This has been one crazy week.
We run three web servers on a T1 line. This week, every single one of them crashed, a couple of them more than once. I've seen a power supply blow and begin smoking. I've had a motherboard go bad. I've got two hard drives that are failing. It has been an insane week for web servers.
When WorldVillage.com failed this week (ie: smoking power supply), I decided it was time to buy a new system. In fact, it is the server that this blog runs on. We have transferred most of the data to the new server, but it is not live yet. Hopefully that will take place early this week.
The Deal of Day has been displaying hard drive errors for several months now. The problems have been escalating, so it was time to take action. Over the past two days, we have installed a new hard drive and reinstalled all the needed components to bring this site back to life. It appears that we are 95% functional and things are progressing nicely. HUGE thanks to Trey Murff and Ben Branch for getting things back up to speed.
But that wasn't all that happened this week. Nope.
Over the past 24 hours, both our vehicles broke down and have been in the shop.
Yesterday (Friday), I got a call from Mary in the afternoon. "Listen to this", she says. I can't hear anything. She tells me it is the sound of our minivan freaking out. The electrical system was going wacko. Great. So I called AAA (worth every dollar of the annual fee) and asked them to send a tow truck.
I go to the restaurant where my wife and kids were stranded (The Rib Crib) and end up waiting well over an hour for the wrecker to arrive.
When he gets there, we decide to jump the battery and attempt to start the van. It starts and I asked the wrecker to follow me three miles to the Chrysler service center. He acknowledges and I proceed to leave. About a mile down the road, I hit a red light. The engine cut out. I'm stuck, with my wife and kids in the card behind me. So I get out of the car, and wouldn't you know it, a police officer pulls up right behind Mary! As I wave to him for assistance, the blasted wrecker goes blowing right by me! And he didn't show any sign up turning around. The cop gets on the horn with dispatch and they get the wrecker to head back our way about ten minutes later. So, the minivan finally made it to the dealership. Turns out it needed a new battery and it won't be ready until 4 pm Saturday afternoon. I'm out $160.
Today (Saturday), we had a garage sale. Sold tons of junk and make a little bit of money. Afterwards, I take the car to pick up the signs I had put out (around 2 pm), and the car dies while I am out and about. You have GOT to be kidding me! So, I flagged down a kid in a huge pickup truck (he looks like he JUST got his license) and he attempts to jump the battery. No go. So I asked him to take me home, about two miles away. He was very nice and he helped me.
Once again, I called AAA (told you it was worth it), and they towed my car to Firestone Mastercare Car Service. Turns out the alternator is pffft. Now, I was without a vehicle. Fortunately, my friend Rusty was available to shuttle me around town. I picked up the minivan, went with the wrecker to drop off the car, and picked it up around 7 pm tonight. Cost me $460 to get a new alternator and a belt tensioner.
3 computers crashes, 2 tow trucks... all I need is the flippin' partridge in a pear tree... what a week.
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November 5, 2009 09:36 AM
Great to look back six years ago and see how far your blog have gone. This experience of yours was heck of a read!