NYC WECH

Tech Support From Dell Hell

2011-06-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here's some important facts ahead of time.
1. I paid $140 (tax included) for my computer without an operating system (like Windows)
2. The computer was a Dell certified refurbished computer, guaranteed to work under warranty
3. A new mother board costs $150 - $200 (no tax)
4. This motherboard comes for $90 - $100 refurbished (no tax)

========================================================

From: musicin3d@gmail.com [<email removed for my blog post>]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 5:31 PM
To: US DFS Auction
Subject: Component failure

Username:
Email: <email removed for my blog post>
Listing #: CGDXFC1
Auction Question Regarding: Component failure
Message: Since I got my computer (no OS) and
installed ubuntu linux, it has been shutting
off and rebooting. This seems to follow no
time interval. System logs indicate it's
related to the onboard ethernet port. It can
sometimes be triggered (or at least
encouraged) by extremely heavy internet
use.

I talked with Dell chat support and they said
that I need to install Windows since they
cannot support Linux. I installed Windows
and found that it cannot even find the
ethernet port. I even tried using an ethernet
pci card. It will not recognize that either.
This was, as I said to begin with, an issue
with hardware.

This is EXTREMELY inconvenient as this
computer was intended to be a test server
for my business. Please get back to me with
at least one workable solution.

On Jun 13, 2011, at 8:54 AM, <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> wrote:

Hello
When you added that Ethernet PCI card, did you go into the bios and disabled the onboard Ethernet card in the bios?
If you did not, that would make the PCI card not work.
Thank you
Mike

From: Nicholas Wech [<email removed for my blog post>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 9:11 AM
To: US DFS Auction
Subject: Re: Component failure

I tried disabling the NIC in the BIOS like you said, and I tested it on Linux and Windows XP. Windows did recognized the PCI card this time and connected automatically. Linux did also. However, both crashed after some time, even though they were idle.

- Nicholas Wech

On Jun 14, 2011, at 10:40 AM, <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> wrote:

Hello
Then there is some sort of motherboard failure then
This system is technically out of warranty by 3 days, but I'm still going to support you as if you are within warranty.
I am afraid I do not have any of these motherboards in stock, so I cannot simply send you a replacement
The best I can do for you is get you a 45$ credit for that motherboard
Will that refund do?
Thank you
Mike

From: Nicholas Wech [<email removed for my blog post>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 9:48 AM
To: US DFS Auction
Subject: Re: Component failure

I appreciate your help and understanding. This system was failed when I received it, and it's very unfortunate that it can not be replaced. Can I buy this motherboard or a better one for $45?

- Nicholas Wech

On Jun 14, 2011, at 11:18 AM, <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> wrote:

You will probably not be able to get a motherboard
But I am afraid that 45$ is the maximum I can get you.
Will that refund do?
Thank you
Mike

From: Nicholas Wech [<email removed for my blog post>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 10:32 AM
To: US DFS Auction
Subject: Re: Component failure

If I cannot replace the faulty hardware that Dell sold me, then my problem is not solved. I need a working computer, and this was supposed to have been tested by "Dell factory trained technicians." I have been working to try to solve this problem since I received the device. When I could not solve the problem myself and had become convinced that it was a hardware issue, I contacted Dell chat support at 06/08/2011 09:13:43PM. Since then I've been trying to get a reasonable response, and I'm sorry but this is not a reasonable response. When do you expect to receive another motherboard in stock?

- Nicholas Wech

On Jun 14, 2011, at 12:05 PM, <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> wrote:

Hello
We do not know when we will get another spare motherboard, but I would not expect it anytime soon, with the limited space our department has for spare parts, we do not tend to stock high volume parts like motherboards, we mainly carry harddrives, cd drom veis, meory sticks, etc.
If the refund will not do, what would you like to do intead?
Thank you
Mike

From: Nicholas Wech [<email removed for my blog post>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 12:20 PM
To: US DFS Auction
Subject: Re: Component failure

Thanks for being patient, by the way. Can the computer be exchanged for another of the same model? Or can I have a Dell technician look at the computer and see if it can be repaired?

