My hard drive is failing and my most recent backup is 3 weeks old. It won't be a total tragedy if I lose the stuff I have done in the past 3 weeks, but I'd rather not- you know?

I have tried to reseat the HD a million times. I did manage to get the system to boot and the Dell guy had me shut it down to do some tests. Since then, no joy.

Any tips for getting it back one more time before the new one arrives?

DM

Never mind- I guess posting here did the trick. The darn thing booted up just fine (after 1 MILLION tries.)

Starting the backup as I type!

DM

Here's hoping for a successful emergence from Dell Hell.

UGGGHHHHH!

When I did my last backup, I just backed up the files and programs I needed and didn't do a whole system deal. Everything I am reading now says that in order to do the whole system I need to manually install a program that is on my system CD.

Problem is- THERE IS NO SYSTEM CD!!! Instead, I have a piece of paper with a picture of a CD on it that says: Your new computer does not require an operating system CD or drivers CDs....

These people should die a slow painful death...
DM

LOL, Dell hell indeed.
Buck up dmann and learn from your mistake.

Carm

I back up my work Dell onto my home mac. I use SFTP to transfer the files.

Hate the dell at work...they do not install enough RAM, plus windows just feels slow as a result of virus and spyware checkers. It essentially causes the machine to run at 3/4 speed...pieces of junk.

---

All I ever really needed to know, I learned from watching Star Trek.

wowzer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I back up my work Dell onto my home mac. I use
> SFTP to transfer the files.
>
> Hate the dell at work...they do not install enough
> RAM, plus windows just feels slow as a result of
> virus and spyware checkers. It essentially causes
> the machine to run at 3/4 speed...pieces of junk.
>
> __________________________
>
> All I ever really needed to know, I learned from
> watching Star Trek


"plus windows just feels slow as a result of virus and spyware checkers. It essentially causes the machine to run at 3/4 speed...pieces of junk."

That is only Dell's fault with respect to the fact that they make hardware that runs Windows.

The whole thing is dying. I can't burn a CD or get it to play a DVD. I am guessing the optical drive is shot too.

Can I just upload all the stuff I need onto my iDisk? Will that work?

I don't know what else to do because there is no way most of this stuff is going to fit on floppies...

DM

Do you have a USB capable ipod? They make great rescue drives. Maybe an external drive of some kind? Flash drive? Might be worth a trip to staples to pick up something if your files are worth it.

-Bubba3K

I do have a 128MB flash drive which I know is kind of small. No iPod or external drive. This is a total nightmare.

DM



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2005 01:55AM by dmann.

I was able to fit more than I thought onto that drive which is good news. Those .doc files really aren't all that big!

I plan to pick up a 512MB drive tomorrow, but my big question is this: Once I get the files backed up onto the flash drive, can I put them onto one of my Macs to store them? Will this compromise the files in any way?

DM

Dude, you could've had a Dell.

BTW I love PC users who say that can't use Macs. I just laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

---

---------
3GHz - The clock is STILL ticking Steve.

Why is this a Dell/Windows problem? Why are you all acting like this never happens on Macintosh?

This isn't Dell Hell; this is a failing hard drive and someone who has no strategy for backing things up or restoring them.

This could EASILY happen on Macintosh, and does every day.

Yer all idiots.

dmann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once I get the files backed
> up onto the flash drive, can I put them onto one
> of my Macs to store them? Will this compromise the
> files in any way?

No, it won't compromise the files in any way. You can use your Mac as a file storage area safely.

The only issue you will encounter is that the MacOS X Finder may add extra files for its own housekeeping into your folders (but only if you visit them individually in the Finder). These are kept invisible to the Finder on the Mac, but they will show up in Windows. They all start with a period and underscore ("._") so they are easy to spot. The most common one is "._DS_Store" which contains information useful to the Finder such as where the icons were last positioned in the window. It is always safe to delete this extra file since Finder will recreate it whenever it needs to.

dmann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can I just upload all the stuff I need onto my
> iDisk? Will that work?

Yes. That will work fine.

Apple provides a WebDav client for Windows for you to be able to access your .Mac storage space from your Windows machine like a removable drive. I've never used that client software but I assume it works so that you can easily drag and drop your files onto a new Windows drive letter (e.g. F: ).

There is a link to it on this page in the "cross-platform advantage" section.

[www.mac.com]

After logging in to your .Mac account, they provide this public link to it.

[www.mac.com]





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2005 09:10AM by TheTominator.

Thanks for the VERY helpful info The Tominator. I appreciate it!

BTW elmo- thanks for the insult. I do have a backup strategy which I have used successfully. What I do not have is a backup for my backup strategy. My CD drive is also failing and my employer has not provided me with any type of external drive. I don't think this makes me an "idiot."


DM

dmann, he said we're all idiots. He just lumped you in with the rest of us, which is pretty good company IMO. Better than his company, anyway.

Make/Model of Dell? If did come with a System CD, I'd bet on it. Perhaps even a hardare test CD, too.

Who is your "IT/IS" guy(s)?

What type of hard drive does it have in it? (Slimline Maxtor drive?...Dell had a bad batch a couple years ago and they had a high failing rate...not Dell's fault though).

More information on the hardware.

It is an Inspiron 2200 with a 40GB Hitachi drive.

Not only did it not come with ANY CDs, it came with a small piece of paper with a picture of a CD that says: Your new computer does not require an operating system CD or drivers CDs. Instead, if you ever need to reinstall your software, use one of the following methods...Microsoft Windows System restore or Dell PC Restore...

I *AM* the IT person. I work for a small company (10 people) and we are all in remote locations. My nearest coworker is 350 miles away and he knows less about computers than I do. They buy Dell so they can rely on Dell's tech support. Pretty much the only thing I don't like about working for these people- otherwise this is the best job I have ever had.

DM

I know it's not really funny, but there's something about the idea of the paper with the picture of the CD on it that makes me laugh each time you mention it. I am sorry for your troubles -- but that CD picture thing is like from a sitcom...

$tevie- I agree with you!
DM

dmann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> THERE IS NO SYSTEM CD!!!

In an odd way this reminds me of Jeff Goldbloom saying
"THERE IS NO STEP 3!!!"

It illustrates quite a constrast.