Today was supposed to be a time when I could step up and easily help a couple of friends of mine with their technology woes; a neighbor has a dead laptop that they would like the pictures salvaged from. Another friend has a couple of old PowerMac G4 towers that are non-functional.
It turns out that the hard disk in the laptop has a proprietary SATA connector, so I'm not going to be able to attach it to another system in order to mount the drive. I'll have to give the laptop back, all without being able to help them at all. Fail.
One of the PowerMac's is working, but it wouldn't connect to the network. The other tower's hardware may work, but the power supply is missing- and the two towers do not share many interchangeable parts. After close inspection, the built-in Ethernet port on the working Mac has heinously bent pins. I tried to fix them, but they're simply too far gone to be restored. Another PCI network card is present in the tower; it is seen by the switch and has link. However, manually configuring the IP address and/or using DHCP doesn't produce a "real" address and in turn, Internet connectivity. I tested the cable with my iMac and had no issues, so the problem is with the older G4 tower.
I'm 0 for 2 repairs tonight. It's hard not to take it personally. I'm a decent technician, but it is a negative shot to my self confidence when I can't help a friend. I'll recommend another card for the PowerMac and have full confidence that I can get it running. At least at that point one of my friends will be all-the-better in terms of computing equipment.
I'm so glad I don't have to earn nor perform in order to receive God's love and grace!
Ephesians 2:8-10 (English Standard Version)
8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Good Night
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