I Image Computer issues

[inkman996]

It is 8:30 AM eastern, have another hour before I can call M&R support. Thought I would throw this in here till then.

The Dell PC our I image came with has crap the bed. It started a week ago, running slow, constantly going into disk scan/disk repair etc. Today I could only get as far as the log in screen, now I cannot even get there. I cannot get the POS to start in safe mode or any recovery options. (MICROSOFT WTF)! I checked online all the ways to try to boot into recovery mode and none are working. There is no recovery disk either.

Only option I see is to go and pick up another PC and swap it out. BUT what the hell is that going to entail? Who here has done this and how much pain am I going to have to deal with trying to install software and connect the I Image? Went through all the stuff from install and I only have one disk and two dongles. There is 3 different programs on the PC and I only have a driver disk and an empty RIP software box.

I am busy beyond belief, have dozens of screens that have to be shot today ASAP and no working back up printer currently.

Someone please give me good news even if its a lie

[Homer]

so we had a few crap the bed and we took them to the local PC shop and they cloned the drive onto new PCs, all the settings were the same, not a thing was changed. Worked out great.

[inkman996]

so we had a few crap the bed and we took them to the local PC shop and they cloned the drive onto new PCs, all the settings were the same, not a thing was changed. Worked out great.

Yep I pulled the SSD and going to install it in my PC so I can pull the settings hopefully. Talked with M$R they are sending me links to all the software for the new PC. Hopefully everything works out.

[mk162]

I have had nothing but problems with Dell recently.  3 motherboards on the same system and I finally asked them to replace it.

If you get it working and you have to go PC, get a refurbed Lenovo and be done with it.

[inkman996]

I have had nothing but problems with Dell recently.  3 motherboards on the same system and I finally asked them to replace it.

If you get it working and you have to go PC, get a refurbed Lenovo and be done with it.

I bought a lenovo, have it all set up and ready for the software. M&R has not sent me the links I need and I cannot get through to support. Losing my crap here right now, all I need is the damn links to the software, I need my screen guy shooting screens yesterday.

[mk162]

I have had nothing but problems with Dell recently.  3 motherboards on the same system and I finally asked them to replace it.

If you get it working and you have to go PC, get a refurbed Lenovo and be done with it.

I bought a lenovo, have it all set up and ready for the software. M&R has not sent me the links I need and I cannot get through to support. Losing my crap here right now, all I need is the damn links to the software, I need my screen guy shooting screens yesterday.

I know this feeling.  Sorry man, wish I could help.

[3Deep]

I hate to say this but an old inkjet printer and some film for back never hurts, right now you would be printing film and burning screens still, until you get the I Image back up.

[1964GN]

I hate to say this but an old inkjet printer and some film for back never hurts, right now you would be printing film and burning screens still, until you get the I Image back up.

If you still have a vacuum exposure unit with glass.

[GraphicDisorder]

I hate to say this but an old inkjet printer and some film for back never hurts, right now you would be printing film and burning screens still, until you get the I Image back up.

Can you imagine a inkjet firing up with no issues after years of sitting? I never had that kinda luck.

[inkman996]

I hate to say this but an old inkjet printer and some film for back never hurts, right now you would be printing film and burning screens still, until you get the I Image back up.

Can you imagine a inkjet firing up with no issues after years of sitting? I never had that kinda luck.

Thats the problem I tossed out our old inkjet after two years. It would never print again.

All I can say is I am beyond fed with M&R. Spent over two hours on the phone and remotely connected to them. They cannot get anything to work, had to install a usb 3.0, that didnt work, updated windows that didnt work. Two hours of  somewhat snotty arrogant person that was wearing on my last few nerves left. Now I cannot get through or a call back. $40,000 and no one can even make it work

[Dottonedan]

I feel all of that. As a Tech on the other side of the phone, it gets very difficult to walk people through various things (and I’m no computer guy) myself. I dreaded those customers with PC issues, yes, was always respectful and had empathy for their predicament. I would be texting and emailing the Mgr who was a PC guy while having the customer on the phone giving answers.  Sort of a tag team.


