Bummer weekend

tonyb

Man, last weekend sucked.

Hard drive crashes on the 'puter. Had to wipe it clean and reinstall everything. As any windows users know, then all the upgrades you need to add on, and continuously add on....that's if you don't jump off a bridge first. Re-install all your software from various things only to be reminded that your an idiot for not saving all those dang passwords.

Then the Grandson lost another football game. I was like wtf ?.....the opposing team gets off the buss and they look like an NFL team. Kids were almost twice the size too with one looking like SUH. These are 9 year olds mind you.

Then the wife gets sick and we miss a party we both wanted to go to. You know how it is....there's parties you go to because you have to, and some you go to because you really want to be there.

Thought I'd chill out and cut the lawn. Cutting the lawn is relaxing to me, call me weird. Dang, no gas....hop in the car and go fill up the 5 gal can. Done cutting and go to start the blower and the cord rips out. ****

On top of all that....my phone rings but I don't answer. Why ? Because it's the X and I make it a point to talk to her as least as possible.

On top of that yet, Monday morning I'm feeling like sh$t, and my head feels like a balloon about to pop. I had a hunch so checked my blood pressure. 205 over 125. Holy smokes. I've kind of fallen off the wagon this last week, not exercising enough, eating way too many garbage things. Back to my routine and today it's back down to reasonable levels. Seriously guys, if you don't own a blood pressure monitor, get yourself one. Lots of things that you may experience in your health are probably due to blood pressure and gut flora.

So the weekend sucked, but there was one positive note. Homemade warm Apple Cider doughnuts from a local stand. I love fall.....and no I didn't suck down half a dozen at once. Gotta keep an eye on that blood pressure.

westmassguy

That sucks Tony. On the Computer end, you should get some backup software, and an external hard drive to store the backup image. All 5 of my machines are backed up regularly. I use Acronis True Image, but there are many others to choose from. Also, certain versions of Windows have built in backup features.

tonyb

westmassguy wrote: »

That sucks Tony. On the Computer end, you should get some backup software, and an external hard drive to store the backup image. All 5 of my machines are backed up regularly. I use Acronis True Image, but there are many others to choose from. Also, certain versions of Windows have built in backup features.

Yeah man, I should....but I really don't use the darn thing for much. Surfing the internet, email, printing out a few things. Losing it all isn't the end of the world for me but If I was running a business from home or the likes, darn straight they'd be backed up.

Now windows and their restore features kill me. They give you options as you well know, but how about if you can't even get to those options from an unresponsive computer ? Command prompts .....didn't even work. Safe mode would come on for 2 or 3 minutes and disappear. Windows is fine when it works, but when it doesn't, or your computer doesn't, it's a pain in the a$$. I think they make it that way so most get too aggravated and just buy a new one.

kevhed72

And the Bears lost....

tonyb

kevhed72 wrote: »

And the Bears lost....

LOL....YEAH, forgot that one too, wasn't expecting much otherwise though so it wasn't as if it was a major disappointment.

Tell ta what though, it was refreshing to see the coach, Fox, giving the refs an ear full and congratulating the players as they came off the field. Pump them up right ?

Far cry from the last 2 coaches who looked like crash dummies on meds looking at the score board the whole game.

westmassguy

Tony, making a backup doesn't just protect your data, documents, photos, etc., it saves you from doing a clean install, which in my case would the better part of a day.
Window Update Servers are being hammered because of Windows 10, so updates take even longer.
Better part of a day, versus 10 minute restore from a backup image....priceless

charley95

When you wiped it clean did you use a cloth? :} I sure hope there wasn't any classified info. on it when you did.

polrbehr

You're weird.

tonyb

charley95 wrote: »

When you wiped it clean did you use a cloth? :} I sure hope there wasn't any classified info. on it when you did.

LOL....good one, should of thought of that myself. Maybe I should move it into a more secure place....like my bathroom.

EndersShadow

tonyb wrote: »

westmassguy wrote: »

That sucks Tony. On the Computer end, you should get some backup software, and an external hard drive to store the backup image. All 5 of my machines are backed up regularly. I use Acronis True Image, but there are many others to choose from. Also, certain versions of Windows have built in backup features.

Yeah man, I should....but I really don't use the darn thing for much. Surfing the internet, email, printing out a few things. Losing it all isn't the end of the world for me but If I was running a business from home or the likes, darn straight they'd be backed up.

