My comptuer more or less bit the dust yesterday/today  :\'( , and I'm very worried about it. If the problem can't be fixed, it there a way to transfer files from one computer to the next? Because I am not letting my Power Rangers movie remake files (screenplay, mock-up images, cast vwish list, soundtrack wish list, etc.) go away that easily. I've worked almost two years on this baby, and I'm almost coming to the conclusion that my project is cursed.  ;D :\'( >:(

And also, what would I do without GIMP if I ever get bored enough?  ::) I like being able to make up crazy mock-up images to amuse myself. I might not be as active until my problem is fixed, which is a shame because it is so cool to visit the boards.

Has anybody ever had their computer just up and die on them? How did you get by?

Has anybody ever had their computer just up and die on them? How did you get by?


Yes.

I went out and discovered that there is life without computers.  It's pretty amazing.

You have my deepest sympathies, having lost a computer recently, but for me the hard drive was saved and now is used as an external drive.

One time our computer died many years ago but we had to replace the hard drive for a new one and things were up and running later.

Thanks for the sympathies, but apparently my computer was just playing an April Fool's on me.  ;D  :\'(>:( ;D

If it happens again, all I need to do is unplug it, wait 30 minutes, and plug everything back in once it's rebooted. I seriously have no idea what the hell happened, but it was weird.  :-\\

I guess I can go back to doing strange GIMPs for amusement.  ;D I'm gonna experiment with actors as Ivan Ooze.  ;D

Thanks for the sympathies, but apparently my computer was just playing an April Fool's on me.  ;D  :\'(>:( ;D

If it happens again, all I need to do is unplug it, wait 30 minutes, and plug everything back in once it's rebooted. I seriously have no idea what the hell happened, but it was weird.  :-\\

I guess I can go back to doing strange GIMPs for amusement.  ;D I'm gonna experiment with actors as Ivan Ooze.  ;D

It rose again on the 3rd day?

Thanks for the sympathies, but apparently my computer was just playing an April Fool's on me.  ;D  :\'(>:( ;D

If it happens again, all I need to do is unplug it, wait 30 minutes, and plug everything back in once it's rebooted. I seriously have no idea what the hell happened, but it was weird.  :-\\

I guess I can go back to doing strange GIMPs for amusement.  ;D I'm gonna experiment with actors as Ivan Ooze.  ;D


Go get yourself an external hard drive an back up all of your files.
They are reasonably priced now and the best thing for when your main hard drive fails.
They plug in like a flash drive - then just copy everything to the external. 8)

I can't believe it.  :\'( :-\\ After two or three years in service, my computer sadly gave out yesterday. I have been fearing and dreading this "death," as I'm afraid of losing my Mighty Morphin Power Rangers remake movie files forever --  my PG-13-level and Unrated screenplays, my cast wish list, my soundtrack (wish) listing, my mock trailer.... I can't let it all go away.  :-\\ :\'(

Fortunately, $100 might be the one thing that saves these files and whatnot from an unfortunate extinction -- it might cost that much to get a new comp and transfer all of the old files to it. I would hate to have to start everything back up from scratch with no frame of reference and then have lots of little gems get lost in the transition from one draft to the next; it would lose its magic or that magic would not be felt in the same way, you know what I mean?  ;)

I am pulling for something good to happen in the end, because I don't want to let anything interfere with my project, because I feel it's not only the next blockbuster, but is also a great script that I had been tweaking a bit, polishing off the cheesy lines and things that don't work and honing my vision.

Thank you all for your kind suggestions. :(

Fortunately, $100 might be the one thing that saves these files and whatnot from an unfortunate extinction -- it might cost that much to get a new comp and transfer all of the old files to it. I would hate to have to start everything back up from scratch with no frame of reference and then have lots of little gems get lost in the transition from one draft to the next; it would lose its magic or that magic would not be felt in the same way, you know what I mean?  ;)

I am pulling for something good to happen in the end, because I don't want to let anything interfere with my project, because I feel it's not only the next blockbuster, but is also a great script that I had been tweaking a bit, polishing off the cheesy lines and things that don't work and honing my vision.

Thank you all for your kind suggestions. :(


It's sad that you have now lost everything and have to pay someone else to rescue the files for you. And $100 seems like an awful lot to pay someone else to rescue them for you. When the computer went down last week, you should have went and bought an external like this one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8908658&type=product&id=1216424110325

It would have saved you from paying someone else and you wouldn't have had to worry about them.
Such is life. But don't pay $100 for the file rescue. If you do, the people who are doing it are ripping you off.

i have an external backup drive and i'm actually thinking of getting another one and DOUBLE-backing up my hard drive. you really cant be too careful with this stuff, i've lost lots of files before and it's suckalicious.

and the last time i lost my files i wanted to smack everyone who told me "aw dude you shoulda backed up your files" in the face  ;D

and the last time i lost my files i wanted to smack everyone who told me "aw dude you shoulda backed up your files" in the face   ;D


Guess I should be getting smacked in the face huh? ;D

Guess I should be getting smacked in the face huh? ;D
I'M not gonna do it. i'm too scared.  :D

i have an external backup drive and i'm actually thinking of getting another one and DOUBLE-backing up my hard drive. you really cant be too careful with this stuff, i've lost lots of files before and it's suckalicious.


