After a good deal of hardware problems, I believe I have stabilize my digital infrastructure at home. Using the very excellent True Image from Acronis, I imaged the new and failing Samsung hard drive in my XP box. I then restored that image to a new and not failing Western Digital disk. The machine booted without incident and so I could put by living room back into order, instead of having look like a computer workbench.

I also restructured the “computer lab” in my bedroom so that it is neater, cleaner and properly wired. This includes some clever reworking of two machines running VMWare ESX 2.X and sharing two small SCSI disks across the same SCSI ribbon. This simulates a SAN very nicely for me. The disks run off a hacked power supply unit. It’s all very sketchy, but it works.

Also, on permanent loan from Leostream is an old IBM Netfinity server. After the current project is done, I may attempt to install ESX 3.0 onto it.

To recap: my XP box in the living is now stable. It’s my digital media convergence box that is my TV, DVD player and stereo. My bedroom lab hosts both my digital audio workstation (Sonar 4) and my machines for Leostream development.

Of course, my Linux soft-RAID1 box is in the hall closet.