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By admin, April 30, 2011 12:50 pm

昨天看完整個盛事﹐第二欣賞的就是這些氣派萬千的英倫豪華轎車﹗

想不到的是最後新郎把老爸的寶藍色Aston Martin DB6 Volante拿出來接新娘兜風﹐來個美式的JU5T WED巡迴﹐這的確有點意思﹐因為這輛漂亮經典的DB6跟那輛百年馬車一樣都是黛妃和查理斯曾經在30年前一齊乘坐過的﹐其中意義不言而喻﹐看著看著還真有點感慨了。

Queen’s 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI

Queen’s 2002 Bentley Bentley Golden Jubilee

Prince Charles 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Volante

The 1902 State Landau Wedding Carriage

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By admin, April 29, 2011 10:02 pm

作為前殖民地的香港﹐大家還是極之關心這個大不烈顛的皇家盛事﹗

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By admin, April 29, 2011 2:55 pm

I’ve read the Wiki page for installing OVF on ESX and failed once already because I bridged the vNICs on the same vSwitch without using VLAN, so eventually I crashed my network as looping started to occur.

So this is my second attemp, please refer to the picture I’ve attached, hope you can give me some advice and suggestions.

1. So basically, I have ONE vSwitch with TWO physical NICs binded together to have Load balancing and failover.

2. Within, I have THREE Port Groups:
- External (no VLAN) connects to Internet
- Untangle DMZ (VLAN 21) – Useless as I will use Transparent Mode
- Untangle Internal (VLAN 22) – where I put VMs that I want to protect behind the Untangle.

Is the following concept correct?
1. When I use Untangle in Bridge or Transparent Mode, I will ONLY utlilize two interfaces External (no VLAN) and Untangle Internal (VLAN 22), so these are the two vNICs Untangle VM will connect to. This leaves Untangle DMZ useless, so I can remove it from VMX or VM configuraiton GUI?

2. I Understand I need to enable Promiscuous Mode in order to have Untangle to scan the network in transparent mode (ie, a sniffer that is), (side topic: Do I need to have Promiscuous Mode if I am using Route Mode?)

I understand I need to enable Promiscuous Mode on Virtual Switch Level (ie, toppest level), which I DON’T WANT to due to security reasons (ie, VM behind Untangle can sniff the whole network right?), Can I enable Promiscuous Mode in individual Port Group Instead?

If Yes, the ONLY Port Group need to have Promiscuous Mode enabled is Untangle Internal (VLAN 22) right? Where it is the Port Group all the VMs are going to connect to. I do not need to enable Promiscuous Mode in External (No VLAN), is this correct?

Or I HAVE TO ENABLE IT on vSwitch level? but why? I thought individual Port Group will OVERWRITE the default setting, NO?

But wait, no matter where I enabled the Promiscuous Mode (ie, vSwitch level or Port Group level), the risk is still here, can I say I am allowing all the VM to have the capability to sniff traffic on the network? If yes, this is absolutely NO GOOD in using Untangle as enabling Promiscuous Mode will open a big security hole in L2 (ie, enabling Promiscuous Mode will render my switch to a hub)

3. FYI, the TWO PHYSICAL NICs (ie, vmnic8 and vmnic0) are connected to the same physcial L2 switch. VLAN 21 AND VLAN22 have been configured on this physical switch as well, also VMware VST VLAN tagging is used on the Port Group. I wonder if my current configuration will STILL create a loop that will crash my network again? (I don’t see how it can, but really want to double make sure and confirm with you guys)

4. Where is the management interface for Untangle going to be in this case? Do I need to create a new port group say Untangle – Management VLAN 23, and also add a new vNIC (probably just use the one for DMZ) and then connect to this Untangle – Management port group.

Update May-1-2011

Now I understood Port Group with VLAN VST Mode won’t work with Untangle and confirmed again with what’s on the Wiki, the document said it clearly “Each vSwitch should be connected to it’s own Physical NIC, or at least be separated by VLAN tagging at the physical NIC level. ” (ie, on the Physical NIC level and the picture attached above also confirmed this).

So does this mean Promiscuous Mode for bridge mode can ONLY work on Virtual Switch Level, but not Port Group Level?

Um…it’s quite disapointed as I gradually found out Untangle on ESX has so many limitation (ie, no VLAN tagging, must enable Promiscuous Mode for vNic connecting VMs, must have Promiscuous Mode on vSwitch but not on Port Group).

So I have decided to use Route Mode now to aovid the above limitation now.

Since I don’t have any more physical NIC to spare, can I create an internal vSwitch (ie, WITHOUT NIC) for Untangle VM ?

ie, External > Untangle External > Untangle Internal (which is on the internal vSwitch without NIC) and all the VM will be on this same internal vSwitch, which will be all protected by Untangle that is.

This will work right? Anyone Please?

Update May-19-2011

Finally, I’ve got Untangle 8.1 OVF working under ESX 4.1 in route mode, the solution is very simple:

1. Simply remove the last NIC in VM configuration, this will get rid of the DMZ NIC, leaving only External and Internal NICs. These two NICs are exactly what Route Mode requires.

2. Assign External NIC to your external connectivity to the Internet, and Internal to a seperate Port Group (in my case it’s VLAN 20 – Untangle)

3. Reboot Untangle, now, you won’t be able to use the default admin/passwd to login, it’s ok, just reset it, after successfully login to the console, configure the statics IP for both External and Internal.

That’s all you need, simple and neat! and I am really starting to fall in love with Untangle’s GUI, they do look so much cooler than my dull Netscreen’s GUI.

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By admin, April 28, 2011 11:37 pm

最近無意間在本地拍賣網發現了它漂亮的身影﹐應該屬于古董類別了﹐經過了十幾年﹐漆面還是依然那麼的光滑。環顧當今﹐1比18車模界雖然已經淘汰至三國鼎立(AA﹑MC﹑KY)﹐但漆面起泡仍乃家常便飯﹐所以說Burago當年的做工真的有點不可思議﹗

收此車完全是因為太喜歡之前CMC黑色的1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 124 DM﹐就是那台09年在英國RM AUCTION破了史上最貴成交紀錄的經典法拉利跑車﹐沒錯﹐是港幣1個億﹗剛好等于這期六合彩獎金﹐其實中了還是不夠買這台車﹐因為那是稅前的價錢﹐果然世上有人視“金錢為糞土”﹐嘿嘿。。。

對這台銀色帶有紅間條賽車塗裝的250 TR並不太認識﹐查了一下﹐Mille Miglia大概是意大利一個出名的賽事﹐想必這台330號也曾經出戰過吧。並且有資料顯示這台應該是Burago出的最後一款250 Testa Rossa﹐整體做工精細(指當年的標準)﹐而且顏色配搭得體﹐當然最主要還是因為法拉利的那種意大利式的浪漫車型深深地吸引了我﹗

對了﹐最近發現了停車場多了台1973年白色紅條的PORSCHE CARRERA RS 2.7﹐跟AA的一模一樣﹐這些鄰居還真會玩車﹐有機會一定讓它暴暴光。

最後﹐香港政府應該很快就會出手打擊非法使用T牌的違規車主﹐鄰居們開始要頭痛了﹐慘啊﹗想想也是﹐出台F458才港幣180萬﹐難怪大家都跑去當玩具一樣買來玩和追美女MM了﹐哈哈。。。

1/18 Burago Ferrari 250 Testarossa N 330 Mille Miglia

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By admin, April 28, 2011 9:36 am

最近喜歡上了六七十年代的美國肌肉車﹐但只限Ford Shelby Mustang系列﹐其它的如Chevy Camaro﹑Pontiac GTO﹑Chevelle Malibu等等暫時還沒能接受其外型。在看慣了意大利式的激情和英倫的含蓄氣派後﹐原來美式的粗曠肌肉外型又是另一番的風味和截然不同的審美觀。

這星期我一共從海外訂購了3台Shelby Mustang﹐分別是﹕

- Autoart Ford Mustang GT 390 1967 (GOLD)
- Exact Detail 1968 Shelby G.T. 500KR Lime Green
- Exact Detail 1967 Shelby G.T. 350 Fastback – Dark blue metallic with white LeMans stripes

尤其是最後的那台藍色白條GT350最為罕見﹐很高興昨天能以極之合理的價格收得﹐之後兩星期應該會分別與他們見面了。

這台Chrysler Charger E49其實是個意外﹐今天經過AA在灣仔的專門店﹐從特價品的貨架上找到了它。以前肯定會連看也不看它﹐但今天這車在我新萌發的美國肌肉車審美眼觀看來一點也不差﹗樣子是笨了些﹐但就是這笨造就了它獨特的肌肉美﹗

