Just when you least expect it...

[offbalance]

So today was okay.  I got the pills the doc gave me for my stomach and I even feel well enough to eat like a semi-human being again!   Work was busy but productive, and I decided (with the help from my mom) to stop worrying about shoehorning into a dress that really doesn't even fit my personality anymore, and instead to focus on getting a new, pretty dress.  I then began THAT search along with my lovely, wonderful, patient boyfriend, J.  

All the while, I was playing with my new blackberry, and falling a little bit more in love.  katiebea and quodlibetic and antheia all helped me start to build it up to full crackberry strength.

All in all, an awesome day.

AND THEN I CAME HOME, TURNED ON MY LAPTOP, AND GOT THE BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH. D:

After acute cardiac arrest, an extremely long call to Dell (huzzah for still being under warranty) and some strange tests, it was determined that my hard drive was dead.  D-E-D dead, as my dad would say.   ::facepalm:: 

They're sending me a new one.  And then I get to call and have them walk me through installing it myself.  0.o   (Translation, I will beg someone for help who actually knows how to do these things).  See, if a computer was a car, I'd know how to put in windshield washer fluid and change the oil, an occasional tire, how to pump gas and other basic skills.  But if it started making funny noises or the "check engine" light goes on or it just plumb won't start? I call a mechanic.   I can't believe this dude I spoke to at Dell ACTUALLY BELIEVES that I am capable of replacing the engine.  Jeezy Creezy.  

On the upside, this happens the day AFTER I buy my new smart phone, so I can still get email and twitter.  And J said I can use his computer for whatever I need until mine is up and running again.   But that's about it.   I am the OPPOSITE of pleased about this, as you might imagine.  

Happy Friday, everybody!  :P

Comments

[redesigner.livejournal.com]

Why does this keep happening to you--the constant hard drive/motherboard/speaker/discombobulatrix/god-knows-what PC-related failures? Isn't it time to come to the Light Side?

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Are you going to buy me a macbook? I don't have the money to do anything but fix what I currently have right now.

(and for the record, your precious macs fail, too. Just last week one of my friends - who owns a mac! - had the EXACT same problem.)

[redesigner.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying they don't. It's just a lot rarer. Think about it--it's a very limited array of products from a single software and hardware manufacturer, whereas with a PC you have a virtually limitless number of possible combinations of hardware and software from an equally large number of sources. Mathematically it's just more likely to happen, annoyingly.

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

I know how limited the array of products are - and how EXPENSIVE everything winds up being because you can't get a similar product from a different source. I like the variety and the options, especially when it comes to software. My boss made an interesting comment or two about proprietary interest with the Macs, but it did more to put me off than anything else. Fewer people program for macs, and I do love my share/freeware.

This is all academic anyway. I can't afford to do anything but fix it. And, people telling me to "get a mac" right now is like someone coming up to a person who's just been in a car accident and saying that if they'd had a different brand of car, they magically never would have had the crash.

[redesigner.livejournal.com]

I don't want to drag this argument out, but I do want to dispel that pesky myth that there's "less software" for the Mac, especially now that they can run Windows (and apparently run it better than PCs can, according to one of the PC magazines out there).

In any event, you're obviously free to get what works for you. I just hate that you seem to be plagued by what seems like a semi-regular stream of computer catastrophes.

[firynze.livejournal.com]

Good god. I've never heard of a computer company asking someone to replace their own hard drive. Doesn't that, y'know, void the warranty, especially on a laptop...?!

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that budget cuts changed that policy. I have no idea. And I'm not going to do it myself, I'm going to hand the project over (hopefully) to anyone with more experience who is willing.

[firynze.livejournal.com]

And someone with a static band, hopefully!

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

A what?

[firynze.livejournal.com]

Static band - basically, a wrist strap that tethers you to a ground or metal to discharge static before it builds up and zaps the hard drive. Not strictly necessary, but I swear by 'em.

...they also make it really fun when yo've been doing a whole day of builds and get up to go to lunch and realise that you're literally chained to your desk.

[quasisonic.livejournal.com]

*clears throat*

*looks around*

isn't it obvious who might be able to help with this? ;)

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

I'd hoped! I didn't get off the phone with tech support until almost 11 last night x_____= so I didn't want to call or assume or anything.

But if he could? I would be REALLY frigging grateful.

[blergeatkitty.livejournal.com]

I installed a new hard drive in my computer and it wasn't hard at all, but it was a desktop and may therefore be less complex.

I would offer you Kip's services, but I think you have better help in the family.