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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Computer Crash Blues

Sounds like a song but it sure isn't sweet music.

More correctly, I suppose I should say Windows Vista crash blues. Yesterday for no reason I can figure my computer went to sleep and didn't wake up. Many efforts and scary screens with uncomfortable messages later, I gave up and called Tech Support. And yes, for the fee of $100 plus tax, the young man would be glad to assist me. I am now the proud owner of the questionably valuable HP tech support for one year.

I will say that this tech seemed to care about not losing my files. We weren't successful in that goal, and I thank my stars that I had most photos and important documents on an external hard drive as backup. At work, I save everything to a thumb drive so I can take it with me as needed. At home, I'm not so careful but do try to back up to the external drive every month and more often if I remember. So I lost a few things but it was not the disaster it could have been. The biggest loss was Microsoft Word, and I ordered the new Word 7 anyway so that's not a big problem either.

The worst headache was this: since my computer was restored to its new-out-of-the-box state, there were many updates that needed to be installed. The HP tech promised to call me this morning so we could install only the necessary updates. He didn't call and I had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon, so I called Tech Support again. Got a different guy and we had a serious language-understanding-compatibility issue. I don't speak his language and he sure didn't speak West Virginian.

After a frustrating hour, he said I did not have to install ANY of the updates. Now every one was listed as a "security update" to prevent someone from doing something bad to my computer. I didn't need them? I was pretty sure I did! I figured some newer ones pre-empted earlier updates and that was what I needed to know. I got nowhere with the tech, so tonight on my own I uploaded the damn things. Enough to make a granny cuss, but it's done and I hope I didn't mess anything up.

Oddly, even with the crash, my internet still works. I'm not sure why that is so, and will call my satellite company tomorrow to be sure everything is okay--I mean, the guy told me I would lose all software installed after I bought the computer, so I'm not sure just how this satellite thingie works. I have a CD so I assume it operates by software?

Then there's the printer to re-install. And when the Word CDs arrive, I'll have to get that installed. After that, I should be back to somewhere near normal.

You know, never in my life did I want to learn computer stuff. But if I don't do it I'm stuck, so learn and fumble I do. I tell myself this will prevent me from getting Alzheimer's. Reckon it's true? There has to be some reward for such aggravation!

14 comments:

  1. There is nothing more frustrating than computer problems! I feel your pain, sista. Hope you get it all figured out soon.

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  2. I feel for you. Hope everything works out. I sure hope mine doesn't crash, I have so much that I probably don't have backed up. I really need to back up some stuff.

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  3. I never thought I needed to be a computer geek/copier technician/telephone repairman when I became an admin asst. But I can take a copier apart and fix faster than the repair tech can! I feel you pain with the computer stuff...love you, tm

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  4. Three words, GSue - External Hard Drive. You can store massive amounts of information on it, and if your pc/laptop crashes, you lose nothing. They can be pricy, but it's sure made my life easier. Look into it. You'll rest easier.

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  6. yes, I have one Jason, and mentioned it in the post. It's not big enough to back up the entire computer, but I'll buy one soon that does. At the moment I'm grateful for the one I have, since it stores the things I want to keep.

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  7. I feel for you. I had the same thing happen about a years ago and it was awful. Lots to re-install. The good thing is that things work really well once you get everything back on there. Now a days I don't think and tech at any company knows how to speak West Virginian or even English. When I am faced with that issue I just hang up and dial the number again until I reach someone that can speak our language CLEARLY!

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  8. I feel for you. I had the same thing happen about a years ago and it was awful. Lots to re-install. The good thing is that things work really well once you get everything back on there. Now a days I don't think and tech at any company knows how to speak West Virginian or even English. When I am faced with that issue I just hang up and dial the number again until I reach someone that can speak our language CLEARLY!

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  10. Sorry, my comment posted 3 times. I erased one of them but couldn't get the other one to erase.

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  11. Susannah,
    I have the same problem with Vista. My computer was bought refurbished and I didn't realize the problems with the Vista operating system it came loaded with. I've deactiviated the sleep feature. Mine would 'wake up' if I turned it off at the power strip and then back on. I hope you're right about teh Altzheimer's and I cna get something back for the headaches this machine has caused. --Jane

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  12. Well, crap. I'm glad you're getting it all sorted out.

    I have a Dell laptop that is not quite 2 years old which runs Vista, and I have had one problem after another since we bought it. If we hadn't opted to pay for 3 years of tech support when we purchased it, I would have long since thrown it out in the yard!

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  13. Oh, me. I hate these computer problems. One issue I have encountered. I use Word 7 on my Mac - and if I do not save in 2003 some people cannot open files I send them. Many times I save as a PDF. You might want to ask somebody about that.

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  14. I remembered that you said something about that, George. I will look into it. I think it might be a right useful tool about now!

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