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Is Your Computer Acting Buggy???

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Platinum

                                

A friend shared an interesting article with me recently about computers...I thought I would share the highlights:

The Computer Hard Drive Royalty Free Stock Image - Image: 33564486

 

Are you getting a lot of error messages?  Does your computer freeze or shut down unexpectedly?  Have files mysteriously disappeared?  These glitches could mean that your hard drive, which stores your data, is finally about to fail. 

 

THE FIX:  If you regularly back up your computer files or subscribe to an online service that does this for you, you can rest easy.  If not, it is critical that you take immediate steps to save your information and data---letters, pictures, recipes, music, etc----before it is too late.  Try what tech professionals do as a last-ditch effort to retrieve data.  Put your hard drive in the freezer for 24 hours in a sealed zip-top bag.  Because the cold causes contraction, a jammed part may start working again temporarily when you reinsert it into your computer.

 

To locate the hard drive, open your computer or laptop panel and look for the part that is made of silver and black metal and is the width and length of a recipe card and the depth of a double CD cse.  There is usually a white label affixed to the component.  The hard drive is attached to a cable that is hooked up to the motherboard (often green with lots of tiny components).  You probably don't need any tools to disengage the drive; simply remove it and detach its plugs from the cable by pulling firmly.

 

Once the drive has been in the freezer for a day, take it out and immediately reinsert the drive in your computer, then try to find your data and transfer your files to an external hard drive.

 

You might have to repeat this exercise more than once. 

 

I probably would seek technical assistance rather than try this (it kinda scares me!), but I know some of my technically inclined readers might go for it!

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ires

 

- See more at: http://activerain.com/blogs/kristinjohnston?page=2#sthash.WuBrLGPC.dpuf

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 GIVING BACK WITH EACH HOME SOLD!

 

Kristin Johnston

Realtor, ABR, EPRO

RE/MAX Platinum

414 254 6647

kjohnston5@wi.rr.com

 

 

 

Comments (24)

Sharon Lee
Sharon Lee's Virtual Assistance - Jonesborough, TN
Retired and loving life

Great info. I get the blue screen quite often and it does freeze on a regular basis. Annoying

Oct 01, 2013 07:51 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Oh, that is a scary one Sharon !  I had that once, on my old/dead computer before I knew this!

Oct 01, 2013 07:53 AM
Christine O'Shea
Christine E O'Shea Broker - Naples, FL

Kristin, We have a great tech support line here in FL through our Realtor organization and when I start to see a glitch they help me.  With the day of the cloud, that can help when there is a crash too.  But a zip lock and a freezer are a great alternative.

Oct 01, 2013 09:36 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

That is so nice for you Christine...we don't get that kind of help here in WI!

Oct 01, 2013 09:40 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Kristin

That's a Gold Star tip . . . . thanks for sharing it.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Oct 01, 2013 11:18 AM
Toni Weidman
Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL
20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Kristin -  I have never heard of the freezer fix; what if it gets eaten by mistake.

Oct 02, 2013 01:29 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

LOL thanks Lou, i am sure I won't get one he he!

Toni, good point, didn't think of that he hee!

Oct 02, 2013 01:48 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

That is an interesting fix. Thanks for the suggestion.

We are in the process, today, of upgrading our computers. We are adding a hard drive that will be kept in a remote location.

Oct 02, 2013 03:12 AM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Kristin, This is good information.Thanks for sharing.

Oct 02, 2013 03:14 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Thanks Roy...and good for you!!!

Gita, you are most welcome...

Oct 02, 2013 04:08 AM
Sharon & Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette, IN - Lafayette, IN
West Lafayette homes for sale

Kristin, that is wild!  I would have to pay attention when I removed it from the freezer that I didn't mistake it for an ice cream bar!

Oct 02, 2013 04:44 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Don't do that Bruce!!

Oct 02, 2013 05:08 AM
Brigita McKelvie, Associate Broker
Cindy Stys Equestrian and Country Properties, Ltd. - Lehigh Valley, PA
The Broker with horse sense and no horsing around

Kristin,

My hard drived crashed twice in the past.  Once on my PC, the next time it was on my laptop.  Both times I lost data.  I have an external drive now to back everything up.  You would think that I would have learned after the first time.

Brigita

Oct 02, 2013 10:55 PM
Tom Braatz Waukesha County Real Estate 262-377-1459
Coldwell Banker - Oconomowoc, WI
Waukesha County Realtor Real Estate agent. SOLD!

Kristin

My damn computer has a mind of it own. Getting tossed soon

Oct 03, 2013 01:21 PM
Toni Weidman
Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL
20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Where are you hiding out, Kristin? Are you still having post problems?

Oct 03, 2013 09:37 PM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Brigita, I think we all have been there, but good for you for being protected now :-)

 

Tom, time for a new one :-0

 

Toni, YES I AM STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM>>>>They are working on it, but we shall see..grrrr

Oct 03, 2013 11:53 PM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

I have never heard of this before either.  Good tip to keep for an emergency!

Oct 04, 2013 12:30 AM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Thanks Debra!

Oct 04, 2013 12:49 AM
Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate
John L Scott Market Center - Birkenfeld, OR
"Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843

Kristin, getting not one but TWO computers is on my financial To Do list. Your friend gave you valuable advice which, in your wonderful way, you shared with us! I'm like you, a bit flummoxed by stuff like this, but I can at least think about doing this.

Oct 06, 2013 12:39 PM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

Good for you Gayle for being prepared in any case :-)

Oct 06, 2013 11:23 PM