An unfortunate series of Events – A salutary lesson.
Posted by: tonym on 20 February 2009
Events as follows – Dell PC, two years old, begins to reboot itself at regular intervals, goes an hour or two before doing so. Use opportunity as suitable excuse to change to iMac. Place order with Apple Shop on 9th Feb., gives three working days delivery. No worries, scheduled backup to LaCie 750 GB drive.
16th, ‘phone Apple. Where’s my computer? Ah, the three days is from when it arrives in UK! Of course! When can I expect it? Thursday. Have a moan but get nowhere. Still, PC still works...
17th, PC completely lunched – a quick flickering light then just a flashing cursor. Ring up smart chaps at my old IT dept., might be the motherboard battery? Replace, no joy. Still, no worries, got backup on LaCie plus photos & music on NAS drive.
Go upstairs to SWMBO’s computer. I’ll just recover the files...Computer won’t recognise the LaCie drive. Lights flicker, but doesn’t sound as though drive’s spinning up. Odd... ‘Phone IT guys – try various things, still no joy. They suggest pulling hard drives from old computer, installing in USB enclosure, retrieve info.
Thinks – Take HD out of LaCie, stick in HDs from old computer. Still can’t read. Look on internet for solution. Ahh! LaCies suffer from duff power supplies! Pop down to local computer store, pick up ‘orrible plasticy USB enclosure, marked SATA on box. Get home, not for SATA, back to shop for refund. Order proper thing from Amazon, pay extra for next day delivery (LaCiepower supplies twice the price of USB drive enclosure)
Worry about data files for my Pronto remote controls – took me ages to write. Still, have the option of uploading existing configuration from Prontos. Yippee! Download program from Philips. Not compatible with Vista but worked on my old Vista machine. Run program in XP mode. Won’t recognise Pronto. Try various drivers, reinstalling, still no good.
Yesterday, ‘phone Apple to find out delivery time. Told delivery would be 24th. Blow my stack at them. Told the three days meant before it was dispatched to the UK from the Czech Republic?!
No sign of USB enclosure. Drag down my old XP laptop from loft. Try to connect to wireless network but not recognising it. Plug in Cat6 cable. Says limited connectivity, no internet access. Copy Pronto program onto CD. Laptop CD drive not working. Never mind, got old one (which doesn’t work with DVDs) somewhere. Find after long search, plug in. Doesn’t work.
Good luck! Find USB memory stick, get Pronto program working on laptop. Still won’t recognise Pronto. Deinstall, reinstall etc. Etc. Finally works!
Today, USB enclosure arrives. Good. Put in HD 1 from old computer, drive spins up. Can’t find it. Into disc management. Find it but it says “Unallocated space” apparently no data... Try HD 2. Says “ Do you wish to format this drive?” No data...
Phew, got backup disc from LaCie! It works! I can see the back ups, last one dated...last year....Bl**dy thing’s not been working for months, yet light was on & software (Acronis) said it was performing regular backup! No indication it wasn’t working.
Admit defeat. Lost all Outlook files, E-mail addresses (luckily my iTouch has a backup of my address book) some ‘photos, a few bits & bobs.
A lesson learned.
Computers. Don’t you just love ‘em?
16th, ‘phone Apple. Where’s my computer? Ah, the three days is from when it arrives in UK! Of course! When can I expect it? Thursday. Have a moan but get nowhere. Still, PC still works...
17th, PC completely lunched – a quick flickering light then just a flashing cursor. Ring up smart chaps at my old IT dept., might be the motherboard battery? Replace, no joy. Still, no worries, got backup on LaCie plus photos & music on NAS drive.
Go upstairs to SWMBO’s computer. I’ll just recover the files...Computer won’t recognise the LaCie drive. Lights flicker, but doesn’t sound as though drive’s spinning up. Odd... ‘Phone IT guys – try various things, still no joy. They suggest pulling hard drives from old computer, installing in USB enclosure, retrieve info.
Thinks – Take HD out of LaCie, stick in HDs from old computer. Still can’t read. Look on internet for solution. Ahh! LaCies suffer from duff power supplies! Pop down to local computer store, pick up ‘orrible plasticy USB enclosure, marked SATA on box. Get home, not for SATA, back to shop for refund. Order proper thing from Amazon, pay extra for next day delivery (LaCiepower supplies twice the price of USB drive enclosure)
Worry about data files for my Pronto remote controls – took me ages to write. Still, have the option of uploading existing configuration from Prontos. Yippee! Download program from Philips. Not compatible with Vista but worked on my old Vista machine. Run program in XP mode. Won’t recognise Pronto. Try various drivers, reinstalling, still no good.
Yesterday, ‘phone Apple to find out delivery time. Told delivery would be 24th. Blow my stack at them. Told the three days meant before it was dispatched to the UK from the Czech Republic?!
No sign of USB enclosure. Drag down my old XP laptop from loft. Try to connect to wireless network but not recognising it. Plug in Cat6 cable. Says limited connectivity, no internet access. Copy Pronto program onto CD. Laptop CD drive not working. Never mind, got old one (which doesn’t work with DVDs) somewhere. Find after long search, plug in. Doesn’t work.
Good luck! Find USB memory stick, get Pronto program working on laptop. Still won’t recognise Pronto. Deinstall, reinstall etc. Etc. Finally works!
Today, USB enclosure arrives. Good. Put in HD 1 from old computer, drive spins up. Can’t find it. Into disc management. Find it but it says “Unallocated space” apparently no data... Try HD 2. Says “ Do you wish to format this drive?” No data...
Phew, got backup disc from LaCie! It works! I can see the back ups, last one dated...last year....Bl**dy thing’s not been working for months, yet light was on & software (Acronis) said it was performing regular backup! No indication it wasn’t working.
Admit defeat. Lost all Outlook files, E-mail addresses (luckily my iTouch has a backup of my address book) some ‘photos, a few bits & bobs.
A lesson learned.
Computers. Don’t you just love ‘em?
Tony
Tonym
FFS....can I sell you a lucky rabbits foot!?
Cheers
Jim
Now, now, don't blame the tools blame the numpty's who did the functional requirements gathering in the first place and then who presumably did the user accpetance testing and who signed off on it.....quote:Even my last company hasn't made any money for three years because of SAP's software.
Tonym
FFS....can I sell you a lucky rabbits foot!?
Cheers
Jim