This Is Where I've Been

R.I.P. Chris' keyboard
2002-2002
:(

Sorry to hear about your recent troubles, Chris. Best of luck to you in getting the problem corrected… may the tech gods smile on your box this day :-)

“….I have a new found appreciation for those of you in the “technical” arts. Sure, I deal with technology, but not like some of you do. I'm having a difficult enough time supporting myself, let alone dozens or hundreds of people…”
No Chris, we envy you because you can fix your problems. It's the other 99 people that don't that we have to deal with. ;)
And if you want, list your major hardware and let us see if there is any problems/conflicts on any. Never know, all your hardware might be compatible with, dare I say, Linux :O

I would rather spend all night fixing a hardware problem than teaching user's how to browse the Internet, use email or for that matter — turn on their computer :o) However, I am not one to speak, as I am not a hardware “techie”, spending hours upon hours in the trenches of a computer motherboard.
^5 to all you guy's and thanks for the info.

Sorry 'bout all the problems — but at least your hair looks gooooood. ;-)

Man, Chris! I need a blog. but I had to add this. Hope it isn't too long. It DOES pertain to your building project.
The day my heart stopped (John)
It was early afternoon…I had just jumped from my computer responding to a familiar resonance filtering through the neighborhood. Sure enough. While peering out the window eagerly to affirm that the sound I had felt was indeed the awaited UPS delivery truck, it began slowing as the driver guided it to a stop right outside our front door. “WooEee !” I breathed to myself. “It must be the package I was expecting.” “AH !!” I blurted out as the uniformed deliveryman displayed the container dimensions as he turned to decline the steps off the UPS van. “It's the MO with the pre-installed CPU.” I thought. Now, I mention CPU because during the seemingly endless time from order conception to delivery much energy was spent wondering if the AMD1800+, backed by a volcano 7 cooling unit, could/would withstand the handling en route. After properly going through receiving procedures, the intensity was peaking with transfer of goods ! It felt GREAT as I entered the front door of our home. Turning a bit to accommodate the door swing, I felt a weight shift within the new box which was now tucked under one arm. “OHhh NO000oo…..” my heart murmured… I knew that that movement I felt was caused by something of substantial mass. After nestling the carton onto the sofa, I frantically searched for the nearest tool that would smoothly sever the binding tape. “But wait!” I thought to myself, grasping for some composure. It still seemed important that I not open the winterized package and risk condensation. “Just open it and inspect it for damage!” I prodded myself. Raising the bundle of bubble-wrap out and up on my hand like the tray of a bus-boy, I rotated it to peer into the side of an inadequately protected unit. It was at this moment that …….my heart stopped. Damage was extensive. BUT….did the loose cooling unit cause micro damage to the MO surface? Fortunately not. Only the mounting pins of the MO's small cooling fan heat sink had sheared off after the Volcano apparently released itself from the CPU and forcefully slid over against the mo processor. It was the set of springs from the broken mounting clips that so exasperated me. Tiny they were.. but where WERE they?…..”Hmmmm..There's one.”…..Lodged in the parallel port circuit board connections. The other? Still floating freely in th box amidst the packing “popcornÂâ€?. A trip to Radio Shack and the local hardware store for nylon screws, heatsink cream, and a breath of fresh air sufficed(no way was I going to lose at least another three weeks in completing my PC). Soon I was installing everything into the PC case, connecting the new AOC flat monitor(which incidentally arrived without a dent in the carton), and plugging it in. It still functioned without problemsÂ…..my heart, that is.
SeriouslyÂ…Â…Â…..It might be important to note here…
Although the shipping company UPS appears to be the culprit, actually my experiences with the transport systems have been quite satisfactory. The real problem lies at the packaging end of the company from where the item was ordered. But, I don''t want to sour anyones view of certain companys.
Since this company offered the best price for the MO/CPU/memory combo, I went with it. I should have informed the company to disassemble the combo before shipment as the reason for “pre� assembly was for testing to ensure quality goods.
In the future, communication with the company regarding proper packaging techniques will ensure safer delivery under most circumstances.
It was my choice to waive all warrantees.

Man, Chris! I need a blog. but I had to add this. Hope it isn't too long. It DOES pertain to your building project.
The day my heart stopped (John)
It was early afternoon…I had just jumped from my computer responding to a familiar resonance filtering through the neighborhood. Sure enough. While peering out the window eagerly to affirm that the sound I had felt was indeed the awaited UPS delivery truck, it began slowing as the driver guided it to a stop right outside our front door. “WooEee !” I breathed to myself. “It must be the package I was expecting.” “AH !!” I blurted out as the uniformed deliveryman displayed the container dimensions as he turned to decline the steps off the UPS van. “It's the MO with the pre-installed CPU.” I thought. Now, I mention CPU because during the seemingly endless time from order conception to delivery much energy was spent wondering if the AMD1800+, backed by a volcano 7 cooling unit, could/would withstand the handling en route. After properly going through receiving procedures, the intensity was peaking with transfer of goods ! It felt GREAT as I entered the front door of our home. Turning a bit to accommodate the door swing, I felt a weight shift within the new box which was now tucked under one arm. “OHhh NO000oo…..” my heart murmured… I knew that that movement I felt was caused by something of substantial mass. After nestling the carton onto the sofa, I frantically searched for the nearest tool that would smoothly sever the binding tape. “But wait!” I thought to myself, grasping for some composure. It still seemed important that I not open the winterized package and risk condensation. “Just open it and inspect it for damage!” I prodded myself. Raising the bundle of bubble-wrap out and up on my hand like the tray of a bus-boy, I rotated it to peer into the side of an inadequately protected unit. It was at this moment that …….my heart stopped. Damage was extensive. BUT….did the loose cooling unit cause micro damage to the MO surface? Fortunately not. Only the mounting pins of the MO's small cooling fan heat sink had sheared off after the Volcano apparently released itself from the CPU and forcefully slid over against the mo processor. It was the set of springs from the broken mounting clips that so exasperated me. Tiny they were.. but where WERE they?…..”Hmmmm..There's one.”…..Lodged in the parallel port circuit board connections. The other? Still floating freely in th box amidst the packing “popcornÂâ€?. A trip to Radio Shack and the local hardware store for nylon screws, heatsink cream, and a breath of fresh air sufficed(no way was I going to lose at least another three weeks in completing my PC). Soon I was installing everything into the PC case, connecting the new AOC flat monitor(which incidentally arrived without a dent in the carton), and plugging it in. It still functioned without problemsÂ…..my heart, that is.
SeriouslyÂ…Â…Â…..It might be important to note here…
Although the shipping company UPS appears to be the culprit, actually my experiences with the transport systems have been quite satisfactory. The real problem lies at the packaging end of the company from where the item was ordered. But, I don''t want to sour anyones view of certain companys.
Since this company offered the best price for the MO/CPU/memory combo, I went with it. I should have informed the company to disassemble the combo before shipment as the reason for “pre� assembly was for testing to ensure quality goods.
In the future, communication with the company regarding proper packaging techniques will ensure safer delivery under most circumstances.
It was my choice to waive all warrantees.

I'm so sorry…I got DNS error right after clicking “post”
I don't mean to repeat myself…
God.. I hope you can forgive me..

hah! it seems everyone's going thru their hard times right now. ^_^; glad to see that your hell week is over , though.

That John… I don't know what to do with him…
He's always making mistakes.

I once got some water on/in my notebook, and turned it on, it did some weird things. lol I put it up near a big heater for a couple of days and let it sit another day, turned it on, and it worked.