So, being less than wealthy, I could neither afford a new one, nor justify a repair at near new-laptop-costs. Taking advice from my local computer repair shop, I became a habitual eBay dweller. Often these motherboards can be picked up for the range of $200-$350 dollars. I managed to win an auction for one claimed to be in ?Perfect? condition for $255.00. Eventually it arrived, and enacted my crash course in laptop repair. Low and behold however, this board in ?perfect? condition had a severely broken power socket. (Comically, even cracked and resecurred with electritian?s tape!) And was totally DOA. The person I bought it off had a fabulous eBay record over 5 years, including Paypal enhanced protection. (Which guarentees up to $1250.00) The problem was compounded at this point by the seller deciding he?d no longer like to be an eBay seller, and deactivating his account. He was sympathetic to my problem though, and offered me $100 if I sent the motherboard/paperweight back to him...


Then the incredible happened. One of the forum dwellers with whom I?d met for ale (Yes, ale - not beer!) seeing he was in town pulled some strings with his company and I?m certain with his own wallet. In a savage act of kindness the likes of which I?ve never experienced, he presented me with a factory refurbished (Indistiguishable from bloody NEW!) laptop of the same damn model as my old one!!!



So, to those folk to whom I have offerred help in the past, and to whom I have been unable to meet my obligations, I will shortly be modding again! If anyone wants to send me a reminder (Cam, I recall the fixpack, no reminder necassary.) feel free and I?ll get to it when I can. I?ll need some time to get back up to speed (Hell, even Weidu is up 20 versions since I last modded!) but am at least back in the game!
