Repairing My Notebook Computer
A Photoblog Journey To Bukit Mertajam.
Date : June 13th, 2005

Hi. First off, the FAQ’s.
Q: What is your notebook damage?
A: The heatsink fan fucked up. So, it gets overheated.

Q: Why Bukit Mertajam? Wht not KL?
A: I’m living at Penang right now.

Q: How do you know this place?
A: The NEC tech support guy tells me that.

Q: What is your notebook model?
A: NEC.

Q: Care to tell me more about the notebook?
A: No, asswipe.

Q: Why is your notebook important?
A: I use it for my work and most of my important file is in there.

Q: Why not buy a new one?
A: Not enough money yet, asshole.

Q: How long is your journey?
A: About 20 to 30 minutes.

Q: How come so long?
A: I drove 70km/h to avoid the traffic summons.

Q: What camera did you use?
A: Ricoh Caplio.

Q: Do you steal this photo journey idea from someone else?
A: I don’t care.

Q: Where’s the photo?
A: Below.

The beloved notebook computer

While i’m chillin at Penang, browsing the net looking at some porn, I felt something wrong with the notebook. It gets overheated. Click and click and suddenly it shuts down itself. This is a sign that my heatsink fan finally fucked up. Thanks for the fucking idiot at the fucking shop at Low Yat plaza who fix my notebook. I want to kick their arse later. I check out the NEC website for more information on spare parts. After calling them, I got the address to the Penang service centre.

The notebook is in my bag (nice bag huh?)

I took off from my home at 10:10am. I want to be there before lunch so the NEC tech people is still there, not eating, not sleeping and still full of energy. After packing the notebook in my bag, i put on my t-shirt, lock the door and walk to the elevator. By the way ah, if you like the design of notebook bag i’m using, want to buy it, contact me. I’ll give you a special price.

Just go already

I live at 8th floor. Which is cool by the way. It has a nice view. Sometimes I try to peek at other house beside my house but I can’t see a thing. Maybe they put the shades on. There’s no pretty chicks living at the 8th floor. It’s sad. I had to scout other floor after this.

The lift is too slow

This apartment have two lifts one is for the odd number floor and the other is for the even number floor. The most used elevator is the even number. Maybe tenants in the odd number floor like to use the stairs. It would be pretty fucked up i the elevator is damaged or something. Oh, during the tsunami disaster, people use the elevator to get downstairs.

Clean car

There’s no reserved parking for the tenants. It is first come first serve basis. I like to park at the lamp posts. Ahh…luckily dad fill up the petrol last night and gave me his touch and go card. Easier for me.

Gentlemen, start your engine

My house is about 10 minutes journey to the Penang bridge. It’s also near the Jelutong Expressway. Very convenient. While driving on the Penang bridge, there this one car who cut me off 45 degrees without giving a signal. Damn it. Well, a typical Penang driver. So, to congratulate him, I gave him some lovin’, my style.

The one finger salute

I drove 70km/h and sometimes 90km/h (the federal speed limit). The police is everywhere. I had enough of this traffic summons. The costs can reach up to RM300. Sometimes they (police) like to hide behind the bushes with their speed sensor laser gun. Maybe I should gave them the one finger salute too if i found them.

The Penang bridge

The articulate service support guy whom I called last Friday said that the NEC service centre Penang branch is at Jalan Perindustrian Bukit Tengah, Bukit Mertajam. That’s a long way. Maybe after I send my notebook for repair, I can go to the town of Bukit Mertajam to hang out or visit my grandma at Kulim. After I exited the Penang bridge, I follow the road sign to Bukit Tengah and try to find this service centre. Nearly got my car hit by this fucking motorcyclist. I gave them some lovin’ too by shouting obscenities. There’s big ass lorry everywhere. Dangerous. Oh, there’s road block ahead, can’t use my phone. I forgot to bring my hands free device. It’s already 11:20am and shit…i’m lost…

Damn it. I’m lost

Ahead, I see a petrol station. Maybe now is a good idea to ask huh? Some brief instruction, they showed me how to get to the place. After going round and round, I still can’t find the service centre. What the hell? I’ve been conned? I only saw a DELL computers assembling factory and service centre and Guppy plastic factory. Looking at the sky making me want to get a drink, maybe eat something. Hungry plus it’s really hot (no, I don’t open my clothes). Nasi Kandar Pelita (Juru) is nearby. When I arrived there, I saw something. It make me started to get pissed off of the support service guy. Why dosen’t he just say the place is at Juru? That would make things easier. Anywhoo, I found the NEC sign, the factory and the service centre. Finally.

As usual, I need to fill some form at the guards desk and leave my IC. Of course, camera is not allowed in the compound. I showed some papers to the cute receptionist and she asked me to wait while she called somebody to assist me. While waiting, I try the stuff they’re showing. New notebook model, desktops, plasma tv, etc. After explaining the damage to the service centre guy, he told me the checkup service itself gonna cost me rm150 (DAMN!) not incude the price of the replacement parts. Not thinking clearly, I say yes and asked him to do anything to make my notebook working again. Signing some papers, leave my beloved notebook to the guy and I’m outta there.

The papers

Now that the notebook has been sent, I have to wait. One week later, after I hassled them and asked them to hurry, they told me that the spare part is still in KL. Since I am going to KL on 22nd, I think it is better I take take notebook to KL and get it repaired there.

The tag

I arrived at the place at 12:30 pm. The cute receptionist tell me my tech support guy has gone out. Come back at 2pm. Shit, this sucks. I went to my grandma’s place at Kulim to relax and have lunch. At 3pm, I went back to the service centre. Finally, I got to see my notebook. My precious. The job is still not done actually. I have to get the spare part at KL and asked them to fix it for me. With no charge of course.

The NEC factory and service centre, Pulau Pinang

Arrived at KL. It’s midnight, of course the place is not open yet. I wait till tomorrow, 2 pm and then I went to the place. It’s at Menara TA, near KLCC. Easy. After consulting the technician, he asked me to wrote down my name at the waiting list because they had to order my spare part. what the hell? I thought the thing is already here. The technician explained to me that the spare part they order is not for my notebook model. Aw…sucks. I walked out frustrated. About a week later, the same technician call me to inform the spare part is finally here. Ah..jolly. I went there on monday (July 4th) and get this notebook fixed. It took about 20 minutes and my RM84 for the installation of the part. My lovely notebook are now repaired and working as usual. Hooray!

The Notebook