October 18, 2000

Well the jury is back in and the verdict is ... the machine still goes ka-thunk.

      *sigh*

      i'd really hoped that the formatting would solve the problem and it did for awhile.  In fact, the machine still runs better than it had been.  But i loaded back in a few programs i need for making webpages and that seemed to tip the scales in favour of the ka-thunk. So now we are suspecting a faulty harddrive which means yet again dragging the computer down the street to the 'doctor'.  

      Does it ever end?

      We got the paintings back the other day and they are just perfect.  The one i picked is much more 'girl' than what is generally here at the apartment, but i've found a niche for her anyway.  i think i still like Master's better, however.

DAYS LATER!!! (October 27, 2000)

      So.  The harddrive was the problem, which we suspected all along anyway.  However, the store didn't honour their warranty policy, which took us awhile to figure out why.  i might add here, that the machine had been noisy for some time, beginning mere weeks after purchase and had decided it needed to scandisk from dos each and every time i started it.

      On the 19th the machine couldn't read the master drive (the one the store sold to us) but it could still read the slave drive (my old one .. and doesn't this all sound D/s like!)  So the real Master took the machine back to the store.  They used the startup disk and voila! The machine turns on.  But it still has the ka-thunk noise.  Master comments on this and they say pensively; "wellll..... it's a bit noisy ..."  Uh huh.

      On the 20th, not only does the machine not read the master drive, but now it's decided it doesn't want to read the slave drive either.  And it's flashing a warning:  Imminent harddrive failure ... back up your files.  i mean, it's flashing!  i'm surprised there weren't sirens going off in the background.  Master takes it back to the store again.  We hear nothing for the rest of the day.

      On the 21st, after phone calls and prodding, they tell me that it's my harddrive that is the problem.  Huh?  It was a perfectly viable, well running piece of equipment before.  The fellow says when my drive is hooked up to theirs, they can get windows to run, but get the warning.  When they disconnect mine, theirs won't run at all.  Huh?  So how is this problem my drive then?  i tell them to disconnect and disregard my drive entirely, and get theirs working.  i tell them their drive is no good.  Master tells them several times (at least once per day and to their face) that the drive is not good and to change it.  They resist.

      On the 22nd, noon hour, Master goes in.  They say; "ohhh.... we are going to try something else.  we are going to disconnect your drive and get ours working ..."  This is the only point i will honestly admit i got angry.  Up till then i was just frustrated but maintaining fairly well.  (How i process my frustrations and angers is something Master and i have been working on)  But this time i got really ticked.  Hadn't i asked them to do this very thing the day before?  And of course they emphasized it wouldn't be completed that day.  

      On the 23rd, they are closed.  Of course.

      On the 24th, they say everything is fixed.  Master goes back to the store yet again, late in the day and brings the machine home.  He hooks it up.  It goes "ka-thunk".  Alrighty then.

      On the 25th, it won't turn on.  It can't read the master drive.  my Master figures out a trick to get the machine working.  Let it get to the point of not reading and then flashing its warning, then hit reset very fast!  Heh, i can use it for a bit.  If you don't mind the noise.

      On the 26th, it won't turn on.  Yeah right, whatever.  *sigh*   Master's buddy says; "I've got a brand new harddrive, why don't we try it?"  In the car goes the master drive and the Master, driving.  Unfortunately, it turns out the buddy is in the same building where a union strike has just begun.  It took two hours before gaining access to the building and the buddy!  Said machine is left behind and Master comes home to beat on some dead leaves.  Thank gawd i wasn't here!  Hmmm.. well on second thought, it might have been fun.

      A few hours later the buddy calls back.  "Come get your machine," he says.  That quick?  Yep.  Said machine is happily feeding off its new harddrive AND my original drive is happily slaved to it!  Now does this sound like the perfect D/s coupling or what?  

      Turns out, the drive that the store sold to us was an "oem" which i'm not entirely sure is (but i expect our good friend R will know and whom i've developed a mantra for, if more problems crop up ... i'll chant "call R first ... call R first!").  Something to do with it being a drive meant for stores to use for their own purposes, or for repairs on machines.  Not generally something that is sold to customers as it doesn't even come in a box.  Which kind of explains why they didn't want it back.  We've decided to ship the drive back to the company who actually makes this product, and give them the story.  They can handle it any way they wish.  me?  i'm still wrestling with the idea of sending a copy of the story to the Better Business Bureau.  

      We lost $150.00 to a defective harddrive ... i'm thinking the store owners should at least have a slap on their wrists.

       On the upside, i don't have any excuses for not updating here more often now.  Or is that a downside? *g*