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Posted: 4/23/2017 3:54:10 AM EDT
Title change due to the insane generosity of our members here.
I have no idea what I'm going to do. A bolt of fucking lightning just destroyed my work machine (a 2013 Mac Pro that I can't afford to replace). It was plugged into a surge protector on what I thought was a grounded outlet. I have no idea what I'm going to do. That machine was my life. I do music production for a living. It was not a frivolous purchase (I routinely use upwards of 50 GB of RAM in my larger sessions). It's not covered by Applecare or my insurance. I realize there are others out there with bigger problems but man...this sucks 
For those interested, the machine turns on but both screens are just black (I tested the screens with my laptop and they both work). They sense they're connected to something but they just remain backlit and black. ETA: many thanks to Magicmissile for that insanely gracious offer. I will be taking him up on it if I can't get the issue resolved. This place is amazing. I am humbled and blessed by the generosity. ETA 2: another casualty of the power surge 
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Posted: 4/23/2017 3:56:15 AM EDT
[#1]
are the hard drives still ok?
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Posted: 4/23/2017 3:56:33 AM EDT
[#2]
Some surge protectors provide coverage for damage
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Posted: 4/23/2017 3:56:45 AM EDT
[#3]
I would start to panic just yet. You may have just fried somthing that can be replaced.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 3:59:20 AM EDT
[#4]
Sorry to hear that. See if you can salvage the HD and try to find a used MBP.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:00:27 AM EDT
[#5]
In the unlikely event that it is just the screen, you can run a video cable to a monitor or tv as a test.
Assuming it has a video out. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:01:46 AM EDT
[#6]
home or renters cover it?
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:02:27 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sorry to hear that. See if you can salvage the HD and try to find a used MBP. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:05:23 AM EDT
[#8]
Quoted:
I have no idea what I'm going to do. A bolt of fucking lightning just destroyed my work machine (a 2013 Mac Pro that I can't afford to replace). It was plugged into a surge protector on what I thought was a grounded outlet. I have no idea what I'm going to do. That machine was my life. I do music production for a living. It was not a frivolous purchase (I routinely use upwards of 50 GB of RAM in my larger sessions). It's not covered by AppleCare (FUCK Apple) or my insurance (FUCK Geico). I realize there are others out there with bigger problems but man...this sucks
For those interested, the machine turns on but both screens are just black (I tested the screens with my laptop and they both work). They sense they're connected to something but they just remain backlit and black. Normally I ignore computer trouble shooting threads - good way to do free IT support all day and not pay the bills
But in your case..... First - you (or a tech who knows what he's doing ) needs to figure out what is fried in the machine, and what still works. You might be lucky, and have most of the major cost items (CPU's, RAM, etc) still intact, and just need to replace something cheap like the power supply or the video card. Or you could be fucked, and be out an entire machine. Two - the software you use, does it HAVE to have Mac OSX, or is there linux / windows versions of it ? The mac pro is an aging design that Apple has basically given up on, and if your software isn't holding you hostage to OSX, you might be better off building a high end Windows / Linux box. What are your hardware requirements (if a non mac box is an option) ? |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:05:45 AM EDT
[#9]
Could you make do with a pavilion DV7?
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:06:10 AM EDT
[#10]
Assuming it is a desktop, I would check the power supply, maybe it has a fuse or manual reset. Maybe worth replacing just to check the rest of the machine.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:06:14 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
are the hard drives still ok?
I'll be taking it into Best Buy tomorrow. Will post an update then, but I'm not hopeful; the fact it turns on means the power supply is fine (and probably the motgerboard), which means (probably) either the video cards are fried or the hard drive or both. Either way, it will not be cheap to fix it
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:07:03 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have no fucking idea
I'll be taking it into Best Buy tomorrow. Will post an update then, but I'm not hopeful; the fact it turns on means the power supply is fine (and probably the motgerboard), which means (probably) either the video cards are fried or the hard drive or both. Either way, it will not be cheap to fix it Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
are the hard drives still ok?
I'll be taking it into Best Buy tomorrow. Will post an update then, but I'm not hopeful; the fact it turns on means the power supply is fine (and probably the motgerboard), which means (probably) either the video cards are fried or the hard drive or both. Either way, it will not be cheap to fix it |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:09:09 AM EDT
[#13]
Over the years I have had power supplies, video cards?, hard drives? and even mother board fried from power surges/issues.
