Crash !!!
In the last three weeks I crashed with my Medion Computer four times. It was only four years old. Each time I could not switch it on anymore and I called the 'computer doctor'. He called himself like that in a newspaper advertisement. After these visits I had paid him 300 euros which is about £200. Eventually the 'computer doctor' thought it was the switch itself, but in the mean time he had sold a new (?) key board and a mouse. Last week I felt really desperate. There was no life in my computer anymore. There were sales in a department store and I bought a new HP computer (2Mgb).
Long live casablanca !
Imagine that I had edited my films with my computer. I always work with my casablanca, a seperate machine. Unfortunately I lost quite a lot of information that was in my Medion. My e-mail addresses for instance. That's the reason why I have not written any private messages the last few weeks. I lost all my addresses. Please, friends, help me and write something to me. Even If you wish even something very stupid.
Some weeks ago I transferred the texts that I had written on a stick, but all the rest is gone !!!
Vista
Now I have an other problem : my new HP computer has the new operating system Vista. It says it is more user friendly, but up to now it seems to be difficult for me. It's a matter of getting used to it, I think. Luckily my son-in-law, who is much younger of course, comes and helps me from time to time. I love him even more than in the beginning.
Yes, I belong to the older generation who can't cope with computer so well. Times have changed. The ink pot has disappeared, but after all it is great that we can send messages by internet, isn't it ?
CRASH !!!
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Mike Shaw
Willy, all is not (may not) be lost.
If you can take out the hard drive from your old machine, determine what type it is (it will say on it - something like 'IDE'or SATA' - though I suspect if the machine is 4 years old, it would be an IDE type) - and get hold of an 'external case' for that type of drive. The case will have a power lead and come with a USB connection, and costs around £30. Fitting the drive into the case is very easy - even I have managed to do it without screwing anything up (apart from the little screws that hold the drive in place in the case, of course!).
Now, simply switch on the drive, plug the usb into the PC - and it will be seen as an extra drive. You can then copy across all your old data files - there is a way to locate and copy across your email addresss book as well, so all will be recovered. (For that - check out the internet - I have done it, but I don't have the written instructions on how in front of me...).
You cannot of course copy programs this way - they have to be installed. But all data files - piece of cake.
Then what you can do is 'clean the drive' - perhaps by re-formatting it, and use it as an additional storage box for photos, movie saves and so on.
(Chances are it isn't the drive that caused the crashes - to check, you can do a check oln the drive once it is plugged into your new PC. Select the drive in 'My Computer, right click on it, select 'Properties., then the Tools Tab in the box that pops up, and select 'Error checking' - may be slightly different in Vista)
Shame you've had to go to Vista - my wife has it on her machine, and I think it is very unfriendly and intrusive - everything she does she gets asked - someoneis trying to - blah blah - do you give permission for that. Crumbs - its her machine and only she uses it - I think Microsoft have gone over the top with that one!!
If you can take out the hard drive from your old machine, determine what type it is (it will say on it - something like 'IDE'or SATA' - though I suspect if the machine is 4 years old, it would be an IDE type) - and get hold of an 'external case' for that type of drive. The case will have a power lead and come with a USB connection, and costs around £30. Fitting the drive into the case is very easy - even I have managed to do it without screwing anything up (apart from the little screws that hold the drive in place in the case, of course!).
Now, simply switch on the drive, plug the usb into the PC - and it will be seen as an extra drive. You can then copy across all your old data files - there is a way to locate and copy across your email addresss book as well, so all will be recovered. (For that - check out the internet - I have done it, but I don't have the written instructions on how in front of me...).
You cannot of course copy programs this way - they have to be installed. But all data files - piece of cake.
Then what you can do is 'clean the drive' - perhaps by re-formatting it, and use it as an additional storage box for photos, movie saves and so on.
(Chances are it isn't the drive that caused the crashes - to check, you can do a check oln the drive once it is plugged into your new PC. Select the drive in 'My Computer, right click on it, select 'Properties., then the Tools Tab in the box that pops up, and select 'Error checking' - may be slightly different in Vista)
Shame you've had to go to Vista - my wife has it on her machine, and I think it is very unfriendly and intrusive - everything she does she gets asked - someoneis trying to - blah blah - do you give permission for that. Crumbs - its her machine and only she uses it - I think Microsoft have gone over the top with that one!!
[quote="Mike Shaw"]Willy, all is not (may not) be lost.
I'm extremely happy with your message, Mike. The day after tomorrow my son-in-law will visit us and then I can show him your message. To be honest, I always feel helpless when I have problems with my computer.
