Post a bad thing that happened in your life today

[gvallee]

7 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Gosh Gen that's a bummer.

 

Only advice I can give is try to make sure it is bone dry before trying to turn it on again. Other than that is to have the laptop connected to a remote hard drive and save your work frequently.

 

Allan

 

 

Thanks Allan. I do make regular backups but obviously not when I'm in a middle of preparing a batch for Alamy. In fact, I was so pleased with my pics that I straight away saved the raw files on an external drive as well. So it's not total disaster but I do not relish re-doing all the editing on them. Not to mention tags, plus re-selecting the keepers which took 2 days.

 

I live in hope that my laptop starts tomorrow. Meanwhile, it's still raining...

 

 

[NYCat]

They tell you to put a wet phone in a bowl of rice but not helpful, I think, for a computer. Grains of rice in the keyboard. Fingers crossed that it recovers. I'm glad you didn't lose those special images.

 

Paulette

[Mr Standfast]

Do not use Rice Pudding! Really, no! 😎

[Michael Ventura]

Oh Gen! I can only imagine the heartache and frustration!  I hope you get it back on and running..but at least you still have the RAW files.

[sb photos]

Sorry to hear the bad news. As you’ve found out liquid and computers don’t mix. If only the keyboard was wet it may dry out, but water sandwiched between the keyboards membranes will not easily dry. Also don’t use a hair dryer unless on a very low heat. I’ve seen badly buckled  keycaps many times when excessive heat has been used. Rice is an old wives tale, I’ve opened many laptops where rice has got in and can be hard to remove. Was it a Mac or PC, all relatively new Apple laptops have their storage integrated into their logic boards so there is no SSD to recover other than from the 2016/17 2 port models while PC’s have either 2.5” hard drives or M2 SSD’s. If liquid has gone through the keyboard onto the rear of the logic board it could be terminal. Hoping all goes well and it bursts into life again.

[zxzoomy]

6 hours ago, gvallee said:

Do cry for me Argentina 😭😭😭

We are going through a forecast unseasonal very heavy rain event across Australia. To start with, I was enjoying it, that feeling of being cocooned, with the heating on in our bus. Tonight, the ground around us is flooded but it's not alarming. Humidity is 97%.

Our bus is 7m long. A leak developped from a 1cm sideways strip in the ceiling. So the bus was 6.99m dry. Guess what was under that 1cm strip? My laptop which I had left running, taking a short break from continuous editing for Alamy over the past day and a half.

When I got back to it, I saw water on it but didn't think it was too bad. Unfortunately, it died. I was in the middle of editing what I feel are possibly the best pictures I've ever taken. I took so much care that I spent about a day for only 6 pics or so, including keywords research as it's not a subject I'm used to. As I was still working on that batch to upload, obviously I have no backup.

Currently, the laptop is standing upside down with the battery off attempting to dry. Anyone having any advice if it will ever recover? Please someone say yes. Feeling dejected. If it's not Sod's Law, what is it? 😭😭

 

 

Advice in New York Times here. Hope it starts up again. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/smarter-living/what-to-do-if-you-spill-on-your-laptop.html#:~:text=Turn the laptop upside down,letting it sit to drain.

[Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg]

7 hours ago, gvallee said:

Anyone having any advice if it will ever recover?

a. hasten the drying with a blow dryer...?
(mild heat, not intense of course)

b. well-reviewed computer repair shop may be

able to recover more than you, even

bring it back to life...?
(call several, ask about it, they get this all the time)

[Shergar]

https://www.amazon.com/Desiccant-Packets-Moisture-Absorber-Dehumidifiers/dp/B01MT4TVQS/ref=asc_df_B01MT4TVQS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216543293754&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14388521819398267737&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031533&hvtargid=pla-407485189647&th=1 I always use these for storage devices or anything else not in use. You might have a few kicking around. Good luck

[Betty LaRue]

Something along those lines happened to me several nights ago in the middle of the night.  A large wooden cabinet fastened to the wall over my toilet in my en suite bath came loose from the wall & fell on the toilet, gouging into a wall also. The hair/skin whatever products that were in it dumped on the floor, and yes, in the toilet. The cabinet broke something I can’t see on the toilet, with water pouring out. The water went through to the ceiling of my finished basement, wetting an easy chair, dripping on. 50” smart TV & soaking the carpet. Wet insulation..argghh.

