The Monday Thing

The day started with an emergency call: A Win2000 PC was locked up! Help!
I reset the admin password, logged in, reset the user password, and they're all set.

Then on to a scheduled appointment regarding a slow network. Set up the router, attached PCs, all done there. Interesting problem, though. One of the systems took a very long time to shut down (> 6 minutes). The system logs revealed that there was a process that wouldn't let go of the registry hive. The process (Cicero) is invoked by MSOffice to facilitate alternative entry methods (speech, handwriting). After it was disabled (Add/Remove programs, Change Office settings) the shutdown took a few seconds.

Still had time for a haircut before lunch.

Saturday

Yup, Saturday hours.

A good client was having a two-fold networking issue.
Issue 1: Home desktop fell off wireless network. I reset thet IP properties to DHCP, and he's back on. Why did they get set to something else? Elves!
Issue 2: Can't connect laptop at workplace to wireless. He can connect at home wireless, so I figure its a settings issue. The root problem is that we can't get hold of the IT guy at thte workplace. Its a municipal building, and there's no off-hours support? Can I counter-bid that contract, pleeease? When the guy gets around to coming in, maybe they can verify the settings are correct.

This afternoon, spoke to a new client who complained of a computer that was 'slow'. Well, where to begin? Its a fairly old Dell desktop with 256 MB RAM, and XP Home SP1 (yes - 1). They never *ever* let Windows update. And their security apps were rubbish, on top of a zoo of crapware. Luckily, I had compatible RAM instock, and set them up just fine. Took all bloody afternoon, though.

Fishy?

I received an email solicitation of free advertising from some site called michiganbusiness.us. That seems kinda like a phishing-type scam. I inquired of our Chamber of Commerce, and they were not aware of it. I googled it, and I didn't find any scam reports.

Anyone know any different? Is it a free advertising site? Is it worth anyone's time?

Friday

Friday's client had a problem I see all too often. They have a pair of desktops in the common areas of the house. The kids can get on pretty much any time they feel like it. The teenage son downloads with wild abandon, and hilarity ensues. Lots of spyware, a few viruses that AVG killed. Some of the security apps I installed on my last visit were missing. Hmmm?

As an added bonus, their back up hard drive had slipped off into the afterlife some time ago. I wouldn't have noticed either, if not for the PC taking about ten minutes to boot. The system logs showed a repeated error in which the device was not responding in a timely fashion. Once it finally finished startup, I tried to read the volume and couldn't. Restarting the device didn't help. She's dead, Jim.

So that brings up two points: Security apps are worthless if not maintained, and backups are worthless if not verified periodically.

Thursday

Today saw the resolution to two of the issues from the earlier post.

• The crippled OS was reinstalled last night and this morning.  I visited the client and finished their applications installation.  I guess the lessons here are BACK UP THY DATA, and Don't Delete That File If You Don't Know What It Does.  
  The short of it: The OS (XP Media) stopped loading up.  Period, no boot, so the intrepid user tried a repair installation with an XP Pro upgrade CD.  Hilarity ensued.


• DSL installation was finished.  A lovely older couple, they had way too much trouble getting this issue resolved in a timely fashion.  The service provider, who shall remain nameless, sent tech after tech to their home to tell them that all was well.  Turns out that the most recent tech was able to actually assess the situation and discovered that they didn't have the DSL service running to the residence.  He did his thing, I let the DSL setup CD do its thing, and they were off dial-up forever.  I also got the added benefit of showing them how their AOL email and favorites are accessible through the web interface.  Goodbye $25/month.


• My original Friday call, the security app install (and probable 
  virus kill) was postponed.  Nuts.  On the other hand, that will
  give me time to read more about SharePoint, plus an existing
  client called to say his kids had buggered up his PCs (yes
  plural) and now he needed help.  At least I'll have something
  going on Friday.

Share Point

I want to brush up on Share Point.
Any one have any comments?

Life Lessons

A colleague shared a story today about losing two hard drives within the last eight months.  The data loss would have been catastrophic, if not for the good advice of his IT progessional (not me, unfortunately).  He had a RAID set up, so he lost nothing.

Good advice - if its worth keeping, back it up.

A note on old equipment

Is it really worthwhile to preserve old PCs?  I met with a client the other day who requested a RAM upgrade.  Their PC, a Dell Optiplex GX1, was struggling through XP Home with 128MB RAM.  I didn't think you could install on anything less than 256.
There's no point in going to a brick-n-mortar retail supplier for PC100 RAM, so we looked online and found the maximum the mobo will tolerate is 3x256, at $40 a piece.

I suggested they save their cash and apply it to the purchase of something a bit newer.

Nope, when the RAM arrives via FedEx, we'll install it, and they'll be happy.

But is it right?  Good money after bad, I think.

This Week

A synopsis of jobs this week (Thurs/Fri):
* Rebuild of an XP desktop - reinstall the OS (crippled by user).
* Set up home network around DSL service, share printers, wireless security, et al.
* Clean and install security apps on a XP desktop

Not brain surgery, more like bread n butter.  

First Post!

w00t
I am officially a blogger nerd.

What have I done.....