Wow! What a crazy week. I’m three days into a new computer with all the learning of new programs and reconfiguring that goes on with that. I’m not opposed to learning new things, otherwise I’d have never purchased a new computer to begin with. Right? Well, other than the fact that my old laptop was nearly dead. Even with it plugged into the wall, it barely works anymore. Kind of scary when I have several novels that I’m working hard on and wanting to get published.
So. Funny story about the new computer—apparently they don’t offer Outlook Express anymore for an email program. They offer Windows Instant Messanger—which is great. Other than the small little detail that no where did I find instructions on how to pull it up and use it. I spent a whole day trying to figure it out. That, and activating my anti-virus software etc. etc. etc. Why couldn’t I figure out how to use the email program??? Sooo frustrating! I called a man in my ward that’s good with computers. Trained in them, I think.
He suggested that I download Thunderbird. It’s an email program by Mozilla. I did that, and was able to use my email. It was great except for the pop-ups that kept saying that Cableone (my Internet provider) was not secure and they (the computer) didn’t want to accept it. Annoying.
He came by last night and spent an hour trying to get the old emails off of my old computer into a file so that he could transfer them onto my new computer. It never worked, so he went home and I figured that I’d have to go to the store and buy a large zip-drive to transfer it myself.
This morning I got up ready to make a few last edits to my novel before sending it out into the lone world of publishers and lo and behold, everything on my computer had disappeared! You got that right—I panicked!!! A three day old computer and I’d already ruined it. I called the man who helped me, and he assured me that he hadn’t done anything that would delete everything off of my computer, so I called Dell.
This is one of the reasons I bought a Dell computer—their service. The Dell tech took a hold of my computer remotely and restored it to its previous newness. Apparently, it was the Cookies' fault. One of them was fighting with the Thunderbird cookies. Naughty cookies. When I told the tech that the only reason I downloaded Thunderbird is because I couldn’t figure out how to use the email program that the computer came with, he set it all up for me. I think the whole thing only took about an hour and a half. I feel much better now.
4 comments:
Big sigh of relief in your behalf! Computers like to make life interesting, don't they?
Congrats to sending out your manuscript. You're my new hero.
I love and hate getting a new computer just because of what you went through. Talk about tearing your hair out. And I don't know how you remained calm waking up to find nothing on your computer. I would have totally freaked out. I'm so glad it worked out for you. And congrats on sending out your novel. :0)
oh, thank heavens. what a scary moment for you. I now use an online back up so I never have to worry about that again.
It was very scary! I've learned a lesson--when people you know tell you how much they know about computers--they probably don't know as much as a technitian who actually works on computers daily. Especially a tech hired by the company you bought your computer from. I've never had "help" without consequences. It's about time I learned this lesson!
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