Question about computers.

[Salvor-Hardon]

If you are near the Metro Atlanta area I could help.

 

[Etoile]

Y'know, I don't see how everything could be duplicated. That's not just Windows and Windows1, that's duplicating an entire directory structure. And I can't believe a Dell tech would have you do that.

KC, do you have a CD burner? If so, I would recommend putting all of your stuff onto it, nuking everything, and reinstalling.

Here's tips on how to back up your stuff, including settings:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx

If you don't have a CD burner, you might be looking at taking it into CompUSA (or wherever) and having them take care of this.

 

[DVS]

I'd get myself a second hard drive and install it. External is easiest, but I prefer internal, myself. Internal requires using a screw driver, putting hands and/or fingers into small spaces, plugging in data and power cables (no biggie there, they only plug in one way), and maybe changing jumper settings. It isn't as bad as it sounds, but there are little steps required.

Then, when you first turn your computer on, you go into the setup of the computer and if you're lucky, it will know the drive you have and set it up for you. Then, it will be pretty easy from that point on, formatting and making it your "D" drive.

USB option is for an external drive. It's much easier, but I guess it's the techy in me that prefers internal. I have both.

External is easier to connect (provided you have an available USB port) and setup. It works differently than an internal, because it's in it's own little box and you need to shut the drive down seperately before you power down your computer. Nothing difficult, just something an internal doesn't requre.

You can get a drive for about the same price as Norton Ghost, so do what you want. Ghost is a good option, but you would need something to save the data on. So, if you don't have a DVD burner, you would need to purchase one and install it. DVD burners are cool too, as you can burn all of your porn onto a DVD. Just in case you have any on your drive.

As it is often said, don't mess with it, if it works. When I was a techy, we had to call Japanese techs in California several times a day, to ask questions on their products. They were fresh from Japan, although they had names like Bob, Bill and Dave. Trust me...those names were used because we Americans couldnl't pronounce their real names.

Anyway, when there was a problem with something of theirs and we needed their support, their favorite line would always be "workie good...last long time!"

 

[Kajira Callista]

Y'know, I don't see how everything could be duplicated. That's not just Windows and Windows1, that's duplicating an entire directory structure. And I can't believe a Dell tech would have you do that.

KC, do you have a CD burner? If so, I would recommend putting all of your stuff onto it, nuking everything, and reinstalling.

Here's tips on how to back up your stuff, including settings:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx

If you don't have a CD burner, you might be looking at taking it into CompUSA (or wherever) and having them take care of this.

i didnt want to lose my files. i had everything in here (stories etc.) none of it backed up and he told me then he would have to do it this way. ended up i couldnt get at my files and had to buy a program to find them for me. i was so annoyed about that ...i never called dell back to ask why this whole other (in a sense) computer was in my computer. I just recently noticed that i had a whole lot less space left and now i want the last windows outta here. i would really love to take it to a repair place but i dunno if i want them to see half.....lol well ALL of the stuff i have saved in here. i was hoping it was easy to get the old one out and i could do it for myself.

 

[Kajira Callista]

I'd get myself a second hard drive and install it. External is easiest, but I prefer internal, myself. Internal requires using a screw driver, putting hands and/or fingers into small spaces, plugging in data and power cables (no biggie there, they only plug in one way), and maybe changing jumper settings. It isn't as bad as it sounds, but there are little steps required.

Then, when you first turn your computer on, you go into the setup of the computer and if you're lucky, it will know the drive you have and set it up for you. Then, it will be pretty easy from that point on, formatting and making it your "D" drive.

USB option is for an external drive. It's much easier, but I guess it's the techy in me that prefers internal. I have both.

External is easier to connect (provided you have an available USB port) and setup. It works differently than an internal, because it's in it's own little box and you need to shut the drive down seperately before you power down your computer. Nothing difficult, just something an internal doesn't requre.

You can get a drive for about the same price as Norton Ghost, so do what you want. Ghost is a good option, but you would need something to save the data on. So, if you don't have a DVD burner, you would need to purchase one and install it. DVD burners are cool too, as you can burn all of your porn onto a DVD. Just in case you have any on your drive.

As it is often said, don't mess with it, if it works. When I was a techy, we had to call Japanese techs in California several times a day, to ask questions on their products. They were fresh from Japan, although they had names like Bob, Bill and Dave. Trust me...those names were used because we Americans couldnl't pronounce their real names.

Anyway, when there was a problem with something of theirs and we needed their support, their favorite line would always be "workie good...last long time!"

how much do those lil usb storage thingies hold? if i could get all my stories and porn outta here i would/could take it to the guy up the road to get fixed.

 

[DVS]

how much do those lil usb storage thingies hold? if i could get all my stories and porn outta here i would/could take it to the guy up the road to get fixed.

External drives are the same as internal. Just the connection is different and the externals have a few lights and buttons on the plastic shell. I have a 120 gig external drive, but they don't stop there. I'm sure you could probably find a drive that would back up your um...sensitive info.

There are also little drives that hold 120-250 megs of data that connect to the usb ports. I forget what they're called, but if you are just wanting to move that much info to another spot, that might be the solution for you.

They are sometimes called pin drives or something...and are not very big and very portable. I know people who use them a lot to transfer data from one computer to another.

 

[Kajira Callista]

External drives are the same as internal. Just the connection is different and the externals have a few lights and buttons on the plastic shell. I have a 120 gig external drive, but they don't stop there. I'm sure you could probably find a drive that would back up your um...sensitive info.

There are also little drives that hold 120-250 megs of data that connect to the usb ports. I forget what they're called, but if you are just wanting to move that much info to another spot, that might be the solution for you.

