MacBook Pro vs. Maxtor External Hard Drive

MacBook Pro at the desktop.
Image via Wikipedia

I did a post about my computer issues recently. Let’s just say that I went a little mad without a computer and with a back-log of work to do, and my credit card took a beating. Seeing as I’ll be moving overseas at the end of the year, I’ve decided that, whilst it sucks that my hand was forced, a laptop would be easier to transport than a 21” desktop.

That does not mean that I have given up on the desktop. I’m picking it up tomorrow. From what it sounds, I haven’t done anything to it to make it give up the ghost, so I don’t see why I should pay over $1000 to get it fixed when it hasn’t lasted a minimum 5 years (a reasonable length of time under the Consumers Guarantees Act). But I digress.

The new MacBook Pro arrived today. I have my Maxtor 1TB external hard drive at work ready to plug in, load up my previous computer’s data onto the new computer, ready to get to work.

The MacBook Pro will not recognise the external hard drive. At all. Even Disk Utility won’t see it.

Panic.

So, as with most issues, I put a post on facebook to see if my friends can shed any light on the situation. Believe me, that works most times.

Then I searched the internet for answers. I’ve linked what I found here; so I can refer to it later, can make sense of it, and so others with the same issue can use what I found.

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I know a published poet!

My friend Chris Tse has been published in a book of poetry by the Auckland University Press (AUP). Very exciting! You can read his blog, The Asiatic League, here.

AUP New Poets 4, featuring Chris Tse

 

VicBooks and The Victoria University Library presents The AUP New Poets Launch  – Thursday 17 March at Te Taratara a Kae, Victoria University Library, Rankine Brown Building, Kelburn Campus – 5-7pm.

I can’t go, so you all should.

The popular AUP New Poets series, which brings fresh new poetry to a wider audience, began in 1999 and has launched the careers of well-known poets such as Anna Jackson, Sonja Yelich and Stu Bagby. This fourth volume showcases the work of three distinct new voices: Chris Tse, Erin Scudder and Harry Jones. Chris Tse is a Wellington writer whose work draws on his family history and Chinese heritage. Canadian born Erin Scudder writes sophisticated, dark, and flavoursome poetry with close attention to the sound and shape of words. Tauranga based Harry Jones writes poems in which appearances deceive. On the surface plain, even easy, his poems open on depths of insight and feeling.
– http://web.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/aup/forthcoming/forthcoming_home.cfm

You can also hear one of Chris’ poems, The Family Village, on SoundCloud.

16mm film course

A 16 mm spring-wound Bolex "H16" Ref...
Image via Wikipedia

I had my first class for the 16mm film course that I am doing with Alex Funke and Paul Wolffram. The classes are weekly until early-May, and also involve a weekend shoot in late April. During the course of the … course … we’ll be making a short film. Each of us will be camera operator/director for a scene. Some of us also have roles for the shoot. I’m HOD Sound, which I’m pretty stoked about.

We’re shooting on an Eclair NPR, an Arriflex SR2, and a Bell and Howell Filmo.

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Seductobot and Porcelain Toy

Quite Sensible presents ... The Seductobot

I’m taking a quick break from auditions for The Bonzai Tree to check emails and write a quick post. Last night I filmed the penultimate show for The Seductobot. The show is a blast, heightened with a full audience, laughing at the jokes and clapping at the end of each number. The last show is TONIGHT – 8pm Saturday 5 March at Perrett’s Corner (corner Manners and Willis Streets). Tickets can be bought on the door, so do get along.

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The computer verdict

I’ve been contacted by the service centre about my computer. First I got a message saying that it froze on them, but then they restarted it and they could not replicate the problem. Then I called them and was told (paraphrasing):

We cannot replicate the issue. We don’t know what’s wrong with it. It could be the Logic Board or the Graphics Card. We can order them in, but you’ll have to pay for them. The Logic Board costs $1483+gst. The Graphics Card costs $809+gst. And they’d charge me for a half-hour to install and test. The Graphics Card would be better because they can return it if that’s not the issue. Because it’s no longer under warranty, and considering the cost, it might be cheaper to just get a new computer.

