Unfortunately we are no longer taking on new clients, or maintaining this site.  If you are an existing customer then please contact us in the usual way.

Otherwise, we thank you for your interest in us, and apologise for not being able to help you at this time.

The problems arose when the brand new Dell XPS desktop PC I installed for her started to misbehave when she tried to print from Photoshop.  The nVidia graphics driver would crash when she tried to preview her file using the Epson drivers for her A3 printer.  An error message would pop up saying the nVidia driver had crashed and was restarting.  This would eventually result in Photoshop locking completely.

I tested on a couple of my systems here and got exactly the same problem.  The key factor was each machine was running the 64bit version of Windows 7 with the latest nVidia drivers.  That’s the latest WHQL certified drivers, which were dated back in January.

It turns out there is a problem with this driver that caused precisely this issue to occur.  I was able to rectify the problem yesterday afternoon by installing nVidia’s latest beta drivers which resulted in a very happy photographer.
But checking their site today, nVidia have released a new version of their drivers which are stamped as version 197.13 (snappy).

So if you fall into this subset of users, be sure to update.

Personally I am always more than a little bit wary of companies with blogs (just like mine) who write posts about products or services which blur the line between advertising and information.  Is the product or service really that good, or has the lure of a free bit of software or hardware led to a momentary drop in moral standards?
The best way for anyone to combat this question is to put their money where their mouth is, and this is precisely what I did towards the end of January when I purchased a HP MediaSmart EX490.

Like many small businesses I run Windows Small Business Server 2008 (primarily for Exchange e-mail for my various domains) but was looking for a central repository for files to be shared around various computers in the house, and an invisible backup solution for all of my Windows and Mac machines.
As I already had additional hard drives to install in the HP server, I didn’t push the boat out and go for the higher specified model so ended up with the default model which comes with a 1Tb hard drive as standard.  Naturally the first caution I would throw out here is a single drive in an appliance like this is a major no go.  If the drive collapses, so does all your data (which of course, you have backed up).  I initially added two additional terabyte drives during setup and have maxxed out the storage slots this past week with a fourth and final drive.

As the EX490 is primarily designed to be a consumer unit the setup process is extremely straightforward.  Just attach the server to your local network, allow it to assign itself an address from your DHCP server and run some simple configuration software.
My only minor gripe with this setup process (and again this is a consumer unit) is that you aren’t given the option to configure a manual IP address during setup.  For regular users who are just going to access their server via its name this isn’t going to cause any sleepless nights.  But for me it was a slight omission, but one that was quickly resolved by connecting via the Remote Desktop client.

After installation I made sure to run Windows Update so that Power Pack 3 for WHS was installed, and adding in Windows 7 client functionality (the HP image on the machine contained PP2), then added each of my machines into the console.

After migrating all of my data from my creaking and very unhappy NAS server my first port of call was to switch on folder duplication.  This allows your data to be spread across multiple hard drives, so if one of them goes South your data isn’t taken with it.  In the event of this happening the server throws up warnings on the WHS Console and gives you the option to remove the bad drive and replace it with a new one resulting in no loss of data.  How do I know this?  I had a Seagate hard drive give up the ghost on my old custom built WHS box a couple of years ago.  As many a techie will tell you, you only ever lose valuable data once.  Sadly many of us have learnt the hard way, but at least we can pass on our experiences so hopefully it won’t happen to you as well!  As you can see from the screenshot below, enabling Folder Duplication is as simple as ticking a box.

This particular home server is very heavy on media conversion and sharing capabilities, which aren’t primarily my focus for this unit and you can read more about those in my previous write up.  But I will happily admit I love having all my music shared on the server, and having each of the various shares as part of my Windows 7 libraries.

For me one of the other key elements for chosing this particular home server is its ability to do complete image backups of all the PCs each day, and my Mac’s.  I have two Apple machines, a previous generation iMac and a MacBook Pro.  Up until now I have been using external USB drives for Time Machine backups.  The HP software allows separate Time Machine partitions for each machine to be part of one central Mac share on the home server.  This is absolutely priceless for me, and as many homes and small businesses now contain Apple hardware of some form so things really does make the MediaSmart a focal point for storing everything.

