Yay! Blog! v1.0
Category: Computer Stuff

Since my hard drive crashed this week, I've been having to reinstall software galore. And since I upgraded to XP, I wasn't sure how things would go. So far the only thing that's not worked is the Intel Create and Share software that came with my webcam. I ordered an upgrade for that for $5.95 including shipping, so no biggie there. My other webcam software that I use to shoot and upload to the server works, though.

Since I was installing things on the PC, I decided to go ahead and install Cakewalk and the external soundcard software onto my laptop. I've been putting that off because I get so worked up when computer things don't go well. But it all seemed to install okay. I've got a radiohead cd playing through the external soundcard, and it sounds pretty darn good. Now I need to record something to see if everything is working. Ugh... I've not been motivated to record. I've got a Christmas song to do, though. Maybe next weekend.

On another note... is it okay if I just eat apple pie for dinner? It sure is good.

Since I had to put a new hard drive in my PC and start over from scratch, I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade to Windows XP. I've been using XP on my laptop, and haven't had any problems (knock on wood). So far so good on the PC, too. The only thing that's giving me trouble is getting the PC to see the laptop on the network. The laptop can see the PC, though.

Another reason I decided to upgrade is because I've been craving a new PC, but I really don't *need* one. So I thought an OS upgrade might be enough to quench that craving.

I've got a nice computer as it is... Pentium 4, 1.3 GHz, 384 MB of RAM. And my laptop is even better, so what's my deal? All I really do on the computer is make webpages and graphics, surf the internet, stream music and send emails. Sometimes I record music, too. I haven't done that since I upgraded my RAM from 128 to 384, so I bet it will work even better now. Gosh darnit... I don't need a new computer!

Anyway... this weekend, I'll reinstall my software onto my PC and hope it goes okay.

I'm formatting my new hard drive. I bought a 40 gig hard drive at CompUSA. It was $69.99 and there's a $30 mail-in rebate. What a deal!

Putting it in my PC tower was no problem. But when I tried to use the software that came with it to initialize and format it, things weren't working so well. I went to the support website and looked through some things and was about to give up and cry when I read that if it wasn't working, to format the drive using a regular fdisk command (or something like that). So I took a shot and put in my HP Pavilion Recovery CD. It seems to be working. Whew!!

This weekend, I think I'm going to get another hard drive and an external case for it that has USB and Firewire. Then I'll have an external drive that I can use to backup both my PC and my laptop.

'kay... so what do you do with old hard drives? I've got 3 now. One that doesn't work, and two that I pulled out of old computers I recycled. I'd like to destroy them, but I'm just a girl without that kind of superpower. What's the procedure, eh?

Last night I installed a "critical update" to my Windows ME. Every once in a while, when I open Internet Explorer, it goes straight to the Windows site and nags me to install updates. So I gave in.

Now when I open Explorer (the file manager thingy, not IE), there's no folder tree on the left. I don't mean that it closed, and that I don't know how to open it. I mean when I open it, it just shows a gray box. No folder tree. It'll show the search box and other things that go there, but no folder tree. Boo Hoo.

I think my computer needs to be wiped clean anyway. Sometimes it's good to start from scratch. Reinstall the things I use, and leave off the things that are cluttering up the registry or whatever. I'm not certain I'm going to do a full format, but I'm backing most everything up to my laptop just in case. Oh how I love my home network!

There are so many little things going wrong that it's like Chinese water torture. Every day there's something new. Today I dropped a practically full bottle of my favorite seasoning on the kitchen floor. Now I have a less than 1/4 full bottle of my favorite seasoning.

Oh well... as I've said... things could be worse.

I see people with their notebook computers at Starbucks all the time. I always assume they're on the internet, but of course, they might just be working on other things. It made me curious, though, how one would connect to the internet at Starbucks. What I found out surprised me!

You have to get a T-Mobile Hotspot account. I'm not one to expect stuff for free just because it's internet related, but the cost of this seemed incredibly high. You have to pay $29/month for unlimited access with a year commitment. Or if you want to go month-to-month, it's $39/month.

Then there's a "by the minute" plan: ten cents a minute, but it's a $6.00 minimum per session. So if you only get on for a minute to check your email, you have to pay $6.00!

Or you can prepay $50 for 300 minutes (that's 16.66 cents per minute), and have a minimum per session of $1.60.

Augh! I bet if you're a corporation and negotiate for a bunch of accounts, it's cheaper. But sheesh... it's a helluva lot of money for us little guys. You won't find me sitting in Starbucks surfing the internet.

The latest thing I want to blow a bunch of money on is a notebook computer. I want one with a good sound card with digital inputs and outputs. I also want it to be able to connect to a wireless network.

I want to go to a website where I can build a virtual one and see how much it would cost. But I'm not having any luck with that. Not that I've looked extensively. I really shouldn't be spending that kind of money anyway.

Grrrr.... I've been trying to get this stoopid wireless network to work, and it just ain't. I've got the router connected to the cable modem okay. And I can hard wire the computer to the router, and that works (or I wouldn't be able to post this!).

I had the wireless working for a little bit from my computer to the router with a PCI card, but now that's gone all wonky. The TiVo Home Media part is a nightmare (although it probably wouldn't be for someone who knew what they were doing). Sheesh... I need a bigger geek than me to come help me!! Update: I got the wireless connection working on my computer again. The thing about the TiVo Media stuff is that I'm afraid whoever I call for help, they will blame it on something else. TiVo will say it's a networking problem. Linksys will say it's a TiVo problem. That's just speculation, though. Grrrrr...

wireless network I just ordered a wireless network thingy. That's a picture of the router. I got some little baby ones that talk to it, too. I mainly got it because TiVo has a new home media option where I can make my computer talk to the TiVo. That means I can control the menu from my computer and send music to the TV which I have connected to the stereo. Also... at some point, there will be two TiVos and at least two computers in the house, so they will all be able to talk to each other and all connect to the internet. Rockin'!! I hope I can hook it up and make it work right. I'll find out in a few weeks. I'm also considering doing a major rearrangement of my house. Right now, I spend all my time in the bedroom. My TV, computer and bed are here. When I'm home, I only leave the bedroom to find food, walk the dog and use the restroom and shower. I can't see the TV very well from my computer, and that makes me unhappy. Plus, it's cramped in here!!

So I'm considering moving the TiVo to the living room and the computer to the dining room. I'd be able to see the TV from the computer just fine. And maybe I wouldn't feel so cramped all the time. Okay... I just talked myself into it. I'll wait for the wireless network thingy, though. Woo-Hoo!!