I shudder to think where I’d be, in hospital or a coffin had I been on the throne when it fell. Turns out the dumb idiot who mounted the cabinet on the wall missed screwing into the stud at the top. The screws at the bottom were in the stud, but couldn’t hold on when the top gave way.

I have about 12 industrial sized fans downstairs & up along with two huge dehumidifiers from a water restoration business. It sounds a bit like a one-prop plane is flying through the house. This is the 4th day now. I’m told the fans/dehumidifiers will be removed Monday, tomorrow. I was told to NOT turn on the TV to see if it works until tomorrow, when the drying out is complete.

Meanwhile, I probably have a month or two rounding up people to repair the various damage, starting with a plumber when the fans/equipment are removed.

I've dealt with it all very calmly. No use crying over spilled milk. I thought I would have a hard time sleeping because of the roaring fans, but actually it’s a great white noise. I’ve been sleeping like a baby.

My home insurance policy has a $1,000 deductible, so I won’t take a huge hit, just not a fun one.

Edited July 2, 2023 by Betty LaRue

[Ed Rooney]

10 hours ago, gvallee said:

Do cry for me Argentina 😭😭😭

We are going through a forecast unseasonal very heavy rain event across Australia. To start with, I was enjoying it, that 
Currently, the laptop is standing upside down with the battery off attempting to dry. Anyone having any advice if it will ever recover? Please someone say yes. Feeling dejected. If it's not Sod's Law, what is it? 😭😭

 

 

 

Good grief! The Land Down Under seems to have turned against you in so many ways this past year or so. 

[Michael Ventura]

53 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

Something along those lines happened to me several nights ago in the middle of the night.  A large wooden cabinet fastened to the wall over my toilet in my en suite bath came loose from the wall & fell on the toilet, gouging into a wall also. The hair/skin whatever products that were in it dumped on the floor, and yes, in the toilet. The cabinet broke something I can’t see on the toilet, with water pouring out. The water went through to the ceiling of my finished basement, wetting an easy chair, dripping on. 50” smart TV & soaking the carpet. Wet insulation..argghh.

I shudder to think where I’d be, in hospital or a coffin had I been on the throne when it fell. Turns out the dumb idiot who mounted the cabinet on the wall missed screwing into the stud at the top. The screws at the bottom were in the stud, but couldn’t hold on when the top gave way.

I have about 12 industrial sized fans downstairs & up along with two huge dehumidifiers from a water restoration business. It sounds a bit like a one-prop plane is flying through the house. This is the 4th day now. I’m told the fans/dehumidifiers will be removed Monday, tomorrow. I was told to NOT turn on the TV to see if it works until tomorrow, when the drying out is complete.

Meanwhile, I probably have a month or two rounding up people to repair the various damage, starting with a plumber when the fans/equipment are removed.

I've dealt with it all very calmly. No use crying over spilled milk. I thought I would have a hard time sleeping because of the roaring fans, but actually it’s a great white noise. I’ve been sleeping like a baby.

My home insurance policy has a $1,000 deductible, so I won’t take a huge hit, just not a fun one.

 

Oh wow Betty!!  So sorry to hear this.  Water problems are some of the worst maybe short of a big fire.  I have had two bad floods in my basement since living in this house and I know what you mean about the industrial fans.  I think they ran 24/7 for a week!  You don't want mold, that's for sure.  Good luck with all the repairs.  

[Betty LaRue]

33 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

Oh wow Betty!!  So sorry to hear this.  Water problems are some of the worst maybe short of a big fire.  I have had two bad floods in my basement since living in this house and I know what you mean about the industrial fans.  I think they ran 24/7 for a week!  You don't want mold, that's for sure.  Good luck with all the repairs.  

Thank you, Michael.
No, I’m especially allergic to mold. Every time it rains, my allergies get worse. While allergic to some pollens, the trade off to washing the pollen from the air briefly is offset by worse allergy to molds. The worst of it is multiple days of damp, misty weather.