Many thanks again.
I'm extremely happy with your message, Mike. The day after tomorrow my son-in-law will visit us and then I can show him your message. To be honest, I always feel helpless when I have problems with my computer.
Many thanks again.
Willy Van der Linden
I`m in the process of upgradeing (building a new computer) so I have a new video/editing computer and this becoming my new internet computer. I`m lucky, I have a few experts that I know!
However, when you havn`t built one for 3 years, all these new standards are giving me a headacke! I found out that the new motherboards have only one IDE socket, and this doesn`t work properly. And then i will need a new dvd burner etc.....!
I have it planned so wish me luck and i`ll keep you all posted on this thread, or I`ll start a new thread called `Ian`s New Computer!`
Be good everyone and take care.....
Stingman
However, when you havn`t built one for 3 years, all these new standards are giving me a headacke! I found out that the new motherboards have only one IDE socket, and this doesn`t work properly. And then i will need a new dvd burner etc.....!
I have it planned so wish me luck and i`ll keep you all posted on this thread, or I`ll start a new thread called `Ian`s New Computer!`
Be good everyone and take care.....
Stingman
Ian Gardner
Film Maker
Film Maker
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Dave Watterson
- Posts: 1875
- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
- Location: Bath, England
- Contact:
A new thread on the topic sounds good, Ian.
As a couple of the UK computer magazines have reminded us recently, it is fairly easy these days to assemble your own computer. The building-blocks are few in number and there is a lot of standardisation. One magazine got a PC made for £99 - without keyboard/monitor.
Building a computer that is optimised for video editing is another issue ...
Dave
As a couple of the UK computer magazines have reminded us recently, it is fairly easy these days to assemble your own computer. The building-blocks are few in number and there is a lot of standardisation. One magazine got a PC made for £99 - without keyboard/monitor.
Building a computer that is optimised for video editing is another issue ...
Dave
Good advice all round here...
I have at present a Western Digital External 500Gb drive, USB (marketed as My Book)
I intended to use this as a music photographic library so that all my mp3's and pics could be accessed from several PC's
with hindsight I would recommend a Firewire IEEE1394 connection (on the external box) and SATA 2 drive as this is a much more robust connection ...
USB is ok but dependant on power which can be be temperamental at times.... the bigger drives do require more power
alongwith many other owners of the WD My Book drive it does also tend to disappear !!!!... and always when I have a rush job on !!!!
best policy again ......if you're disciplined enough is to back up everything onto DVD's... DAMHIKIJKOK !!!!
this is for data only of course.... and as mentioned elsewhere on our wonderful forum ....back up your film up on the good old 13GB DV tapes !!!!!
Willy... all your emails etc are contained in a file with a .pst file extension (if using MS <spit> outlook..... search for that file .... it is then easily backed up (and subsequently imported)
again regular backups (export of address book etc is recommended)
I have at present a Western Digital External 500Gb drive, USB (marketed as My Book)
I intended to use this as a music photographic library so that all my mp3's and pics could be accessed from several PC's
with hindsight I would recommend a Firewire IEEE1394 connection (on the external box) and SATA 2 drive as this is a much more robust connection ...
USB is ok but dependant on power which can be be temperamental at times.... the bigger drives do require more power
alongwith many other owners of the WD My Book drive it does also tend to disappear !!!!... and always when I have a rush job on !!!!
best policy again ......if you're disciplined enough is to back up everything onto DVD's... DAMHIKIJKOK !!!!
this is for data only of course.... and as mentioned elsewhere on our wonderful forum ....back up your film up on the good old 13GB DV tapes !!!!!
Willy... all your emails etc are contained in a file with a .pst file extension (if using MS <spit> outlook..... search for that file .... it is then easily backed up (and subsequently imported)
again regular backups (export of address book etc is recommended)
Stephen
Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
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Mike Shaw
Yes - buying external drives is a great idea - I have 7 of them now (all hopelessy packed with old stuff that should be sorted and 'cleaned', of course).
Willy's problem is slightly different though - the hard drive on his dead PC needs to be removed and cased up so he can copy the files on it - and for that, the case has to suit the drive type (I made a mistake of mismatching drive and case, which caused 'read' problems. These cases invariably come with a seperate power supply, so relying on the USB socket for power doesn't really come into it. I always, now, get externally powered external drives, and use powered USB hubs as well. As mentioned, the drain on the PC supply from USB devices without that external power supply can cause all kinds of problem - not just to data transfers, but to the running of the PC.