怎麼看Chrysler Charger E49怎麼都像一塊很好味道的山姆大叔安格斯牛扒﹐尤其是那粗壯的牛大腿線條和尾巴一排燈的確很有氣勢﹐美利堅精神就是大﹐再大和更大﹗哈哈。。。

原來我以為淘到的價格很合算﹐但之後上了淘寶才知道原來大陸的價格簡直就是低的驚人。這台車在AA的官網上已經近千﹐所以說淘寶上的價格實在太吸引了﹐喜歡的同好們一定要快點動手了﹐要在此車被炒起前購買啦﹗

最後附上兩篇關於美國肌肉車文化的好文﹕

• NOS_Dylan的肌肉車掃盲帖
• momo13的1969 Camaro, 1968 Charger, 1971 Challenger R/T – 火線戰將群

1/18 Autoart Chrysler Charger E49 – Red

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By admin, April 26, 2011 8:01 pm

早在今年二月的時候就傳出CMC會推出這款被欲為60年代最美麗的法拉利經典﹐但直到月前的德國車模博覽會上也不見其蹤影﹐真是神龍見首不見尾﹗

前些時候曾經在旺角一間相熟的車模店內見過以下Amalgam1比8的紅色250 GT California SWB﹐那個才叫真正的漂亮﹐可惜天價與我無緣﹐當時真有衝動想賣掉一部份收藏來買這個大傢伙﹐但想清楚後就永久放棄了這個概念﹐因為現實問題香港寸金尺土﹐家裡根本沒地方擺。

這次Hotwheels Elite再次推出的250 GT California工藝上其實比幾年前已經有了顯著的進步﹐但無奈剛推出時價格方面一直高企﹐最主要還是想把銀子省下來遲點買CMC的。

今天路經灣仔車模店﹐竟然發現這款正在做大特價﹐這樣誘惑的價格當然對得起這樣的中等做工﹐而且只此一台﹐其它顏色都沒特價﹐我又只對紅色發燒﹐所以當機立斷就先不等CMC的了﹐收了再算﹐別說250 GT California還真好看﹐哈哈﹗

1/18 Hotwheels Elite Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spyder – Red

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By admin, April 25, 2011 11:16 pm

美國第一大廠福特汽車生產的Mustang系列橫跨了將近50年﹐大家認為最好看﹐收藏價值最高的應該數67和68年的Mustang Fastback款式。當中又以Shelby的改裝系列最為稀有﹐現存在世狀態完好的67/68年Shelby GT500至少都要港幣150萬以上﹐對比起當年只需要港幣3萬左右的車價﹐這簡直就是天方夜譚的投資回報﹗(註﹕Fastback是指一種從B柱到車尾的流線型汽車設計)

其實從1964年到2006﹐很多收藏家都不約而同地認為最經典的還是67和68年的Mustang Fastback款式。令人差異的是1970年後野馬竟然陳蹟了好幾十年﹐最主要原因是那些年代的款式簡直不堪入目﹐完全埋沒了Mustang應有的鮮明個性。直至2007年福特與Shelby再次的合作﹐Mustang才真真正正的回來了﹗

要說到最出名的67和68年Mustang Fastback款式﹐那莫非1968年Steve Mcqueen的電影Bullitt中的那台野馬所屬﹐那場他在三藩市山坡開著深綠色GT390 Fastback的經典追逐畫面令人記憶猶新﹐早已成為了街道賽車的先軀﹗當然Nicolas Cage在2000年的Gone in Sixty Seconds又再次喚醒人們對Mustang的崇拜﹐那台改裝自68年Shelby GT500的Shelby 500E Eleanor是多麼地令人血脈沸騰和激動人心﹗

其實Mustang系列在美國肌肉車範疇裡屬于Pony Car小型車類別(其對手有Chevrolet Camaro﹑Mercury Cougar﹑Pontiac Firebird﹑Plymouth Barracuda)﹐但它獨特的設計吸引了無數美國中產階層的眼球。當年福特的宣傳廣告就曾經自豪的說這些67和68年的Mustang會比那些Exotic的歐洲跑車來的更加實惠和吸引人購買。的確﹐福特Mustang當年那難以置信超越對手幾十倍的銷量事實完全證明和肯定了這種說法﹗

