Sunday, January 01, 2006

This computer is driving me crazy...


When I first got my computer (which wasn't that long ago) I thought I would do something very simple like putting on a new desktop picture. Well, what a fiasco that turned out to be. The article said it was simple. Just pick out the resolution you need or want or whatever. (I don't even know what a resolution is except for something you make on New Years Day).

Well, I picked the highest number and proceeded to follow the instruction they gave. Sounded very simple. Just 'double click' to the right and 'click' to the left and you're all set.

I thought 'well done' and proceeded to pat myself on the back. I got off the internet, viewed my new desktop picture, and OH NO!! The picture was down in the right hand corner of my screen, taking up almost (but not quite) one/quarter of my screen. The rest of the screen was a blank white space with my colorful little icons on top.

I tried to put my old desktop picture back on but my computer wouldn't accept my commands. The more I tried the madder I got. I managed to put other desktop pictures on display but that partial picture in the lower right hand corner would not leave. It might not have been so bad except that it was not even a whole picture but just a portion of one.

I finally decided to do what I always do --- turn the computer all the way off and maybe when I turn it back on it will be gone. I turned the computer back on and Great News....it was gone. So I thought........in about three seconds the picture was back.

What a mess I was in. I was about to shut everything down and go watch some TV with my husband when I accidentally ran my curser across the top of the partial picture and some little icons appeared and one of them said 'close' and 'close' is exactly what I clicked on and the picture vanished from my screen.

As I put my old desktop picture back on, I told myself that I wouldn't download another thing again. Ha.....I heard myself say that before.

I get in these jams a lot and most of the time I just shut down the computer and when I turn it back on my problems have vanished. But sometimes they don't and I have to call my son to come over and fix things for me. I once woke him up around midnight because my computer locked up on me and I couldn't even shut it off. He came right over and turned off the power. I used to fuss at him because he would make simple changes to my computer that would confuse the daylights out of me, but I shouldn't have. He really puts up with a lot when it comes to me and my computer and I can never thank him enough for what he does for me.

Well it all worked out this time and I'm glad that I didn't have to bother him AGAIN. I'll be the ruin of this computer.

Did I tell you about the time I paid for something, in advance, and then discovered that I didn't know how to download? I followed every step of the instructions but nothing worked. The instructions always led me back to the beginning, where they would ask if I would like to purchase the product... and, there was no way to tell them that I had already purchased it and only needed to download it. And.....could they help me? But of course when there is nobody there, you're just talking to a machine that doesn't hear you. Well, you can guess what I had to do then. Yes.............wake up my son and ask him to come over and help me. I had another pc emergency.

5 comments:

Motherkitty said...

We all have PC emergencies every once in a while. You call son and I call husband. Aren't these guys great when it comes to fixing our messes? Husband is always chiding me because I don't read instruction books -- just sort of glom out what needs to be done. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Oh, well. I have learned that when it comes to installing something new on the computer, if you can't figure it out right away, it's not worth it to fret. Just call your IT guy and sweetly ask them to come "fix" it. Works every time.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Motherkitty, I can't believe how fast you posted a comment. You must have been laying in wait for my next post.

Motherkitty said...

Well, that's what I meant when I said you could post one minute and receive a reply the next. Isn't it great, especially for those of us who spend A LOT OF TIME on the computer with nothing better to do?

tomlaureld@yahoo.com said...

Laurel can type on the fly without any mistakes.
When I type I type on a word processor then click the “Spell Checker” to correct the mistakes.
It takes me four or five tries to get what I want.
So I am not quick to answer and when I do the question or answer is two days in the past.
**
I backup everything important because I do not have anyone to call to fix my messes.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I think this computer has a mind of it's own and it doesn't like anyone speaking ill of it. Look what it did to this posting which was basically about it messing up.....IT MESSED IT UP!