Don & Christi's 6 x 10 Cargo Conversion

[Ctcanuck]

It's funny how people blame the computer if something happens too it. The computer is only as good as the person using it. Sure harddrives die,monitors quit working etc...... It's bound to happen. That's why everybody needs to back up all their information on a regular basis. Problem solved.

[MegC]

Entropy happens, hardware fails. Unfortunately Windows is also subject to collecting hazardous crap even with an experienced user at the helm. And yeah, backups are awesome, but if you're like most of us they only get done occasionally on home boxes.

I think I got my XP desktop in about 2004 (after the previous 2000-ish box had some hard drive controller issues) so it's starting to show it's age. Lappy I'm currently typing on is one of the very first Asus EeePC netbooks, which I switched from one version of Linux to another.... which is so lovely I'd drop windows altogether @ home but Linux doesn't run Photoshop (yeah I work with Gimp, sorry, NO comparison) and Flash for video is choppy. I've got Windows 7 x64 at work, and it's nice enough but not really a massive improvement over ol' XP in terms of getting needful stuff done.

SO... seriously considering a Mac when the time comes to replace the desktop. One less potential headache lurking at home is worth the premium.

[Prem]

It's funny how people blame the computer if something happens too it. The computer is only as good as the person using it. Sure harddrives die,monitors quit working etc...... It's bound to happen. That's why everybody needs to back up all their information on a regular basis. Problem solved.

Windows operating system is far more often the problem.

Meg,

Why get an expensive Apple for an alternative operating system, when you can just get a new hard drive and install this problem-free operating system for free:

http://www.ubuntu.com

Works like a charm.

[parnold]

Why get an expensive Apple for an alternative operating system, when you can just get a new hard drive and install this problem-free operating system for free:

My son would love this, he's had a linux computer for a long time now, and uses his windows computer mostly for games.

[MegC]

Prem- Trust me, I have had exposure to *nix operating systems. My lappy is running an Ubuntu derivative rolled specifically for the EeePC, and I've played with multiple Ubuntu versions on other generic boxes. The problem is that I don't think Photoshop works in 'compatibility mode', or else I'd be all over that in a hot second. And again, flash playback leaves a lot to be desired.

If you really want to have some fun, try FreeBSD... you can do amazing things with it but a desktop GUI is NOT part of the standard install. All hail the command line and hacking away at cryptic conf files! Bwahaha!!!

[pete42]

I still have a VIC-20 talk about computing power.
I did some college courses using it they only had TRS-80s so VIC-20 worked just fine
I did get a 4.0 on the course
how would you like to go back that far again
my phone does more than some computers I have owned over the years
I ran a ham radio program on a 8080 machine.
am I old yep I'm old..........not to smart just old.

[Prem]

Meg,

I use Gimp Photo Editor on Ubuntu. Not all the bells and whistles of Photoshop, but very useful.

The beauty of Ubuntu is that it is easy to use, comes bundled with OpenOffice and programs like Gimp, and it's free with free updates and virus protection.

[d30gaijin]

Recovering Your Firefox Bookmarks

- Find your profile in c:\Documents and Settings\[your XP user name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

- There should be a subfolder there called bookmarkbackups. Find the most recent bookmarks html file in there (usually with a date after the 'bookmarks' bit.

- Copy it to somewhere safe and rename the existing one bookmarks.html.

- Copy it to the default profiles folder (up one level from the bookmarkbackups folder, deleting the existing bookmarks.html file.

- Close Firefox if it's running and relaunch it. Your old bookmarks should be restored.

Bruce

Bruce,

Thank you for the instructions but they don't work on my computer (the windows computer). There is no "c:\Documents and Settings\[your XP user name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles" listed, but I should mention that I was using windows vista in case that makes a difference, and it isn't just the bookmarks that have been lost, MS Framework doesn't come up at startup. The computer doesn't recognize Mozilla 3.x at all even though it is installed, and doesn't recognize several other programs even though they are installed. Everything was working fine the night before and the next day the computer went crazy and wouldn't recognize several startup programs.

I tried uninstalling Firefox 3.X and reinstalling to no avail. It will not come up.

Best regards,
Don

[d30gaijin]

It's funny how people blame the computer if something happens too it. The computer is only as good as the person using it. Sure harddrives die,monitors quit working etc...... It's bound to happen. That's why everybody needs to back up all their information on a regular basis. Problem solved.

I am a mechanic (but not an IT guy) and fully realize that things fail and problems are bound to happen so have have always done backups. I did two system restore from different dates and still the problem persists. Sorry but I can't blame myself for not doing my part. In this case, I logically blame the computer... or some bug withing the computer.

What I have experienced with windows based systems is too many cases of weird unexplained stuff happening in the software, and I won't go into the hardware failures. I am now simply taking another path.

Don

[d30gaijin]

A Mac huh ??? Welcome to the club !!! The wife just got an Air Book for Christmas , and I've been playing with it ... After having a few PCs ,and all their problems ( ) I'll never go back to those ...

GPW,

An Air Book! My goodness, someone was really nice to your wife. To die for is a term that comes to mind!

I have to say, the more I use the Mac Book the more I love it. No ton of junk programs installed by the manufacturers that I never use like I have had with my last three PC's, very intuitive, screen resolution and contrast that is incredible right out of the box, no "Chicklet" keyboard pieces that pop off, and battery run time that is outstanding! My only regret is that my favorite photo editing software (FastStone Image Viewer) isn't made for Mac but I am learning iPhoto and will likely go to Aperture 3 in the near future. My last three PCs have been Compaq, HP, and Toshiba and each of them displayed an annoyance with the keyboard in that I would be typing along in a message, email, or a Word document and the entire text would suddenly disappear... sometime recoverable, sometimes not.