I've also got a couple of USB/Firewire drives - and strangely, they work better on UISB. That is strange, because USB has to go through a controller of some sort, whereas firewire (??) is direct in and shouldn't conflict with, say, a camcorder firewire simultaneously connected and in use.
Wish I understood all this stuff!
Willy's problem is slightly different though - the hard drive on his dead PC needs to be removed and cased up so he can copy the files on it - and for that, the case has to suit the drive type (I made a mistake of mismatching drive and case, which caused 'read' problems. These cases invariably come with a seperate power supply, so relying on the USB socket for power doesn't really come into it. I always, now, get externally powered external drives, and use powered USB hubs as well. As mentioned, the drain on the PC supply from USB devices without that external power supply can cause all kinds of problem - not just to data transfers, but to the running of the PC.
I've also got a couple of USB/Firewire drives - and strangely, they work better on UISB. That is strange, because USB has to go through a controller of some sort, whereas firewire (??) is direct in and shouldn't conflict with, say, a camcorder firewire simultaneously connected and in use.
Wish I understood all this stuff!
yep...understand Willy's problem there Mike ..... having to 'rescue' the old HDD and try and salvage the data via external connection...
gawd how many times have we been there !!!
I was illustrating the problems you can come across connecting external HDDs and hopefully setup a reasonably safe external backup source...
Like you I have several.... errrr.... 14 at the last count of various HDD's lying about with stuff I will probably never use again...but some little voice keeps nagging me !!!!!!!
and yep... again...like you....I wish I knew what the hell I was also doing with these 'puters at times
saw a nice saying the other day
Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
gawd how many times have we been there !!!
I was illustrating the problems you can come across connecting external HDDs and hopefully setup a reasonably safe external backup source...
Like you I have several.... errrr.... 14 at the last count of various HDD's lying about with stuff I will probably never use again...but some little voice keeps nagging me !!!!!!!
and yep... again...like you....I wish I knew what the hell I was also doing with these 'puters at times
saw a nice saying the other day
Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return.
Stephen
Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
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Mike Shaw
And I bet that you, like me, have a few drives rescued from earlier machines ... as big as 500MB and 1 gigabyte! Crumbs, I have these little plug in USB thingies that hoild 8 times as much! How did we manage in those early days? I think my first computer actually had 64k RAM, and no hard drive ... just a cassette tape recorder thing for loading up programs (singular, actually - one program at a time job ), and saving data. And the OS was C/PM with programs running under Basic.
Those were the days. Gas powered I think, too. Or was it coal? Anyway, its still in the loft. (A Sharp MZ80K I think it was).
Those were the days. Gas powered I think, too. Or was it coal? Anyway, its still in the loft. (A Sharp MZ80K I think it was).
Another reason (2 actually!) I want a new computer is this.....
1. I found out that my XP Pro powered Internet computer has a slow type of memory and only has 194 meg of it! I wonder why it`s chugging along!
2. My `Video` computer isn`t fast enough for HD. So a swap and new computer is the way to go.
I`m fed up with the booting time of the internet one and also the time i have to wait for it to catch up with me. Also it gives me the Blue Screen of Death once a week.
I`ll start a thread when I gt the bits!
Be good.
Stingman
1. I found out that my XP Pro powered Internet computer has a slow type of memory and only has 194 meg of it! I wonder why it`s chugging along!
2. My `Video` computer isn`t fast enough for HD. So a swap and new computer is the way to go.
I`m fed up with the booting time of the internet one and also the time i have to wait for it to catch up with me. Also it gives me the Blue Screen of Death once a week.
I`ll start a thread when I gt the bits!
Be good.
Stingman
Ian Gardner
Film Maker
Film Maker
When you think about the price and how many tears it could save, everyone should have one !!!
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(37719)Wes ... table.aspx
(copy and paste the whole link into your address bar)
I have no connection with microdirect only that they have come up with the goods as ordered...
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(37719)Wes ... table.aspx
(copy and paste the whole link into your address bar)
I have no connection with microdirect only that they have come up with the goods as ordered...
Stephen
Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
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Derek Mathieson
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:01 am
- Location: UK North East
losing data from your hard drive
A colleague of mine was messing about with Linux and installing it on a dual boot machine which already had Windows 98 (SE) and windows xp on it. He did not realise that you cannot suddenly install a new programme on a boot disk for a dual boot system.
