This is an update to the sp1 info. Susan Bradley in the latest windows secrets newsletter said there are 2 new updates to do to prepare for sp1 if you have not done it yet, this is to help prevent some of those issues that were listed above. from her article Quote: "Microsoft released two patches to fix problems with Windows 7's infamous first service pack. Both should be installed before updating to Win7 SP1. KB 2533552 corrects a flaw that produces a failed SP1 update, leaving users with a cryptic error code (shown in Figure 1) and a difficult recovery. Systems that received SP1 through Windows Software Update Services were hit particularly hard, as noted in a TechNet blog. KB 2534366 fixes an issue with multiple language packs; some systems would hang at a black screen after SP1 was installed. If you haven't already successfully installed Windows 7 SP1, install both KB 2534366 and KB 2533552 first. And if Win7 SP1 is already installed, accept KB 2533552 for future service packs. Yes, it's true; I'm finally ready to give the all-clear for Windows 7 SP1 but only after you've accepted KB 2533552 and KB 2534366, as noted above. Rather than using Windows Update, I urge you to download and install the SP1 update manually to make sure it's successfully added." and the latest list of her recommendations for windows patches list Regularly updated problem-patch chart and the link to sp1 direct download SP1 she mentions to allocate about an hour for this.

It may only be water flow issue. If you know it couldn't be that, you should call a servicer.

Hollysprings: I was not asking them to do more than their trade. I asked them what I needed and followed their advice. If I knew a GC was needed when I hired a company to install granite, I would have hired a GC. I had 2 people from their company who came to my home to take measurements and was told supports were not needed. Even after asking them a couple times, one guy said if you really really really want it, go ahead and get a bracket for a the small piece - you don't need it. The day before my install, I spoke to them and said we may need to reschedule because I think I need support brackets and will need to order them because I could not find any locally. My concern was based on info I found here stating anything over an 8" overhang needs support. At that point, I thought my overhang was 10". He said it's not needed because it was an L-shaped piece and the base of the L supported the length. Like I said earlier, he even sent a text to me the next morning saying only the small piece needs support. This is not a matter of making myself GC - if I was told I needed one, I would have hired one. I went to a company that specializes in flooring, counters, etc, not a one-man shop. Maybe it's just me, but I find it odd that anyone would install something that's unstable. It was during my phone call with him the night before the install that he said we could not cancel the install but he'll have his guys bring 2x2s the next day that way I have something until I get someone to install the brackets. Like I said, I don't want to be unreasonable. The work was done on Thursday(has not been completed) and I wanted to get advice on what's normal. 1. If the sink cutout is to be expected, fine. It's not ideal and it won't be perfect, but I can live with it. 2. I've seen posts here saying the seam should be hard to detect. Prior to the installation, he said the seam would be very hard to detect especially with the stone I have - black galaxy. Well, it's not. This seam width is 1/16" and it's not smooth at all. You can see this seam from anywhere in the room. Not only is it visible, it's very rough and one end is more raised that the other. I even had to call him when they were still here because this did not look right. The final product is nothing like I expected. 3. Based on this site and info online, I know I need support brackets. According to the rep, I only need one. According to their installers, I need 7. According to Trebuchet, I need 4 or 5. Looking at the picture posted, I think that's because the brackets are about 3 feet apart not 2 feet. If they'll have to remove the slabs to fix the seams, then I can have a carpenter install Centerline hidden brackets. If they don't need to remove the slabs, I'll go with L-brackets. Not ideal, but I can live with those. I'm not a fan of corbels or those decorative pieces are only good for banging your knees - I'm 5' 11. The less obstruction, the better.

Firstly, I want to say that I think the patch looks great. I really don't think anyone would ever notice. Secondly, I want to comment about trying to achieve "perfection". I'll probably get blasted for saying this...but I just want to offer another perspective. I think it is easy to want to achieve perfection when you are spending other people's money to do so. But even the best contractor makes mistakes and can't achieve perfection. I don't think it is fair to say to any contractor that anything less than perfection on everything is unacceptable and to expect him/her to spend her time and money to get everything that way. If your fabricator has to go out and buy you a whole new slab, not only is he unlikely to make money or your job, it may end up costing him. He is trying to earn a living.....just like we all are. He tried to fix it - and I think it looks great and a lot of people would agree. If you don't think you can live with it, then I think you need to be prepared to put more money in it to make it something you can live with. I'm not saying that you need to purchase a whole new slab - but I think you need to find a way for everyone to feel like they got what they want and isn't being gorged. We our just about finished with our kitchen remodel. There are things that aren't perfect, and most of them I can't even remember when I look at my beautiful kitchen. That said, when had the granite installed, there was an "error" in templating which caused there to be no overhang on one cabinet run and 1 1/2" on the other cabinet run. The fabricator realized he made a mistake. His solution was to move the cabinet run with no overhang forward about 3/4" and he was going to "fill" the piece against the backsplash with a scrap from my granite. He was pretty certain that the fill would look almost seamless. When he moved the granite forward, I realized that no matter how the "fill" would look, I couldn't live with 3/4" overhang and would always notice it. The GC, fabricator and I got together and agreed to split the cost of purchasing and fabricating a new piece of granite. It cost us each about $500. While the fix he made was "good", and many people might have been happy with it. I wasn't. But I don't think it was fair for me to want to achieve perfection unless I was willing to put some skin in the game.