Well, I seem to be having a hard drive failure on my main computer that I do all my work with.   

I am backing up files and transferring operations to my old computer which is made of wood.  So....I will be somewhat crippled as I try to work with my wood and stone tools.   

Apologies for the any delays or inconvenience as I struggle to restore and get things back up to speed.

Hey, Carl.

Well, yes and no.  Apparently the Toshiba 6100 Satellite Pro series has a problem with the board connections.  This causes all kinds of problems.  Sounds like a GM ECM huh?  Acts like one too    When I called the service center, they were so familiar with the problem that they ordered up the upgraded boards and I take it up there tomorrow to get them installed.  Then I have to put all the changed files back to start using it again.

Luckily it's still under warranty or it would be a $500 fix.

OUCH!  I just got another splinter in my finger.   

Tom,
Aren't computers just the neatest things to have around?  I am very glad you were able to get your pc back up and running again!
                                                                   Ziggee

Hi Tom how is your computer going it is scary that we are lost with out them. Well keep in touch when you get going again.

Hmmm, I miscalculated.  The Toshiba repair lasted only two weeks.  It had it's first symptom last night and today it is a paperweight 

Perhaps some of you have wondered where I have been.  Well I have been reloading and configuring applications and then just beginning to get back up to speed, working on my presentation for the iATN convention next month and then planning that long awaited Flash movie on Pico Save On Trigger.  Now everything is in the toilet again.  Everything is backed up but with the Toshiba down again all projects are on hold ..... again.

I have ordered a new high end IBM R51 series.  I'll let them try to repair the Toshiba again but I'm writing it off as a total loss.  The IBM is a couple weeks away so I will be hobbling on crutches for a but longer. 

You guys are doing a great job here on the forums and again, my apologies for my lack of attention to the usual things.  This Toshiba problem has been a real nightmare.

I'll keep you posted.

Tom,
     Try this Toshiba Therapy. No guarantee, but it might make you feel better anyway

Just a little update.  The following is my letter to Toshiba headquarters about my experience.  I'll keep you posted as this continues to evolve. 


Toshiba America
Information Systems
9740 Irvine Blvd
Irvine, CA  92618
September 1, 2004


Dear Sir or Madam:

I have contacts worldwide and have never even heard of a computer as bad as this Toshiba 6100 Satellite Pro (serial # Z2120013P), which I purchased a little over a year ago.  During that time, it has had three catastrophic hardware failures, which have diverted much of my attention away from my business.  The last two events were two weeks apart.  Now it appears to be having another failure merely two weeks after the last visit to the service center. 

I have a presentation to do in front of an international audience at the end of this month and do not have a reliable computer to use.  I don’t think, after all these attempts, that this Toshiba laptop will ever be a reliable machine.  I really got a lemon here.

I really appreciated the fact that Toshiba stepped up and covered the last two failures, even though they were slightly out of the warranty period.  Nevertheless, it makes no practical difference if the machine cannot be repaired well enough to be somewhat reliable.

My group of customers and contacts, which number thousands on five continents, have been aware of my difficulty, as it has disrupted service.  I’m hanging in there, but I don’t think a more effective effort to put me out of business could have been executed, had it been planned.  Of course, all of this is very poor PR for Toshiba as well.  This Toshiba needs to be replaced with a reliable computer for me to continue my business.

Is there anything you can do to help reclaim both of our reputations for reliable service?

Sincerely,
Tom Roberts

Hi Dan,

"It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others"