Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Ode to the Demise of My Computer

My computer, may it rest in peace, died in its sleep.

It is about 1 to 1 and 1/2 years old, far too young to expire in this manner.

It was working perfectly until 3 in the morning last night, although the screen did flicker a few times. I assume that was my computer trying desperately to signal me, sending up distress rockets as did the Titanic. Alas, it was not to be. I refused to believe that the strange maniacal light of the screen and/or subsequent dimness signaled defeat.

I woke up in the morning and my computer won't turn on. Is it the screen or the entire thing that has gone dead? I don't know. All I see is that on the front of the computer, where a little light generally goes green, there is a flickering, sputtering orange light (it's in front of a spherical looking thing with +/- signs.)

Now, I have a warranty...but get this, it's in Chicago. And the store that sold me this computer? All the shops have closed in Chicago. So I'll have to get the warranty, come back to New York, and pray for resurrection. I am doubtful of the outcome.

Now come the existential questions: what is Chana without her computer? Who is she? Her identity has been shattered...

Let us all mourn. (I'm taking this very well, aren't I? Perhaps because I also had to deal with a fire drill at 7:30 in the morning. Oh, did you not hear that? Yes, 7:30 in the morning we were all herded outside and made to face the light of the morning, blinking confusedly, I wondering why my computer refused to aid me.)

Oh, best of all, everything is saved to my hard drive and I won't have access to it...that's amusing. Thank God I happen to have emailed several important documents to friends of mine, so I have them on the Internet somewhere.

Anyway, tonight I'd better make sure I print off my airline tickets & arrange to get to the airport (from a school computer). I'm also doing TLN tonight.

Oh, and on a very happy note, MAZAL TOV to one of my favorite people for winning an award for a paper he wrote! That's amazing! If you want, in addition to the condolences, you can wish him a mazal tov in the comments...that will make me happy.

(I think I might start crying a little later today...Chana without a computer does not bode well for anyone. To anyone foolish enough to take that statement seriously, no, I'm not really going to start crying...but if anyone has any amusing stories of computer woes, do email them to me; perhaps I'll smile a little.)

6 comments:

Looking Forward said...

chana, I'm going to suggest that if you would like the contents of your hard drive, please either take it to someone who knows computers so that they can remove it and get the contents off, or I'm about to write a post on my blog about removing hard drives from defunct computers, and then once you have removed it, you can put it in a static free bag (you can get one from a place that custome makes computers, or fixes them, I doubt they will even charge you for it) and then take it home and either put it in someone elses computer your self, or you can hand it to someone who knows computers and have them do so for you.

Anonymous said...

Is it laptop or desktop? If it's laptop, try removing the battery and running it just off the mains. That sometimes helps, although you'll need a replacement battery.

Ezzie said...

What Daniel said.

And sorry to you, congrats to your friend. This shall be amusing, Chana without her own computer... perhaps a sign from above? :P

Scraps said...

I'm sorry about your computer. I was very sad when I lost mine...

:(

Anonymous said...

Oy. My condolences.

I fried my last computer's hard drive while attempting to upgrade the computer. I didn't loose anything absolutely essential, but it was aggravating.

In the future, you may wish to purchase an external hard drive that allows you to back up the entire contents of your computer's hard drive at the touch of a button. It can make situations like this one far less aggravating.

At least you have a warranty!

Anonymous said...

Hehehehe, i was honored to see Chana's day of without her precious computer. Everybody listen to this, Chana is very cute! Hehehehehe......