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General Category => Off the Record => Computer Affairs => Topic started by: Liep on March 19, 2013, 08:12:35 AM

Title: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on March 19, 2013, 08:12:35 AM
So my laptop sometimes goes into standby mode, I've yet to see it do it twice in the same programme. Another error is a delay of a few seconds of the letters appearing on screen after pressing on the keyboard, this also happens at random times, although mostly, of course, in office programmes.

The seller refuses to recognize the error and says it cannot fix it. What can I do?
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on March 19, 2013, 08:14:48 AM
The first time I complained about these errors they did find them and following changed the mainboard, that didn't help though, only increased the start up time.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: DontSayBanana on March 19, 2013, 05:56:06 PM
Hardware failure doesn't produce "random" errors (exception: bad memory).

It has to either be a bug in some program your computer is running, a corrupted OS installation (not likely if you're running Windows- a new motherboard means the OS would have to be installed clean), or a result of two or more running programs conflicting with each other.

Best way to track down a software bug is to check what you've got running typically, disable everything but the essentials for the next startup, and bring the others back up one by one until you can replicate the crash.

Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on March 20, 2013, 09:41:46 AM
It's Mac OS, so should I try to do a clean install?
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: DontSayBanana on March 20, 2013, 01:02:40 PM
Quote from: Liep on March 20, 2013, 09:41:46 AM
It's Mac OS, so should I try to do a clean install?

Come to think of it, with HFS+, I've seen some odd quirks from hard drives that weren't up to snuff.  It might be worth your while to start with Disk Utility and check that first.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: dps on April 05, 2013, 04:21:06 PM
Generally speaking, problems don't become correctible until they become repeatable.  If they're random, then by definition, they're not repeatable.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on April 23, 2013, 09:48:31 AM
Got my laptop back after 3rd set of reparation. This time they changed the logicboard (again) and an I/O board.

Let's see if it'll start to work, at least, as well as my 10 year old IBM Thinkpad.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on April 23, 2013, 09:54:22 AM
So far so good, no delays on typing and the Settings menu doesn't take 3 minutes to start up.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on May 02, 2013, 12:04:51 PM
The AirBook Saga continues. I turned it in again, this time to receive a new computer. The first kept going on standby.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: MadBurgerMaker on May 05, 2013, 08:15:51 PM
The new one works okay though?
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on May 10, 2013, 04:00:13 AM
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on May 05, 2013, 08:15:51 PM
The new one works okay though?

I haven't received it yet. Today I checked in to hear what the hold up was, and I learned that they've diagnosed my computer and had changed the hard drive. I told them in the calmest tone I could muster that that wouldn't do.

So now waiting for them to contact their boss. Apparently Jesus flew up in the sky yesterday, so today is also a bank holiday. It's something called a "Squeeze Day" when a holiday is so close to a weekend you take the day in between off as well.

I'm not pleased.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on May 10, 2013, 09:30:11 AM
So on Monday I'll get a new computer.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on May 17, 2013, 04:20:21 AM
Awesome, so they still don't have a computer and now I'm just getting my money back. Time to find another company with one in store.
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Vricklund on May 18, 2013, 01:19:21 PM
Is this what you're paying a premium for when getting an apple product?  :P
Title: Re: How to prove the existence of a random error?
Post by: Liep on May 18, 2013, 03:24:06 PM
Quote from: Vricklund on May 18, 2013, 01:19:21 PM
Is this what you're paying a premium for when getting an apple product?  :P

Well, I got a laptop that worked at 80% performance for about a total of 4 month for free. Now I'll get an iPad instead. :P