D'oh!!! ($hiba update!!) & other happenings

ALL ABOARD!! Toot Toot!! ALL ABOARD!!! Time for another trip on "The Rambling Train"!! 

Well all, I am BACK IN BUSINESS! $hiba is mended... it was just a simple loose cable!  I had called a professional computer repairer yesterday & he offered to bring over an external keyboard to test if I did short out the motherboard, or if it was just the keyboard it's self...

So, he stopped by today... We sat out on the front porch (which was so neat... 1st time I sat out there with $hiba! ... before I go way off track... ) Anyway, we plugged in 2 different keyboards into the usb slots & they both worked. He said he didn't think it was the motherboard & thought it was just something was loose or ??

So, (hmm... I see I have a "crutch" of "so"... (that's a term in radio school about a "habit" when talking! LOL)  I said let me show you what I did... I proceeded by taking the little strip off & then unscrewed the tiny screws & lifted up the keyboard & he leaned over & tried to loosen up the clips & then that's when it dawned on me what I did! I said... if it's that's simple I would be tickled pink...

Well, as you can tell, by this blog, that's all it was!!!!! I took the cable / ribbon out of it's port & put it back in & then pushed the clips back in place... put everything back together, put the battery back in & turned on & VIOLA!!! I about cried... & I'll tell you this... had I known that guy... I might have given him a big ol' hug!! But since I just had met him, I asked for his business card for the future! He was so helpful & he didn't make me feel like the complete dork I felt like! (I'll explain in a moment why.) He was SO nice that he didn't even charge me anything... & with the gas prices I figured he might... but on the phone he said he would for just a simple little test & he was going to be in the area anyway! **WHEW** 

Needless to say I did a little happy dance after he left. & That reminded me that my back is still healing!! OUCH!... Good thing I do not have to go to a job or anything!! :) Well, I'm too happy to be in that much pain... also it helps that I am laying on the couch with my feet up as I type this! LOL! :)

Ok, on to why I felt like such a dork & why I said D'OH in the title... & Why you're probably asking why would I need to replace the keyboard on such a laptop that is only a few months old...

Well, this all started way back when I decided that I could clean under the keys by "snapping" them off... well, when I went to replace the "end" key... I some how broke the retainer clip... the thing that keeps the key in place. Instead of going to my hubby & admitting that I broke it & ask what I should do, I tried to fix it myself by super gluing the key to the clip...

Well, that didn't last long the key kept popping up & I still couldn't use the end key. So, I searched eBay & the net to see if I could find anyone selling parts & see if I could persuade them to let me buy that 1 key for a dollar or 2.... & was hopping they could just send it in a regular envelope.  The only one I could find that was selling the keys & clips wanted to charge $5 PLUS shipping FOR JUST ONE KEY!!! I'm like.. no... I can get a NEW full keyboard for about $25 total!

So, that's what I did! I bought a new keyboard... figuring once I replace the one key I could sell the rest of the keys separately, for about $2 or even less... well, when I received the keyboard the retainer clip was a little different than the one I have... so, I figured I would then just replace the whole keyboard & sell the keys separate from the old one. (Or the whole board without the "end key".)

That's when all the problems started... When I bought the keyboard I was a dork and did NOT check the part # on my current one & thought that the one I got for the particular model would work. Well, I was wrong & knew it soon as I saw that the keyboard cable was slightly different... well, it was same length & same width & all that... the one part that is different is the "wire traces" in the flat ribbon cable... Either way... I still didn't have it plugged in correctly... so maybe that's why it didn't work after I tried it... Then when I put my old one back in... I did the same thing & didn't have it completely "seated"... After calls to Best Buy's Geek Squad & a couple days of mopping around about it... I finally confessed to my hubby what I did. I told him not to chew me out because I had already been beating myself up about it.

When I said I was advised that I probably shorted out the motherboard, he's like "Duh!" & "Did you check the part #'s exactly?" So... I kept thinking well, maybe I could do this & that... Then yesterday I finally had the bright idea to call a PROFESSIONAL here in town to see if they could come by & test it... & so that's "The Rest of the Story"! (in my best Paul Harvey impression.)

At least for now it is! See, hubby is due home soon & I can't wait to tell him the wonderful news! (Yeah, yeah, I know... it's not THAT wonderful... only if you know how much this laptop means to me, you might understand!!) Anyway... when he gets home, I'm going to ask him if I should try that new keyboard again or if I should just send it back to get an exchange for the EXACT one of $hiba!! I'd hate to actually short out the motherboard by using the incorrect part AND having it installed properly!

(UPDATE: He said not to try it without checking with Toshiba if it will be a problem.)

Ok, moving on... I know some of you may not have known what was going on because you don't read everyone of my blogs or reviews... I wanted you all to know that I was still around so that's why I kept posting things like the "Blogthings" quizzes... See, I could still copy & paste with the mouse... & I really could have used the other computer to blog... but I really don't like the "JunkYard"... because it lives up to its name... I think hubby should just scrap it & start fresh! But I can't tell him that because we don't have the money to do something like that. (I cashed out my 401k from the job I was at... is how I got money for $hiba... that's for those who don't remember and / or are new to my blog!)

So, I am back in business... I do have to say this... I was "lost" without $hiba being up to her full potential!!

Now you're probably all jumping for joy that I'm back (ok, maybe not! LOL)... Weeelllll... Don't start the partying just yet... I may be doing short blogs for the next week or so... because yesterday my mom has "assigned" me a big project...

See, about every other year or so my mom would host a family reunion on the 4th of July... & Because it's on the farm... & out in the country we're able to shoot off some noise makers... So, one of my cousins puts on a fabulous & huge (for a personal show) fireworks extravaganza... & it's becoming "the talk of the town"... well, ok, maybe the valley... all the neighbors love it!

This year it's going to be on Saturday, the 5th & sounds like it's going to be bigger than usual! & it's no longer the "Tyson Family Reunion"... but rather a big ol' 4th of July celebration... not just for family... but also for friends... & friends of other parts of the family. Oh & the neighbors around the farm too! They might as well join in on the fun during the day too! So, it ought to be interesting... Mom said we're going to have a pig roast... card games (maybe even a Texas Hold 'Em tournament); croquet & much more!

Anyhoo, my mom is wanting to get an email out to all those who may not have heard about it & start getting a better head count... because I guess my older sister, Renee, is having a "conniption" since nothing is really set yet... like how many chairs & tables we'll need & etc. (Hmm... & I wonder where I get my procrastination from! LOL)... Plus I need to get a map for those who haven't been to the farm before, or were not old enough to remember how to get there!

I've even invited some friends of mine! Hey... I need someone to talk to, besides family! All I know is that with the last year or so that I have not been fond of big crowds anymore... I don't know what it is... so, I figure I'll need to do is get involved with it & I'll be excited. If all else fails I'll hide up in one of the rooms with $hiba & send you all an update! LOL!!

In between all the interruptions & distractions (of my own doing), I've been working on this blog all afternoon (talk about ADD! geez!!)... I am ready to pull the emergency break & hop off this train...

Hope you all enjoyed your ride!

(Tomorrow & future destinations: My Webkinz collection; Samantha Elizabeth; & more UFC stories! I figure if I put it here it will remind me of what I need to do! LOL)