RIP, Computer
If you follow me on Facebook you probably heard that earlier this week my computer crashed. I took it to Best Buy and they put it on life support, but could only open it in "safe mode". It didn't look good for the old boy.
I really didn't want to donate my retirement savings to a new computer, but the Geek Squad could not guarantee they could fix my pc without bloodletting. I opted to pull the plug and bought a faster, bigger machine (10 GB of RAM, 1.5 Terrabytes of hard drive).
--only they didn't have it in their store, nor was one in transit. Oy!
My only option was to get it from another store. Sure, they could get it delivered, but their next delivery was next week. No way was I waiting that long, so we made the trip to the next town.
We brought the new computer to our 'local' store and they commenced the long process of extricating my ginormous library of files from the old computer. In the meantime we dash home to retrieve my software so they can install those too. The software front is not looking good. Apparently some of my software is too old for this computer. (I'll just open a vein for more money.)
Days later, my new computer is ready. ...I hope. We picked it up last night but were too tired to plug it in so we'll attempt it today.
I still won't have email until I can talk to my local provider and have them walk me through the set up again. As I recall from last time, it was not an easy process. What with my poor phone reception, trying to communicate with them in front of my computer was frustrating beyond belief.
I don't know if it was the solar flares, Mercury gone retrograde, or just an incredible coincidence, but me and at least five friends that I know of have lost their computers, incurred a virus, or had their email accounts hacked--all on the same day.
Strangely enough, the day before my pc crashed, I backed up my most important files, but not all because I just didn't have the time. Then this happened.
The only funny thing was when the tech yelled at me because I have a bad habit of cramming my desktop window with folders and files. Greg laughed because he picks on me for that too.
I can't help it. I look at these files all the time and I want them easy to find.
Do you neatly store your files and folders off your desktop, or are you like me and put them in plain sight?
Note: If you need to email me, my gmail account is the only reliable email I have at present.
Comments
Linda: Thank you. We'd been having numerous power outages this week and I have to wonder if it was just too much for it. It's been an extremely frustrating week.
Dutifully I step into my neighbour's home and take a look at said pc. I'm no genius, but I have built three pcs of my own so I'm fairly good at trouble shooting and fixing pc woes. But this thing had me baffled? Hard drive light was on, but not blinking. No matter what I did nothing. And the night before all was well, only that it had taken slightly longer than usual to close itself down? I suspected hard drive failure, but advised that my neighbour's son-in-law take a look, as he is an IT technician.
A day later, my neighbour gave me an update on his pc situation: his son-in-law was baffled. Couldn't find a fault anywhere, but still couldn't get it to work?
Solar flares at work... or was it gremlins? I guess we'll never know?
Weird how all those "malfunctions" happened at once.
I hope you get your email sorted out fast.
There is nothing worse than computer problems. lol.. :)
Ref my desk top it has periodic spring cleans. The neatest ever achieved was a thin vertical line of folders down one side, and the rest of the screen a large picture of Monument Valley. It didn't last
I feel for you, having to buy a new computer. I just got rid of a virus on mine and the first thing I did was back up all my files - which I hadn't done in a while. Now I'm debating whether it would be cheaper to replace all four toner cartridges in my laser printer or just buy a whole new printer.
It never ends! :-)
I like to look at my desktop image not a lot of folders, LOL, though currently there are a ton of sticky notes covering it. With Windows 7 I pin my most used stuff to the taskbar. With Scrivener I have all the docs, images, etc. for each story in one place which probably did more to cleaning up my desktop than anything else.
LG: I wish I had thought to back up my emails.
Suzanne: I am trying not to lose my cool, but computer problems can set me to ballistic in seconds.
Mike: Ref: Solar Viruses
Leave it to you to find something worse. LOL.
CR: Ref: printers
What a scam, don't you think? The printer is relatively cheap. They get you with the toners though.
Raelyn: Greg is the same way. He always has a picture of the dogs or some new "toy" on his screen. Me, as long as it's a dark backdrop so I can see my files, I don't care what it is.
Hope the new PC rocks the house!
As for my desktop, I'm so accustomed to accessing my thumb drive for what I need that I don't keep anything on the desktop except for what came on it. With the exception of maybe two columns of icons, it's fairly clear.
I'm neat with my desktop. I'd be looking sideways at your desktop too ;)
I have a zillion files, but I don't keep them all on my desktop. I wouldn't be able to see anything but folders. Blech. :D
Dru: I think the thing that gave me the most headaches was losing my email archives. Everybody I know is in there, including our conversations, important dates and books.
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Charlie: I don't revise a lot, but when I get ready to finish a project, I'll do one big revision and relabel it "final". That let's me know that's the last enchilada.
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Stacy: All my docs are in project folders too. And then there are project folders for published books in all their formats, project folders for art, project folders for blog tours, project folders for wips...and the list goes on. My docs and images number in the thousands.
Susan: I multitask a lot, so I don't care if it looks messy. I'm only there to work.
Shelley: So many neat people! My house is clean. Does that count? LOL.
Jennifer: Oy. Another neat freak. I think Renee and Susan and I are going to start a club. LOL.
Darke: Find a way to archive your emails and contacts. That's what took me the longest to find.
Kim: I will check into Carbonite. A friend wrote me and told me about Crashplan too. I will definitely find some way of backing up so I don't have to go through this again. What a long week!
Derek (that's my neighbour) had everything backed onto a portable hdd - damn thing is smaller than my wallet! Amazing technology out there now--and yes, I've just made myself sound very old indeed!
Although, quite some time ago I did read about IBM running tests on crystals as a means of storing data, read by a laser beam. What really blew my mind was the fact these particular crystals were no bigger than a grain of salt!?
Nano technology is amazing - and scary at the same time.
On my desktop, I put stuff I need for a little while-- like a day or two-- because then when I see them clogging up the screen, I'll remember to delete them. :)
Peggy. At least this nightmare is almost over. Most of my files were restored.
As for backing up before your pc dies? Not so good with that. I ran into a similar sich a couple years ago. Thankfully the Geek Squad guys were able to rescue the important stuff.
That reminds me, I need to go back up my files...