tell ya.. things are gonna change. A new light is going to appear. A new way to play the game.  A new way to…. X Y or Z.

Not much getting posted!

Holy smokers i’ve not being keeping up to my blogging duties. Tsk Tsk.

Network Startup Scripts

How to use a Group Policy-based computer startup script:

This method requires you to restart the client computer after you set up the script and after you apply the Group Policy setting.

• Set up the shares. To do this, follow the steps in the Initial setup and configuration section.
• Set up the startup script. To do this, follow these steps:
  • In the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in, right-click the domain name, and then click Properties.
  • Click the Group Policy tab.
  • Click New to create a new Group Policy object (GPO), and type MRT Deployment for the name of the policy.
  • Click the new policy, and then click Edit.
  • Expand Windows Settings for Computer Configuration, and then click Scripts.
  • Double-click Logon, and then click Add.
  • The Add a Script dialog box is displayed.
  • In the Script Name box, type \\ServerName\ShareName\RunMRT.cmd.
  • Click OK, and then click Apply.
  • Restart the client computers that are members of this domain.

Crystal Reports Kicker

The task? Open existing pack list and label reports and populate some numbered fields with 128-bit barcodes.  Sounds easy, right? It was! (kinda)

Utilizing the most recent version of Crystal Reports, I was pleasantly surprised to find a VISUAS BASED EDITOR… wow… felt almost as cool as Dreamweaver for the first time.

Find your numbered Database Field – right click – Convert to Barcode.  Demo barcodes are installed and available to give your preview report the right layout and consistency.  Note, the demo barcodes are just that – demo barcodes. Don’t expect to utilize them in any production environment. 

Now that you’ve created the barcodes and feel all professional about it – it’s time to acquire legit barcodes and start importing them.  For this example, I relied on IDAUTOMATION.com’s Barcode UFL Tutorial, located at http://www.idautomation.com/fonts/tools/crystal/

Read the rest of this entry »

Overclocking Fun

• SpeedFan is a program that monitors voltages, fan speeds and temperatures in computers with hardware monitor chips. SpeedFan can even access S.M.A.R.T. info and show hard disk temperatures. Download SpeedFan
• The Intel® Processor Identification Utility was developed by Intel Corporation to identify the processor inside a system, assuring the processor contains intended technologies and is operating at the tested and rated frequency intended by Intel Corporation. Download Intel® Processor Identification Utility
• CPU-Z is considered defacto when overclocking. Gathers information on every aspect of your cpu, memory and motherboard. Download CPU-Z

Crystal Reports eBooks!

Crystal Reports 2008 for Dummies

Complete Crystal Reports 2008 Reference Guide

Show Desktop Returns! (Stock up on tinfoil)

A few nights ago i thought to myself – where the hell is the ‘show desktop’ button? – on Windows 7.

I thought about it good and hard.  About one week passed.

Did a Windows Update yesterday and low and behold – it’s back! But on the right. Awesome.

Time to make tinfoil helmets to stop this mind reading nonsense.

This is about as fast as personal computing gets. Really.

My Overclocked 920 (red) vs. Overclocked 975 (Orange). Dhrystone on top. Whetstone on bottom.

Represents Core Effeciency of Overclocked 920 (Red) vs. Overclocked 965 (Orange).  Bandwidth on top. Latency on bottom.  (AMD=Puke)

Selling my beloved Q9450

To a geek – it’s like a classic automobile – something not everyone on the block has.  Something out of production. Yet, a chip that reached 4.2 on water and corrupted my RAID Controller. Ran for nearly a year @ 3.8 with a 1999mhz FSB – stable as can be!

(sniff)

Upgraded to Core i7 920 almost 2 weeks ago and the performance gains are unbelievable.  Stock for Stock clocks gain you an average of 25% more CPU power at the same frequencies.  Both chips come at 2.66ghz.  Q9450 holds 12mb L2 cache.  i7 920 hold 8mb L2 Cache. 

Geek Up!