Yes, dear Mr. Newman, at the moment I am at war with all computers in the world. But let me tell you my tale of woe.
After my very best electronic friend (my dear old Gericom laptop from Hofer) had unexpectedly deceased by simply crashing down while I was working on a very important assignment, I was completely devastated. I have to admit that, yes, it was rather old with its seven years, but it had always been working perfectly fine without causing me any trouble at all. We got along so well. I really loved it despite all my friends laughing at my not-hyper-modern laptop (they didn’t believe that it was actually still working). I never had any problems with it. It always did what I wanted it to do and despite its advanced age, it was still working rather fast. I loved it that much that I even entrusted it my most personal thoughts by writing my diary. Until…it just wouldn’t work anymore.
So I went to that particular computer store (trip number 1) in hope they might be able to fix it. My Dad told me that this was the place where my laptop had already been repaired once, so I was pretty confident that they would get it working again. No such luck: “There’s absolutely nothing we can do, sorry. There are no spare parts available and it wouldn't even be worth repairing”. Oh no, and what about the hard drive? I was starting to panic since there was soooo much important stuff on that computer that I hadn’t saved anywhere else, stupid me. “Don’t worry, the hard disk is still intact.” I sighed in relief…even the thought of having lost all my files made me shiver. I told that computer guy that I would come and get it since my uncle could do the job of restoring my files as well.
I went to computer store (trip number 2), picked up my laptop and delivered it at my uncle’s place. A couple of hours later my uncle called: “Well…I’ve got your computer, but where exactly is the hard disk gone?” Are you kidding me? Where is it supposed to be? Is it not inside the computer? What the…??
Trip number 3 to the computer store: “Is it possible, by any chance, that you still have my hard disk? It’s not in laptop, you know.” They were terribly sorry and explained that it was just a big misunderstanding since the guy who handed it back to me didn’t know that it wasn’t finished yet and blablabla…Anyway, my uncle told me it’d be better if I let that computer guy put my files onto an external hard disk since this would be a very useful thing to have. A bad mistake which I was soon to regret bitterly…
With the external hard disk in my bag I went back home to plug the beautiful little thing into my brand new laptop (which, by the way, took me quite some time to get used to with its new windows vista and I had lots of troubles installing certain programmes.). Anyway, I tried to open my folder but: “Access denied. You do not have the rights to open this folder.” Awesome!! I fiddled around with it for while, asked my flatmates for help, but it just wouldn't work.
What else could I do than go back to the store (trip number 4) and tell that bloody computer guy to get the hard disk working. “Oh, that’s really no big deal. Just a few clicks here and there and you can take it home with you.”
Went home, plugged it in, opened the folder - everything went fine until...I tried to open one of the files: “Access denied. You do not have the rights to open this file.” You can imagine that at this stage I was already getting pretty grumpy. I am by all means not a very patient person, so this was really driving me mad! It is the end of the semester, I have plenty and plenty to do and I really, REALLY do not have the time to concern myself with such unnecessary stuff.
After calming down I decided to call the computer guy. “Well that’s strange” he goes, “but don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. Just drop by and I’ll fix it!”
So I ‘dropped by’ once more (trip number 5) and left my external hard disk at th
e store since 'my' computer guy was busy elsewhere. The next day I got up as usual and turned on my new laptop. And now check this out: I couldn’t turn it on! I might sound like a stupid little something now, who doesn’t know anything about computers at all. But no, seriously, it didn’t work. Black. No signal. No lights. Nothing. With energy, without energy - with battery, without battery: whatever I did, I could not get the damn thing working. I felt like crying, believe me, I did. Desperately I called my Dad who told me he would bring the laptop back to Cosmos. Diagnosis: manufacturing error. They gave me a new one in the end, the same model, but thank God it’s still working (after spending another few hours setting it up and installing everything all over again...).So what a about my external hard disk? The computer guy called me that same afternoon: “I just checked out your hard disk and actually, it’s working perfectly fine.” What?? He must be kidding me! That’s simply not possible! I tried it on my new laptop as well as on two of my flatmate’s computers. It did NOT work and this guy wants to explain that it’s working ‘perfectly fine’?? Right. He then told me to come by with my own laptop so that we could figure out what the problem was. I would come on Friday, I asked, if that suited him. “That’s fine, you can come any time. I don’t even have to be there, any one here can help you.”
Whether I wanted or not, I had to pay my dear computer friend another visit (trip number 6). A nice young lady welcomed me: “No, he isn’t here anymore” - “No, I have no idea what you are talking about” – “No, I can’t help you” – “We never have mechanics here Friday afternoons, didn’t
you know that??” I think it’s needless to say that at this stage I felt like this:
If I didn’t know that, she asks me. I mean how should I?? If he says I can come any time, well then I assume I can come ANY time - including afternoons.
I was told to come back on Monday (trip number 7) which leaves the story to be continued…
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