I will never write about my computer again

I think I will have to write this a thousand times.   Earlier this morning I was worrying about the back up program not working and guess what happened this afternoon - all the media card readers stopped working.   Reboot didn't fix this so it was back to Dell.  After another 25 minutes on the phone to Dell we sorted the problem.   Those who the Gods want to punish they first let them buy a Dell!

At least it is all working okay again - for now!

Its done

Well Dell have completed the reinstall - it only took just under 28 hours!   That, of course, is unfair the actual work tonight took just over two hours.  Now I have the task of rebuilding the computer to the way I want it to be.  This will take a few days so wish me luck.

Computer update

At the moment all is going well.  They are downloading a 105 mb driver for the video card so I haven't got to do anything.  I must say remote assist is a wonderful thing and I enjoy watching the technician work.   At least my blood pressure is a lot lower tonight than it was last night.

so far so good

Well I have started to reinstall the operating system - so far so good.  I have made sure that I install the correct OS this time, my wife is looking over my shoulder this time!   Now I have to wait for the OS to install then the Dell people will ring back and help with the next part of the install, the drivers.  This is where it all went wrong last night.  Watch this space.

Waiting for Godo

I have never been that good at waiting - I always find it irritating but I am having to wait for the Dell person to ring me back - as he said he would.  Well it is nearly two hours after he said he would call back and nothing.   So what do I do?   Call Dell?   Well at this time it is usually very busy so I would be sitting for 20 + minutes listening to some inane musac or wait for the phone call.   I think I am going to have to suck it up and just wait for the call.   This is really starting to annoy me. 

AARRGGHH!!!!!!!!

Ian if you ever read this you can take that smug look off your face.   My computer has gone wrong again.  yesterday I mentioned that we had an electrical storm right over head and this caused some problems with my network.  Well today my computer finally stopped recognising the external card reader leaving me with no way of uploading files that had been captured by my camera.   I had put this off for too long - I contacted Dell.   That is 5 hours I would not wish on my worst enemy.    The long and short of it is that I now have a none functioning computer.

The problem was diagnosed a software conflict and so I was instructed that I would have to reinstall the operating system.   This mean I would have to rebuild the computer as though it was a brand new computer - a problem but not a fatal one.    So I followed the instruction given to me on the phone and reinstalled the operating system.   We then tried to install the drivers and the whole process fell to pieces.  I couldn't get the drivers to work.   I downloaded the drivers from the internet - still didn't work.  I then started to ask for an engineer to attend and sort the problem out - this was not possible as my warranty didn't cover this.   However, I kept insisting on this - so the technician on the phone had to go and talk to his supervisor.   Another hour wait for the supervisor to ring back.   I went through this again and we tried to install the drivers again.   I then found out that I had installed the wrong operating system on the computer, my wife has a 32 bit Vista laptop and my desktop is 64 bit - no wonder the drivers didn't work.   It was not 10 at night and I had had enough.   We will pick this story up in the morning.

So what have I learnt from this episode?   Well first that even premium support from Dell means dealing with the dreaded Indian call centres.   This is nothing against the people who are usually very helpful and obliging but, and this is a big, huge massive BUT, they don't speak english english and no matter how many lessons they go through this will never change.   I have nothing but respect for their technical prowess they just cannot communicate well down the phone.   This is not the people's fault it is the fault of Dell.   They have cut corners on support by out sourcing to India.   telephone communication is a pure verbal communication with no non verbal communication involved and so the message has to be very clear.   When either party doesn't understand exactly what is being said then this is an accident waiting to happen.  Tonight one happened.  I made a mistake, however the person on the phone was not bale to overcome this because he couldn't check which disk I was putting into the machine.   However, his instructions were not clear, especially when things went wrong.   The only moral I would learn from this whole sorry story is to buy a really good support package, one that sends an engineer on site to sort your problems out.   Tomorrow I hopefully will address this deficiency.   However, there will no doubt be more twists and turns in this story.  Oh happy days.

The start of something new

Burrough Hill Iron age Fort

I have spent most of the day setting up my new computer.  To date only one set of software won't work - Genuine Fractals 5.   According to the web site this software will not work with 64 bit OS - see support website for more information.  This is a bit of a blow but one I'll get over.

It has been quite tiring slowly building up the new computer - I still have to install the scanner and printer - but these can wait.   I have to say I am impressed with the performance of the new computer.   I am now able to move seamlessly from Lightroom 2.2 to Photoshop CS4 in a blink of an eye.

