Our IBM rep has been hard at work. Lots of interesting developments, per my phone discussion with him this afternoon …
First off, they do not have a plug-n-playable replacement system. The A-series Thinkpad is no longer in manufacture, and they have none in stock. Rats. Data transfer and program reinstall is inevitable.
(To be fair, if I used a standard-image notebook, vanilla-configured, this wouldn’t be a huge deal. Since I highly configure my machine, not to mention install nonstandard bits like Firefox and CoH, it is a problem, albeit one I can’t squawk too loudly about.)
He’s still been looking into one of three possibilities (in this order):
- Do any of his clients, who also have A-series machines, have a spare they could loan?
- Shipping an alternative laptop (T-series) for me to do the data/program shuffle on.
- Simply sending me a permanent “mechanical replacement” system, which would still mean a data transfer.
I raised the issue that this appeared to be the same problem as last time, and if IBM knows what it fixed then, they could let a local repair shop know and have the part ready. Being out my machine for 36 hours would be better than 3-5 business days (minimum). He doesn’t seem as interested in this, which makes me wonder what IBM tech support is telling him about my problem.
We discussed what level of functionality I’m at (I can get by as long as I’m someplace with a monitor to plug into, which is not conducive to being away from my office desk — e.g., on jury duty on Monday).
I noted that I’d prefer alternative #3 to #2 above — not so much because it would be a new machine (though that’s nice) but because it would mean only a single transfer of data (assuming it doesn’t break, too). And I’d need to do next time I get a new machine anyway, right?
He was very sympathetic to my ongoing problems and present difficulties (in a customer service sort of way — I’m not sure if I’m being treated as a VIP, treated to make me think I’m a VIP, or that I work for a Very Important Company to him), and committed to having a solution for me …
… by COB today.
We’ll see.