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thesunisgone · Feb 3, 2006, 10:29 PM

I had to register to post my crisis, but I just accidentally dumped my brand new 17" powerbook into my toilet as I was on the can typing away. My fire alarm went off and soon enough i got up and my beloved powerbook was in my toilet bowl. (cringe)

Is there anything I can do? I just bought it a week ago. Can they replace it? It currently doesn't work, although it does sound like the drive spins up, but it still feels wet even after letting it dry for a couple days.

Why did this have to happen!!!

Tomchu · Feb 3, 2006, 11:12 PM

Is this a joke, or ... ?

How does a laptop, much less a huge 17" Powerbook, fall into the toilet, after being in your lap? It makes sense that it would fall to the floor when you got up, but into the toilet? WTF?

Voch · Feb 3, 2006, 11:32 PM

EDIT: deleted post.

mduell · Feb 4, 2006, 01:20 AM

"They" might replace it, where they is your homeowners/renters insurance.

turbopants · Feb 4, 2006, 01:56 AM

That sucks man. i thought it was bad when my gf dropped (and lost) her pretty nice watch into the toilet as it was flushed

Did you remove the battery? Let everyting dry completely before you even think of powering it up.

I think mduell's suggestion of home insurance may be your only choice though. Good luck.

jonasmac · Feb 4, 2006, 01:58 AM

You must have a pretty big toilet to fit a 17" PB.

hickey · Feb 4, 2006, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by jonasmac

You must have a pretty big toilet to fit a 17" PB.

big enough for the manly sized logs

Lateralus · Feb 4, 2006, 02:37 AM

If you're going to try to claim this with your homeowner's insure, you had better come up with a better story than this.

Ganesha · Feb 4, 2006, 04:01 AM

Eat more fiber, lesson learned.

G. I. · Feb 4, 2006, 05:32 AM

Did you crap on it as well?

jheath · Feb 4, 2006, 06:34 AM

Ok, it is physically impossible to have a 17" Powerbook fall through your legs and into a toilet if you were suddenly standing up. If you did manage to do it; I recommend you quickly find an alternate story to give to your homeowners insurance etc...

templetalker · Feb 4, 2006, 09:18 AM

OAHAHA! That truly made my day!

Sorry about your loss, I really am..! LOL!!

tikki · Feb 4, 2006, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by G. I.

Did you crap on it as well?

A 17" log no less.

Peabo · Feb 4, 2006, 12:18 PM

I can't imagine how someone would type on a 17" powerbook while crapping... wouldn't that be too difficult to bother with?

AppleCello · Feb 4, 2006, 04:33 PM

that could seriously burn your bare legs.

genesisdan · Feb 4, 2006, 04:55 PM

OMG, this has to be a joke. How could someone type on it and it not be too hot for his bare legs, and how does a 17" PB fit into a toilet bowl?

TailsToo · Feb 5, 2006, 11:18 AM

Ok, if my PowerBook fell into the toliet, I don't think I'd want to use it again....

hldan · Feb 5, 2006, 12:43 PM

Okay, let's end this madness, the guy just made this up to start a thread because he was bored. Just think about it, if he had his powerbook on his lap and then gets up for an emergency the powerbook will go flying forward off this lap and if he was standing up holding the notebook why would he let it go from his hands just because an alarm went off. I hope Tookie locks this thread.

memory-minus · Feb 5, 2006, 12:55 PM

I accidentally dropped my cell phone in the toilet once. I stood up and as I pulled my pants up it flew off the belt clip and directly into the toilet. I disconnected the battery and buried it in that silica-based ("crystals") cat litter for 2 days and it worked fine after that.

Not suggesting you bury your PowerBook in cat litter, just relaying a story.

jwoods · Feb 5, 2006, 01:06 PM

I'm more amazed that you continued using the phone.

The Code says "If you drop your cellphone into the toilet.......man, it's gone".

Bandit240 · Feb 5, 2006, 07:27 PM

I could see knocking a 12'' PB off the counter and into the toilet(almost did this once, cought it before it fell in the cess-pit.). How a 17'' could fit i dont know.

jamil5454 · Feb 5, 2006, 08:49 PM

A lot of electronics will still work after being soaked, as long as there hasn't been any power through them until they're dry.

galarneau · Feb 5, 2006, 09:02 PM

My wifes cat pissed all over one of my Socket-A motherboards that was sitting in a box.

I hosed it off under the faucet with some mild soap scrubbing with a toothbrush.

Blew it off with some compressed air, let it dry a few days, and it works just fine.

Torture tested it with Prime95 for over a day with no problems.

If you have the stones to take the PowerBook apart, you might be able to dry it out and get it up and running again.

romeosc · Feb 5, 2006, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

"They" might replace it, where they is your homeowners/renters insurance.

.... or if you had Safeware.com insurance. My wife dropped one of the TiPB in the whirlpool and they replaced it with no deductable. At least she dropped it in CLEAN water!