But what about backing up the server itself?  It’s great having everything in one place, but that’s a single point of failure right?  Absolutely.  I have a Terabyte external eSATA/USB drive attached to my MediaSmart server which is added into the storage pool as a specific backup device for Windows Home Server.  Then when you want to backup your home server data, it’s as simple as selecting which shares need to be backed up and clicking a button (as shown below).

As an extra added protection layer I also use CloudBerry Backup for WHS which I have reviewed previously.  This backup is scheduled to run daily and copies my important documents over to Amazon S3 storage.
Just because I’m paranoid about losing data I also backup with Carbonite as well, although this is done from a desktop PC as I found it was unhappy working with Windows Home Server.

So can Windows Home Server really be a solution for a small business?  I think so.  If your company contains a handful of users and you aren’t in need of Small Business Server then this is a great first step into managed computing.

At Cullen IT, we like to keep our thinking free and independant. We aren’t tied down to one particular vendor for workstations or servers, preferring to asses what is right for each individual customer.

When it comes to computer hardware, we favour either Dell or Hewlett Packard. HP have been our preferred supplier of servers and desktop computers for many years, especially in the enterprise server space.
Dell have improved greatly in recent years, delivering high quality machines at affordable prices, coupled with an excellent support service.

When it comes to network security appliances, we speak the language of Sonicwall. We have several years experience of supporting Sonicwall hardware from a security conscious home office setup, right up to a worldwide entertainment provider.

Our relationship with key Sonicwall suppliers also means that our Sonicwall hardware and licensing prices are extremely competitive, as is installation.

For more information on hardware solutions, or any of our other services please call us on (02081) 335475, or fill in the contact form.

Pete has been working in the IT industry for fifteen years, many of them for local government authorities, beginning with PC support and progressing to server and infrastructure projects.
After nearly ten years and numerous successful high profile projects for Bournemouth Borough Council, Pete left to form Cullen IT, initially to provide contract services.

In January 2008 we attained the Microsoft Small Business Specialist accreditation, and began expanding our portfolio of services. At this time Pete also attained a number of professional Microsoft qualifications including the MCSE, MCSA and the latest Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator making us fully qualified on the 2008 suite of Microsoft Server products.

We now offer support services to businesses of any size, hardware procurement, disaster recovery solutions, full system design and implementation as well as consultancy services either for businesses with no dedicated IT staff, or to complement your existing IT department.

We are based just outside the town of Lymington in Hampshire, and primarily cover the South Hampshire and Dorset region.
Whether you are a one person company with a single PC, or a multi-site corporation we have a solution that is right for you. For any further information please do not hesitate to call us on (02081) 335475, or fill in the Contact form.

References are available if you would like to hear what our customers have to say about us, and you can also check out Pete’s personal web site which talks about technology, movies, videogames and life in general in a light hearted and (hopefully!) amusing fashion.

Here at Cullen IT we take qualifications extremely seriously, and hold a wide range of Microsoft certifications across various product families.

The Microsoft Small Business Specialist accreditation lets you know that we are experts in our key area, supporting the SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) market. We support Microsoft Small Business Server 2003, 2008 and Essential Business Server.

We also hold these Microsoft qualifications, and even more that aren’t listed here dating back to the year 2000. The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSE) 2003 qualification displays that we are capable of supporting anyone from a single PC to an enterprise of thousands on the Windows Server 2003 platform.

Technology is always updating itself, and we also hold the latest Microsoft qualification that has replaced the MCSE, the Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator. This brings our skillset bang up to date with the Windows Server 2008 operating system, we even have the polo shirts to prove it!

For a full transcript of our qualifications, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.

