I HATE COMPUTERS
Mar. 3rd, 2007 07:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crossover_chickMy Day:
-->Get up at 9:45, since we have a busy day today -- getting my new videocard! :D Get washed up, grab a bite to eat, then work on unplugging everything. Mom said possibly midmorning yesterday, so. . . .
-->10:30 -- Mom and Dad are going out for a run. Once they get back and cleaned up, and we all have lunch, we'll be off. Mom estimates 1:30. I can live with that -- losing a morning of websurfing, but whatever.
Then, after they've left, I remember -- Saturday! The Bank closes early! And I need money (I'd made a list of video cards, and the one I found online at Best Buy was $300). So I gather up my things and my courage (after debating for a bit) and head out. It's a great day for a walk, so that makes it easier.
Get my check all right, then head over to my bank. My legs are itching a little, but I figure, better to get it done now, that way we can just head out.
THE BANK IS CLOSED. No reason I can see, it's just CLOSED.
Okay, NOW I'm a little pissed. Head back home, grumbling to myself.
-->Parents come back at about noon -- I tell them about the issue with the bank. They're just as surprised as I am, but Mom tells me I can just use my card. But no can do -- I've only got $200 in there. It's decided that I'll take out $180, give it to my parents, they'll put the entire cost on THEIR card, and when I do the rent payment, I'll just add the balance. Lunch is served.
-->1:30 -- I carry my computer downstairs and wait. Mom gets ready, Dad decides that NOW is the perfect time to check the oil. *sigh* We're on our way about 2:00, I think.
-->Arrive at Best Buy -- Seasons is on sale for 29.99, score. No Prima Guide though. We can't find the video cards either. After getting semi-ignored by this one guy (putting away stuff while saying "I'll help you in a minute,") we finally talk about getting the video card. He tells us what we need -- a PCI Express card that can run on a 288 power supply. He also tells us where the cards are, way in the back. Mom and I go to look while Dad guards the computer.
We find the cards all right -- the one I had in mind, an X1950, is way too powerful. All righty, lets look at the next one down.
Still too powerful. Next?
STILL TOO POWERFUL. NOTHING fits my 288 supply. Not to mention none of them are PCI Express anyway, all AGP!
We get a guy to help us. He looks in the back, no dice. He suggests nVidia -- I refuse, as my current card is nVidia and I strongly suspect it's responsible for the bluescreening issue. (I think I found my overheating problem, though -- there's three vents on the side of my computer that I didn't realize were there, and they were clogged with dust.) The only other ATI card that's a PCI Express is an X1050 -- again, a video card below what I wanted. We take it up to the front to discover the power supply needs.
300 watts.
So, basically, now I have to change the power supply AND the freaking card. We go back to check out power supplies, and the guy tells me that the card I first considered, the X1950, is way over powered and will cost me about 500 to install with the power supply it needs. The X1050 should be adequate, but I'd have more choices if I did a nVidia. . . .
I'm ashamed to admit, I ALMOST caved. Mom told me not to do it, though -- I told her about the driver/card issues I'd heard about on places like MATY, and she didn't want me to get screwed over. So, in the interest of not spending an insane amount of money for something that may be totally overpowered, I went with the X1050. Took up, bought everything, headed out while they installed.
-->3:10 or so, we go over to Barnes and Noble. I pick up the Prima Guide, do a little browsing, then we get drinks and snacks over at the associated Starbucks. I got a nice warm triple-chocolate-chunk cookie and a hot chocolate, so I felt a little better.
-->4:00, we head back -- computer's ready. Someone butts in while the guy tries to go look for it -- I'm pissed, but Mom apparently sympathizes, and talks to her. I somehow keep from screaming, "I don't fucking CARE what's wrong with her computer, WE WERE FIRST." (She did apologize, at least.) After a little searching, computer turns up, we're on our way. I get curious about the power supply box being heavy -- there's a moment of panic, but then I realize it must be the OLD power supply. Since the Geek Squad told us that a dead power supply was mostly likely the problem with another of our older computers, Mom and Dad decide to take that.
-->Get home shortly before 5:00. Dad takes the computer up, I tell him I can handle the plugins and stuff. Plug everything, start up the computer. . . .
The computer turns on. My monitor doesn't. After a restart and a bit of fiddling in the back, I get Dad. Turns out the monitor cable has to be screwed in at the bottom now, not on the side. At least it works. I change the screen resolution back from OMGSOTINY to regular size, start poking around -- all looks normal. I did make my backup last night, so I wasn't TOO worried, but still. . . .
-->However, you know what? I'm so fucking stressed out, I don't even install Seasons. Screw it -- I need some time to chill. So chill I do until supper at 7:00.
-->Supper goes all right, despite the chicken being tasteless (Mom had to add salt -- we NEVER use salt in this family) and tough.
So here I am. Still pretty pissed off and just wore out. I'll probably install Seasons in a bit, but right now, I just want to watch some stuff on YouTube and read fanfic. I'll check in later.
