The grumpy thread

[M'coli]

The hard drive on my laptop is gubbed - I'm having to use the wife's. The big problem with this is that the product codes for the software(Mathcad) for the maths course I'm doing are device specific - so I need to get a new code, most of my Uni work is somewhere on it, and a lot of photos are on it too. I've used a 2.5" to 3.5" adaptor to and a 2.5" to usb adaptor to no avail - it doesn't show up as a drive, despite the BIOS recognising it. The 98SE machine sees a harddrive but doesn't allocate it a letter. Bollocks.

 

What does it do when you plug it in - does it spin up, and does it make any clunking noises?

All may not be lost.

It spins up, so indeed, all may not be lost. It is beyond my current capabilities however. The initial problem was the BSOD after hanging at the atisgkaf.sys file - often a common problem - but the BSOD shows for less than a second before the PC tries to restart. I hope to get the IT chap at my old work to have a look at it tomorrow.

[Pillock]

98SE won't allocate a letter as it'll be an NTFS drive and 98 can't read it.

Chances are if you bung it on an XP onwards machine it'll be readable.

 

You can extend the amount of time that the BSOD appears by hitting F8 when it's about to load windows (just mash it a load of times) and selecting "Disable automatic restart on failure" - giving you chance to read the error.

[Angrydicky]

Thats WELL HAWT.

 

Agreed. It's pretty much sex on wheels. Love to see that at a show somewhere, it's perfect.

 

+1

 

Really, really gorgeous. I love the lines of the A55 MK2 and the Series 5 Oxford, a wagon version of either would be GR8 4 TAT HAULIN'.

[mattblack]

I can probably glue it together so might give that a go though there is a bit missing which I''l have to fill and paint to match. Annoying though. Oxford is coming slowly. It'll get there one day. MorrisOxode's estate is a Series Five Oxford or A55MkII (can't remember which) and they are very rare as most survivors are Series 6 or A60. He should join the club really if he hasn't already http://www.co-oc.org/ I don't know of anyone specific to ask.

 

Have you got any old bits of Bakelite kicking around? There was a piece in the PVHCC mag about mixing ground up Bakelite with epoxy resin to repair broken components.

[M'coli]

98SE won't allocate a letter as it'll be an NTFS drive and 98 can't read it.

Chances are if you bung it on an XP onwards machine it'll be readable.

 

You can extend the amount of time that the BSOD appears by hitting F8 when it's about to load windows (just mash it a load of times) and selecting "Disable automatic restart on failure" - giving you chance to read the error.

Ah - didn't know that about 98SE. There are 3 laptops in the house - a turn-of-the-century Thinkpad re-jigged to run on XP, the dead Presario and the one I'm on now, running XP SP3. This one fails to see the dead Presario disc - or doesn't assign it a letter, anyway - but does the Thinkpad disc. I think Ubuntu might be the answer...!

[eddyramrod]

Lord Sterling: sorry, didn't realise you were so young! I understand your comments, and your Land Rover story checks out with one I could tell about driving wholesale veg, so it is something universal. It has been going on for a long time, but I agree, it does seem to be getting worse.

 

I've got room to talk, I haven't worked in two years! You think jobs are hard to find in UK? Try looking in Cyprus...

 

Anyway, back to topic: I started on some DIY this morning, with the intention of filling the day with it (and many of the next few, to be honest). I finished one job and packed away, ready for a break before the next one... and was treated to thunder and heavy showers for the rest of the day, with large patches of bright blue sky included! Yes, we get rain here too. So I sat with a cat on my lap, watching WTCC from Monza. I call that adequate compensation...

[warren t claim]

After much careful consideration and much alcohol I've come to the conclusion that the last full production GM Europe car to look proper Scouse hard was the Manta A series. In black. With a turbo. (Lotus Carltons don't count).

[trigger]

Agreed!.

 

Opel Manta A Turbo Advert 1974 2 by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Opel Manta A Turbo Advert 1974 1 by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[warren t claim]

I really can't properly explain but Ford of Europe seemed to be able to make any of their model range look "purposeful" by just adding a couple of spoilers and a set of driving lamps. Lob them on a Mk1 Cavalier and they just look shit. Even the 2300HSR Chevette looks like a shopping car with a Richard Grant bodykit stuck on.

[Guest]

Unit landlord is being a cock. Yes, everyone else is allowed to have cars coming out of the fucking rafters, but I'm not. How come I get it in the neck and that useless gibbering gump of a next door neighbour is allowed to fill the cow shed full of his unsaleable fleet? You know, the cow shed no-one's supposed to use except the farmer. Yeah, and the whole 'not running a business' thing - so that doesn't apply to him either, right?

