It's really crazy. I wrote an article the other night about submitting articles to free magazines and I can't find it. I've been having a lot of trouble with my computer lately. I'm hoping I saved it on my laptop which is trouble free...so far.
My troubles started with Microsoft Outlook. From the beginning if I tried to use it my computer hung and I had to reboot. Then my computer ate my Excel program - it literally just disappeared. After that MS Word started losing my files or saved them corrupted. I lost a 1200 word ms and several other research documents that I worked on for hours and hours and hours.
Thinking it might be the computer, I went out and got two zip drives. When working on my regular computer I only saved to the zip drive. Not wanting to lose any more files I did a backup of the zip I used (Zip A) to the second zip (B). Thank goodness, because I accidentally hit zip A while it was in my laptop and it broke. Talk about Murphy's Law.
I also thought maybe something happened to the Microsoft program so I had my husband delete it from my computer and he downloaded Open Office for me. I still had problems with files becoming corrupt or disappearing. Then, I lost Works Spreadsheet program - just disappeared. Is it Gremlins?
So, now I only use my regular computer for things I don't have to save. I also got a third zip drive (C) that I used to backup zip B. In addition to this, I'm going to get two more zips. One to backup (C) and another to keep just in case.
What's the moral to the story? Make sure you always back up your work! And, in cases like mine, backup your backup.
Karen
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By: Karen Cioffi,
on 1/21/2009
Blog: Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: computer, Microsoft, Word, gremlins, laptop, program, Works, Murphy's Law, Excel, backup, zip drives, Add a tag
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By: Karen Cioffi,
on 1/21/2009
Blog: Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: computer, Microsoft, Word, gremlins, laptop, program, Works, Murphy's Law, Excel, backup, zip drives, Add a tag
4 Comments on Backup, Backup, Backup, last added: 1/28/2009
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Backing up is SO important!
I had two flash drives stop working on me while I was working on my Graduate Thesis. The first stopped working completely. I couldn't open any of the files. The second, when I tried to open things, they would come up corrupted. I finally stopped buying that brand of flash drive.
By the way, Outlook does tend to be kind of buggy. And it's recommended that you never use it on your home computer. It actually saves copies of all of your e-mails on your computer, not on a server, so if you use it on your home computer you risk clogging it up with lots of stuff and running low on memory.
As for why your Excel disappeared.. that's beyond me!
Hey Crystalee,
I didn't know that about Outlook. I didn't do it intentionally, but I have two different brand zip drives. That's had to be horrible to have happen while working on you graduate thesis.
Thanks for sharing.
Karen
If you find your article, I'd love to see it. Please let me know where I can find it--it's just what I'm looking for!
Hi, Grammygail,
I'm glad you reminded me about the article. I'll look for it tomorrow and if I find it I'll post it.
Karen