I had a stupid moment tonight.

[Gabi]

My mum asked me for help because her computer wouldn't start. It said it couldn't find the boot loader.

I tried removing the CD and it didn't help. I tried inserting a live DVD and nothing changed. Then I checked the BIOS and looked at the boot order. I realized there was a CD option, but no DVD option, so I thought perhaps it could boot from CD but not DVD.

I didn't have a bootable CD at hand, but I knew my brother had one. I also knew he had lent us a big USB drive which I could use to make a backup, but I couldn't find it. So I decided to call him. He solved my 2 problems with just one phrase. [spoiler] "The USB drive is connected to mum's computer."[/spoiler]

-_- So... not one of my best moments, at least as far as my observation skills go. But well, at least there was nothing wrong with the computer after all.

[bradypodidae]

I have done this more than once, myself. >.<;;;

[ShadesFox]

To help you feel better, a story about my dad.  He had just finished building a new computer and tried turning it on, no joy.  He starts swapping out parts, CPU, memory, power supply, everything.  He even got a new motherboard on the assumption that it was bad.  Nothing fixed it.  Until he swapped all the original parts into a new box.  Then it all worked. 

Then he tried turning on the second new computer build in the original box by shorting the power pins with a jumper.  It turned on too.  The POWER BUTTON was broken.

[Gabi]

Ouch. XD That's funny and sad at the same time. I hope he had a use for the spare computer.

[Sofox]

Hey Gabi, don't worry, that sort of thing happens to us all, no matter how tech experienced we get.
And by the way: http://cascadefailure.comicgenesis.com/d/20030217.html

[Gabi]

Heh. Thanks, Sofox.

My brother was just here. We talked for a bit, we watched an episode of the Big Bang Theory and then, as he left, he said to me: "so the next drive has to be fluorescent?"

[ShadesFox]

Glow in the dark USB drive. That would be awesome! Never lose it again.

And I'm sure dad found a use for the second computer.