I learned a lot about PCs in my corporate days. I always asked the tech dept guys questions, I always tried to lean new things - and so I became a little PC savvy... Enough to save my pictures and videos and consultant files :-) and that's quite more then others I know.
I read loads of blogs too, those that I find when I "google" my PC issue. And I've learned a lot of step by step procedures from tech bloggers (thank YOU tech bloggers!!). So thru this blog reading about windows crash I learned about Ubuntu. An open source software (I.e. Free) to help my in my really messed up situation.
I had access to burn an Ubuntu CD using my hubby's work laptop and our wireless network. I popped the CD into my PC, which was set to start from CD drive. Click try Ubuntu and let the CD load.
I opened the system tab on top and my 491GB system drive. Then plugged in a USB drive. I loaded files to the USB 2GB drive and then ejected it. I loaded the USB onto my other laptop and saved the files.... It's painfully slow, taking hours and hours over many days. But at least I can salvage my kids pictures and videos.
I promised to back up everything to a DVD.... I didn't.
Ubuntu doesn't reload your windows. Instead it can see and access your files on the hard drive. At least you can get to your files!!!
It's 2014 and I got another crash. This time I have a windows recovery CD 1 and 2. I have the ability this time to reload the windows operating system. However I once again need to save and move copies of all my files. More hours, more days.... UGH!!
I'm again using my Ubuntu CD (thank you I still have a copy in my PC drawer) to salvage my files, some of the same files I had moved and copied before. Why aren't those files still on the laptop? Because I choose to load the Ubuntu system and that made me loose everything... But it was worth it at the time.
Now I have Ubuntu on my laptop and have the copies files moving there. This time I had a problem with my USB drives - so I used my Ubuntu to reformat the drive using gparted partition. I learned that simply closing the USB drive window isn't enough, you have to "eject" the drive, which I wasn't doing.
Crazy easy software to use. . . when the software finds your USB. Luckily there's a find drives button - after it saw the USB drive I was able to right click, reformat to NTFS. Now I can once again use my USB drives to move files between laptops.
Lastly, when using USB drives don't forget to delete the transferred files, to free up the USB drive space again, empty the trash permanently deleting those files.
Once again I am wasting hours moving files.... But this time I will make back up to hard DVD disks.
What's the up side?
After loading the videos I brought all the kids into my bed and we watched videos, from when they were born thru very recent. That was so special, hearing the kids get excited, watching themselves and experiencing things (again) they didn't remember doing.
Finding the light at the end of the tunnel... And it's not a train!
Make mistakes. Reflect. Copy pictures to CD and make back up copies in photo albums. And Laugh.Out.Loud
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