Christmas Day Tech News 2025

Top Story

Merry Christmas everyone!
Samsung and SK Hynix wish you a Merry Christmas too and announce they have cancelled plans to stop making DDR4 memory. (Notebook Check)

DDR4 is mostly produced on older equipment than DDR5 and was not profitable - particularly with CXMT dumping DDR4 at below cost - so the plan was to refit the factories and switch them to DDR5.

But that's time-consuming and expensive and suddenly DDR4 is profitable again - very much so - so both companies plan to keep producing it at least through 2026.

That won't end the drought, but it helps.
In other rare positive news, Microsoft says it has no plans to rewrite its codebase in Rust, not Windows or anything else. (Windows Latest)

The article that kicked off this typhoon in a tea cosy was actually talking about a research project investigating the use of AI in such tasks, not any intent to do so for anything in any fixed time frame. But it made none of that clear.

Tech News

If your video card has been having too easy a time of it Samsung has announced a 6k 165Hz 3D monitor. (Tom's Hardware)

That'll slow the fish down.

It uses eye-tracking to create glasses-free 3D images as long as there's a single viewer.

There's also a non-3D model if you don't need all those dimensions, a 5k 180Hz model that can boost up to 360Hz at 1440p, and a 600Hz 1440p model that can boost up to 1040Hz at 1080p.

We're talking about bat hearing levels of frame rates.
The LG 4k monitor I favour is now available in a 144Hz model - up from the standard 60Hz - with no other changes.

I might pick one up once I've paid off all the recent purchases.
The Radeon 780M GPU - found for example in the MinisForum AI X1-255 - loses 30-40% of its performance running in single-channel mode, if, for example, you pulled out half the memory from each of two systems to populate a compatible motherboard.

Even then it is faster than the older Vega 8 found in the Ryzen 7730U.

No reason.
I was annoyed at datacenters, and then I met the people who oppose them. (Tech Crunch)

They're the usual Black Bloc communist imbeciles.
How to develop web apps: Test on something that sucks. (Zero Trick Pony)

Specifically an iPhone:
If you don't read the rest of this rant, I can sum up my advice as just this: if you're making a web project, even a simple one, do your rapid, many-times-a-day iteration loop testing on an older iPhone as your test mule. Yes this is a pain, because none of us are programming on an iPhone soft keyboard. We're sitting at a computer or laptop, and so that's the platform it's most natural to iterate on. Most frontend tools do not make it easy to have a quick edit-and-reload cycle with a real mobile device. So you'll have to either frequently push to a private web server, or use some exotic ssh tunnel contraption, to get it so that your test mule iPhone can view your test web project.

This is not because iPhones are good, it's because they're bad. iPhones are more peculiar and less compliant than any other device I tried. I promise that if you get your web project looking good and working smoothly on a crappy iPhone, your residual costs to test and polish on all other platforms and browsers will be fairly low. (For extra bravery, I recommend Firefox iOS instead of Safari, because it is the most buggy, least compliant browser I was able to find. If it works on Firefox iOS it's going to work anywhere. See below.)
He then goes on to name names.
That tape of Unix V4 has been successfully restored by the archivists at the Computer History Museum. (The Register)

And it works. You can download it and run it on your PDP-11 today.

Okay, or a PDP-11 emulator.
Why did Waymo robotaxis get stuck during the San Francisco blackout? (Tech Crunch)

With all the street lights out, they phoned home to check if it was safe to proceed.

All of them.

All at once.
Meanwhile Zoox - owned by Amazon - has issued a recall for 323 of its robotaxis, which is to say all of them, because they drive like illegal immigrants on a CDL issued by California. (Tech Crunch)

Well, not quite that badly. They haven't killed anyone yet.
How we reduced a 1.5GB database by 99%. (Cardog)

They deleted 99% of the data,

Though to be fair they did realise that 50% of the data was just pre-computed values that could easily be derived from the other data.

