We've got several high-end workstations at work, which are part of an exceptionally expensive (and exceptionally c**p, but that's another thread) IT system.
However, the workstations are progressively dieing, and we're now starting to get to the point, where there aren't enough to go around. Just to reiterate, these are high-end workstations, with highly specialised displays and software (estimated cost about $40k per seat) and a very expensive software licence/support contract (estimated $5k per seat per year).
Example 1. Workstation has a faulty DIMM. Periodically reboots and logs some sort of memory parity error in the event log. Usually, but not always, stops at POST with a 'Parity error on DIMM 0'. First logged a ticket with IT 2 months ago. They've come along a couple of times, rebooted it, and got it into windows, and left saying that it's fine. Trouble is that it's unusuable, because it keeps rebooting.
Example 2. The software is incrdibly unstable, and as core parts of the software run as a service, when it crashes you can't CTL_ALT_DEL it, nor can you shutdown because the service has hung. Only option is to reset and pray. 3 weeks ago, this happened to me. I reset the box. But now the OS is hosed, and it won't come back up. Ticket logged 3 weeks ago. Workstation still dead.
I think IT are sick of having me phone them, but I'm beginning to wonder whether there is something terribly wrong with them - as these shouldn't be terribly difficult problems to fix.
However, the workstations are progressively dieing, and we're now starting to get to the point, where there aren't enough to go around. Just to reiterate, these are high-end workstations, with highly specialised displays and software (estimated cost about $40k per seat) and a very expensive software licence/support contract (estimated $5k per seat per year).
Example 1. Workstation has a faulty DIMM. Periodically reboots and logs some sort of memory parity error in the event log. Usually, but not always, stops at POST with a 'Parity error on DIMM 0'. First logged a ticket with IT 2 months ago. They've come along a couple of times, rebooted it, and got it into windows, and left saying that it's fine. Trouble is that it's unusuable, because it keeps rebooting.
Example 2. The software is incrdibly unstable, and as core parts of the software run as a service, when it crashes you can't CTL_ALT_DEL it, nor can you shutdown because the service has hung. Only option is to reset and pray. 3 weeks ago, this happened to me. I reset the box. But now the OS is hosed, and it won't come back up. Ticket logged 3 weeks ago. Workstation still dead.
I think IT are sick of having me phone them, but I'm beginning to wonder whether there is something terribly wrong with them - as these shouldn't be terribly difficult problems to fix.