We offer a range of services that are tailor made to help your companies computer systems run smoothly, taking away the headache of day to day maintenance tasks so you can get on with the important business of running your company, not running around after your computers.
We can support all of the following platforms:

Windows Clients (XP, Vista, Windows 7)
Windows Server (NT,2000, 2003, 2008)
Microsoft Small Business Server (2003, 2008)
Microsoft Exchange Server (5.5-2007)
Microsoft SQL Server (7-2008)
Network Infrastructure

You can also be sure that when you have Cullen IT look after your computers that you are employing an IT firm with the professional credentials to back us up. You wouldn’t let a non-CORGI registered plumber loose on your central heating system, don’t let unqualified IT people touch your computers!
As well as being a Registered Microsoft Partner, we are a Microsoft Small Business Specialist and a Citrix Certified Administrator. For more information on our extensive range of professional certifications, just take a look at our Qualifications page.

These are some examples of the support services we provide. If you are looking for something but don’t see it here, then please phone (02081) 335475 or fill in the contact form.

Ad Hoc Support
Got a problem with your existing computers and need them fixed in a hurry? Then our ad hoc support service is right for you.
We won’t try and charge you extra for a server problem either. With one low hourly rate for on-site support you always know that when the bill comes, it won’t be with a sting in the tail. And if you go slightly over the hour, we always round down rather than up!
You aren’t restricted to one computer either! Spyware problems on a PC, an e-mail problem on your server? We will take a look at them all and never charge you a penny above our standard hourly rate.

In an urgent hurry to get that issue resolved right away? We don’t always have to come out on site to fix your problem. If you have access to the internet and an e-mail account, we can securely connect to your machine remotely and fix it before your eyes. Even better, we charge you less for it!

Time Bank Support
Looking for a more structured ad hoc solution, but don’t require a full support contract? Then why not purchase time bank hours with us? By purchasing support hours in bundles up front you get the peace of mind knowing that we are there when you need us. You also benefit from a reduction in price over our standard hourly rate, so whether you buy five, ten or even fifty hours of support with us, you can be sure you are getting the best value IT support for your money.

Support Contract
We are now so reliant on computers for our businesses sometimes you need a little more peace of mind than knowing we are at the end of the phone if you have a problem. You want to know your computers are being monitored for any issues that may arise now, or even in the near future. You want to be sure that they are up to date with the latest updates and security patches from Microsoft and your antivirus/spyware supplier. If this is the case then a support contract will put your mind at ease, and your computers in safe hands.

Each support contract is fully tailored to the customers requirements, and can either be paid monthly, or annually. As with our ad hoc service, we offer discounts for an annual contract that is paid up front.
Standard items that are included in a support contract include:

PC support and management
Server hardware and software monitoring and administration
Microsoft Patch management
Backup monitoring and administration
Antivirus and spyware updating and monitoring
Network hardware management
Network monitoring

If you would like further information on any of our support packages then please call us on (02081) 335475, or fill in the contact form.

From Windows 3.1 up to Windows 7 on the desktop, and NT 4 to Server 2008 R2 on the server side, we have extensive experience with nearly every Microsoft operating system to date. But it’s not just the core foundation products. We are high proficient in Exchange, SQL Server and Systems Centre.

Our key market is the Small to Medium sized Enterprise (SME), and in this arena Microsoft have a number of solutions tailor made for your business.

Small Business Server 2008

Windows Small Business Server 2008 is designed for small businesses. It is designed to work with existing technology, build on Microsoft best practices, and deliver a comprehensive network at an affordable price.

• Have virtually anytime, anywhere access to your business desktop, including e-mail, files, business applications, and more.

• Share resources and equipment, such as Internet access, printers, and fax machines, to get the most value from your technology investments.

• Enjoy compatibility and scalability. As your business needs change, Windows Small Business Server 2008 can change with you. Easily add users, servers, and applications, or expand into other Microsoft technologies.

• Work more efficiently and add more value to your business with an integrated administrative console.

• Work confidently with a top performing network based on Windows Server 2008 technologies.

Protect Your Business Data
Windows Small Business Server 2008 helps protect your vital business information from loss, by backing up the data on your network and helping enable you to recover accidentally deleted files.

• Use antivirus and anti-spam protection to help protect your information from malicious attacks, viruses, and spam.

• Keep your computers and servers current and your network healthy and up to date with the latest updates.

• Get better control over your business and business information with daily and weekly reports alerting you on the health and security of your technology. A single administrative console gives you or your IT consultant a daily view of PCs and servers and makes it easier to manage common IT tasks.

