About to shoot my computer!

[cp1969]

Ah, the Windows/PC merry go round.

There are alternatives. The Mac is a good one. For those stuck with a PC, you can exorcise the MS demon by switching to a linux-based operating system, such as I have done when I installed Ubuntu on this system. With it, for the cost of $0.00 you get:

Open Office, an office suite that can read and edit all your MS office files

Firefox and Evolution Mail

A HUGE library of free software such as financial software, firewalls and virus checkers, savings bonds programs, games, etc....and to install all you do is click a box beside the title. To uninstall, uncheck it.

No ridiculous 'registry' with all it's gobble-de-gook files that only an insane computer geek could make sense of.

A system that boots up and shuts down within the current decade, something that my previous OS seemed to be drifting slowly towards.

And more. Get Ubuntu - Download, request a CD, or buy on CD/DVD | Ubuntu

I have only had it installed on my system for a few weeks, but the amount of time this computer spends booted up to XP can't be 5% of the time and getting less as time goes on.

Of course, hardware issues are a whole different problem but my hardware failures are miniscule compared to the number of software problems I've had.

 

[MossRoad]

I've never had big problems with XP. We have machines up on it for months at a time. Most software program failures can be exited out of without killing the machine through the use of the task manager.

Most folks just want something that works, and do not care how or why it works. XP has the advantage of the masses. There are way more folks that can help you with XP than there are that can help you with Linux.

As for Mac's OS, here is a link to a horror story that ran recently in the Chicago Tribune about upgrading to the newest Mac OS.

 

[Tig]

WTA
The widow next door calls me when she has problems. Last problem she had was with the high speed internet. She had spent quite a bit of time with the help desk. They told her she probably had bad phone lines. I checked things out for her. The lines were fine. What I found was that the DSL modem was squeeling and sizzling. Usually a bad power supply. I called the help desk and did everything they said. Sometimes it worked some times it did not. They made notes and told me level two would have to call back. By this time several hours had been invested in being on hold and talking to the help desk. That amount of time is worth more than the modem. My advice to the widow. Unplug the modem, leave it unplugged. When they call back tell them it's dead.
They sent her a new modem. All is well again.

 

[Gatorboy]

About a month ago the hard drive in my dell desktop died and it really screwed us up with the business. I can't even say how ticked I was over that. I was able to recover much of the data myself but lost all my pictures and emails from the last two years.

You didn't back anything up in two years? Shame on you! Tough way to learn a lesson.

 

[WayneB]

You didn't back anything up in two years? Shame on you! Tough way to learn a lesson.

Dave, funny you should mention that! Although I do have an external hard drive and do backup my computer, it is difficult for the average person to learn just what to do with backing up their computer.

It would be nice if the people with the know how in the world would input advice on just how to do that!

Buying a new computer today is pretty simple to do! It comes with no manuals, no backup software, very little information on how to restore to the some date in the past for recovery.

You software engineers know how to do all this stuff, but us simple folk have to rely on the computer manufacturers for help and information. Most of which is coming to us via India these days.

So I don't believe it is a case of "shame on you for not backing up your computer"? it is shame on the computer companies for putting people in that situation in the first place. Yep I am picking on you, but what to heck you can take it.

Wayne

 

[riptides]

While there are some good suggestions for backups in these notes, there are other options. Various vendors offer "media" centers. These devices in the range of 300 dollars with additional storage capacity to 500gb, can reach out and backup various computers if they are networked together.

Basically, unattended backup, when things change. After backup, you can then split the "media" center storage, and take one drive off site.

The software the "media" center runs for backups is very simple and easy to use.

Good luck with it.

-Mike Z.

 

[MossRoad]

Dave, funny you should mention that! Although I do have an external hard drive and do backup my computer, it is difficult for the average person to learn just what to do with backing up their computer.

It would be nice if the people with the know how in the world would input advice on just how to do that!

Buying a new computer today is pretty simple to do! It comes with no manuals, no backup software, very little information on how to restore to the some date in the past for recovery.

You software engineers know how to do all this stuff, but us simple folk have to rely on the computer manufacturers for help and information. Most of which is coming to us via India these days.

So I don't believe it is a case of "shame on you for not backing up your computer"? it is shame on the computer companies for putting people in that situation in the first place. Yep I am picking on you, but what to heck you can take it.

Wayne

Here you go.

Plug in your USB drive. Make sure you can see it in windows explorer. Copy a test file to it to make sure you can write to it. Then:


START
RUN
xcopy "c:\my documents" d:\backup12042007 /E
ENTER

All of your files and subfolders under your My Documents folder will be copied to the D drive into a folder titled backup12042007. Do this as often as you need to. Be sure to archive the D drive to DVD and store in a safe place.

 

[WTA]

I made back ups every day for what I considered important like quickbooks but the things I didn't think important were what really hit me hard when I lost them. Like a couple database files we had on customers and my outlook folders. I backed up one folder in outlook because it's emails from someone trying to get himself sued but I didn't think to get all of my email folders. I lost thousands of email addresses that I really needed. That sucked.

You guys all really know your stuff. I always thought I was pretty good with computers but I got a little complacent with my own. That was not smart. It won't happen again!
Something else I did last night was network all of our computers in the house and shop so we can back up everything on the main one and important stuff on the others. I can also shut down the internet connection remotely on the slaves. We have teenagers in the house that I don't trust online when I'm not watching.
It's going to take me a while to digest all the info you all have given me but I'm taking it all seriously and implementing a lot of changes so I never lose anything again.
Thanks a lot!

 

[Redbug]

I thought about buying a Dell...but I also heard the service is not so good. It's hard to fix things from afar.

I think it is good policy to buy your computer locally from a computer shop. Not necessarily one of the box stores either, (like Best Buy, etc). That way if you are in need, you have somebody close by for personal support. That's the way I do it. And you've already heard the drill about backing up your data.

Also about buying...notice any simularities about buying a computer vs a tractor? You may get a good bargain someplace way off, but the support for the product suffers. If you are not a computer guru, you are better off to buy from your local computer guy...because you are also establishing a relationship which will provide support at some future time. It's more than just the money. Find a good computer shop that builds them. That's my 2 "sense" of advise.

 

[riptides]

...It's hard to fix things from afar...

Depending on ones comfort level with computers, that is good advise.

I view them as a commodity item, with service being the differentator. Some vendors offer in-home service plans.

Of course, IMHO, I don't expect to get more than two - three years out of them before I'd like a new one, so the point is moot for me. I'll just whip out my trusty backup and dump it to my new computer.

The old computer gets santized, and sent to a green landfill accordingly.

-Mike Z.