The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

[Xena Dog Princess]

Wow, a lot to catch up on after 2 days! I'm honestly relieved that it was just puke because I honestly thought you were gearing towards a bottom eruption - phew! And how lucky that you cover your car with towels. Did he get any of the upholstery, or were the only victims your bag and the towels?

And oh lala, Tuscany is beautiful! That scenery! Those buildings! Do people swim in the baths? My gut says no, judging by the colour...

And sorry Carbon, but your sad photos are hysterical. You're still very handsome, though Have a blast in Rome today!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I survived Rome but arrived home to a non working computer. My MacBook is stuck in something called Bluetooth Keyboard setup assistant even though I've never used Bluetooth. Online searches using my ancient mobile have proved fruitless and my mobile isn't charging from my laptop as it should so about to go down too. This is really getting me down. Tomorrow will like likely be spent in search of someone who can fix this if even fixable. Not good.

Carbon is doing fine and I was very proud of him in Rome. It was a very long day.

 

[Lab_adore]

Good luck Emily, sorry to hear you are having teckie issues.

 

[Granca]

Sorry to hear your MacBook’s stuck. Doesn’t it known we’re waiting for the Rome update?!

A bit of googling suggests this, so it might be worth trying:

Fix Frozen Trackpad and Keyboard when MacBook Wakes from Sleep

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
3. On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
4. Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Sorry to hear your MacBook’s stuck. Doesn’t it known we’re waiting for the Rome update?!

A bit of googling suggests this, so it might be worth trying:

Fix Frozen Trackpad and Keyboard when MacBook Wakes from Sleep

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
3. On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
4. Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.

Thanks but I did try that. It's dead as a doornail. Grr. I will need to find a shop tomorrow. Always makes for a unique language exercise.

 

[Xena Dog Princess]

Oh that is shit. It probably just needs a re-format, but I have no idea if that's even possible with Macs. Good luck getting it fixed.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Glad you were waiting for the Rome update though @Granca - that cheers me up!

 

[Lisa]

Oh dear. How frustrating. Hope it doesn’t take too much running around to get it fixed.

 

[snowbunny]

Oh that’s annoying! Good luck getting it fixed. I think the keyboard on the MB connects through Bluetooth so even if you don’t think you’re using it, you are. Can you charge your phone in the car?

 

[snowbunny]

By the way, solutions using the keyboard probably won’t work because your keyboard isn’t being detected. You probably just need someone to plug in a USB keyboard and do the reset with that. If your USB port isn’t working, then it might be a fault on your logic board, and that’s more serious

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

By the way, solutions using the keyboard probably won’t work because your keyboard isn’t being detected. You probably just need someone to plug in a USB keyboard and do the reset with that. If your USB port isn’t working, then it might be a fault on your logic board, and that’s more serious

Thanks, Fiona. My Airbnb host recommended someone so I'm going to give him a try. If not there's a Mac reseller about an hour away...who doesn't open until 3:30, but that's Italy!

I extended my stay here by another night to give myself time to sort it out. Also Carbon's Bunny needs his head sewn back on so that will give me some time to take of poor Bunny as well. Kind of a metaphor for where we are on this trip. ;-)

 

[snowbunny]

If you happen to know someone (your host?) who may have a USB keyboard you can borrow for a few minutes, you could try yourself before going to a shop. The first ports of call would be resetting the SMC and PRAM, and that's just a case of holding a few keys on the keyboard. If you scroll down a bit, this article tells you how to do it: Gigaom | How and when to reset your Mac’s PRAM and SMC

 

[Stacia]

Oh lor, this frightens me to death, I have a Mac and have never heard of PRAM or SMC and having read instructions, can't understand a word!

Oh for the days of pen and paper, so easy! Without a PC now it is panic making!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

If you happen to know someone (your host?) who may have a USB keyboard you can borrow for a few minutes, you could try yourself before going to a shop. The first ports of call would be resetting the SMC and PRAM, and that's just a case of holding a few keys on the keyboard. If you scroll down a bit, this article tells you how to do it: Gigaom | How and when to reset your Mac’s PRAM and SMC

Thanks, I saw that resetting the PRAM and Smc were the first ports of call...not that I've ever done that, mind you!

I talked to the person my host recommended and he wants to pick up my computer at 8pm tonight which sounds dodgy. I'm going to see if I can't find a place to buy a cheap USB keyboard between now and then.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

It took all day but I'm somewhat back in business. Turns out my keyboard and trackpad are dead and the only thing that works - thankfully! - is my on/off button. Now I have an USB keyboard and mouse as an emergency stopgap. I've not used a mouse in 20 years! Plus it's an Italian Windows keyboard but which seems to be configured somehow to my Mac's American keyboard. So what is printed on the keys is not what you get when you type. Challenges!

Time for a new MacBook!

That's it for today. Hopefully I will figure out how to edit my photos with a MOUSE and be truly back in business in a few days.

Here's a couple Rome photos in the meanwhile...

With Miry on Palantine Hill/Roman Forum


Giving Miry's husband a BIG hug on Capitoline Hill - Carbon definitely remembers both of them!

 

[Granca]

Phew! Thank goodness it’s not completely dead. Carbon’s a lucky dog!

 

[snowbunny]

You can buy new trackpads and keyboards for MacBooks. I replaced the trackpad in mine a couple of years ago. It’s not too difficult a job if you can follow instructions, which you can look up on ifixit.com
Glad you’re back in business in the short term anyway

 

[Lab_adore]

That last photo is so sweet....gorgeous Carbon (and the hubby aint bad either )

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

ifixit.com

Thanks, Fiona! Bookmarked ifixit.com...looks very useful! They did tell me yesterday that they could replace the keyboard but that it would take several days because of waiting to order the part plus a couple days for the repair. As I'm not here for that long, they gave me a band aid solution.

My laptop is seven years old at this point so I've been hemming and hawing about buying another for a couple years now. It's about time just for safety's sake, also that would mean that I would have a backup. And back up means less stress.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

That last photo is so sweet....gorgeous Carbon (and the hubby aint bad either )

I'll tell Miry you thought Murillo was cute...she'll get a kick out of that.

He also saved the end of the day for me and Carbon in heroic fashion, but that deserves Carbon's side of the story.