• Get an at-a-glance snapshot of the security and health of your PCs and servers from a ‘green check’ report.

Grow Your Business Capacity
Windows Small Business Server 2008 gives you highly secure access to business contacts, calendars, e-mail, files, and other important desktop resources from any Internet-connected computer, virtually anywhere at any time, so you can be productive while you’re away from the office or on the road.

• Improve your day-to-day efficiency by using a central repository for storing and sharing information.

• Connect with customers, vendors, and suppliers easily and professionally, with access to contacts, appointments, and files from any Internet-connected computer or a Windows Mobile powered smartphone, so you can be responsive even when you are away from the office.

• Create a bigger business presence.

For more information on SBS 2008, you can download the brochure from us HERE.

Essential Business Server 2008

Designed for larger companies with over 75 employees/workstations. EBS comes on three servers, providing a resiliant and reliable solutions for larger enterprises.

If anyone could give me an explanation as to exactly where those four months have gone, and what happened during them I would be eternally grateful.

Anyway, I am committing a cardinal blogging sin right now by writing a post that apologises for not blogging.  It won’t happen again, I promise.  Some form of normal service will be resumed very soon.
In my wafer thing defence, things have been rather busy.  But there will be new content coming very soon, honest guv.

Today I am looking at Cloudberry Backup for Windows Home Server from Cloudberry Lab.
Of course it goes without saying that any form of data requires some kind of backup solution, preferably more than one. For a long time I have run with a system of having all of my machines backed up by Windows Home Server as we all being imaged by Acronis True Image to both a NAS and USB hard drive. Then data files (company documents, etc) are also backed up online via Carbonite.Over the top? Perhaps to some but believe me, once you lose a hard drive full of data (which I have done, several years ago) it only happens once.

CB4WHS is a plug-in for WHS which allows you to back up your data to Amazon S3 storage in the “cloud”. The application presents itself in the WHS console and sticks with a simple interface to get you up and running with as little fuss as possible. All you will need is an Amazon Web Services account, and all the relevant keys and passwords for it.

My personal favourite feature of the product is that it allows your to select and backup files on network drives, not just locally on the WHS itself. This is a small limitation of Carbonite, which can only backup files that are stored on your local hard disk.

My backup plan contains locally stored files on the WHS server, and documents from a NAS box which is the perfect “set and forget” solution for myself. Running costs are also kept fairly low, as Amazon’s S3 fees are incredibly low and after an initial backup of large files you are charged on bandwith used. For my documents those charges are minimal.

So if you have a Windows Home Server and are looking for a very simple, low priced and easy to use off-site backup tool it is well worth taking a look at the Cloudberry solution.

Following on from my previous post about using Windows Home Server in a small business, I have been eyeing the HP MediaSmart EX490 WHS box but stock has been rarer than hens teeth.
Last Thursday the hard drive in my primary work notebook (a Dell XPS M1530) started to give up the ghost after a couple of years of severely heavy use. I ordered a new drive (7,200 spin instead of 5,400), replaced it and restored from the Windows Home Server. Chalk up another win to the “set and forget” nature of the product.

Then on Wednesday evening my WHS box finally keeled over and died. I’m not surprised, what started as a test box ended up getting a large amount of use over the last year or so and it was built up of old hardware as a test to see how it handled it. It was also the last PC I built myself, in recent years with the drop in prices of machines from the primary builders I haven’t even contemplated buying all the components and building up a machine myself.

Several hard drives, motherboards and power supplies later the machine flat out refused to switch on and that was that the end of it for me. I removed the drives, memory and anything else I could salvage and put the sad case aside.
The following morning I came into the office, thinking about the HP box even more, but not really wanting to spend out £430. Amazon even had the servers in stock for next day shipping…

Then I noticed a PC I had up on the workbench. An old unit that I was rebuilding to install in the staff room of my primary client. The machine had died overnight, and I had left it pulling down items from Windows Update. I restarted the machine. Nothing, completely dead. Wandered into the staff room to check the machine I put in the afternoon before. Guess what? Yes, dead. Three hardware failures in less than 24 hours!

