18 screws

Three of the computers in my laptop cart are currently not working. I set out this week to get them fixed, e-mailed support and they e-mailed me back suggestions.

I was supposed to take out one screw and pull the hard drive, try to boot and put it back. I got all the computers out after school, with the tiny screwdrivers Dan loaned me and set to work.

Out came one screw, nothing happened.
So I pulled out another screw, at this point attracting attention from two of the boys in my room, and nothing happened.

Then I handed it over to I who pulled and prodded. After 7 screws, in my defense, I did mention that perhaps we should stop and think about this. Perhaps they had been wrong about it only being one screw...but probably they didn't want you to take the whole bottom off the computer.

When I and A had ever screw out of the bottom of the computer, we still couldn't get the hard drive out. They decided it needed muscle; I decided the computer was broken to begin with so we probably couldn't do any harm. At this point, Dan calls and asks how come I hadn't looked at the support docs online. Good question. However by this time both boys had degenerated into giggles and was laughing pretty hard myself.

While on the phone with Dan I hear cheers because they got the hard drive out. It only took 18 screws. However, they were able to figure out a better way and get the other two drives out with only 6 screws being removed. Five off from the e-mail support lady. But in her defense when I look that laptop up online, it is configured differently.

None of them are working yet.

I am cracking down on the cursing thing. One boy has a three page, typed paper to write now. The other student *did* go to in-house, by himself, all day, on Friday. He was miserable and really mad at us. However, perhaps he learned his lesson.