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Welcome to my blog, which was once a mailing list of the same name and is still generated by mail. Please reply via the "comment" links.

Always interested in offers/projects/new ideas. Eclectic experience in fields like: numerical computing; Python web; Java enterprise; functional languages; GPGPU; SQL databases; etc. Based in Santiago, Chile; telecommute worldwide. CV; email.

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Tecnofull (Lenovo Support) Is Fucking Useless

From: andrew cooke <andrew@...>

Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 18:16:57 -0300

My X220 died.  A search on the web showed that http://www.tecnofull.cl/ were
authorized support.  And they had offices at the end of my street.  Great.

They diagnosed (after 5 days) the following issues:

 * A broken power socket (awful design with X220 and the socket at the read
   - every time you pick it up, you put load on that point)

 * Dirty and needing new thermal paste (my daily machine for many years
   and was overheating)

 * Dead trackpad (errr.... no, it's just disabled in BIOS).

OK, so far not so bad.  Anyone can forget to check BIOS and the other points
were fine.  So I asked for the first two to be repaied.

A week later, it was ready, so I paid and brought it home.

Is should have said that I left it without disk or battery (less to lose).  So
when I got home I installed the disk.  Or tried to.  I couldn't because some
cables were in the drive bay.

So I took it back.  And they claimed to fix it (I think they just pushed the
cables back and forced the disk in, because there wasn't time to take things
apart, but maybe I am just slow).

When I got it home again, in a more relaxed moment, I realised that the screen
hinges wobbbled.  So I took it back.  And they said that they could tighten
the case screws a little, but that it was normal (and my fault for the machine
being dirty originally, although the logic there missed me).

When I got it home again, it wouldn't power up.  Taking it back to the shop,
the receptionist mashed the power buttong and it worked.  It seems like the
power button is damaged and needs an incredible amount of pressure.  But they
say it's normal.

So I took it home again, and now I've started it again and wifi is dead.

I give up.  I'm not taking it back again.  They're clearly incompetent and do
more damage each time the have the machine.  Instead, I'll rescue data from
the disk, use it on ethernet, and get the X240 1080p when it's released.

But if you don't have money to buy a new machine you might want to avoid these
people.

Andrew

Palmrest Cracked Too....

From: andrew cooke <andrew@...>

Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 21:42:59 -0300

Yay.

More Details on Technofull Damage

From: andrew cooke <andrew@...>

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 11:17:20 -0300

I opened the thing up and had a look myself:

  * I still don't know why the power button is at an odd angle and needs
    extra pressure.

  * The crack in the palmrest is just what you'd expect if you took the
    palmrest off carelessly.

  * That cable in the disk bay is connected to the wireless electronics,
    which no longer work.

  * The hinge no longer wobbles, now that the screws in the base (as
    well as at the back) are tight.

Andrew

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