Aug 31, 2017
Laptop update, etc.
It is official that the hard drive on our two year old laptop, that only gets used 2 or 3 times per month, is toast. As they say it was a lemon. Only this lemon requires a $750.00 replacement hard drive. Something about the year and model and I think I heard the words solar state hard drive. Regardless either we spend the money or buy a similar replacement for $1500.00.
On a whim last Sunday while at the mall ( we only have one ) returning my new walking sandals ( more on that in the next post ) I stopped in at Best Buy and spoke to a guy at Geek Squad. They have a program where you pay $20.00 per month and they are there to help you with whatever help you might need with your computer. The monthly fee can be cancelled after 6 months with no repercussions. It includes free data transfer from my desktop to the newly refurbished laptop at no charge. It also gave me a 20% discount on the new hard drive. They told me that the cost of the new hard drive would be $350.00 before the 20% discount. Sounded like a great deal to me so I picked up my laptop from Simply Computing on Monday ( well Colin did ) and I took it in yesterday to the Geek Squad.
They looked up the details and told me that the new hard drive was going to cost me $750.00 not $350.00 😯 It appears that the first fellow had given me the wrong info but at least I would be getting 20% off and it would only cost me $599.00. However I do have to pay the $20.00 x 6 months so I am pretty close to the original price. However if the data is gone which Simply Computing told me it was then I would have had to pay more to transfer my data. With the Geek Squad it is free.
So I thought I had saved us $400.00 but it turns out that it might just be $50.00. Regardless we will have a working computer soon. Of course it will be the upgraded version of OS that I will have to learn all over again. When I had my data transferred in 2015 I asked them to keep certain things in the older version of OS that I still currently running, on what some might call my ancient desktop, such as iPhoto. I do not like change. Looks like this time I have to sink or swim.
But if I can slowly start to figure out my smartphone then perhaps I will manage with the new program in the laptop. I have all winter to figure it out before we head to Europe in May.
Speaking of the iPhone, I kept getting texts the other day from someone I did not know and they would not stop texting me until I gave them my name. I wasn’t comfortable doing that but then they texted back an apology, wrong number. Today someone kept trying to FaceTime me ( whatever that is ) and after the third time I figured out how to send a message that I had no idea who they where. They stopped. I am now showing three messages on the FaceTime app thingy. No idea how to get rid of that. I don’t want to play with it and contact the original sender. I have someone I can ask tomorrow.
For all the RVers out there, in case you missed this, from the Houston area.
Meanwhile yesterday we awoke to some serious ash on our vehicles and everything else. In fact it had drifted in through the window screens and all the dresser tops and window sills were covered in ash.
It does look more like soot than ash. The colored light is from the smoke and the white dots are sun reflections.
Colin did get a job done today ( he is still out there doing the final dusk or rather smoke shot ), the client wasn’t fussy about window view shots. Colin did come home for a few hours mid afternoon and we were just starting to have a quick early dinner before he had to head out again when the phone rang. We were pleasantly surprised by a call from friends living in Mexico. We haven’t spoken to them for several months. It was so very special to hear their voices. Thanks again for taking the time and making the effort. Life is short, we should all take time to reach out to those we care about.
I took this yesterday afternoon, as you can see the sun is still high and no where near setting. What crazy times we live in.
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Good luck with your laptop and learning the new OS.
I can only hope that my grey cells are ready for expansion.
Solid state. 😉 SSD for short.
I would have been shocked if you could get the drive for hundreds of bucks cheaper. SSDs are coming down in price, but are still super pricey.
Your new OS won’t be that different, but Photos is definitely appalling. Meditate and be zen before dabbling with it. I still haven’t figured it out.
I know nothing about Facetime, so I hope your iPhone-using neighbour does!
Solid state, got it, thanks. I only use iPhoto. I do not want it to be appalling. That is why I had the old iPhoto installed on the laptop in 2015.
Facetime is like Skype. Video phone conversations. See, I know something about Apple.
Well you did know more than I did. Thanks.
If your facetime app shows a number it just means missed calls. Just click on it. It will show you who was trying to facetime you(if you know them). Then hit the edit function, click on the 3 calls and hit delete at the bottom. Whala that number will be gone. We facetime the kids (those ones with apple phones) as it is nice to see their faces once in a while. I get to see my stepdaughter’s new kitty too that way. If you ever use facetime though just make sure your data is turned off and only use wifi as it uses alot of data.
Thanks it worked. It was someone who ended in iCloud and I have no idea who they were but they just kept calling. Next time I won’t be scared to show my face 🙂 When here in the house I am automatically hooked up to our home wifi so I should be good.
I FaceTime all the time with friends and family. Doesn’t cost anything and I get to see them. We should try it sometime. It is really easy.
Thank you and as it turns out we were able to FaceTime while speaking on landlines earlier today. It was very easy to do. Thanks for the encouragement.
Hello you two,
your last blog brought me out of the passivity I was in, to get in touch again with you. It is so true life is short. We have been friends through sharing your life with us and I so seldom reciprocate. Thanks for the many helpful tips and pleasure you share with us.
I am always looking forward to the mail because of you.
Maybe next winter we will once more make a date. We will be in Mz. from middle of Feb. to middle of March. It is short time but we are planning a cruise next year.
We have not been anywhere this summer with our RV. it is simply to smokey in all directions. Hopefully we will get away in Sept. Kids will be in school . We will not be needed us much to help out either.
Thank you again.
All the best, Peter and Hannelore.
Thank you for being such a faithful reader. For certain we will get together next February. Perhaps the symphony and a meal.
Contessa:
I believe that I have given you this couples blog before and I know you probably don’t need to add another to your roster but considering you have entered the new age of phones and PC operating systems I do believe they could help you immensely.
https://geeksontour.com
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/15e44b9016f31e65
Thanks for this Catheline. I truly don’t remember getting this but it is definitely in my go to files now.