Enter Acronis....because after lots of nagging I got him to regularly make complete backups of his 'C' drive, he was able with very little effort and in 6 minutes, restore his machine back to it's normal dual boot system
I would recommend anybody to spend the £20 or so to keep a full system backup of their 'c' drive and that way you can always get back to where you were. Naturally you back it up on to one of your other drives. If your 'c' drive goes down, replace it with exactly the same size hard drive and you can bring the system back very very quickly.
Another tip I give to people. when using Outlook express or any email programme, DON'T save your messages on the 'C' drive you should save them on another drive (and make a further back up of them also) and then if your main 'C' drive goes down you do not lose all your messages. I am speaking from the experience of losing a large quantity of emails many years ago.
Sorry to hear of your woes Willy, just go out and make another award winning movie, and you'll feel much much better!
Derek Mathieson
NERIAC
Enter Acronis....because after lots of nagging I got him to regularly make complete backups of his 'C' drive, he was able with very little effort and in 6 minutes, restore his machine back to it's normal dual boot system
I would recommend anybody to spend the £20 or so to keep a full system backup of their 'c' drive and that way you can always get back to where you were. Naturally you back it up on to one of your other drives. If your 'c' drive goes down, replace it with exactly the same size hard drive and you can bring the system back very very quickly.
Another tip I give to people. when using Outlook express or any email programme, DON'T save your messages on the 'C' drive you should save them on another drive (and make a further back up of them also) and then if your main 'C' drive goes down you do not lose all your messages. I am speaking from the experience of losing a large quantity of emails many years ago.
Sorry to hear of your woes Willy, just go out and make another award winning movie, and you'll feel much much better!
Derek Mathieson
NERIAC
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Mike Shaw
I bought Acronis recently on advice (from the video beta test group I belong to), but it took nearly 2 hours to back up my C drive - and I have a pretty fast PC (3.6gHz) and 2 gigs of Ram. How on earth do you manage to do it in 6 minutes? 
The backed up file is, I think (must check) about 60gigs - though the C drive has about 100 gigs of stuff on it, so there must be some pretty striff compression.
I did back it up to an external drive.
Problem is, it really should be backed up virtually every night with all the stuff I do each day - and I don't have time for that, though I do believe Acronic does incremental back-ups, which would make it much faster now.
The backed up file is, I think (must check) about 60gigs - though the C drive has about 100 gigs of stuff on it, so there must be some pretty striff compression.
I did back it up to an external drive.
Problem is, it really should be backed up virtually every night with all the stuff I do each day - and I don't have time for that, though I do believe Acronic does incremental back-ups, which would make it much faster now.
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Derek Mathieson
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:01 am
- Location: UK North East
Hi Mike my 'c' drive is 28gb and it takes 6 minutes. I have set the backup on normal compression do you have yours perhaps on 'High' Restoring sometimes takes a few minutes longer.
I am using Windows xp 64bit edition and ntfs format for hard drives.
You can do an incremental backup but I have never done this. As a rule I backup my whole system twice a week just in case, and I do the same with my work machine for my business as it has sensitive tax information on it relating to clients.
Acronis has helped me get many people out of a disasterous situation in the past!
Derek M
I am using Windows xp 64bit edition and ntfs format for hard drives.
You can do an incremental backup but I have never done this. As a rule I backup my whole system twice a week just in case, and I do the same with my work machine for my business as it has sensitive tax information on it relating to clients.
Acronis has helped me get many people out of a disasterous situation in the past!
Derek M
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Mike Shaw
I think the 28GB is the answer - mine is 300GB of which over half is filled with video editing stuff (2 editors, animators, photo editors, effects programs and so on), but not captures or renders - they get distributed onto three other internal hard drives ranging from 250GB to 500GB, and whena movie is finished, all the 'assets' are shifted onto an external drive.
My C drive is thus many times larger in terms of programs (and downloads copied across from the 'net machine') than yours, and that would account for the time difference. however, backing up - or 'ghosting' or taking a disk image - is extremely importasnt when I'm beta testing because a new beta can cause untold problems - but still has to be checked out if the product is ever going to be made 'safe' for distribution! I am a guinea pig, suffering the woes on behalf of other users (can you hear the vioins playing? No? Oh well...
)
My C drive is thus many times larger in terms of programs (and downloads copied across from the 'net machine') than yours, and that would account for the time difference. however, backing up - or 'ghosting' or taking a disk image - is extremely importasnt when I'm beta testing because a new beta can cause untold problems - but still has to be checked out if the product is ever going to be made 'safe' for distribution! I am a guinea pig, suffering the woes on behalf of other users (can you hear the vioins playing? No? Oh well...
)