The other day, I purchased an external hard drive. For those of you who aren’t computer geeks (I’m not), it is like a small purse that carries a LOT of stuff.
I’d been thinking I needed to have another source to save my files to since I do a lot of writing. I hate backing up to CD’s because it just takes too long. On a previous ramble, I’d mentioned that my computer crashed. Once that happens more than once, a gal begins to think smarter!
So hubby and I were at Wally World the other day and I saw one that had 250 GB. My computer only has 80 so I was impressed! I could not only save the stuff on my computer but his computer, both our laptops and the neighbor’s computers! Probably the neighboring town computers, too! It stores a LOT of stuff!
I get home with my new toy and a day or so later think I’d better use it before it becomes an expensive doo-dad just lying around the house – you know, like most people’s treadmills? The one your clothes are hanging from? Or is it a recumbent bike that has become something in your home that you accessorize around?
Anyway, I did – I saved all my files and a few other things on it. It didn’t even make a dent in the amount of storage I had left. I was so impressed. But, I also wrote a little on my book – without saving that particular file to the new external hard drive. Ditto the changes to the websites.
The next day, my computer locked me out. I don’t know if it was jealous of the new hard drive or not, but it absolutely, positively would not allow me into my computer. It would startup then bring me to the “Welcome” page where you have to click on your name. That was a bad sign because I HATE that welcome page so I make sure I don’t use it. Why was it there now?
I think my computer was mocking me.
I clicked on my name. There were these little words that said, “Loading Nan’s personal settings.” Then there were these little words that said “logging Nan off.” And that’s all she wrote. That’s all it would do. It refused to allow me access to my computer. I laid hands on it, hoping to pray over it and bring it back to life – or throw it out in the street – whichever came first. I was NOT amused.
Worse, I called my brand’s technical support – after all, we paid for THREE YEARS WARRANTY SERVICE. I was trying hard not to have to do a system restore – there was a reason for that word, “destructive.” He was as bum-foozled as I was and had no answer. I was REALLY not amused, now.
I had to do that dreaded destructive system restore. I did and I reloaded all the files, updates (79 of those suckers), programs, etc. And it crashed on me again.
JOY is this: I did not weep and wail. I did not lose my temper. I did not smash my computer CPU into a million little pieces, throw them in the street and run them over a few times. I did rejoice that I bought that external hard drive and it has now, in less than a week, proven it is worth the money we paid for it. I also do two saves now - one to my hard drive and one to the external one!
JOY is also the fact that I’ve learned a lot about computers over the years because of things like this. I may not know the difference between RAM and ROM but by golly, I know the difference between a system recovery and a destructive system restore!
BACK YOUR COMPUTER FILES UP! That’s a bit of joy-wisdom for you!