The rest they literally just deleted.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: This post is made of 99% post-deleted data.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:00 AM (RuTUS)

2 Merry Christmas, Pixy!

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:00 AM (RuTUS)

3 Merry Christmas everyone

Posted by: Skip at December 25, 2025 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

4 Merry Christmas morning all!

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 25, 2025 04:03 AM (BLOW1)

5 Good morning. Merry Christmas.

Posted by: Fluffy Nuggets, Jr. at December 25, 2025 04:05 AM (RGk3C)

6 Santa is just leaving Kodiak, Alaska.

https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:06 AM (RuTUS)

7 Headed for Hawaii.

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:06 AM (RuTUS)

8 Decided coffee would be better

Posted by: Skip at December 25, 2025 04:10 AM (Ia/+0)

9 I hope Santa was good to you, Pixy!

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:11 AM (RuTUS)

10 Mornin'

and Merry Christmas!

Yes, I'm at work in the wee hours of Christmas Morning.

Bah Humbug!! (I need an early 1840s top hat).

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 25, 2025 04:13 AM (aKh6S)

11 Santa brought me 256GB of RAM at pre-apocalypse prices, so I'd say he was very good.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 25, 2025 04:13 AM (BLOW1)

12 ˙ʎxıd 'sɐɯʇsıɹɥɔ ʎɹɹǝɯ

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at December 25, 2025 04:14 AM (dK+Kv)

13 Merry Christmas, late-nighters and other-time-zoners!

Posted by: mikeski at December 25, 2025 04:15 AM (nhCoE)

14 Mornin', all
Merry Christmas!

Posted by: My Life is Insanity at December 25, 2025 04:15 AM (WE0m7)

15 12 ˙ʎxıd 'sɐɯʇsıɹɥɔ ʎɹɹǝɯ
Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at December 25, 2025 04:14 AM (dK+Kv)

hahahahaha

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:15 AM (RuTUS)

16 We're talking about bat hearing levels of frame rates.

I hear what you did there.

Posted by: mikeski's pet bat at December 25, 2025 04:15 AM (nhCoE)

17 Nice bit of reindeer lore on the Christmas Eve Cafe, mikeski.

163 1. How many reindeer does Santa have?
2. Can you name them all?
Posted by: Soothsayer

Ten.

Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Olive.
Posted by: mikeski at December 24, 2025 08:44 PM (nhCoE)

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:17 AM (RuTUS)

18 ɒɥɒɥɒɥ

(turned)

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:20 AM (RuTUS)

19 Thank ya, m.

Posted by: mikeski at December 25, 2025 04:21 AM (nhCoE)

20 How come all the whiz kids missed NVIDIA Rising? What a Cinderella story.

Posted by: Fen at December 25, 2025 04:21 AM (2r5ZV)

21 Merry Christmas, Pixy.! This tech stuff is all a complete mystery to me, but I thanks you for letting me go one about other things, and I appreciate the help from everyone for questions on my phone.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:34 AM (7RYym)

22 Merry Christmas, all!

Posted by: FeatherBlade at December 25, 2025 04:35 AM (C0Nlv)

23 That is such a happy memory: Sitting with our son listening to the NORAD Santa reports

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:36 AM (7RYym)

24 How come all the whiz kids missed NVIDIA Rising? What a Cinderella story.
Posted by: Fen

22,600% is a pretty good 10-year return, innit?

Posted by: mikeski at December 25, 2025 04:36 AM (nhCoE)

25 B.C.760 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuuel.

Posted by: Kingsman at December 25, 2025 04:39 AM (ehY6c)

26 Merry Christmas!

Anyone watch Salem Techsperts on You Tube? He's pretty entertaining.
https://tinyurl.com/5drhnhjv

I was able to use an 11" 2011 Macbook Air the other day to read and post on the blog. 2gb of RAM and running AntiX. It works pretty well and it's nicer to use than my iPad. Cost me $37 on Ebay. When I get past the holiday, I plan to start putting thermal paste on these and whatever upgrades I can.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 04:41 AM (+mUZM)

27 "The greatest gift." A devotional on Matthew 2:1-2, 7-12:

https://tinyurl.com/y79ynbwv

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:43 AM (7RYym)

28
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 25, 2025 04:44 AM (tljrc)

29 Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 25, 2025 04:13 AM (aKh6S

Thanks for what you do to help keep us safer. I seem to recall you work for the Pentagon?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:45 AM (7RYym)

30 Delurking to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from San Antonio Heights, nestled in the foothills of Mt. Baldy, the highest point in Los Angeles County (although we are in San Bernardino County, as it happens).

Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at December 25, 2025 04:46 AM (caMfM)

31 Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Criblecoblis, ( I like your nic ) and to all here..

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:50 AM (7RYym)

32 iphones and firefox, yep.

Have an iPhone because everything else is alphabet.
Don't have firefox because Brave

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 04:50 AM (2ef5s)

33 A story from Brisbane about a Koala.

https://tinyurl.com/4djcwx9m

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:52 AM (7RYym)

34 20 How come all the whiz kids missed NVIDIA Rising? What a Cinderella story.
Posted by: Fen
---

INTC has entered the chat.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 04:54 AM (2ef5s)

35 I had no idea that the actor Alistair Sim, the actor was actually Scottish. About his life:

https://tinyurl.com/3r8manu2

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 04:58 AM (7RYym)

36 Starting to ponder New Year's resolutions, and maybe de-potty-mouthing my speech. I had about 3 or 4 "f-words" in a sentence the other day and not a single one of them was needed. [The f-word was not Fluffy Nuggets.]

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:59 AM (RuTUS)

37 Santa is headed for the North Pole!

https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 05:02 AM (RuTUS)

38 Merry Christmas, morning people. It's good to see you. Pixy toooo.

Insomnia has it's benefits.
---

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 05:05 AM (2ef5s)

39 Thanks for the good thoughts, FenelonSpoke. I am happy you recognize where my nic comes from!

And speaking of Alistair Sim, let me refer you to a film, Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It," in which Sim has a hilarious comic turn playing a Scotsman. It's available on the Internet Archive.

Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at December 25, 2025 05:05 AM (caMfM)

40 26 Merry Christmas!

Anyone watch Salem Techsperts on You Tube? He's pretty entertaining.
https://tinyurl.com/5drhnhjv

I was able to use an 11" 2011 Macbook Air the other day to read and post on the blog. 2gb of RAM and running AntiX. It works pretty well and it's nicer to use than my iPad. Cost me $37 on Ebay. When I get past the holiday, I plan to start putting thermal paste on these and whatever upgrades I can.
Posted by: Notsothoreau
---

Merry Christmas.
On what are you going to paste and what are the things may I ask?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 05:07 AM (2ef5s)

41 Merry Christmas everyone!

(& g'morning!)

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 25, 2025 05:08 AM (Cjt/F)

42 Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at December 25, 2025 05:05 AM (caMfM)

Thanks; I'll have to look for that.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 05:08 AM (7RYym)

43 For all the shooting aficionados out there.

Border Patrol shoots down Cartel drone.

https://tinyurl.com/3uxcbhuu

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 05:12 AM (2ef5s)

44 I don't like Koala's they are too cute. The only thing good about a Koala is their vocalization.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 05:14 AM (2ef5s)

45 Santa and the reindeer have arrived home.

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 05:15 AM (RuTUS)

46 Thanks, Fen.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 25, 2025 05:17 AM (aKh6S)

47 Morning, Christmas Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at December 25, 2025 05:18 AM (AN2gy)

48 Good morning!

Let's smile & be happy & strike fear in the hearts of killjoy leftists everywhere.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 25, 2025 05:21 AM (u82oZ)

49 26 Anyone watch Salem Techsperts on You Tube? He's pretty entertaining.
https://tinyurl.com/5drhnhjv
Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 04:41 AM (+mUZM)

Above my level of techitude, but he seems very engaging:
The $15 Solution to the DDR5 Price Crisis?

