2 gems of

simonstre

What is this storage?
Joined
Mar 31, 2002
Messages
61
Hi there! Long time no see!


This week my notebook is dead, but even then, I'm not depressed. In fact, Compaq and Université Laval (the place where I study and work) gave me something to laugh at.

First of all, my notebook was overheating. I mean, after 15 minutes of a normal use (the Internet, Word, Dreamweaver MX) it was shutting down. The keaboard was uncomfortable because it was too hot, and a fan seemed to be still. So I called the customer care Compaq's service. After an hour and half passed with the tech, in which we updated my video drivers, my BIOS and my CD-ROM firmware, he came to me with this solution (and I'm serious!)

This is a normal issue with this model. The only thing you can do is to put your notebook on an Icepak when you use it. We cannot change anything to this situation.

Anyone wants a job? Ask Compaq, they are ready to give you a job even if you don't know how to spell your name!

The next day (thursday, it was) I spoke with one of my coworker. Two weeks ago, his notebook (a IBM 390X model) started to do BSOD several times a day (in fact, 5 time in two hours.) So he called the technical support of the University. I want to put to your attention that they are IBM notebooks specialists, so they should know what thy are speaking about. They said to him that his memory was in fault (what is possible.) After a quick diagnostic, they told him it was because it was because the chip was a Kingston brand, not a IBM one. So I asked myself, who builds IBM memory chips... and it comes to be Kingston. So I asked Cougtek if the memory chip was compatible with a 390X notebook, and it was...

Really want a job? Now you know where to look at. Compaq and Université Laval both offer easy jobs, because they don't require any technical skills :)
 

CougTek

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
8,726
Location
Québec, Québec
I'm not completly sure that IBM uses Kingston RAM in their laptops, but I do know that Kingston makes RAM certified for IBM's systems. Crucial does too.

IMO, the IBM tech guy just wanted to rip Simonstre's co-worker with over-priced RAM sticks, while much cheaper brand/model would do just as fine.
 

Mercutio

Fatwah on Western Digital
Joined
Jan 17, 2002
Messages
21,626
Location
I am omnipresent
The very first post I ever made at SR was on this subject, but I've found that IBM systems do work better with IBM certified RAM.

While working an NT 3.51 deployment, I was shipped 40 IBM PCs but only 25 IBM RAM upgrades. I ran out to the local PC shop in downtown Chicago (elek-tek) and grabbed the cheapest 32MB modules they had, per boss's orders.

The IBM tech I was working with made a bet with my supervisor on that job, that the PCs with the crappy RAM would be the problem children. They were, in a big way. I think there were something like three times the support calls for those 15 PCs than for the other 25.

Lesson learned. Buy good RAM and not cheap crap. Never bought cheapo RAM again.
 

Fushigi

Storage Is My Life
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
2,890
Location
Illinois, USA
Mercutio said:
While working an NT 3.51 deployment, I was shipped 40 IBM PCs but only 25 IBM RAM upgrades. I ran out to the local PC shop in downtown Chicago (elek-tek) and grabbed the cheapest 32MB modules they had, per boss's orders.
Wow, Elek-Tek. There's a blast from the past.

- Fushigi
 

blakerwry

Storage? I am Storage!
Joined
Oct 12, 2002
Messages
4,203
Location
Kansas City, USA
Website
justblake.com
i miss the one we had... did the whole chain go out of business?


Also, I'd like to say that I think Kingston used to be absolute crap in the 486 days. I had inumerable problems with one of their sticks of fast page. They've really changed the brand name around since then.
 
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