1 post tagged “support”
My mother had computer issues last night-today. She calls me early this morning, asking about their "slow computer." We determined she had disc errors... so I told her to try to fix it from the UNIX command line; when that didn't work, she ran the hardware CD.
She later admits she doesn't have a good surge protector, and the power goes out often with summer storms. Great.
So, I leave her be... and call her later when I'm at the grocery. "Mom, what all goes into gazpacho? I'm making it."
She was not in a good mood.
"I dont know. Tomatoes, I think."
"Yeah, professor, I have those... onion, garlic... a chile pepper... what else? I can't put in sherry..."
"I don't know John. Listen, I ran the hardware test and it said it was the software."
"No it didn't," I returned.
"Yes, it did."
"No, it didn't. It never says "it was the software," so what did it really say?"
There was a pause as I was getting my prosciutto.
"It said the hardware was fine," she added.
"Aha, so it wasn't the "software" it just said the hardware was okay..."
"Yes."
"Ok... well, re-install OS X again, and wipe the drive clean; it may help if the drive wasn't physically damaged."
"I have to wait. We have another storm now."
"Did you unplug the computer?"
"No."
I now rolled my eyes.
These things would be so much easier to fix if she lived near-by.
The other exchange we had was over "AppleCare," their extended warranty program. I never got it on a desktop, but I did this last time around, as my G5 tower has a liquid cooled processor core.
I suggested my parents get it. You have a year after you buy the machine to buy the extra coverage.
"Did you buy the AppleCare?"
"No."
"Why not? I told you to."
"We didn't buy it, OKAY."
Then I rubbed it in. "Well, if you have to get the drive replaced, you're going to have to drive down to the mall and carry it in."
"WE can't do that. I don't want your dad to strain himself."
"So, if you had the AppleCare, they overnight you a box; you put the computer in, and it goes to them... and in 2 days, you get a working computer."
"How much does that cost?"
"Nothing; it's part of the AppleCare service."
"Why don't we have that?"
"You're cheap. I gotta go, Mom..."
