HardDrive Crash

Last Thursday I worked for hours upon hours on Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) stuff to prepare for the new year and for our first meeting that is taking place tomorrow.

Let me say that again: I worked for hours upon hours.

I emailed people like crazy - documents flying back and forth between us.

At the end of the day I turned off the computer with the thought of "Hmm..I really do need to back up my photo files pretty soon. I haven't done that in a while." The computer had been acting funny for a while but nothing that screamed "Danger!"

It should have screamed "DANGER!"

Friday morning Kelton turned on the computer and it came up with an error message. He turned it off and walked away. I came into the room and thought it funny that the computer wasn't yet on so I hit the power button.

Blue screen of death. In a big, big way.

I tried to restore to a set point. No go. I tried to start in Safe Mode. No go. I tried hard not to think of the hours of work trapped in my computer (to say nothing of the 3-4 months worth of photos). No go.

ARGH!

I ended up calling a computer repair guy we have used for the past couple of years. He wasn't available so I left a message, trying to keep the rising panic out of my voice. Yes, I have a laptop but lo and behold - ever since Dakota loaded her Bar Review test software on it, Word won't work. I removed the software and still - Word won't work. I could access emails and I could do bits and pieces but really? I was feeling my anxiety rising by the hour.

Then I remembered the CPU that we have in the garage. Our former computer which my brother brought back to life a couple years ago. I unhooked the broken one and installed the new one and PRESTO! I was back in business. Thankfully by emailing documents all over the place I was able to have people send things back to me. Phew!

The computer guy didn't call back on Friday - being a 3 day weekend I figured I wouldn't hear back until Tuesday. Wrong! On Saturday he called and we made arrangements for him to pick up the traitor CPU and see what he could do. Sunday he called and gave us the news that the harddrive was gone without a chance of being brought back to life. He would install a new one at our ok. We gave it and I was relived to know he had gotten most of the stuff off before it completely gave out. Most importantly - he got all my photos! That alone was worth the bill of $161.00. :)

Monday afternoon he delivered the repaired CPU and hooked it all up for me. He handed me the old harddrive - which is cool and yet....what am I supposed to do with it? I asked him that and he said "Well - if you want to get rid of it, I'm going to suggest that you destroy it as best as you can so that there isn't a chance of anyone getting your personal information."

So destroy it we did. I gave Kelton a hammer and turned him lose. And boy did he have a great time! :)

I'm still getting used to the new look of the computer and trying to get it to feel like "home". I did loose all my email addresses and all my internet bookmarks but I'm trying to be positive and just look at it as a fresh start. :)

Technology is great when it works right but there is still a LOT to be said for pen and paper. :)