Desperately Seeking Wiscon-Bound Mac-head
I'm having Computer Trouble. The thing runs, but it limps a good deal, and sometimes my internet access works and sometimes it does not. With the help of a (out of town) computer-savvy friend, I have determined that 1) it is my computer and not the house system; 2) that my disc needs to be repaired. But I can't, because whenever I try and verify the disk, I get bounced out with the rather cryptic note that "The underlying task reported failure on exit." It also says the disk needs to be repaired, but it won't let me push the button to do it.
CSF tells me that what I need to do is either boot up from DiskWarrior or from the system disk. Fair enough. But a friendly Computer Wizard installed the Tiger operating system on my computer last year, and my copy of DiskWarrior informs me that it's too old to mess with tigers safely. Honest program, anyway. Furthermore, I don't have a backup operating disk, not even of any kind.
I bet you're wondering why I'm telling you all this. I live in New York City, right? Home of Computer Wizards by the score, not to mention TekServe, which only serves Macs, and has cool decor too? Well, yeah. But I'm not going to be home for more than 3 days between trips, both of them longish. And I have a book due. Not to mention wanting to be able to post travel reports to this blog from time to time. And I'm so not a Computer even Wizard's Apprentice. My mind doesn't work this way, and yes, I don't really understand what I'm doing. Giving me directions is useless.
So I'm looking for someone going to Wiscon who can save me (and my computer, and my traveling companions) from a world of frustration (and listening to me moan and swear). Ideally, you'd have some kind of start-up disk that would allow me to access the little "Repair Disk" button and optimize the blinking hard drive, because it's fragmented all to hell. In return, I would offer you the signed book of your choice (providing I wrote it), a drink, a heartfelt hug, or other remuneration to be mutually agreed upon. And my undying gratitude, of course.
CSF tells me that what I need to do is either boot up from DiskWarrior or from the system disk. Fair enough. But a friendly Computer Wizard installed the Tiger operating system on my computer last year, and my copy of DiskWarrior informs me that it's too old to mess with tigers safely. Honest program, anyway. Furthermore, I don't have a backup operating disk, not even of any kind.
I bet you're wondering why I'm telling you all this. I live in New York City, right? Home of Computer Wizards by the score, not to mention TekServe, which only serves Macs, and has cool decor too? Well, yeah. But I'm not going to be home for more than 3 days between trips, both of them longish. And I have a book due. Not to mention wanting to be able to post travel reports to this blog from time to time. And I'm so not a Computer even Wizard's Apprentice. My mind doesn't work this way, and yes, I don't really understand what I'm doing. Giving me directions is useless.
So I'm looking for someone going to Wiscon who can save me (and my computer, and my traveling companions) from a world of frustration (and listening to me moan and swear). Ideally, you'd have some kind of start-up disk that would allow me to access the little "Repair Disk" button and optimize the blinking hard drive, because it's fragmented all to hell. In return, I would offer you the signed book of your choice (providing I wrote it), a drink, a heartfelt hug, or other remuneration to be mutually agreed upon. And my undying gratitude, of course.