But water and bath beads don't help either!

the macimum · Feb 5, 2006, 09:25 PM

Dude, how friggen' big is the diameter of your toilet bowl!

ericssonboi · Feb 5, 2006, 10:56 PM

Interesting how the OP hasn't replied yet..

romeosc · Feb 5, 2006, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by the macimum

Dude, how friggen' big is the diameter of your toilet bowl!

Most elongated bowls would easily accomodate a 17"er!

SpaceMonkey · Feb 6, 2006, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by hldan

Okay, let's end this madness, the guy just made this up to start a thread because he was bored. Just think about it, if he had his powerbook on his lap and then gets up for an emergency the powerbook will go flying forward off this lap

Unless....he was sitting on the toilet in reverse!

jamil5454 · Feb 6, 2006, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

Unless....he was sitting on the toilet in reverse!

As people often do...

threestain · Feb 6, 2006, 06:29 AM

to be fair strange things happen - I just dropped my powerbook and mashed a corner - never dropped it before, and its now 3 years old and looking weather beaten!

Big Mac · Feb 6, 2006, 07:05 AM

I would never befoul my laptop by bringing it into the crapper, but that's just me.

Simon · Feb 6, 2006, 07:13 AM

I don't do it, because I enjoy taking a break form the screen. But I don't see how it should be a problem. When you sit down, your hands are in exactly the same condition as before you went to the bathroom. You work, then you put it away, finish up, wash hands and leave. So, where's the befouling of the hardware? Of course, if you don't wash your hands...

Super Mario · Feb 6, 2006, 08:50 AM

He was taking a dump in the tub that's how it was big enough for the PB to fall into.

andreas_g4 · Feb 6, 2006, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by G. I.

Did you crap on it as well?

ROTFL

*

*sorry…

JKT · Feb 6, 2006, 09:40 AM

Sounds like a really bad chat up line to me, "...and when I stood up, my 17" flopped into the toilet..."

romeosc · Feb 6, 2006, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by JKT

Sounds like a really bad chat up line to me, "...and when I stood up, my 17" flopped into the toilet..."

.....

........ He may have been standing up watching a video and using only 1 hand to hold PB when it got to GOOD scene!

urrl78 · Feb 6, 2006, 11:02 AM

It can happen if you are chronically bow-legged.

techweenie1 · Feb 6, 2006, 12:12 PM

I accidently knocked over a glass of water on my PB 15" directly on to the keyboard, while it was on, wiped it up as best as I could, and it still works just perfectly fine, including all the keys, but a toliet...hmm that I imagine is not quite the same as a glass of water.

poppa kristof · Feb 6, 2006, 12:49 PM

So do the number 1 or 2 keys work?

techweenie1 · Feb 6, 2006, 01:10 PM

Yes, as do the p, e, and o keys

t_hah · Feb 6, 2006, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by threestain

to be fair strange things happen - I just dropped my powerbook and mashed a corner - never dropped it before, and its now 3 years old and looking weather beaten!

I have seen this happen a lot. The corners are actually pretty easy to bend back. If you are comfortable with taking your PB apart, you can bend the corners back easily. There are quite a few guide online showing you how to take a the PB apart. Once you lifted the top part (with the keyboard) off, you will get access to the corners. Using some small pliers and a soft cloft (not to leave marks on the case) you should be able to fix it.

Of coure if you screw something up while your PB is apart, that will definitely void your warranty... so if you are not comfortable doing this, ask an specialist or someone who is good at these things.

jwhittaker · Feb 10, 2006, 08:58 PM

Water and electronics do not mix. Sometimes a piece of electronics can be taken apart, completely dried out sometimes even washed again. and dried then it would work. However, I would say there is a possibiliy the mother board shorted out some of the chips.
As far as home owners, home owners insurance covers almost anything including stupidity... just my not be worth the cost of the deductable and purchasing a mother board....

romeosc · Feb 10, 2006, 09:26 PM

Safeware ins has no deductable!

kw99 · Feb 10, 2006, 09:27 PM

This is one of the most entertaining threads I have read on MacNN! Thank you... and I hope you really DID NOT drop a new 17-inch PowerBook into your toilet.

powerbook911 · Feb 11, 2006, 03:49 AM

The thread is very funny. I don't want to wake others in the room, so I'm trying not to laugh out loud, but its very hard.

Hope no Pbook was damaged.

neiltony · Feb 23, 2006, 01:23 AM

This thread has reminded me that we all should be fully clothed when we take our new Macbooks out of the box. Can you imagine seeing it for the first time and just squirting all over it? You could wreck the casing and the electronics with that spooge!!! LOL

cold aspiration · Feb 23, 2006, 05:51 AM

thanks everyone for this fantastic laugh! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

jamil5454 · Feb 23, 2006, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by neiltony

This thread has reminded me that we all should be fully clothed when we take our new Macbooks out of the box. Can you imagine seeing it for the first time and just squirting all over it? You could wreck the casing and the electronics with that spooge!!! LOL

Not the best mental picture.

Horsepoo!!! · Feb 23, 2006, 10:44 AM

Amateur...I accidently dropped an Apple 30" CD into *my* toilet why I was readin' away.

ciparis · Feb 23, 2006, 10:52 AM

Don't flush.