Being a Comp Techie !!!

Last week , about 10 days ago I switched on the comp and was aghast at reading on the screen that there was a problem in the booting of the comp . Windows failed to load . In desperation I sent an sms to Rahul . Pat came his reply 'Damn , will call sometime later ' . I realised that it must be a major problem .

We had Windows Vista installed . As per his instructions we got hold of a Windows XP cd and was thrilled to be a computer Wizard for sometime as I was ' Operating on the brains of the Computer following instructions from Rahul . First delete the C drive and then install from the new cd . The computer started but we did not get the sound as well as the internet working . Again a call to Rahul . He then explained to me that the drivers were for Windows Vista and we had installed XP . As we all were comfortable with XP we did not want to go back to Vista , Rahul promised to trouble shoot in a few days . As our computer is IBM --branded we did not have separate driver cds for individual hardware .

On the phone he asked us to see on the CPU the model number ----- how did he know it existed and where exactly to locate it ---- I was thrilled at the way things were happening -- like the movie where the Airhostess is guided to land the plane from instructions from the control tower .

He then mailed us the links to drivers from the IBM website with detailed instructions on how to install the drivers . I went to the neighbours house , opened my gmail , downloaded to the desktop his mail and individual .exe files for the sound , video and ethernet . Then copied them on the pendrive and back to my comp . The sound and Video drivers were easy to install --- oh what a great feeling to hear the familiar startup music of windows booting -- as if the computer has recovered from a coma and was singing .

Installing the driver for the ethernet was a different experience . As per his instructions I went succesfully till the drop window showing PRO100 .I tried various ways to get through but failed . Again an sms to Rahul ' Can I call you ? ' ' 2 mins I will come out and call ' he replied . He told me to open the PRO100 box and to read the various items . I could not make head or tail of it . How could he imagine the comp in front of his eyes while walking in the veranda or the garden out there from wherever he was calling . Suddenly he stopped at a point and asked me to read out again and said try that out --- it was the last item in the list -- I forget the name now -- presto the net started --- oh that was a great experience . I also had to download Nero and as I could not open a pdf file I had to download acrobat reader .

When I narrated this to my dad he was happy and said that in each profession one can guide remotely . He told me how I ask the patients to read out reports and by asking a few questions can come to some sort of a conclusion to the diagnosis and treatment . Yes I did agree to that , as when the patient is about to read a report I can imagine the format in front of my eyes and ask him to go to a particular item on the report instead of him going all over it .

A good change from diagnosing and treating a Patient to being a Comp Techie to revive a sick Computer .