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You really want: to boot your system in RAM and from the network, and maybe want to: unplug your internal noisy HDD / SSD SATA stuff, unplug your noisy USB storage to, disable those items in bios, manage your .VHD from the network, ...and, because of a slower but funny boot sequence, wait longer than usual before you can listen to your favorite music, so you could try this experience: "Booting RAMDisk via PXE + TFTP + IPXE + iSCSI + VHD Guide": Scenario: The system, because of the bios settings, try to connect via PXE / Network interface / DHCP to a TFTP Server. TFTP Server serve a grldr (grub4dos) and via a menu.lst map the IPXE in RAM. IPXE connect the system to an iSCSI target, load another grldr and, via another menu.lst, map and boot the .VHD into memory. Let's get started: Implement PXE + TFTP For example, with a Synology NAS DS918+ (another TFTP server will also do the job but I have not try another one): Follow this guide: https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/tutorial/Management/How_to_implement_PXE_with_Synology_NAS The “TFTP root folder” should contain the following files: menu.lst : For example, under Windows, this file can be created via an editor like NOTEPAD and should contain the following lines: pxe detect 1432 menu.lst color blue/green yellow/red white/magenta white/magenta timeout 0 default /default title IPXE map --top --mem (pd)/ipxe.iso (0xff) map --hook chainloader (0xff) title commandline commandline title quit quit title reboot reboot title halt halt grldr This file is available at: http://dl.grub4dos.chenall.net/grub4dos-0.4.6a-2018-12-23.7z ipxe.iso This file is available at: http://boot.ipxe.org/ipxe.iso Prepare the bios: To access the bios, power on your machine and, on the keyboard, press multiple times the key documented in the motherboard user manual to display the bios menu: For example, for a Gigabyte Z270x-UD3 motherboard, the key to press is: F12 Enter bios settings Enable the PXE boot option: For example, for a Gigabyte Z270x-UD3 motherboard, under the bios tab, the option is named: LAN PXE Boot Option ROM Implement IPXE + iSCSI For example, with a Synology NAS DS918+ (I also successfully try the “KernSafe: iSCSI SAN for Mac OS X”, product available at: https://www.kernsafe.com/product/iscsi-san-macos.aspx) Follow this guide: https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/tutorial/Virtualization/How_to_use_the_iSCSI_Target_service_on_Synology_NAS To store files on the iSCSI target that has just been created: For example with Windows 10: Follow this guide: https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/tutorial/Virtualization/How_to_use_iSCSI_Targets_on_a_Windows_Server With “grubinst_gui”, update the boot sector to boot with GRLDR. Grubinst/grubinst_gui are available at: https://sites.google.com/a/rmprepusb.com/www/documents/rmprepusb-beta-versions/grubinst Windows binaries.7z Run grubinst_gui : Disk: select the iSCSI/drive File system: AutoDetect Partition: Whole disk (MBR) Version: 0.4.6a Boot File : GRLDR Keep the rest as is to “install” With Windows Explorer, put the following files on the drive created above for the Synology iSCSI target: A “.vhd” image of the system that you want to boot. For example a file named “ Win2019Core.vhd” (mine is about 10GB) Such a file can be build by following the procedure “RAMdisk with Windows Server 2016/2019 - Configuration Guide” By Felipe Rolim available at: menu.lst : For example, under Windows, this file can be created via an editor like NOTEPAD and should contain the following lines: color blue/green yellow/red white/magenta white/magenta timeout 0 default /default title WINDOWS find --set-root --ignore-floppies /Win2019Core.vhd map --top --mem /Win2019Core.vhd (hd1) map --hook root (hd1,0) chainloader (hd1,0)/bootmgr title commandline commandline title quit quit title reboot reboot title halt halt grldr This file is available at: http://dl.grub4dos.chenall.net/grub4dos-0.4.6a-2018-12-23.7z Boot and try it At IPXE step, press CTRL+B and type (values are for example): dhcp (to connect to the network) sanboot iscsi:192.168.1.10:::1:iqn:s.a (to boot on the iSCSI target defined above) Wait a while... To be noted that, via an out-of-the-box UBUNTU VM, you can easily build your own "ipxe.iso" to embedded the lines above as a script (thereupon no more boring CTRL+B) : Via for example Parallels, start a UBUNTU VM (values are for example): Run: Terminal Type: git clone git://git.ipxe.org/ipxe.git Type: cd ipxe/src Type: make bin/ipxe.iso EMBED=mescript_synology.ipxe In this case, “mescript_synology.ipxe” file must exist in Ubuntu under home / ipxe / src and should contain the following lines (the first lines are to avoid DHCP latency): #!ipxe set net0/ip 192.168.1.97 set net0/netmask 255.255.255.0 set net0/gateway 192.168.1.1 ifopen net0 sanboot iscsi:192.168.1.10:::1:iqn:s.a Enjoy!
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I have spent most of this year playing with my system trying to simplify and get it "right" (for me). I have been testing Amps, DACS, servers, power supplies, USB cleanup, cables, WHEW. Almost all of the changes I have made are at least different, sometimes good, sometimes yawn, and just a couple of ooooh NICE. ?. One of the larger improvements has been the Ayre AX-5 Twenty integrated amp. I have been fortunate to be able to test several DACS over the last year. The two Brooklyns, the CODEX, the Mojo, and a Meridian NADAC. The overall system design has been simplified with the Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i5 setup in the office/computer room as the Roon server. Nothing fancy on the network right now it just goes to my 24 port switch. In the music system I have simplified using the Sonore ultrarendu but I have it powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2. The UR is connected to the DAC and the network with short Transparent HP USB/Ethernet cables. (will see what UpTone does with Ethernet cleanup later. Note I have an ISOregen but it is not in the system right now, again more later! Yesterday my Yggdrasil DAC arrived and I pulled the loaner CODEX from the system and installed it. (sorry Schiit I did use a Transparent HP power cord). Of course I had to listen for a bit. And YEP it was different from the CODEX, it was "interesting". When my son got home from work today he listened for about 2 hours. (Yes it is not warmed up yet, let alone broken in). After about an hour we both declared that this DAC is better in my system than any DAC we have tried this year. One album just sounded wrong on on the Brooklyn DAC+, and not great on the CODEX is the new release from Joe Ford "Colours in Sound" (Tidal has it). After listening to the album my son declared that the Yggdrasil made the album sound RIGHT! Now this is just a short report and is not conclusive but : Schiit Happened to me and I am happy about it. RJF
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A couple of the guys and I were jawing yesterday, and we would up having one of those uncontrollable laughter sessions. We all love Audio (among other hobbies) and yet, the things we like best, and like the least about audio systems (besides the techno-babble and sound quality) were all different. Wildly different and really amusing in some cases. I think it is safe to say we all have good to great sound quality, so try to think of other things. It can easily be the thing you use to tease or aggravate your wife, partner, or SO. Thought it might be fun to try that here, so feel free. Here's my list - feel free to post yours. Comical comments welcome and even encouraged... the virtual bar is OPEN and the first round is on me... Like The Most: 1. The brassy sound of horns in orchestras, bands, and studio sessions. 2. Cool remote controls, with Remote.app and JREMOTE, and the Apple TV Remote being my favorites. 3. Neat wall hangings used as acoustic room treatments Like the Least: 1. Machined hunks of aircraft aluminum used as remote controls that double as self defense weapons 2. Uber-pretentious music, like the sample album from David Chesky. (Cr. Chesky's ...) 3. Interior decorators (especially the ones who want to put stitched designs on the speaker grills...) Have fun. -Paul