The happy end to the story is that I managed to salvage memory and hard drives from the PCs (and have already used them today).
I also saved myself from buying the HP server. Last night I took two of the three drives that came from the deceased WHS box and installed them into a Dell chassis. Half an hour of new drivers, product reactivation and integrity checking later my WHS lived again.

Again this proves what a hardy solution WHS is, and I will be writing more posts centred around it in the very near future.

However, those us with considerably less time free on our calendars can appreciate a piece of software that makes our lives just a little bit easier. Today I’m talking about a great new tool for easily installing multiple applications at once called Ninite.

This is especially timely given that large numbers of people are enjoying the wonders of Windows 7 and are faced with the unwanted task of having to reinstall software. I’m sure there are many people out there who have all of their essential applications stored on a flash drive that goes everywhere with them (just like I do) but can’t help getting fed up with installing scores of applications such as a PDF reader, CCleaner and Defraggler (which I have extolled the virtues of here before), Firefox, Skype, etc.

Ninite is a new web service from a startup in San Francisco which makes the installation of free applications a wholly painless experience. As you can see from the screenshot here it is extremely simple. Simply browse the list of applications, put a tick in the box of each one you require and create a tiny custom installer executable program.

Run the program and Ninite will scurry off and download your choice of applications and install them for you accepting all the default options and denying all the bloatware such as browser toolbars or add-ins. And that is it! No repeatedly clicking Next, de-selecting the unwanted “features” and generally getting fed up. Just let Ninite run, grab a drink of your favourite beverage and wait patiently.

Right now Ninite is free to everyone, and the premium features are enabled for all to use. My personal favourite here is the ability to create a local cache of the installer files. Simply create a folder next to your custom installer called NiniteCache and the application will download the software direct to here.

Then if you have multiple computers that require the same software, just run the installer on them and have it all install from the cached files saving your precious internet bandwith.
You can even create different installers for machines that may require perhaps maybe just Firefox and Skype. Again the installer will look to your local cache and pull the installer files out from here. The cache can also be located on a network share if you so desire.

As I have already mentioned, these premium features are currently free to everyone but they will revert to a pay model in due course. But the basic functionality will always be free. So for someone who builds a lot of computers and has a decent broadband internet connection, Ninite is an absolute Godsend.

The reason for my writing about this? I have been coming into contact with customers lately who are running a small business from home with a couple of PCs and no need for a stand alone server such as SBS or even the new Windows Foundation Server. They store documents locally or on a simple NAS box, perhaps sharing them out between users. The PCs and data are backed up to either a NAS box or a USB hard drive using a product such as Acronis True Image, or even Windows Backup. This configuration works just fine for them, they don’t have a large amount of money to outlay on hardware and software and they are happy to do things this way. Of course we don’t always agree with the way our customers do things, but the IT solution should always be designed around the customers wishes and their budget.

My interest in WHS as a business solution has been piqued this week by the news that HP has started to sell its superb MediaSmart Server products here in the UK again. HP are the largest manufacturer to truly embrace the WHS platform, but the second generation of units was not made available to us. Only a single model has been released here though, the MediaSmart EX490 coming in with 2Gb of memory and 1Tb of disk storage (expandable of course, by adding more drives).

But what exactly does WHS do? It is essentially a storage device designed to sit on your network and store all of your data (photos, documents, music, etc) and manage all of your connected PCs.
Each PC on your network running either Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 connects to WHS via a piece of connector software and from there it is monitored and backed up.

Backup is a key feature in WHS which takes away the headache of keeping your backups monitored. It is a set and forget solution, and each computer is backed up to the server each night (or whenever you choose to schedule it). WHS backup overrides the default Windows Backup program, and restoring files or even an entire PC is as simple as boiling the kettle while it does so.

What makes the HP boxes so special is that HP supplies them with their own custom software which far expands the default functionality of the WHS product. I mentioned all of your PCs connect to WHS, and with the enhancements HP have made, Mac computers are also supported. Full system backups from Time Machine are supported by the MediaSmart server allow for file or complete system restores should the need arise.

