I Hate and Despise ...[you fill in the blank]
When I was in high school, it was the fashion for a short while to carry clipboards instead of looseleaf binders. I still have mine and you can still see the faint pencil marks on the clip where I wrote, "I despite and hate geometry," and the even clearer pencil marks on the board where I wrote, "....lousy minutes left," to count off the remaining moments of mathematical torture.
Geometry was a piece of cake compared to the agony of keeping a computer up and running these days. I've been futzing around on mine since about 8 a.m. and since it's just before 8 p.m. as I write this, I've spent a full 12 hours in total frustration, aggravation, and anger.
The first lesson I will offer it that whatever goes wrong is usually something very simple; and probably obvious, but not until after you've spent hours on it.
This morning I turned on the computer to check emails before I got dressed. I couldn't get my DSL to connect. I tried all the things they tell you to do. Plug, unplug, power up, reboot, etc. Nothing worked. After 45 minutes, I broke down and called my provider.
After trying to negotiate with the all too perky voice of some female robot pretending to be human, I finally got a real person. I was very nasty; he was very calm and nice. At some point, I realized that the plugs were in the wrong holes. Two days ago, the last time I lost service, I unplugged and then replugged only to discover that, in fact, my internet provider was experiencing problems with DSL service. I must've switched the plugs accidentally. I apologized profusely for being nasty and hung up. I was back online.
Then I receive a notice that one of my software packages required an update, I downloaded and discovered the update did not work and nothing I did would fix it. I tried to remove the program but when I tried to reload an earlier version, it wouldn't let me. I ended up doing a system restore, which fixed that problem.
It was already 11:30 am by this time, and I was due somewhere at noon. I rushed out of the house only to find that the network adapter I had ordered for my TIVO had arrived. Rather than wait, I decided I'd plug it in and leave. How long could that take?
That was only the beginning of four more hours of trial and tribulations. At first I thought they must've sent me the wrong thing because I couldn't imagine how an Ethernet plug would fit. I was beside myself. I tried every which way and finally opened the manual. Yes, apparently there was a way. After about an hour, I figured that one.
I plugged the thing in.....nothing, niente, zippo. No connection.
Another couple of hours. [I called to cancel my original plans; I was in too deep. I couldn't leave in full snit.] This time, I hadn't pushed the doo-hickey in far enough and the cables had to be unplugged and plugged again a few more times; I had to boot up and down, etc. Finally!
I rebooted my computer only something was horribly wrong. My system tray wasn't working anymore. I booted, rebooted, and I knew the software was there, but I couldn't control it.
The Tivo recognized the network, but according to the manual, my computer should've been looking for new hardware. Needless to say, it wasn't. I spent another 40 minutes on that and then gave up to concentrate on my system tray problem.
Nothing was working. I searched all the knowledge bases and manuals at my disposal. Another system restore was the only thing I could think of that I hadn't tried. But I had already restored; would there be another suitable date?
I took the next previous date; noticed that I hadn't done any monkeying around and invoked the restore point. Hallelujah! Everything seemed to be working again.
So I closed the computer and decided to call it a day.
A few minutes later, I realized I needed to get back online. I wanted to print something. I booted up.
The network wasn't working ... again. This time it was the plugs.
I printed what I wanted and shut the system down again, made myself the first food I've eaten since breakfast, and realized I had promised myself to write everyday only I hadn't today.
So here I am. And for the moment, all is fine. Fingers crossed!
Geometry was a piece of cake compared to the agony of keeping a computer up and running these days. I've been futzing around on mine since about 8 a.m. and since it's just before 8 p.m. as I write this, I've spent a full 12 hours in total frustration, aggravation, and anger.
The first lesson I will offer it that whatever goes wrong is usually something very simple; and probably obvious, but not until after you've spent hours on it.
This morning I turned on the computer to check emails before I got dressed. I couldn't get my DSL to connect. I tried all the things they tell you to do. Plug, unplug, power up, reboot, etc. Nothing worked. After 45 minutes, I broke down and called my provider.
After trying to negotiate with the all too perky voice of some female robot pretending to be human, I finally got a real person. I was very nasty; he was very calm and nice. At some point, I realized that the plugs were in the wrong holes. Two days ago, the last time I lost service, I unplugged and then replugged only to discover that, in fact, my internet provider was experiencing problems with DSL service. I must've switched the plugs accidentally. I apologized profusely for being nasty and hung up. I was back online.
Then I receive a notice that one of my software packages required an update, I downloaded and discovered the update did not work and nothing I did would fix it. I tried to remove the program but when I tried to reload an earlier version, it wouldn't let me. I ended up doing a system restore, which fixed that problem.
It was already 11:30 am by this time, and I was due somewhere at noon. I rushed out of the house only to find that the network adapter I had ordered for my TIVO had arrived. Rather than wait, I decided I'd plug it in and leave. How long could that take?
That was only the beginning of four more hours of trial and tribulations. At first I thought they must've sent me the wrong thing because I couldn't imagine how an Ethernet plug would fit. I was beside myself. I tried every which way and finally opened the manual. Yes, apparently there was a way. After about an hour, I figured that one.
I plugged the thing in.....nothing, niente, zippo. No connection.
Another couple of hours. [I called to cancel my original plans; I was in too deep. I couldn't leave in full snit.] This time, I hadn't pushed the doo-hickey in far enough and the cables had to be unplugged and plugged again a few more times; I had to boot up and down, etc. Finally!
I rebooted my computer only something was horribly wrong. My system tray wasn't working anymore. I booted, rebooted, and I knew the software was there, but I couldn't control it.
The Tivo recognized the network, but according to the manual, my computer should've been looking for new hardware. Needless to say, it wasn't. I spent another 40 minutes on that and then gave up to concentrate on my system tray problem.
Nothing was working. I searched all the knowledge bases and manuals at my disposal. Another system restore was the only thing I could think of that I hadn't tried. But I had already restored; would there be another suitable date?
I took the next previous date; noticed that I hadn't done any monkeying around and invoked the restore point. Hallelujah! Everything seemed to be working again.
So I closed the computer and decided to call it a day.
A few minutes later, I realized I needed to get back online. I wanted to print something. I booted up.
The network wasn't working ... again. This time it was the plugs.
I printed what I wanted and shut the system down again, made myself the first food I've eaten since breakfast, and realized I had promised myself to write everyday only I hadn't today.
So here I am. And for the moment, all is fine. Fingers crossed!
posted by Ambimom at 7:25 PM
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