Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Developer Setup on Windows

Windows

  1. Display settings.

Install 

  1. Google Chrome
    • Make default browser
    • Plugins:
      • AWS Extend Switch Roles
      • Bitwarden
      • Session Buddy
  2. Firefox + Edge + Brave
  3. NVidia GeForce Experience (use to download latest drivers)
  4. Git for Windows
  5. TortoiseGit
    • git config --global --add safe.directory 'c:/myfolder'
    • github will prompt to login via browser
  6. Visual Studio Code
  7. Node.js includes npm
  8. AWS CLI
  9. MySQL Workbench
  10. Notepad++
  11. Draw.io
  12. SnagIt
  13. Camtasia
  14. MS office + teams + skype
    •  Configure Outlook to open links in default browser.
  15. Open OneDrive and login to accounts to view files on local
  16. Adobe Acrobat Reader
NPM
  • npm install -g @ionic/cli
  • npm install -g @angular/cli
Visual Studio Code
  • Command Palette > Open User Settings JSON
    {
        "typescript.implementationsCodeLens.enabled": true,
        "[typescript]": {
            "editor.detectIndentation": false,
            "editor.tabSize": 4,
        },
        "[html]": {
            "editor.detectIndentation": false,
            "editor.tabSize": 4
        }
    }

Troubleshooting
  • speedtest.net (internet connection speed test)
  • 3DMark demo (for basic GPU/CPU benchmark)

Friday, March 8, 2024

SuperMicro Desktop Workstation Build 2024

Supermicro Full-Tower SuperWorkstation (SYS-551A-T)

CPU
1 x Intel® Xeon® W5-3435X Processor 16-Core 3.10 GHz 45MB Cache (270W) 

Memory
2 x 32GB DDR5 4800MHz ECC RDIMM Server Memory 

Storage
1 x 1.9TB 2.5" 7450 PRO NVMe (7mm) PCIe 4.0 Solid State Drive (1 x DWPD) 

Networking
1 x 1 x 10Gb E
 
GPU
1 x NVIDIA Quadro RTX A4000 16GB GDDR6 PCIe 4.0 x16 - 4 DisplayPort (140W) 

Accessory
1 x MCP-220-73102-0N - 3.5" to 2.5" Converter Drive Tray (Required Accessory)
1 x MiniSAS HD to U.3 with Power Cable (Required Accessory) 
1 x CBL-0082L - Y Split SATA Power Adapter (Required Accessory)
1 x CBL-SAST-0624 - SATA 70cm Cable (Required Accessory)
1 x DVM-TEAC-DVDRW24-HBT - Slim DVD-RW SATA Drive (Required Accessory)
1 x SKT-1333L-0000-FXC - E1A Carrier (Required Accessory)
1 x SNK-P0091AP4 - 4U Active CPU Heat Sink (Required Accessory)
1 x FAN-0222L4 - 120MM Fan (Required Accessory)

Operating System
1 x Windows 11 Professional 64-Bit

Display
2 x Acer Predator XB273K Pbmiphzx 27" UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS Monitor with NVIDIA G-SYNC

I/O Ports

Front:

    • two USB2.0 ports
    • two USB3.2 Gen1 (5 G) Type A ports
    • one USB3.2 Gen2 (10 G) Type C port
    • one Power Button
    • one Audio In, one Mic In

Button Rear:

    • one 10 Gb LAN port
    • one 1Gb LAN port
    • one USB3.2 Gen2 x2 (20 Gbps) Type C port
    • four USB3.2 Gen2 x1 ports
    • two USB2.0 ports
    • one VGA port (for BMC interface)
    • HD Audio 7.1 Channel connectors
    • one COM port

Onboard:

    • one USB3.2 Gen 2 Type C header
    • two USB3.2 Gen1 (5 G) headers
    • two USB2.0 headers
    • ten 4-pin fan headers
    • one 1 2V power header for water cooling pump
    • one DOM PW connector
    • one TPM 2.0 header

SuperWorkstation SYS-551A-T
SYS-551A-T Manual

Problem 1:
Displays message "checking media presence" and displays the BIOS page.
Support Wrote:
press F11 to the boot menu. It should have the "UEFI: Windows OS" option. Check the U.2 drive cable inside the chassis.  Make sure that the cable was connected properly on both U.2 connector and U.2 drive. 
Solution 1:
The cable was not plugged into the back of the system drive located in one of the drive bays. Simply plugging the cable in resolved this issue. The cabling bundle tie is too tight. It needs to be cut to give the cables more slack.

Problem 2:
Windows 11 is not activated.
Solution 2:
Bottom of chassis contains a Windows sticker. Lightly scratch the silver part to reveal the rest of the 25 character Windows activation code. Settings > Activation settings > Change product key (enter key from sticker).

Problem 3:
Windows 11 is so slow it's basically unusable. e.g. File explorer takes 10 secs to display completely.
Solution 3:
Set: Control Panel > Power Options > High Performance

Problem 4:
Windows 11, "system > display" shows 3 monitors. One of them is labelled "1" and is a phantom (i.e. this physical monitor doesn't exist). Clicking "disconnect this display" does not fix the problem.
Solution 4:
?