| Looking back three weeks. Our Dell computer | | | | you'll catch the virus first time through. |
| was fried. The Toro lawnmower was taken to | | | | Quarnatine it. And there is a 50% chance it |
| the shop for repairs and the GE refrigerator | | | | won't come back." I'm relieved to have Neil |
| was on the fritz. And this all happened on | | | | help me because he's always realistic about |
| one fateful day in July. Thankfully nothing | | | | your success rate when trying to fix |
| has broken since then, but I'm sure as I'm | | | | computers. He never tries to kid me. It |
| writing this, another piece of vital | | | | takes another 4 hours to run the software |
| equipment will probably make th FIX IT | | | | programs. We caught the virus first time |
| list.So here goes... I declare the next | | | | through. And it's never been back. One fix |
| weekend. "FIX IT" weekend. On saturday I get | | | | down, two to go.CJ and I hustle over to the |
| up the courage to try and fix the Dell | | | | Toro repair center to pick up the lawn mower. |
| Computer. I'm reluctant because I'm not sure | | | | And head back home. |
| what I'm doing and I know that it will | | | | |
| probably take me 5 hours or more to fix our | | | | The mower starts on the first pull, and CJ's |
| fried critter. But CJ has been on my case to | | | | off and mowing. That was a lot easier than |
| fix it. He says he needs the computer for | | | | the computer. |
| his homework and other related tasks(flying | | | | |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator). Actually he's | | | | Two fixes down and one more to go. The only |
| really on my case because he wants to fly | | | | thing left to fix is our refrigerator.Rich's |
| Flight Sim, not because he's worried about | | | | technician arrived about 5:30 PM. Pulls the |
| his school work which starts in 2 weeks.Right | | | | refrigerator out from its cubicle. Gets |
| away, I call Dell and tell them about my | | | | down and unscrews the cover plate. Nothing |
| problem. Fortunately, on my first call, I | | | | happens for about 10 minutes. Then we start |
| get a great tech out of Utah. I explain my | | | | to hear some mumbling and a few voice words. |
| problem and he coaches me on my first step - | | | | I ask, "Is everything OK?" The reply, "I'm |
| try and reload Windows XP. With some luck | | | | not sure. The replacement part I bought does |
| and lots of patience, 3 hours later Windows | | | | not look like the right part. I better call |
| is reloaded with only minor difficulties. I | | | | somebody about this."A few more minutes go |
| reboot the computer and it actually starts | | | | by, finally Mark(the technician) says, " I'm |
| up. Wow! What a relief. I hate spending | | | | sorry about this part. But the replacement |
| hours working on something only to find out | | | | part does not fit. I need to research this a |
| it doesn't work. And then have to admit to | | | | little further. We'll have to get back to |
| myself that I really should have someone | | | | you next week. And if you don't mind, please |
| qualified doing the job.I then quickly call | | | | don't tell Rich about this because I think I |
| Neil and tell him about what happened and ask | | | | screwed up.""No problem, Mark," I said. As |
| him what I should do now. I'm apprehensive | | | | he leaves I'm thinking, well 2 out of 3 |
| because I know the viruses may still be on | | | | problems fixed is not too bad.Carl Kruse is a |
| the hard drive somewhere. So Neil instructs | | | | speaker, writer and sales executive in the |
| me how to run the spyware and ant-virus | | | | manufacturing industry. |
| software. Neil said, " If your lucky, | | | | |