- Nicholas Wech

On Jun 14, 2011, at 2:45 PM, <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> wrote:

I am afraid we cannot, our warranty is a parts only warranty, so we do not have any technicians we can send you and we also do not have a repair depot to send the system to.
We also do not have the capability to send out an exchange system.
Did you want me to issue that refund?
Thank you
Mike

From: Nicholas Wech [<email removed for my blog post>]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 1:47 PM
To: US DFS Auction
Subject: Re: Component failure

Wow. I guess I don't have any other options then. How do I get this refund?

- Nicholas Wech

On Jun 14, 2011, at 3:02 PM, <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> <US_DFS_Auction@Dell.com> wrote:

I am afraid it is the only option.
I have gotten that refund issued, the funds will be released tonight and should be back on yoru card in a few business days
With the sales tax refund, the total refund came out to 49.39
Is there anything else I can do for you?
Thank you
Mike
<transaction information removed for my blog post>

No. That's all there is. Thanks for your time, Mike.

- Nicholas Wech

========================================================

You do the math. Don't ever buy anything from Dell. I tried everything I could with this company, and all they could muster up was $45 for an inoperable $140 computer. This will cost me at least $100 to fix. Dell support isn't. Dell support is a courtesy line to keep you busy you while they quietly and backhandedly tell you they couldn't care less if the chassis came filled with cow dung instead. They didn't do a single supportive thing. Dell simply tossed just enough money at me to be a further insult. I will not be doing ANY further business with them. I consider them a virus just likeConficker, invading the computing lives of millions and doing absolutely NOTHING.

Moving Your iTunes Library

2010-12-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

A few years back I helped a friend move her iTunes music to an external drive to save space on her MacBook. Today, she asked me how to get the music back to the internal drive. So, here's a video about moving the music in your iTunes…

http://files.brookhavendesigns.net/move_itunes.swf

There was one problem with the move. All of the playlists ended up empty. I'm not yet sure how to fix this.

The Thermodynamics of Hell

2010-10-30T23:01:00.001-07:00

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington engineering mid-term. The answer was so "profound" that the Professor shared it with colleagues, and the sharing obviously hasn't ceased...

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or Endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote Proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law, (gas cools off when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

"First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate that souls are moving into Hell and the rate they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let us look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.

Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand as souls are added. This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. Of course, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa Banyan during my Freshman year, "...that it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you.", and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then, #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze."

This student received the only A.

New Layout!

2010-10-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I got on here six hours ago to write something, but ended redesigning the layout. Whatchya think? I likes.

:)

Perfect Punishment

2010-08-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

http://psalm-104-34.blogspot.com/2010/08/have-you-ever-felt-distant-from-god.html

New post on my meditation and insight blog. This is a short post about the punishment Christ endured.

Anyone with stuff to share is welcome to join in on posting. Just contact me somehow.

Relationships

2009-10-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

I found this in an email newsletter....

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Linda Wolfe holds the record as the most married woman in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records has verified it. Linda, 68, has been married 23 times. Her longest marriage was for seven years. She reports that her marriages have failed for a variety of reasons--some trivial, some significant. The most astonishing thing is that she wants to get married again, but it is not to keep the record. The reason is, by her own admission, that she is lonely.

We could look at that story and analyze and criticize. No doubt there is much to think about in this situation. We might think further and ponder how desperate loneliness makes us and how much human relationships mean to the average person. Whether she should marry again or not is a matter of debate, but we would agree that she needs companionship and fellowship. Loneliness is devastating.

Color Picker [Mac OS X Feature]

2009-10-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hey another small perk to the Apple world. I've made it my mission to make a log of the legit awesomeness of Macs. All you haters, flame away.

This one, as you no doubt have guessed, is about this little color picker seen commonly throughout the Mac experience.

This guy has a similar and equally exciting small surprise for us. See the little dot at the bottom. I never noticed it until now. Click and drag that dot and voila!

Uber amounts of saved colors! Glory!

Text Formatting Preview [OS X Feature]

2009-10-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

For those with a Mac, I have a little something for you. It's a feature that I just discovered and it excites me. On the text dialog that you use to format the font of what ever you're typing, there's a pull-down that allows you to see what the font looks like the way you've formatted it -- before you use it! This will change my document creating life forever! haha! :D

Check out the video demonstration...

5 Minute Poem

2009-07-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

Why, my soul, are you burdened so?
Why, each morning, do you great me with despair?

For don't you know I've all I need on earth,
and all a soul should want is satisfied?

For the Lord has blessed thee,
though my sins are a treacherous thing.
So please do not distress me.
Since Joy is what the Savior's mercy brings.

