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Fried Computer

Fried Computer

Fried Computer

(OP)
So, I have been having problems lately with my computer and after trying to solve the issue for 3 weeks it was decided that formatting the hard drive was the best option. This means I might be losing my older software whose disks were lost long ago. I am going to try to get some of The software reinstalled, but I believe I will be unsuccessful as I'm not sure I have fully intact backups on my NAS.

So not I am in search of cost effective replacements for those programs. Right now i am looking for a solution to replace a isolated spread footing design and baseplate design. I used to use old versions of RISA for these, but it appears that they no longer offer these programs. Does anyone have any recommendations for cost effective replacements? These brograms would be used to quickly check footings and base plates.

RE: Fried Computer

Can't help you with the software, but a backup strategy (in addition to cloud backup)I use is to have two computers that are clones of each other. The backup computer is kept in a separate building. Every few months I will clone the disk of my daily computer and update the backup computer. That way if my main computer dies, I can just grab the backup computer and start working and not lose many billable hours. Just have to download the most recent job files from the cloud. The $800 cost for the other computer will get lost in the noise of trying to deal with a computer crisis.

RE: Fried Computer

(OP)
Not sure if that would have worked as I think a virus got in there somehow. The place I took it to to fix it either finished off the job or there was nothing they could do. The jury is still out on that one.

Surprisingly, using spreadsheets and other tools I was able to remain somewhat billable. About 60%-70% of my income comes from the 4-6 large projects I design each year.the other income comes from smaller projects that don't require software (stair designs, inspection reports, repair sketches, house design etc).

RE: Fried Computer

Have not thought about the virus issue. I use a Mac - which is fairly immune to them.

Good luck

RE: Fried Computer

Firstly, my most heartfelt condolences. I live in perpetual fear of that day myself. Advice:

1) I believe that I have backed up copies of the install disks for certain versions of the RISA programs that you mentioned. If you happen to still have your license keys for those versions, or could obtain them posthumously from RISA, we might be able to get you back to where you were.

2) You might consider speaking to RISA about re-aquiring copies of your license keys and lost install files. Just because they no longer sell those products, that doesn't mean that they don't still have copies available that they can provide to legit owners of those products. RISA's done a stand up job, in my opinion, of retaining the option for users to own perpetual licenses for their purchases if they wish. Helping out with this kind of thing seems like an extension of that so I wouldn't be surprised if they were willing to help out.

3) RISA still has those offerings. They're just bundled up with other stuff (RISA Connection and RISA Foundation) that makes the value proposition a little harder to swallow for smaller guys. I find RISA's subscription service on the cusp of being palatable for me and one of the nice features of that is that you'd never have to suffer this particular injustice again. RISA Connection would cost you about $800 per year and RISA Foundation about $1000 per year. I know, those are still big numbers when you're operating at a modest scale. If you're a hillbilly like me, $1800 represents a "new" car every year.

4) What kind of foundation work are you doing regularly that you feel necessitates the software? Personally, I don't bother with software for foundations. 90% of my foundations are strip and isolated, concentrically load foundations. I just use out of date CRSI tables for that and the occasional spreadsheet. Fancy footings seem to either a) show up so rarely that it's not so bad doing some hand calcs and b) often be too complex for any software package to handle as I'd like. So maybe just $800 to solve the base plate thing would be nice.
5) I personally know of at least five solo practitioners that would like to be using RISA but don't feel that they can justify the cost. I've often wondered if there's a legitimate way that multiple small firms could share a RISA license somehow. I doubt I'd need RISA Connection more than once a month so, if you and I shared, I doubt either of us would ever even know the other was alive. Maybe JoshPlum can advise on this.


@XR250: you may be doing something that I've been wanting to do badly but haven't known how to do. What I do now is make a disk image backup of my entire hard drive every time that I add an important new software package. It takes about fifteen minutes and I retain about half a dozen old versions going back about 24 months. That way, in the event of Armageddon, I can just restore my entire machine byte for byte and I'm back in the saddle in half a day. I do it once in a while just to keep things clean. Data is cloud stored of course. It's worked great but the Achilles heel of it is that, as far as I know, it's machine dependent. If I'm ever unable to get my computer wiped and running again after an incident, my backups would be worthless on the replacement computer. I'd very much like to have a similar system that is not uniquely machine dependent. The ability to clone sounds good. Can you point me in the right direction?

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

RE: Fried Computer

(OP)
Well, I figured this would happen at some point and I before this whole mess I was considering upgrading some of the programs that I run anyway.

The laptop in question was a personal laptop that I used at my old company, a steel fabricator (because they were too cheap to buy me a good computer). They wend belly up and I just took my laptop home and scraped together a client list and began work as a private consultant. The RISA software is very old, like version 1.0 old and ( 15 + years old). Back then you could buy these modulus for $400 or so which made things easier. I am not sure if I have a backup of those old programs here. I uses the spread footing program to design footings with biaxial moments, and as a check for a spreadsheet I wrote here that will do single/combined footings with moments in one direction. I have instances (think metal buildings with sidewall bracing) where I have shears in two directions at the base of my column. I could take shear in one direction through my 3'-0" deep frost wall, but I don't always do that.

