If you are an extension of a computer, as I sometimes feel I am, the thought of losing the main hard drive is beyond terror. Hence most of us just go into denial...it won't, it can't happen to me.

Two days ago, my hard drive died. Felt like someone reached inside of me and tore some of my guts out. It differs from a death because, like most computer geeks, I moved immediately for rebirth. After many attempts at resuscitation, I went out, bought a new disk, and began rebuilding. Of course I haven't given up on the old one yet. Right now I have it leashed to the computer in an external USB box. If there is some way of getting that sucker to cough up what it knows, which is about everything I have done since 2003, I'm up for it.

Back up, back up, back up...yup, we all know we ought to do that but few do. And some who do,... back up on the same drive, which has always seemed odd to me. If the drive dies, what good is a backup on the same drive?

The real strange thing is that I did have the drive backed up on an external drive. I thought, well, I'm covered.

Not true. The computer is a Gateway and so I called Gateway Help for, heh, heh, help. Actually most of the folks sounded like they knew what they were talking about. Only one did the shallow help desk thing of saying, "No problem. Here are 5 easy steps and you will be up and running." That guy works the middle of the night shift, wonder why.

Anyhow, the Gateway folks told me that my backup wasn't going to help because I now had a new hard drive and it would be different. According to them, backup works when something goes crazy on the existing drive, but it is still functional, and you do a Restore Disk. Frankly, I still have doubts about what they said...assuming that I really understood what they told me. I should really say, that I doubt what I think they told me.

Now, of course I want your sympathy, empathy would be even better. However, that is not why I am writing. There are a few of you that correspond with me offline. I rarely participate in boards. For those of you who do chat with me, I have lost your addresses. If you would like to rebuild the bridge, please send me email...mailto:jackmarvin@alumni.uvm.edu or catch me on one of the IM's. My username is my trailname. I am best reachable on YIM and/or email.

oldhounder

Oh Oldhounder,

I have some serious empathy for you right now. A last year our old motherboard crashed, irretreivably and permanently. A brand new tower and back in business, less everything on the main drive...three months later the new main drive bonked. At least it was under warranty but we lost everything, again.

I feel your pain.
Connfederate

I have been receiving MANY notices claiming "that a friend/partner/family/classmate has sent you a greeting." It looks like those you get from Hallmark and American Greetings. I have not clicked on any of the links and now I'm glad.

THIS IS VERY, VERY REAL.

Please don't open any "greeting card" e-mails unless you know who they're from.

I verified this at
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp (last update 1 July 2007)
Please check it out for yourself for more detailed information.

WORST VIRUS EVER --- CNN ANNOUNCED

PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST!!

A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee . This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for its functioning are stored. This virus acts in the following manner:

It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your list with the title: "A Card for You".

As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened the computer freezes so that the user has to reboot. When the ctrl+alt+ del keys or the reset button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently destroying the hard disk.

In just a few hours this virus caused panic in New York , according to news broadcast by CNN. This alert was received by an employee of Microsoft itself. So don't open any mails with subject: "A Virtual Card for You." As soon as you get the mail, delete it !! Even if you know the sender !!!

Please pass this mail to all of your friends. Forward this to everyone in your address book. I'm sure most people, like myself, would rather receive this notice 25 times than not at all.

heyokah man

I received this notice, but luckily the link didn't work anyway. Whew. I hope none of my contacts opened this virtual card...

LW

Yes and No.

One's real:

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp

One isn't (the "CNN - Worst Virus Ever!"):

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/virtualcard.asp

Please don't open any "greeting card" e-mails unless you know who they're from.


I never open that junk(no offense) anyway cuz I know theyre not real. They usually end up in my spam folder anyway. :)

-HG