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Silveira Neto Posts

Buying a pre-build PC on Costco, a saga

Published by Silveira on 2024-12-09

During Black Friday, I bought a computer from Costco, item 1857562 (iBuyPower i9-14900F+RTX 4070 Super). After about a week, I received a wrong computer from Costco. An iBuyPower i7-4700F+RTX4060 instead (item 1815274). That’s a weaker and cheaper computer (about $500 difference).

I called Costco, they offered me the following options:

  1. Return the computer, receive the money back. This would leave me without the computer and with the money buy the computer I wanted is now out-of-stock and there are no Black Friday deals.
  2. Return it, and the when the 1857562 (iBuyPower i9-14900F+RTX 4070 Super) is back in stock, they would price adjust it to the price I bought. They claimed that it will be back in stock at some point, but besides the time I fear the risk of them not honoring the price adjustment.

I offered them a 3rd option, return the wrong one and, for my troubles, I buy the a 1088917 (MSI Aegis ZS2 Ryzen 9900X+RTX 4070S 12gb) with an extra discount. This is a very similar machine with slightly better specs. They accepted. I had to buy 1088917 and once they ship it I will have to call Costco for the price adjustment. I will also have to handle the hassle of the return.

Overall, a terrible experience and a risk I never thought I would have with Costco. Looking the reviews I saw I was not the first one with exactly the same problem on this Black Friday of 2024.

ItemDescriptionDiscounted priceMSRP
1857562iBUYPOWER SlateMesh 8 Gaming Desktop – 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900F – NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12 GB- Windows 11 – 32GB RAM – 2TB SSD$1,300 (Black Friday)$1,700
1815274iBUYPOWER TraceMesh 7 Gaming Desktop – 14th Gen Intel Core i7-14700F – GeForce RTX 4060 8GB – Windows 11 – 32 GB RAM – 2TB SSD – Black$ 1000 (Black Friday)$1,200
1088917MSI Aegis ZS2 Liquid Cooled Gaming Desktop – AMD Ryzen 9 7900X – GeForce RTX 4070 Super, 12GB – Windows 11 2TB SSD$1,500 (Deal going on after Black Friday)
$1,300 (Agreement)		$1,700
Prices rounded up for simplicity

Hopefully I will get a good deal out of all this but I still have to handle the return and price adjustments.

Update 2025-01-28: Although I did get the MSI Aegis ZS2 for the discounted price Costco promised the return of the wrong computer has been a pain and it is still not resolved yet. I told Costco I would return at a UPS location, only to then accidentally stumbled on a UPS person trying to receive the item at my place, then returning it to them. They provided me all receipts and tracking numbers. Then weeks later I realized that Costco never returned my money. I have since called Costco. They acknowledged the situation and apparently is trying to fix it. A tip for anyone in a similar situation: return it at the warehouse and get all receipts. I avoided that path because I saw in the reviews people having the problem of the warehouse not accepting the return because it did not match the item purchased.

Update 2025-02-10: It took a lot of calls to Costco, a lot of broken promises, and having to escalate the issue to a supervisor, I finally got my money back on 2025-02-06. That’s almost two months after I returned the item. What they have told me is that there was a internal error that marked that I returned the item but I did not wanted a refund.

Chain of Promises Example

Published by Silveira on 2024-10-22 
const f1 = async() => {
    setTimeout( () => {
        console.log("f1");
    }, 100)
};

const f2 = async() => {
    setTimeout( () => {
        console.log("f2");
    }, 100)
};

const f3 = async() => {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        reject("f3");
    });
};

const f4 = async() => {
    setTimeout( () => {
        console.log("f4");
    }, 100)
};

const workflow = async () => {
    await f1();
    await f2();
    await f3();
    await f4();
};

workflow().catch((error)=>{
    console.error(error);
})

Notes on replacing a LG washer door boot seal

Published by Silveira on 2024-07-23

It is a simple fix and at the same time the most difficult fix I have ever done.

