requiem for an old PC

[stuck]

This afternoon I had a go at reviving my Windows 98 machine that I built way back in 1998. It has languished in the garage for many years. I didn't get very far. When I turned on the power there was a 'pop' and the smell of burning from the PSU

I don't have a spare PSU so unless I can find a replacement for only a couple of pounds (GBP) I will have to be brave and take the old thing to the local waste electrical dump

The prospect of it heading to a skip has my wife and on

If the boys were here, the three of them would be doing

Ken

[HansV]

All good things must come to an end. It's been 25 years!

[Leif]

So requiems can be considered pop music now?

[stuck]

All good things must come to an end. It's been 25 years!

but I built it, it's my baby

So requiems can be considered pop music now?

When you put it that way, I suppose so

Ken

[jonwallace]

Take a screwdriver with you to the dump in case someone else has left an old pc with a compatible psu. You never know...

[ChrisGreaves]

This afternoon I had a go at reviving my Windows 98 machine that I built way back in 1998.

Pop back into Ye Olde Jobbe to chat with your best friends there.
Slide the chassis under the desk after hooking up the monitor and keyboard.
Pick up the phone and dial tech-support and enjoy the coffee, company, and camaraderie for half an hour.

Report back here.
Cheers, Chris

[stuck]

Take a screwdriver with you to the dump...

That thought had crossed my mind! However, if I were to take it away but then return with it that would require some explaining to The Management.

On the other hand, if I were to buy a replacement PSU (I've discovered I can get an exact replacement for £15.00 inc delivery) the only explanation needed is that I've still not got round to going to taking it to the dump, which what I've been saying for over 10 years now.

Ken

[stuck]

Pop back into Ye Olde Jobbe to chat with your best friends there.
Slide the chassis under the desk after hooking up the monitor and keyboard.
Pick up the phone and dial tech-support and enjoy the coffee, company, and camaraderie for half an hour...

It's an idea but it's not that simple. No one can get onto the site where I worked without being on the visitor list for that day or without a cardkey and I had to surrender my pass the day I left. Getting on the visitor list would be tricky as the team I worked with become home based workers in March 2020, when the first UK lockdown took effect, and no one has returned to office based working since then.

There's also the problem that I was well known to the IT people so they probably had a big party to celebrate departure of that irritating guy called Ken, thus they'd smell a rat as soon as I called them

Ken

[ChrisGreaves]

Ken, thus they'd smell a rat as soon as I called them

When David finished what I hope HE thinks of as "Phase 1" of new windows installation, he left his navy-blue boiler-suit lying around.
I, being thoroughly domesticated, laundered it, hung it out to dry in the shed, folded it neatly, and stuffed it into one of those large paper flour sacks.

If you like, I can take it out, put it through a rinse, and mail it off to you.
Then you can walk in, keep walking past reception muttering "Seeing Brian Hayley about a Windows problem", or similar (make it look as if you've been walking in an out all day today), and there you go.

Great Scott! Ken. Have you NO sense of adventure? No imagination?

Cheers, Chris
P.S. I'll want the suit back by June, I hope! C.

[stuck]

...Then you can walk in...

It's another idea but as I said, no one can get on site without a staff passcard (which you scan to release the turnstile) or being on the visitor list (and that includes contractors), which permits Security to release the turnstile on your behalf.

I suppose I could try turning up in a white van (which I don't have) with e pretence of delivering something to Stores, but when Security saw on the CCTV that I wasn't going to Stores...

Ken

[ChrisGreaves]

... but when Security saw on the CCTV that I wasn't going to Stores...

Good grief! Ken.
Whatever happened to Initiative, "We will muddle through" and "Good old British pluck ..."?

Stores, my son, is wherefrom you pluck power units AND new laptops!

Carry On Struggling!
Cheers, Chris

[HansV]

Be careful, Chris! Inciting others to criminal behaviour is not allowed!

[stuck]

...Stores, my son, is where from you pluck power units AND new laptops! ...

Note how I gave Stores a capital 'S', indicating the word I used is a proper noun. Stores doesn't actually store anything. It is just a reception point that passed on whatever was delivered, within the day, to the actual recipient elsewhere on site. All IT kit was held in a room secured by the passcard system and only the cards of members of the IT team would unlock the door.



Ken

[ChrisGreaves]

Be careful, Chris! Inciting others to criminal behaviour is not allowed!

I have learned to choose my words very carefully.

When Ken walks past reception saying "Seeing Brian Hayley about a Windows problem", he, Ken, is not lying. The fact that Brian Hayley doesn't work there, or if he does, that he doesn't have a Windows problem (most unlikely) just means that Ken is going to continue in his current state.

And solely to preempt your next objection, we haven't got to the dialogue IN Stores, but when Ken strolls in, eyeballs the power units or laptops and casually asks "Does it matter which one I take?" and the clerk answers indifferently "No", well, on paper we're good!

But thanks anyway for reminding us all of the guidelines.
Cheers, Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

Note how I gave Stores a capital 'S', indicating the word I used is a proper noun. Stores doesn't actually store anything. It is just a reception point that passed on whatever was delivered, within the day, to the actual recipient elsewhere on site. All IT kit was held in a room secured by the passcard system and only the cards of members of the IT team would unlock the door.

Don't give up, Ken!
I'm going to get you a replacement power unit from your old job site or my name's not Kevin Wilkinson!
Cheers

[stuck]

...I'm going to get you a replacement power unit from your old job site or my name's not Kevin Wilkinson!...

Even if your name was Kevin Wilkinson, you wouldn't get on site without a staff pass or being on the visitors list, and you only get on the visitor's list if a member of staff puts you on the list.

Ken

[ChrisGreaves]

...I'm going to get you a replacement power unit from your old job site or my name's not Kevin Wilkinson!...

Even if your name was Kevin Wilkinson, you wouldn't get on site without a staff pass or being on the visitors list, and you only get on the visitor's list if a member of staff puts you on the list.

Golly Gosh Ken, but you ARE hard to please.
Ask Brian Hayley to put you on The List.

Cheers, Chris

P.S. I hope I don't have to fly over there myself and get The Job done for you.
So too should you! C

[PaulB]

There's the making of a movie or TV drama here...

[stuck]

There's the making of a movie or TV drama here...

The next Mission Impossible movie, starring Chris Greaves as Ethan Hunt.

Ken

[ChrisGreaves]

There's the making of a movie or TV drama here...

That tells you how boringly placid life here is in Bonavista while waiting for the evening's snowfall.
Cheers, Chris.
P.S. I know about movies. What's TV? C