The Laptop Saga
I recently made a disconcerting discovery about myself. I am addicted to my laptop.
I use it for hours every day. Always with good reason, I tell myself. Since 2020, my laptop has connected me with counseling clients in two states. In my newly minted retirement, my laptop is for writing and research. Revisiting projects I haven’t had time for. Creating new ones. Connecting with my writers group. In the rare event I have nothing pressing or interesting to do, my laptop awaits. Always faithful. Always ready.
Until one Friday when it refuses to boot up. I turn it off. Give it a rest. Come back the next day. Same thing. The tease of “Lenovo” on the screen followed by gray squiggles. Monday morning I find myself on the doorstep of my local computer repair shop, having eschewed Geek Squad as too corporate with too much to sell. My resistance to a good salesperson is too low.
“Sure, we’ll figure it out,” Zach the computer guy says. “We’ll call you in one to three days.”
THREE DAYS?! But need it for 25 things today!
Three days later I get the message.
“Looks like the CPU is going. You will need a new laptop.”
Moan.
No, they don’t sell laptops and this is how much memory, how many gigabytes of RAM, which operating system I must look for in a replacement. They would be happy to make a clone (A clone? Who knew?) of my old one to install on the new one, and it will be quick and easy. Everything as it has been.
I do a cursory survey of locally available laptops before I resort to Amazon. Really good prices. Free delivery in two days. Lots of choice. I like that one—the HP with a 17-inch screen. I had an HP desktop once, and my HP printer works great.
Another Friday and my new computer arrives. I figure a week isn’t bad turnaround time and besides, it was a chance to organize my office and sort out overflowing bookshelves and closets. I rather enjoy not feeling compelled to write and be able to luxuriate in reading a novel in the middle of the day without guilt.
On Monday morning I plunk my shiny new laptop down on the computer shop counter.
“HP. This might be a problem. Who told you what kind of computer to buy?”
Well, no one actually. I had no idea the brand mattered.
“We can do the transfer, but it will probably take a little longer.”
This is my first clue that an HP is not a good choice, the point at which I should decide to return it and get another Lenovo. But I don’t really consider it. Too much hassle. I would rather wait for Zach to work his magic.
It turns out HP does not like clones from other brands, and worse yet, my Microsoft 365 online account is illusive. My password is not working, and Microsoft claims to have no record of my account. It takes a week to figure out that an old Microsoft account is showing up and somehow hiding my current 365 account. Or something like that.
With the validity of my account established, I presume that Microsoft’s technical support will know how to untangle the muddle. Wrong! After four hours online and no progress, the tech assures me the program that is now downloading will fix it. He will call back in an hour to make sure, but he never does, so I do. I reach another technician who runs through the same routine with the same non-results and the same assurance that he will call back. Only difference, this time I know not to expect a callback.
This weekend I attend a writers retreat and come home fired up to work on my project. But still, I can’t access Microsoft Word, although I can go online.
I remember that my longtime webmaster, Daniel, has done remote work for me in the past. I get in touch and start the process with him. He makes more progress than the Microsoft techs. However, he recommends that for best functionality the computer should be wiped to remove all evidence of my attempts to use it and returned to factory settings.
Now I think I should just send it back, but the return window closes in two days, and it will have to be wiped before it can be returned. So, it’s back to the computer shop. They agree with Daniel’s prognosis. The prescribed three working days to wipe it, reinstall all programs, and transfer documents and photos turns into six days with a weekend in the middle.
It’s been a six-week saga, but at last I am creating a Word document! However, I find I have lost the rhythm of writing time, my writers group has disbanded for the summer, and I’m sorting out vacation plans. It’s only the day after Memorial Day that I finally sit down to write. The opportunity has long gone to post my musings on Lent, Easter, the arrival of spring, and honoring those who died for our freedom.
I’m sure there are insights to be pondered, wisdom to be shared from this experience. But I’ll spare you and stick with telling the story of a wholly unexpected and largely unappreciated slice of my life. Because sometimes life is like that.