I have added a 500gb internal for back up, as well, I use dvd+/-R as data disks and use them as backup in case the extra internal fails.

I hate the thought of losing everything I have. You can get a second external if you like Tia, but I say the dvd disks work just as good and actually last longer. 8)

I have added a 500gb internal for back up, as well, I use dvd+/-R as data disks and use them as backup in case the extra internal fails.

I hate the thought of losing everything I have. You can get a second external if you like Tia, but I say the dvd disks work just as good and actually last longer. 8)
i've had a helluva time with my dvd burner, is the only problem. it keeps not recognizing the disks, burning them and then not recognizing them, being unable to finalize, all sorts of stuff. i dunno if it's the factory dvd drive, it's a pretty decent dell computer so i'd have thought the drive would be good but i dunno.

I hope you're able to get all your files extracted from your hard drive.  The hard drive in my daughter's laptop crashed bad last year and the files were unrecoverable. I took it to Best Buy and the  http://bestsmileys.com/geek/1.gif  geek squad had it for a few days and tried valiantly but all her music & pics were unable to be recovered, and we had to have a new hard drive installed so that at least fixed her computer so that we did not have to buy a new one. They said that their CSI unit in Denver had the equipment & potential to extract the files but it could cost as much as $1,500. it was tragic and Jule's was in mourning for days.

i've had a helluva time with my dvd burner, is the only problem. it keeps not recognizing the disks, burning them and then not recognizing them, being unable to finalize, all sorts of stuff. i dunno if it's the factory dvd drive, it's a pretty decent dell computer so i'd have thought the drive would be good but i dunno.


Dell? Gah! I curse Dell's and Compaq's.

Well, you can go to the motherboard manufacturer and re-download the drivers for the optical drive. But your best bet, instead of using windows to drag and drop - get a free copy of Nero and use it. Works ten times better than the windows program and no matter what it will be recognized in any OS you insert the disk in.

Vista - windows drag and drop doesn't like to work in XP or other OS even when it does close them properly. ;)

They said that their CSI unit in Denver had the equipment & potential to extract the files but it could cost as much as $1,500. it was tragic and Jule's was in mourning for days.



Sorry Mike, but they were just trying to soak you for your cash.

I recover files for people all the time, even off of a hard drive that geek squad said failed and wouldn't ever run again. ::)
I despise geek squad. >:(

Sorry Mike, but they were just trying to soak you for your cash.

I recover files for people all the time, even off of a hard drive that geek squad said failed and wouldn't ever run again. ::)
I despise geek squad. >:(
they could very well have been doing that....bastards  >:(

I can't believe it.  :\'( :-\\ After two or three years in service, my computer sadly gave out yesterday. I have been fearing and dreading this "death," as I'm afraid of losing my Mighty Morphin Power Rangers remake movie files forever --  my PG-13-level and Unrated screenplays, my cast wish list, my soundtrack (wish) listing, my mock trailer.... I can't let it all go away.  :-\\ :\'(

Fortunately, $100 might be the one thing that saves these files and whatnot from an unfortunate extinction -- it might cost that much to get a new comp and transfer all of the old files to it. I would hate to have to start everything back up from scratch with no frame of reference and then have lots of little gems get lost in the transition from one draft to the next; it would lose its magic or that magic would not be felt in the same way, you know what I mean?  ;)

I am pulling for something good to happen in the end, because I don't want to let anything interfere with my project, because I feel it's not only the next blockbuster, but is also a great script that I had been tweaking a bit, polishing off the cheesy lines and things that don't work and honing my vision.

Thank you all for your kind suggestions. :(


Do you know exactly what happened to your computer.  More than likely you may not need to replace the whole tower. 

$100 is a lot to pay someone to transfer your files.  If the hard drive is in decent shape it is fairly easy to extract the files yourself.  As long as you have another working computer to use.  It is never said enough.  Back up your files. 

i have an external backup drive and i'm actually thinking of getting another one and DOUBLE-backing up my hard drive. you really cant be too careful with this stuff, i've lost lots of files before and it's suckalicious.


Five words for everyone reading this:

Offsite backup.  (Safe deposit box.)

A second backup is a good idea, but when you've made that second backup, you need to get it offsite.

