I totally did not kiss my computer when I got it back.

So, the computer tech just called and told me that my hard drive is fried and he has to order and install a new one.

...Dude, isn't that what I told you to do two weeks ago?

I swear, sometimes technicians behave just like doctors.

I was meaning to pick up the laptop yesterday evening, but the shop was closed when I got there (after leaving work early). This morning I went there and the tech said he tried to call me and couldn't catch me -- they can't retrieve my data, he needed my okay to format the disc.

There was no writing on there, the only good side effect of the block. My simming backup was far out of date, enough that I think I'll just throw in the towel and start over. It's just a game, after all. I might do a prosperity challenge with custom skins and stuff. I don't know. Anyway, I'll be picking up the computer tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I've been reading Morality for Beautiful Girls. I'm about halfway through, and I love it.

I have probably permanently damaged my laptop's hard drive. So, well done me. The thing freaked out at me last night about a corrupted hal.dll file. I called my brother to google for me and surmised that booting WXP from disc would solve the problem, and so resolved to contact IBM support and pick up my long-languishing WXP discs (which did not come with the laptop itself).

This morning at work I did some more background reading and surmised quite differently: the physical disc is almost certainly damaged, chances are it will have to be replaced, I don't know how long it will take or how much it will cost, and it seems likely that the data is mostly unrecoverable. My backups, of course, are not up to date. Best of all, the whole thing is my fault for being too careless with the machine, forgetting momentarily that such beings are very delicate and sensitive.

...Who names a boot file hal.dll? Are you trying to make me paranoid?

I was supposed to be playing with my electronic dollhouse right now. However, the game launcher refuses to read the DVD and all indications are that it's a SecuROM problem. I actually didn't realize that Double Deluxe had SecuROM on it, but even if I had, there's nothing I could have done about it. The store didn't have any of the base game left, as they apparently don't ship/manufacture/whatever those anymore, and it's not like EA Games was about to reimburse me for disc 1 getting stolen with my last laptop.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to get into DRM politics just yet. I so don't have the energy for this. However, what's done is done. I generated a diagnostic report and submitted it to both EA and SecuROM. I await their speedy response, and in the meantime, am starting to think about uninstalling the whole mess and buying an original flavor base game second hand off eBay. If I can find one that ships worldwide, it's a definite option. If it works, it's also an option for non-SecuROMed expansion packs, IE OfB and Seasons.

Why am I being treated like a thief? It feels so awful.

Work tomorrow, and then a dodgy schedule for the rest of the week. I haven't quite figured out how to balance it all out so that my brother and I can go to Icon and fill up on our graphic novel quota. And also see Hellboy II, which is only getting to Israeli theaters next weekend.

I should be sleeping, but instead I spent all day reading Apocalypse Challenge stories and experimenting with recoloring hair for a theoretical Sim story that I might someday play, assuming I ever have a freaking DVD drive in my laptop. After I finish the Impromptu legacy, that is.

In short: I'm as boring as ever.

So, no surprise, IBM Israel's tech support are fuckwads. I have a brand fucking new computer that won't read CDs or DVDs, so I call during work hours to open a request to support.

"Do you want to bring it in to the lab, or troubleshoot over the phone?"

Uh, duh, asshole, I don't know what's wrong. That's why I'm calling tech support.

"Do you want to troubleshoot right now?"

No, I'm at work, and my computer is at home, because your support phone line only operates 8-5, and I have a job, which is how I could afford your shitty laptop to begin with.

"When can our technician call you?"

Tomorrow (Monday) at 7 PM, I'll be at home.

Today I make an effort to leave work early so that I can be at home on time, because usually I leave work at 7. My bus is running late and I start to get nervous, because if they call while I'm still on the bus heaven knows if I'll ever catch them again. I get home at ten past, and they haven't called. I hook up the computer, turn it on, connect to the internet, by now it's 7:30 and no call. I call tech support to find out what the hell is going on... and they don't answer. Because tech support is only open from eight to five and now I've got no way to contact them until tomorrow.

I sent an irate E-mail to IBM Israel through their website, which they will probably shrug off.

Thursday is Yom Kippur, which means there's a pretty good chance that I won't get this fixed at all this week. Which means I'm going to have a four day weekend during which I won't even be able to play music on my computer, let alone computer games. Thank heavens for things like flash games.

ETA 20:35: I've defeated Microbe Kombat! Yeah!

Over the holiday, I wanted to test-install The Sims 2: University on my father's desktop, to make sure the new activation code I got was working. Of course, once I installed it, I couldn't resist playing a little and created an impromptu little family using the legacy challenge rules. Once I was playing, I started missing all the added options that Nightlife gave me. My couple didn't even have turn-ons or chemistry!

So today, I brought over the Nightlife expansion and installed it. Smartly, I backed up my entire neighborhood folder, against the need to uninstall and return to the Uni-compatible version of the files, right? Right?

