Computer Resurrections R Us
Oct. 23rd, 2012 12:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rabid1stGo, me!
So, back on Sept. 2, 2012, my computer refused to boot-up. I called Cyberpower, the company that built it for me and was handed off to the IT guy from some university without a computer science program. This guy not only had no idea what he was doing, he started me down the road to erasing my hard drive and then said, "Let me transfer you to someone that can help you better than me." And then he hung up on me. This after I was on hold for two hours.
But, during my back out of the situation that he created, I found that I could boot the computer from the recovery disc. I meant to get right back to the problem, but you know how Fibro stops me from basically doing the things I should be doing. This was no exception. I felt that I would need to wrestle with the hardware to solve these issues. This wasn't going to be a quick fix with a recovery disc or software patch. Computers are heavy and wired at the back of the desk, which is too heave to move. I'm pretty good with software, but I have zero confidence when it comes to fiddling with the computer hardware. And I suspected the whole job would hurt me physically. What I'm trying to convey is this: it never seemed like a good day for my computer to die. And so, I procrastinated until this past Sunday, when the hard drive crashed completely.
I do not think there was ever a point, after Sept. 2, when we could have saved the hard drive. And it turns out that the fancy 3 year warranty, the one that persuaded me to buy from Cyberpower in the first place, only covers service calls after the first year, not parts. The parts have a 2-year warranty, but from the manufacture. Oddly enough, the computer was purchased on Sept. 2, 2011. That's right, the hard drive died one year to the day after installation. Hmmmm!
But I digress. This time, when I called IT, I lucked into the best IT guy I have ever worked with. And that is saying something, because in the library, we have to deal with IT on a weekly basis, at the least. This guy was a master of his field. We went into the BIOS. We reconfigured the RAID. We used Windows Recovery. He told me to crack open the computer case and give the hard drive mouth to mouth. No! That is a very bad idea for your lips.
But I did, with my SO doing the heavy lifting and screwdriver work, pop the lid on that puppy and I switched out the bad hard drive for the spare. And then I installed Windows again. And now, I am repopulating my software systems. Because everything was overwritten when I wiped the hard drive. Which means I have some work cut out for me. And also that my writing software is kaput. DAMN! Again! DAMN! I had to rebuy it just last year. Maybe I have a back up of the download file. If it was a zip file I might.
It is sort of nice to have a perfectly pristine computer. I can set it up again to avoid any mess and confusion with our files. And...oh...in case I didn't say it already...
GO! ME! YAY!
:GRIN:
Also, someone please get me a drink and a massage chair.
UPDATE I did have a zip file of the Writer's Cafe software. And, more importantly, I had a copy of the key code that allows access to the software. On the other hand, I no longer have Adobe. But that's a download for another day.
So, back on Sept. 2, 2012, my computer refused to boot-up. I called Cyberpower, the company that built it for me and was handed off to the IT guy from some university without a computer science program. This guy not only had no idea what he was doing, he started me down the road to erasing my hard drive and then said, "Let me transfer you to someone that can help you better than me." And then he hung up on me. This after I was on hold for two hours.
But, during my back out of the situation that he created, I found that I could boot the computer from the recovery disc. I meant to get right back to the problem, but you know how Fibro stops me from basically doing the things I should be doing. This was no exception. I felt that I would need to wrestle with the hardware to solve these issues. This wasn't going to be a quick fix with a recovery disc or software patch. Computers are heavy and wired at the back of the desk, which is too heave to move. I'm pretty good with software, but I have zero confidence when it comes to fiddling with the computer hardware. And I suspected the whole job would hurt me physically. What I'm trying to convey is this: it never seemed like a good day for my computer to die. And so, I procrastinated until this past Sunday, when the hard drive crashed completely.
I do not think there was ever a point, after Sept. 2, when we could have saved the hard drive. And it turns out that the fancy 3 year warranty, the one that persuaded me to buy from Cyberpower in the first place, only covers service calls after the first year, not parts. The parts have a 2-year warranty, but from the manufacture. Oddly enough, the computer was purchased on Sept. 2, 2011. That's right, the hard drive died one year to the day after installation. Hmmmm!
But I digress. This time, when I called IT, I lucked into the best IT guy I have ever worked with. And that is saying something, because in the library, we have to deal with IT on a weekly basis, at the least. This guy was a master of his field. We went into the BIOS. We reconfigured the RAID. We used Windows Recovery. He told me to crack open the computer case and give the hard drive mouth to mouth. No! That is a very bad idea for your lips.
But I did, with my SO doing the heavy lifting and screwdriver work, pop the lid on that puppy and I switched out the bad hard drive for the spare. And then I installed Windows again. And now, I am repopulating my software systems. Because everything was overwritten when I wiped the hard drive. Which means I have some work cut out for me. And also that my writing software is kaput. DAMN! Again! DAMN! I had to rebuy it just last year. Maybe I have a back up of the download file. If it was a zip file I might.
It is sort of nice to have a perfectly pristine computer. I can set it up again to avoid any mess and confusion with our files. And...oh...in case I didn't say it already...
GO! ME! YAY!
:GRIN:
Also, someone please get me a drink and a massage chair.
UPDATE I did have a zip file of the Writer's Cafe software. And, more importantly, I had a copy of the key code that allows access to the software. On the other hand, I no longer have Adobe. But that's a download for another day.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 09:25 am (UTC)Mine died this summer, in a slow, agonizing way. I thought it was the motherboard, but I've since concluded it was probably a very slow hard drive failure. With help from
I once had an external hard drive fail a mere 9 days before the warranty ran out. I rushed it over to UPS to return to the manufacturer, anxiously doing the math. The company honored it, sending me a new one.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:41 pm (UTC)The slow death is always distressing. Though, I suppose, it gives you time to gather funding for a new one. Most of my computers went from working fine to gone that afternoon. This one was unusual for limping along a short time.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 10:43 am (UTC)We find that dusting other electronic equipment on the inside makes a dramatic improvement in functionality. I'm yet to venture inside my laptop, though. Hopefully I won't ever need to!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:44 pm (UTC)You will note that I said "NO!" to oral resuscitation. I feel most computers would slap you for the offense.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 11:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 11:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:53 pm (UTC)We are thinking our next one will be a refurbished (new to us) Mac book. I am sick of viruses.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 03:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:47 pm (UTC)http://www.writerscafe.co.uk/
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 04:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-23 05:47 pm (UTC)I'm also impressed you have all these 1tb hard drives kicking around.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-24 02:51 pm (UTC)I have three 1TB hard drives. Of course, one is nearly full and another one doesn't work.
Rae
who fills up the hard drives. I don't have them for show. :wink: