Saturday, January 19, 2008

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!!!!

I wish that robot from "Lost in Space" been around to warn me earlier tonight. I had looked at an email I got from those alleged humanoids at Microsoft updates earlier this evening. I went and updated my computer with the recommended update.

As much as I hate Vista and Dell, I should learn to ask first and add later but old habits die hard and I went ahead and added the update and took off to meet my long-time good buddy Tim and a couple other friends for a late supper and a drink. He and I have a nice casual friendship based on mutual interest in politics, film and the sad state of the world. He has been interested in what I've been saying about S. 1959 so I had printed a copy of the full text of the bill for him. His computer died and he's been going to the library for computer stuff. The up note is he actually took the time to read my blog but I digress.

At any rate, I installed the update and restarted my computer as directed and hurried off to meet my friends. When I came home, my computer was all messed up (I'm being polite here because I try very hard not to forget I'm a lady). I couldn't get beyond the stupid Dell home page with which they've burdened me. I couldn't get to my email or blog and fired off nastygrams to Microsoft which they, of course, will not deign to answer. AND my Google toolbar was MIA as were my beloved bookmarks. I tried to find out how to do a system restore via so-called help but the stupid proprietary software that Dell foists upon it's clientele was incredibly obstructive.

The last threw me into big time panic mode and the screaming mimis. I forced myself into a borderline state of calm and put on my thinking cap and remembered that one of my best long-time friends in cyberspace was/is as bad an insomniac as I am so I called him and kvetched about my problem. He helped me find what I needed to do to restore my computer to it's former usefulness -- blessings upon him!

I don't or want need this kind of stress. A pox on both Microsoft and Dell on their useless "Help(less)" features.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!

Kay

9 comments:

  1. poor baby. yes, we do NOT need this kind of stress. but do not think Microsoft and Dell have a monopoly on this kinda thing. Earthlink is a big player, too. they convinced me to cancel one of my beloved two phone lines so they could install DSL on it. the DSL stuff from Eart'link arrived yesterday (from UPS, with accompanying fandango with the door notice--see my post a coupla days ago), and i set to work. result? nothing.

    the good folks at eart'link "support" (mad, hysterical laughter) told me they had set up MY DSL on ANOTHER NUMBER, of which i had never heard until last night about 10 p.m.

    there definitely was a small planet (the one controlling internet transactions) off course yesterday!

    As Scarlet was wont to say, tomorrow is a nother day. and here it is. Bonne chance, ma petite! chins up and all that. eff microsoft, dell, et al., very much.

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  2. It has been a while (knock on wood) since I have encountered a computer glitch. However, I've had enough to feel your pain. I know that frustrating, sinking, nauseating feeling that says, "Just try to get out of this one sucker!"

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  3. Sorry about your computer problems. I'd recommend getting a Mac.

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  4. I've had a Dell laptop for the last four years and have never had a problem with my updates. So your post really suprised me. Of course now I've said that you know what's going to happen.

    I'm really glad you had someone to help you get it all back.

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  5. Anonymous12:54 PM

    Virus detection SW :
    "A Virus has been found on your PC.
    It is called Windows. Delete it?

    Yes........................Yes

    ;-)

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  6. If you have a coffee table...try running around it in circles wringing your hands the next time you have a jolt of stress regarding your computer...or anything else for that matter. It helped me when I had flooding in my house. Are you laughing sweetie?

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  7. of course i feel your pain. recently did similar response to update to Explorer 7. MISTAKE. fortunately the people in India were quite helpful in returning me to #6. but it was very very time-consuming and made a change in google link that i still do not understand--but can go around.

    i do want to shift to MAC but always have a reson that it's not the right time.

    glad there were people there for you. when i asked the tech if i could have done it myself, answer was not encouraging.

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  8. I know how frustrating that can be. Last year I did a similar update and was barred from our old email program and I was livid. I finally figured out how to get rid of that update and I will be careful from now on what I agree to!

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  9. Anonymous8:29 AM

    You are the unfortunate sucker to a bad joke. Microsoft has already debunked this. They do not send out email about updates. Never have, never will. So it's not their fault. This was some malware that some idiot thought would be funny and cool, to blow away peoples' systems, making it appear to come from the hated guys in Redmond, WA.

    Sorry you have the problem. There may be some way to resolve it without major surgery, but you're probably going to need a local pro, and I don't mean some friend's brother-in-law's son's skateboarding buddy.

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