AUghhhh

[tgies]

Remember the Capacitor Plague of 2002-2003?

Yeah, well, I had to replace a cap in the CPU decoupling bank on my laptop today. I had to desolder a part and solder in a new one in a fucking 2006 laptop computer. I don't think my blood pressure is ever going to go down.

It was kind of cute how it was failing — it would boot, then get to where it tries to switch on the sound device while the Windows splash is up (this is always accompanied by an audible "pop" as power is applied to the output stage) and WHAM I guess that was actually enough to load down the supply to where the CPU saw a big voltage dip. Reboot loop D:

I think it was just a fluke, though, because these are blue Nichicon caps, and those are always really good (I was surprised to see them in a low-end Dell design, actually, because they're pretty expensive). I replaced it with the exact same part from the exact same manufacturer. We'll see how the others hold up.

Man I do not like computers.

On the other hand, I'm pleased that I just saved myself at least six hundred dollars by applying extremely rudimentary engineering skills which took me about three hours to learn. Everyone should know how to do this shit! It's really not as hard as they'd have you believe. Google it or something. Buy a soldering iron. Build some kind of robot kit or something. It's sort of even fun.