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 05:21 AM (RuTUS)

50 I want to wish the entire Horde, CoBs, Pixy Misa,
and ace (who gets up at the crack of noon) the most joyous Christmas possible. May it linger in your mind as a golden memory.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 25, 2025 05:24 AM (u82oZ)

51 Preps start now.

So safe travels for everyone, even if it is only to the kitchen.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 25, 2025 05:25 AM (u82oZ)

52 Mel and Kim are a hoot! Thanks for posting those vids!

Posted by: 5 miles to nowhere at December 25, 2025 05:26 AM (G+z4C)

53 Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 25, 2025 05:24 AM (u82oZ)

Thanks, Salty. God bless you .

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 05:27 AM (rZCVI)

54 Christmas card from Netanyahu to Iran - >

https://tinyurl.com/jy8zk7uf

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 05:28 AM (2ef5s)

55 Have Scotch eggs ready to bake

Posted by: Skip at December 25, 2025 05:34 AM (Ia/+0)

56 49 26 Anyone watch Salem Techsperts on You Tube? He's pretty entertaining.
https://tinyurl.com/5drhnhjv
Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 04:41 AM (+mUZM)

Above my level of techitude, but he seems very engaging:
The $15 Solution to the DDR5 Price Crisis?
Posted by: m

I'll check that out. I just bought a motherboard that takes laptop memory because those adapters are reported to have problems with DDR5. Let's see how it worked for him...

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 25, 2025 05:38 AM (BLOW1)

57 And it works. You can download it and run it on your PDP-11 today.

Just make sure you leave the switch on the cabinet in the "More Magic" position.

https://tinyurl.com/More-Magic

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 25, 2025 05:49 AM (O7YUW)

58 thanks for that Unix v4 link, Pixy!

"Those jokey cryptic filenames in cryptic folders are now enshrined as holy writ, and the people maintaining the systems have forgotten their origins."

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 25, 2025 05:49 AM (Cjt/F)

59 Mel & Kim videos: Hey, I recognize Mel from "Not the Nine O'Clock News"

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 25, 2025 05:52 AM (O7YUW)

60 back in the 80s I had under my care an old PDP-8 that had that switch. didn't know the story, never messed with it ... and yes, it was set to More Magic.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 25, 2025 05:53 AM (Cjt/F)

61
and so it begins...gotta start the repair project on my daughter's bath tub

in theory, I should be done by lunch time (in theory)

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 25, 2025 06:01 AM (tljrc)

62 59 Mel & Kim videos: Hey, I recognize Mel from "Not the Nine O'Clock News"
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant

Mel & Kim were an 80s British pop duo - sisters, I think. (Second video.)

The first video is Mel Smith and Kim Wilde, but they got it on Mel & Kim's YouTube channel.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 25, 2025 06:02 AM (BLOW1)

63 Nat King Cole. O, Come All Ye Faithful:

https://tinyurl.com/552zcj3y

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 25, 2025 06:04 AM (8Cor4)

64 Merry Christmas, Horde!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 25, 2025 06:06 AM (ESVrU)

65 49 26 Anyone watch Salem Techsperts on You Tube? He's pretty entertaining.
https://tinyurl.com/5drhnhjv
Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 04:41 AM (+mUZM)

Above my level of techitude, but he seems very engaging:
The $15 Solution to the DDR5 Price Crisis?
Posted by: m

Watched the video. He used SODIMM to DIMM adapters to put 128GB of laptop RAM in a desktop motherboard.

And it worked. At 4400MHz rather than the rated 5600MHz, but it worked.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 25, 2025 06:06 AM (BLOW1)

66 - Who would I be referring to if I said one of the greatest guitar players of all time, who is from down under but never got a dinner.
Or at least, never put up as a musical interlude, that I've seen anyway.

And a very blessed Christmas to all!!!

Posted by: TeeJ at December 25, 2025 06:15 AM (T08Hw)

67 Evening to those in far-flung time zones, morning to those of us closer to GMT/UTC/Zulu, and a Merry Christmas to all! The long-awaited day is finally here. May your sprogs enjoy what you've bought them! And the same for grown family members!

