Vacation, and DSL problems fixed?

I was on vacation all of last week, so I had to rejoin the world of adult responsibility today. It's certainly not that I don't like my job, quite the contrary actually, it's just that it's always hard to get back in the the ol' routine even after only having been off for a week. During that week I didn't accomplish much. I didn't really go anywhere, or do anything special, but it was relaxing just the same. I was hoping to catch up on my Waymarking backlog, but that didn't happen. Partly due to me just finding other things to do, but mostly because I was still having DSL issues.

I think I've found a fix for my DSL issues through. I got tired of the constant disconnects, and not being able to connect wirelessly...I wasn't able to connect my IBM Laptop, my new Mac Book, or the WII, so I knew it had to be something with the modem. I didn't feel like dealing with tech support again, especially because I'm already way over on my cell minutes from talking to them (I don't own a home phone....I have the landline service only because I have to have it for the DSL, but I don't even have a phone to connect to it if I wanted to). I decided to do a Google search for my particular DSL modem/router, which was supplied by my service provider, and I ended up with tons of links to various message boards and blogs discussing that this modem is a dog, the provider knows it, but essentially refuses to do anything about it unless you threaten to cancel. There were also several mentions of various firmware upgrades available, but no links were provided in the first several mentions. I checked the modem's manufacturer site, and they don't support it since it was made specifically for this service provider. I then thought I would be smart and check my service provider's website, only it find it impossibly difficult to get any information beyond very basic information. Finally after more digging through the Google links I came across a posting which included a link to the firmware available from the service provider. I quickly downloaded and installed this, and I've had no problems since. I'm not getting dropped (well not as often at least...2-3 times every couple of days is far better and livable at least), all of my wireless devices connect flawlessly, and above all of that the connection is actually running much faster both on my main PC and all of my wireless devices, than it was before. I'm still pretty much in favor of dumping the DSL and picking up cable though...it's a slightly more pricey option, but at least I would use the cable TV occasionally, as compared to a phone line that I don't and can't use even if I wanted to. In terms of "value" cable is a better option.....I think.....

But to bring my frustration levels back up it seems that I may have a corrupt memory stick. I just installed 2 1gb sticks in the PC about a month ago, to upgrade from the 128mb, and 512mb sticks I was running. Suddenly I was getting various BSOD errors randomly, and I couldn't find any rhyme or reason...sometimes it did it when I was asleep. I first suspected something with my video card since I am having other obvious issues with it...and because it would often throw up the BSOD when I was watching videos on YouTube. I started reading about it, and found the errors I was getting are typically attributed to either bad memory, or lack of power being supplied. I know for a fact that I don't have enough power running through this (I have a 200w supply, and the video card requires at least 250w by itself....in addition I'm running dual hard-drives, a CD burner, DVD rom drive, an IEEE 1394 card, plus I have just able every USB port filled most times (webcam, G15 keyboard, mouse, printer, sometimes a headset, sometimes the GPS, sometimes my memory card reader, and sometimes a flash drive) but I figured that for the time being it was easier to switch back to my old memory for a test. Everything is working fine since I've done that. I'm probably going to test each of the 1gb sticks to see if either is usable. On top of that I am also planning to get a new power supply as well, to hopefully end the other issues I've having specific to the video card. Who knows maybe after getting a new power supply I won't have any issues with either of the 1gb sticks.....I don't count on it, but stranger things have happened.

While I'm talking about computers.....I'm still liking the Mac Book, although I'm a little frustrated with it since I'm not used to it. I've been using Win based machines since I was probably about 12 years old, and DOS before that, so I've had about 17 years of "training" on Windows. Since I don't know anything about OS X it seems to me that I'm not able to do anything except play on the internet and look at pictures. That's only due to my lack of knowledge of the system. I was even posting some Waymarks from it last night and I couldn't figure out how to actually edit photos...I could only look at them...although I figured out how to get the file info so I knew which pic I wanted to post in a given Waymark. I just need to give it more time...plus I tend to be stubborn and don't read manuals and such until I'm about ready to chuck things in the trash, so it just adds to my frustration, and then makes it worse when I finally read up on something and realize how simple the procedure really is, and that I was making it 100's of times harder than it had to be. It's a stupid trait that I recognize in myself, but yet I still do nothing to correct it....hmmmmm.