 

The part I’m dreading the most is trying to find people I can trust to do a good job on repairs. The guy I hired shortly after moving to Wichita to do renovation upgrades took me to the cleaners & is responsible for this cabinet being put up wrong. I was in the middle of caring for hubby with his dementia & ill with systemic Candida, so I wasn’t at the top of my game.

[Ed Rooney]

 

Mold? I hadn't thought of that, Betty. Summer is when the grass pollen is highest. I have hay fever and asthma 365 days a year. Maybe I'm allergic to myself. 

[Cecile Marion]

Good grief, Gen and Betty! Both situations sound really awful. Sending good vibes to you both! 

[gvallee]

I am just waking up and finding all your helpful messages. You are a lovely bunch, it warms my heart.

 

Even before my coffee, I tried to turn on my laptop. It kicked in! While trying not to touch it much at all or even plugging it in just in case, I hurried to take a backup of my precious edited folder onto an external drive. Success! It's still going. I have mad hopes that it has recovered which is really amazing as water was pouring out of the sides when I turned it round.

 

Once again, many thanks to all those stars who responded to that damsel in distress. I would have tried some of your suggestions if it hadn't worked. I knew a computer place in town as it had just repaired my tablet.

 

And to Steven: it's a PC with 2 SSD drives.

 

❤️♥️

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by gvallee

[Betty LaRue]

3 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Mold? I hadn't thought of that, Betty. Summer is when the grass pollen is highest. I have hay fever and asthma 365 days a year. Maybe I'm allergic to myself. 

Me, too, Ed. I just react to whatever the allergen of the day or season is. I can’t use a wood burning fireplace…allergic to wood smoke. Eyes, nose, migraine. Drive down a dirt road? Nope, the dust gets me.  Mosquito bites used to make welts as big as a nickel or bigger, but while mosquitoes still love my blood, I don’t welt up as bad these days.

Gen, your new is wonderful. Please don’t do so many backflips of joy you end up in traction. 😁 You’ve been able to save your laborious image editing & that’s worth celebrating.

[wiskerke]

1 hour ago, gvallee said:

<>
it's a PC with 2 SSD drives.

<>

Congratulations! I think I would have opened it before daring to start it up though.

Maybe you already have this in your emergency kit: a USB 3 cable connector to your SSD's. Either SATA or M2 depending on their form factor. Maybe even one of both?  Both should cost under $10 US.

You would need a backup or new computer or laptop to connect it to.

I have been able to move files from cards or a drive to another SSD drive using a tablet and a powered USB hub. For a 128Gb card however it takes a whole night. My guess is that it's the same with a phone, but I've only tried a small batch of files as a proof of concept.

 

wim

 

[gvallee]

9 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

Congratulations! I think I would have opened it before daring to start it up though.

Maybe you already have this in your emergency kit: a USB 3 cable connector to your SSD's. Either SATA or M2 depending on their form factor. Maybe even one of both?  Both should cost under $10 US.

You would need a backup or new computer or laptop to connect it to.

I have been able to move files from cards or a drive to another SSD drive using a tablet and a powered USB hub. For a 128Gb card however it takes a whole night. My guess is that it's the same with a phone, but I've only tried a small batch of files as a proof of concept.

 

wim

 

 

Excellent idea Wim! Although I'm not equipped, I did think it was a possibility, perhaps done by a computer shop. 

I have a spare laptop with me in case of emergency like this one.

 

[gvallee]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Me, too, Ed. I just react to whatever the allergen of the day or season is. I can’t use a wood burning fireplace…allergic to wood smoke. Eyes, nose, migraine. Drive down a dirt road? Nope, the dust gets me.  Mosquito bites used to make welts as big as a nickel or bigger, but while mosquitoes still love my blood, I don’t welt up as bad these days.

Gen, your new is wonderful. Please don’t do so many backflips of joy you end up in traction. 😁 You’ve been able to save your laborious image editing & that’s worth celebrating.

 

Yes, such a relief! I didn't sleep very well. Amazingly, we had record rainfall of 110mm (4.33 inches) in the last 24h. The local river is overflowing and our bus is surrounded by water. This doesn't bother us, we just have to wait a bit longer for the water to subside. We're all cosy inside with everything we need. We do tend to stock up on things just in case. Then we'll be off to camel races.