-->Get up at 9:45, since we have a busy day today -- getting my new videocard! :D Get washed up, grab a bite to eat, then work on unplugging everything. Mom said possibly midmorning yesterday, so. . . .
-->10:30 -- Mom and Dad are going out for a run. Once they get back and cleaned up, and we all have lunch, we'll be off. Mom estimates 1:30. I can live with that -- losing a morning of websurfing, but whatever.
Then, after they've left, I remember -- Saturday! The Bank closes early! And I need money (I'd made a list of video cards, and the one I found online at Best Buy was $300). So I gather up my things and my courage (after debating for a bit) and head out. It's a great day for a walk, so that makes it easier.
Get my check all right, then head over to my bank. My legs are itching a little, but I figure, better to get it done now, that way we can just head out.
THE BANK IS CLOSED. No reason I can see, it's just CLOSED.
Okay, NOW I'm a little pissed. Head back home, grumbling to myself.
-->Parents come back at about noon -- I tell them about the issue with the bank. They're just as surprised as I am, but Mom tells me I can just use my card. But no can do -- I've only got $200 in there. It's decided that I'll take out $180, give it to my parents, they'll put the entire cost on THEIR card, and when I do the rent payment, I'll just add the balance. Lunch is served.
-->1:30 -- I carry my computer downstairs and wait. Mom gets ready, Dad decides that NOW is the perfect time to check the oil. *sigh* We're on our way about 2:00, I think.
-->Arrive at Best Buy -- Seasons is on sale for 29.99, score. No Prima Guide though. We can't find the video cards either. After getting semi-ignored by this one guy (putting away stuff while saying "I'll help you in a minute,") we finally talk about getting the video card. He tells us what we need -- a PCI Express card that can run on a 288 power supply. He also tells us where the cards are, way in the back. Mom and I go to look while Dad guards the computer.
We find the cards all right -- the one I had in mind, an X1950, is way too powerful. All righty, lets look at the next one down.
Still too powerful. Next?
STILL TOO POWERFUL. NOTHING fits my 288 supply. Not to mention none of them are PCI Express anyway, all AGP!
We get a guy to help us. He looks in the back, no dice. He suggests nVidia -- I refuse, as my current card is nVidia and I strongly suspect it's responsible for the bluescreening issue. (I think I found my overheating problem, though -- there's three vents on the side of my computer that I didn't realize were there, and they were clogged with dust.) The only other ATI card that's a PCI Express is an X1050 -- again, a video card below what I wanted. We take it up to the front to discover the power supply needs.
300 watts.
So, basically, now I have to change the power supply AND the freaking card. We go back to check out power supplies, and the guy tells me that the card I first considered, the X1950, is way over powered and will cost me about 500 to install with the power supply it needs. The X1050 should be adequate, but I'd have more choices if I did a nVidia. . . .
I'm ashamed to admit, I ALMOST caved. Mom told me not to do it, though -- I told her about the driver/card issues I'd heard about on places like MATY, and she didn't want me to get screwed over. So, in the interest of not spending an insane amount of money for something that may be totally overpowered, I went with the X1050. Took up, bought everything, headed out while they installed.
-->3:10 or so, we go over to Barnes and Noble. I pick up the Prima Guide, do a little browsing, then we get drinks and snacks over at the associated Starbucks. I got a nice warm triple-chocolate-chunk cookie and a hot chocolate, so I felt a little better.
-->4:00, we head back -- computer's ready. Someone butts in while the guy tries to go look for it -- I'm pissed, but Mom apparently sympathizes, and talks to her. I somehow keep from screaming, "I don't fucking CARE what's wrong with her computer, WE WERE FIRST." (She did apologize, at least.) After a little searching, computer turns up, we're on our way. I get curious about the power supply box being heavy -- there's a moment of panic, but then I realize it must be the OLD power supply. Since the Geek Squad told us that a dead power supply was mostly likely the problem with another of our older computers, Mom and Dad decide to take that.
-->Get home shortly before 5:00. Dad takes the computer up, I tell him I can handle the plugins and stuff. Plug everything, start up the computer. . . .
The computer turns on. My monitor doesn't. After a restart and a bit of fiddling in the back, I get Dad. Turns out the monitor cable has to be screwed in at the bottom now, not on the side. At least it works. I change the screen resolution back from OMGSOTINY to regular size, start poking around -- all looks normal. I did make my backup last night, so I wasn't TOO worried, but still. . . .
-->However, you know what? I'm so fucking stressed out, I don't even install Seasons. Screw it -- I need some time to chill. So chill I do until supper at 7:00.
-->Supper goes all right, despite the chicken being tasteless (Mom had to add salt -- we NEVER use salt in this family) and tough.
So here I am. Still pretty pissed off and just wore out. I'll probably install Seasons in a bit, but right now, I just want to watch some stuff on YouTube and read fanfic. I'll check in later.
