The Second Struggle….More annoying than the first. DEAD Photo Editing Computer!!
So a few months back I talked about the struggle of running out of Hard Drive Space. I complained a bit but all in all it was an easy fix and I had listened to mentors and peers about always keeping a back up of files. But this one I may complain more! When I started wanting to up my game, shoot in Raw and edit photos with Photoshop and other lovely programs I realized that my computer system was greatly lacking in power and memory. So I spent several day researching and decided to get a computer (laptop for about $2600) just for Photo Editing that could more than handle the task, with 32MB memory and a i7 processor with lots of speed. It was more than capable and since I had exceeded the min requirements by quite a bit I was looking forward to several years of use from this system!!!
Jump ahead to now 16 months later. In the middle of an edit the screen goes black!!! (I don’t even get a blue screen of death straight to black) So I go to the first few lines of every IT support flow chart. “Did you try turning it off and back on?” Did you check to see if it was plugged in?”. I did and still no love. It did make a lovely 7 beep sound and I could see it had power because the keyboard would light up. So I got out my phone and googled the Beeps, evidently that is a “Beep Code” for a BIOS fail during start up. I did the next logical choice I check the warranty!!! 12 Months it had expired 4 months earlier!!!
@#$@ #@#% $^$* &^&* excuse my language.
The website of the manufacturer is not the most user friendly and I was unable to find the help I was needing so I found a local repair service and had them take a look! After a couple days they gave me the diagnosis….. Motherboard!!! About $1300 so half the price of the system.
@#$@ #@#% $^$* &^&* excuse my language again!
So I am still waiting for the “Manufacturer” to get back to me. In the mean time the Service Facility “Carbondale Computer Repair” (I highly recommend them by the way, http://carbondalecomputerrepair.com/) had a new system only slightly slower and they are able to move my RAM and Hard Drive to this system meaning I will not have to reload anything!!! If the “Manufacturer” makes me a deal on a new system I might have 2 if not, I am not likely to recommend them or give them my money for a bit. The last computer company that I had do this to me, I didn’t purchase anything from them for more than 15+ years and I purchase computer equipment almost every year.
In any case lucky for me I have redundant back ups of files. With luck I may have a redundant back up of systems soon too. If you need a system worked on in my area I would look at having it done at the place I mentioned above.
My best advise is still redundant back ups!!!!!
Until next time!
The Redleg Photographer