Now windows and their restore features kill me. They give you options as you well know, but how about if you can't even get to those options from an unresponsive computer ? Command prompts .....didn't even work. Safe mode would come on for 2 or 3 minutes and disappear. Windows is fine when it works, but when it doesn't, or your computer doesn't, it's a pain in the a$$. I think they make it that way so most get too aggravated and just buy a new one.

Tony, you need a bootable USB Windows Installer, then you can use it to repair any files that your OS is missing, or use it to get access to your restores.

I've had my computer stop booting and just plug in my flash drive, boot from that, tell it to repair my C drive installation, it finds the bad OS files, reinstall with the ones off the drive and I'm away to the races...

Or I use it to then get to my restore and boom again back in business.

Also as just a best practice I have all my important stuff (pictures, music, word documents, tax returns, etc) on one drive and the OS on another. That way if the OS dies I can do just a wipe, which is a slight PITA, but I still have all my documents...

Additionally I use Chrome as my browser and it can save all your passwords for you (not recommended really, but I have too many to remember so I stopped caring). You tell it to save a password then after reinstalling Chrome you just log into your account and boom, all those saved passwords are still there... But being the paranoid guy you are, doubt thats what your gonna want to do

heiney9

Sorry to hear Tony, but warm, fresh cider donuts from the local stand can cure a lot of things.....lol.

My computer crashed at the beginning of Summer and I am just now fixing it (been using a Netbook all Summer). I forgot about all the passwords that will be gone! Luckily I backed up my Favorites not too long before.

But, I am in the idiot box as well for not backing up regularly. I know better and it bit me hard this time.

Take Care

H9

westmassguy

All hard drives, whether mechanical or Solid State will die at some point. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
EndersShadows, makes an excellent point. My OSs are on fast SSDs, while my documents, photos etc. are all on separate drives, on all my machines except for my Laptop.

EndersShadow

westmassguy wrote: »

All hard drives, whether mechanical or Solid State will die at some point. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
EndersShadows, makes an excellent point. My OSs are on fast SSDs, while my documents, photos etc. are all on separate drives, on all my machines except for my Laptop.

I also backup those documents and whatnot to an external I keep off site should something happen....

vmaxer

Sorry for your weekend, sounds like my typical luck.

MrBuhl

Thats definitely a crap week Tony - sorry - but there's no where to go but up now!

charley95

polrbehr wrote: »

You're weird.

I would guess you don't follow the news.

Moose68Bash

@tonyb,

I'm sorry you had a tough weekend.

When I have one like that, I just remind myself that I'm still vertical and breathing, which is better than the alternatives!

I hope the coming weekend is better on your end.

oldrocker

You ain't alone brother.
Seems those situations "rear" their ugly heads around here more often than not.

Like the baby rabbits in the garden and how terribly wrong that one went...
Take some rabbits, weeds you want to remove, the weedeater and then my daughter who happened to stop bye about this time..


Yep Moose, I also buy into the "Vertical and Ventilated" followed up with "my index finger" pushing on the power button, then my thumb pushing the volume control on my remote..

Mikey081057

heiney9 wrote: »

Sorry to hear Tony, but warm, fresh cider donuts from the local stand can cure a lot of things.....lol.

My computer crashed at the beginning of Summer and I am just now fixing it (been using a Netbook all Summer). I forgot about all the passwords that will be gone! Luckily I backed up my Favorites not too long before.

But, I am in the idiot box as well for not backing up regularly. I know better and it bit me hard this time.

Take Care

H9

Agree... Warm Cider Donuts and Warm Cider too. There is a cider mill in NH called Dickens' Cider.... There is nothing like a hot Dicken's Cider...



Great place to be!

polrbehr

charley95 wrote: »

polrbehr wrote: »

You're weird.

I would guess you don't follow the news.

I just realized it looked like I posted that responding to you because it was right after your post? Sorry, that was directed at the OP because, well, he asked for it... LOL

Love that T shirt too, reminds me of the thread awhile back of someone on the hunt
for a good DAC

charley95

polrbehr wrote: »

charley95 wrote: »

polrbehr wrote: »

You're weird.

I would guess you don't follow the news.

