Equipment woes

[kinzel]

So right, the transmission mount needed replacing, they said. So they did that. Now I'm told the car probably needs to go to the dealer because the "spider gear" is wonky. See an unhappy camper, me. Left the car there last night and will pick it up today.

Next, it is little cool this morning -- around 15F --- and the wind is blowing at fair-to-middling, and we've been using an electric heater as a start-up to warm the kitchen/living room interface. So I wander down the hall toward coffee as Rolanni slept on. Coffee made itself properly, but the heater didn't beep too loud as it always does when told to start. It didn't beep at all. The red "I'm plugged in" tattletale is on, but nothing happened otherwise. I pushed the button again, several times. I unplugged the thing and plugged it back in. Still nothing. I took the batteries out of the (mostly unused) remote, in case we were getting an override...
nothing. Boo. Hiss.

The flat panel we'd replaced for Sharon because it had been going into apparent sleep mode got moved to the basement, where it was fine for the downstairs office machine ... for about three days. Pffft. No more worky. Had to lug the old 17 inch Envision tube-monster back.

Did that ... and moved the keyboard around .. and it stopped working. It was ancient but my favorite for some years... but the connector needs jiggle jiggle to work. Phooey... I had a new never plugged keyboard out of another machine... I don't like it as much as the slimline, but it works.

Technology is our friend. You betcha.

What's broke or failing in *your* techno bin?

Comments

[quilzas.livejournal.com]

In the last year, I've killed two mp3 players. One was my mistake.. dropped it in water. It worked okay after it dried out for a few days, then died. The second died for no apparent reason. I am now on my third.

Laptop had a strange issue where the resolution when to minimum possible. One reboot later it was fine. No idea what caused it. No idea if it'll happen again, or was just a windows fluke. At least that is under warrenty.

Not much else, other than at work. We use these amp boxes and headsets to take calls (oh joyous call center work). Mine started developing random issues where the customer couldn't always hear me. Some days it was fine. Others it just wouldn't work. Then a bunch turned up missing in our area. I scavanged one and so far so good....

[lagilman]

My laptop case. The innards are moving slow but still working. The outsides, however... they keyboard is now missing the h key (have to hit the pad dead-center with my fingertip, which is tougher than it sounds!) and two other keys are sticking. Plus the dvd drive only closes all the way occasionally, and one of the case hinges is threatening to break.

The desktop, which is a Frankensteined monster of advancing age, is still hanging together, thank god, because there is no new laptop in the budget until 4t quarter...

[pgranzeau.livejournal.com]

Spider gear? That's in the differential, I believe. You're talking a bit of money there. Sorry to hear that, and hope it's not that!

I've had to replace keyboards and mice, plus a monitor--the old one was getting dimmer and dimmer, but I'd had it for maybe 10 years by then. Keyboard: Once when an old 84-dey keyboard I'd had almost as long as the monitor died. I bought a $10.00 101-key keyboard, couldn't stand it, and replaced it with a real live Northstar keyboard with the function keys over on the left where they belong, and the Ctrl next to the A, where it belongs (and the Northstar was fine when I had to retire it because it had the old style connector and I had bought a new computer that came with keyboard and needed a USB connector anyway).

Down here in Virginia, we've had spring since the first of the month, roughly. Apples in bloom, cherries next, and we have a bed of periwinkle that has bloomed. I knew there was a reason I decided not to go back to Wisconsin after I got out of the Navy!

monitor

[romsfuulynn.livejournal.com]

Check your warranty - my Acer monitor has a 3 year warranty. I'm about to ship it off for repair.

[zola.livejournal.com]

Let's see... since the beginning of the this year...

Keyboard (precautionary replacement due to being so old, letters were worn off keys). < $20

Hard drive: Catastrophic failure of relatively new drive. < $100

Mouse: Again, old age. < $20

Van transmission: $2300

Van tie rod ends and new tire $250

Van rear brake cylinder $200

We have also been breaking more dishes than usual--like one a week instead of one every few months. Must be subconsciously tired of that pattern or something.

As I write this list, I suddenly understand why it is I feel like I have no money... ;)