I got Miss Linda a wooden little jewelry box. She literally handed it to me when we visited a thrift store after T-giving, so buying it was a foregone conclusion. Also two 12-oz. bags of flavored coffee from the local grocery chain -- she likes the stuff with "praline" or other flavors, while I find them cloying after two sips, but okay. No doubt she will pick out some item of jewelry on the 'Net that I can order today or tomorrow.

For me, I still might order that vintage pipe I like. Though that money would be better spent on a second pair of boots, perhaps from Tecovas.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:16 AM (wzUl9)

68 I read the datacenter article and was surprised it took them 6 paragraphs to get to their real objection - Trump liks datacenters so we must hate them.

Posted by: Wally at December 25, 2025 06:17 AM (XaT2C)

69 26 Merry Christmas!

Anyone watch Salem Techsperts on You Tube? He's pretty entertaining.
https://tinyurl.com/5drhnhjv

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 04:41 AM (+mUZM)

I watched that video the other day when it turned up on my YT recommendations.

That was the same day Pixy mentioned using those adapters for laptop to desktop RAM.

It seems they can work but you have to dial down the speed.

And yeah, he was very entertaining about it.

Linus did a similar video and he had to downclock the RAM, too. That seems to be the only drawback.

Merry Christmas everybody!
Hope yours is wonderful wherever you are.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 25, 2025 06:17 AM (6ydKt)

70 "I'll be home for Christmas --
You can count on me --
Please have blow, and cameltoe,
And big boobs just for me. . . ."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:18 AM (wzUl9)

71 (Also to the tune of "I'll Be Home for Christmas": )

"I'll be stretching for Christmas,
The chiro will handle me,
My back will crack,
And my neck will crack
Between C2 and C3 . . ."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:20 AM (wzUl9)

72 And my all-time classic for a hot climate, to the tune of "Winter Wonderland":

"Later on, we'll perspire --
('Is that A/C? Turn it higher!')
We drive and we grump
O'er potholes and bumps,
Sweating in a sticky swampy land!"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:21 AM (wzUl9)

73 70 "I'll be home for Christmas --
You can count on me --
Please have blow. . . ."
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:18 AM (wzUl9)

... Pixy Misa ... (BLOW1)

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 06:24 AM (RuTUS)

74 Older computers usually need new thermal paste on the CPU. It keeps them from overheating. I have a 15" Macbook Pro that overheats. I haven't done this before so will be fun.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 06:26 AM (+mUZM)

75 ... Pixy Misa ... (BLOW1)
Posted by: m at December 25, 2025

***
There's nothing like having one's priorities in order!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:26 AM (wzUl9)

76 Thankfully, I’m out of the monitor market for now, because I’d be looking hard at those new Samsung displays.

But geez, 6K (3456p) is a lot of pixels to push.

You’d need a 5090 to run games at native resolution and even that $3000 card would be huffing and wheezing trying to fill the screen.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 25, 2025 06:27 AM (6ydKt)

77 - Worst thing on my phone?
For some reason, at some point in the past I became no longer able to play a couple of songs the trio recorded in a studio that are in my downloads file.
Used to be I just went to downloads, tapped on em and they'd play. Now I get asked if I want to play em on Spotify or utube. Both say no permission.
I figure it happened when I got the new phone and the files didn't transfer (because not signed in to giggle?) or on one of those things when samsung takes over your phone for a bit to upgrade software or whatever it is.

Posted by: TeeJ at December 25, 2025 06:28 AM (T08Hw)

78 60 F., cloudy and foggy, no wind. I wish I'd gone to work out yesterday so that I could take off today, but, I made me cherces and I gots to live with 'em. We'll see how I feel and decide as I go if I want to have a longer session or a shorter.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:29 AM (wzUl9)

79 Later this morning Linda will make some waffles and eggs for brunch -- I mean homemade waffles. So my post-exercise breakfast will probably be something like a cup of coffee yogurt and some toast. And I have a new tobacco blend in try in one of my pipes -- "Old Joe Krantz Blue Label," it's called.

