Thank you for coming back

Everything began when mum cleaned him on Friday afternoon. She took all her pleasure time to open up each and every component in the CPU so that she can clean them properly. It was her idea that the high-pitch, irritating noise of my computer came from the dust-accumulating fans. So, the CPU fans, power supply fan and motherboard fan were all vacuumed to clean.

I must admit she dealt with my baby no. 1 very diligently. But slowly, problems arose.

The first problem he put me on was Mozilla crash in my every attempt to start Restaurant City. In my first thought Mozilla needed some maintenance.

Not long after, Microsoft reported error and required me to shut down. Not just once but every 15 minutes interval.

Moving forward, more and more errors popped out. Examples are IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL blue screen and C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\VIRUSD~1\20031203.03 9\0000NAV~.TMP. Don't expect me to understand the alien language, do you? From the symptoms it didn't look like it was Mozilla behind the disease.

Since everything was related to Windows (from my own understanding and point of view), I assume some Windows corrupt thus I tried to format him and start all over again. Before I did, I bought a 160GB portable hard disk at Low Yat to back up my data. On the same Sunday I bought another 512 MB RAM for him under mum's request.

I was anticipating the newly formatted him along the way back home until I tried to format him. I'd never encountered such difficulties in formatting. What's your problem? Kana sai. Can you imagine how frustrating it is if you were trying to format your damn computer since 7 p.m., and you had not progressed an inch even when it was already 2 a.m.? He gave me a real headache 'coz he constantly showed sxs.dll error, led me into restarting him for countless times. I thought my method of formatting computer was wrong but I knew I was right. U lost count of how many times had I tried. Something definitely had to be wrong somewhere in him.

As a future biochemist or high potential toilet cleaner in some factories, I was unable to diagnose his illness. There's no instruction on my text books. Without a professional in computing, it sounds impossible to me. I tried to format the hard disk many times but the process never made it to Windows installation. At least I could still proceed with Windows installation but ended with failure.

The situation remained the same for 2 days. How to not feel sick? Sick of reading the sxs.dll error, my frustration level shot high that I couldn't contain my frustration anymore! I need you! BANG! That was the sound of my tight slap. Why do you have to treat me at time such as this? And instantly, he never allowed me to attempt on Windows installation.

OMG! What had I done? I shouldn't have slapped you. I should not hammer you head on. I am deeply regret for what I've done. Please forgive me?

But he never responded as how I wanted him to. Besides sxs.dll error, I received IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL blue screen error in occasion.

His absence for 2 days gave me a lot of troubles yet at the same time I learned to appreciate him as my great partner in life. No matter how you all look at him, the 3+ years old computer is my baby no. 1 I owned. No matter how eagerly my heart wanted to buy a new one, I would not take in my friends persuasion.

We had a good chat while cooling down. It was more to a monologue. Nothing much. Just some stories of our experience together when I first brought him home on 15 November 2005. On how hard I was earning money, serving dim sum to buy him. On how hard we were working hand in hand to complete the school magazine, we didn't sleep for almost 72 hours straight. On how we were suppose to complete all the reports and assignments, without you I cannot do a shit. On how much he was able to provide me entertainment when I was lonely. In that instance, I missed you so much and I wanted you back. I can get a better laptop but I wanted you the most. The most protruding feeling - please come back. Gently I kissed his body and shed my tears.

Lady luck did smile ^^.

While reading Instrumental notes on Monday evening I disassembled the components my mum cleaned the other day. The notes explained the components of UV/Vis spectrophotometer but did not discuss the components of computer. Carefully I reinstalled the motherboard fan, power supply, RAM and hard disks into their respective slots. I had the least expectation when I found out that the motherboard fan was loosely fixed.

I tried Windows installation again and to my surprise he responded to my command this time. Up to now, 20 hours had passed and there's no error message. There's no suitable word to describe my feeling now, as I can only say I LOVE YOU BABY NO. 1!!!

You really came back to me. Thank you.

Yea he is really silent now ^^.




[Jino] - A man's not a man unless he knows how to shoot