It is not my intent to make this a Mac is better than a PC thing (since I don't have enough experience with a Mac to do that), rather I am just expressing my frustration with what I have owned before, and it certainly is not appropriate for me to say one is better than the other based and 5 days use of the Mac. And while I am impressed with what I see in the Mac, well I will take a long term wait and see before I truly pass judgment... not that my judgment is worth anything... consider it more an opinion.

Don

[d30gaijin]

Hello all,

I do apologize for taking my thread off topic, but then again it is my thread to take off topic. Also, considering that it is 18 degrees outside as I write, and predicted to drop to 5 overnight with a high of 25 tomorrow (here in Boise), well it doesn't generate much enthusiasm to get out and work on the CT. I will be back on topic as the weather permits.

In the mean time, Christi and I plan to do some day trips (sans CT), some bird watching, and photography. I will post some photos here as we get them.

Don

[bdosborn]

Don,

Try looking here:

C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\crtexun1.default\bookmarkbackups

Its where I found my bookmarks in Win 7...

Bruce

[MegC]

I'll cut to the chase... AGAIN... not so much for Don, because he seems to have gotten beyond this, but in case anyone else falls into this situation with FireFox/Mozilla/Seamonkey. I have earned some cred on this subject having to wrestle with too many recovery scenarios to remember or recount on both customer and company computers.

1. XP: click the START button, click 'search' in the lower right portion of the window. Make sure 'look in' shows 'local hard drives'. You'll want to be ready to type in the 'files or folders named'.
-OR-
Vista/Win7: click the START button, you'll see the 'search' field right above it.

2. Typerate *bookmark* (yes WITH the stars) and hit OK or START or SEARCH NOW or whatever gets it rolling.

This will search ALL hard drive(s) for ANY file with the word 'bookmark' in it. There are what seems like an endless variety of places FireFox, Mozilla, Seamonkey, etc stores this file and some versions will make a backup with variants of this name in it. What you're really hoping to locate is a file ending of 'html'/'htm' because that would be a most direct source to recover your lost bookmarks from.

And if it's all really hit the fan and you've got the chops, sometimes you can find a mangled partial file in a weird place and you can rummage through the leftover html garble for helpful bits in a text editor. FUN TIMES....

If you locate a likely suspect I would HIGHLY suggest making a copy of said file onto your desktop, thumb drive, etc. BEFORE messing with it. One sure way to incite profanity and an emotional roller coaster is to accidentally mangle, delete, or loose the only copy of a potentially needful file.

And that's my tech support contribution on a day otherwise off. Further assistance is available but I'll refer you to the classic XKCD diagram first:

[d30gaijin]

I'll cut to the chase... AGAIN... not so much for Don, because he seems to have gotten beyond this, but in case anyone else falls into this situation with FireFox/Mozilla/Seamonkey. I have earned some cred on this subject having to wrestle with too many recovery scenarios to remember or recount on both customer and company computers.

1. XP: click the START button, click 'search' in the lower right portion of the window. Make sure 'look in' shows 'local hard drives'. You'll want to be ready to type in the 'files or folders named'.
-OR-
Vista/Win7: click the START button, you'll see the 'search' field right above it.

2. Typerate *bookmark* (yes WITH the stars) and hit OK or START or SEARCH NOW or whatever gets it rolling.

This will search ALL hard drive(s) for ANY file with the word 'bookmark' in it. There are what seems like an endless variety of places FireFox, Mozilla, Seamonkey, etc stores this file and some versions will make a backup with variants of this name in it. What you're really hoping to locate is a file ending of 'html'/'htm' because that would be a most direct source to recover your lost bookmarks from.

And if it's all really hit the fan and you've got the chops, sometimes you can find a mangled partial file in a weird place and you can rummage through the leftover html garble for helpful bits in a text editor. FUN TIMES....

If you locate a likely suspect I would HIGHLY suggest making a copy of said file onto your desktop, thumb drive, etc. BEFORE messing with it. One sure way to incite profanity and an emotional roller coaster is to accidentally mangle, delete, or loose the only copy of a potentially needful file.

And that's my tech support contribution on a day otherwise off. Further assistance is available but I'll refer you to the classic XKCD diagram first:

Meg,

Tried that and nothing. Right now I have the beta 4.8 version of FireFox as well as 3.x16 on the old laptop and after multiple searches can't find a file for bookmarks to save my soul. I have no idea how that can be. It simply makes no sense. I have bookmarks in both versions of FireFox but Windows Explorer/file searches can find no file anywhere in C: drive titled "Bookmarks."

Personally I am now glad I gave up on Windows based PC. It has, and continues to be, an uneeded pain the rear. I am writing this from the old PC and have had to retype it 3 times already due to the same sudden loss syndrome I have experienced too many times. I only do so because I am trying to keep this laptop alive so I can continue to use my preferred photo editing program (it still works fine for that).

Will close for now and go back to the Mac Book for fear of having to type this a fifth time.

I truly appreciate your help.

Don

[GPW]

Don , Santa gave the AirBook to herself (for her business) !!! I got the old I book ... Still working fine , never a problem after many years ... ( I did have to replace the battery ...once )
I tried a few PCs .... grrrrrrr!!!!! always something breaking/crashing /disappearing ... In the long run , turned out more expensive than the Mac... GRRRR!!!! Guess it's OK if you're a puter' tech ...

Sent from my Mini Mac ...

All my outdoor projects are shut down too .... cold and rainy ... for many weeks now ... just no white stuff ... TG !!! Can't wait for Spring ... the project list just keeps growing...