撇開67和68年的普通版本大賣了79萬台的紀錄不說﹐就單拿Shelby的銷量來說﹐在當年就已經是個了不起的壯舉﹗

1967
Shelby G.T. 350 1,175
Shelby G.T. 500 2,048
Shelby Special models 2
————
Total 3,225

1968
Shelby G.T. 350 Convertible 404
Shelby G.T. 500 Convertible 402
Shelby GT500 KR Convertible 518
Shelby GT500 KR Convertible (Hertz) 1
Shelby G.T. 350 Fastback 803
Shelby G.T. 350 Fastback (Hertz) 224
G.T. 500 Notchback Prototype (Green Hornet) 1
Shelby G.T. 500 Fastback 1,044
Shelby G.T. 500 Fastback (Hertz) 2
Shelby GT500 KR Fastback 1,053
Shelby G.T.500 Special Model 1
————
Total 4,453

我最喜歡67和68年的Mustang Fastback那性感的尾巴﹐令我突然聯想起1976年英國攝影師Martin Elliott曾無意間拍到的那幅Athena Tennis Girl經典海報般令人神魂顛倒﹗真要情不由衷地要說聲“Nice Ass﹗”

另外很多朋友都覺得普通版1967年和1968年的野馬外觀差不多﹐其實是可以從細節上區分開的﹕

• 最大分別是67年的有一橫杠點綴在車頭Mustang標誌左右﹐而68年則完全取消了這個點綴。
• 車身旁邊的入氣口﹐67年多了幾道魚腮般的裝飾﹐但68年取消了。
• 67年車頭Mustang標誌比68的要大些。
• 67年車頭蓋Mustang的寫法是大寫﹐而68年則是連體字體。

總括來說68年的版本精簡了不少配件和裝飾﹐如果包括Shelby版本﹐那最大不同是車尾燈部份﹐68年用的是左右6盞指示燈﹐而67年則用了左右兩條紅色的轉向指示燈。看過真車視頻才知道68年的那6盞指示燈會從裡到外地不停閃爍著﹐這樣的設計在當年來說視覺上絕對是一大享受﹗

引擎方面﹐普通版67年和68年的差不多﹐只是68年版增加了兩款3020cc 210匹馬力的V8﹐但Shelby版本就頗有區別﹕67年GT 350用的是2890cc﹑GT 500用的是4280cc﹐但68年GT 350增強了﹐用的是得3020cc﹑而GT 500用的4280cc則保持不變。

還有就是很多朋友問怎麼找不到Autoart出的那款Ford Mustang GT390真車型號﹐其實GT390是指引擎配置了3900cc容量的那款Mustang Fastback﹐所以Autoart的那款的正式學名為1967年Mustang Fastback。

Exact Detail的這台深藍色1967 Shelby GT350應該是此系列裡其中一台最難找的收藏品﹐而且車身更帶有那極富有美利堅的LeMans白色條子﹐2004年9月的出品﹐經過了多年一點油漆問題都沒有﹐而且部件製作精密﹐真想不通當年業界1比18的質量普遍都是那些早期AA的一般水平﹐為何Exact Detail可以做得出如此比對手強幾倍的成品﹖即使用現今審美眼光來細細品嘗也覺得夠水平﹗

1/18 Exact Detail 1967 Shelby GT350 Fastback (Dark Blue Metallic with White LeMans Stripes)

1/18 1967 Autoart Ford Mustang GT390 (Gold) = 1967 Mustang Fastback

最後拍攝這些Mustang車模的時候﹐有首歌絕對可以昇華攝影的藝術境界﹐那就是搖滾之王Elvis Presley的Jailhouse Rock﹐雖然是1957年的作品﹐但它卻能巧妙地提供了那種特有的美國味道﹗

有留心看的朋友應該知道GT的正確寫法為G. T.﹐如Shelby G. T. 500﹐但我為了省事﹐所以省略了那個點。

終于收齊了自己認為做工最好﹑顏色最具有代表性和最值得收藏的Fastback款式(GT390﹑Shelby GT350﹑Shelby GT500KR)﹐現在就差AA今年即將推出的1967年Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 (Red/White Stripes)就全齊了。

資料來源﹕
http://www.themustangsource.com/timeline/67-68/67/
http://www.themustangsource.com/timeline/67-68/68/

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By admin, April 25, 2011 5:57 pm

