Post by blackcat on Mar 2, 2010 2:43:25 GMT -5
Just a little vent... because I really do love computers... I only hate them right now...
I've always run Sims2 on my laptop... even the predecessor of my current laptop (which died of overheating) was newer and better than my ancient desktop. The desktop would run base game only. Slowly.
As I've had it a number of years and it was full of crap, I decided I wanted to reformat the desktop, wipe the disk clean and reinstall Windows, then start fresh from there. I have enough computer knowledge that this should have been easy for me. I backed up everything, went to do it... and it didn't work. For the last two months, every few days, I've tried again. No success.
Finally, a little over a week ago, I gave up and took it to a repair shop. As I drove there, I had the idea to ask him if it was possible to upgrade the graphics card. It was. He also said he'd put in some more RAM. Cost = around 1/3 the cost of a new computer... expensive, but do-able for me. So far, so good. It was done in two days. I got it back with high hopes of finally being able to install Sims on a computer with a decent cooling system and not have to spend every play session in fear of overheating.
When I got it back, I discovered that he'd put in the graphics card and RAM, everything worked beautifully - but he hadn't reformatted it!! So I had a nice fast computer that was still full of crap. All he'd done was take off a few unused identities, which I could have done myself. Looking back, I have a feeling from our conversation when I collected it, that he knew he'd done it wrong ("Uh, I left on a few useful things").
Back to the shop. Resisted the temptation to say "I just paid you $400 and which part of 'reformat' don't you understand" and instead suggested that he might have misunderstood me a little. He said it might take a very long time - he had to find drivers.
Me: "Only for the motherboard"
Him: "Uh, there's a lot of stuff on the motherboard"
Me: "Let me take it home for an hour and download them from the HP site for you" (I'd already checked - the drivers are available there).
Him: Makes grunting noise and says he can manage, thanks
End result - he would do it for no extra charge. But it might take a long time. That was over a week ago. I'm getting annoyed. Particularly as I have a problem with the laptop too... there's a fault in the screen, known manufacturing fault, repairable under warranty. The warranty expires March 11! I want the desktop back so I still have a computer. I can't be sure the laptop people will be quick, either - their website states 2-3 day turnover for repairs, but "we are currently experiencing delays of up to ten days..." !
So if I don't have the desktop back by the 10th or so, I'll have no computer for goodness-only-knows how long... and all this happens right at the start of the new university semester, AND just when I will probably start blogging my Sims hood in the next couple of weeks. And aside from all other considerations, I'm dying to see if the game works on the revitalised desktop!
Maybe I don't hate computers. Maybe I just hate computer repair people!
I've always run Sims2 on my laptop... even the predecessor of my current laptop (which died of overheating) was newer and better than my ancient desktop. The desktop would run base game only. Slowly.
As I've had it a number of years and it was full of crap, I decided I wanted to reformat the desktop, wipe the disk clean and reinstall Windows, then start fresh from there. I have enough computer knowledge that this should have been easy for me. I backed up everything, went to do it... and it didn't work. For the last two months, every few days, I've tried again. No success.
Finally, a little over a week ago, I gave up and took it to a repair shop. As I drove there, I had the idea to ask him if it was possible to upgrade the graphics card. It was. He also said he'd put in some more RAM. Cost = around 1/3 the cost of a new computer... expensive, but do-able for me. So far, so good. It was done in two days. I got it back with high hopes of finally being able to install Sims on a computer with a decent cooling system and not have to spend every play session in fear of overheating.
When I got it back, I discovered that he'd put in the graphics card and RAM, everything worked beautifully - but he hadn't reformatted it!! So I had a nice fast computer that was still full of crap. All he'd done was take off a few unused identities, which I could have done myself. Looking back, I have a feeling from our conversation when I collected it, that he knew he'd done it wrong ("Uh, I left on a few useful things").
Back to the shop. Resisted the temptation to say "I just paid you $400 and which part of 'reformat' don't you understand" and instead suggested that he might have misunderstood me a little. He said it might take a very long time - he had to find drivers.
Me: "Only for the motherboard"
Him: "Uh, there's a lot of stuff on the motherboard"
Me: "Let me take it home for an hour and download them from the HP site for you" (I'd already checked - the drivers are available there).
Him: Makes grunting noise and says he can manage, thanks
End result - he would do it for no extra charge. But it might take a long time. That was over a week ago. I'm getting annoyed. Particularly as I have a problem with the laptop too... there's a fault in the screen, known manufacturing fault, repairable under warranty. The warranty expires March 11! I want the desktop back so I still have a computer. I can't be sure the laptop people will be quick, either - their website states 2-3 day turnover for repairs, but "we are currently experiencing delays of up to ten days..." !
So if I don't have the desktop back by the 10th or so, I'll have no computer for goodness-only-knows how long... and all this happens right at the start of the new university semester, AND just when I will probably start blogging my Sims hood in the next couple of weeks. And aside from all other considerations, I'm dying to see if the game works on the revitalised desktop!
Maybe I don't hate computers. Maybe I just hate computer repair people!