Yesterday, I decided to finally upgrade my computer to FC3, and at the same time install the Sun JDS. Naturally, since all my prior installs have been pretty much hassle-free, this one is not meant to be. While the Fedora installer is partitioning my drive, it begins to make an unholy noise, and promptly crashes. So, I then attempt to fix the problem with QTParted from my Knoppix Live CD. QTParted is unable to even read the hard drive, which immediately makes me realize it’s not gonna be a fun evening. I then proceed to spend the next 3 hours attempting to fix it, before finally accepting the fact that the hard drive is toast, and calling it a night.
This morning I contacted SysBuilder, who built my system, to have my hard drive replaced, since it’s still under warranty. After being forwarded to various departments for the next half-hour, I’m finally connected to someone who knows what is needed for my hard-drive to be replaced. Of course, if I send it to them, it’s going to take 5-6 weeks to get a replacement, since all they do is forward it onto Maxtor, which is the manufacturer of my hard-drive. He then suggests that I contact Maxtor directly, since it should take less time to get it replaced. No problem, if it takes less time, I’m all for it.
So, I call Maxtors’ help line, and then explain my problem to them. The customer service rep. then informs me that to generate a RMA, I will need the hard-drives serial number, which is located on the anti-static bag that the hard-drive comes in. My system was pre-built, so naturally I don’t have this, and will need to remove my hard-drive from my machine to get the serial number printed on it, and then call them back. Ok, not totally unreasonable, so I’m off to the next step.
This, of course, is the part that I’m least looking forward to, since I’ve got a Shuttle SB51G, who’s interior is really small. After a quick breakfast, I finally rally up all my nerve, and proceed to take apart my system. I’ve posted before and after photo’s, just for grins to the right here, which you can click for larger versions of each. An hour and a half later, after much crying and bitching, I finally get the damn thing out. Note for others that need to do this, disconnect you hard-drive and disc-drive, and then remove the screws on the top rail, and the drives carriage removes from the box. No need to remove the fans, cards, etc. Oh well, live and learn.
So, having successfully removed my hard-drive, I proceed to call back Maxtor. Explaining my problem once again, the new support person proceeds to tell me that I need to run a Maxtor utility on the hard-drive before they will accept the hard-drive back. It’s at this moment, that I finally have a Kelly Collins-like ‘episode’. I normally wouldn’t mind doing this, but since I had already spent the prior hour and a half removing the hard-drive, and that they never bothered to mention this to me before removing the hard-drive, I promptly inform them there is no way in hell that’s going to happen. So, after going back and forth with the rep., and the call becoming more hostile by the minute, which I won’t bother to give the blow-by-blow, they finally relent, and say they’ll make an exception in my case. So, I’ve now got to run down to the post office, and wait a week or so, for the replacement to show up. I’m reasonably sure my ordial is far from over, but at least for today it is.
