Computer Oddyssey

[ny biker]

So, not just a computer odyssey but a general machine-related odyssey for you, smilingcat. It does seem like everything breaks down at once. For me lately it's been phone, work pc, refrigerator, toaster oven, regular oven. Plus my car is due for service and has a dent in the front that I need to fix one of these days. So far I have only dealt with the phone and the toaster oven, though technically I'm not done with the phone yet -- I can't get it read the music files on the sd card and I still have to reset the old one and turn it in so I can get a credit for it. But once I finish dealing with that, I'm sure something else will break or wear out. It's always something!

[ny biker]

So, not just a computer odyssey but a general machine-related odyssey for you, smilingcat. It does seem like everything breaks down at once. For me lately it's been phone, work pc, refrigerator, toaster oven, regular oven. Plus my car is due for service and has a dent in the front that I need to fix one of these days. So far I have only dealt with the phone and the toaster oven, though technically I'm not done with the phone yet -- I can't get it read the music files on the sd card and I still have to reset the old one and turn it in so I can get a credit for it. But once I finish dealing with that, I'm sure something else will break or wear out. It's always something!

Just over a month later -- I still haven't dealt with the refrigerator or the oven, and still haven't been able to get my new phone to read the music files on the SD card. But I was forced into taking the car in for service this week. It's a long story so I'll just skip to the end and say that the guy at the local Toyota dealership who has been taking care of my car for years has once again done a great job of fixing things quickly and for a reasonable price.

More relevant to this thread, I have finally taken the plunge and gotten a new pc for work. The old one has just gotten so slow, I didn't want to put it off any longer. I prefer to buy from the local Micro-Center, and after looking through the laptops and desktops on their website, including the customer reviews, I decided to get a relatively inexpensive HP laptop with Windows 10. I will still use the larger monitor and more comfortable mouse that I already have. The guy at the store tried to upsell me because "the processor is not the latest model." This annoyed me; of course he doesn't know the backstory of how annoyed I am that I have to provide my own pc for work or how much I detest setting up new tech devices or how generally peevish I am right now due to the sedentary lifestyle that has been forced on me by the ankle injury, but still, when someone has obviously already chosen the exact model that they want before walking into the store, there are better ways of suggesting that they consider another product. Then he tried to sell me on anti virus software. Then he tried to help me choose an external hard drive even though I'd already done the research and made that decision, too. Eventually he figured out that I was not going to be a big spender, handed me the paperwork to take to the cashier and ran back to the pc department.

So now I am about ready to start the process of setting things up and transferring files from the old laptop to the new one. I do hope it goes smoothly. Once it's all up and running, I want to start using it after hours for some tutorials to learn a new programming language, which of course is another flavor of computer odyssey...

[smilingcat]

agree. Nothing gets me madder or faster to getting me angry than "you are just a girrl, what do you know about techie stuff. let me help you spend your money!" I hate guys who want to try to upsell me stuff. I know what I want.

BTW, I'm using my father's last laptop before he died. It's celeron and XP based Toshiba. Screen is still very nice. speed is really lacking. Tried slacko (Linux) and its still slow. Maybe I will upgrade my laptop to something with i7, 12G of DDR3 mem and Terabyte of storage. And it even has touch screen for around $600.00. tempted... Thought about hacking cheap chrome book into a Linux machine but Chrome has limited access and it can be difficult to change OS. And most can not be upgraded.

well. After the furnace replacement three month ago. Our dryer quit. So we bought a floor model that was dented for around half price. Hey, long as it works. Good enough for me and made sure it had valid warranty.

The third thing gone wrong is my ISP provided FiOS modem is shot. This is why I'm on a laptop at Starbucks. Talked to tech at Frontier Comm. At first it was can you do this, do that... After much annoyance and explaining to the "help desk" I asked for level 3 tech support. No can do... WHAT?? well after wasting hour of my time, they are sending a tech out. I've already told them that their MODEM, which they like to call HPNA box (What HPNA Home Phone Network Association product died when 802.11 WiFi standard came to being) died or rather its DNS server app died a horrible death. My VoIP phone with direct IP address has no problem of making connection but when I type something like teamestrogen.com or yahoo.com... It can't get to the internet.

And oh my Prius, during last ice storm, my car slid in my driveway and went bump into my GF's pkup. Fix is going to be $$$$. So I think I will order Tesla model 3 and wait it out with the beaten up prius. Of course I will have it fixed by then, still I'm tired and Prius is starting to annoy me. Model S is too big of a car. My friend had to Tesla-size his garage so his Tesla model S would fit.

I hate spending money... but this laptop is driving me bananas with its slow response. I'm bit spoiled for faster computers.

[Crankin]

You get what you pay for... I am not advocating frivolousness, but really? I understand being peeved about upselling and ISP providers are generally manipulative jerks, but unless you are really struggling, it seems like everything you mention are necessary items for what you do.
I have downsized much of my life in the past year, but still, high quality counts when you want it to last. And while I am not a tech savant, it appears that there is a planned obsolescence in these products.
And the ice, well, that's what heavy duty snow tires and AWD is for. And sometimes accidents happen and you can't control any of this, in the end. These are what I call the "normal bad things," in life, in that they happen to all of us. It's how we react that make the difference.

