Jesse's Blog

Creating a Home Media Server, Step 1

2010-05-15T14:12:00.002-06:00

This is the first in a series of posts on how to create a home media server to backup and serve music and home videos from.

Goals:

Headless (no monitor or keyboard) setup for minimal storage space requirements.
UPnP support for XBox 360 & Playstation 3 support (Step 2)
SMB support for windows & mac file access (Step 2)
SSH for remote home network access (Step 3)

First, the hardware

You'll need an old home computer or a low powered new one from somewhere. Mostly what we need is data storage and a network card - don't spend money on lots of RAM or processor speed because they will mostly be wasted on this. Here are the minimum specs I would recommend:

Processor: Minimum Core 2 Duo @ 2 GHz (you can probably get away with less here)
RAM: At least 512 MB
Graphics: Doesn't matter
Hard Drive: At least 200 GB, but you may want as much as 1 terabyte, especially if you have a ton of movies to store
DVD drive
You'll also need a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to set everything up, but these can be used for another computer once you finish this step

Once you get all of the pieces together, it's time to install the software:

Note: I'm writing this guide at first using Windows 7. However, most of the steps will work for Vista or Windows XP with some small differences. You'll need at least Home Premium edition of whatever operating system you'll be using. I will also be writing an Ubuntu Linux (free) version eventually.

The software

Put your windows install disc in the DVD drive and turn the computer on. You should be able to pretty much follow the default installation process, but be sure that you pick a strong password (8 characters, with capital letters and numbers) because this will eventually be available on the internet. Also, you'll need to remember the name you give your computer, because this is how you will be accessing it later.

After windows is installed, log in as administrator and open the start menu. Right click on computer then click on properties. Then click "Advanced System Settings" and go to the "Remote" tab. The bottom set of options has to do with Remote Desktop Connection. Select the middle option "Allow connections from computers running any version of remote desktop" and click ok. This step may require you to reboot.

After the reboot finishes, move to another computer and run Remote Desktop. (Or, Start->Run->mstsc). The server name is the name of your computer, and the username and password will be the username and password you created on your server. You should log in and see the same windows desktop that you saw on the monitor of your server.

Congratulations, now you can disconnect the monitor, keyboard and mouse from the server. You can do everything from remote desktop now. I would put the server in a cool dry place and leave it running all the time.

Next up - setting up UPnP and SMB shares for your music and movies.

Training for a 5K.

2009-06-17T09:55:00.002-06:00

Here's the work out plan:

Week Workout 1- Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Week Workout 2-Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Week Workout 3-Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Week Workout 4-Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:

Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Week Workout 5- Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Week Workout 6- Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Week Workout 7- Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Week Workout 8- Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Week Workout 9- Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

Lucky Seven Tag

2009-01-26T17:58:00.004-07:00

%%% Seven things I can do %%%

Spoil Rachael
Develop computer applications
Work hard
Remember lots of technical information.
Butt heads with Hayden
Cuddle my family
Play video games

%%% Seven things I can't do %%%

Leave Rachael alone
Leave something unfinished
Remember the shortest way to get somewhere (thankfully the grid system in Utah makes it easier for me to find places).
Spend all the money I'd like to
Save all the money I'd like to
Resist Rachael's charms
Put up with whining & complaining, especially in the middle of the night

%%% Seven things that attracted me to Rachael %%%

Her beauty
Her brutal honesty
The parts of her that are completely opposite of me
The parts of her that are exactly like me
The way she acts when she's doing something for me
How it feels to kiss her
The way she looks when I surprise her

%%% Seven things I say most %%%

Naaaah...
Kiss?
I love you.
It's because ... (explaining stuff)
It's spelled ... (usually while Rachael's posting on the blog)
Kimberly!
Hey buggy! (Hayden)

%%% Seven goals for the New Year %%%

Lose a few more pounds
Be a better father
Go on a trip with Rachael
Further my career
Budget better
Get a gym membership
Do more things outdoors (skiing, 4-wheeling, etc.)

%%% Seven favorite foods %%%

Cookies
Pasta
Cake
Hamburgers
Anything new
Waffles
Tacos

You took the mouse!

