I’d kinda blocked today out to do my computer non-upgrade – well, case-upgrade, motherboard is kind of a horizontal movement. This was, of course, foolish. Foolish because whilst the board was meant to arrive today, early, and the case ‘before 10am’, this almost never happens. I mean, technically, the board was meant to arrive last week, but the expedited 2 day shipping from USPS took 7 days.
So first up I tried to call our realtor who was meant to send us stuff to look at, and hadn’t. After leaving a message, I gave in and found other things to do.
First up I had a look at the UPS I picked up for 7 dollars at Goodwill. Now they proclaim the test everything, so I had moderate hopes. Although it smelt a bit of hot component, which made me a touch suspicious. Still, I plugged it in – no life. I flipped it over, the battery was disconnected. Ah!
Connected the battery. Plugged it in. No life.
Oookay.
Open the case, the hot component smell becomes more pronounced. Uh oh…
I don’t even have to look hard:
The voltage regulator has gone bang. So I popped in an order for one, it being only 50c (actually I’ve ordered 10, because that was the same price as ordering one and a 5th of another). Then John pointed out that in the photo the fuse F6 (right at the front) has also gone. So I need to bring it back in and do some more investigation…and work out what F6 should be.
Still, the battery is 12.27 volts, which is a good start :)
I could just take it back, but it is something for me to poke at.
Still…
Then I had a play an argument with KiCad. Not its fault, I’ve never really used board layout stuff, and I’m needing to learn – a lot. After some prolonged cursing (this tutorial I found is great, except that it seems to relate to a different version of KiCad, so occasionally, I’ll press button X and Z will happen, not Y. For example, a dialog box that doesn’t appear when I press it, or a function that’s not there, but somewhere else. Hopefully I’ll get it eventually).
Then I hear the scuffling of the UPS delivery person. Quietly trying to slip away before I can spot it. I grab the box and pull it in, resisting the urge to open it immediately, I eat lunch.
I can, I think, at least start transferring components into the new PC case.
I open the box, slide out the new case and…
Well, fuck.
Some of the blanking plates are bent, there’s a snapped attachment lug rolling around in the case, and the front of the case is flapping off the front like a dying fish.
So, refund request commenced, again.
I’m beginning to wonder if anyone in the US can ship electronics. I order stuff from China and it takes a month to get here, but it’s well packed and arrives in one piece. I order something from within the US and it arrives smashed and broken. I am annoyed.
…and then I rang the realtor who has been “snowed under” and promised to send us some stuff having leapt to do another search now and will, definitely, come and view the property that he wanted to show us today.
Feh.
