Debug and Rebug: The Records of a Developing Developer

Tech Log Entry — Configuring Email Alerts (app: PowerChute Serial Shutdown; device: Schneider Electric APC Back-UPS 1350) Initial Task Configure Schneider Electric PowerChute Serial Shutdown to send email alerts for important APC Back-UPS events. Use a dedicated Gmail account as the sender and a professional Gmail account as the recipient. Keep the alert account separate from personal, professional, and hobby email accounts. Hardware and Software APC Back-UPS 1350 uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Schneider Electric PowerChute Serial Shutdown application. PowerChute local web interface at localhost:6547/emailsettings. Windows desktop connected to the UPS. Google Gmail account with 2-Step Verification enabled. Required Email Settings SMTP server: smtp.gmail.com Port: 587 Connection security: TLS / STARTTLS Server Identity Check: Enabled Server username: Full dedicated Gmail address Server password: Google-generated 16-character App Password Sender address: Same dedicated Gmail address...

Tech Log Entry — Homelab Infrastructure Validation (or, Automated Backups Confirmed, WHEA Hardware Issue Resolved, & Log Rotation Configured) Background and Context This entry documents the validation phase following implementation of a three-machine automated backup infrastructure (documented in the previous entry) for my homelab LAN. It also covers the investigation and resolution of a hardware error pattern on the Windows desktop, a discussion of Linux full-disk encryption, and the setup of log rotation on both Linux laptops. All three machines — one Windows 11 desktop ([desktop]) and two Linux Mint laptops ([laptop #1] and [laptop #2]) — are connected via a dedicated gigabit LAN switch on an isolated local subnet, separate from the home Wi-Fi network. Part 1: First Automated Backup Runs — Confirmed Successful FreeFileSync on [desktop] (Windows 11): Task ran at 2:33 AM as scheduled FreeFileSync log showed: Completed successfully, 1 minute 31 seconds, 3.05 MB/sec 1 warning: datab...