So I was just feeling really good about finishing off the fine linen - that is all that's left - a full bobbin, a bit on a second bobbin, and hardly anything on the spool - and editing the treadling for the next towel when the monitor went BLACK!
GAH!
So I turned the monitor off and on a couple of times with nothing but blackness, and shut the system down, heading to the phone to Dial-A-Computer-Guru.
Allan thinks it's the cpu fan, causing the video card to over heat which shuts the system down. Doug will try to look at the fan tonight, but in the meantime I let the puter cool and had dinner, watching CSI and Grey's Anatomy (I have satellite tv so I time shift a lot.) :)
After dinner I turned the system on (I'd tested it earlier and it worked) and wove two more towels using the 30/5 cotton. (Shown in the photo above.)
In the meantime I'd also emailed Ingrid Boesel (I use PCW Fiberworks to drive the loom) and bless her heart, she got back to me within the hour with the news that she believes that my ancient laptop would run the Compu-Dobby if I can find the proper USB to serial cable. So I'm on a mission tomorrow to try to find the cable in town.
I'm heading for the Computer Spa in April, but that's 5 weeks away. Now it looks like every computer I own will go on a road trip - again. Allan will make sure the laptop has the proper upgrades for PCW Silver, build me a 'new' system for the loom, and make sure the main system is running smoothly while I'm teaching in Grand Forks. :)
The 30/5 cotton is weaving up nicely. It's so nice to have a co-operative weft after weaving with the fine, fine linen!
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4 comments:
Gaaah indeed! What is it with computers lately? My poor little Lulu is going to the dark side (the right half of her LCD is getting darker and darker), Daryl's computer flipped out on her, and so did Susan's. It's like a weavers' computer epidemic!
Glad yours is working again - hope it continues to stay that way! What's this computer spa of which you speak? I'm having visions of laptops wrapped in white towels with little slices of cucumber on their webcams, but I suspect this is not entirely accurate...
there are times that I appreciate my litte "old-fashioned" looms with all those treadles or levers!!!
Still, it's a treat when the computer stuff all works the way it should!
Best of luck with it.
I hate it when the technology goes down!
Have fun in Grand Forks!
Nancy c.
Heh - I'd also noticed a lot of weavers are having computer problems.
The Computer Spa of which I speak is in Kelowna where my web master and computer guru lives. :) I don't know all the services he provides, but they are always so well behaved after a visit with Guru Allan, I wouldn't doubt the fluffy white towels and cucumber slices! :D
And if the computer *does* die entirely, there's always Fanny and the rayon chenille scarf warps Karena has been winding. I won't be entirely without a loom to weave on. :)
But talk about a heart stopper when the monitor went BLACK!
Cheers,
Laura
Wonderful blog Laura! I love your weaving. I can also identify with computer problems but I'm a bit smug because my husband is an IT Manager so he always comes up with solutions! Lucky..
kaz
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