Washer model is WM3670HVA.

There are several video tutorials online but this one from RepairClinic.com was the one that really helped. It’s not for the same model but most of it applied the same way.

Many tutorials show how to replace the boot seal without disassembling the machine. These did not work for me. Disassembling the machine was relatively easy compared to trying to put the seal and inner ring inside the door.

Part number MDS47123619 did not work for me despite the description saying it was compatible. Not sure if incompatible or if I was installing it wrong. Ultimately part number MDS657369-IJ5 worked. It costed 50 dollars on eBay.

I did buy and used a 383EER4004A washing machine spring expansion removal tool. It’s a specialized pliers to expand springs. It helps immensely with the most difficult part of putting the expansion rings back around the seal. It costed 10 dollars on Amazon.

While putting the inner expansion ring, it’s easier to have the ring closed already and then using the pliers to expand the spring and putting the ring in place. The tension of the spring would always bend the hoop holding the spring. Using locking pliers I could bend it some more so I would have about one minute before it would bend it open.

The inner door boot seal should be done in a way that the water falls into the drum. I was doing it wrong, creating a gap and the water leaks when the machine operates. This also makes it harder to close the ring. The inner door boot seal should “bite” the white part of the drum and not “hug” it.

Using gloves would have saved me from several small cuts in my hands. Specially when dealing with the heavy front door.

This was a surprisingly difficult fix. Ultimately the replacement worked and the machine was back in business.

55R646

Published by Silveira on 2023-11-25

  • https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/tcl/6-series-r646-2021-qled
  • https://www.tcl.com/us/en/products/home-theater/6-series/55-class-6-series-4k-qled-hdr-smart-google-tv-55r646
  • https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tcl-55-class-6-series-mini-led-qled-4k-uhd-smart-google-tv/6470273.p?skuId=6470273

tmux save scrollback to a file

Published by Silveira on 2023-11-21

Before each command, run the prefix (default Ctrl+B).

:capture-pane -pane -S -3000
:save-buffer buffer.txt

This will write all scrollback from that pane to a file ~/buffer.txt.

Lenovo IdeaPad 1

Published by Silveira on 2023-11-18

Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14″ Laptop Computer – Cloud Grey (AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 2.1GHz Processor; 8GB DDR4-3200 Onboard RAM; 256GB Solid State Drive; AMD Radeon 7 Graphics) USD$ 229.99 + taxes.

Micro Center product page screenshot.

Went to the BIOS and changed it to performance mode. Got the Windows keys out and installed Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS (jammy).

PCI buses information:

$ sudo update-pciids
$ lspci -nn

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne Root Complex [1022:1630]
00:00.2 IOMMU [0806]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne IOMMU [1022:1631]
00:01.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1632]
00:02.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1632]
00:02.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne PCIe GPP Bridge [1022:1634]
00:02.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne PCIe GPP Bridge [1022:1634]
00:02.4 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne PCIe GPP Bridge [1022:1634]
00:08.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1632]
00:08.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Internal PCIe GPP Bridge to Bus [1022:1635]
00:08.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Internal PCIe GPP Bridge to Bus [1022:1635]
00:14.0 SMBus [0c05]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SMBus Controller [1022:790b] (rev 51)
00:14.3 ISA bridge [0601]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH LPC Bridge [1022:790e] (rev 51)
00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 0 [1022:1448]
00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 1 [1022:1449]
00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 2 [1022:144a]
00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 3 [1022:144b]
00:18.4 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 4 [1022:144c]
00:18.5 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 5 [1022:144d]
00:18.6 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 6 [1022:144e]
00:18.7 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir Device 24: Function 7 [1022:144f]
01:00.0 SD Host controller [0805]: O2 Micro, Inc. SD/MMC Card Reader Controller [1217:8621] (rev 01)
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: MEDIATEK Corp. MT7921 802.11ax PCI Express Wireless Network Adapter [14c3:7961]
03:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Micron Technology Inc 2450 NVMe SSD [HendrixV] (DRAM-less) [1344:5411] (rev 01)
04:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Lucienne [1002:164c] (rev c2)
04:00.1 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Renoir Radeon High Definition Audio Controller [1002:1637]
04:00.2 Encryption controller [1080]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 10h-1fh) Platform Security Processor [1022:15df]
04:00.3 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne USB 3.1 [1022:1639]
04:00.4 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne USB 3.1 [1022:1639]
04:00.5 Multimedia controller [0480]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor [1022:15e2] (rev 01)
04:00.6 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller [1022:15e3]
05:00.0 SATA controller [0106]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [1022:7901] (rev 81)
05:00.1 SATA controller [0106]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [1022:7901] (rev 81)

