23 November 2008

F * R * U * S * T * R * A * T * I * O * N


If you are long-time reader of my blog, then you probably remember THIS POST.

My last PC was a Hewlett-Packard (HP), and it lasted for approximately 3 years. Well, my less-than-1-year-old HP computer crashed YESTERDAY.
The final diagnosis last year was: DEFECTIVE HARDRIVE
Guess what the diagnosis was THIS time?
Just guess.
C'mon, you know you know it...
Yes, DEFECTIVE HARDRIVE.

For the second time in ELEVEN MONTHS, an HP computer has wiped out my files.
Last time, Geek Squad was not able to recover ANYTHING; I am praying -- PLEADING -- that they will have better luck this time.
I have the really important stuff backed up this time, but there are still hundreds of pictures and other files that will be lost forever if the extraction is unsuccessful.
But the really frustrating part is this: If I end up getting another computer (which I surely will), what kind of computer should I get? I would LOVE to get a Mac this time around, but that will cost double the value of the now-defunct HP.

And WHAT is going on with HP???
Really, they used to be so reliable!
There was a man at the Geek Squad counter just in front of me. He was there with his HP laptop (& it looked VERY expensive!!); he told me it's the 4th time he's had to bring it in, in the 10 months that he has owned it!
Then, as I was leaving, a woman came in to pick up her HP laptop (also very nice & new-looking); the Geek Squad guy had to tell her that her hard drive had crashed & they were not able to recover ANY of her files!

Something is up here.
This cannot be just a coincidence!
Is HP outsourcing to China, by any chance?
And does anyone know if there is a class-action lawsuit against HP currently in the works?
I might want to testify for them!

Seriously though; please say a quick prayer for this situation.
I need to get my computer (and my files!) back so I can finish my book!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Summer,
As you know we are a 3 mac family ha ha. We do love our macs. We have one in the mac shop right now but, it is almost 5 years old and its the first time in the shop. It is freezing sometimes so probably just needs a fresh install which is not something I feel like dealing with ha ha and we love our mac techs here in Houston. They even make house calls which came in handy when we set up our wireless systems.
Having said that macs are expensive and we needed a little laptop for various things. So I went ahead about bought a Toshiba laptap. I have been using it for just a little less than a year and have been happy with it so far. However, it doesn't get the heavy use our macs get. When Mike goes off to the 4 yr college campus next year we will buy him a mac laptop because we expect it to get heavy use.
Good luck Summer. Hope you get your files back this time urgh!!!
Sharon

Unknown said...

Hey Summer,

I lost a drive once without a backup. Never again. Here's my recommendation:

I love my imac. The new ones are quite nice. http://www.apple.com/imac/

Given that you already have a keyboard and a monitor, you could save some money and get a Mac Mini (http://www.apple.com/macmini/). It's less sexy, but perfectly functional and priced well, around $599. Plus, it comes with great photo and movie making software.

Apple comes with a nice backup software called Time Machine. They also sell a backup device called a time capsule that builds the backup drive into your wireless network. Backups are automatic, so no lost data even if your drive crashes.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB276LL/A?cid=OAS-US-KWG-CPUTimeCapsule-US

By the way, when you factor how many years most mac users use their machines, the price becomes more reasonable. I'm still using a mac that I bought in 2001.

Alan