WRONG. I was only semi-smart enough to back up the downloads folder (although it did not get deleted during the installation like I expected) and the one neighborhood I'd set up my legacy household in. Then when I loaded the game to start playing, everything seemed all right, until I realized that I could not play more than twenty minutes or so before the game froze. I'm guessing my dad's processor isn't strong enough.

Rats.

The new year started last night! I greeted it with brisket and coughs. Yes, I have a cold/flu/throat infection of some sort, which I've been struggling with since Thursday night. I'm trying to weather it out at my parents' house, and taking the opportunity to do some laundry for free. And eat their food.

Man, I need these days off. Too bad the DVD drive on my new laptop doesn't work, which means no music, no computer games and just general suckitude. I'll have to get to work early on Thursday so I can leave early and make it to the computer shop to try and get it fixed. I also have to call Lenovo support and get the installation discs for my OS, so I can install the Hebrew language pack. And then I have to figure out how to etch Hebrew letters onto the keyboard. I don't want to use stick-on letters, they always fade so quickly.

I'm reading Soon I will Be Invincible. Despite consensus that Doctor Impossible is the more interesting POV character, I still find myself preferring Fatale.

I have my laptop. All I need now is a plug adapter, and installation of Windows XP Pro, and a clue about how to put up a partition.

In case you are wondering, my computer won't arrive for another week, at least. The good news is, it's supposed to be high performance. When I have it, you will recognize that fact by my being online all the bloody time again.

My new laptop is delayed. They said ten days on Friday. I'm hoping it'll be less, although I can make it through another weekend. Worse come to worst, I'll spend it watching Doctor Who marathons. When I finally have it, I can rehook my home internet and return to civilization, not to mention finally listening to the two CDs my brother got me for my birthday. No, I don't have a stereo, and I'm not buying one, either.

I finished Forest Mage yesterday, and am buying Renegade Magic soon, hopefully tomorrow. Reminiscent of the original Farseer trilogy in more ways than one.

On Thursday my brother and I watched James Cotton live. It was incredible, even though I was very tired and nearly dozed off more than once. Seriously, his band was so awesome that for a second I thought the bass-player would spontaneously combust. I will seek and post clips at my soonest convenient access.

So the last post should explain why I haven't updated, as I hate accessing my journal from work. I've been reading more, and I ripped through Shaman's Crossing like I haven't ripped through a book in ages. I stayed up late reading twice this week, despite exhaustion both times, because I couldn't put it down. I heart Nevare and I can't wait to read Forest Mage. Also, the last part is coming out in paperback in November.

I am having a belated birthday celebration tonight, and my new laptop is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow (after a two week wait) though I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be late. Other than that, all is normal.

My computer was stolen. I don't want to talk about it.

I have shiny new physio exercises to cause me pain make me stronger. Woot? I also have a splint for my arm at night, which I had made this morning, and promptly (eight hours later) forgot on my desk at work.

The weather is very hot and unusually humid. I hate being sweaty.

I went to a computer technician yesterday and he said upgrading my CPU wouldn't make much difference to how my game runs, and my graphics card is integrated and can't be replaced. To make the game better, I'd have to sell my laptop (while the warranty is still valid) and buy a new one with a better graphics card (still integrated and non-upgradeable). Alternatively, buy a desktop, which is imminently upgradeable. I have nowhere to put a desktop and it would be imminently impractical, and yet I am still considering it, because I want The Sims 2 and Spore that much.

Digital Femme should totally write this, because it would be kinda awesome.

I am tired. I am always tired. A part of me struggles with the desire to quit my job and sit at home and brood for a couple of months. I know I will get sick of it before I run out of money, but I am terrible at job-hunting and so much better off saving that money for tuition. The worst part is that this is life and I can't just say it'll pass. It won't. This is life.

Okay, so there's no way in hell that Spore will run on my laptop. The requirements are for 2Ghz processor, which is the barest of all bare minimums, and I have a 1.37GHz dual core. Bleh. Earlier today I was like, "CANNOT WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER" and so I downloaded the freebie creature shop to mess around with. Now, I'm just better off not tempting myself with herbivores. It will only end in grief. Or me buying a new laptop, which is out of the question.

Maybe I'll play a little Sims to cheer myself up.

For my own reference: realistic system reqs and upgrade recommendations for TS2.

ETA: The more I read stuff like this, the more convinced I become that I desperately need a better processor. I'm not even sure if the processor on my laptop is upgradeable or not, but the Intel Pentium Dual CPU T2310 @ 1.46 GHz 1.47 GHz I have ain't doing jack, and I'm convinced it's the weakest link, and responsible for all the leakage, buggage, freezage, asplodeyness and giant balls of fire visible from space in my game.