Of course, paying for a Logic Board or Graphics Card may just be a waste of money, because they’ve already said they don’t know if that’s what the issue is.

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A crazy week = a sign of things to come?

I got my computer back from the service centre. On Saturday, after a morning of cleaning and before heading out to Summer Shakespeare, I pulled out the computer, set it up, and turned it on.

It’s not fixed.

Continue reading “A crazy week = a sign of things to come?”

Choose Your Own Fringe

I’m very excited to be filming the opening night of ‘Choose Your Own Fringe’ tonight. I’m about to rush off and set up.

I saw some of the rehearsals in the weekend, and really enjoyed what I saw. I’m looking forward to tonight’s performance.

The show is like those ‘Pick A Path’ books from the 80s. Each audience member has a button, so they can select Option A or Option B. They then pick how the story is going to progress.

I’m also looking forward to filming ‘The Seductobot’ next week. I’m going to their dress rehearsal on Monday, then am filming on the Friday night.

My thoughts are with those who are in Christchurch, and who are dealing with another massive earthquake. The relatives and friends that I’ve heard from are all okay. Looking forward to hearing from the others.

I’m also looking forward to seeing this year’s Summer Shakespeare, ‘The Winter’s Tale’, at the Soundshell. And I hope to find time to get along to all the other Fringe shows I’d like to. On Friday I got to see the final night of ‘The Most Fun Funeral’ by Anne Brashier. It was awesome!

And the service centre looked at my Mac and it decided to work again. So it should be back home soon, so I can get back to my film projects.

Got to rush. See ya!

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Sirocco Beginners: Costume

Boudoir Beledi Bellydance Troupe
Image by Dance Photographer - Brendan Lally via Flickr
This post is for the Sirocco Beginner’s Bellydance Class, 2011.

In class over the next month we will discuss costuming for performance. You will require the following costume items:

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My Mac has died!

[insert frustrated cry here!]

The mac has decided to not turn on. Two days ago, I went to turn it on. After 2 minutes, the screen turned to black and I couldn’t do anything. Twice. The next day I turned it on. Within 10 seconds, the screen turned to white, and I couldn’t do anything. Yesterday I turned it on. I didn’t even get to the desktop: the screen turned to black, and, again, I couldn’t do anything.

This is a bad time. I’ve got a script to rewrite urgently; I’ve got to work on my research project for a meeting with my superviser; and I can’t have any skype meetings. Grar! I finally finished the ‘Harmless’ DVDs for Cast and Crew, but can’t burn off more until the computer is fixed. I also am starting teaching dance classes this week, but can’t burn off the new CDs that I was working on until the computer is fixed. Oh yes, and a friend is writing music for FAWM, and asked if I could record some of the songs for her.

So, apologies to anyone who needs things from me urgently that I need my computer for. I probably can’t do it until I get it fixed or replaced.

I got the Mac from the Mac Store in 2008. I’ve got to work out whether to get it looked at by the Mac Store in Wellington, or return it to the web people to look at (does that mean shipping to China?). And I may have to look at insurance. GAH!

Oh yes, and this is in addition to my @masc.co.nz email account having issues, and not receiving emails.

In the meantime, I’ll be using the computer at work for personal things during my breaks. Hence, short posts. See ya.

Fringe shows

Fringe (TV series)
Image via Wikipedia

Fringe Festival

The 2011 Wellington Fringe Festival is coming up. That means masses of awesome shows, and not enough time to see them all. Aaaargh!

I’ve been booked to film one of the shows – The Seductobot – which my friend Rose has written/directed/produced/etc. I’m also going to be helping building the sets for Choose Your Own Fringe, which my friend George is co-producing and has co-written, and for which my friend Gemma is writing music.

I’ve just written blog posts on the MASC website about 5 shows that people I know are involved in. They are…

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