I would open the box and take a look. Sounds like the video card is toast. Very replaceable. Then if you get this thing up and running again, go get an uninterruptable power supply. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:10:12 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Normally I ignore computer trouble shooting threads - good way to do free IT support all day and not pay the bills
But in your case..... First - you (or a tech who knows what he's doing ) needs to figure out what is fried in the machine, and what still works. You might be lucky, and have most of the major cost items (CPU's, RAM, etc) still intact, and just need to replace something cheap like the power supply or the video card. Or you could be fucked, and be out an entire machine. Two - the software you use, does it HAVE to have Mac OSX, or is there linux / windows versions of it ? The mac pro is an aging design that Apple has basically given up on, and if your software isn't holding you hostage to OSX, you might be better off building a high end Windows / Linux box. What are your hardware requirements (if a non mac box is an option) ? Unfortunately I work in Logic Pro X which is Mac only 
Trust me, if I could go PC I would...Apple has largely abandoned its pro user base because, you know, iPhones 
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:13:27 AM EDT
[#15]
Surge protectors protect from fluctuations in your mains from the power company. Lightning is a whole 'nother class of juice.
You need to find someone who can isolate what's wrong and determine what isn't. A Best Buy swapper or software loader may or may not be that guy. Get better insurance. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:13:39 AM EDT
[#16]
could be just a fried hd. I took a laptop into office max or the other one and a guy hooked it up(not geeks). It had a cracked screen and I wanted to know if the pc itself was ok . It was. No charge. Ordered and put a new screen on it for around $50, gtg. Friend gave it to me when his kid broke the screen and geek squad cost was around $300. Never use geek squad.
In the future get a $100 APC battery backup. A surge or lightning fried my hd and couple other things on two occasions and they paid for everything. This was on a desktop pc. they even sent me a new apc unit, sent me two on the second time. awesome. Just don't plug a printer into it. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:15:43 AM EDT
[#17]
Did you try unplugging it and plugging it back in?
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:16:33 AM EDT
[#18]
I wouldn't freak just yet. I'd be willing to bet the data is just fine. Probably fried some surface mount components.
take it to someone that does diagnoses and rework. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:18:07 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'll be taking it into Best Buy tomorrow. Apple's list of their store locations As a side note, sorry to hear you're hostage to OSX. I hate vendor lock in with a passion (regardless if its M$, Apple, etc). Is Logic Pro X your only option for what you do? |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:18:23 AM EDT
[#20]
Not to be hard core but if my livelihood depended on a machine such as yours I think I would have had my crap backed up on multiple media types. Sorry about your lack of foresight.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:19:40 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
For the love of god, DO NOT GO TO SLEAZE BUY. I've seen those fuck nuts ruin more boxes then I count on 2 hands and 2 feet. You need to get a REAL tech who is knowledgeable in hardware troubleshooting Mac Pro's. As much as I hate to recommend it, an Apple retail store might be your best option. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:20:39 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks for the input. 64GB RAM, 6 core Xeon or i7, and SSD's (for streaming sample libraries, e.g. orchestral strings and brass). Those are minimum requirements. Unfortunately I work in Logic Pro X which is Mac only
Trust me, if I could go PC I would...Apple has largely abandoned its pro user base because, you know, iPhones |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:23:19 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not to be hard core but if my livelihood depended on a machine such as yours I think I would have had my crap backed up on multiple media types. Sorry about your lack of foresight. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:24:38 AM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
I have no idea what I'm going to do. A bolt of fucking lightning just destroyed my work machine (a 2013 Mac Pro that I can't afford to replace). It was plugged into a surge protector on what I thought was a grounded outlet. I have no idea what I'm going to do. That machine was my life. I do music production for a living. It was not a frivolous purchase (I routinely use upwards of 50 GB of RAM in my larger sessions). It's not covered by AppleCare (FUCK Apple) or my insurance (FUCK Geico). I realize there are others out there with bigger problems but man...this sucks
For those interested, the machine turns on but both screens are just black (I tested the screens with my laptop and they both work). They sense they're connected to something but they just remain backlit and black. In my opinion you should take the machine to actual professionals especially if you need data recovery options. That data could be saveable but you don't want to risk it getting further damaged by having newbs mess with it. When you get your new machine get a professional grade UPS. The consumer grade stuff is junk from China. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:24:52 AM EDT
[#25]
OP I will be big spoon if it makes you feel better <3.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:24:53 AM EDT
[#26]
Gonna need Josh- knows his stuff good, on top of others.
