For other Mac-using numpties on my flist …

[blamebrampton]

Some people, people far sillier than any of US, of course, have oldish Macbooks that need a new battery and that shut down when their cats unplug the power cord and they don't notice for two hours. And when they restart, they realise that not only did they not save the article they were working on (and are unable to find where Word might be hiding it if it has autosaved it), but that they have been so upset by the loss of the article that they have accidentally just saved the Restored version of a fic over the Saved version, and thus lost over 2000 really good words.

This is one of the areas where PCs are better than Macs. HOWEVER, should you be a Mac user who has done this and is bereft at the thought of having to reconstruct everything lost, and aware that you have done things like this before, and able to afford about $85, Uflysoft's data recovery program is freaking amazing. All of the article is back, and all but the last 250 words of the fic. Super easy to use, too.

I have now reclaimed my external hard drive from Mr Brammers (he had pinched it for important motor-racing-watching reasons) so that I can leave it hooked up for Time Machine backups, while having the new program as peace of mind. Now to finish the damn fic …

Comments

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

That looks awesome and as a fellow ancient Mac user it could be really helpful, thanks. :)

It's also good, I find, to periodically save a version of whatever you're writing as a google doc. Every x number of words or so. Then you've not only got a back up in case of attack by cat, but you've got backups of previous versions in case you regret changing anything.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It was amazingly good: I expected to resent the money, but did not!

Poor old MacBook isn't even three, but Apple batteries do need replacing, so I should bite the bullet. I tend to email myself my original stories for back-ups, but am less diligent about fic and articles: the suggestion that I have time for regrets on any deadlines is very generous of you, but alas, not reflected in reality ;-)

Yçu

[shezan.livejournal.com]

You can also set auto reecovery in Word to "every minute" instead of "every 10 minutes"...

Re: Yçu

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't have helped here as I had overwritten the word file for the fic and if it had saved the article, which was still Document 1 (I know, I know … I was watching a doco and Skyping at the same time. Evil, evil, evil), I couldn't find where it was at after an hour's frantic searching.

I've got mine at 5 at the moment, but you are quite right that 1 would be a better plan as when the words flow, they flow!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Ah yes, someone lent me one of those small things, PC though, and I closed it and it shut off and lost all my fic, and when I tried to restore and save that it did what yours did, there was nothing left though. I have a small free floppy disc of tiny programme that can recover anything recently deleted ie. before other things were done on the computer and hence overwrote the 000000000111111, but even more professional programmes from DVDs never could do more.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Such a HORRIBLE feeling! The Mac is usually quite good about back-ups, but it does require power and/or an external hard-drive. At the moment I have both, and have given the cats stern warnings!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Ah, mine is just biting the other's neck, who is "Mwah-mwah"ing with wide open eyes but no dilated pupils. Usally it's 2 cowing 1. End of usual DULL POINTLESS RAAAMBLE

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cat talk is never dull! Your pointless ramble is always delightful! You don't know pointless ramble until you've lived with a politician, which I accidentally did in my early 20s, I swear I was drunk for the whole relationship!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Ho girl, a politician. Sort of like that boring relationship in the rather good crime series with Richard Roxborough, I know imagine. Just without the previous hooker experience.

[hmufson.livejournal.com]

I have now set everything to autosave lots. Lots and lots. Although, this does not fix the problem of the AirMac hinge breaking, which results in the screen flopping around like...well, like a very floppy thing. (Because I am 12, I am constantly amused by the mental image.) I currently have it propped up against a can of baked beans, which sort of defeats the purpose of having an ultra-light computer, if you constantly have to travel with a 2 pound can of beans. I have defaulted back to carrying the 800 pound MacBook Pro around, which has no battery life, and is thus equally unsuitable as a laptop. WOE, WOE IS ME.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAHAHA! Oh, it's wrong to laugh at your misfortune, but the way you tell it is hilarious!

I took my brand new MacBook Pro to London in 2009 only to have it decide it didn't want to work without being rebooted from the discs, which were in Sydney. Three countries, three kilos counting the cords, many more than three swearwords …

[pushdragon.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU!!

I don't have a Mac but hearing about Other People's Numpty Disasters is always extremely reassuring, nice to know one has illustrious company in one's numptydom.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Numpties of the world, UNITE!

If only this were the dumbest thing I have ever done, tech-wise. Alas …

(BTW, STILL hardly paid since I saw you last. Missed a Fluevog sale and everything :-()

[pushdragon.livejournal.com]

There is one at my local RIGHT NOW!! The savings will virtually pay for your flight COME ON!

I retain hopes of getting work to send me back your way, but nothing concrete yet.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It is possible I will be paid by someone on Tuesday. Ask them how long the sale is on!

[pennynovelette.livejournal.com]

I have a mac too and recently lost a lot of work from a fic I was working on. In a state of panic over the parts I still had, I began posting it in private posts on my dreamwidth and lj accounts. Seems to be a good way to save work, I only wish I had thought to do it before.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. I need to just stop writing at 3am, so that I have enough brain engaged to remember useful tips like this :-)

[pennynovelette.livejournal.com]

Well, that certainly makes two of us!

[drbunsen.livejournal.com]

I just ordered a replacement battery for my MBP. It was US$32 shipped, from ebay seller hkpowerstore

[drbunsen.livejournal.com]

Shipped to Australia, that is.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Annoyingly, this is one of the models where you have to crack the case to get to the battery, and I just don't like doing it, so it's a trek to the shop. I should probably bite the bullet and make the trek, though, having a laptop that doesn't travel well is a bit pointless ;-)