號稱全球第一部的香港3D三級片﹐鋪天蓋地式地宣傳的確令吸引力大增﹐看完後﹐覺得3D效果很不給力﹐最後才知道原來肉蒲團是套警世的愛情片。

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By admin, April 24, 2011 11:23 am

Yesterday, I tried the cpuid.coresPerSocket setting on a testing W2K3 Web Edition VM (plain install, no SP), I set cpuid.coresPerSocket = 4 with 8 vCPUs and I was able to boost the VM to 8 CPUs in task manager (ie, 2 sockets with 4 cores on each sockets), then I remove the cpuid.coresPerSocket parameter from .vmx and reduce the vCPU to 1, problem started to occur after reboot the VM.

Veeam Monitor and ESX Performance Tab started to show CPU over usage alarm and CPU stayed at 100% no matter what, I even remove the VM from Inventory as added it back again as I though it may solved the problem, nothing worked until I found VMware KB1077.

However there is no option in Device Manager > Upgrade Computer HAL to change from Multiprocess HAL to Uniprocessor HAL prior W2K3 SP2, I do have a little program to do it, but I forgot where I put it, so I simply upgrade the VM to SP2 and all the problem disappear after reboot.

I don’t think this will occur in W2K8, probably only happen in old OS like W2K, W2K3 prior SP2, so all you need to do is to select the correct processor HAL for your VM.

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By admin, April 23, 2011 11:28 pm

上星期一口氣連續看了4集的Fast and Furious﹐說實在的不太喜歡漂移文化﹐好端端的車﹐幹什么偏偏要在那曲折的山路上漂來漂去的﹐一點美感都沒有﹐差點兒看得我悶出個鳥來﹗還好當中有不少經典的美國肌肉鏡頭﹐尤其是那台加入了NISSAN引擎的GT390﹐最後終于看得我血脈奔騰﹗

最近絕對是中了67′ 68′野馬的劇毒全因為鄰居的1比1 1968年棗紅色GT390 的V8咆哮汽缸﹐實在是太好聽了﹗那獨特的引擎聲音比現代法拉利和林寶的V8聲音更加悅耳動聽﹐令人完全感受到了當年福特老先生的雄心壯志﹐老先生發誓要追趕過意大利的小紅車﹐激情的結晶品就是後來成為一代歷史經典的GT40和Mustang﹗大家雖然都是馬﹐但如果法拉利是匹激情的駿馬﹐那Mustang肯定就是一頭難以馴服的美利堅野馬﹗再加上428Jet引擎一舉把Mustang推上了400匹馬力的顛峰﹐Shelby老兄實在功不可沒﹗

想不到Exact Detail 2006年底的產品精細程度竟然可以跟Exoto相比﹐金屬青檸的顏色十分之漂亮﹐漆面光潔亮麗﹐引擎的細緻度令我驚訝﹐車廂的內飾完全沒令人失望﹐車椅還可以前後移動﹐另一個亮點是車的底盤如實的還原了真車﹐還是連動﹐而且整架車極有手感﹐十分之夠分量﹐﹗尤其是這款68年GT 500KR車尾巴的那堆指示燈﹐沒錯﹐就是這個迷人的盛臀吸引了我﹗真好看﹗

Exact Detail 對車模收藏家們照顧得相當週到﹐還附送一頂1比18的牛仔帽﹐我的證書還挺早的﹐115/1250﹐看來上手美國仁兄也是個野馬發燒友﹗

最後拿到此車的價格加運費比新的AA還要便宜﹐太值得買了﹗

(題外話﹕噢﹐最近的AA好像發瘋了﹐連車模店老闆們都這樣說﹐快推出的Bugatti Type 57訂價跟同款的CMC十分接近﹐難道AA真的想赶大家去買質量更好但价錢更便宜的CMC不成﹐AA這次簡直就是自掘墳墓。)

要說能配合這匹野馬的歌肯定非80年代搖滾勁旅Guns N Roses的Don’t Cry莫屬﹗MTV中還真的有匹68年的Mustang﹐真妙﹗當然另一名曲Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door也是絕配﹐尤其在拍攝野馬車模的時候﹐這兩首Rock N Rock肯定可以令大家大大提昇捕捉光影的感覺。

I’m totally falling in love with Amercian Classic Muscle Cars!

1/18 Exact Detail 1968 Shelby Mustang GT 500KR Lime Green