Genealogy Forum UK

I have done everything I possibly can to make my PC disaster proof.

For the technically minded it has RAID 10 and I did a weekly system restore disk etc etc.

Somehow, and I have given up trying to figure out how, my Windows boot sector was corrupted.

No problem...System Restore Disk will fix it!

No it didn't!

Ok, Windows 7 startup repair will fix it!

No it didn't.

Going back to an earlier "Restore Point" will fix it!

Nope!

Onto the phone to Microsoft and after trying many different things, and receiving a few "Never seen that before!" from the technicians, we sadly declared Windows 7 dead.

So 14 hours ago I started a clean install and have still got another ten or so hours before my machine is back to what it was.

I must admit that Windows 7 has been pretty reliable, but having to do a Windows clean install is something I hoped I would never have to do again....

Thankyou for listening whilst I vent my spleen

No probs Marky.
Always remember we're here for you!!
Right Micheal??

Don't understand the technical lingo but totally sympathise with the frustration.

Sometimes just want to throw the computer out the window!!!

We had a major computer catastrophe last summer... for 2 weeks I thought I had lost every digital photo I had taken for the last 7 years.... till I found a long lost data stick in a pile of papers!

Computers.... I'm sure we used to manage without them.... but they now seem to be the centre of our World don't they?
My teenage kids have total 'meltdowns' if the wifi is off for more than 10 minutes..... they all seem to be permanently 'plugged in' for 24 hours a day...
.... but then , maybe I am just as bad

Expat

Commiserations.

I'm looking at having to do a re-install of XP , it's almost worth getting a new 'puter.

There probably isn't a computer system that's totally fireproof!

As for the technical supports comment "I haven't seen that before", I've heard that one way too often at work, doesn't seem to matter what the fault is on the computers/ equipment at work - if it's not a staright foreward fix, then that seems to be the standard reply! Sometimes we've found problems with softwear, I really can't believe no one else has noticed it!

I have worked in IT for over 30 years so it takes bit to surprise me.

The fact the Microsoft's newest operating system self destructed is more than a surprise, its scary.

Rob wrote:No probs Marky.
Always remember we're here for you!!
Right Micheal??

Yep we certainly are Rob
a problem shared and all that

not got a clue what they are on about but hey!
it helps to talk
especially if the Samartans is shut

Group hug

Northern Lass wrote:
not got a clue what they are on about but hey!
it helps to talk
especially if the Samartans is shut

Group hug

with you there NL -- I just took away the fact that Mark was very sad because his computer as very sad and he couldn't find the right medicine to make it better ---

Hope my computer doesn't catch it because ...... .. doesn't describe how I will feel.

Hope your computer is better soon Mark

Maths girl

Hope your computer is ok now Mark, hope my windows 7 keeps running , will come to you for instruction if not.

Annie

But what about the important stuff, your data? Programmes can always be re-installed even if it takes time. Data is irreplaceable.

Always keep your data on a separate partition because then anything affecting your operating system will not affect your data.

Personally I keep mine on a separate partition on a different hard drive but I know that is just geeky

Uncle Ben

Uncle_Ben wrote:But what about the important stuff, your data? Programmes can always be re-installed even if it takes time. Data is irreplaceable.

Always keep your data on a separate partition because then anything affecting your operating system will not affect your data.

Personally I keep mine on a separate partition on a different hard drive but I know that is just geeky

Uncle Ben

Good idea Uncle Ben - I back up everything fortnightly onto a separate hard drive.

I'm planning to get an extra harddrive, but my husband wants to do some proper research, he's been talking about a dual core one, but then it needs to work okay on wifi, as I know if I have to get it oút and plug it in to the mains as well as the usb port then I wont use it as much as I should.
I recon a small hard drive that just needs to be plugged into to our laptop will be better!

snoopysue wrote:I'm planning to get an extra harddrive, but my husband wants to do some proper research, he's been talking about a dual core one, but then it needs to work okay on wifi, as I know if I have to get it oút and plug it in to the mains as well as the usb port then I wont use it as much as I should.
I recon a small hard drive that just needs to be plugged into to our laptop will be better!

I'd just get a small portable for the time being - you never know - they don't cost much, and they're not kept together.

Yes, data is important but then again so is your operating system.

I have dozens of programs installed plus all of thier updates.

So it is taking ages to get it back to normal.

My server at AIGS has over 2000 Genealogy programs installed.

So I do a weekly image of that server onto 2TB drives I keep offsite.

I cycle 4 lots of backups for that server as I cycle 4 sets of drives.

I estimated it would take about a month to install all of the software if something happened to that server if we just did a data backup.

By imaging the server I could have a new one up and running in less than a day.

I am now buying a drive to image backup this PC.

Jeez, it's tempting, but I won't mention Apple again ...