Installing AMD drivers:

$ sudo apt install gdebi
$ sudo gdebi amdgpu-install_5.7.50702-1_all.deb
$ amdgpu-install

Drivers information:

$ glxinfo -B
name of display: :0
display: :0  screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
Extended renderer info (GLX_MESA_query_renderer):
    Vendor: AMD (0x1002)
    Device: AMD Radeon Graphics (renoir, LLVM 16.0.6, DRM 3.49, 6.2.0-36-generic) (0x164c)
    Version: 23.2.0
    Accelerated: yes
    Video memory: 2048MB
    Unified memory: no
    Preferred profile: core (0x1)
    Max core profile version: 4.6
    Max compat profile version: 4.6
    Max GLES1 profile version: 1.1
    Max GLES[23] profile version: 3.2
Memory info (GL_ATI_meminfo):
    VBO free memory - total: 1138 MB, largest block: 1138 MB
    VBO free aux. memory - total: 2991 MB, largest block: 2991 MB
    Texture free memory - total: 1138 MB, largest block: 1138 MB
    Texture free aux. memory - total: 2991 MB, largest block: 2991 MB
    Renderbuffer free memory - total: 1138 MB, largest block: 1138 MB
    Renderbuffer free aux. memory - total: 2991 MB, largest block: 2991 MB
Memory info (GL_NVX_gpu_memory_info):
    Dedicated video memory: 2048 MB
    Total available memory: 5120 MB
    Currently available dedicated video memory: 1138 MB
OpenGL vendor string: AMD
OpenGL renderer string: AMD Radeon Graphics (renoir, LLVM 16.0.6, DRM 3.49, 6.2.0-36-generic)
OpenGL core profile version string: 4.6 (Core Profile) Mesa 23.2.0-devel
OpenGL core profile shading language version string: 4.60
OpenGL core profile context flags: (none)
OpenGL core profile profile mask: core profile

OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 23.2.0-devel
OpenGL shading language version string: 4.60
OpenGL context flags: (none)
OpenGL profile mask: compatibility profile

OpenGL ES profile version string: OpenGL ES 3.2 Mesa 23.2.0-devel
OpenGL ES profile shading language version string: OpenGL ES GLSL ES 3.20

Testing if APU is working:

$ sudo apt-get install mesa-utils
$ vblank_mode=0 glxgears
ATTENTION: default value of option vblank_mode overridden by environment.
54476 frames in 5.0 seconds = 10895.144 FPS
54569 frames in 5.0 seconds = 10913.684 FPS
55201 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11038.656 FPS

Benchmarking with glmark2:

$ sudo apt-get install glmark2
$ glmark2 --show-all-options

=======================================================
    glmark2 2021.02
=======================================================
    OpenGL Information
    GL_VENDOR:     AMD
    GL_RENDERER:   AMD Radeon Graphics (renoir, LLVM 16.0.6, DRM 3.49, 6.2.0-36-generic)
    GL_VERSION:    4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 23.2.0-devel
=======================================================
...
glmark2 Score: 2429