v90 trials and tribulations

[jamvaru]

started with:

wyse v90, 1Ghz, 512mb flash, 256mb ram, + wireless (selling point)
$28.65, free shipping

funny thing: it looked like it worked at first (meaning it installed and the proper screen came up) with whatever proprietary setup was on it, but I couldn't figure out to hold shift down so as to get to administrator login, so i flashed it

so, i tried the latest image from wyse: magicjack installed almost all the way, but got stuck on the updates because of vm size being too small; i maxed out the vm, but no joy because of small size of flash drive and large size of xpe image

so, i tried the small image, from 2006: i kept reducing the size of the vm, from ~248 down to 128... MJ finally installed but said, broken storage; well... idk, but i think the small, older image couldn't handle the usb storage of the magic jack properly, not sp2, maybe; so i gave up and bought a 1gb memory stick for ~$25, brand new, in package, sealed, lol; american shipper, ebay, 100% rating, lol, we will see

I had an idea, that I could use a flash drive, usb stick, as a vm repository, which is possible on w2k, but not on wXP, which i remembered, after much fiddling with different sticks and readers. The bios didn't like the card readers, wouldn't boot with them plugged in, but did like the stick (startalent 8gb) so it looks like a portableapps option will work with the wyse, making it a viable workstation, though not a media center, lol

so, waiting on 1gb usb memory: pc2700 333mhz 200pin ddr1 $25fsh

the 512mb sticks were around 10-15+ so, wth, bump it up to 1gb ... there was a 2gb for 49 something, but meh
i figure, maybe this thing can do more than magic jack with some portable apps on a proper stick
shouldn't need vm with 1gb ram, it doesn't have one now, after going back to the latest image, wXPe.sp2+wfr2; ~385mb

i used the download from wyse to transfer image to usb: Wyse USB Firmware Tool.exe
you have to scroll down a bit, lol

I plan on getting a microkeyboard and minimouse for it, just for ease; i got it plugged into my hdmon along with mainbox into dvi slot and cable box into hdmi, so easy to switch back and forth on monitor; it is nice

remember upon first boot to

1. turn on the automatic reboot after power failure in bios, that is it for bios
2. turn off the write protection in xpe first thing after relogging as Admin (hold down shift when logging out of User)
3. change autologin in control panel to Administrator/Administrator
4. set up wireless
5. plug in magic jack

should work

I still have to put the 1gb memory chip in, so I will update this with either a ;] or a ;[

did i miss anything? (man, spent ALL damn day learning this hard luck lesson, lol)

*so why am I not using my mainbox for magic jack? because I am migrating to linux full-time, eventually running any windows apps with wine; but, I don't want to have to mess with magic jack in wine, i heard it doesn't work; not worth the headache of finding out first hand; besides, this thinterm solution is ideal; low-power; always on... dependent on internet connection only, and power, of course; I will always use cable modem, screw google fiber, imo; bunch of bandwagoneers, lol

thanks for your input