Naturally as the product is primarily designed for multiple computers on a home network, many of the features of the HP box are designed for home users such as media collection, iTunes server, streaming of audio and video, iPod and iPhone streaming support, etc. Hardly hardcore applications required for a business I will admit, but handy ones to have.

Where I feel the HP WHS box does appeal is in its price. The EX490 has a UK RRP of £430, and I believe it is certainly worth considering for the small business customer who isn’t looking for all the bells and whistles that an SBS or EBS server solution provides.

For more information on the HP WHS box I suggest reading Paul Thurrott’s excellent review at the SuperSite for Windows. And of course, feel free to contact us if you are considering an installing of WHS and require some assistance.

So nothing earth shattering to report with this post, I just wanted to issue a reminder to everyone to run Windows Update, or approve your patches in WSUS.  Regardless of how you obtain your security fixes, be sure to get them this and every month!

Over time as applications get installed and removed, internet caches get filled up and PCs slowly grind to a near halt.  Especially Windows XP, after several years of use it is not uncommon to find multiple gigabytes of junk lurking around.  While there is no greater medicine for a grumbling machine that a full wipe and reinstall of Windows (or in cases of particularly aged hardware, a new machine) these two utilities could help you out of a jam.  Oh and they are also 100% free of charge.

CCleaner
Originally called Crap Cleaner but shortened as to not offend any delicate sensibilities, CCleaner is one of the most essential tools I use on a daily basis.  Quite simply it clears out the crap from your machine and (hopefully) speeds it up.
It cleans Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari and a whole host of Windows features like temporary files, logs, etc.  The Registry cleaner is perhaps my favourite feature, and it also gets shot of a whole pile of junk from third party applications like Acrobat, WinZip, etc.

On one particular clients machine this tool gets rid of over 500mb of internet temporary files alone each month (but they are web designers!).  My record is 3.5Gb on a home machine, so it is well worth running on everything you have.  Special note, it is also profile specific so if you have a user who has a honking great profile you will need to be logged in as them to get the full benefits.

Defraggler
Defraggler is also from Piriform who make CCleaner and Recuva (a file recovery utility) and is a small, lightweight and very powerful disk defragmentation tool.  The built in Windows defrag tool is alright, but this is the closest I have found to the very old school Speedisk from the old days of the Norton Utilities suite.  Once again a defragmented disk will keep things behaving as they should.

Many people are enticed into contracting purely for financial reasons.  Typically a contractor is considerably better paid than a permanent employee, depending on skills and job type of course.  When I first looked it wasn’t unusual to see very high level jobs paying £500 a day.
With the recession rates have been slashed in recent months, and with so few contracts to go around there are many highly skilled contractors “on the bench” waiting for the phone to ring.  There was a time when agencies struggled to find available contractors, and an urgency was placed to getting us locked in as soon as possible before another agency snapped us up for a different role.

I have been out of the full time contractor game for over eighteen months, and greatly prefer the consultancy work with many customers that I do now, as opposed to working full time and hoping for a contract extension every six months.
But earlier today I paid a visit to the Contractor UK forums.  It was through here that I first set up my business and used the comprehensive free guides on offer which are invaluable for anyone setting up a small business, not just contractors wanting a limited company.

While the money grabbing “greed is good” Gordon Gecko mentality was still very much in evidence on  the forum, I was shocked at some of the horror stories relating to how some of the folks are treated.  Particularly in the London Investment Banking arena, the levels of verbal abuse and bullying people are subjected too is unbelievable.

What surprises me even more is that so many people were responding along the lines of “Yeah, that’s what happens in IB” and “Just keep your head down and think of extra money you are pulling in over the permies”.
Can “the money” really be worth it for these guys and girls?  Yes money is nice, and contractor money when negotiated correctly can be extremely nice.  But is a fat pay cheque at the end of the week (as most contractors are paid weekly) worth all the grief and stress that comes with it?

Not to my mind, certainly.  Money is nice, but personal health and wellbeing far outweigh the ability to feed the consumerism dream.  Me?  I’ll stick to doing what I do now thanks.  The rewards go beyond financial gain, and the tea and cakes are a welcome bonus.

