Comments on: Because I Am An Idiot

By: klayman2257

klayman2257 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:33:46 +0000

FYI u should have backed up your important files on a CD, flash drive, or do what i do and back up ur files to an online file storage. i no microsoft has has an online file storage. u need to make a hotmail account to have it though.

By: Christopher Fritz

Christopher Fritz — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:08:09 +0000

I say get thee to a DVD burner and download/burn the latest Ubuntu LiveCD or LiveDVD! Well, unless it doesn't work with all your hardware. I should burn one for a friend of mine who'll be stopping by this week, since he downgraded his new laptop from Vista to XP, and XP doesn't have most of the needed drivers, so his laptop's hardly usable now (can't get online to download drivers, etc). Depending on the cost difference between two countries, a good method I've found for Person A in the country with the lower price to buy the item, then ship it to Country B where it costs a lot more. This assumes that 1) Person A and Person B trust one another with the cost/payment, 2) the cost of the item and shipping is less than Person B would be paying. (But that's why I specified "US" in my post, as I realized prices might not be quite the same elsewhere, as I'm reminded of when a Venezuelan friend of mine comments on prices in the US versus in his country.)

By: DKellis

DKellis — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:36:43 +0000

The problem with using an Ubuntu LiveCD is that I don't have an Ubuntu LiveCD. I do have a Mandriva Move LiveCD, which was what I attempted to use the last time around. And US prices are definitely not what is available in Singapore. I don't know if it's a general conspiratorial markup or something government-induced, but we're apparently paying something like twenty percent more (after considering currency conversions).

By: Aanusha

Aanusha — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:43:10 +0000

...but that is small comfort if I cannot recover all my files, collected over the years.

But don't you keep a backup of every single file that there is on your PC in a collection of DVDs or CDs?? That's what I do, and I've never been let down yet. ^_^

By: Dorne

Dorne — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:55:00 +0000

You should get a laptop for backup. Most days people should have at least two computers, with one (doesn't have to be fast) for backup.

Wait, why are you in the library? You can use the livecd in your computer, change the network settings to fit your old Windows OS, then look for information in your own home.

Oh, and besides a hard drive, get a 2-4GB flash drive, it'll really help in backing up important files.

By: Christopher Fritz

Christopher Fritz — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:54:45 +0000

Too add to those recommending use of a second drive to get to the files, I'd highly recommend for future use to have one hard drive with user files, and separate one with the operating system. I don't know how well (if possible) Windows can store user settings and configuration files on a drive separate from the one Windows is stored on, but it's made life a lot easier for me whenever I'd done something where Linux has told me, "Don't be an idiot, doing that will break me beyond repair!" followed by my "But I'm a geek, and I must explore what happens when I do this!" followed by massive breakage, days of trying to fix manually, and the eventual reinstall from DVD. Remember, the only meaningful difference between FAT and NTFS is whether Microsoft might sue for implementing support for the latter. As mellow_bunny suggests with the Ubuntu live CD, you simply need to find a live CD for a distro based outside of the US, and support should be in there. Mm, now I feel compelled to see if the FreeBSD live CD I have supports NTFS. It's gotta' do better than Windows Vista supporting EXT3. Here in the US, a 500GB hard drive is almost down to US$75. There's no reason not to have a separate drive for ones files.

By: CCY

CCY — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:25:36 +0000

This is one reason why, despite my habit of naming my computers (and peripherals), I do not christen them with names of characters I really like

Funnily, a similar experience: I have to choose carefully how I name my computers, lest catastrophe strike. My Wii christened "Asakura" (of the Ryoko variety) eventually went yandere and died on me. Its replacement "Kimidori" had about as long a lifespan as she did screentime in the anime. I finally gave up and decided to give it a docile name that wouldn't kill me. "Asahina"'s been working great ever since.

By: mellow_bunny

mellow_bunny — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:07:23 +0000

DK, you can do what Kalium says or use an Ubuntu Live CD. You CAN access NTFS from there. But you are better to transfer all your data to another hdd. Whatever you do .. DONT FORMAT THE DRIVE. D: Your data will still be fine!

By: Kalium

Kalium — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:56:18 +0000

Get another HD, drop it in, and install to that. Then connect the older drive as a secondary.