They are sometimes called pin drives or something...and are not very big and very portable. I know people who use them a lot to transfer data from one computer to another.

nonono you have to tell me how many uhmmm pieces of sensitive information i could store so i have an idea if that would be a good choice.

 

[DVS]

nonono you have to tell me how many uhmmm pieces of sensitive information i could store so i have an idea if that would be a good choice.

nonono? OK, you lost me. Do you not know how much space your uhmmm pieces of sensitive information take up on your drive?

Or, are you just playing with me? That frog ====> <==== seems to be saying something without saying it.

 

[Etoile]

Those are usually called thumb drives. Unless you've done all your stuff in Powerpoint or something, you should be able to get all your stuff onto just one thumb drive. You should be able to get one fairly cheap, maybe around 64 or 128mb. That would hold pretty much everything.

I'm appalled that the Dell tech had you intall a second copy of the OS rather than reinstalling the original. (You can do that without losing your files.) I'd complain, personally.

 

[C's Button]

yay im not the only one that electronic things hate.
i feel so much better now

Oh no! Electronics go sploding away around me all the time!

 

[catalina_francisco]

how much do those lil usb storage thingies hold? if i could get all my stories and porn outta here i would/could take it to the guy up the road to get fixed.

Dell sells them online, I would never buy from them, they are quite expensive but it gives you an idea.

USB DRIVE

USB Memory Stick

You can try looking for them on eBay you will find a lot of second hand ones cheap.

Francesco.

 

[Kajira Callista]

Those are usually called thumb drives. Unless you've done all your stuff in Powerpoint or something, you should be able to get all your stuff onto just one thumb drive. You should be able to get one fairly cheap, maybe around 64 or 128mb. That would hold pretty much everything.

I'm appalled that the Dell tech had you intall a second copy of the OS rather than reinstalling the original. (You can do that without losing your files.) I'd complain, personally.

We tried for a long time to reinstall a bunch of other ways, this was the last try way to reinstall or lose everything. So after i remove all the fun files i want to keep and store em on that cute lil thing francesco posted, is it easy to just dump everything and start fresh?

 

[Guest]

Okee.....
I'm going to recommend a really non-popular option... But in spite of the PIA involved it might save you a lot trouble...
Call Dell back..
You need to be able to give them as much of the details on the previous problem as possible... Including, if possible, the date/time you worked with their tech support people previously..
If you explain the problem they "may" be able to do a fix via a direct link up.. Or they may be able to walk you through what to do...
(Yes, I know Dell service is a pain in the ass... I've had to use em)

Option two: Take the comp (just the box, not the monitor etc) down to your favorite local service and repair facility.. Write down exactly what the problem is. Trust in the juju of the professional IT geeks...
The down side to both these options???
Well, if you are like most of the folks on here, I have no doubt that there are things on your drive that you really wouldn't want outsiders to see...
(long story there about a forgotten screensaver. Ooooops)
You would want to save all pictures, etc onto disk (CD) then delete them from the hard drives... By the time you do all that though you might as well go to...

Option three... The one I would/have used but don't really recommend unless you are fully comfortable with ..
Copy all the stuff you can't replace onto CD... Format the drive ... Re-load the software. Download the updates from the Microcrap website.. Then re-load all the saved files.
Keep the disks... But for the Gods sake, keep em somewhere where others can't find/access them. There is a real nasty potential for more than embarrassment if one of der kinder pops a wrong disk into the drive.

The moral of the story.....
It pays for the kinky to learn as much as possible about computers... Because having to call someone in from outside can be embarrassing.... At the very least.

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

The moral of the story.....
It pays for the kinky to learn as much as possible about computers... Because having to call someone in from outside can be embarrassing.... At the very least.

I so need to open a kink friendly computer repairs service.

 

[Guest]

We tried for a long time to reinstall a bunch of other ways, this was the last try way to reinstall or lose everything. So after i remove all the fun files i want to keep and store em on that cute lil thing francesco posted, is it easy to just dump everything and start fresh?

Yeah, it sounds like you are at the "grenade the drive" point....
And yes, with windows it is often easier to start over than fix what is there already...
Hmmmm... I use CD rather than USB because it is a "permanent" storage medium...
And relatively hard to fuck up once burned...
If I ever need for it to go away I simply use a set of shears and cut the CD into four pieces... Or if feeling really froggy, I toss em in the microwave (fun to watch)..

 

[Kajira Callista]

I just had the bestest idea ever.
Why dont all of you come over and help me fix it?

 

[graceanne]

http://www.digimobiles.net/Wallpapers/Set1/Compute This.jpg

 

[catalina_francisco]

I just had the bestest idea ever.
Why dont all of you come over and help me fix it?

Sure, as long as we can stay over for the night and have some fun!

Francisco

 

[Kajira Callista]

Sure, as long as we can stay over for the night and have some fun!

Francisco

hmmmmm i have two guest rooms and a pull out sofa. what time should i expect you?

 

[Kajira Callista]

http://www.digimobiles.net/Wallpapers/Set1/Compute This.jpg

i agree lol

 

[catalina_francisco]

hmmmmm i have two guest rooms and a pull out sofa. what time should i expect you?

Humbag, Party booper.

Francisco.

 

[Kajira Callista]

Humbag, Party booper.

Francisco.

okok my room is big enough for everyone

 

[Kajira Callista]

Well, if you are like most of the folks on here, I have no doubt that there are things on your drive that you really wouldn't want outsiders to see...
(long story there about a forgotten screensaver. Ooooops)

sits and waits for the long story.

 

[DVS]

okok my room is big enough for everyone

If it would make more room, I'll sleep under you, KC.

 

[Kajira Callista]

If it would make more room, I'll sleep under you, KC.

ok