As Bohr-Adam stated, lighting is a whole different deal. Buildings are usually designed for that, usually . Building lightning protection schematics things like that.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:25:32 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
There's nothing even close to my AO...the Geek Squad doofs are supposedly Apple certified though, so I dunno... Let me put it this way. You have a Lamborghini, a very rare and modified model. Your car suddenly stops running one day. The last thing you should do is take it to fucking Jiffy Lube and have some $9-hour hack who just got off probation tearing into the engine bay. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:26:42 AM EDT
[#28]
I worked as an insurance adjuster for awhile and we had to deal with lighting surge on PCs, always needed a diagnostic to find coverage. I hated dealing with Best Buy. The Geek Squad is largely useless and they seemed like they'd just send the computer to a central point for a checkup, didn't actually do it in the store. They can basically do all the stuff you can using a smart phone and YouTube.
+1 to whoever said that you need to take it to an actual repair shop. Google Computer Technician or something similar because if you a) need a fast answer, b) need a good answer, Best Buy isn't the way to go and is worth the drive. Even the small mom and pop shops are better. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:29:02 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So build a comparable PC for 1/3 of the price and then install Mac OS on it Specific component and driver selection is extremely important for such a task and a box that hasn't been tested for that type of work has zero guarantee of doing that job aproperately even if there is IT support. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:35:04 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So build a comparable PC for 1/3 of the price and then install Mac OS on it Considering the OP's horsepower requirements, which are not trivial, an equivalent PC using a 6 core Intel cpu is going to cost at LEAST $1500, and going up to an 8 core will add another 500-700 to that. How many people here have experience building high performance X99 class boxes? And then you need to factor the time and effort its going to take to hackintosh it. The first time I hackintosh'd a box, it take me a few evenings to figure it out, and that's with 20+ years professional hardware experience. OP needs to find out just how badly damaged his machine is first before doing any radical hacks. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:35:43 AM EDT
[#31]
I'm just sayin' 
Seriously though, as stated above, get a real tech to look it over, not Best Buy. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:37:17 AM EDT
[#32]
What part of VA? Surely you have a Apple Store nearby unless you live in the boonies.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:43:28 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not to be hard core but if my livelihood depended on a machine such as yours I think I would have had my crap backed up on multiple media types. Sorry about your lack of foresight. Sorry to hear of your troubles, but if you can afford to a new house and a wedding you can afford to insure your livelihood first. Lesson learned. And my suggestion going forward is APC. Like the other poster said. They are awesome in help for damages. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 4:55:58 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I keep my machine backed up both manually on one hard drive once a week as well as a time machine HD. It is the cost of replacing a 4000$ machine while I'm in the middle of closing on a house and planning a wedding that I just can't afford. ETA: For the love of god DO NOT USE BEST BUY. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:06:50 AM EDT
[#35]
I'd be dialing back the cost of the wedding if my livelihood hinged on it.
I know nothing about Apple, bit if it was a PC I would suspect the graphics card and try my monitor plugged into the on-board graphics instead. Don't know if you can do that with Apple. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:10:29 AM EDT
[#36]
You could try a cheap compatible video card to see if your sis is just a display card that just got fried. Does the computer make any unusual beeps when turned on? Not a mac expert,but most systems will beep code a critical hardware failure.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:16:34 AM EDT
[#37]
I don't know where you are in Virginia, but can't imagine that you aren't within 2-3 hours of at least an Apple Store. For a $4k machine, it's worth the trip.
That being said, I don't even go to the Apple store anymore because of all of the phone related problems that they are dealing with there. No time for the people who actually use their computers anymore. I used MacMedics in Severna Park, MD. Far better service and cheaper. They repaired my iMac after a hard drive failure and made sure I recovered every fragment of my data. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:17:14 AM EDT
[#38]
Is this the model you have?
 Mac Pro Teardown Review I concur with those saying this needs to be brought to an actual professional, not Geek Squad. From the Best Buy website: "Mac Repair: We can repair MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac." Even if you bring it there they most likely will not have the experience or parts to do anything for you. I am very thankful none of my software is Apple reliant. Windows is bad enough. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:23:59 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Some surge protectors provide coverage for damage |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:24:08 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
There's nothing even close to my AO...the Geek Squad doofs are supposedly Apple certified though, so I dunno... Also...when you get up and running again do the following: 1) Get insurance on that puppy. I have my camera gear insured through State Farm against damage (drops, spills, etc). For coverage on ~10k worth of lenses and a body its about ten bucks a month. 2) If you don't backup stuff up, back it up on multiple drives. 3) Get a UPS system so that if/when this happens again you have better protection. Good luck.... |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:36:14 AM EDT
[#41]
Pull the drives and put them in a cheap case and try to find a place that will let you boot from them. College campus IT dept or music studio. Kinda shady but, go into BestBuy and plug one in and hold the option key. If your drive shows, up pick it and see if it boots. If not you need software too.
