The dreaded message : Invalid HDD. Insert system disk in drive. appeared yesterday morning.
My computer crashed, and PH (Swiss short-termer computer engineer) kindly came over the same afternoon for the diagnosis. He took out the drive, did other sorts of things, and found that it was the hard drive, not the computer itself (PTL for that at least). What was confusing is that the network computer at work also had the same message the day before and he was on the way to check that so we thought it may have been a virus.
So "all I have to do" is get a new hard drive. Luckily one of our missionaries is visiting Canada for a few weeks so I should be able to order something he can bring back; and I did back up 9 days ago; and I did keep this old laptop as a backup....
It's just a pain to recreate all those settings yet again.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Anyone want a 30 year old car?
Finally yesterday someone turned up with a car for me to look at - bigger than mine, only 20 years old (??!!) but claiming to be an import direct from Europe, which means better shape than cars that have spent years on the harsh roads and in the harsh climate here. I'm looking for solid cars with good road clearance (to go into all the holes that make up 60% of the roads here), factory aircon that could stand up to the heat without failing due to inappropriate installation, and diesel to cut down costs. He wanted 3.75 million CFA for it ($A10 000), about $700 more than I had said I could afford (would take all my inheritance, and for that price needs to be on the road, all customs and government papers paid, in good nick), didn't even seem a smooth ride and looked like its front end had been smashed in and redone. And then our business agent said it wasn't factory aircon, he doubted that it was a European import (4 tyres different brands, papers suspiciously absent, didn't 'smell' like a European car, dusty interior looked suspiciously like inground local dust) and it was too expensive. The seller was all "you can't get these anymore, better get it today, I have another buyer interested" which made me even less interested.
He brought another today, clearly from the port, and only in the country a few days, cleaner inside, theoretically with factory aircon (though lack of an Aircon button inside made our office doubtful), cleaner, much smoother ride. This time for 4 million ($1333 more than I have) "plus just a tiny profit" (probably another $666 so $2000 more than I have). Again 20 years old, but in better shape. He offered to sell my other car for me (at much less than what I hoped to get) so I could buy this one at the higher price 'which would give me another 10 years' - and when do the mechanical problems start??? Again, 'I need to grab it since it could be gone tomorrow' and 'you can't find cars like these nowadays'. I told him I never made snap decisions (especially where $10 000 is involved) and to feel completely free to sell it if someone else had the money.
While looking at it another local car agent was near the office, and asked again if I'd like the small car another expat is selling, after having used a few months. Later the expat rang me and said he'd reduced it (to my budgeted price) but they were getting rid of it since they needed something better for the roads - exactly my problem. I politely declined.
Unfortunately, the money I had budgeted (all that I received, i.e. this inheritance) doesn't seem to translate into much in the local car market. The secondhand small 4WDs like Rav4 are twice as much ($20 000), and 10 year old sedans seem to be about half as much again, unless for brands that are known to deteriorate quickly or be difficult to repair here.
Being called out to look at cars when I should be marking papers or preparing Bible studies is also getting to be stressful, since my schedule was already tight, as is the pressure starting to come from all these directions to buy their car (and quickly). The guy across the road from the mission, my mechanic's contact, even someone visiting SIM while the car was there, and my landlord. I'd rather just call a halt until I have time to think through everything without the urgencies of my other duties. But, as my mechanic said, I shouldn't really keep putting money into repairing my old one but replace it as soon as possible with something that won't need repairing for some time. Last week it was $150 for parts alone and it has been amounts around that each week now for a month ... Luckily the mechanic is working off a loan I'd already given him, or labour would increase the costs.
He brought another today, clearly from the port, and only in the country a few days, cleaner inside, theoretically with factory aircon (though lack of an Aircon button inside made our office doubtful), cleaner, much smoother ride. This time for 4 million ($1333 more than I have) "plus just a tiny profit" (probably another $666 so $2000 more than I have). Again 20 years old, but in better shape. He offered to sell my other car for me (at much less than what I hoped to get) so I could buy this one at the higher price 'which would give me another 10 years' - and when do the mechanical problems start??? Again, 'I need to grab it since it could be gone tomorrow' and 'you can't find cars like these nowadays'. I told him I never made snap decisions (especially where $10 000 is involved) and to feel completely free to sell it if someone else had the money.