I just realized it looked like I posted that responding to you because it was right after your post? Sorry, that was directed at the OP because, well, he asked for it... LOL

Love that T shirt too, reminds me of the thread awhile back of someone on the hunt
for a good DAC

No problem

rooftop59

Well tony, sorry about weekend. Unfortunately ur luck is spreading. I am 37 and home with my 11 month old who has a double ear infection and a fever. Everything was fine, we were taking a nap on the bed, and then she woke up and I tried to get up. I threw out my back. My wife's in a meeting. I can't walk, much less walk with her. Luckily I got back on the bed and she is now back asleep. But I am screwed once she wakes up and needs something!

TNHNDYMAN

Sorry you had a crap week. I hear ya about the ex's and blood pressure. Last time we discussed things my bp went thru the roof as well....

Joey_V

Tony take care of your blood pressure. I'm keeping an eye on mine and it's a little high for my age.

Why do you think I have all this audio gear??

WagnerRC

Keep your chin up Tony.

cfrizz

Take your meds Tony!

msg

tonyb wrote: »

Thought I'd chill out and cut the lawn. Cutting the lawn is relaxing to me, call me weird. Dang, no gas....hop in the car and go fill up the 5 gal can. Done cutting and go to start the blower and the cord rips out. ****

this visual made me laugh out loud this morning.
the stuff of a good comedy film

+1 on relaxing yard work. manual labor, instant gratification. or in this case, frustration.

Joey_V wrote: »

Tony take care of your blood pressure. I'm keeping an eye on mine and it's a little high for my age.

Why do you think I have all this audio gear??

what are you talking about, man, this hobby CAUSES high blood pressure! lol
I hear it doesn't go down again until you get close to satisfied.

cnh

I hear you Tony, and I'm sorry. Crashes are not fun. I had a crash of something inconsequential, my Android Tablet. Just a nuisance, to reboot and erase everything, but not much on it. Fortunately the SD card survived!

If you're not on meds, you might need to bite that bullet. That's a very high, dangerously high, pressure (especially at our age). My father was running pressures like that and it led to congestive heart failure. He survived and lived another decade and a half on MEDS! High BP, runs on my father's side of the family as we age. It's probably one of the only weaknesses I have. My Doctor kept an eye on my pressure till it started to spike more consistently, then, I could no longer regulate it with diet and exercise. The meds for BP are extensive and they really do keep that pressure at normal or below, sometimes a lot below. Those meds gave my father another 15 years without a heart attack or stroke (made it to his mid-eighties). He was also one of those guys who absolutely "resisted" going to the Doctor and taking "any" meds for anything! But now I'm rambling. Just lookin' out for you! A glass of wine and some music, are also good medicine. Don't let it get to you!

Joey_V

I hate medications tony... I can understand your point if you don't like takingh them

tonyb

Joey_V wrote: »

I hate medications tony... I can understand your point if you don't like takingh them

Same here Joey though that's pretty funny coming from a doctor. I'm not stupid enough to believe that never taking meds as we age is the best route either.

I'm more of a solve the problem type than cover it up and create other problems. You have to look at the reasons your BP may be climbing and adjust. Thing is, it's too easy to just take the meds and continue on with your lifestyle, easy for you, easy for the doctor. Never solves the core issues though....and those could be having other effects on your health. The drug companies would like nothing more than to have every man/woman/child on 3 drugs a day.

If I was unable to get it down myself, then yes, obviously meds would be the answer, that or die right?

Now back to the 'puter.....it appears that I'm running out of memory, aided by some corrupted files that keep crashing the computer. Mine is a 2009 HP Pavillian, My C drive is fine, the recovery drive not so much. Windows has about 300 updates since the computer was new and that eats up Ram. If you don't install the updates, you lose functionality, so that puts you between a rock and a hard place.

Think I'm gonna get me a laptop instead of the PC. I keep asking myself why I have a PC anyway when I only use it to surf/email...my printer is wi-fi enabled so no problems there. Any suggestions for a laptop with a dvd drive and boat loads of Ram ?

Even considered an Apple laptop but those don't run cheap, but I never hear of them crashing either.

westmassguy

Tony, Updates don't eat up RAM, they do accumulate on your hard drive, taking up space. You can remove the update backup files, by using Windows' built-in Disk Cleanup. Open the utility, let it search, then hit "Clean system Files". This will run for a while. Once it finishes, you can delete Service Pack and Windows Update backup files.
If you're running out of RAM, I'd check a see what's starting up when Windows boots up.
Many programs run in the background, which you don't need. Sometimes they're obvious, sometimes hidden.
Corrupted files can be the result of hard drive errors, bad memory, or both.