My laptop, “Chekwaa” is some months over a year old. It is purple. I like purple.
I watch videos, use Microsoft Word and PowerPoint and browse on it.
About a month ago, the Knight asked me what’s on my mind and my reply was, “Virus inna my laptop”. I had come to that conclusion after noticing some symptoms;
1. The plus key kept pressing itself at any given chance; password space, search space… any place at all, Microsoft Word, etc.
2. Keyboard/mouse kept freezing and I had to keep pressing the space bar to get it back to normal.
3. VLC would just increase speed out of nowhere while using it.
I don’t know if you can imagine the frustration. God knows I wish I could make a video on this matter. The problems wouldn’t even wait for me to get serious.
Once I switched Chekwaa on, I would see the plus sign being pressed into the password space already… Something like “forces beyond my control”. Many times, I would just stare at it and shake my head. When I eventually get past that hurdle, the mouse then picks up the baton and starts hanging. So, I’m hitting the space bar multiple times, shaking the mouse all over the screen and then the moment I get to any part that I can type into… Yup, the plus sign takes over. 😭😭😭😭.
The worst part was VLC. I finally decided to pick up “La Casa de Papel” and you can imagine the horror of the movie just fast-forwarding on its own right in the middle of sweet action. Jésù oh!!! This speed would get to millions and I’d be close to crying. I mean, it could fast forward from beginning to the end in seconds. I’m like, I’m not pressing anything now!!!! What is going on?
I started trying all sorts.
1. I downloaded, installed and updated about four anti-virus apps. Three of them would scan and say the system is clean. One would keep insisting that it’s picking threats and severe viruses. I’m like, 🙄, you people cannot work in harmony, àbí? I later found out the one picking viruses… Was a virus itself. Or a malware ni. Wonders shall never end. So, there was no harmony possible between them kankan. I finally deleted all four and left the system without any protection. Well, except the Windows Security Essential.
2. When I saw that the anti-virus people were not yielding any efforts, I started transferring my documents and videos and pictures to the hard-drive. My thought was, maybe I was dealing with space issues. But, what concerns space with VLC rushing and leaving me behind? That didn’t work or change anything either. Oh, I deleted VLC too at some point.
3. Last last, I just pressed reset PC. 😢😢😢
Did it work? 😆😭😆😭.
NO !!!
I was already preparing to take it to the person who helped repair the screen (when forces beyond my control broke it one time like that).
Then, I spoke with my brother, David Oluwayanmi Oladeji and he goes, “Do you have air-blower? Try and clean the keyboard and air-dry it with the blower. Sometimes, accumulated dirt under the keys could cause this. Which key did you say was pressing itself? Yeah, start with that one.”
So, the plus key.
I took two of my unused makeup brushes, a thin one and a chubby one and my hair blower and set to work. I focused on the obviously sick one (the plus keys) and worked from there.
It felt strange… Weird.. Unbelievable even when I switched on the laptop afterwards.
My password space was clean, waiting for me to input the real password.
The search spaces didn’t have plus plus plus plus plus all over them.
And, well, I can’t check VLC yet as I’d have to reinstall it but I’m so sure the storm is over. Because, guess what? The plus key is what actually controls speed on VLC. I didn’t even know that.
Gentlemen and Ladies, it felt surreal!
All this while, it was just ONE Key that was causing all the problems! One key!!!
And it only took cleaning up the keyboard to get it fixed. Not any of the gymnastics I had pulled on poor Chekwaa.
Yeah, I have lessons to pull from this.
1. It’s just one main problem, most of the time. One. One root that needs to be dealt with and every other thing will fall into place. Just one opportunity grasped tightly. One successful pitch. One meeting. One. You’d think you’re faced with lots of things but when examined closely, you’d realize they all stem from one teeny weeny bit.
2. It’s not every time you bring out the big guns to deal with issues. Not every time you call in the army or bring in the whole arsenal. Sometimes, it’s the simplest solution that is needed. This solution is easily missed and overlooked because we just can’t imagine things not being complex or complicated.
It is the mindset of, “If it is too simple, it can’t be right. It can’t be worth it. It can’t work.”
But, that’s not true.
Simplicity can triumph over complexity in some battles.
Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk.
My Donation link still remains the same. We’ve added an account number that you can directly transfer to.
Have a great night! 😍
