Updates of the Damned
Windows XP keeps trying to upgrade itself on my home computer. I get the little notification "Updates Available", and I tell it, sure, go ahead, update. Windows downloads the installation file and starts doing its thing. After a little while, it informs me "Windows could not complete this upgrade. See error log." The error log helpfully reads "Installation failed".
After a day or so, Windows notifies me "Updates Available", and we try it again. Sometimes I let it go for weeks without clicking on the little "go ahead" icon, but sometimes Windows gets cranky and really, really wants me to update it, so I let it try to do its thing (and fail).
On Saturday night, for the first time in ages, I turned off my computer. After I issued the command to shut down, Windows asked "Hey, do you mind if I upgrade myself and then shut off?"
"Sure," I replied. "Knock yourself out." *click*
The goddamn thing took me literally. Now Windows starts up fine, except I have no video signal. I can hear Windows playing it's "I'm Starting Up Now, La La La" music, and I can hear my New Mail notification... I just can't see anything. I switch on my monitor, and it says "Hi! There's No Video Signal! Bye!" and then turns itself off. The monitor connections are secure, and the monitor itself is fine. The problem lies within Windows.
Fortunately, Windows has a lovely "restore" feature that allows you to restore your operating system to a point in its past. All I have do now is figure out how on earth I'm going to run the Restore utility without actually being able to see it.
I expect this conversation in my immediate future: "Hey, Dad...? Remember that old monitor I gave you because I didn't need it any more...?"
What a pain in the ass. Fucking helpful Windows and its fucking helpful online updater. *grumble*
♣ ♣ ♣
Extra Tee-Hee Factor: On Saturday, before I shut the computer down and thus killed the video signal, I opened the case to check why the fan was making an irritating squealing noise. Opening the case voids the warranty. That's right: the video signal was killed off about 30 minutes after I voided my warranty. I suspect there's some sort of mechanism involved here: *Beep* Warranty nullification detected. Initiating tomfuckery. *Beep*
After a day or so, Windows notifies me "Updates Available", and we try it again. Sometimes I let it go for weeks without clicking on the little "go ahead" icon, but sometimes Windows gets cranky and really, really wants me to update it, so I let it try to do its thing (and fail).
On Saturday night, for the first time in ages, I turned off my computer. After I issued the command to shut down, Windows asked "Hey, do you mind if I upgrade myself and then shut off?"
"Sure," I replied. "Knock yourself out." *click*
The goddamn thing took me literally. Now Windows starts up fine, except I have no video signal. I can hear Windows playing it's "I'm Starting Up Now, La La La" music, and I can hear my New Mail notification... I just can't see anything. I switch on my monitor, and it says "Hi! There's No Video Signal! Bye!" and then turns itself off. The monitor connections are secure, and the monitor itself is fine. The problem lies within Windows.
Fortunately, Windows has a lovely "restore" feature that allows you to restore your operating system to a point in its past. All I have do now is figure out how on earth I'm going to run the Restore utility without actually being able to see it.
I expect this conversation in my immediate future: "Hey, Dad...? Remember that old monitor I gave you because I didn't need it any more...?"
What a pain in the ass. Fucking helpful Windows and its fucking helpful online updater. *grumble*
♣ ♣ ♣
Extra Tee-Hee Factor: On Saturday, before I shut the computer down and thus killed the video signal, I opened the case to check why the fan was making an irritating squealing noise. Opening the case voids the warranty. That's right: the video signal was killed off about 30 minutes after I voided my warranty. I suspect there's some sort of mechanism involved here: *Beep* Warranty nullification detected. Initiating tomfuckery. *Beep*