If your Apple device is on the fritz and is in need of repair the first question you probably ask yourself is “Is this under warranty?” In the past you needed to call a phone number, navigate a phone tree, and then finally force the information out of an unhelpful rep. Well no more. Apple has made a simple webpage where you can quickly and easily check the warranty status of your device. All you need is the serial number.

Click here to go to the Apple Online Warranty Tool.

Looking for Comstar Technical Support? Perhaps because your external hard drive has bit the bullet? You can contact Comstar through the following ways:

Website: http://samtack.com/comstar/

Technical Support (Canada - English): 1-800-255-8048   stsupport@samtack.com

Technical Support (Canada - French): 1-800-541-2799   soutien@samtack.com

Technical Support (U.S.A): (626) 810-2833   jimmy_lee@samtack.com

Unfortunately their website is very sparse and it might be best to simply return to where you bought your Comstar product if you encounter any problems.

Thought I’d share a leaked (old) version of the geeksquad troubleshooting guide that I found on the intertubes. Although most of the stuff is pretty beginner it looks like it might be helpful in training new associates.

Link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/21592/GeekSquad-Troubleshooting-Guide

Cheers!

Sorry about the huge title. :)

I was recently installing the Windows 7 beta on my laptop using VMWare and ran into the following error:

Windows could not collect information for [OSImage] since the specified image file [install.wim] does not exist.

I was watching Fringe (great show) and tried a few reboots of the Virtual environment during the commercial breaks. When I realized that this method would not work I decided to burn the Windows 7 image file onto a disc (I was trying to install directly from the .iso). To be on the safe side I burnt the .iso at 4X speed and made sure that the disc was verified.

And it worked! So if you get this error one possible solution is to burn the .iso onto a disc at a slow speed.

Hope that helps.

The Backup HowTo website is filled with hundreds of different ways to backup up your computer, backup your email, your iPhone and other devices.

It’s a great website to find information on how to backup some obscure application data.

Cheers!

This is one that a lot of people have asked for. It looks like Microsoft is very cautious about giving out the OneCare tech support number, rather opting to make you jump through a variety of “online help” tutorials.

You can contact OneCare support here:

Website: www.onecare.com

Help Site: help.live.com

Renew/Cancel: billing.microsoft.com

Phone: 1-866-ONECARE (1-866-663-2273)

If anyone has any email addresses send them to me and I’ll add them to this page.

Looking for drivers for your  Acer notebook/desktop? Finding them hard to find? Unfortunately the official Acer sites are not very forthcoming with drivers for every unit especially if the unit is a few years older.

Fortunately there is always a second option if you look hard enough. The Acer Europe site hosts a FTP server that has the Vista and XP drivers for a variety of notebooks and desktops. Following are the links.

Drivers for Acer notebooks:

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/notebook/

Drivers for Acer desktops:

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/desktop/

Acer proprietary software:

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/utilities/VistaET/

Thanks goes to Christopher for the great tip! Note that there are many other folders filled with BIOS flashers and drivers for devices such as bluetooth devices and manuals for cameras. Unfortunately all Acer units are not here. Does anyone have the link to another FTP or site with those drivers? Feel free to contact me and I’ll put it up.

Hope this helps you guys. What sites do you use when you’re looking for drivers? Let me know.

The following post is completely taken from an article entitled “200 Ways to Revive a Hard Drive.” It appears that it is made up of Tech Rupublic users’ tips on how to get data off a failing hard drive. I found this document on a disc called “Tech Tools” and I reproduce here for all you guys to enjoy.

If you have a dead or failing hard drive these tips can get it back up and running temporarily so that you can get your data back. However read the disclaimer before trying any of these tips.

*DISCLAIMER*

These tips were not made by theFakeGeek.com or any person associated with the site. They are reproduced here on the site in the belief that it was the authors intent that the document is in the public domain. The methods and recommendations contianed in this post do NOT belong to theFakeGeek.com and are not being recommended. The information is made available for intellectual and theoretical use only. theFakeGeek.com and it’s agents and people associated with the site are not responsible for any results of following the methods outlined in the below file. The file below is hosted by the site for educational purposes only and the understanding that it is public domain.

By downloading the PDF listed below I understand and understand the above disclaimer and hereby state that theFakeGeek is not responsible for any damage caused by this information.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF.