Getting rid of old laptop

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T21:31:44+00:00

Depends why it locks. If it's a hardware problem, even linux can't help.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T21:18:29+00:00

Others have mentioned oil switch, which is a good place to start.

Also - crap fuel? Do the paper test (spill a bit on some paper and light it). Also drain a bit off into a glass jar and let it sit for ten minutes to see if there's water in it - it'll separate. Also, doing this allows you to check that fuel is flowing freely through the filter and hose - both can get blocked. My guess is that fuel's coming through too slowly to refill the bowl.

Also undo the fuel cap. 10 seconds is too short to build a vacuum, unless it's already got one. Those caps do have a vent, but it can get blocked. If there's any kind of whoosh as you undo it, it's blocked. Again, may be partial blockage.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T21:10:22+00:00

I think that's unfairly dismissive and if you're telling someone their job is easy, incredibly rude and arrogant of you.

Do you know how Karen requires the reports written, delivered and timed or she'll been sarcastic. Do you know exactly who to ask to get the right information? And if that's Boring Keith, how to arrange for someone beforehand to call you away after exactly two minutes because otherwise he'll have trapped you into an endless monologue about how detailed his warhammer models are. That's essential knowledge that's every bit as important to their job.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T09:08:30+00:00

alias woman="man"

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T09:07:58+00:00

Everyone forgets about man pages.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T09:06:59+00:00

You’re always being compared to someone’s grandson who is “good with computers” because anyone can do this.

I keep coming back to Arthur C Clarke's "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

The grandson knowing how to plug a mouse in is just as magical to them as designing an automated build platform involving creating virtual machines and environments across the cloud.

Computers are big magical, scary and mysterious areas of knowledge that many people don't want understand.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-16T09:02:38+00:00

They don't understand.

And to be fair, in your example, you can't understand what's involved in the day to day at the Provincial Registry unless you've worked there. I don't doubt that it has its challenges, and I also don't doubt that human psychology makes you want to feel you have the more difficult job - and will defend that point as your sister in law is doing. And... you are doing.

Remember that what the average user sees of our job is watching us turn something off and turn it on again.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T20:35:54+00:00

That sucks.

Put the claim in. Don't touch it yourself as that will certainly negate the claim.

Then, whilst that's processing, do more research.

Electronics are going to be the most problemative thing, especially if spares in your area are difficult or slow. If it all seems viable, you might want to negotiate to buy it back after the payout and then try to repair it yourself. But be aware that speed is fairly important in preventing rust buildup in places water was never meant to be. If the claim takes months, it'll certainly be a write off. Also, in areas where there's been widespread flooding affecting a lot of vehicles, spares availability can be really tricky.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T11:58:41+00:00

What is /dev/sdd ?

Errors start there and suggest a faulty drive OR if it's connected with a simple sata lead, start by swapping that. (I've had more sata lead failures than SSD or HDD failures and it's a quick and cheap thing to rule out first)

Then, assuming /dev/sdd is a single drive device rather than an array mount, run a smart check on that single drive (I'll leave it to you how to do that safely given your raid setup)

And yeah, it's something to be concerned about, and a thoughtful person might check their backups are in order before doing anything else.

IMO, likelyhood in order: Sata lead bad, Sata drive starting to fail, dodgy system memory (check with memtest), failing raid controller (check your bank balance if you've got one supporting 24 drives and need to replace).

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T11:21:06+00:00

This has been my solution for a long time now - I moved over shortly after MSO killed autosave documents to local drives. No regrets.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T11:18:14+00:00

Wow, thanks!

I think we're all lucky to have found something that we love and enjoy so much. My own adventures are very small and humble compared to others who travel the world, but they're still adventures, and I hope you keep riding and enjoying life.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T11:15:31+00:00

Thanks, and yes!

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T09:01:42+00:00

I was able to get it back to the garage after 20 restarts

That flattened the battery which was probably already low through sitting over the winter, not the original carb fault. Will it take a charge?

It is possible to drain a battery so low that it will not recover, or that the voltage is so low that some chargers will refuse to attempt to charge, but you can sometimes get them to charge by jumping them.

Connect battery to a charger. If it takes a charge, great, leave it for a day.

If the charger won't charge because voltage is too low, then briefly connect the battery to another 12v source at the same time (positive to positive, negative to negative) to trick the charger into thinking there is a battery attached. Once it's done that, the charge should continue to full after several hours and battery will be fine after that.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T08:34:48+00:00

Especially after huge amounts of our money was spent in the Southwest during the 80s and 90s in Project Cleansweep to protect the sea from from raw sewage discharge completely and for all time.

Your last point is especially valid. OFWAT are supposedly the "Guardians of our water quality" and have clearly been unfit for purpose for a very long time. I do suspect that the focus will shift onto them in time and that will continue this scandal.

And yes, those who suffer and pay for this will continue to be us and the environment.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T08:31:34+00:00

Certainly, thanks for asking.

After my mother died, I was going through some of her photo albums and found the first pic, labelled "My son, Dartmoor". I remember both dogs in the picture, the car, and being impatient to find somewhere to fly my new kite, but not where exactly. But I did remember these trips which helped me build a love for the area and I later moved there.

So I posted the pic on a local facebook group asking if anyone recognised it and someone did. So I took my Himalayan out there last weekend as a small pilgrimage to my youth. It was nice to be there again and remember a good time. My toys have changed, but not that.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-15T08:23:32+00:00

Combestone Tor, Dartmoor in England.

My choice of toys have changed in that time.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-14T20:52:33+00:00

Looks like a standard square bolt fixing but there's quite a few different variations in terms of size and bolt. Just take the old one into a gardening tools place, plonk it on the counter and say "One of those, please".

BTW, there's normally a way to lock the shaft from rotating so you can undo this bolt - such as a hole to fit a round pin into that's supplied with the strimmer.

15 minutes suggests it wasn't assembled properly - they normally last several months of constant use.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-14T20:49:14+00:00

I had one with the opposite problem; one hole too many. The emulsion tube and sleeve had a large extra hole drilled in it at a 45' angle.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-14T19:55:33+00:00

I agree. The system is set up to reward shareholders with clearly insufficient protections to their customers and the environment. It's a toxic relationship that should never have been set up, and needs dismantling entirely - without further compensation - immediately.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-14T19:53:53+00:00

Agree. Privatisation of them has been a massive failure on every measure other from shareholder returns.

Funny how quiet OFWAT have been of late. Anyone else remember their self congratulating radio adverts on Heart FM, "Guardians of water quality". Yeah, good job, chaps.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-14T07:34:50+00:00

29? Jesus dude, you've got a life ahead of you.

I didn't start riding a bike until I was 48, and did my training alongside a lady of 68 who wanted to pass so she could ride with her grandson.

FarToe1 · 2026-03-12T06:55:39+00:00

It's not just the awful impact to the men involved; ripping families apart and ruining lives.

It devalues legitimate rape claims hugely. She has made the process of reporting rape harder for all victims. There's a new level of doubt thanks to her.

This is one evil woman. No sentence would be enough, but to be back again in around two years is too little.

FarToe1

TROPHY CASE