Today is Thursday and last night I wrote about my worries that the new computer would have to be shipped back . It turned out the Mac Genius was able to fix her today by deleting all the information on the hard drive (!). Apparently some bizarre corruption had manifested and he didn't know why which is a bit worrisome too. Oh well, she's being updated now but still doesn't remember me. I guess I'll be spending a few days reminding her about all the fun we were having together and convincing her to be ready for more.Thanks for all the good wishes :-)
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My computer is still sitting on its corner shelf taking up space while I'm tapping away on numb's MacBook. He's been very generous about allowing me whatever time I want but you know how it is. I prefer my own.
Tomorrow we have a 15 minute appointment with an Apple Genius. I thought that name was a joke but it turned out to be true. Before we called them numb hauled out the troubleshooting manual and read that we should unplug the computer from its power source and remove the battery before pressing more keys all at once than the average person has fingers.
First, it turned out there's no little panel on the back where you'd normally access the battery so he got a small screwdriver and removed about a dozen tiny screws that were almost all different sizes. There turned out to be a big warning sign on the battery saying, 'Do Not Remove'. So he screwed the back on again. Then he went online to look for Apple Support where the instruction was to call the local store. The call was like something out of a Franz Kafka novel when the girl at the store insisted he had to make an appointment online.. even though she was obviously looking at the times available on her own screen. Okaaay..
We couldn't go there last weekend because they don't have Geniuses on hand during prime time sales hours. They're there to sell i-pods and other fancy bits and really don't want anyone showing up with a broken machine while they're trying to push the product. I guess I can understand that but it doesn't say much for customer service. So tomorrow we have a planned day off and a previously unplanned 10am appointment. What we'd like is if they would remove the hard drive and my custom screen and put them in a new MacBook Pro. I have a creepy feeling the Genius is going to take 15 minutes removing the back and telling us to make another appointment. Maybe not. They're more likely to instruct us to Fedex it back to Apple HQ. It's Christmas for heaven's sake. Wish me luck.
By the way, I did find another new drawing for a small painting I can share with you. It's called 'Float' and one I remembered I'd emailed to a friend. Hopefully, I'll be able to work on it this weekend. I'll be visiting and meanwhile Crow sends regards.
Apple genius huh, how about that!
ReplyDeleteHope your computer is fixed soon.
there's the easy way, and then there's what the customer wants.
ReplyDeletehere's what i did- buy a back up (stand-alone) hard drive and save all of your important files in case your computer ever... er... pooters out again. then you can just buy a new computer and transfer everything without all the bother and expense of "geniuses."
yes, i can say that because i backed up everything important last week.
makes me sound smart, huh?
but but but... genius me... it was the first time i had done that in a year. the back up thing only works if you back up regularly. (you can also back up your artwork automatically).
good luck tomorrow!
liberality - Sounds a bit pompous, doesn't it?
ReplyDeletesera - Yeah, we have an external hard drive too but it's a problem remembering to use it often. My main problem is not having access to my software on this one - plus the screen I had specially ground for my prescription :-)
Thanks for the good wishes.
That story doesn't sound anything like the service I got when I needed repairs on my old iMac laptop a couple of years ago, or the trip to the Apple Store at the Mall of America. Great service, with a smile, at the store.
ReplyDeleteWhen I sent my laptop in, they provided the shipping carton, along with dunnage, and paid shipping, because the repair was covered under warranty.
I guess each experience is different. I'm sorry yours is not going smoothly.
Like Sera, I bought an external hard drive and keep it hooked up. I put any new stuff I create in there as a back up. If I am at home, I also can unplug it on one computer, plug it into another and have the files. On the road I use the iDisk feature that comes with my MobileMe acct.
Good luck getting it all worked out. Wish I could do more for you to help you.
I really like those train track scenes that go by on the changeable collage on your page. Are they just drawings, or are they paintings too?
Peace.
What a pain these machines can be. I'm going to have to get a laptop. A friend is pushing me to get a MacBook, but is it worth the extra money? Honestly, I haven't a clue.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your troubles, susan. But whoa on that drawing. I love the expression on the girl's face!
spadoman - Thanks for all the good advice as well as the story about your good experience at Apple. We've had Mac's for years and have never had a problem so I may just be projecting all sorts of unnecessary concern. I would always advise people to get a Mac rather than anything else - mostly because all the others come loaded with MS software and we prefer OSX. Anyway, my chief problem here isn't so much the lost items (we do run an external hard drive too) but the inability to use the peripherals I'm used to having available plus the fact my husband is deeply attached to this machine.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned liking the scrolling pictures which are the ones drawn for the stories I've written on Adventure's Ink. There are larger versions there. Glad you noticed :-)
lisa - I would agree with your friend about advising you get a MacBook. They are worth the extra money and are very reliable. We've just run into a very rare problem which I'm sure will be fixed to our satisfaction but maybe not as fast as we'd prefer (as in by lunchtime :-))
She is a sweet little thing, isn't she?
We have used the Apple Genius in the store at Pioneer Square and had good results with my daughter's laptop. It seems she had shoved two cd's in the player on the side. Sheesh
ReplyDeleteLove the new drawing.
Is that picture from a third, unknown adventure where Alice floats down into the hole of a great, big cat?
ReplyDeleteThe only apple genius I know is the one who makes those gently sweet, mostly tart green ones. Yummy!
Good luck with the recomputerification!
nancy - It was Pioneer Square where we met our Genius this morning. He fixed it but didn't know why the problem occurred which is a tiny bit troublesome in itself.
ReplyDeleterandal - Yes, that child does look almost as delicious as a Granny Smith, doesn't she? I'd consider writing that third volume but my writing skills fall far far short of Lewis Carroll's :-) Wanna try yourself and I'll illustrate?
"He's been very generous about allowing me whatever time I want but you know how it is. I prefer my own."
ReplyDeleteI can completely understand this. :-)
I hope your Apple Genius is equally brilliant at customer service.
P.S. I forgot to comment on your little girl in the drawing. She has the makings of a junior heroine - to my eye. She looks like she could get up to some good mischief! :-)
ReplyDeletepagan sphinx - Yes, we kept doing an 'After you, Alphonse routine'. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like the drawing of my little mischief maker.
OK - it says something about me that I read the entire post, which is 90% about your Mac woes (sorry to hear that! so frustrating!) and at the end my mind is almost totally buzzing with only one thing. A new Susan painting is coming!!! What was the rest of the post about ? ? ?
ReplyDeletesteve - At this gray on gray time of year in Portland it's very good to know you're looking forward to my new paintings. That makes me very happy indeed.
ReplyDeleteI love this...the expression on that big cat is so motherly :)
ReplyDelete♥
and someday she will remember you, promise.
xoxo