A very complex and trying time

^{↑First replacement↑}

On or about July 4th, lightning struck very close to my house, power was out for about 5 hrs.
When power came back on, my main and newest PC (bought around 2019) did not come back on.
I took it back to the store where I bought it and paid the $45 diagnostic fee.
Blown Motherboard, nothing to be done about it, other than buy a NEW PC (pictured above)
I did manage to get the "Circus Lights" on the fans shut off, but I started noticing a sound very much like the "ting" or 'scratch' sound made when an old "spinning platter hard drive" was going bad.
I guess I obsessed over the noise because I could hear it plainly across the room even when my TV was on.
I thought I could used the canned/compressed air I had bought to blow dust off the fans; ceiling fans make noises when the blade get a lot of dust accumulation (but this hadn't BEEN here long enough for that)
I wasn't able to get the side off, so I blew through the grills at the front (after I pulled the front plate off), the back and then laid it over on its side so I could blow from below.
All that seemed to HELP, but it still made sounds, but now there was also the ignition spark

I spent too much time on the phone with them for this, but was told to take it BACK to the store, which I did
New thing at this store, there is now a KIOSK where you much check in (if you already have an appointment) or MAKE an appointment.
The kiosk was a pain in the pattootie and didn't work very well; the older man ahead of me took 4 times to get through, took me 3 times.
So when I finally got to the desk, the fellow listened to me, I showed him the video of the ignition spark, then plugged it up.
Now this one wouldn't power up, but I had been using it here at the house less than an hour prior.
They didn't have any more of that model, so I got this one:

straight out swap, only this one has a different processor and video cards.
MAN what a pain it was to get things set up on here, three separate remote support access, and even after uninstalling, reinstalling, restarting (all that done 3x's) at one point I'd gone outside to water my garden, and when I came back:

It said my video drivers had crashed and were running in safe mode
(Still can't get that one light on the processor fan to shut off as long as the pc is running)

I called them yet again, now being very pi$$ed off, and said I would wait until the next day, and if it were still showing this, I would take it back to the store for a refund.
Next day it all seems fine, but...
I'd had this nice 'ergonomic' keyboard connected to the one that died by lightning

Only when I took the dead machine back, I didn't take out the dongle that connects the keyboard/mouse to the PC wirelessly
After things sorta settled down, I went to Office Depot, where I'd bought the previous set, HOPING to be able to just get a dongle for them

THIS, is a dongle

It is normally stored in the mouse when bought

↑Different brand, different keyboard/mouse↑

When I got to Office Max/Depot and explained, they had one on display, three more and then they were out.
I bought one (just over $40) drove home, went to set up my new keyboard....
The slot in the mouse was empty!!!!!!!!!!!
There was a piece of paper showing that it SHOULD have been in that slot

When I got there, they showed me that it was there all along, IN THE BOX.

Having gone to Lowes on the first trip, where I got a solar powered flicker flame bug zapper for my porch, I set about rearranging things out there

This is what it looked like last night

Very pleasant and restful, to be honest I don't know now effecting that bug zapper will be (back right, in with the tall plant)
And until I can get a ceiling fan out there, even at night it is just too "hoomid" to stay out there without at least a breeze or breathe of air moving.

"A very Complex and Trying Time"

^by
Jerry E Smith
©07/27/2023

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