Your backup drive(s) isn't(aren't) going to do you any good if it's(they're) sitting in the filing cabinet six inches away from your computer when the house burns down / the tornado blows it away / the earthquake knocks it down.

Leave a copy in a safe deposit box in a bank (or a trusted relative's safe/vault) in another city.  As long as that city isn't on the same fault line as your own city, you're ensured against anything short of a civilization-ending event such as a major asteroid impact or WW3.

I can't believe it.  :\'( :-\\ After two or three years in service, my computer sadly gave out yesterday. I have been fearing and dreading this "death," as I'm afraid of losing my Mighty Morphin Power Rangers remake movie files forever --  my PG-13-level and Unrated screenplays, my cast wish list, my soundtrack (wish) listing, my mock trailer.... I can't let it all go away.  :-\\ :\'(

Fortunately, $100 might be the one thing that saves these files and whatnot from an unfortunate extinction -- it might cost that much to get a new comp and transfer all of the old files to it. I would hate to have to start everything back up from scratch with no frame of reference and then have lots of little gems get lost in the transition from one draft to the next; it would lose its magic or that magic would not be felt in the same way, you know what I mean?  ;)

I am pulling for something good to happen in the end, because I don't want to let anything interfere with my project, because I feel it's not only the next blockbuster, but is also a great script that I had been tweaking a bit, polishing off the cheesy lines and things that don't work and honing my vision.

Thank you all for your kind suggestions. :(



I'm sorry about your computer Chris,hopefully you'll be able to get it fixed.

Five words for everyone reading this:

Offsite backup.  (Safe deposit box.)

A second backup is a good idea, but when you've made that second backup, you need to get it offsite.

Your backup drive(s) isn't(aren't) going to do you any good if it's(they're) sitting in the filing cabinet six inches away from your computer when the house burns down / the tornado blows it away / the earthquake knocks it down.

Leave a copy in a safe deposit box in a bank (or a trusted relative's safe/vault) in another city.  As long as that city isn't on the same fault line as your own city, you're ensured against anything short of a civilization-ending event such as a major asteroid impact or WW3.
yeah that's good advice. i was thinking about maybe keeping it at work.

Having had both hard drives die at the same time a couple years ago really sucked.  Although it might have been something else wrong with it instead, it was just cheaper (and less hassle for me) to get a floor model scratch and dent at Circuit City (yeah, who knew THEY'D go out of business) and just start again.  I have dreams of getting those hundreds of photos off of the drives, but basically am too much of a sloth to bother.  :-\\

Having had both hard drives die at the same time a couple years ago really sucked.  Although it might have been something else wrong with it instead, it was just cheaper (and less hassle for me) to get a floor model scratch and dent at Circuit City (yeah, who knew THEY'D go out of business) and just start again.  I have dreams of getting those hundreds of photos off of the drives, but basically am too much of a sloth to bother.   :-\\


Ouch!  It hurts to hear that photos were lost. 

I hope you don't throw your drives out.  Maybe someday when you are so inclined, you will be able to retrieve your photos.  I have lost a few photos from a drive that was so badly damaged that I wasn't able to save everything.  I managed to pull most of them out though, which I am grateful. 

Ouch!  It hurts to hear that photos were lost. 

I hope you don't throw your drives out.  Maybe someday when you are so inclined, you will be able to retrieve your photos.  I have lost a few photos from a drive that was so badly damaged that I wasn't able to save everything.  I managed to pull most of them out though, which I am grateful. 


Yeah, we have the whole computer still, even moving it across state when space in the car was at a premium.  ;D

I figure someday if I get an extra $100, I'd throw it at somebody to see if they could get at least some of the photos off of there for me.
I did store some of the more important ones in online photo albums (although the free sites seem to be drying up daily...I've had to move them so many times already.  lol)  The quality of the photos stored online may not be exactly premium, but at least I have an ok copy of them still. 

Yes. In June 2007. Our old PC just refused to boot up. It kept going into an endless loop at the start...so we eventually had to turn it off the "hard" way. We just couldn't get it to start up again, and as a result, we lost everything that had been saved on the hard drive. We eventually began using my dad's laptop as our primary PC, but after using that one so much, it began to slow down too...but thankfully it still runs.

There were plenty of times when the computer's hard drive got messed up and My Father And I had to go out and buy a new computer.

I'm shocked our desktop is still alive....it's 8 years old....knock on wood ;)

I'm shocked our desktop is still alive....it's 8 years old....knock on wood ;)


Our computer downstairs has to be at least 12 years old.

Our computer downstairs has to be at least 12 years old.

12 years old? Wow. That computer must be special (for lack of a better word) to stay alive that long. Does it still work okay?

12 years old? Wow. That computer must be special (for lack of a better word) to stay alive that long. Does it still work okay?


It has had it's problems from a bad hard drive to a bad monitor to just about everything else.