My ability to hold onto things is deteriorating rapidly. This afternoon, I dropped my running laptop computer off the lab table onto the ground, about a meter or so. It ripped the USB Flash device in two but everything else SEEMS OK. I think that's because the cover folded shut as it fell.

Anywho... I know enough to do a full disk check to look for problems. Any ideas on what else to check for beyond the obvious cosmetic damage?

Hope the best. Your CD drive could be damaged, and HDs usually don't like jolts, ESPECIALLY if they're writing (or perhaps reading). Someone out here lost a hard drive during a minor earthquake because (he speculates )the head hit the cylinders.

Good luck!!!!