Saturday, September 18, 2010

Hard Drive Crash!

Started having trouble with the laptop's hard drive last night so started trying to get everything backed up. Unfortunately before that could happen the hard drive did a total head crash and is right now no more than a paper weight. Not sure when or where I'll get a new drive for it so that means using this power hog of a desktop which also means running the generator while using it. It would suck the battery bank down way too fast otherwise (even with the solar panels working) Anyway what this mean is I'll be spending a lot less time online and only be checking email a couple of times a day. Posting on other blogs will be out for the most part until I get a new drive for the laptop.

If you'll don't see much from me for a while you should know why now.

Update
I now find that I can't comment on my own blog. Don't have a clue why? I had that problem on the laptop back some time ago, but it seemed to straighten its self out?  

17 comments:

  1. I am sorry to hear that David. I thought I had bad luck but I think you have me beat.

    Hope you get a new hard drive soon. Sending positive energy your way.

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  2. I was wondering what was up. hope all is well soon.
    I see you have your evap mounted in the window now, Real Cool.

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  3. The Legion has computers you can use, doesn't it? If the laptop is good, I highly recommend getting a solid state drive for it. If you're due for new, see if you can find a netbook with a SSD. I love that little computer I had with me. Upgraded it to 2Gb RAM and a 64Gb SSD. Hardly uses any power at all, and has great battery life.

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  4. It appears that I can't comment on my own blog again!

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  5. Ah! Got that figured out...

    MsB, I think my nephew is going to send me one of his used drives. It
    would be out of a Mac, but will have to be reformatted anyway.

    Nick, the evap isn't actually in the window. It sits inside it and the foam just makes it draw through the screen, but like it was in the window. Works considerably better for cooling the whole place like that.

    Abby, no chance of getting a new computer so I'll have to make do.

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  6. Oh and Abby, there are computers to be used at the legion, but with the risk of spyware and such I don't want to be logging in to get email or on my blog or sites. Dave does a good job of keeping stuff like that off the computers, but in between those times it could be a bad thing.

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  7. Check out http://portableapps.com/ - you can run your own browser, mail client, and other stuff on any windows PC with a usb port. Just put clamwin or something on it for AV, and don't visit any risky sites. And portableapps doesn't leave anything behind on the host PC. Highly recommend KeePass portableapp for secure password storage, too. I couldn't live without it :)

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  8. I have no secrets they can look in my computer all they want.

    I dont buy nothing online and I dont even know where my real address is. If they find it , they should let me know

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  9. What is the brand of evaporative cooler? Does anyone have information about commercial evap coolers like this one that mount into window openings? I got a chance to see John Wells' cooler and was amazed by how well it works. If I could build one as effective that would be cool but buying a ready made cooler might have to do.

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  10. I noticed to the right of the lastest pic of computer problem is a pellet gun and a pump shotgun. You may want to try the "12 guage pump reboot" method. It works by "pointing, chambering and clicking on the trigger icon" and BOOM, problem solved. (make sure in the "select guage" drop down list box, you select "slug")

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  11. Abby, I'll check it out.

    Nick, sounds like the idea way to work it, but down here sometimes you have to buy online or do without.

    frankhdesign, Try this http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/263917322/evaporative_coolers_The_Convair_Westwin.html

    It says it only pulls 90 watts, but the watt meter I have said 100 on high, about 53 on medium and 45 on low. You won't touch the efficiency or cooling capacity by building your own. It comes with a roll away stand, but you can box it in in front of a window like I did to more or less make it a window unit. You have to make sure you can get to the top left corner to keep it filled with water. I think it holds 5 gallons and that would probably be good for 8 to 10 hours on low or medium. It was have a nob to restrict the flow of water though so you can stretch that considerably. The pump is always on because it runs off of a belt from the fan motor. Its also a turbine type fan and isn't effected near as bad by wind coming in from another window.

    Captain, I really did feel like doing that!

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  12. Thanks tffnguy I'm gonna research these things some more

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  13. Back on the laptop temporarily with an external USB hard drive. Can't do email on it, but at least I can surf and post here.

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  14. If you need another hard drive for your laptop let me know. I have many laptop parts and would be happy to send you if your up to replacing it. Just let me know if its a SATA,IDE, brand, and size and Ill try and match it up.

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  15. Scavenger, I should have one coming from my nephed in a few days. Fot now I'm managing.

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  16. Scavenger, my nephew is having problems finding his drives. Any chance you could come up with one? The data is as below:

    Hatachi
    Model: HTS548080M9AT00

    Its an 80 Gig.

    I suppose its an IDE?

    It was in a Dell LATITUDE D610

    I'd figure finding a new 120 gig or less drive could be hard to do (Especially in this area) From what Dell says that computer won't handle over a 120 gig drive.

    My email address is the same as my blog name on a gmail.com account.

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