Rachel Caine ([info]rachelcaine) wrote,
@ 2008-04-17 21:23:00
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Current location:The not-exactly-real Eames Chair
Current mood: apathetic
Current music:The random crash of electrons.
Entry tags:computer problems

Sorry ... computers hate me.
Yes, it's true. Computers hate me. Well, they do this week ... my new (year old, actually) HP laptop suddenly developed cracks in the case and hinges and began breaking apart. It's in the computer hospital as we speak. So ... I've been offline, sorry all.

Lovely Ms. [info]p_n_elrod lent me the laptop I gave her when I got the new one (thanks, Pat!). Cool-o ... I needed to pull some data off of it anyway.

I had it up and running approximately 30 minutes when BOOM, the hard drive suddenly made frying-egg sounds and the whole thing shut down. When I restarted, it said WINDOWS NOT FOUND.

Safe mode? HA! There is no safe mode, sucker, because the hard drive lost its little itty bitty mind. The only rescue available was to reinstall Windows from scratch ... but all the data was gone, gone, gone. Bye bye, data. It was nice knowing you. I'll never forget that time we had together.

So. After two days of reinstalling everything from scratch, I (and more importantly, Ms. Pat!) once again have a sorta working computer. My new-new computer will be back early-ish next week, for a total repair cost of somewhere around $500. Um ... yay? I am attempting positive energy, here, work with me.

Nothing else to report right now. I am about to start on rewrites for OUTCAST SEASON, though!

As soon as I get myself sorted out and back on the proper machine, I will be sending out FEAST OF FOOLS review copies and doing a giveaway as well, so stay tuned ...!

R.

ETA: Sorry, I wasn't clear. Yes, I lost some data, but it was relatively little overall, because I do indeed back up my writing. The problem is that when you have 145 gigabytes of data, well. Backing up is kind of a very big pain it the rear, and takes forever, no matter how you slice it. I am transferring out pictures and video files to individual USB hard drives, but even so, backups are just plain ol' time consuming. I always back up my *writing* daily, though. It's all the other stuff that tends to fall through the cracks ... kind of like, "I'll back up that video footage later." Uh-huh.


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[info]damedini
2008-04-18 02:39 am UTC (link)
Um. May I suggest a second computer, upon which you backup all you data nightly? Seriously, your data is your work and you just can't lose it.

Or am I teaching granny to suck eggs here?

Anyway, Happy spring! It reached 70 here today!!!

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:33 am UTC (link)
If I backed up 145 gigabytes of data nightly, I'd never get to bed, yo. ;) But my writing is always backed up. It's other stuff I lost.

It's already 80 here (or was, today). Joy! Also ... immediately followed by a violent thunderstorm and baseball sized hail.

Texas. :shrug:

R.

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[info]damedini
2008-04-18 04:38 am UTC (link)
*wry grin* Well, I just got the fun of teaching a local businesswoman, in very small words, that she really shouldn't run her business on an always-online laptop wiht no virus protection or firewall. Or backup. She mayhap I'm a little ... enthusiastic. *grin*

I'm really glad you didn't lose a single word of your writing, but the other definitely sucks. But at least you're not rewriting 250,000 words from memory under deadline, no?

Ooh! I Loooove that sort of thunderstorm. I think I have a wee bit of djinn in my blood.

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[info]queenoftheskies
2008-04-18 02:41 am UTC (link)
I'm so sorry to hear of your computer troubles. Two in such a short period of time? That shouldn't happen to anyone, especially someone as lovely as you.

Best of luck with the repaired machine and your rewrites.

I hope the rest of the month is kinder to you.

::HUGS::

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:33 am UTC (link)
Thanks, dear! Meh, it'll be okay. I'm just grumpy and resentful. Because. Also, I'm tired and I wanna go to bed, but I can't.

:sigh:

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[info]queenoftheskies
2008-04-18 04:36 am UTC (link)
::HUGS::

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[info]music_lover3
2008-04-18 02:43 am UTC (link)
Wow, that sounds awful! The computer portion, I mean. Well, I'm glad that you have a computer that works now! Good luck with the rewrites!! Hope you get your good computer back soon!!

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:34 am UTC (link)
Thanks! I'm sure I'll be back to rolling along normally very soon ...