Loose Ends

2009-06-15T12:59:00.001-07:00

Just to clarify, the vacation turned out excellent. The boat itself was nothing like I expected. I had no internet or phone service like the cruise line promised, and there was little to do if you were too old for the youth clubs yet too young to drink. And everything was expensive. Once we got to the Cayman Islands, though, it was a blast! We went swimming in the coral and I took pictures on the first day. On the second, we went swimming with dolphins!!! On the way back, I was more than happy to just sun bathe; I was wore out. :D

Mixed Feelings

2009-05-22T22:42:00.001-07:00

So we're all on vacation, as commanded by my Mother. But like I say to everyone that's semi-jealous, nobody can complain about a week's vacation to the Grand Cayman Islands that they don't have to [directly] pay for. So, I'll save the ranting for a more appropriate occasion, like valuing an iPod over your own life.

But I will be journaling everything that I remember and posting pictures. With the anti-luck of the Irish that seems to run in this family, there's guaranteed to be some laughs and some tears. For instance, Florida has been experiencing a drought, but now that we're here (on Memorial weekend by accident) the weather channel is predicting 60% chance of rain all week. Ha

Oh well. It's a great start to a vacation that I'm excited and unexcited about. I'll be back with more details tomorrow.

Mid-Night Thoughts

2009-05-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

These are always the worst and best ideas I ever have. My friend, has a freakin awesome blog where he pours his thoughts into beautiful writing. Me? I'm not an excellent writer. I'm good when I try, but not excellent. I nearly cried reading this guys latest posts. There was so much humanity in it. I guess I want this to be a popular blog, so I try to think of what my readers might enjoy. I'd kinda like my blog to have some kind to usefulness to it. But thelovecat, as his screenname calls him, uses his gift of graceful language to really express his inner self. It sort of reminds me of that book whose name I can't remember. It was a published version of another cyber-phenomenon that I was utterly unaware of where anonymous people mailed in their secrets for everyone to read. His somewhat earlier posts remind me of an old me. I used to be very similar to Adam. My mind, now scattered and incomprehensible I fear, used to be constantly thinking up interesting, new ideas. New ways to look at something, anything, everything, and even nothing. It was a seemingly never-ending torrent of revelation. Now I rely on all I've already known. I feel as though I've reached a resolution with all my most threatening internal conflicts, and all my daily insight is minor as are the issues to which they relate. My forgotten discomfort drives me no more. Today, I look at him as one who is like a freshwater stream. As generic as a stream metaphor might be, his constant flow of new ideas and creativity is refreshing --much like a stream. Even if we don't agree on everything (sometimes I wonder if we agree on anything haha), I really enjoy hearing how he looks at any given issue.

This kind of writing is tiring for me. Like a volcano --what the heck happened to my metaphors?! Man these suck. My speech instructor told me at the end of the semester that I was very good at illustrations and metaphors, but this is not the best display of my colors. By the way, if you didn't notice, the mood just instantly changed. Go figure...

Anyway, like a --we'll use another cliché-- floodgate, my effort and good writing all come out with good momentum. Then, I get tired and I want to quit and not ever write again. This is why my blog is not like good ol' thelovecat's. Well, let's just see what happens then. Since there's no more school until August, I'm likely to actually use this blog. Alright readers, I will bring you more bloggy blessings later! ;)

Random readings...

2009-03-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Since nobody responded, I decided to change the direction of this blog to the precise topic of everything. So the first post in the everything category is...

http://www.maclife.com/article/news/mythbusters_adam_savage_mac_geek

It proves that mythbusters and macs are equally awesome. You have no choice but to scream and dance in festive celebration.

I Need Topics

2009-03-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! So right now this blog is in a sad state. I have all kinds of neat stuff to share with the inter-webs, but the problem I'm facing is time. ...and consistency. So I thought I'd steer this blog away from being solely about my little gadgets and move more into general tech stuff. It seams no matter how much I desire otherwise, everyone sees me as the go to guy for tech problems/questions. It's not too bad. At least I'm useful for something! :D

So what do you want to read about? It can be anything at all, really. If you want it, I got it ...or I can at least get it. I'll give you some sparks to get you're thinking going:

Mac Hacks. Current computer trouble. I wish I could... . How do I... . Need a website/webpage? I wanna learn to... . My Windows machine won't... . My Mac machine won't... . Any convenience dreams. Nick, you should make... .

