Does anyone have any advice for this tricky dilemma?

Question

Last night I was browsing the net on my mums computer, just looking at stuff, checking emails. They were all in bed.

I went to the kitchen and got a glass of orange juice and then went back. Two minutes later and I spill all of the orange juice over the laptop. At first it carried on working ok but then a few minutes later it crashed and shutdown. Now it is completely dead.

I came to work this morning and have not heard anything yet. She probably won't notice until this afternoon. I have heard that if you spill liquid on a computer it is unrepairable.

This computer has all of her business documents on, precious photos, important documents etc and it cost her £500 which she only bought last year.

I am seriously screwed aren't I? My questions are:

Should I just be honest, own up to it and take the heat and probably have to pay for it (even though I can't really afford it)?

Or should I just plead complete ignorance?

Is it likely that the computer is beyond repair?

I am absolutely bricking myself so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks for the good advice so far, I am swaying towards being honest.

But if the hardrive is lost or the computer is unrepairable, I am completely and totally screwed! Her whole BUSINESS is in that laptop.

Answer 1

I'd personally pretend I didn't have a clue what happened...!! Good luck!

Answer 2

I spilt a glass of lemonaid on my laptop a few years back, I took it to a repair centre & they dismantled it and inside was really sticky from the drink - so if your mum tries to get it repaired it will be really obvious that a drink was spilled on it & that is hasn't just stopped working on its own. Mine needed a new hard drive so I got it repaired & the hard drive replaced thru my insurance.
Your mum should have backed up all important business documents incase of a disaster like this, so she hopefully will have a copy that she can use on another computer. If the hard drive is broken, as in my case, then it is not possible to retrieve anything off it unfortunately so she would have to recreate the files if she didn't have a back up copy.
I would just own up and tell the truth, and offer to help her restore or recreate her business files.
Accidents do happen, and she will hopefully understand this.

Answer 3

I am not sure what your relationship with your mother is like or what the other circumstances are in your household (for example, are there others who could be accused and take the rap for what happened?) In my opinion, however, you have nothing to gain and everything to lose by pretending that you don't know anything about what happened. It's dishonest and dishonorable.

This is not the end of the world. Accidents happen, and assuming you were not using your mother's laptop when you weren't supposed to be, I cannot imagine she will "lose it" over this.

Come clean with her. You will feel better about yourself for having done so, and your mother will respect your honesty, which will serve to strengthen your relationship with her. The costs of repair are insignificant compared to what you will lose if she learns somehow that you were responsible and didn't 'fess up. Best to you!

Answer 4

ok it is uinlikely that you will be able to repair it but you can make sure she gets all her files and never relises it has happened (i dunno if anyone can do this.....cos it will cost quite abit of money. go adn get another laptop of the same make and model (second hand would be cheaper) and put the harddrive from the damaged laptop into the new one. (this will only work if you are some sort of ridiculaously ritch guy who can just go out an dbuy a new laptop at the drop of a hat. and the ahrddrive isent damaged.) or you could explain to her what happened but also say that you may be ably to retrieve all the lost files (as mentione dabove )
this will of course only work if she has not murdered you but its got to be worth a try....if it dosent i heared mexico is nice this time of year lol

Answer 5

Unfortunately you are going to have to take the rap for this. If you don't tell her now she will only find out one way or another and then be even madder because you didn't tell he rin the first place. Just explain what happened, and that you didn't mean to and that if necessary you will buy her a new one. But perhaps if she does get you to buy a new one, lay on how skint you are (guilt trick) and she may just let you off lol. Good luck

Answer 6

Honesty is always the best policy, Hon. Own up to it, face the music, then take the hard drive to a computer repair specialist. They may be able to recover the data that was on it. There's still hope. Good luck!

Answer 7

I think you have to own up and hope it is insured. The documents and photos should be retrievable by a professional at a cost of £40 to £50 - DON'T get a dodgy mate to try and retrieve them in an attempt to save a few £s!

Answer 8

I would personally pretend i don't know nothing about it and say it was perfectly fine when i used it last night. If she don't know you used it then even better. If it can be repaired for a lil cost then you may aswell admit as when the professionals find fault they will see it is water damaged )in your case orange damaged)
Best of luck

Answer 9

hopefully the information can be retrieved from the hard drive... meanwhile, you have a job, and i think you need to get your mom a new laptop and/or deal with the repairs.

YES be honest! If you start lying now, you will be a liar forever. You don't want that, do you?

We all make mistakes, hon... and even if it's difficult, please be honest. It's the best way to live.

Answer 10

SHAME-ON-YOU-IN the first place for looking on-mom's computer without permission. that's almost like going through a woman's purse?come on dude, you said it, its her work stuff and some memorable pictures?, you should fess up,tell her the truth and buy her a new one or see if you can get old one fixed?cant believe you'd try to get away with it, even though you know how much it means to her?SHAME ON YOU, YOU BAD BOY!!!!!

Answer 11

First you must ask yourself " Would I ever forgive myself for lying or pleading ignorance to my MUM ", answer truthfully and you will know what you should do, It's not the end of the world,accidents do happen!