Guess where?  © PJ Croft 2016

My Samsung tablet PC has now been away for 18 days being fixed, when I was told “3-5 working days”. I gave it to Samsung with the complaint that after their last system software and BIOS update, it was no longer possible to make it sleep using the power button. It was “put it aside and wait for it to time out and go to sleep”, or completely power it down. It was quite clear cut: before BIOS change, working normally, press power button briefly and it went to sleep. After BIOS update, no effect on a brief power button press.

In addition, intermittently, on power up it showed only a black screen with the mouse pointer, or a white screen with mouse pointer, and nothing else. The only remedy was to keep pressing the button until it finally powered down and restarted.

This only happened after Samsung’s system software update of Saturday 3 September.

I dropped it at Samsung’s booth at Joondalup shops on Monday 12 Sept and the sleep fault was quite evident. The intermittent boot-up problem was not, but I had no doubt it would show. I was told they’d call me or text me when it was ready. I emphasised that I wasn’t keen to have people poking around in my data. They should make themselves a new user. For that reason, I didn’t divulge my password.

Nothing happened until Tuesday 20 September when I got a call from Tech Works in Sydney asking me for my password to get into my computer! I was very reluctant but agreed under persuasion. Why couldn’t they just do as I asked at Joondalup, just make themselves a new user with admin permissions? Bit of a worry.

Again, nothing happened until Sat 24th when I missed a call from them. I phoned today and the guy said, “Sir, do we have your permission to delete your data?”

What? You mean reformat the hard drive?! No! Why do you need to do that?

“We need to do it to fix your computer sir.”  No! Would you let someone reformat your hard drive? No! It has stuff I haven’t got backed up. “Do we have your permission to erase your disk, sir?” NO!

“We need you to calm down sir. Do we have your permission?” NO! Just return it to me! Patronising prick.

So I went to Joondalup to speak to the guy I spoke to 18 days ago. He wasn’t there. I explained to another guy and said I question the competence of this mob. I said, if it comes back with the faults still present, I’m going to start asking for a return and refund of my money. Not happy. So I await a call to say I can collect it. Not happy!

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Sydney Harbour Heads from the Centre Point Tower.  © PJ Croft 2016

A month into spring and we’re still freezing, as if it were mid July. I’m sick of this cold. I reckon it will suddenly change in a couple of weeks.