Unfortunately I'm a Bentley guy and all of my old files use STAAD and RAM. I have contacted them to get updated pricing and for the price of a used car I can get those two programs back plus a few others (RAM connection being one that I don't have). After I give all that, I have the privileged of giving them $1,600/year to maintain the licenses. They have the network versions of their programs on lock down. Buying just doesn't appear to be a good option. These other programs I mentioned I use in conjunction with RAM and STAAD on my large projects (2-3 story buildings that I design 4-6 of per year).

One program that looked like a promising replacement for footing analysis was one from ASDIP. The cost seems reasonable, but it doesn't look as good as my old software. If RISA had their old software at similar pricing points without all the extras that would be good, but it's bundled with so much extra stuff which increases the cost it just doesn't make sense to jump into that pool.


RE: Fried Computer

Quote (SteelPE)

Back then you could buy these modulus for $400
The footing module from IES might work for you. Search "quickfooting". $380 with a good interface and clear output. I think they ask $30 for annual maintenance, but you can continue to run the software without it.

RE: Fried Computer

SteelPE... I have a similar problem... our IT is run as a 'profit centre' and the less they spend on hardware, the greater their profits are'. From a cold start, my laptop is up and running before the desktop has reached the 'log-in' screen. I can run a large finite element problem, on my laptop, in a matter of minutes where the desktop takes hours (no exaggeration).

Dik

RE: Fried Computer

(OP)
dik,

I'm a mercenary so I don't have the luxury of a IT department to help me. I have to find someone local that fixes computers and the jury is still out on whether or not they are good.

My computer is back now and they were able to install the two pieces of software that I was worried about, and I did have backups on my NAS drive. My NAS drive has been downloading data for 1.5 hours back onto my computer. I am in the process of installing AutoCAD (hopefully this will go in an I don't have to call AutoDesk) and other small programs I use. I have an email into BlueBeam about seeing if I can get my Revu license back. Then it's onto the Bentley software. Not sure if this will go in yet.

At some point a new computer is in my future. So I am going to have to go through this all over again.

kipfoot,

I say the IES software, do you use it? Is it good?

RE: Fried Computer

SteelPE: With the exceptions of my laptops, I've been assembling mine from components since the 80286... starting with ASUS motherboards...

Dik

RE: Fried Computer

Quote (KootK)

The ability to clone sounds good. Can you point me in the right direction?
I use a program called "Superduper". I am on a Mac so I don't know if there is a PC equivalent. The only issue I run into is that the copy protection on some software requires me to re-enter the install codes as it knows the computer is different.

Congrats on hanging out your shingle.

RE: Fried Computer

Thanks XR. Upon conducting a little research, it turns out that it's possible to do exactly what I want to do with the right third party backup software (Acronis for example). For the cost of a $50 backup utility and an upgrade to Windows Pro, I can have a hardware independent disk image restore solution. Sounds pretty darn bullet proof.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

RE: Fried Computer

Acronis True Image is a very good program...

Dik

RE: Fried Computer

SteelPE: I like the IES software. I've used visual analysis for years...since when they mailed you 3 1/2" disks. I also have the foundation and retaining wall modules. I think they offer a fully functional trial if you want to see how it works for you.

RE: Fried Computer

Throwing ENERCALC out there for the simple stuff. Has both isolated spread footing and base plate modules, among quite a few others. Full list here: Link. They update fairly frequently fixing bugs and adding features, but the updates aren't jarring and the update process is quick/easy. Licensing is cloud-based so you don't need a licensing server or anything, though that does put you at their mercy if they have problems on their end. They used to be fairly buggy, both in random crashes and calculation issues, but seems to have gotten a lot better recently.

Was about $1200/license up front seven years ago, I'm sure it's more now. Maintenance for us is about $300/license/year.

Sorry to hear about the crash. Bluebeam is fairly reasonable, I'm sure you won't have any issues with them. Not so sure about Autodesk and Bentley.

RE: Fried Computer

At RISA we are no longer selling those two programs. But, if you have a licensed version of the last released copy of them, then we are still providing technical support on them. So, the tech support group should still be able to send you an install link for them.





RE: Fried Computer

(OP)
So after a trying weekend, I was able to locate and install all of the programs that I think I use. I am still missing some items such as custom texts and such, but I think I can work around what is missing. But the question still remains, I am going to need to upgrade a few of these stand alone items in the future and I am looking for items that are somewhat cost effective. I have budgeted an upgrade to my main structural software which isn't going to be cheap, just don't want to break the bank on these other items.

RE: Fried Computer

chips, and vinegar, are best with fried computer ...

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

RE: Fried Computer

Malt vinegar...

RE: Fried Computer

of course !

and proper potato chips (not those new fangled sweet potato ones)

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

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