Posts
So of course I clicked the "Send Error Report" that I'm sure went directly to Bill Gates' personal email and he missed breakfast because he got right on trying to figure out why that happened. Bill never got back to me with an update or a bit of code or even a "Wow, that's a new one on me!"
In the past four weeks I think I've sent a couple dozen of those now. The blue screens have gone from every couple days to two or three times a day now. I've done the debugger, the error report investigation that's buried in the "advanced" tabs of places I've never seen in my computer before that links to Microsoft's geekiest webpages. Nothing. Nada. Not even a guess.
So, I think its time to bury this old friend... He's about 4 years old. In computer years that's probably over 100. There's a very small part of me that is saying, "Don't replace it... simplify, be a Luddite, get your life back, go fishing...." and it is tempting. But, we're not in Mayberry anymore, Goober. So some time in the next few days I may disappear for a while. I'm a total tech dunce and it will take me at least a couple days to set up a new computer.
In the meantime, yes, I am backing stuff up. I hope.....
19 comments:
Wow! Mine's been doing the exact same thing. Same pattern of escalation. But it's running Windows 98. Most likely even older than yours. I have been reluctant to upgrade since I have so many little tiny programs I got from here and there, and many of them won't work on newer versions of Windows, or on anything else.
Funny thing is, I used to be quite a tech geek, but that was long ago. I actually learned to program on computers which had toggle switches and blinking lights. And you had to count those lights and know binary to figure out the result of your program. But now I'm so far behind and I just don't care. I really am a luddite. But I'm also addicted.
Why not get a live linux cd to see if that will work? Why change computers if the hardware is working fine. Think of the cost in buying a new computer!
It could be a virus. Ours started doing that several months ago (highly annoying) and we took it in to be serviced: it had a virus. Three weeks later (they're effective, but slow) we had our computer back sans virus and haven't had a problem since.
Before you commit to a new computer, back up everything to a separate drive or USB stick, wipe the drive and reinstall Windows. Might save yourself a whole lot of money.
Fr. Sean, Windows 98?? You're the man!! Wow. I remember doing punch cards at ASU for my research stats. I know what you mean about not wanting to give up your beloved idiosyncracies that you've aquired over years. Sooner or later the computer will just die and you grieve and upgrade. Been there.
Linux? I've thought of it, but I'm REALLY a tech dunce. I'm the bullseye of the target market for M$oft, unfortunately. My suspicion is its hardware because of the age. I don't have a disk for a new Windows install (it came preinstalled). The upside/downside see-saw is like keeping an old car: do I spend the time and money to try to keep a 4 year old machine going when it might cost me half the price (or more) of a new machine that is three times faster than this one? I don't do gaming etc. so a pared down basic box is all I need and could probably have a geek-buddy build for under 500.00. I already threw 250.00 at it about a year ago (half the price of a new machine then too). Sigh. One way or another, I just sold one of my guitars on e-Bay and fortunately have some money I can work with to fix or upgrade.
Boy, there's something sad about the liquidation of a guitar going to finance a computer fix. sigh.
Anon, yeah... over the past few years I've had to sell off some pretty cool guitars and amps to pay for more mundane things. But, a lot of it I found at garage sales, pawn shops etc. and they sure beat the heck out of the stock market. So, as hard as it is to do it, I'm grateful to have stuff to sell if I have to. The harder thing is the guitars are more like furniture now, my fingers are getting arthritic and stiff from the years of construction work and I probably haven't played two hours worth in the last 10 years. I'm thinking of taking up the ukelele again.
Hopefully you haven't gotten the blue screen of death yet.
If you have, then the END is near.
Time to go Mac! :)
Okay. I have some of the same problems. It's not the op system. At this point in the age cycle I think it's the power supply and the adaptor's probably fried, too.
I've been running Linux Mint (a version of Ubuntu that includes all the codecs for media) for the past four years. I'm an ornery curmudgeon and didn't want to be on either Steve's or Bill's plantation. It's all about the MP3's. I use Amazon's music store. See... told you I was ornery.
Anyway.. Linux might work. But if I decide to throw some money at it... I'll get a Mac. Steve's plantation is pretty nice. You don't actually have to learn stuff. "Nice. Very nice." Linux is hard: You have to wade through a lot of crummy packages to figure out what's good. And a lot just is like running Beta programs: Bumpy.
Mactime? I'd love to. My son works for Apple and can get me a 25% discount, but even with that its too expensive for me right now. I just came home with a Lenovo. I've had 2 IBM machines and they did well. I'm still in process setting it up, but I did get internet. YAY!
Lenovo is very good. Hear the Windows 7 is very good too. Good luck! I'm stuck with Linux Mint on my tempramental System76 brand x computer for now. Getting very stingy with the dough.
Many years to your Lenovo :D
I thought at first you were blaming Bill Gould for your computer problems! It made me laugh (aka lol, hahaha)
Ranger, now, that is funny....
2:30AM....
"In a world without walls and fences, there is no need for windows and gates." ~ St. Macintosh the Sane.
Well, I guess I have to say: Good luck with the Lenovo.
However, I must also say: When the Lenovo goes wacky, you need to get a Macintosh. Period.
Steve Jobs always returns my calls, but only to tell me how they are improving the new Macs!!!
Post a Comment