The thing is, (when working phones), there is usually 1 person dedicated to phones all day on average. Even that at times, was difficult to fill with a fully capable person needed to be doing installs. Occasionally you can get two on phones if someone happened to be able to get back home from traveling a day earlier or something.


Remember, Techs are like employees at a print shop. M&R needs them to work phones (because the techs know the tech stuff), but they were not hired specially for the their bedside manors. Some are not conversationalist and not thrilled to be on phones and you can tell in their voice.  But that’s the same if you had to plop a screen printer on the phones because “phones were running” and there were no orders to print at the time and your best phone person is out for lunch, or out sick.


There should be techs that are (in house), dedicated to working support via phone. You have the Mgr, and then you have anyone that is not out on a service call or doing an install. That’s rare at the beginning of the week and for that reason, you usually only have 1 person The Mgr doing the phones ...as well as scheduling techs for installs, answering tech support questions from Techs out in the filed, and answering your questions via phone and email. The manager is always juggling someone around filling Phone support all the time and that person might be two different people throat the day. As it is, you get any one person that happens to be home or back in the office for any amount of time. If they are back info at least 30 min, you can be sure to see them be asked to get on the phones. There is not a many that simply sits waiting on calls and that’s all they do.  Every day is a juggle of people and different responsibilities BUT, when someone is working a customer, they are usually required to stay with that customer till resolved.


I’m afraid I’m not the guy to help out for PC issues. I do remember (whenever dealing with those PC issues) we always started with the most common issues and typically it may be from an auto update to a program. Adobe Reader used to be one of the culprits. System version updates (done by the customer) would be another. (not saying you did any of this).

[mk162]

I hate to say this but an old inkjet printer and some film for back never hurts, right now you would be printing film and burning screens still, until you get the I Image back up.

Can you imagine a inkjet firing up with no issues after years of sitting? I never had that kinda luck.

A lot of them won't work after running fine the day before.

If anything I would get one and never open it.  That would be your best bet.

[GraphicDisorder]

I hate to say this but an old inkjet printer and some film for back never hurts, right now you would be printing film and burning screens still, until you get the I Image back up.

Can you imagine a inkjet firing up with no issues after years of sitting? I never had that kinda luck.

A lot of them won't work after running fine the day before.

If anything I would get one and never open it.  That would be your best bet.

Ya that would be your best bet.

[3Deep]

LOL just a thought on the back up printer, I still use film, but yep I can see now that you cats that have CTS would have a whole new setup now...I was just telling my wife yesterday about all the film we have stacked up and in folders that we need to toss out, CTS would be great here but I really don't think we need it for our volume.  Mike I hope you got it all back up and running being down ain't no fun!!!!

[Dottonedan]

A lot of the idea of having a back up film printer is not worth it in the long run.  It takes too much attention throughout the year to “just be able to print film” when that one time that a machine goes down for period of 4 hrs to maybe a full day of production use. It rarely happens, but it can over maybe 1-6 years time. I know it hurts the schedule when it does, but hopefully, you don’t have many jobs in your flow that can’t hold off for a day. Or maybe work overtime the next day when you get the machine running.


Mentally, we think we need to keep rolling every day to not get behind. But if you are scheduling due dates like most people, then you may be getting those orders completed several days before they are actually due and not printing them the day of the due date. Thereby, giving you a days cushion for mishaps.  But yea, take one day out of the schedule, and your whole flow is off. Who wants that? 


We all know “we don’t want to not print for one day), but I’ve been in many shops where something happened and there was a full day down. A gas shut off, electric goes out all day, Some shops would send this people home, but most have plenty of things to put them onto for the day. Then maybe OT the next day when the machine is back up.


Being down won’t last long, but it’s usually never for multiple days.