daidoji_gisei: (Kakita Hideshi)
[personal profile] daidoji_gisei
Last Saturday I splashed tea on my laptop's keyboard in a freak teapot accident. Yes, I know, I'm stupid to have liquid anywhere near my laptop. I thought I'd gotten it all off the keyboard before any damage was done, but now I have about 10 keys on my keyboard that don't work. I tried blow-drying it on Monday after someone suggested it, but that didn't work.

Wednesday I braved the chilly temps, high winds and rain-threatening clouds (OK, it was 59 degrees but when you are in a short-sleeved light blouse with no jacket that's chilly) and bought a keyboard so that I could use my computer again. To be clear, I have partial use of it now: I can't type anything useful, but the mousepad works and after someone else suggested that I use cut-and-paste to create the password I was able to log on the internet and read stuff. This doesn't sound like much but I've become accustomed to the luxury of being able to consult the National Weather Service before getting dressed in the morning, so I was happy. (Well, less miserable.)

I had the fond expectation that having opened up the box I could plug the keyboard in and all would be well in my life again. Oh, no. For reasons known only to people who actually find computer hardware interesting, you have to download software from the Apple website and install it into your computer to make the keyboard work. This gave me two hurdles to clear: one, getting to the page that had the download, since I couldn't just type in the address the instruction manual so thoughtfully provided, and two, downloading a gigantic program over a dial-up connection. 'Gigantic' is a technical term meaning 'takes three hours to download, during which time you will be hovering anxiously over the computer hoping nothing goes wrong.' (The bitter thing about this is, by now my DSL account is probably up and running, but I haven't even tried to access it because my keyboard doesn't work.)

I got to the download page with only modest amounts of desperation and waited somewhat patiently through the download. I was aided by the fact that I can compose fiction on paper (I have a friend who claims he can only write on a computer), so I could at least get something done while hovering. After three hours (and one page, long-hand), the download was done and I began the installation process....

which requires my admin password to complete. My password uses two keys that don't work.

My emotional state at that moment is best described as undescribable. I am attempting to install official Apple software downloaded off of the official Apple website into an official Apple computer to run an official Apple keyboard. WHY DO I EVEN NEED A PASSWORD FOR THIS? Also, what kind of malignant ingrown toenail of a person thought it was a good idea to require a typed password for A KEYBOARD INSTALLATION? Why do they think people add auxillary keyboards to laptops? (I mean, aside from CTS.) IT'S BECAUSE YOUR KEYBOARD DOESN'T WORK, RIGHT? SO HOW DO YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO INSTALL YOUR *^$%##@*((*&&%$%%#$%^#!!!!!!!!! SOFTWARE?

After 3 minutes of grinding my teeth and thinking some very uncharitable thoughts about Apple I got up, gathered up the necessary stuff, and walked through the rain to work so that I could type up a writing project on my work computer. This wasn't strictly necessary, as the project wasn't due last night, but the alternative was to spend the rest of the evening under the same roof as my new, uninstallable keyboard and that wasn't really an option.

I haven't decided on what my next step will be. When I gather up enough emotional reserves I'm going to consult my owner's manual and see if I can use the start-up disks to change the password into something I can type. This will be unpleasant, but I've changed the password before so I know it can be done--unless, of course, it requires the use of keys that don't work. This would be just my luck, but I'm trying not to look beyond the best case scenario because then I get mad at myself (for being so stupid as to cause the problem in the first place) and at Apple (for requiring a password to set up a keyboard (A KEYBOARD!) and it's not like I need more stress in my life.
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