Give the laptop a drink...
Jan 3rd 2006, 7:11 am
#1
Australia's Doorman
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Give the laptop a drink...
Prize prick that I am, I poured a nearly full glass of JD and coke all over my lovely Sony Vaio laptop the other night. I quickly grabbed it, turned it upside down and let it drain over a towel (pausing only briefly to power the poor thing off). We left it there, above the aircon, until the next morning. I Googled on my dad's PC for 'spilt PC on the laptop' and turned up a never-ending succession of horror stories, none of which had a happy ending. Travel insurance had a 400 quid maximum on single items, so we were resigned to being about 600 quid out of pocket on getting a replacement.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Jan 3rd 2006, 7:18 am
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 671
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
You Prize Prick...you!!
Originally Posted by Hutch
Prize prick that I am, I poured a nearly full glass of JD and coke all over my lovely Sony Vaio laptop the other night. I quickly grabbed it, turned it upside down and let it drain over a towel (pausing only briefly to power the poor thing off). We left it there, above the aircon, until the next morning. I Googled on my dad's PC for 'spilt PC on the laptop' and turned up a never-ending succession of horror stories, none of which had a happy ending. Travel insurance had a 400 quid maximum on single items, so we were resigned to being about 600 quid out of pocket on getting a replacement.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Jan 3rd 2006, 7:20 am
#3
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Originally Posted by Hutch
Prize prick that I am, I poured a nearly full glass of JD and coke all over my lovely Sony Vaio laptop the other night. I quickly grabbed it, turned it upside down and let it drain over a towel (pausing only briefly to power the poor thing off). We left it there, above the aircon, until the next morning. I Googled on my dad's PC for 'spilt PC on the laptop' and turned up a never-ending succession of horror stories, none of which had a happy ending. Travel insurance had a 400 quid maximum on single items, so we were resigned to being about 600 quid out of pocket on getting a replacement.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Cheers
Buzzy
Jan 3rd 2006, 7:27 am
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Eldorado (near Wangaratta) 'country Victoria'
Posts: 1,451
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
I am impressed 
I poured tea over my computer printer at work once and fried the circuit board 
Nicky
I poured tea over my computer printer at work once and fried the circuit board Nicky
Jan 3rd 2006, 7:50 am
#5
life begins again...
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: doncaster..then scunny... now canberra.
Posts: 1,790
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Originally Posted by Hutch
Prize prick that I am, I poured a nearly full glass of JD and coke all over my lovely Sony Vaio laptop the other night. I quickly grabbed it, turned it upside down and let it drain over a towel (pausing only briefly to power the poor thing off). We left it there, above the aircon, until the next morning. I Googled on my dad's PC for 'spilt PC on the laptop' and turned up a never-ending succession of horror stories, none of which had a happy ending. Travel insurance had a 400 quid maximum on single items, so we were resigned to being about 600 quid out of pocket on getting a replacement.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
Next day I turn it over to inspect the damage. Seems okay - do what every single bod on the .net advised against - turning it on. Hear the cheery Vaio startup jingle - powers up from hibernate no problem - can hear the keyboard buffer filling up, realise the keyboard's probably been mullered. Open up Notepad to see which letters it's repeating on - power it down and prize the keys off. It looked like about five keys had got the main splash, but with the keys off I can see that the keyboard unit is relatively self-contained (that undoubtedly saved the day). Spent the next four hours taking this mind-boggling intricate little rocker mechanisms off and clean up the little gell bobble underneath each. Left it with Notepad open again - no repeat key presses. Used it all night and then yesterday and today and it's working perfectly.
Several morals I've learnt from this that I'd like to share so you can learn from my pratishness. 1) If you're going to drink near your laptop - make it a diet drink (no sugar - very little gunky residue). 2) Depending on the design of the laptop, the chances of your PC surviving a bath are very small indeed. 3) Laptops generally have smallish hard drives - buy yourself a nice external USB or Firewire harddrive and save all your 'stuff' on there, leaving the precious internal hard drive space for important things like programs and swap files. 4) Never say "Well, 2005 was pretty shite, let's hope this year turns out to be a bit better", before settling down at your laptop with a JD and coke.
...the main reason why i always used a USB mouse, keyboard and a second monitor when i use the laptop at home...... obviously not while it's on my lap
good story though!
Jan 3rd 2006, 10:42 am
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,235
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Ahhhhhhhhh did nearly the same thing with my COMPAQ a couple months ago....did all the same things as you at first....but then hubby sprayed a whole can of switch cleaner into the keyboard and apart from a couple of sticky keys...its fine!!
A mechanic is handy for so many reasons!!
A mechanic is handy for so many reasons!!
Jan 3rd 2006, 9:37 pm
#7
Australia's Doorman
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Originally Posted by Hels
Ahhhhhhhhh did nearly the same thing with my COMPAQ a couple months ago....did all the same things as you at first....but then hubby sprayed a whole can of switch cleaner into the keyboard and apart from a couple of sticky keys...its fine!!
A mechanic is handy for so many reasons!!
A mechanic is handy for so many reasons!!
Jan 4th 2006, 12:36 am
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2004
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,131
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
I'm glad it turned out ok and that I am not the only one who has done that. Yesterday I poured part of a glass of water I was drinking on my computer keyboard. I turned it upside down but none came back. I spent the next few mins typing with a plastic pen (so I didn't get electrocuted 
) Happily it is still working fine.
) Happily it is still working fine.
Jan 4th 2006, 12:53 am
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Originally Posted by KatieStar
I spent the next few mins typing with a plastic pen (so I didn't get electrocuted ) Happily it is still working fine.
) Happily it is still working fine.Lol, god don't you just love women.
Post of the day.
Glad all is well Katie.
Jan 4th 2006, 2:13 am
#10
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 48
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Dont have any link to the story but i remember from my flight training days that a spilt coffee has actually caused a 747 to crash, resulting in boeing having to make modifications since the pilots actions in this case were common in the industry.
Flight attendant brings coffee to the flight crew and is ushered to put it on a console by the flight instruments. It wasnt one act that casued the accident but years of the same thing. Drips of coffee from a slurped cup had made their way into the switches of some flight controls until one day, the sticky goo made history.
Flight attendant brings coffee to the flight crew and is ushered to put it on a console by the flight instruments. It wasnt one act that casued the accident but years of the same thing. Drips of coffee from a slurped cup had made their way into the switches of some flight controls until one day, the sticky goo made history.
Jan 4th 2006, 4:56 am
#11
Australia's Doorman
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
Re: Give the laptop a drink...
Originally Posted by ndbarrett
Dont have any link to the story but i remember from my flight training days that a spilt coffee has actually caused a 747 to crash, resulting in boeing having to make modifications since the pilots actions in this case were common in the industry.
Flight attendant brings coffee to the flight crew and is ushered to put it on a console by the flight instruments. It wasnt one act that casued the accident but years of the same thing. Drips of coffee from a slurped cup had made their way into the switches of some flight controls until one day, the sticky goo made history.
Flight attendant brings coffee to the flight crew and is ushered to put it on a console by the flight instruments. It wasnt one act that casued the accident but years of the same thing. Drips of coffee from a slurped cup had made their way into the switches of some flight controls until one day, the sticky goo made history.