 

And he can fuck off berating me for 'not being there' when he is. Am I supposed to be psychic or something? We pay the rent on time and don't cock about. I can't move one of the 480s into the unit this week at all because of my placement and revision, and also because my space is rammed full of other people's shit AGAIN. First it was that heap of an L300 that we nearly came to blows over, and now it's got an engine crane and half a Welsh forest stuffed in there for the burner which is still definitely a blackened oil can full of dust. Tidied up what I could and it'll now have to wait, I cannot be ARSED shunting Andy's Saabs out of the way on my own that block the entrance in, and I can't finish off stripping the white 480 and send it to the frag until May 28 at the earliest.

 

Not happy. Not happy at all.

 

Oh, and the excellent wheels I went to pick up, one of which is 'slighty rusty' is also 'bent as fuck'. Complete set of 4 wheels and tyres my arse. I shall be having words with the seller.

[VWPowered]

never trusing a french garage again, now im not one to moan lol, but twice this week we have been put in near death situations because of stupid french mechanics, on monday the car was grinding (needed discs and pads) so i tell janine go take it to auto l'eclerc in st junien see if they have the parts, well they didnt so she went to Profile+ opposite Carrefour in St Junien, they condemn the car as unfit to drive but said they can get the parts, fair dues i think long as the job gets done the bill then goes from €180 or discs and pads to €380 as they say the bearings are knackered, grrrr, tuesday passes as the car is not ready but wednesday morning it is ready so we go to pick the car up, its sat outside so we go and pay and we are on our way, about 2kms into our journey, janines flashing like mad so pull over, she says its not any better, i lol'd but took the car for a quick spin, then pulled over to have a gander and would you f...ing believe it still the old disc and pads on there, WTF... so go back to garage who tell us that they couldnt do the work as it was dealer only, they would however give us a refund, give me a fucking refund you did nothing, tosspots wankerstains... so of to another garage somewhat closer, yes they can get the parts would be ready the next day, ok, next day car is ready woohooo, potter about the weekend and great, anyway got home today to janine saying it was banging again, take a spin, sure enough banging, get under the car and their are no bolts holding the brake carriers on so again off to the garage on a wtf are you playing at mission to be told its was the bosses as they dont allow staff to use copper grease or locite on bolts.. OMG never ever ever again... each of these times the kids have been in the car, never trusting another french mechanic with my car ever again..

[Guest]

Not had a great day at work.

 

To cut a long story short - by the early afternoon an Email came in which I didn't like the look of, so I instinctively tried to punch it off my screen. It was a complete reflex reaction and out of my control. Wondering what I'll do tomorrow, probably stab someone! Great stuff.

[Guest]

Not had a great day at work.

 

To cut a long story short - by the early afternoon an Email came in which I didn't like the look of, so I instinctively tried to punch it off my screen. It was a complete reflex reaction and out of my control. Wondering what I'll do tomorrow, probably stab someone! Great stuff.

 

Go and work for Pog, you could drive his van and 'do' paperwork saying I'm a client of his, for services rendered in sweet and sour pork.

 

I destroyed two keyboards and roundhouse'd the vending machine in my last job. I also bounced a monitor off my desk by slamming it with my fist on that unfortunate day I walked out. That one I explained away as electric shock. And psychotic levels of stress. And the supervisor being a heinous bitch.

 

Etc.

[Cavcraft]

Whoever designed the interior plastics (let alone the pedal arrangement) on the Peugeot 106 deserves a decent windmilling one night.

[cobblers]

Not had a great day at work.

 

To cut a long story short - by the early afternoon an Email came in which I didn't like the look of, so I instinctively tried to punch it off my screen. It was a complete reflex reaction and out of my control. Wondering what I'll do tomorrow, probably stab someone! Great stuff.

 

I've done this. But I'm self employed so I don't get sacked but I have to buy a new screen. anyway, I suggest.

 

[cobblers]

Whoever designed the interior plastics (let alone the pedal arrangement) on the Peugeot 106 deserves a decent windmilling one night.

 

 

Which bit of plastic? I have had loads of these and they haven't ever really frustrated me other than shitty ECUs and coilpacks on GTIs. Pedals are odd but after about 10 minutes I got used to them (size 10s with big SK8 SHOEZ)

 

 

But SRIOUS, which bit is causing a problem, I might know a solution. Full dash out is about a 45 minute job at the worst.

