My laptop died. Yes, my IBM Thinkpad 390 has died. I've had this laptop for around 10 years, and the laptop hasn't had a battery to make it really portable for a good four or five years. I've been running the laptop with OS/2 Warp on it since I first got it, as I don't use it for internet connections and the like - this is my writing computer, this is my setting up stuff for games, this is my laptop. The power cord and adaptor are fine, but the power jack is dead, and there's no way to be sure about the motherboard and all. That was the bad news.
When
spross dropped off some stuff for me on the way to work, he took pity on me, and we went to several stores, notably Futureshop and a couple of places that specialize in second-hand computers and laptop repairs. I was advised not to bother replacing the laptop components, due to the cost on the parts, but lo and behold, at the second store we went in they had an IBM Thinkpad T21 which is about four years old, for a very reasonable price. That is the good news.
As you may know from my previous posts, money is tight right now, as I have this thing coming up called Gen Con Indy, but to be honest, I need the laptop as all of my fiction, writing, etc. is on that dead laptop drive - in short, my creative and part of my personal life! I think I have figured out a way to manage to pay for the laptop, and still keep the finances currently reasonable. We'll see, for sure... Plan to check out the T21 on-line, and see what else I can find out about it...
But how am I going to be able to survive the next few weeks without a laptop and no way to creatively write? *sigh*
Note: My mood reflects the fact that I'm more upset about not being able to creatively write on the computer for the next little while, than it is about the fact that I may be able to afford the new laptop in a few weeks.
When
spross dropped off some stuff for me on the way to work, he took pity on me, and we went to several stores, notably Futureshop and a couple of places that specialize in second-hand computers and laptop repairs. I was advised not to bother replacing the laptop components, due to the cost on the parts, but lo and behold, at the second store we went in they had an IBM Thinkpad T21 which is about four years old, for a very reasonable price. That is the good news.As you may know from my previous posts, money is tight right now, as I have this thing coming up called Gen Con Indy, but to be honest, I need the laptop as all of my fiction, writing, etc. is on that dead laptop drive - in short, my creative and part of my personal life! I think I have figured out a way to manage to pay for the laptop, and still keep the finances currently reasonable. We'll see, for sure... Plan to check out the T21 on-line, and see what else I can find out about it...
But how am I going to be able to survive the next few weeks without a laptop and no way to creatively write? *sigh*
Note: My mood reflects the fact that I'm more upset about not being able to creatively write on the computer for the next little while, than it is about the fact that I may be able to afford the new laptop in a few weeks.
- Current Mood:
depressed, sort of - Current Music:Mike Oldfield - "Crises"
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chasethestars
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The machine doesn't come with a smnall disc drive, so how the heck am I supposed to transfer files from computer to computer, when I don't know what to use to do it without a disc drive. (I am not a technical person, you see.)
The real problem here is I'm not really a hardware person, and I hate having to deal with software these days. :(
As a suggestion, you might want to save backups of all your creative stuff up into the cloud (ie. save it into GMail), ditto backed up on an external HD or even a cheapie thumb drive.
::B::
I think they're about US$15 or so, judging by a quick online search (e.g. http://www.pcmicrostore.com/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:10504078).
Getting the drive out of the laptop is another matter, but it shouldn't be impossible. Again a quick search shows up http://www.bixnet.com/thin39026262.html as a short set of instructions for changing a drive in a 390, I think.
Add to that the stress of work before getting ready to go to GenCon and all, and well... :
USB thumb drives for file transfer are certainly better than shuffling floppies.
I hope it works out for you.
The question is also whether I'm making a mistake in picking up a T21, given that these machines are, what? 7 years old, now?