While looking at it another local car agent was near the office, and asked again if I'd like the small car another expat is selling, after having used a few months. Later the expat rang me and said he'd reduced it (to my budgeted price) but they were getting rid of it since they needed something better for the roads - exactly my problem. I politely declined.
Unfortunately, the money I had budgeted (all that I received, i.e. this inheritance) doesn't seem to translate into much in the local car market. The secondhand small 4WDs like Rav4 are twice as much ($20 000), and 10 year old sedans seem to be about half as much again, unless for brands that are known to deteriorate quickly or be difficult to repair here.
Being called out to look at cars when I should be marking papers or preparing Bible studies is also getting to be stressful, since my schedule was already tight, as is the pressure starting to come from all these directions to buy their car (and quickly). The guy across the road from the mission, my mechanic's contact, even someone visiting SIM while the car was there, and my landlord. I'd rather just call a halt until I have time to think through everything without the urgencies of my other duties. But, as my mechanic said, I shouldn't really keep putting money into repairing my old one but replace it as soon as possible with something that won't need repairing for some time. Last week it was $150 for parts alone and it has been amounts around that each week now for a month ... Luckily the mechanic is working off a loan I'd already given him, or labour would increase the costs.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
My mechanic should be getting rich, with all my trips to the garage
The car goes yet again today to the mechanic – after being with him yesterday, three days ago, 5 days ago, 8 days ago … I decided to sell it when I needed work on it once a month, but now it’s getting ridiculous!
I received a small inheritance which will enable me to buy a secondhand car hopefully no older than 10 years old, but hadn’t anticipated the amount of money disappearing into the old one which I need to keep running (and preferably sell) while waiting for the money to arrive (8 months after being notified of it). A major difficulty is finding a car that fits my budget, which also is sturdy, and capable of running in the bad roads I go on every day. I’ve been told many times I should get a 4WD (even a secondhand one is about 4 times the price I have) or a Rav4 (about twice the money I have) but what I received isn’t enough for such, and it’s down to 2 ordinary car models the mechanic thinks will stand up to the roads here. Since a lot of taxis obviously believe the same thing I’ve told them to look for them – with air-conditioning for the 35C+ heat we get for many months of the year here. A few months ago there seemed to be cars around for the price I can afford, but now they're saying it isn't enough, even if that budget doesn’t decrease with the repeated expensive repairs to the older car they just don’t seem to be around anymore and I haven’t been shown one car in the month or so I’ve had access to the funds.
So I’m waiting, and continuing paying for repairs on my 30 year old Peugeot. It’s getting to be a bit of a stress, especially as mini-hot season continues to bake the car while waiting for me outside work (and getting sat on or drawn on with scratchy chalk or twigs by local kids who have no idea I’m trying to keep paintwork nice for a sale) or with me in it while making trips to IMS or on errands.
I’d appreciate your prayers.
I received a small inheritance which will enable me to buy a secondhand car hopefully no older than 10 years old, but hadn’t anticipated the amount of money disappearing into the old one which I need to keep running (and preferably sell) while waiting for the money to arrive (8 months after being notified of it). A major difficulty is finding a car that fits my budget, which also is sturdy, and capable of running in the bad roads I go on every day. I’ve been told many times I should get a 4WD (even a secondhand one is about 4 times the price I have) or a Rav4 (about twice the money I have) but what I received isn’t enough for such, and it’s down to 2 ordinary car models the mechanic thinks will stand up to the roads here. Since a lot of taxis obviously believe the same thing I’ve told them to look for them – with air-conditioning for the 35C+ heat we get for many months of the year here. A few months ago there seemed to be cars around for the price I can afford, but now they're saying it isn't enough, even if that budget doesn’t decrease with the repeated expensive repairs to the older car they just don’t seem to be around anymore and I haven’t been shown one car in the month or so I’ve had access to the funds.
So I’m waiting, and continuing paying for repairs on my 30 year old Peugeot. It’s getting to be a bit of a stress, especially as mini-hot season continues to bake the car while waiting for me outside work (and getting sat on or drawn on with scratchy chalk or twigs by local kids who have no idea I’m trying to keep paintwork nice for a sale) or with me in it while making trips to IMS or on errands.
I’d appreciate your prayers.
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