Dell Customer Support

Q: What is the fastest way to get a failed hardware device replaced on a Dell system under warranty?

A: Consider using the online chat feature then turn off your brain and do what the techs ask you to, step by step.

Explanation - Received a laptop in with CRC errors within the operating system.  Ran Dell's brief DIAG (with the system off hold the Fn button down then press / release power then let off Fn) which of course found nothing.  Tried to run the extended DIAG but the system said the diag partition was not installed.

The HD was a Samsung so I ran the Samsung HDD and it found bad sectors.  I took screen shots of the diag to submit to dell.

Called Dell Tech support and explain the situation and offered the screen shots of the bad sectors.

Dell - Please run the diag

Me - I ran the Diag & here's an error

Dell - Thank you, could you please run the Diag?

Me - I already did do you not believe me?

Dell - not that I don't believe you, I just need you to run the Diagnostics.

Me - I already did, it said the system has bad sectors.

Dell - Thank you, could you please run the Diagnostics?

Called back a second time with similar results.

Resolution:

Finally found the Dell Drivers CD that has the bootable diagnostic.  Ran the full diag & it found errors on the drive & spit out a proprietary Dell Error code.  I opened  a chat window with a technician provided the Service Tag and the Error code.  He was convinced and started the process of sending me a HD.

Check Point defined GUI Client

Tried to open Smart Dashboard from a workstation the other day and could not connect to the management station running windows 2003.

Q: How do you define GUI Clients on Server 2003?
A: Simply run cpconfig on the local Windows Server 2003 Management station click on the GUI Clients tab, add the remote hostname & click ok at the bottom

Change Password inside Remote Desktop RDP Server 2003

Q: How do you change your password while inside a remote desktop session?

A: On a local (console) session you would use CTRL-ALT-DEL to prompt the Windows Security window giving you the option to change your password.   That doesn’t work inside a remote desktop window.  In that case you use CTRL-ALT-END it sends a CTRL-ALT-DEL to the remote system.

My question today, how do you change the password of your account of an RDP window inside an RDP window?  You cannot use either method above.  I found a faster method that will work in all three situations on computing.net.  Simply click start then click “Windows Security” (might have to look under settings if you have the classic Start menu.  Windows Security is the same prompt you see when you send a CTRL-ALT-DEL.