The new Photoshop is a bit different from CS3.  I am taking my time to get use to the changes but the most important thing is the performance of the software.  The Burrough Hill image at one time was over 300mb in size and the machine/software didn't break into a sweat.   The new zoom facility on Photoshop take a little getting used to - it is so quick and smooth.   Overall, it has been a very enjoyable day.  Lets hope this continues.

Update from the Computer front

Well this hard drive has lasted longer than the last one!  This is not much to crow about but it is something I suppose.  The Dell engineer that came and installed the new hard drive also sorted out the printer problem 64/32 bit network problems.  This was easily overcome by downloading the correct drivers from Brother - now why didn't windows think of that!

The engineer did forget to install my anti virus software.  This left with the problem of getting him back or sorting it out myself.  I chose the latter and after a 15 minute virtual chat with a very helpful McAfee person called Sandeep I was able to overcome this issue as well.

I am glad to say that the install of software appears to be going along reasonably well (Experience has taught me not to be too over optimistic)  Hopefully, I might be able to get this best to start to work on my images tomorrow. Hopefully.

The computer is fixed??!!??

Well, as I type this I am using my new computer.  it was the hard drive so lets hope this one lasts longer!

A Bright and cold Boxing Day

Burrough on the Hill

I spent a cold morning at Burrough on the Hill iron age hill fort on boxing day.  I was trying out my new resolution to reduce the number of images I take at each shoot.  How did I do?   Well I am not sure as I still ended up with nearly 100 images from a 1 1/2 hour shoot.   Whether this was good or bad I am not sure.  However, I am still working on my own rule of thumb - I try and produce 6 good images from each shoot.   This is really what I am working towards.   The only problem I have with shooting so many is handling them.   This has meant that I have become pretty ruthless in my editing and out of the hundred I may take I only keep a couple of dozen or so.

In an attempt to try and reduce the verbiage from my shoot I decided to shoot using my trust old tripod.   This was useful as it did slow me down and think a little bit more about what I was shooting.   The problem I did face was that I lost some of the spontaneity of the shoot.   The little was so good that I didn't really need the tripod but it was a good exercise.   I gave my Lee Filters a good work out as well.  I have to say I do love the neutral density graduated set.   It was just nice to get out in the filed and take a few images.

This has made me even more frustrated with Dell.   I have not been able to process the images and possible print on or two up as my new dell is still awaiting the attentions of the engineer, and no doubt a new hard drive.   Still, Monday is only a day or so away and I must be patient.

The hard drive is no more

Its official - the hard drive has gone bang.   Not bad going 6 hours of use but to be fair to Dell they appologised , well their Indian technician did, and an engineer will be visiting on Monday to install the new hard drive.   But it has taken some of the fun out of Christmas for me.   Also it has put into doubt my submission for the RPS print competition.   I hope this is not the case.   We will see.

Disaster Disaster Disaster

Well I really must have up set someone!  After only 6 hours the hard drive on my new computer appears to have failed!  Now this is not unheard of - I have two previous failures but after 6 hours!  Tomorrow I will be contacting Dell and I will no doubt find out if the premium warranty I bought is worth the money.   I guess its going to be one of those Christmases????!!!???

The only good thing is that my lap top is working - hence I am able to write this.   If anyone is reading this there is only one moral of this story - backup and backup often.

Lets see what tomorrow will bring.

Oops forgot the Dell has arrived.

Almost frgot my new computer has arrived this morning.  I will set this up over the next few days - I have a number of items to connect i.e. printers scanners Wacom tablets etc and there is no rush.   Still I feel a certain amount of trepidation about the whole process.   Wish me luck.

Platting Fog

GGARGGHH! This is turning into one of those days. If I were paranoid then I would think it was caused by me bad mouthing Apple computers (perhaps it is some form of virus that is spread by Jobites across the world). Anyway, after announcing to the world that I had bought myself a new computer I then fell foul of well meaning financial security constraints. Cutting a long story short I have just spent the past hour or so ring different companies to smooth the way for my purchaise. Finally, it has been sorted out and I have to say that the one person who should be praised in all this is the account manager at Dell Srilekha Bhattacharya. She was more helpful that you can imagine and well worth a mention (although how worth being mentioned here is is another question!)



Anyway, I now have the documentation to prove it. My new Dell should arrive just before Christmas and all is good in the world. The only thing is my head is so thick at the moment that I am having difficulty thinking straight - indeed everything does feel like I am platting fog....now where is that Lemsip???