2008-11-10T10:21:00.003-07:00

I am down stairs on my laptop in the office trying to print out some coupons, for the WE ARE MEMORY KEEPERS warehouse sale. It's not working right, so I turn on the desktop to print it out in Word. Cause Jesse hasn't gotten me Word for my Mac( I know he must be crazy). Turn on the computer go to use it and the mouse is GONE! What is he thinking? So I book it up stairs to grab the mouse Jesse bought me for my Mac, that I don't really use. It's to much to carry around with Kimmy and my Mac. Plug it into the USB port and tah..dahh... Now I can you the desk top. You are so luck Jesse that I'm not completely computer incompetent or you would be in so much trouble! And that I remembered we have this mouse.

Harrumph

2008-10-02T21:25:00.002-06:00

So Rachael seems to think that I need to update my blog more often than once every six months - I don't know what she was thinking.

Well, if you read Rachael's blog then you know that last weekend we spent a night at the Anniversary Inn in Logan. It was really fun, the room we stayed in (Juliet's Balcony) was gorgeous. It was fun to get away for a little bit.

While we were up there, we decided to take a trip around some of the food producers up there. First, we went to Gossner's. They have the best cheese and dairy products. They also started carrying some Cache Valley meat products, so we got some Corned Beef and Ham there also. Then we stopped by a bakery in Logan to get bread to go with the meat and cheese. We decided to go to Pepperidge Farms (about 20 minutes North of Logan). We arrived at 4:10 - only to find that they closed at 4:00. Oh well.

So we got some really good food that weekend. Between the local bread, meat, and cheese, and Maddox and Le Nonne, I was completely stuffed. All of the food was excellent. I had to steal Rachael's leftovers from Le Nonne and eat them for lunch today. Yum Yum.

Yeah!

2008-10-01T20:35:00.001-06:00

Well if your such a superior Husband, where's the post about your never ending love for me? Or even a post about how wonderful our Anniversary was?

Jesse took the 1930's husband test and...

2008-09-15T21:17:00.001-06:00

119

As a 1930s husband, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

Flashback Friday - Life Changing Moments

2008-07-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Three years ago today Rachael went to her doctor for her weekly checkup. She was 37 weeks pregnant at the time. Her doctor had been watching her blood pressure closely, and this time her blood pressure was dangerously high. Rachael had to go lie down and wait for tests to be run and another doctor to come evaluate her. She called me several times at work to keep me up to date. The last call I got was Rachael telling me "They're going to induce me tomorrow."

Rachael after we found out she was going to be induced.

It's really an odd feeling becoming a father. I wasn't sure whether to be excited, scared, happy, or whatever. I remember having a hard time sleeping that night. At least I had time to get ready and pack the camera and everything else we needed to take. The next morning we showed up at the hospital at 8:30 AM and got Rachael checked in and everything. They started her on pitossin and pretty soon she was in labor (Fun Fact: Rachael went white as a ghost and passed out when they started the pitossin IV. That was a scary moment for me).
We weren't sure whether Rachael was going to get an epidural or not, so we decided to wait and see how bad the pain got for her (big mistake - with Kimmy we started it right away). The first two hours of labor were boring except for Rachael experiencing more pain, little by little. Finally about 11:00, she decided to go ahead and get an epidural. Then there was more waiting. It was going by so slow. Every time they checked Rachael's dilation, there was not much change. After about noon, it started moving a lot faster. The baby's heartbeat was getting less regular, so I started getting even more worried. In the end, Rachael's doctor came in and was talking about taking the baby c-section if she wasn't dilated enough. Luckily, she was and they started preparing for the birth....

Now for a flashback within a flashback. Before Rachael and I got pregnant with Hayden, our marriage was kind of on rocky ground. I didn't have any real direction in my life. I wasn't sure what I believed in or how hard I was willing to work for my relationship. I knew I loved Rachael, but I wasn't sure of myself at all. Rachael was really pushing to try for a baby, but I wasn't sure if I was ready. Finally, I gave in and said we could try. I certainly didn't expect that we would get pregnant the very first month off of birth control. But we did! (Maybe for another Flashback Friday I'll do our first baby appointment).
So, now I was a total mess. I was trying to be really honest with myself (something I had real problems with at the time) and I wanted to decide if I believed in the LDS faith or not. Rachael asked me one night before we fell asleep "Who will bless our baby after it's born?" This, combined with all of the thoughts I had been having lately, threw me into a real self-identity crisis. Did I like who I was? What did I really believe?
This all took place over a matter of months. One Sunday we were invited to go to church with Rachael's family and hear her sister give a talk in sacrament meeting. After sitting down, I noticed that someone had left a Book of Mormon by the hymn books. I picked it up and flipped it open. While reading, the most amazing feeling came over me. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was enough. Within a couple of months, Rachael and I were attending a married student ward, paying a full tithing, and getting ready to go through the temple. I still think it's amazing how fast my life turned around. Anyway - back to the delivery room.

Now I felt ready to be a father, and anxious to be a good one. The last half hour of labor went like lightning. When Hayden was delivered, they put him in Rachael's lap. There is no way for me to describe the feeling of looking upon either of my children for the first time. I'll just say that it left Rachael and I in tears. I got to put on his first diaper, and I almost forgot to get any pictures!

This is about 20 minutes after Hayden was born

How my life has changed in a short three years. Hayden, you're the best son ever!

My First Great Picture

2008-07-17T09:00:00.001-06:00

I created a desktop background from a picture that I took with Rachael's new camera. The picture was OK, but I wanted to blur the background a little more and take some of the color out of it. I think it looks pretty professional, but let me know if you disagree.

License: You may use this picture on your PC display. No printing, altering (excluding image resizing and/or cropping for display purposes), or redistribution, please.

Yard Work

2008-07-12T19:54:00.000-06:00

Since Hayden's birthday party is next week, we really needed to do a lot of work on our back yard. So, I headed outside this morning after breakfast. I started out by string trimming. Our stupid string trimmer is having the hardest time feeding string. I had to stop it probably 10 times so I could get more string out by pulling it by hand. I filled up the trimmer with gas before I started, and (because I had to stop and start so many times) it was empty before I finished everything I wanted to. At least I finished the back yard.

Rachael asked me if I could wait to mow the lawn until after we ripped the lattice out from under our deck. It was pretty deteriorated when we moved in, and it's come completely loose lately. It will blow back and forth on our deck and click, click, click... It gets really annoying in the wind. Anyway, we got rid of the worst of it. We also raked up the lawn and swept the fire-pit's pad. Rachael mowed the back lawn, and it looks really nice! I weeded the garden plots while she mowed.

Hayden decided to help me pick up the weeds from the garden, so he went & grabbed a bucket. When I went over to help him a little, the bucket was half full of dirt. He wants so bad to be helpful, and he was kind of disappointed when I dumped the bucket out and helped him get started with just the weeds. He had a blast counting every weed he put in the bucket after that.

Rachael went inside with Hayden and Kimmy while I mowed the front. When I finished, I locked our gate (the only way between the back & front outside) and went to head inside and take a shower. Unbeknownst to me, Rachael had already started her shower and Hayden had decided to lock the back door. I got to sit on our deck for about 15 minutes waiting for Rachael. She said that she was waiting for me to come get in the shower so it took even longer. It was so hot outside.

After all of the yard work, I felt like I deserved a treat. So we went to Burger Bar again and got lunch (I tried the buffalo burger - it was really good) and a butterfinger shake to share. All of the work was worth the reward! Plus the yard looks really nice after a good watering. Now if we can just get rid of the stupid ugly bath tub.

Memory Lane..Tag

2008-07-11T21:54:00.000-06:00

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Copy this list and bold what you have done.

2008-07-09T17:31:00.000-06:00

I've done the ones in red/brown

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby’s diaper  
5. Watched a meteor shower  
6. Given more than you can afford to charity  
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain (hiked)
9. Held a tarantula  
10. Said “I love you” and meant it  
11. Bungee jumped  
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise  
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty  
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables  
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight  
22. Bet on a winning horse  
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping  
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar  
29. Seen a total eclipse  
30. Ridden a roller coaster  
31. Hit a home run (kicked) 
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time  
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing  
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India  
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow  
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume (as a kid)
49. Sung karaoke (ROCK BAND!)
50. Lounged around in bed all day

