SteveB_NI

Scenario is this: out of warranty HP laptop requires a new motherboard possibly due to failing to boot / access BIOS / do anything - so I call a local company who is recommended by the education board to book it in for a replacement. I phoned 2 days ago & was told I would be called back soon to arrange for collection etc. As of 10am today - no call. As it's quite important this is fixed ASAP I phoned and spoke to the service department to enquire on the current status of my call... to be told quite harshly that they will call me sometime - as they are very busy at the mo. Thats nice of them - I informed him that we are likewise very busy, but that I would have appreciated if they had of informed me of this at the time of logging the call. I lost my usually calm temper at this point & told him that as it's an urgent job I could do with it being replaced ASAP and by a company that can tell me when they will do it. They promised to try and rush it through but I'm at the stage now where I don't want to give them the business. Anyone used HP's own technical support?

After only 4 days of real service, we have already had our first laptop trolley casulty. A power connector lead managed to get jammed in the door of the trolley & thanks to someone's heavy handed-ness it's been broken. I even got a brief spark from it yesterday as I discovered it. I haven't got round to contacting lapsafe yet to find out a cost of a replacement connector - I imagine it may be a case of replacing the connectors for a full module - i.e. probably expensive! This ever happen to you?

Good luck _Bat_ for the future - I'm sure it will be a very rewarding experience. Also congrats on being offered your job again - I'm sure that's a huge weight off your mind!

My salary from my school technician job isn't an awful lot more than 13k - but I have a 2nd job too I've worked damn hard since I was 16/17... - even during uni I used to do 40+ hr weeks in my "part time" job. I decided that I would like something nice to show for my hours worked.

I am now the proud owner of a 1.6 SXi 3dr Can't wait to get it now! Thanks for all the advice everyone ... last night I tested both the 1.4 & 1.6 litre engines & decided there and then to get the 1.6.

Yeah I agree - Chris why would you want to go there for eh. We have computer suites to look at. MMmmm, maybe not!

TeddyKGB yes, it's a new one I'm interested in. I know the deal is on for longer, but I have managed to get the dealer down to an even lower price - which I really didn't expect due to the 0% finance. This is the deal I meant is open until Friday. I'm going tomorrow (today) to test drive the 1.6. If the price is right for that one, the cheque book will be coming out! By the way, TeddyKGB thanks for pointing that out to me anyways - much appreciated.

Thats a good point - the motorway which I seem to spend half my life on is very steep in places & could place quite a strain on it. We'll see what happens tomorrow - going to phone insurance soon to see if there is much difference.

Update: Just phoned car dealer & arranged an appointment to test drive the 1.6 (never driven it before) and the 1.4 again. Given the small sized difference in price, it may be worthwhile going for the 1.6.

There is no 2.0 version of the SXi anymore - its been replaced by the 1.6 VVT (Variable Valve Timing) - which is practically identical I believe. 1.4 16v Sport Hatch: Max speed 112mph 0-60mph 12.7secs 46.3 Combined MPG. 1.6i 16v VVT Sport Hatch: Max speed: 120mph 0-60mph 10.8secs 43.5 Combined MPG. Price wise... 1.4: List price from Vauxhall was £14,765 - I was offered it for £13,500 - which I negotiated down to £13,300. (4 yr 0% finance). 1.6: List price from Vauxhall was £15,415 - I was offered it for £14,150 - I didn't negotiate this down but I could try to get it for £13,950. Insurance wise the 1.6 is 2 groups higher, but I keep thinking to myself I should go for that one due to the new improved engine, plus to help "future proof" the car a bit longer. Does that make sense??

I've been debating a new car for some time, and last night decided to test drive an Astra Sport SXi 3dr ... very impressed. The car felt really good to drive, nice & safe and also benefits from (In my opinion) really nice looks. I negotiated a very good deal (4 yr 0% finance) for the 1.4 SXi... now a part of me wants a larger 1.6 engine, but I found the 1.4 an obvious improvement over my 1.1 Peugeot 106. It seemed nippy enough for my immediate needs. Need to let the dealer know by Fri afternoon at latest - otherwise deal doesn't exist any more Going to test drive it again on Thurs evening. Anyone else have one / driven one?

Thanks for all your help everyone. I bought 3 splitters as I didn't realise you needed 1 at each end - do'h! Anyway got 1 pair set up & it's now fully working. Finished updating that lab just in time for the weekend! 1 more week of work then 2 week holiday! Have a good weekend everyone, cheers again.

Oops didn't realise that I'm a little confused here - I understand the 2 workstations into 1 network point side but what happens at the server switch? I basically want to extend the number of network points in a room - so how does that work back at the server switch? From my understanding I need to have 2 network cables plugged into the splitter at the server?

