Feeling Stupid?

Ever feel stupid? Recently I did, big time! It's 2AM as I lay here in bed. Just staring up at the "pop corn" ceiling above me. Wondering just how it could have happened. How could I be so stupid? Some might think that I am being too hard on myself, but I don't think so, because I should have known better. But even I know that sometimes, the answers are right in front of you........but you just don't see them. My technical skills and training tell me to simply walk away for a while and come back to the problem later, and rethink it.

But then there are times when the answers are right there in front of you and you just don't see them. You just don't see them, that is, until you stop looking. What the heck am I talking about, you might ask?

Well, the other day I went to log on to my small note book computer, and after waiting for it to boot up, the only screen display that came into view, was a black screen, with white letters, stating there was a problem and I should start it, "in safe mode". However, when I tried to do that, it just kept reverting to the same screen, over and over. So I simply shut it off.

"I think it needs a rest", I thought. "It was plugged in for a very long time, and it must be tired."

However, when I came back later, and tried it again, the same thing happen......

"Was it over heated," I thought? Nope, the same results happened.

Now what was I going to do? I need my computer. I am tethered to cyber space and cannot live without it, or so I thought. It is the computer that keeps me in touch with the outside world. It's what lets me know what is going on in the lives of distant friends and relatives as well as the local ones. It keeps me informed as to what is happening in the world. Why, I have been in contact with friends I have not seen in over 45 years, but we're still friends, and still in touch with each others lives. It's also the device that lets others keep in contact with me.......no matter where I am. Any place, and at any time of the day or night. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO??????

"I know", I thought? "I'll simply use the other one until I get this one fixed."

Now keep in mind that I have an ASUS Notebook, and an ASUS Lap Top. I'll just use the Lap Top until I can get the Notebook into the guru's who work on such guizmos. So I disconnected all of the cables from the Lap Top. Put it on my "Lap" and there I was, back in business. It was refreshing, when I logged on. Here was the cyber world, welcoming me back, and telling me how much it missed me......yuck, yuck!

When I was done, I simply put the Lap Top back on the desk, and reconnected all of the cables and turned it back on. But there seemed to be a new problem......the Lap Top screen was now black, similar to the Notebook problem.....I simply could not get a display. Holy Crap, as Peter Boyle would say.

"Did I just get infected again and my info wiped out", I thought? "I am now in a real pickle now, the internet will be looking for me. My friends will wonder what happened to me. THIS SIMPLY CANNOT HAPPEN!"

I tried over and over, but ended up with the same results. I finally gave up and the next morning, I took both of them to the "shop" for the geeks to take a look. After placing both of them on the service counter, the technician looked at the Notebook first, and sure enough, it was fried. They would need to do a more complete diagnostic testing to see if it could be fixed. So a repair ticket was written and my little Notebook was reluctantly handed over to him to fix. It was really hard letting it go....as if it was some sort of puppy. In my mind I wondered,

"Would they take good care of it? Would they give it the care and attention that I would?"

Funny how we become attached to things. I probably should have named it. Perhaps something like "Info" or "Textie", after all some people give names their cars or boats, why not their computers too? Anyone remember ENIAC 1?

Next up, the Lap Top. The technician turned it on, and it booted up right away......no problem.....What the heck, I thought? "OK, then I'll just take this one back with me." I told the tech. Whew, it was a relief to know it was working after all. And now for the long ride home. Me and my Lap Top, side by side. Me looking out the window, and the Lap Top beside me on the front seat, comfortably resting.

When I arrived home I put the Lap Top down on the desk, and turned it on. It booted right up with no noticeable problem. I then started to connect all of its cables. First the power cable, then the external speaker cable, then the internet cable, then the printer cable, then the HDMI cable. It was when I connected the HDMI cable that all hell broke loose. The screen display went black..... So I disconnected it, and the screen display came back on. I did this a few times, with the same results. I could duplicate these results over and over.

"What could the problem be?" I thought.

It's time to walk away and think about it. But then I remembered. Many years ago, when I was teaching at the University, I used to use a Lap Top computer connected to an overhead projector to give Power Point presentations, etc. When I connected my Lap Top to the over head projector, and if I hit the "Function" and "F8" button, the screen on the lap top would go blank, but the over head projector would receive the signal and project the display. If I did it a second time, then the Lap Top would keep the display and so would the over head projector. Could this be what was happening when I plugged in the HDMI cable? I went back to the Lap Top to give it a try, and sure enough, that was the problem. A simple pressing of the "Function" and "F8" keys at the same time, would replicate the problem. It would put the display on what ever screen I wanted it to be on, whether it be the Lap Top, the TV, or both. You see the HDMI cable is connected from the Lap Top to the TV in order to play all of those great movies I get from Netflix from time to time.

So the answer was right in front of me all of the time. I should have seen it, but didn't and that's why I was felling so stupid! I guess my only advice should something like this happen to you, is take your time, go over all of the possibilities before you jump to conclusions......... Good Luck!