(NDC) Just a Quick Piss-and-Moan

OK, so I had both of my computers die on me within a 24 hour period
last week. My HP laptop fried its second HD (the current HD only
lasted 9 months before dying--ARRRGH). So then I was down to my
ancient iMac, which I usually boot up only when I want to do audio
editing, and it lasted for all of 2 days before dying. Being
computerless feels rather like being stuck eating alone in a
restaurant without a newspaper. My sister-in-law comes to visit,
needs directions to her meeting, and I say, that's easy, I'll print
you a map.......uh, no I won't. Actually having to turn on the TV
and watchi local news to get a weather forecast just seems
prehistoric.

Damn thing about my HP is that it is a 2004 build, and I've been to
three places looking for someone who has a 2004 version of the XP OS
to install. No one has it. So I've had to order OS install/repair
disks directly from HP. It's not very expensive, bbut it means that I
paid $200 for a new HD install, and got a computer back that won't
work until HP mails me the disks.

I guess this is something to consider when you buy a new PC--very few
of them actually come with OS repair/OS install CDs now. Do yourself
a favor and buy some BEFORE you have a problem. HP is charging me $22
for mine, since I actually bothered to register my with them when I
bought it. That's not too expensive, but it's a hassle to have to
wait.

The good part of it is that my wife's boss decided that he really
should buy us a computer, since it's been a real hassle for him not to
be able to reach her by email at home this last week. So they tod us
to pick out a computer, and they'd pay for it. Nice. But the hassle
of that is, of course, that all new computers are shipping with
Windows Vista,which means that I need to buy a new copy of Microsoft
Office, since Office for XP doesn't seem to work well with Vista.
Damn, that Bill Gates is a smart man. Still, for the price of the
Office Suite, we've got ourselves a shiny new Dell notebook.

Peace,
Neil X.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Activation and reactivation and so on, and so on ...
    ... To me, that is a hassle. ... > do all my work remotely, but can't for varoius reason. ... >> I see the point as being that a repair install isn't a cureall. ... >> A normal user doesn't even need to deal with PA, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: (NDC) Just a Quick Piss-and-Moan
    ... ancient iMac, which I usually boot up only when I want to do audio ... needs directions to her meeting, and I say, that's easy, I'll print ... paid $200 for a new HD install, and got a computer back that won't ... but it's a hassle to have to ...
    (rec.music.gdead)
  • Re: Activation and reactivation and so on, and so on ...
    ... I have never had an activation problem or hassle and I ... >> have activated probably 50 or so machines. ... a repair install is not intended to get rid of any files. ... > their computer's from a Major OEM that uses BIOS-Locking. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Hard decision
    ... if you can handle the hassle, ... easy to set up i386 repositories and install firefox.i386. ... Basically, copy the .repo files, change $basearch to i386, change ...
    (Fedora)