Crash!

Well now I’ve done it! 

 “Done what?” you ask.

 I’ve crashed my computer. I’m not really sure how I did it since two things happened on the same day. First we bought a Wi-Fi booster. It’s supposed to boost your wifi by 200%. We used my computer to set it up.

 “Peg, I don’t think that was it,” you say.

 I don’t either. The more likely cause is a virus. I have a habit — a bad habit — of downloading pictures for project ideas. Actually, I use the save as function, but I’m sure it’s the same thing. Probably one of them had something on it that wiped my hard drive — which, by the way, is fine. There’s just nothing on it anymore. At least as far as I can tell. 

 Sunday morning, when I got around to booting up my computer, it wouldn’t boot. I got on my iPad and Googled what to do.

 Go to the BIOS and change Security setting to Legacy, was the most prevalent suggestion. 

 I did that and it still wouldn’t boot, only now it wouldn’t boot in an older version. I changed it back and forth at least… hmmm, four or five times before I decided it really wasn’t going to work. 

 Another suggestion was to open the laptop up, disconnect and reconnect the hard drive. I started to do that, took a bunch of little screws out, and couldn’t get the top off. I found a video online that showed me how to do that then it got to a part that said I’d have to disconnect some cables inside the computer. I said, Uh uh. No way, and put the sixteen screws I’d just removed back in. 

 I spent all day Sunday researching and changing things, booting and rebooting, all to no avail. By the end of the day I decided I really did have to unplug the hard drive and see if that would work. 

 I took out sixteen screws for the second time and found out I had to take the DVD player out to get to two more screws. That meant back to the internet to find out how to do that. I was somewhere along in this process when I dug out last year's model laptop, so to speak, and booted it up. So to speak, because I’ve had my current laptop for about five years. The one I dug out we bought in 2012 and had for a couple of years before we replaced it. But it was my last one.

 Getting the DVD player out was easy, once you knew how to do it. I found the two screws that had to come out and do you think they could’ve put the same size screws in? No! They were too small for the screwdriver I had. That meant a trip out to Mike’s toolbox to get a really really small screwdriver. I’m just glad he had one. 

 Use minimal pressure to unlock the clips that hold the cables in place, my video tutorial told me, and handle carefully to avoid damaging. After unclipping the first lock, I found out how easy it was and it was a breeze doing the rest of them.

 “The rest of them, Peg. How many were there?” you wanna know.

 I think, if memory serves, there were five of them.

 I located the hard drive. I knew what that looked like because this is like the third one I’ve taken out. 

 “Then why did it freak you out?” you wanna know.

 Well, this laptop didn’t open like the others. On the other ones it was the back that came off. With this one it was the top, the keypad section, that lifted off. And I didn’t have to disconnect any cables before. 

 But I got it done and I must say, I was pretty proud of myself. 

 I unplugged the hard drive and plugged it back in. I put the top on (but didn’t put any screws back in) and plugged it in.

 Nothing. 

Sigh.

 Well, not nothing, but the same nothing. Boot device not found. That’s what it said. 

 I already own several different IDE to USB cables. If one of those fits the hard drive I could transfer the data that way.

“They’re all different.” That’s what the lady told us when we bought our very first one. “You have to know which one it takes.” So I only held out the tiniest bit of hope that one of the ones I already owned would fit. I scrounge around and find the cables then had to open the laptop up again and take the hard drive out. It was easier the second time since I knew what I was doing. But it didn’t fit. None of them fit. I didn’t put the laptop back together because I thought I’d get online and buy the right cable.

“Maybe the computer guy can get it to work,” Mike suggested. 

“Fine. I’ll put it back together.” Only I didn’t put the screws in. It stays together without them and I know what he’s going to say. But there’s a chance I could be wrong. I’m just hoping my pictures and a few other files are still there. 

“Peg, don’t you back up your pictures?” you ask.

I do. But not nearly as often as I should. The last time I backed them up was three weeks ago. 