51. Gone scuba diving  
52. Kissed in the rain  
53. Played in the mud
 54. Gone to a drive-in theater  
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t  
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class  
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days  
61. Made cookies from scratch  
62. Won first prize in a costume contest  
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone  
67. Bounced a check  
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy  
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did  
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over  
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge  
74. Helped an animal give birth  
75. Been fired or laid off from a job  (I was still in school)
76. Won money  (Arcades)
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle (I tipped one over and ran another into a picnic table - I won't be riding again anytime soon)
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph  
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight (close enough anyway - New York to Paris)
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi  
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school  
89. Changed your name  
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes  
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care  
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you  

101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair  
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours  
106. Raked your carpet  
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people  
109. Worn a mood ring  
110. Ridden a horse  
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe  
113. Buried a child  
114. Gone to a Broadway play  
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band (in a ROCK BAND!! Ka-chow)
119. Shot a bird  
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train  
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage  (2nd grade)
131. Asked for a raise  
132. Made a hole-in-one  
133. Gone deep sea fishing  
134. Gone roller skating  
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf  
137. Invented something  
138. Flown first class (Our trip home from our honeymoon)
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite  
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo  
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love story (no you can't see it)

146. Seen Michelangelo’s David  
147. Had your portrait painted  
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle (sort of)
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury  
155. Lied about your weight  
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget  
158. Written a poem  
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning  
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission  
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon  
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera  
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous (Eleanor Roosevelt, when I was 6 or 7) 
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics  
169. Can hula or waltz  
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane  
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert  
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint  
178. Laughed till your side hurt  
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing  
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle  
183. Spent the night in a hostel  
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt  
186. Joined a union  
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives  
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation  
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen  
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube  
196. Know CPR  
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible  
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

98/200 - Beat ya Rach!

Twindagger

2008-07-04T18:09:00.000-06:00

I've always been good with computers. When I was 5, my dad would have me help him format 5 1/4" floppy disks for him so he didn't have to (it was tedious to format 50 disks at a time - but I loved it). So, it was natural that I started to use the computer a lot as I got older. When my dad gave me my first email account, he used the nickname "Wizkid." So, I used that whenever I needed to have an online identity.

After I graduated from High School, I bought a computer game called Unreal Tournament. Wizkid just didn't seem like a "Macho" enough name for a game where the object is to kill as many other players as possible. So, I came up with another nick. I have twin sisters, so that gave me the idea to have something with "twin" in it. I considered a bunch of names, but none of them really fit. At the time, I was also really into The Wheel of Time. There are a couple of characters in the series named after a set of dueling daggers, so I put the two ideas together and Twindagger was born. It's stuck with me ever since. I doodled up an icon to go with the name - too bad you can't upload custom gamerpics to Xbox Live.

Xbox 360

2008-06-28T14:14:00.000-06:00

Since I've been evicted, I'm going to put everything on here that Rachael doesn't approve of on my original blog. :P

So a couple of weeks ago I got an Xbox 360 Elite and then I got Rock Band last Friday (I told Rachael that she could get her camera if she got Rock Band at the same time). I love the drums on Rock Band - thanks Miff for introducing me to them (over Rachael's objections).

I got on Xbox Live (my gamertag's on the right) and I had to get Geometry Wars and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I could spend a ton of money on games right off, but I shouldn't. I'm downloading a whole bunch of demos to see which games are worth renting/buying. If anybody has any ideas, please leave a comment.

I've played the 360 on 2 big HDTVs now - and it's just reinforced my techno-lust for a nice big TV. Just a little longer...42" Vizio here I come.

FYI: if you leave any recommendations, we're not going to get any M-rated games. We don't want Hayden to get the wrong ideas from Daddy's gaming habits...

We're going to miss you...

2008-06-28T08:43:00.000-06:00

Steve and Jenni are leaving us soon to live in Ohio. We will miss you guys and the fun get-togethers so much. Good luck guys!

That's the last straw!

2008-06-27T21:56:00.000-06:00

I am posting this while logged in as Jesse. He has officeall been evicted from my blog! Putting gamer stuff on my cute little blog. Grrr...