As scary as that is.

R.

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[info]jennclack
2008-04-18 02:44 am UTC (link)
OOO! OOO! OOO! (think Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter) I want to see Feast of Fools! hee hee I'm sorry your computers rebelled on you. I'm being very sweet to my laptop right now so it won't get any ideas. Can't wait to see you next weekend!!

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:34 am UTC (link)
Yes, do NOT let your laptop talk to mine! :)

See you soon!

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[info]jslinder
2008-04-18 02:47 am UTC (link)
Backups are your friend!

A second computer is not needed. For less than $200 get a hi-speed USB external drive like a mybook and hook it up while you work at a desk, live backup software like Memeo will keep all your files nice, fresh, tasty and safe :)

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[info]shadawyn
2008-04-18 02:54 am UTC (link)
True, though a second, currently backed-up computer means you have one to keep working on when the other goes *splat*.

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:36 am UTC (link)
Also highly important!!!! :)

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:35 am UTC (link)
Already done. It just still takes forever, 'cause I work with a lot of very large files when I do video and photo work ... but my writing is always saved. :)

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[info]utkari02
2008-04-18 03:04 am UTC (link)
Um, crap?? :(

I'm so sorry to hear that the computer technology is revolting against you. It's just not right. Doesn't it know that we can't survive without it??

On a good note, I'll be seeing you in 8 days!!! :D So, at least that gives you something to look forward to. :P ;)

Seriously though, I hope your computer sorts itself out! And I'm excited beyond words for next weekend! I'll be answering your email in the morning.

Hope you have a good night,

Kari

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:36 am UTC (link)
Looking very much forward to seeing you, as a matter of fact! :) Take care!

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[info]wedschilde
2008-04-18 03:29 am UTC (link)
oh sweetie.... ♥♥♥

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:36 am UTC (link)
Sigh. :headdesk:

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[info]salamet
2008-04-18 04:06 am UTC (link)
Evidently this has been the broken computer week from hell! ::hugs you::

My hard drive on my old computer died and my friend Skippy's hard drive died too! I'm just glad I can fix mine myself and fix hers as well.

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:37 am UTC (link)
Yep. It's HARD DRIVES IN REVOLT! We must be vigilant!

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[info]whenstars_fall
2008-04-18 04:11 am UTC (link)
Hi! I'm a fan of yours from Singapore :D I'm obsessed with the Morganville series and I can't wait for Feast of Fools to hit the shelves in June :) Hopefully, I wouldn't have too difficult a time finding it the way I had for Midnight Alley :D

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the computers and good luck with the rewrites!

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:38 am UTC (link)
Hello! Thanks, and it's very nice to meet you ... I do hope the book isn't too hard to find for you!

All will be well here, I promise ... it always works out somehow!

R.

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[info]zombiegoat
2008-04-18 04:24 am UTC (link)
This is exactly why every time I finish a major piece of writing, I make a backup CD of my complete archives. I am also a firm believer in flash drives.

Wow. Many, many sorries.

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[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-18 04:39 am UTC (link)
Unfortunately, the last time I attempted to back up to CD, it took almost 30 of them. You might say I have an, ah, excessive amount of data.

Heck, it took 8 dual-layer DVD-ROMs to back up last time!

I love flash drives, too. Also, USB hard drives.

All good.

-- R.

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[info]zombiegoat
2008-04-18 05:55 am UTC (link)
The edit explained everything; I have to confess, though, my jaw dropped open when I first read this. My own writing folder (named, in a burst of inspiration, "Writing") is roughly 50 megs and contains 914 separate files. When I read how many CDs you needed to do a backup not knowing it spanned *everything* and not just writing, "rank amateur" doesn't even begin to describe how I felt.

My ego has now been backed up and safely restored to its normally insufferable levels. All is right with the universe, and glad to hear the important stuff was saved.

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[info]ter369
2008-04-18 04:39 am UTC (link)
Current Location: The not-exactly-real Eames Chair

I have a faux-Barcelona chair, called a "Mies". HA.

Much sympathy on your computer woes/loss/expense. My laptop still does the cursor jumping to elsewhere on the page, based on where the pointer stayed as I began typing, or the rapid block-and-delete of text because I must type too fast and accidentally give some combo of keys a noodge to do that. I think. These are new problems since I installed MS Office 2007.

