Ch21, p43
UPDATE (May 26): My workstation is back up and running! What a week! So very glad to be back! <3 Here is the full color version of page 43. Thank you for your support, Love Not Found buds!
When it rains it pours. Aside from the website issues, my thermal printer crapped its pants yesterday, and now my MacBook Pro is freaking out. It’s scrolling text, file lists, art, & screens horizontal as well as zooming out when I try to copy/paste or do anything with the command key. Troubleshooting with the internet so far has been fruitless.
Not giving up yet. Making sure everything is backed up from my computer both on Time Machine as well as on my external drive. Then I’m going to update the OS. I am hoping it won’t come down to reformatting the computer or having to buy a whole new computer, but I’m fearful I may need to get new gear.
Today’s page is Inked and ready to be colored. I’ll post a color version as soon as I have a functioning computer at my disposal!
I love her attitude. Good job, Abeille!
I hope everything works out well on your end! I actually like the opportunity to see the page without color. Makes me appreciate how pretty your inks are! Abeille’s hair looks lovely here~
Hope things work out! Take your time! Computer trouble is such a bitch…
Sympathies on your printer and computer freaking out at the same time.
If you want any unsolicited troubleshooting device from internet randos, I would suggest putting it on a table and eyeballing the palm/trackpad surface carefully. The symptoms you’re describing sounds a lot like random trackpad and/or keyboard input, which would more likely be hardware than software. One of the possible causes is a failing battery, which swells up and can push the trackpad up from the bottom causing varying strange behavior depending on the particlular MacBook Pro model.
Oh, gosh, any advice is appreciated at this point. If it is hardware / the battery issue it sounds like something where I’d most likely have to replace the whole computer?
I would start with replacing the battery. My Macbook was having similar issues a few years back to the point that the trackpad just stopped responding altogether. Once I replaced the battery, it was good to go. Still cost around $200 for the battery, but let’s be honest: that’s WAY less than a whole Macbook!`
If your battery swelled, you need to categorically not use the device – the battery might lowkey explode at some point.
The battery would need to be replaced, it’s irreparable.
But the remainder of device, well, it depends. device might work fine if you carefully remove the swelled battery and work it plugged in.
However apple is horrible with allowing home repairs. These devices contain active sabotage against you making repairs so you have to pay to have it fixed.
Seek video tutorials on how to safely disassemble your particular device if needed. It’s possible, it’s just tricky af.
Oh, unless you still have warranty, then don’t interfere with the device at all, or you lose it.
Ah, yeah, this thing is from 2014, so I don’t think it’s even close to factory warranty anymore. I definitely won’t attempt to do the repair myself as my XP level in that area is not so high and then add on knowing they make it harder to do yourself. It might just be time to get a new device anyway. -_-
There are licensed repair folks all over the country who can handle older Macbooks. The one I talk about before is about a decade old now, and while the Apple store at the lcal mall was no help, a place about 2 miles from my house handled it in about an hour. 😀
I don’t know much at all about computer hardware in general, but Apple Support has been phenomenally helpful when I’ve called them, even about out of date, ancient devices. All my devices for years were second hand, and I would abashedly call them and ask if they could give me any information at all, and they were always really helpful.
It might be nothing but bad news, but they might be able to at least give you a good estimate of exactly where your problem is.
@Mako, I’m impressed with your knowledge.
I’ll second that; Apple support has been incredibly helpful every time I’ve dealt with them. I just had the battery in a 2015 MacBook Pro that was swollen (and obviously well out of warranty) replaced for the standard battery replacement cost by them, and according to the repair log when it came back they also replaced the entire topcase while they were at it, and for no additional fee.
Knowing that you have a 2014 model makes me even more suspicious that the battery is swelling and pressing up on the trackpad. That was the last model year with a trackpad that physically clicked, which also means that it’s more prone to acting up if the battery swells and presses up from underneath. I’ve seen it happen more than once.
If you look across the top and bottom surface and can detect a bit of curvature (you can also put a metal ruler on it to see if it rocks a bit), then the battery is failing for sure, and is probably the cause of your problems.
The other thing you can do is try various spots on the trackpad and see how hard you need to press to register a click. It will always be firmer near the top edge since that’s where the hinge is, but if one side is less responsive than the other, or part of it feels like it’s not clicking as “sharply” as it used to, that’s also pretty strong sign that it’s the battery swelling and preventing it from clicking all the way down.
Either way, what you’re describing is not a “the computer goes in the trash” problem–it’s almost certainly either the battery or a failing trackpad/keyboard, both of which can be replaced (and given the age, it’d be surprising if the battery wasn’t shot if you’ve never replaced it before.
That said, for an 8-year-old laptop there is definitely the cost-benefit question of whether it’s worth the expense to repair it versus getting a newer used model (or a new one entirely, if you can afford it). Doing the repairs yourself brings the cost down, but battery or topcase replacement on that model isn’t a trivial process unless you’ve got some experience.
Another Tech Support tip is to look at the Accessibility section Settings on your MacBook. Some of these can turned on and off using hotkeys, and I’ve known a few people who accidentally turned something on by a combination of command/control/option keypresses and mis-clicks.
Aw Gina, thanks for keeping us updated! I’m sorry about your computer and wish that the resolution is cheaper and easier than expected.
Even though this is a result of things going pear-shaped, I gotta say, I really dig this colorless style. Those two are absolutely adorable in that last panel in black and white.
Abeille always has the prettiest outfits. I really want that top in the last panel.
I love Gina’s clothing design. On patreon it’s a regular feature. Her designs or characters wearing fashions.
Could the laptop be a stuck key? I had similar issues which I eventually tracked down to a key that was stuck down. Maybe try an external keyboard to see if that solves the problem.
And in the meantime, we get a page from the Love Not Found coloring book, so win-win!
Aw man, sorry about your computer!
Tech problems always suck! But I like the idea mentioned of a coloring book. LOL
Sorry about the computer woes, but line art is just fine! Thanks for giving an update even if it’s not finished, we appreciate the effort!
Hah! I missed the strawberry on the drink. Color makes a difference.
I’m glad you’ve survived! My partner is also going through laptop issues that haven’t interfered with her work *yet* but boy howdy are they getting close. I honestly like seeing the inks vs colors, it just highlights how delightful the final product is and how your colors really bring everything to life!
I also missed the snow-glo lamp in panel 1. Maybe it implies that she can separate keeping a gift from Amaryllis and pressure from Amaryllis.