The biggest issue here is most macs have the video card as part of the MB. If that's what's fried it may be toast. I manage a bunch of Macbook Pros in a school setting and mess with them all the time but I've never had a diaper genie looking mac pro in front of me. Sorry to hear this. I had my late 2008 MBP die and it took forever to find a machine old enough to run snowleopard. I need the older OSX to run some graphics software I use. It sounds junky and old but with SSDs and a lot of RAM the machine still rapes photoshop. http://osxdaily.com/2014/11/22/fix-macbook-pro-booting-black-screen/ |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:41:58 AM EDT
[#42]
Pull the ram, and power up one stick at a time. If all else fails I can probably replace it for you at no cost
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:45:48 AM EDT
[#43]
Have you actually called your homeowners insurance policy holder yet? That kind of stuff is almost always covered. The deductible is probably high and I doubt it's worth making a claim, but it should be covered. Might be worth it if other stuff fried. Call them.
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:50:01 AM EDT
[#44]
take it to a real apple store, they have a program that will repair or replace all the parts for a flat rate of I think 329.00. my last MBP went sailing at church one too many times and cracked the mainboard, went to the apple store did that program and they said up to ten business days, had it back in 4.
it was better then new. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 5:58:53 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I keep my machine backed up both manually on one hard drive once a week as well as a time machine HD. It is the cost of replacing a 4000$ machine while I'm in the middle of closing on a house and planning a wedding that I just can't afford. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 6:02:37 AM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
I have no idea what I'm going to do. A bolt of fucking lightning just destroyed my work machine (a 2013 Mac Pro that I can't afford to replace). It was plugged into a surge protector on what I thought was a grounded outlet. I have no idea what I'm going to do. That machine was my life. I do music production for a living. It was not a frivolous purchase (I routinely use upwards of 50 GB of RAM in my larger sessions). It's not covered by AppleCare (FUCK Apple) or my insurance (FUCK Geico). I realize there are others out there with bigger problems but man...this sucks
For those interested, the machine turns on but both screens are just black (I tested the screens with my laptop and they both work). They sense they're connected to something but they just remain backlit and black. This sucks, not a good place for you to be in. Freaking out and getting pissed does nothing towards getting you back to work. While you are trying to resolve this issue, also start researching into a) proper backups, if you have not yet done so b) a secondary machine that can AT LEAST allow you to work c) an uninterruptible power supply, like the APC SC 620, from CDW, New Egg, Adorama Camera, B&H or...Amazon If your Mac shows the typical power on light, MAYBE all is not lost. From your description - and if that light is on, you may have only lost your video card, but with lightning hits typically it's the PSU, then motherboard, then video card/hard drives that get zapped, almost in that order. The surge electricity may have also traveled down your phone or LAN line, not the 117VAC supply thru the surge protector. What do you plan on selling to get back into being productive? |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 6:31:09 AM EDT
[#47]
Check your home owners insurance.
It may help. I have a lot of customers who use it when lighting strikes. To get proper surge protection one would spend way over 4K to expect some hope of stoping a surge from nearby lighting. A direct hit is almost impossible no matter what you have. Been in the electrical business for all my life and was raised going on calls with my dad . Now 57. Three things you cannot predict electricity, women, and lighting. I have seen shit that was unplugged killed by a lighting strike. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 6:47:57 AM EDT
[#48]
Is it one of these?
If so, I'd take it to a Apple specialist. Macs are a special breed. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 6:58:14 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
For the love of god, DO NOT GO TO SLEAZE BUY. I've seen those fuck nuts ruin more boxes then I count on 2 hands and 2 feet. You need to get a REAL tech who is knowledgeable in hardware troubleshooting Mac Pro's. As much as I hate to recommend it, an Apple retail store might be your best option. Apple's list of their store locations As a side note, sorry to hear you're hostage to OSX. I hate vendor lock in with a passion (regardless if its M$, Apple, etc). Is Logic Pro X your only option for what you do? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I'll be taking it into Best Buy tomorrow. Apple's list of their store locations As a side note, sorry to hear you're hostage to OSX. I hate vendor lock in with a passion (regardless if its M$, Apple, etc). Is Logic Pro X your only option for what you do? Sadly, my experience with machines that experience a true lightning strike is that they have a very short life even after being repaired. It's only a matter of time for it. What you need to do right now is get into data recovery mode ASAP. Then see if the machine can be repaired temporarily. Lastly, start bracing for the cost of replacement. |
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Posted: 4/23/2017 6:58:26 AM EDT
[#50]
ITT we learn that PC>everything else.
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