Just a reminder to everyone, PLEASE REMEMBER to back up your main files regularly as computers can fail at any time and the loss can be devastating.
My professional digitising software doesn't work very well on Windows 7 and I'm not game to even try it on W 10 as the program is no longer supported and I don't want to risk losing it completely.So I keep two older Toshiba laptops running XP, especially for my digitising program, (no internet connection at all) and I use the youngest one as my main workhorse.
Monday night I went to use it and it would not complete the start-up procedure.......
took it to my pc technician and the motherboard was corroded from the internal battery.
Thankfully the hard drive is ok and can be transferred into another (identical) laptop without too much risk.
So I just purchased another older Toshiba M10 ($110 including a laptop bag and postage), and tomorrow I'll get my PC Techo to transfer the hard drive into it.
It could have been SO much worse, and still might be, if there is the slightest hardware incompatibility my program may not run. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Thankfully I store all my work on an external, portable hard drive and I also back up to a second one, but I haven't done that for several months. STUPID I AM!!!
So I just want to remind everyone how valuable our files are and we need to backup, or keep up to date copies of, all our files because computers fail.
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Glad I read your comment. It makes me think about my old laptop that is running on Vista...but it works great for my program. BUT....it does have that old battery in it that doesn't charge any more...and so now I will go right to the sewing room and get rid of that battery. I run it off the cord now anyway. No need for that old battery to be in the computer.
Many thanks for that info........
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
Hi Janus,
It's not the removable battery that you need to worry about but the INTERNAL (Bios ?) battery. That's the one that keeps the time and date and other items running when the laptop is turned off. It can corrupt and corrode at any time as the machine ages.
If it is really important to you, (like mine is), I suggest you have someone see to replacing it before it gets too old.
hugs n roses, Meganne
1686Sorry to hear of your frustrating computer issues. I try to keep up with backing up everything. But sometime life gets in the way. hugs
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
It sure does Shirley, I keep telling myself but then I keep on working until I'm so tired, then I forget. LOL!!!
Hugs n roses, Meganne
52686Oh! Meg, I hear your pain. You know all about our issue and I know Lyn from South Australia had a similar thing. It's so frustrating to have this happen.
I hope you are keeping warm on this COLD winter morn, it's a bitey one alright!
I put an extra Duvet on the bed last night and Trevor slept very well he said (we both use ear plugs he he he!) Love to you and Ray.
P.S. I was so happy to see your new sewing room last Friday and can't wait to see it finished - it's looking AMAZING! Congratulations to Ray he has done and incredible job so far.
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
Thanks Chris, I was so lucky it didn't affect my hard drive and I do take other precautions, but I thought it was a timely reminder as we all forget how simple it is to safeguard our files.
Ray started installing my under cupboard lights today, they are brilliant.
We went out to order the floor tiles only to find that the ones I had chosen (last month) had actually been discontinued 6 months ago but the outlet here hadn't been advised. GRRRRRR! Now we have another wait for Carpet Court to get in a sample of the replacement tiles. Looks like I'll have to put that old carpet square back as a temporary floor covering.
The doors we ordered from Bunnings came in, only to turn out to be the wrong doors, so....................... (growl).
Seems nothing is straight forward or easy these days as these are only two of the delays we have had holding up the works.
I'm getting withdrawals from not being able to sew but it is nearly finished and none to soon as I have a couple of orders waiting to be done.
Hugs n love, me
234496This can never be brought up too often. So many of us lose designs because they are not backed up or a back up fails. And we can never have too many back ups either. I'm so glad it is OK.
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
Thanks Karen, yes we do tend to take technology for granted, but hey, just look at the trouble Samsung had recently, all caused by faulty batteries, it happens!
I now have a spare laptop for spare parts for my spare laptop. LOL!!! hugs n love, Meg
169064I hear your pain. It makes me mad when programs that we have purchased (not always inexpensive) do not work on the new operating system. I hope yours will continue to work.
I have been fortunate that over the 30 years of owning computers, I have never had one die on me. Mostly I handed them down to my children. To be able to have older programs run, I still have a Tower with XP and laptop with Windows 7 both never go on the internet. My second laptop with Windows 10 is the only one.
We also need to be reminded that our virus program needs to be always current.
I back up once a month to 2 hard drives and then copy from one to the Windows7 laptop.
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
More annoyance than pain Angie as I am usually well covered with 5 laptops, 2 Towers and two portable external drives. Sheesh, I sound Paranoid don't I? LOL!!!
I wish I could say this is my first computer failure but since I worked in I.T. all through the 80's & 90's, and have never been without a PC since, I have had many of them reach their use by date and die, usually when I was least expecting them to. :-)
Like you, I keep my working laptops off the internet, except for one which is well protected with Malwarebytes.
Technology is great but we rely on it for so much now and the Hardware and Software companies know this so they take advantage of our need, to make us keep upgrading and repurchasing! I'm just not playing their game until I absolutely have no other options left. There are still thousands of old Toshiba laptops left out there for me to buy. ROFLMBO!!!!
Hugs n regards, Meg
109774Thank you Meganne for the advise. I download everything daily on to 2 external hardrives and then on to a third. The two are connected to my computer at all times, but the third one, I unplug once I have finished with any changes.
It takes time, but I don't want to loose 20 plus years of designs. This system works well for me.
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
Sounds like you've go it all covered dear friend.
There's no such thing as being TOO careful when it comes to computers. Hugs and much love, me
30656Hope all works out okay for you Meg...fingers crossed...and great advice about backing up your files...
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
Thanks Kim, we took the newest (old) laptop to our PC tech earlier today and he immediately transferred the hard drive from my dead laptop into it.
When we left him he was in the process of cloning my hard drive onto the spare one and his receptionist rang this arvo saying it was ready to collect, at no cost.
A bonus I won't accept as he is far too generous and too nice to take advantage of.
I'm just so happy that he keeps my old dinosaurs working, I have no problem paying whatever he asks. :-)
hugs n love, Meg
318433Great advise!!! I need to do a backup this evening!!
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
Get to it girlfriend. :-)
Shall I send you a reminder? Just kidding.
hugs n love, me
96266Thanx Meganne for the Heads Up!!! Hugs & Prayers, Judy...
1 comment
by meganne
21 Jul 2017
You're most welcome Judy. We all need a reminder occasionally. :-) hugs n roses, Meganne
92391I am retired and have TONS OF TIME----NOT---when the computer wants to update and I keep saying NO--it did FRY MY COMPUTER----there went my traveling back home for that summer----THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU----I need to get mine backed up----after mine frying last year---I was able to have my tech guy save everything----as much time as many of us spend searching and buying and playing with and stitching out and dreaming about designs and stitching and all that stuff (and this run on sentence) it is such a shame to lose them!!!!! Remind me and all of the others to BACK UP OUR STUFF!!!!! Thank you and GOD bless you and keep you safe and happy and STITCHING!!!!!!
2 comments
by meganne
20 Jul 2017
The best time to start your backups, and virus scans, is just before you head off to bed, then it can run all night while you sleep soundly knowing your precious files are safe. :-)
Hugs n blessings, Meganne
PS, now I just need to remember it myself. LOL!!!
by osueo
20 Jul 2017
That is what my Hunny said, too. So I try to schedule them at bedtime!!! GOD bless you.
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