Most of Monday morning (this morning) was spent setting up my new old computer. The first thing I missed was Microsoft Word, the program I use to write my letter blogs. We own a copy but guess what. The disc drive in this computer doesn’t work. That’s why I bought a new one. Did it stop me from trying anyway? No! I put a disc in — and nothing. I ejected it and tried again, just to be sure. After the fourth time, I was sure. I bet it can be fixed but that didn’t help me now.

 Maybe I can download it from the website with the product key, I thought. I went on to the Microsoft website and found out you can do that. However, not for something as old as the 2007 copy we own. 

 But I’m not defeated!

I started searching to see if I could download a free copy of Word. 

“There are lots of other programs out there besides Word,” you say.

I’m finding that out. But I have to tell you, change is hard for me. When I find something I like, I don’t wanna change. Learning a new program can be a pain. During my search I found out there’s a program offered on Google called Docs that I’ve had all this time and never bothered with — and it’s ranked one of the best free programs. I’m using it now. It saves in real time, no more hitting the save button, let’s me add pictures, and so far, I’m lovin’ it. 

Problem number two arose when I tried to edit my pictures. Most times I need to adjust the contrast a little so it’s not so washed out when I print. I couldn't find a photo editor on this computer. It probably went the way of my disc player, I think. Back to the internet to find one, downloaded it, then found out I did have Photo on here, I just didn’t know how to get to it. 

I think I’m back in business! And only a day late.

Speaking of which, lost, along with all the pictures, is the first four or five or six pages of this week's letter blog I’d written on Saturday. And since I greatly rely on my pictures to jog my memory of stories I want to tell you, I’m not sure I can remember any.

But I’m not defeated!

I know I had pictures of the bridge construction. And we’ll catch that up next time. We’re not watching them build this one like we did the last one because it’s further away, the weather’s cooler, and it’s being built just the same as the last one.

Mike took me on some different roads and I had road pictures. They’re gone.

I’d taken a couple of pictures of train graffiti. One of them had four letters together, and I can’t remember what they were but it was followed by BIAFRA. I Google searched it and although I never did discover the meaning of the first four-letter word, the second, Biafra, is a place. It’s in Nigeria and was the site of a horrible civil war that ended in 1970 with Biafra surrendering. 

I had a picture of Eggs A La Goldenrod because I’d made them. And you know what? They were good. I’ll make them again just so I can take a picture for you. That and they were really good! I won’t mind having them for breakfast again.

I also had pictures documenting a trip to see the doctor. Mike put his shoes on one morning and his toe was hurting really bad. We looked at it and his toe was swollen and had a big purple spot on the end of it. In fact, he’s got those purple and red spots all over his feet again. We didn’t get in to see the doctor but we got in to see Jen, the nurse practitioner. 

“I’m going to order blood tests,” she told Mike. “Let’s see if there’s an infection somewhere in your body causing this. Go right on over to the hospital and have them take it. It might even have something to do with your heart. I’m going to order a sonogram too.”

Medicare had to approve the sonogram first so it didn’t look like we’d get it done that day. At the hospital, I got a picture of the gal drawing Mike’s blood and he made a face like it hurt really bad. It didn’t. It was strictly theatrics for your benefit. While we were there the doctor’s office called and told Mike we were a go on the sonogram. 

“Can I take a picture?” I asked Jeremy when he settled in to do the test.

“No. It would violate HIPPA,” he said.

It’s Mike’s HIPPA that would be violated and if he gave me permission, I don’t see why it wasn’t okay with Jermey. I didn’t argue and I didn’t take a picture. 

Our handsome grandson got picked to play with the Harlem Globetrotters. Our beautiful, sweet, daughter-in-law took a short video clip of it and it looked like Andrew had a great time. 

Everything else is gone out of my head. Hopefully, if I can recover my lost pictures I’ll remember and catch you up. Until then, let’s call this one done!