Technical Woe

 

Here’s a little story of what happened, starting 1 November 2022.

Just after signing in that morning, my computer decided a blue screen of death was appropriate. The restart indicated it could take an hour to mend itself. With utmost calm I went to play videogames for an hour or two and then return to see how things were going.

The desktop had then chosen to become a brick. It wasn’t doing anything, it wasn’t reloading, it didn’t appear active at all. However, I’d been idly musing buying a new computer, so I thought I’d do that and when it was sorted see about fixing old computer to retrieve a handful of useful files, and then either sell, give away, or recycle it.

The normal computer people I use for my desktops didn’t reply. Maybe the e-mail has changed. No worries. I bought my laptop, which has been essential to keep working, from Dell directly. So I browse around for a new desktop there and select/order one. In addition to a regular discount I also had a code for more than £100 extra off. Not bad.

It came just before 5pm on the indicated day. Bit late, but not so bad. I then discovered I’d made a mistake. There was no VGA port just HDMI. Well, not to worry. I unhooked my old (but perfectly functional) monitor and dragged in my almost-as-old bedroom TV, just to ensure the machine worked ahead of a freshly ordered monitor arriving.

Going through the setup process, all seems well... and then it doesn’t progress. The next item won’t load. I can go back one space but cannot advance any further.

I try the recommended steps from the Dell virtual assistant. Nothing works. So live chat starts, and a perfectly nice fellow called Allan has suggestions. I can’t try the one time boot menu because for some reason the old TV (while fine for most of the process) initially has the Dell logo squashed and this means the one time boot menu is the same way and the text is unreadable.

Ok, bad luck but the monitor’s coming in a day or two. I’ve got the file I need loaded to a USB I know works, so I’ll wait.

Monitor comes. I check it works, and it does, and then hook it up to the new desktop. I get into the one time boot menu without difficulty, and there’s no USB option. I try again with different ports, and nothing shows.

I’m pretty frustrated at this point. It’s been two working weeks since the initial computer failure, and around four days since the non-functional computer came. So I ask for a replacement.

And then the thing occurs which annoys me quite a lot. I think if I were a younger man I may have been enraged.

There’s a 48 hour period for approval. After which a replacement may take 4-6 weeks to arrive.

Everything else was misfortune. A month to a month and a half wait for a replacement computer when the paid-for desktop took a couple of days to arrived is a choice. And a pretty shitty choice given what I paid for does not work.

Part of me is wondering about just asking for a refund and ordering afresh, but I did get a fairly hefty discount overall.

I am not delighted with the situation.

Extra bit, added 15 November: 

My request for a replacement for the newly delivered and unuseable machine was rejected. I have arranged, at least, for a pickup return and a refund. We shall see what new torment awaits with this.

I should stress that, contrary to my own expectations, I have managed to get the old computer working again but have no idea if it'll be alright or break once more, and I did lose every file on here (although much was backed up).

Thaddeus

Review: The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams

I’ve been looking to clear out old books, but some I haven’t read in so long I’m uncertain whether I want to keep or not. And so I re-read The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams, the first entry in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. The last time I read this was so long ago it predates this blog...

The story focuses almost entirely on Simon, a dogsbody adolescent in the Hayholt castle. He’s a daydreamer and well-natured, if a bit dopey and lazy. Early on, he shifts from being mostly a cleaner to the new apprentice of Doctor Morgenes, who is something of a wizardly chap. When the very elderly king dies and his son takes over, the kingdom seems to have a new lease of life. But then bad weather falls, crops fail, and there are dark undercurrents swirling...

In addition to Simon, we do occasionally get the perspective of others, but it’s very much his story, starting in the humdrum world of the castle and then moving through an interesting world put together by the author. Often, the pace could be faster, and the writing opts for more detail over action most of the time. However, I did find myself reading through this sizeable book (just a little over 900 pages) rapidly, so I’m not sure if it counts as a valid criticism that some fat could be cut.

There’s a nice variety to the peoples of the world, both in varying human kingdoms, and differing races. A sense of history weighs upon things which adds a sense of depth and realism. While there are long periods without action this does mean that when things happen (and they can happen quickly) it has all the more impact.

Another advantage of the slower pace is that it gives time for things to develop. I can’t detail this without spoiling the plot, but suffice to say this also makes the descent of the kingdom feel more gradual and plausible.

Map fans will be pleased that there are multiple cartographic delights, and while I’m less interested in these than many people it’s still a plus. The feeling of the world is akin to that of Middle Earth rather than more recent Martin/Abercrombie style worlds.

Overall, I liked it a lot, which is sort of annoying because I need to clear shelf space. Just started the second, but as it’s similarly massive any review will be some time coming.

Thaddeus

PS For anyone wondering about relative quiet, it’s partly because I’ve been busy with other matters and, in the last week, partly due to computer woe.