I recently purchased a few network cable economisers (http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Computer+Products/RJ45/displayProduct.jsp?sku=CS11003&_requestid=551680). I planned to use them to allow 2 workstations to connect using the same network point (obviously different IP addresses). However, I have found only 1 port of the splitter works, the other (same one consistently throughout the three ordered) doesn't allow network connection. Did I purchase the wrong economiser? I can't see why a certain port doesn't work!

Thanks! Just what I wanted. I have a problem though when attempting to download it - due to our "managed service" I can't get Windows to be authorised as genuine. Oh well, a download for home I guess!

I have a number of stand-alone workstations in a classroom running Windows XP Professional. I have started afresh with user accounts for the new school year - now summarised into 3 categories - those being 2 subjects (restricted limited account) and 1 admin account (obviously full access) for me. Is there any way (preferably free) to fully secure the limited accounts? I mean stop the students changing wallpaper, deleting programs from start menu, adding shortcuts to desktop etc? Is there a way to enforce a particular wallpaper after start up? I'm planning to install a freeware program which shuts the computers down at a certain time of night, I just would like something to stop silly changes being made.

What about replacing the tracker pad buttons (left and right mouse click buttons I mean) on the TravelMates? (actual model number not known off hand). Are those also quite handy to get to?

We have a number of HP Colour LaserJet 4600's throughout the school - I recommend these based on time efficiency and lack of maintenance required. Cost-wise they are quite expensive for heavy use - toners are about usual HP price, and what I particularly like is that there is no huge difference between black and separate colours. Magenta in particular is very heavily used, based on the usual composition of colour print-outs. Maintenance wise - I had to replace a transfer kit on 1 of the printers recently, I think after 100,000 pages. Very easy to replace, and the printer was back in service within minutes. I've just realised the 4600 has been replaced with the 4700 - I guess there isn't much difference! We also have an Epson Aculaser C4000 - my colleagues particularly like this one due to quality etc. My view of this printer has changed recently, when I realised just how much money is spent supplying toner for it. The black toner cartridge is about £35 - each colour on the otherhand is £130. It's only used infrequently compared to the HPs but it seems to eat toner! An option you may want to look into is colour photocopiers. Hope this helps!

hehe its the same here... I've scheduled a lot of jobs for August (2nd half of hols) due to cleaners stripping floors, varnishing etc. Computers are being moved left right and centre at the mo!

Thanks for the heads up but its too late, we have already taken delivery of 2 of the things I'm currently writing some documentation to go with the trolley, displaying basic set up instructions (well, as far as teachers are concerned with setting up anyway!) and also operating policies. I'm thinking of organising training sessions for teachers when they return from the holidays to show them how to successfully operate the laptop trollies and get the most out of their lessons.

Its amazing how much more work you get done when absolutely no-one is here to distract you! This is my first summer working in a school, and with everyone apart from 2 admin staff + 1 caretaker and myself off for a few weeks I'm spending my time alone getting through my large list of jobs. I wish I knew how to relax - I should chill out a bit more! Summer hols started over here at the end of June, pupils back start of September.

Still busy here but school ends on Friday for 2 months so it's all good! Over the past 2 weeks I've been trialling 1 laptop trolley in preparation for two to go into service in September. Busy busy! Essential that I learnt what was required though for me to do over the summer to ensure they work better. My list of work to do this summer is ever increasing - plus with me saving my holidays from half terms, xmas and easter, I have my full holiday allowance available to me this summer. I reckon I'll take 3 weeks minimum, with every Monday off in August too. Some sixth years brought me nice pressies today too as it was their leaving assembly It's hard to believe it's only been a school year since I started here but today just helped make it all worthwhile - so nice to be appreciated!

I had the same problem for ages with my wireless router in the house - used with a cable modem. It used to cut out when accessing websites such as Ebay at times, Yahoo all the time, and YouTube to name a few. This went on for ages until 2 weeks ago I decided to sort it out once and for all. I reset the wireless routers settings, added a new set of wireless details etc. Now it works perfect Maybe that would solve your problem?

Those of you that have laptop trolleys to support / within your school, how do you deal with them? I've got 2 trolleys each containing 20 laptops, and am in the process of trialing these laptops. What I'm doing is going into each class, explaining to the class how to carefully use the laptops, and also to the teacher how to connect the laptops wireless connection to the network. So far so good - but now comes the questions: 1. Who "delivers" the laptops to the classrooms - if the pupils collect them how do you get around them entering secure store rooms etc to get it. 2. How much time in between bookings - ie. some class wants them period 1, what about if a class wants them period 2 - or do you make sure they cant be booked until period 3. 3. How much interaction do YOU / other technicians have with the trollies - i.e. making sure they are charged up / secured at night. Thanks!

Forgot to update on this We received another phone call from DELL the following morning, and when questioned about the hassle regardless of the fact we had paid for additional support (Collect & Return) etc, they apologised, and put matters right. Laptop is still not 100% fixed though, but for now it's out of DELLs hands, and its due to another software issue.