[smilingcat]

Well service tech came, he said, "Maam, your router is shot."
me: "No its not"
"where is the Frontier supplied router? I can't work with your router."
"Here" as I dig it out, wipe off the dust and hand the unopened box to him."

still no go.

he unplugged the "HPNA box" hooked up a new one, hooked it to their router and still no go. He said, "I need to go outside and check the box" It's the converter to go from FiOS (fiber optic) to coax. He replaced it as well. He comes back in and says that I had incorrectly connected my router to their HPNA box. (don't think so). He said that caused it to blow out his FiOS to coax converter and the HPNA box. And it also ruined my router. NOT going to write what I think of his "explanation"

He said they would normally charge me $500 to replace the equipment. At which point, I told him that we had a lightening strike nearby. I had forgotten to unplug my router, and Frontier's box. Rest of my computer equipment were not just turned off but had its power cord unplugged. So much for surge protectors and power conditioners. So Frontier isn't going to charge me for the replacement. whew!! escaped a $500 bill for now.

Frontier's router is pretty bad. Good thing I have a descent spare laying around. My old router had a built in print spooler along with other things. I repaired it about 2 years ago but after 6 years I guess it finally bricked. Cest La Vie.

Anyway, interim home connection was through my Google/Fi Nexus5x cell phone. I had tethered our computers to it. I'm not fully convinced that my old router is dead. I may poke around it... Maybe not (I just don't have time). Still have to tear apart the broken dryer and fix it. I had repaired my mothers dryer about six or so times growing up. So I think I can repair our broken one.

As for the dryer, I had built an interim drying rack. My partner didn't like it cause her shirt dried stiff and wrinkled. We now have the dented new one from Best Buy's. I no like. Too many computer stuff that can break. And there is no way I can fix the thing when it breaks.

Never marry an engineer cause this is what happens. Lots of patched up old stuff around the house along with patched up old cars.

[ny biker]

My father was born during the Depression into a family that never had a lot of money. He is all about fixing instead of replacing. I didn't inherit his mechanical aptitude but as time goes on I am more willing to try to eek more life out of things with duct tape etc.

I've been having wifi problems at home for months. The signal just randomly drops and then reappears after a minute or so. I assumed it was due to the Comcast cable modem, which they kept telling me to replace because the technology was out of date. When I finally dealt with the problem, I decided to buy a modem rather than continue paying a monthly fee to Comcast. So I did my research online, chose one that was listed on Comcast's site as compatible with their system, and bought it at Micro-Center. (They didn't try to upsell me on that purchase -- I usually don't have problems with them.) The set up and installation went fine, but the problem of wifi dropping out continues. I think now the problem is with the router. I thought it was only 2-3 years old but it turns out to be more like 5-6 years old. One of these days I will try updating the firmware, and hopefully that will solve the problem.

I do find it frustrating to have to deal with outdated technology. It's just a waste of time to have to replace/upgrade/set up new devices. And a waste of money. I am the kind of person who is still happy to drive a 10-year-old car with almost 128,000 miles on it -- it's a good, solid car and I'm happy not to have monthly car payments right now.

As for getting what you pay for, I agree to a point, but right now I don't feel like I can afford to always pay for top of the line products. I don't get raises or bonuses at work, but benefits like health insurance keep getting more expensive with less coverage, taxes go up, condo fees go up, all my expenses go up. So I need to make trade-offs. For this new pc, given the way I will use it and the fact that I've gotten by for so long with an old slow Vista laptop, there is just no justification for getting the fastest latest model.

[Crankin]

We've had our own modem for as long as we've had cable. DH always researches stuff like this ad nauseum. He is always searching to get a good deal for the stuff we need and want. I truly do not have the patience. My Mac laptop is 6 years old and just fine and so is my IPhone 5s. Those things don't matter to me that much; it's more the household stuff. If I had to buy a laptop for work, though, I would probably have a different attitude. DH's laptop from his new job is horrible, so he generally figures out how to get all of the stuff on his Mac and uses that at home.
I kept my last car for 10 years and the one before for 6; I sold that one to a get a smaller car. I hate my car now, but since I only drive 2 miles to work, I keep it. It's 5 years old. There's nothing wrong with it, but it is longer than I wanted and I made a bad decision. Problem is, I now have to consider things like easy maintenance and warranty when I buy the next one, as we will most likely be near full retirement. DH bought the only less expensive SUV/crossover I would consider (a Rav4), so I hope that other companies come out with cooler looking, similar cars. I think Hondas look like old people's cars. I will never buy a Suburu, so I am hoping Toyota or Hyundai comes out with something else.
I generally dislike all the technology change... if my DH dies before me, I will have serious issues running my home. Everything is automated and I can never remember how to use the stuff. He likes doing this stuff and I avoid it like the plague. My parents were like me, my dad included, so I guess I had bad role models.

[shootingstar]

Well I've never had to worry about a car to look after because I don't drive. Crankin your next car might be your last car so make it a good one.

A few months ago, I gave in and bought a new home computer..after other one died following a 6 yr. old lifespan...which to me, I wish it lasted a decade. Dearie does look at certain parts but doesn't spend a lot of time and energy looking for the cheapest deal all over town. Speed is important to me because of how I use my computer..and memory. I chatted with my work colleague who shares same cubicle space as mine...about what to do abaout a non-functional hard drive which has sensitive info. (1%). He said keep it for now. Too bad I couldn't find time to go to a public demolition of discarded hard drives, iphones that our local police was organizing and executing the debris smash up. It would have been perfect.