[Guest]

Whoever designed the interior plastics (let alone the pedal arrangement) on the Peugeot 106 deserves a decent windmilling one night.

 

if it's any consolation Billy the pedal box in the Saxo \ 106 pisses me off as well, and I have quite small feet.

[Cavcraft]

Believe it or not it's the bloody steering colum shroud thing that goes round the ignition.

[cobblers]

Believe it or not it's the bloody steering colum shroud thing that goes round the ignition.

 

OH actually that is a bit of a sod. If I remember right the key is to smash the bottom piece it up and and towards the front of the car to hook it over the clip thing before you put the middle screw in.

[Barrett.in.the.USA]

Firstly, sorry about confusing you and Barrett the other day.

 

Dunno what you're on about, but I'm certainly confused now.

[Tayne]

.

[Cavcraft]

Believe it or not it's the bloody steering colum shroud thing that goes round the ignition.

 

OH actually that is a bit of a sod. If I remember right the key is to smash the bottom piece it up and and towards the front of the car to hook it over the clip thing before you put the middle screw in.

 

Ta la, will have another go later time permitting. The one at the scrappy was a swine to get out (at least the bottom bit was) and now it doesn't seem to want to fit my lad's car!

[CIH]

Having a tooth pulled this morning = awesome

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Sodding 3 Mobile internet. Came out around 2006, and it used to be BRILLIANT from day one. How the flipping hell is it possible that 5 years of presence in the market, instead of improving on a decent product, have made it totally SHIT? I'm not talking about it being a bit slow- the bloody thing just keeps disconnecting at random (and it's not the location of the house- supposedly it's 5/5 signal, and it does it everywhere anyway). Looks like I need to look for a landline provider and ISP- good luck finding one who doesn't want to tie you into a 393743297 year-long contract.

[loserone]

Looks like I need to look for a landline provider and ISP- good luck finding one who doesn't want to tie you into a 393743297 year-long contract.

Post office?

 

3G wise, If you've got one of those old Huawei E220 modems, crack it apart and pop a proper antennae on it. Costs about a quid and made mine into a relatively stable connection whilst we waited for line+DSL in this place.

[Timewaster]

Having a tooth pulled this morning = awesome

 

If I was smarter I would edit a tooth out of your avatar.

 

Unfortunately.........

[M'coli]

Sodding 3 Mobile internet. Came out around 2006, and it used to be BRILLIANT from day one. How the flipping hell is it possible that 5 years of presence in the market, instead of improving on a decent product, have made it totally SHIT? I'm not talking about it being a bit slow- the bloody thing just keeps disconnecting at random (and it's not the location of the house- supposedly it's 5/5 signal, and it does it everywhere anyway). Looks like I need to look for a landline provider and ISP- good luck finding one who doesn't want to tie you into a 393743297 year-long contract.

It's quite possible that the uptake of 3g mobile internets in your area has been so great that the basestations can no longer cope with the volume, hence the dropped calls.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Sodding 3 Mobile internet. Came out around 2006, and it used to be BRILLIANT from day one. How the flipping hell is it possible that 5 years of presence in the market, instead of improving on a decent product, have made it totally SHIT? I'm not talking about it being a bit slow- the bloody thing just keeps disconnecting at random (and it's not the location of the house- supposedly it's 5/5 signal, and it does it everywhere anyway). Looks like I need to look for a landline provider and ISP- good luck finding one who doesn't want to tie you into a 393743297 year-long contract.

It's quite possible that the uptake of 3g mobile internets in your area has been so great that the basestations can no longer cope with the volume, hence the dropped calls.

 

But it happens elsewhere, too...I just called them and they said that there must be a virus on my PC... "the disconnections are not from the mast". OF COURSE THEY ARE NOT...IS THE MAST BOTHERED ABOUT WHETHER MY CONNECTION ACTUALLY WORKS?

[Richard]

It's quite possible that the uptake of 3g mobile internets in your area has been so great that the basestations can no longer cope with the volume, hence the dropped calls.

 

I was wondering that myself. My phone, which uses the Vodafone network, is acceptably quick even on GPRS but I can rarely even get online in Edinburgh, even though it's showing full-strength HSDPA coverage.

[Cavcraft]

Substitute 3 Mobile Internet for Tesco and you have the same problems. From being seriously good at customer help and nothing being a problem Tesco have been sodding awful the last few years. Every bloody time the internet disconnects (and trust me we're talking countless times a day mostly) they have a different excuse.