This post is just an informational one to say that we are shutting down for a few days to take a very much needed rest.  So from 5:30 this Wednesday until 09:00 the following Wednesday we will not be answering e-mail or telephone calls.

Customers with urgent problems have mobile numbers and my personal e-mail address.  But everyone needs an unhindered break from time to time, and it is our turn to relax for a while.

And so it came to pass, that my two week old MacBook Pro developed a fault.  It had been running perfectly for a few hours a day when I noticed the screen start to flicker.  Imagine you are in a room and someone flicks the lightswitch on and off at random intervals.  That’s what my problem was, the screen would dim and then brighten repeatedly, also causing the illuminated Apple logo on the lid to pulse in unison.

I left the machine on test for a couple of days but sadly the problem continued so after repeatedly cursing under my breath I gave Apple technical support a phone call.
Firstly, the call centre I was connected to was in Ireland and the technician was extremely helpful talking me through the initial support phases trying everything out.

Sadly as expected, this wasn’t a problem that could be resolved over the phone so a repair had to be booked.  I am still smarting from when I received a faulty Dell Studio Hybrid computer a few months ago, which was repaired and came back covered in scratches.  So the prospect of sending another new machine off to a third party repair company (especially such a beautifully crafted block of aluminium goodness) filled me with dread.

But this is when the quality service started.  Less than five minutes after giving my details to the Apple support line I received a phone call from Group 8.  Group 8 handle most of Apple’s repairs in the UK, and they arranged for the machine to be collected via UPS the next day.
I should point out at this point in the proceedings that UPS were the weakest link in the chain here, when the delivery drivers assistant turned up with the cardboard box and didn’t realise he was picking something up.  Leading to “hilarious” blank looks when Sally asked about collection paperwork.  He also took the machine away without giving anything back to us, and handing over £1000 worth of hardware without so much as a receipt made me rather nervous.

Cutting to the chase, on Tuesday morning I checked the Apple support portal and the repair status was showing as “Delayed by customer”.  The customer certainly wasn’t delaying it, so I gave the support line another call.

This time I spoke to an extremely helpful Italian chap who kept me on hold for a few minutes and terrifying me by saying “It doesn’t look like the notebook was delivered to Group 8″.  Fortunately when he came back he told me the reason for the delay was simply that Group 8 hadn’t updated the support system when they received the machine.  Phew!

So I gave Group 8 a call direct and the receptionist had my details with thirty seconds, told me the engineers has tried to get hold of me the previous day (which is actually true, I had missed calls on my home land line phone) but couldn’t leave a message as I have just upgraded the phone to a dual band Skype/standard one.

What then stunned me was the receptionist transferred me over to the technician who was dealing with the machine!  I have never had this happen with any large manufacturers support before.  You usually have to do the dance around various level support staff but never actually get to talk to the man behind the curtain with the screwdriver.

Naturally, they had been unable to replicate the problem on the test bench but I had included a note detailing the problem with the machine.  I also fortunately took some video with my iPhone of the problem happening.  The technician (Brendan) was sure it was a simple case of replacing the screen but they were keen to ensure that was definitely the cause of the problem.

I uploaded the video in question to Twitvid directly from the phone (at this point I didn’t realise even though my iPhone is paired with the MacBook you can still retrieve the photos and videos taken with the camera on any machine, even a PC) and also included a couple of other YouTube links showing a similar problem.

The next day Group 8 called back to arrange delivery of the repaired machine for the following day, and didn’t even quibble about delivering it to my daytime office address.
All told I was incredibly impressed with the service I received from Apple and Group 8.  From receiving the machine on Monday to shipping it back out again took 48 hours, and it came back in as perfect condition as when it left.

Any IT person worth his or her salt will always try and guide you away from upgrading your OS, as a clean install is always the right way to go.  But anyone buying a new PC right now with Vista from one of the large manufacturers is entitled to a copy of 7 come October 22nd, and I can see many folks wanting to be able to perform an in-place upgrade rather than wipe their systems and start again.

No doubt there will be plenty of pomp and bluster from the EU, Opera, and anyone who isn’t Microsoft in the coming weeks and months, but for now I’m happy that my job has been made just a little bit easier.