Dads stories

Thursday, 13^th April 2000.

I am recovering, from an intensive rescue mission. During the last two days, it looked as if my computer had given up the ghost. The screen was black and nothing worked anymore.

One of the reasons for the new hard disk was so that I could continue to work with the sing along CD’s. Their Programs are very space hungry. I needed to make room for them. I can now load the entire caboodle onto the new D drive and leave them there. I will write more about this another time, when I know what I want to achieve with the songs. I intend countless alterations.

Now, first I wanted to clean up the entire system. Over the years I ended up with a lot of shit, and I suspected that the speed of the PC was impacted by it. Besides, who likes to have such old rubbish in their living room! So, this is the opportunity, garbage, be gone. Would have worke well if I had first copied the entire C drive to the D drive, for safety. But of course, old fool that I am, I didn’t do that. And so with enthusiasm I started to delete everything that looked suspicious and everything that was unknown. What a joy! When I came too again, I had lost my PC. The screen was black. Oh well...deleted too much! Better reload the display drivers. Worked. The internet was still there but no emails. Outlook seemed to be there but it didn’t want to receive or send emails. Outlook Express immediately booted me out. So, reload Windows 98. No difference. Rang Robert. Sorry Dad, I am off to Tasmania for 2 weeks and can’t come over. And he had no idea what could be wrong. So bought a new copy of Windows 98. Over $300.00. Bloody Hell! Even though I believe in self punishment, that was a bit steep. My motto is he who is too stupid for life, needs to pay for it. In the meantime Peter arrived. He tried for a few hours to reinstll the old version of Windows 98, but it simply wouldn’t work. Finally he had to go to bed. The next day I was to isolate teh D drive and install windows 98 onto it, from the beginning. How do I do that? Pull the plug on the C drive. „Pull the plug“? Yes..open the box, and unplug teh C drive. Oh...ok will try that.

To try this, a small test first. Using the A drive. Yep...worked. Windows 98 installed itself on the old C drive. But this had to be seen to be believed. Took over 2 hours. When I was finished installing Windows 98 (4am in the morning) nothing had changed. I still could not get into email. And Office 2000 with Outlook would allow itself to load.

The next morning I then downloaded a new version of Internet Explorer. 1 ½ hours, 17 mb. And look...I could open my INBOX.

I am writing all this as consolation for you so that you know that there are even old camels when it comes to computers. And I prided myself on being the example. Backup, backup, backup, from way back. Old age is not protection from stupidity! And if at least I could have drowned my sorrows...maybe then it wouldn’t have happened in the first place!

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Otherwise everything is sort of ok. Gerd was here with his family. He won’t have time for a side trip into germany. From Paris he will head to Wimbledon. I asked him yesterday what his actual role was. He said Production manager.

How did things work out with your friends? Is there any chance for a reconciliation?

All the best.

Greetings to you and to Anne. Hedwig also says hello. She is sitting here peeling potatoes. I don’t know what we are having for dinner.

Peter.