Update

Here's the verdict: my HP Pavilion laptop needs a new motherboard, at a cost of $700. I'm not sure this even includes labor -- doesn't matter, as the price is unreachable in any case.

Here's the plan:

• consult with brother-in-law, who knows about computers and may be able to get me a cheaper, used, motherboard (if that's sensible)
• consult with WeLL experts for further advice (one of the several things that makes the monthly WeLL membership worthwhile) 
• hoard energy for less-frequent posting on this tired old desktop
• decide what can be cut from monthly budget to save for repairs or new laptop
• start buying lottery tickets?

Surprisingly, the most frustrating thing to me is not being able to play with photographs as quickly and easily as I could on the laptop. This machine is just too creaky, and sitting up wears me out. I do have everything set up well -- good ergonomics and all that. What I miss next, is reading the blogs I usually spend time with each day.

So, I will be here, and on Flickr -- but with less frequency. Priority here will probably be Friday Cat Blogging, since that's the most popular feature I have.

In the meantime, it's spring, the garden is booming (so full already I can't imagine where everything still to come will grow) and I can sit outside with actual paper books. [Yes, I did mean "booming" -- "blooming" isn't big enough to really express it.]

Last night I dreamt that I was visiting a friend in some fantastic landscape, and telling myself to just enjoy what I was seeing, and quit fretting about what happens next.

Comments

[yukino]

What's wrong on the motherboard? Is it just the power terminal? Because I think you might be able to bypass it if you get a port replicator/docking station and power through that, because it goes through a different set of connections than the power adapter jack on the back...

[Karen]

Oh, that doesn't sound good at all.

Booming - I like that description. And the dream. . .

[SB]

Yes, it is just the power terminal --

Goddess, I love my readers.

I'll check this out immediately!

[Patia]

Ooh, hope that works. If not, can't you get a new computer these days for less than 700 bucks?

[Ryan]

http://flickr.com/groups_topic.gne?id=38029

I've been evil ;-)

[Paul]

If the problem is truly just the connection to the power plug and not bigger, you might want to try and find a repair place that has real techies staffing it. Most places just replace parts, but some more technical(old line) places will actually fix components instead of swapping them out. If you are lucky it might just take resoldering the connector, which would be a LOT cheaper that replacing the board. The key phrase to ask is do they do 'component level repairs'.

Unfortunately I only know one place (I haven't had to look) and its a Macintosh oriented store in NYC, TekServe

MacRonin47 at Flickr

[Ryan]

OK it's all set up:
The SBpoet Telethon -- Help Us Reach Our Goal!

Hey, you were there last year when I needed a little help.
So I'm here this year to give you a little help.
What goes around comes around :-) BIG HUG.

[Cathy]

Sharon, send me you address via email and I'll donate some money.

[Ken]

Count me in on the SB a Thon!

And, way not just get a refurbished EMAC -- much better graphic capability!

Of course, if you already have all that DOS software . . .

[Ryan Schultz (Quiplash)]

SB, as of 10 a.m. CST we've raised $180.00 for you :-) thanks to some kind and gracious donors.

[SB]

I've just done an updated update.

yukino and Paul, thanks for the tech advice, which I am pursuing. Cathy, absolutely not -- financial crises are relative, and I suspect that mine is less constrictive than yours.

Patia, this is a very good laptop, wide-screen, lots of memory -- not replaceable, I don't think, with $700 (even if I had that) -- but, I am looking nonetheless.

And Ken, DOS?? Heh, been awhile, hasn't it? Actually, I don't have much investment in current Windows software -- except for the critical Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.

I cannot express, strongly enough, my gratitude for all of your concern and assistance.

[Ken]

Oh, yes I guess DOS dates me :o)

I do use the EVIL Empire at work. So, I know about XP and those other iterations of the Standard Format.

As to our small contributions, think of them as subscriptions to a worthy journal, much like we put a few schekles into the pot for Public Radio -- that other subversive source.

[Peter Norby]

My only suggestion, if it is indeed the power connector, would be to find somebody who can re-solder the connector back to the motherboard for you (I actually did this myself a long time ago on an old powerbook 5300, though the repairs did not hold for that long). Another potential cheaper hack way would be to find somebody who can rig it so that you can supply power to the laptop via the battery port (I have a friend who went this route, hooking up a makita battery through the laptop's batter compartment). Or, wait for $700 to accumulate in the fund :) Given the rarity of people with the technical chutzpah to tackle either of the first two options and

-/\/

[Mel]

That sucks! My domain just expired (for my website) although that's not nearly as annoying as needing a new motherboard. I think that's a brilliant idea to consult with online pals at the Well. Also, if there's a CP used place near you I'd go and talk with the guys there. 700 bucks seems like a lot to me but then I only do word processing on my machine so I don't need anything very fancy. Good luck!