Yet another computer problem
Just when I thought everything had returned to its natural state, broadband internet restored, a flat surface on which to rest my Thinkpad and so on... Disaster strikes.
With no apparent warning, and a gentle pop/fizzle sound, the power to my IBM Thinkpad cut off abruptly. The battery power failed to catch the ball, and the screen went blank amidst the gentle smell of burning plastic.
After a moment of reflection, I pulled the power cable out, pulled the battery out, gently dusted the battery terminals and put it back in, then booted up with no problem off the battery. I then tried to plug the transformer back in, and ... nothing happened. Not only did nothing explode, but the computer completely failed to recognise that I had plugged it into the mains - I was still on battery power.
So I examined the transformer, realised that this is where the burning smell was coming from, and that the cable that comes out of the computer end was slightly melted right where it enters the transformer, so I unplugged it again, and imagined swearing violently (I don't really swear very often out loud, but the full lexicon of obscenities from several languages resides happily in my head, where it is rehearsed at opportune moments such as these).
On the one hand, it may be just the transformer, in which case I have a few days of computerless existence and all will return to normal. But if it were just the transformer, then why did the computer cut out? The battery is supposed to kick in if the power fails...
On the bright side, hard-disks auto-park these days. Some 10 years ago, after a similar power failure, I'd have been trying to scrape data off the disk surface with a wooden spoon (I exaggerate slightly, but I'm upset, so I'm allowed).
This post has cost me 8% of my now gradually-reducing battery power. That's all folks.
Posted by nlvp at January 3, 2005 12:32 AM