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jawtheshark (198669)

jawtheshark
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http://www.jawtheshark.com/
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This instance of class Human is described by the following attributes:
  • Studied Computer Science at the University of Antwerp.
  • Loves (lotsa) beer.
  • Listens to Pink Floyd.
  • Java is cool, but I prefer to drink tea ;-)

Former signatures:

  • I only exist in my imagination.
  • This sig was digested by a fungus.
  • Remember Christine Watkins
  • I feel like about the least quotable guy in the world. -- btlzu2
  • TechnoLust should be known from now on as Virginal Hugh Hefner. -- btzlu2 Sig was obsoleted by TechnoLust himself...
  • Linux is not ready for the desktop. [slashdot.org]
  • A sharkless slashdot is a toothless slashdot. -- Turg (19864)

Karma: 48 (I hate getting modded Overrated)

Journal of jawtheshark (198669)

I'm going to stop helping people with their computers

[ #202672 ]
Monday May 12, @08:32AM
Hardware Hacking

I took the machine of a friend of my sister to repair. Turned out the power supply was flaky, and he knew it. Since I wanted to continue to reinstall the machine, I took one of my power supplies and hooked it up "alongside" the case if you know what I mean. After all, the machine was nicely cabled and I didn't want to mess it up, and he is definitely capable of replacing it himself.

Today, I was satisfied with the installation and I decided to remove my power supply and hook up his defective one. Then happens, what had to happen... These stupid modern graphics card need a power supply connection, and wiggling off the connector, I touched a capacitor with my fingers and it snapped off. Fuck! Note that the capacitor was on one of the worst possible places next to the connector: exactly where you'd touch for fastening the connector. This is -of course- an AGP card, and a limited edition platinum edition one. Nowhere in hell am I going to be able to replace it.

I think, that from now on, I will abstain opening anyones computer. This will set me back couple of hundred euros, simply because of bad luck and because I like to help people. I should have stopped working on that computer the day that the power supply gave up. It's not that I can't handle hardware, but I have no insurance for such mishaps.

Software, no problem... Hardware? Go to a computer shop or do it yourself. The worst is, I feel bad about it.


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I'm going to stop helping people with their computers 14 Comments More | Login /

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    • He already bought a new PC, but it runs Vista and the stock graphics card isn't all that great as he says.

      • If he has a new PC, why does it have an AGP slot and not a PCI-X slot?

        You'd probably be able to pick up a better-performing PCI-X card for less than an agp card ... or if the now box doesn't have an AGP slot, then there's really no point in them "reclaiming" the agp card anyway.

        I know what you mean about flakey hardware. Fix something, something else goes wrong, you get the blame.

        • Easy, this was his gaming PC and I got it a few months ago because the machine acted flakey. I didn't have much time, so it just stood around here. You need to have a bit of patience when I take care of your machine, because I have a job and a wife. Of course, he couldn't hold on long enough until I was finished and bought a new Quad-Core beast, but from an OEM and you know that OEMs don't put gamer graphic cards in their machines. The graphics card that was in the AGP machine wasn't the original either

          • I've run into a few of "those people" - having the latest toy is their way of showing off - their bling. Even if they can't really afford it.

            • He may or may not be able to afford it. Depends really on his priorities. Heck, I couldn't afford it, but that's because I save up money for a house... (I need to buy a new server though. I'm still postponing it)

              I was quite miffed when I found out. I mean, there I am, trying to squeeze more life out of his "old machine" (a clean reinstall of XP, and I'll give him information on how to do user separation correctly to lower infection risk) and he goes out and buys a new one.

              Why did I even bother, right

              • Of course, I am now prohibited from dumpster diving.

                Huh? Here we are, faced with all sorts of resource problems, and someone is beefing about you practicing the "re-use" in "reduce, re-use, recycle"???

                Last year, I "inherited" a 21" IBM monitor that does 1600x1200. Works really nice on the old duron950 with either an "inherited" 128meg agp video card, or the 256 meg one that I actually went out and bought ...

                Last week, it was a soundblaster128, a 64 meg gforce, and a promise 4-drive controller card. T

  • No good deed goes unpunished. Hope you can find the replacement without taking too big of a hit. I'd feel bad about it, too. Even if he should have been doing that part himself, and the design is stupid, when you're the one on the scene, it's your hit no matter what.

    • when you're the one on the scene, it's your hit no matter what.

      I know, that's why I need to take the blame. I already transferred money from my savings. My wifes birthday is upcoming, I have this to repay, and my current account is not in that good standing. The timing just sucks big time. Expenses always seem to come in big bundles.

  • It might be worthwhile taking a soldering iron and replacing the cap. Certainly won't cost you any more than a new card...
    • True enough, except the cap connectors are really broken. I would have done that, but I don't even have a millimetre playroom. I'd have to buy a new cap, and I really don't know enough about electronics to do that. :-(

  • I usually sheepishly look away when people think/expect me to be their personal computer genius fix-all. It saves you time and money and stress like the one you're dealing with now.

    It's not that I don't want to help them, it's that I don't want them to screw up my free time by dumping me between their junk all day.

    • I wish I could be like you. Well, tonight we installed his new card. Showed him around, explained him the Admin/User difference and even demoed Ubuntu (doesn't work accelerated with his new graphics card though)

      I understand completely.... I'm just a dumb sucker that can't help it. I just loathe it when people have a bad PC experience. It doesn't have to be.

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