 

Hope your water damage gets sorted soon, it's never pleasant to have to go through this. Which reminds me, now we have to sort out the roof leak, my mind was fully occupied by my laptop.

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by gvallee

[Betty LaRue]

34 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

Yes, such a relief! I didn't sleep very well. Amazingly, we had record rainfall of 110mm (4.33 inches) in the last 24h. The local river is overflowing and our bus is surrounded by water. This doesn't bother us, we just have to wait a bit longer for the water to subside. We're all cosy inside with everything we need. We do tend to stock up on things just in case. Then we'll be off to camel races.

 

Hope your water damage gets sorted soon, it's never pleasant to have to go through this. Which reminds me, now we have to sort out the roof leak, my mind was fully occupied by my laptop.

 

Do you have a container under the leak? My son had to poke holes in the ceiling downstairs to let out the water. I had plastic tubs catching it.  All a part of being a homeowner, be it a house or a mobile one!
When we had our RV parked at a paid, secured place for the winter, within a 10 ft fence & locked gate, intruders climbed over anyway. Broke out a window, entered, smoked, made cigarette burns on the carpet & stole our electronics. Wires everywhere. We fixed it up & sold it. I couldn’t bear to think what might have happened on the queen bed that was mussed. Had it been new instead of 10 years old I might have stroked out.

[gvallee]

1 minute ago, Betty LaRue said:

Do you have a container under the leak? My son had to poke holes in the ceiling downstairs to let out the water. I had plastic tubs catching it.  All a part of being a homeowner, be it a house or a mobile one!
When we had our RV parked at a paid, secured place for the winter, within a 10 ft fence & locked gate, intruders climbed over anyway. Broke out a window, entered, smoked, made cigarette burns on the carpet & stole our electronics. Wires everywhere. We fixed it up & sold it. I couldn’t bear to think what might have happened on the queen bed that was mussed. Had it been new instead of 10 years old I might have stroked out.

 

Yes I put big foldable pans underneath the leak. Rain has stopped now and weather will improve from now on. 

 

Crikey! Nothing seems to stop intruders! The worst is that not only they steal but they cause damage. We have all our worldly possessions in a container on a dedicated fenced and locked site patrolled by two rottweilers. The site never had problems before but I would not be surprised if someone still managed to break in. I am not worried, my perspective on life has changed and there are not many items I previously cherished that I would like to have now. Except my books, but it's not something commonly stolen. The slight worry is that it is so hot and humid in the tropics where it is stored that it sometimes causes condensation inside the container. A hole was going to be cut and a solar fan installed. 

[wiskerke]

53 minutes ago, gvallee said:

Hope your water damage gets sorted soon, it's never pleasant to have to go through this. Which reminds me, now we have to sort out the roof leak, my mind was fully occupied by my laptop.

 

You must have good old duct tape or maybe gaffer tape with you?

😁

wim

[gvallee]

7 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

You must have good old duct tape or maybe gaffer tape with you?

😁

wim

 

We sure do and use it a lot. Thing is we thought it wiser to let the water escape in the pans rather than let it go somewhere else in the roof and cause rust.

One known problem with Coasters is that they are major rust pots. A few months back we picked up a bill of several $$$$ to fix rust at the front. The windscreen had to be removed and the rust cut out. We keep vigilant guard. 

 

 

[Mr Standfast]

Put the trail cam out at 18:23.

Trail cam fell over at 18:28!

 

Look after yourselves you lot. Far too much going on!

 

🦔

[gvallee]

9 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

Put the trail cam out at 18:23.

Trail cam fell over at 18:28!

 

Look after yourselves you lot. Far too much going on!

 

🦔

 

Try again! I remember seeing a documentary in Africa. A 'hidden' trail camera was installed on a post by a drinking pool. It had previously been copiously covered in elephant s**t so it would have the right smell. The footage was hilarious. Here came a herd of elephants. One didn't get fooled, walked straight to the 'hidden' camera and destroyed it by kicking it with his foot. They must have managed to retrieve the footage. There's no fooling them!