I just want to read and write, y'know?

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[info]coraa
2008-04-18 05:15 am UTC (link)
Ook, yes. I, too, back up my writing and other essentials frequently, but backing up all umpty-squillion media files is a time consuming pain that I don't do very often.

Sympathies!

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[info]potthead
2008-04-18 06:00 am UTC (link)
Ew, computer issues! What awful luck! But at least it wasn't during the week you were working on the final touches of FEAST OF FOOLS, right? Because it would've stunk to have issues when you were in the zone/working on final touches and stuff. Gotta think positive! :)

But I hope all things technological are back in working order soon. Hang in there!

Edited at 2008-04-18 06:01 am UTC

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[info]rynanne
2008-04-18 07:42 am UTC (link)
That completely sucks! I'm so sorry. I tend to have that effect on anything electric myself. Usually can't keep gadgets long even though I have an unreasonable love for all things technical and shiney.

Here's to your computer coming back new and good to go!

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[info]endstorm
2008-04-18 10:22 am UTC (link)
Bummer about the comp problems.
Hate to say it but I will - HP computers suck.
I've had them and I also had nothing but problems with them.
You might want to go with a DELL next time - yeah more money but they are work horses.

$500 to repair? Just about the same amount to buy new.
A year old - I would be taking it back to where I got it and raising crap - it shouldn't be falling apart after one year. It's not like you use it as a frisbee, that comp is your life.

Good luck with getting it all straightened around RC!

~Sharon

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[info]neutronjockey
2008-04-18 12:23 pm UTC (link)
An external drive should suit your purposes of local data backup just fine. External drives are usually pretty hardy (unlike most laptop drives and some PC hard drives).

You might also consider an online service for professional and working files.

Google Docs for example is free but can only handle .txt,rtf,and.doc files up to 500 kb (convert to .txt, kill any special formatting etc etc)---will at least give you something to recover from in the even of ZOMG BSOD!

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[info]graveyardghosts
2008-04-18 08:51 pm UTC (link)
Hi, Rachel! I just wanted to stop by and relay my thanks for signing all my books that I sent with Joya ([info]potthead) when she went to meet you at AggieCon. Yes, I was the girl who sent 11 books to Texas just to have them signed by one of my favorite authors. :D Joya said you were so nice about signing them too and, while she hasn't sent them back to me yet (and I can't WAAIIIITT), we were actually video-chatting the other night and she read some of the awesome things you wrote in them. I can't believe you wrote different things in each book! That made me ecstatic, you have no idea. I was actually checking out DragonCon this year... and you're apparently coming to that?! I'm going to try my hardest to go. Lol, it's silly, but I was bummed because I didn't have Feast of Fools yet to send to Joya. Now I will hopefully be able to get that signed!

Anyway, wow. *fangirl spew*

...Lol, I should mention something relevant to your current entry, right? XD; I hate computers. I really do. Well, no. Not true. I hate my computer. But our relationship is completely equal in hatred. It hates me, too. I think my stress level is as high as it is because of my computer. And I always feel like such a moron when I'm having a shouting match at 1 am with an inanimate object. That said, I'm really happy your writing isn't gone. I would be crying if something like that happened to me, and thank goodness it hasn't yet.

OMG! Why did I say that?! *rushes off to find some wood to knock on* v_v;

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[info]apythia
2008-04-19 04:33 am UTC (link)
Oh noes!

I am sorry to hear that! Technology is a blessing and a curse. I'm glad to hear you didn't lose too much!

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[info]donna_b_ca
2008-04-21 06:29 pm UTC (link)
It must be a bad year for laptops. My hard drive crashed two weeks ago ... still under warranty, however ... but it took me a full week to get the new drive and get everything reinstalled and running the way it USED to. Yes, the data was backed up, but all of those personal settings that make the displayed data look like MINE took forever. Pain in the a$$.

But it's back and I'm writing again.

Donna

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Web Site
(Anonymous)
2008-04-22 07:45 pm UTC (link)
When will you update your website?

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Re: Web Site
[info]rachelcaine
2008-04-22 11:29 pm UTC (link)
Well, I just got my laptop back. I'm going to do some work on it tonight!

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