In the #ewaste scores is this random USB drive, with the "Bank of Communications" on one side and "2010 USB Key" for bankcomm{DOT]com
Serial number: HDE-30156307

It shows up in a fresh Win11 install as an "unknown smart card" (because I was not going to insert this USB from #China in any old #PC of mine).

In my searching so far there are no drivers are found anywhere for this device.

Do I keep messing with getting this to work, or does it go back to ewaste and I use the #yubikey that was found? šŸ¤”

#vintagecomputing
#vintagecomputing #vintagecomputint #vintagecomputer #vintagecomputers #vintagecomputalk
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#computerHistory
#retro
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#WallOfRetro #upcycle #restore #TechnologyRepair #WasteNotWantNot
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#computer #tech #encryption #security #cybersecurity #siliconValley #SillyValley #sanfrancisco #sanfran #sanfranciscocomputers #sanfrancomputers #sanfranciscovintagecomputers #sanfranvintagecomputers #sanfranciscovintagehardware
#sanfranvintagehardware #informationsecurity #IT #ITsupport #hardwaresupport #computerrepair

Grabbed a #Lenovo #Ideapad C330 (#Chromebook) from my local #ewaste facility, looking to log into certain #Google Workspace accounts without providing a footprint on an actual #PC. And in the future when no longer supported install #Debian on it.
Also: this Chromebook folds to a tablet.

Unfortunately, the battery never fully charges: solid red for a few hours, then blinking red LED. I can get it to boot, but it will stay on for just a few minutes and then dies. Leaving it charging overnight, I was able to get logged in and started the upgrade for #ChromeOS 105.0.5195.134 (32 Bit), got the reboot and then it died. Left it unplugged, and there is no juice at all.
I found replacement batteries for $5 and up on #ebay, $10 plus shipping on gotlaptopparts.com, and stupid prices elsewhere. My concern is that it is not the battery but the circuits that managing charging the battery (which I would consider beyond repair and take back to eddies).

Via https://cros.tech/device/maple/ it looks as this Chromebook will support ChromeOS 143.0.7499.46, so there should still be some life in this device if the power issue is addressed.

Anything I’m missing here/not considering? Worth getting that cheap assed ebay battery and giving it a try?

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maple - Chrome OS Updates

Dam, spoke too soon. This #thinkpad #P70 running #Win11 #LTSC decided to shit the bed overnight. I was using it last night to organize #ROMs, closed lid should have hibernated. Tried to start it up today, get #BIOS test screen and then a quick flash of text, then a black screen. Tried booting into advanced recovery mode, unable to get it to work with the holding the power button 3x, so I try to boot with my win11 LTSC install USB and get the same black screen....

I picked this up a few months back. Intel xeon i7 2.66 with 64 GB RAM, primary storage is a Samsung M2 which is showing up in the boot BIOS and as a boot-able device in the BIOS.

As posted previously, I was having some weird USB issues over the weekend when I was moving ROM collection file to external SSDs for archiving, but I had attributed to the #SSD in the external #USB sleds that was/has now failed. Man, it would bite of the controller chips on this #motherboard are failing.
Thankfully I had already moved all my job hunting notes & stuff to a different laptop, but all the ROM and #hakchi2 stuff is on this #laptop

Just in case, I started the #Lenovo diag mode to confirm hardware was ok when the battery died (I swear I had it plugged in). Now this POS will not even go into Diag mode.

Any thoughts on next steps for getting this Thinkpad booting again?

Any chance I can take the storage out of this and put it in a comparable P70 I have? and it will boot & let me log in?

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Electronics Flea Market

I posted to my @irishmasms@pixel.infosec.exchange account pictures of my two Lambda LQD-422 dual regulated power supplies. Scored at EFM, but both have issues. Is it worth having them fixed - and who would do such repairs?

The one has the note: CT 1 works, meter bad. CH 2 to rail, Meter bad"

The other has" CH1 & CH2 volts are good. Meter Ch1 is bad, CH2 good?"

I am unfamiliar with power supplies like this; was looking for testing on my bench before I had to dig out the right wall wart and thought these may help.

EDIT: I found this that may help https://www.djerickson.com/lambda/

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#retroNetworking #networking #wifi #homeWiFi #homenetworking #AP #accessPoint

Dave Erickson Lambda LPD and LQD Lab Power Supply Page

Lambda LPD and LQD Lab Power Supplies

I posted over on @irishmasms@pixel.infosec.exchange The #mug
I received at #microcenter in #santaclara yesterday.
It is a nice mug, it will be added into my rotation.

The new store, well it is nice to see them back in #siliconValley
Not as nice as I recall their store in #denver and definitely focused on #peripherals targeting #gamer types and #influencers
The selection of #3dprinting supplies was impressive

The crowds was insane - the parking lot was full, lines for support was long, checkout was not that bad. I did not purchase anything though. The couple of items I would have considered was on sale but sold out or was more than I was willing to spend.

I would suggest going in the off hours or waiting until the newness dies down before going.

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#nerdsOfVintage #happyNerding
#computer #tech #computerHardware #laptop #laptops
#upcycle #restore #TechnologyRepair #WasteNoWantNot #reuse #RepairReuseRecycle
#retroNetworking #networking #wifi #homeWiFi #homenetworking #AP #accessPoint

Talking with the folks in the local #vintage / #retrocomputing community, they clued me in that the #ThinkPad #RAID is a steaming pile of šŸ’© and not worth the trouble.

🤷 Oh well. Thanks for cluing me in

So I swapped out the two testing #NVMe drives I was using and reinstalled the original sticks - to have #windoz10 demanding for the #bitlocker recovery key. šŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļø

Well, time to wipe & install #windoz11 then.

Install went fine, only 4 rando #drivers to find for all #devices to be recognized and working.

Using my #CTT scripts to install the majority of applications, then to remove the #spyware #bloatware and other garbage #micro$oft added to #windows11

Then migrate my #data from my other ThinkPad. Welcome to my #sunday #funday

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Ok, I spent yesterday afternoon trying to get #RAID configured on my #lenovo #ThinkPad #P70 - to no success.

I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyCC1NGe8a8&t=36s of the similar #p50 and configuring #RAID which shows the #BIOS interface but my P70's only show the "non-raid physical discs" I do not have an option for RAID volumes. Note I have upgraded the BIOS to the most recent version on lenovo's web site. Any thoughts?

I have attached 2 #screenshots of what the BIOS displays - I'm trying to configure the RAID on the two 512GB #NVMe sticks.

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Lenovo ThinkPad P50: RAID Setup

YouTube

I scored 2 #Thinkpad #X260 laptops at #EFM #electronicsfleamarket in March with a handful of batteries for really cheap.
a i7 2.6Ghz and an i5 2.4Ghz

The i7 is immaculate, and is running great.
The i5 has some issues. Opening it up it was missing the SSD and SODIMM RAM, and I noted some corrosion on the aluminum frame around the SSD slot.

Getting it to moot up, there is this really weird spotting and "worms" with the #LCD that is really distracting. Not sure how this happened - and would love any insights as to the what & why this happened.
I suspect just easier to swap out the 12.5" 1366x768 for something with better resolution?

I did order two 32 GB DDR4 2666 SODIMMs from #aliexpress - the unofficial max #RAM for these X260's - and they work great. Both the i7 & the i5 detect the SODIMMs in the BIOS and in Win11. I initially had some spare 16GB SODIMMs in them, but why not max out the RAM when most apps and browsers are memory hogs lately?

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