Somewhere in there I need to wrap her jewelry box gift. If I still have those little stick-on bows, I'll put them on the coffee; they will be tough to wrap even for me.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 25, 2025 06:34 AM (wzUl9)

80 Merry Christmas!
I am the only one up and quite pleased with that.

Posted by: Accomack at December 25, 2025 06:34 AM (8jVAy)

81 Good morning yall, Merry Christmas! The stockings have been stuffed!

Posted by: fd at December 25, 2025 06:35 AM (vFG9F)

82

Morning Report is up for you all!!!

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 25, 2025 06:41 AM (x0n13)

83 Santa’s got his houseshoes on and he’s having real eggnog.

Posted by: Eromero at December 25, 2025 06:42 AM (Slgjz)

84 @74/Notsothoreau: "Older computers usually need new thermal paste on the CPU. It keeps them from overheating. I have a 15" Macbook Pro that overheats. I haven't done this before so will be fun."

https://youtu.be/SDpvDi3rA8s

That should get you started, though you might want to look up a disassembly video for your exact model and year of Macbook pro.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 25, 2025 06:43 AM (O7YUW)

85 The guy at Salem Techsperts had to stop repairing computers. Dealing with the public was making him crazy and computers are so cheap most just buy a new one. So he is buying business class laptops, mostly Thinkpads, upgrading them and reselling them. I've enjoyed watching videos of him taking thing apart and troubleshooting. And the RAM did go over my head too. But folks in the comments said they used something similar in the 90s

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 06:45 AM (+mUZM)

86 I always look up the disassembly videos before I buy an old laptop. Most of these old Macs were well cared for. Someone removed the hard drive on this one, then installed a different hard drive without the pins on the side to hold it in place. I'm going to fix that too. I've been watching videos on GPU issues. There is a fix but I'm hoping I don't run into that problem. I don't think the 2011s and 2012s had it.

I want to set one up with the correct version of the Mac OS and try that Open Core patch that lets you put the new unsupported OS on.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at December 25, 2025 06:54 AM (+mUZM)

87 Now had breakfast could go back to bed.
2 large coffees haven't helped

Posted by: Skip at December 25, 2025 06:55 AM (Ia/+0)

88 66 - Who would I be referring to if I said one of the greatest guitar players of all time, who is from down under but never got a dinner.
Or at least, never put up as a musical interlude, that I've seen anyway.

And a very blessed Christmas to all!!!
Posted by: TeeJ at December 25, 2025 06:15 AM (T08Hw)

Dunno, TeeJ.

Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 06:58 AM (RuTUS)

89 Jimmy Dean sausage is tasty but doesn’t render out much fat. Carolina Pride hot sausage is good, and renders mucho tasty fat for sausage gravy.

Posted by: Accomack at December 25, 2025 07:03 AM (/Chlc)

90 @86/Notsothoreau: Couldn't ask for a better mindset. May the repair and refurbish go extremely well for you!

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 25, 2025 07:18 AM (O7YUW)

91 74 Older computers usually need new thermal paste on the CPU. It keeps them from overheating. I have a 15" Macbook Pro that overheats. I haven't done this before so will be fun.
Posted by: Notsothoreau
----

One of the first things I did after buying my laptop in 2010 was to build a box for a ~4" cooling fan and power it with a wall transformer.
It didn't go on the road but 90% of my usage was at home. If I traveled a lot I would have made a folding box.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at December 25, 2025 07:26 AM (2ef5s)

92 36 Starting to ponder New Year's resolutions, and maybe de-potty-mouthing my speech. I had about 3 or 4 "f-words" in a sentence the other day and not a single one of them was needed. [The f-word was not Fluffy Nuggets.]
Posted by: m at December 25, 2025 04:59 AM (RuTUS)

Imagine the looks you'd get if it was.

Posted by: Fluffy Nuggets, Jr. at December 25, 2025 07:43 AM (RGk3C)

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