Dec
12
Brain Farts
December 12, 2007 |
Okay, yesterday i really had a brain fart of gigantic proportions. My trusted laptop computer has lately been running slower and slower, and getting hotter and hotter. And it was time to open it up and clean the heat-sinks and the fans.
Now that is an operation I have conducted successfully many times. What happens is that the heat-sinks gets full of dust, and no air passes trough, and then the CPU over heats. But this time it did not help.
This computer however has 2 easily accessible fans, and one hidden within. And the third one I have never cleaned. SO figuring this must be the culprit, I set to work with a screwdriver, and opened the whole thing up. Peeling away layer after layer of delicate components. Until I could lift out the entire cooling unit.
Great I thought…well the thought lasted an entire second. Because when I lifted out the cooling system, the CPU also came off. Now that is simply not good.
Long story short. Today me and Nan mounted the Honda Click, and drove down to Buriram to purchase a new computer. After she had spanked me for destroying the laptop.
Our first stop was the new Big C shopping mall, as that was the only place I knew had some computers on display. So we made our way inside. And one of the sales people immediately attached herself to us. I inquired into what was their top model, and she made a sort of waving motion with her hand in the general direction of the computers on display. So I simply walked over to the one with the highest price tag.
Mmm…impressive…good specs. 19″ flat screen. Okay, but what is that blue screen doing, and what comes with it.
She replied with a confused grin. So I looked around and found the next model. This one was actually working. But the thing was password protected. And she was not privy to the password. So checking what was actually inside was not possible. So when I asked what the specs of this one actually was, she again gave me that big smile, and I could see that her brain was overloading from the blank eyes.
She finally came to. And informed me that it was a very good computer, and it even had, I kid you not, a screen saver!
1 minute later me and Nan was on the motorbike looking for a place with people in it that actually knew something about the product they where selling.
So after stopping at an internet cafe where we got directions for a computer retailer, we entered one of those. And lo and behold, the people there actually spoke English. And managed to fathom what I was after. And not only that, I could get it right now!
So I was looking at a brand new computer. The very top of the line. Well, the sort of top you can actually find in a sleepy Isaan town. But never mind. It looked OK. The price was pure extortion. But I was desperate, so I settled on one.
Now comes the funny part. Computers in Thailand never comes with an original, non pirated operating system. Now this one had XP Pro installed. I asked if it was the one that came with the computer….nope.
Okay…I would rather have at least the OS above board piracy vise. And not wanting to waste more time I mentioned I would be more than happy to pay extra for it. Yup, sure they could do that. But have to order, so it would mean the computer would not be ready until the next day.
I mentioned that our home was 64 km away, so what could be done to speed it up. Well nothing. This is when I counted to ten, while trying to maintain a grip on sanity, and at the same time trying to not look too desperate. Nan was obviously tuned in, and gave me a kick in the foot to help me maintain my smile. You see, this is normally when I walk out.
Okay, we needed this computer. So I asked if he was absolutely 100% sure I could bring it home tomorrow. And he must have spotted the ting tong’ness in my eyes, because he now said…the day after that.
Now I was dead certain that we would be lucky if we received the computer in this century. This IS Thailand, a bird in the hand etc. So I decided to cut my losses, and take it as it was. With a pirated XP pro, and other crap they had installed. I could always wipe it clean and re-install everything myself.
So about 30 minutes later, I was on the bus towards Putthaisong with the computer, while Nan drove the Honda Click home.
At home, I opened the boxes. And had to laugh when perched on top of everything else in there, was an Original Windows Vista CD, complete with license. So now that’s installed. And I am downloading all the latest drivers for everything else.
Well, well…
That’s it!
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Comments
12 Comments so far
I really enjoy reading of your adventures. Please keep up the good work. So, what was the final damage Bhat-wise? I come to Thailand in one week for a visit, but doubt I will get to Isaan, unless my teerak talks me into it, and am wondering whether to bring a computer with me or buy one in-country. Good luck with Vista. Yikes!
Perfect opportunity to switch to a Mac and you missed it. Oh well, you could always put Linux on that one I guess…..
I saw a link to your blog on Thai Village Life and thought I would come and do a nosey. I think your blog is fab and I absolutely love the idea of a Brain Fart!!
C
Hey Geoff, do you mean those super cool looking computers that always work, never have issues with viruses and that smart people have?
Where is the fun in that?
Carol, thanks for the comment, I added your blog to the blogroll.
And StevieSteve, the Acer Aspire M3600 set me back 31K Baht. Computers here are generally more expensive than everywhere else. But thansk for the nice comment
Did your laptop really have THREE fans in it? What kind of laptop was that? The reason I’m asking, is that I have seen thousands of x-ray images of various laptops, yet never _one_ laptop with more than two fans.
Dell Inspiron 9100. The third fan sits on the front end and its the one blowing air that passes directly over the CPU trough the cooling unit.
The Dell 9100 is quite chunky at 6 kilos with the power supply. Itæs really a desktop replacement, rather than a laptop.
Think of it as a desktop computer that looks like a laptop. It was quite a gaming machine in itæs day
Hey Rune that sounded like a day and a half my friend. You have to love Thai customer service. A smile and nod of the head and hope the farang pulls out the wallet.
I am like you and ask too many questions and demand answers and like you end up being kicked at times or having Noot leave me standing alone in a shop arguing.
Got to love Thailand.
You will be happy with the Acer, I got one and its been through a lot. Had it on a table once running and it started to rain, all the water was running off the roof right like a fausit into the key pad for about 10 minutes straight. I just shut it off, let it dry out for 3 days and its still running 2 years later. That dell had a pent 4 in it right?
Hey Rune, did you dammage the clips or the mother board when you lifted the cpu? You should be able to get some thermol paste and clip the cpu right back in….
Oh mama, welcome to the fucked up world of Vista. well to start with I guess you be needing this: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=5326
And probably more stuff you find on the geek pages.
Ending my tour here in Lanka on 27.12.07 and heading home. Hate to go home in the winter, but it sure is better than hanging around here any longer.
Sorry but I agree with Ulf. Ended up paying £100 to have Vista uninstalled from new laptop and replaced with XP. Hope you have better luck
So far Vista seems quite fine. I added to the gamble by installing Service Pack 1 in Release candidate mode.
£100 for having your Vista replaced? Do you have more friends who need the same done? I’ll move there and set up business. I’m rich….riiiiich!
*evil grin*
Sorry, just can’t help myself.