i still have not figured out what it is about my aura that drives computers crazy... but, ahem... it is happening again. at home, of course my dvd-rw drive doesn't work. i am covered by warranty but the thought of spending two hours on the phone with a tech-support rep that i don't trust. i tell you it feels as though they are stabbing into that darkness i am in. i stand pretty much the same chance of getting lucky - if i decide to troubleshoot on my own. but then if i kill the machine i may no longer be covered by warranty. maybe this weekend.
ah but at work? well, i got a new computer maybe about 6 months ago. a rather nice, compact and quick machine. a little over a month ago our computer support company came in for their monthly maintenance visit. the next day i got my first blue screen of death. two more on that day. but i was getting ready to go to zimbabwe so i thought, i'll deal with this when i get back - i sent them an email and went off to have fun.
i get back, all laid back and relaxed and used only the most essential programmes (mostly cos a bunch just crashed when i tried to start them) and a few days later the techie arrived to fix my machine. full of confidence he "tweaked" my outlook and upgraded me to internet explorer 7.
the next day i got the blue screen of death. once i restarted my machine i emailed him and made an appointment for remote assistance for the next morning. for about 3 hours the next day two different techies ran anti-virus and spyware scans (because they think that wouldn't be the first thing i would do at a time like that. that's cos they don't know my history either). despite all the logs windows keeps of the many crashes, the techs have no idea what is causing the crashing but after removing my google and yahoo toolbars they tell me i should be okay.
my computer crashes that evening. twice. remote access calls again the next day. this time after my long spiel on everything that everyone has done he makes an appointment to come in tomorrow. just to make a point, just after that call, my computer crashes, while i am working on a complicated excel worksheet. even though i had been saving like a crazy person the sheet i recover is all wonky. i want to cry because, of course, i have a deadline. i am only two hours later than i had planned and still on time (for the bosses). i sigh in relief and the computer crashes again. i restart and go home (it is 7pm after all).
today i was in philly, and i tried to remote desktop into my machine. i knew what was coming when my outlook started acting up (outlook dying has been a sign that the blue screen is on the way. i tried to tell tech support but apparently i am not trained so my opinion isn't worth diddly squat). by 10am - dead computer.
i am thinking backup typewriter and abacus.
8 comments:
I feel for you, truly.
The last time I got the BSoD was when I was on dial-up. I am convinced that my modem's driver is busted, since the only time it's ever happened was when I was on dial-up and online.
My theory is that you where mean to your machine. (all those long days).
Then it started suffering from the Stockholm syndrome when you went away to “Africa”.
My advice.... talk to it tenderly! Buy it candy and alcohol.
In the unfortunate event that it is still acting funny, hit it a few times!
Then give ME all the alcohol!
That will show the computer!
I also hope that you are not reading this post on this computer, if you are and it reads it, then good luck!
typewriters where alwys more authentic anyway!
I'm sorry to hear your tale of technological woe, Pandave.
I have had similar experiences.
Not so long ago, I emptied half a bottle of red wine on a shiny laptop, three days after the warranty expired.
Grrr....
The exact same thing happens to me!!!!!!!!!
eric - it turns out all sorts of funny things were going on with my outlook. techie came and fixed it all while i read skin-crawly tales about rats. then he said i was all set. i worked for a few minutes and he said, at this point your computer would die right. and i remembered something.
"well, when i try to do this..." i click sort by name and outlook dies.
he finally got it... i think... knock on wood... watch this space.
tu, i believe my computer heard about my vacation and knew i hadn't bought enough tickets for the both of us to go. so he (yes, giving me this much trouble, he has to be a he) decided to teach me a lesson.
ooooh... winters. i cringed for you. my insides just curled up and wanted to weep.
really oscar? to you? what is wrong with computers? it can't possibly be us!
viruses, I remember I got your pc infected. Boy I am not sure if I can get over that.
But you being super you, fixed it and and all was well.
Computers do so many smart things- maybe they can get emotional too, when you go away for two weeks... :-P
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