Sorry but this is ridiculous. It's a great story of a feat of sysadminery, but the client should have just accepted some down time, even a few hours. The level of entitlement from some clients people get is just infuriating. Even down to calling him back for not agreeing to help, what an infuriating person.

That was my main take away from this. Endeavor to be the sort of person who can refuse clients, the entire idea that "the customer is always right" enables so much ridiculous behavior.