Hope those help you come up with something. I've got all kinds of ideas, but I don't want to waste my time blogging to myself. If just one of you wants to see something it'll be worth it. Leave your comments here.

Holidays in iCal via Subscription is a MUST

2009-03-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

I've been finding lately that the key to a perfect life is a dream. And what's my dream? Well, right now it's having iCal show me when certain holidays are ... without me putting all of them in. So I set out on my quest to find the coveted plug-in/add-on/hack, and after a much rewarding and faithful google search I found it:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/calendars/usholidaycalendar.html

Subscriptions in iCal are amazing things. You might consider them one of those "hidden" or "little known" things on a Mac. This one puts all the standard U.S. holidays in a separate calendar. Apparently, it gets this info from mac.com

But what if you don't live in the U.S.? We Americans are so preoccupied with ourselves we don't realize there are civilized, happy people outside of the "protected" borders of America ... right? Well, not this time at least:

http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/holidays.html

This is to iCal files as our budget is to deficit. Now these are not subscriptions, but rather actual calendar files. This means they're static. That means they're saved into a calendar (on your harddrive) and never change unless you change them yourself. Besides the several countries supported (U.S. included), some other advantages to this are:

You can edit the events
You don't need an internet connection (of course the other option can be set to never refresh, thus not ever needing internet)
And it's a little less cluttered if you combine it with an already-existing calendar

So, you should definitely check out these. Personally, I prefer the subscription because I don't ever have to mess with it again. But both options "complete" iCal a little bit and make it more like the lo-tech paper calendars we used to use.

Mac OS X Screensaver

2008-07-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

Yup! I've got it all: random ideas, endless yammering, and even homemade screensavers! Sometimes I amaze myself. ... Hmm, just sometimes. So tonight, while I watch "How Do They Do That," I'm givin out v.2 of Blocksaver. A genius name for an even more genius way to spend two days of my life.

Now, in order for this to work, you have to have Mac OS X 10.5

Get BLocksaver here.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Download from the link above.
If the .dmg file doesn't automatically open, double-click on it.
Drag the "blocksaver" file to the "Screen Savers" alias. If the alias doesn't exist/work continue with these instructions. Otherwise, installation for current user is complete.
Copy "blocksaver" file.
Open Finder and go to: Macintosh HD -> Library -> Screen Savers
Paste the file there. Blocksaver is now installed for all user accounts. (Unless you stopped at step three.)

Yay! Enjoy!

Where'd I go?!

2008-05-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Alright folks, I'm new to this blog thing so gimme a break on my inconsistency. I actually forgot this was here. ... several times. But I'm here now, so every thing's alright!

So while I'm listening to this super crazy awesome Celtic Music Podcast, I decide I ought to do something to this here blog. So I scavenge what few scripts I have on this hard drive and decide on this...

A URL Router. Yes I said it. There's no going back now. What's been said has been said. We can't undo what's been undone. We've passed the point of no return.

What? You don't know what that means? Geez I have to explain everything, don't I?

This URL Router basically bypasses the address bar, adding a little stealth to your web browsing. It's simple. All you do is enter the desired url into the query box. Then you surf like normal. If you need to directly enter another url, just hit the refresh/reload button on your browser.

I actually have new ideas for features. I just thought of them as I was typing all the waste of your time. However, I lack motivation so it's up to you to care enough to ask me to upgrade it. But then again, I have absolutely no license on this stuff, so you can do what ever the heck you want to this code. Anyway that's the junk for now. Eventually I'll get some of my worthwhile stuff up here.

CLICK HERE TO GET URL ROUTER ... Enjoy

First Tidbit

2008-04-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Okay. So to start this thing off easily I'm posting something simple and possibly useless for most people. .... a Refresher. ???what???

Explanation:

Some times it's nice to refresh a certain page every so often. You know, in case something updates or whatever. It's also annoying to have to do it repetitively yourself. So, I made a refresher ..... a loooooong time ago. Anywho here it is.

Primer

2008-04-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

So This is my absolute First blog. Yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is going to be awewome!

Ok So now that i've taken up a bunch of space with text, it's time to Layout this bad boy.

btw: If anyone happens to stumble across this and you're wondering what's goin down......

I'm dumping all the cool stuff that I've made and just left on my computer. It's time my creations get OUT and LIVE!