I'm Back UPS

This is the weekend. Yesterday was, well, short of spectacular. First I still have this awful sinus business going on. Which means it is hard to sleep at night. Which means sometimes you take sleep when you can get it. Which means sometimes I get real sleepy in the middle of the day. Which means, well, I take a nap. If there are any missing I may have them. Yesterday I was afforded the luxury of taking a nap. When I woke up Chris asked, "Did you turn the computer off?" "No!" I said. "Well it's off!" she said. "Turn it on!" I said. "Won't come on!" she said. After a few more "He said," "she said's" it was determined the UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) had been interrupted. It must have taken off for South Padre Island for Spring Break. This was determined by the lack of power spewing forth from it. That and the fact that nothing connected to it was working. So I headed to Sam's Club to get a new UPS. I decided to do this because a new battery for mine would cost $149 and the fact that I needed it like now and not whenever it could get here. Once at Sam's I determine that I will purchase the APC Back-UPS NS 1250. With tax it came in at just over $150. I opted for this one because of the self diagnostics and the automatic shutdown if an "event" occurs while I am away. I pile the thing into the truck and head home for the next task. I'm home now. I disconnect the computer and unpack the UPS. I glance at the instructions and hastily begin to hook it all up to the new UPS. Mid way through the process I realize that I need to install the software. I start this and then notice that the screen is black. WHAT? Everything else works. What's the problem? "OH!" It helps to hook up the monitor too. Now I finish hooking all the components too the UPS and fire it up. It works beautifully. I run diagnostics and all went well. THEN.....the computer told me it could not communicate with the UPS. WHAT? They have already had a spat after 5 minutes? Is it an age thing? After all the computer is much older than the UPS. After monkeying with all the cables, the computer, and the way I tilt my head; I decide there is a problem and have to pack it up and take it back to Sam's. The new one came home with me and cooperated with the computer to the Nth degree. It works great and I'm a happy camper. Oh by the way, the UPS is made by APC (American Power Conversion). It was manufactured in India. Go figure! © 2008 Barry T Horst


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