Dodged a dreaded computer bullet today.

[Longhorn]

When my laptop wouldn't emerge from hibernation this afternoon, I rebooted and got the dreaded, "Hard drive? What hard drive?" error message. The diagnostic test quickly determined that I had no hard drive that it could determine. I decided to do the Dell online chat support and I was asked if I had reseated my hard drive. No, let me get a screwdriver. Only I couldn't see any screws -- just holes!

So I pulled on the drive and it slid right off! I haven't had screws securing my hard drive since I bought this thing in November 2006! I reseated the hard drive and it works fine. The Dell guy said he would send me some screws.

And tonight, I'm backing up my data. :)

[Kutjara]

1. Dells are notorious for that.

I used to run the tech department for a fairly large company, and we often got Dells with half the screws missing, screens flopping out of their housing, keyboards that just fell off the laptops they were supposed to be attached to. I once got a desktop with the video, sound, and modem cards rattling around loose in the box.

The press is saying that Dell's quality control has improved a lot in the past year. All I can say is I damned well hope so!

[Longhorn]

2. I can't believe that it took this long for the hard drive to slip.

I carried my laptop to work daily last semester. I dropped it about six inches onto a carpet floor this morning and that must have unseated the drive.

I did like using the online chat support -- no need to wait on hold with a phone to my ear!

[Kutjara]

3. The HDDs in laptops fit pretty snugly.

Space is so constrained, some manufacturers don't even bother with screws and just let the rest of the casing hold the drive in place. Sounds like yours has a bit of spare room around it, just enough to let it work loose.

[Longhorn]

10. I didn't even know it slipped out like that!

The last time I messed with a hard drive, it was in a desktop computer and was attached with a ribbon cable. :)

[ThomCat]

4. I wish I could stay that was unusual.

But I hear stories like that pretty often, about parts that should have been attached that were not. :(

I'm glad it was something that simple. :)

[Longhorn]

8. The tech guy didn't sound very surprised about it.

I wonder how much it would have cost me to figure this out if I didn't have the expensive extended warranty. Probably I could have posted on the DU computer group and someone would have suggested I reseat it. Lots of great minds over there!

[jeff30997]

5. Well Longhorn,say a big thank you tho this guy:

[Longhorn]

9. Being a math nerd, I love the computer geeks of the world!

The tech called me at the end of the chat session and he definitely sounded Indian. I told him several times how relieved and grateful I am. I think it's the first time I wasn't told to reformat the hard drive -- I guess because the computer has to recognize one in order to reformat it! ;)

[DS1]

6. gotta love that second chance to back stuff up

I've been there plenty of times

[Longhorn]

7. Very true, but I have to admit, I was in pretty good shape.

Except for email addresses, I could only think of one test I had written that I hadn't backed up on my flash drive. Oh, and probably some pictures as well, but many of them are on Shutterfly.

Still, it was a good reminder! :)

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. I don't usually get the chance to tell a client to screw it.

I'll bet you made that techie's day.

:rofl:

[Longhorn]

12. I was so happy, I'm sure I would have laughed!

I kept trying to figure out what screwdriver was going to fit something that looked like rivet! :D