Sunday, April 18, 2010

Enter At Your Own Risk~~Rant!


Right now I am very unhappy with the company that I had fix my computer last month. From what they explained to me was that they had to wipe out all the programs that were on it and reinstall them. Well, let me tell you they really messed me up!

I admit when it comes to computers and programs I am not all that smart, but I was learning the programs I had and many I used often. When I got my computer back from these folks, I just assumed all the original programs would still be there along with the new ones that they put on. NOT!

I tried to put in a dvd to watch and this new program came up and was requesting me to register for the free trial and then pay a fee every month. The Windows Media I had was free! I then tried to get Windows Media back and the computer says something about code not supporting it. I tried to find my Microsoft Works and it is also gone.

These were programs that were original to the computer when I bought it and free, all the new stuff they put on here are trials and pay programs. I tried calling them to see what we could do about the missing programs and get rid of the pay programs and all I got was "I'll have my boss call you". That was last week and still nothing! I called the geek squad and they said it would cost me about a hundred and a half just to TRY to fix it. Of course they can't help me over the phone, I have to bring it in.

IF I was to take it in and try to get it repaired and the money I spent a month ago, I would have put out just about the same amount of money as I did buying the computer in the first place. This aggravates me very much!!

I bought myself a mp3 player last week when they were on sale and opened it this evening to set it up and try to download music on to it. I just wanted to load one song to make sure I got the "know how" down and also to check to see how long my slow dinosaur dial up was going to take with just one song.

I got it set up and ready for download and I should have gotten the "open, save, cancel" page. Instead I got an "find, save, cancel". I hit find and it takes me to a Microsoft page giving me suggestions of programs to download.

Soo..I can't watch a dvd, I can't download music and some of my favorite programs are gone and some are not retrievable. If it wasn't for my love of blogland and facebook, I would quit this computer business completely! It is just so darn expensive and frustrating. It really tries my patience nearly everyday.



I feel so limited in the things I can do, that everyone else can do so easily.

Like Utube is all over the place and I can't watch them.
People have music attached to their pages and that makes their page not work for me at all.
For some unknown reason comment areas on some pages won't open at all, I get a Windows can not find or open.
I have to sit and wait for the little pictures of all the followers to finish loading, before I can close out any blog page. For some blog pages that is easy cause they either don't have that feature or they have it condensed down to just a few that show. Others well..lets just say it takes a good while to finish loading, I can do the dishes while waiting.
I only average 4 or 5 blogs an hour, which let me just say..I follow 50 blogs and on the average 30 will post a day, so that will take me six or more hours a day!
As most of you have noticed I might not get to your post for that day cause A- I fell asleep at the computer waiting and waiting or B- I ran out of time.


What do I mean that I ran out of time? Well the dial up company charges me for the connection, but the phone company charges me for going over my minutes for the month. These minutes average out to be only five hours a day.

Is this post still on topic? Probably not! I'm just frustrated and you poor souls are being subjected to my rant. Sorry!

In other computer/blog related news...
I did manage to figure out how to get a new tab on my page. It has all the lovely awards that yall have been so generous to give me in it. And I can add up to ten tabs, this was a great find for me.

I also finally signed up with Networked Blogs on Facebook. I mostly did this so that my friends and family on Facebook will have privy knowledge that I have posted something and also a lot of them were having difficulties commenting on my blog posts.

Just in writing my two accomplishments, has made me feel some what better. I just have to learn the hard way what my limitations are, no matter how aggravating, frustrating and depressing they are. LOL!

Lucy has the perfect word for the computer...CONFUSER! Love it!

13 comments:

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I can't even begin to imagine your frustration. I hope things work out for you.

Spot said... [Reply to comment]

Poor Heather!! I feel frustrated for you! I know how awful dial-up is and how it sucks when you end up with dial-up charges, plus phone charges!!

It's amazing that you keep going, but I'm so glad you do!!

♥Spot

Lucy said... [Reply to comment]

I have been going through the same things you have with the one I have. I am just about ready to acream.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I'm wondering exactly where it is that you live. Major phone providers have unlimited plans. I can understand paying a monthly fee for an ISP but I don't understand paying for minutes on a landline. Or paying for an internet access by the minute either - that sort of thing went out in the "90's.

Cable companies privide tv, telephone and internet in one package. So do the satellite companies...

You must really be living in the back of beyond...

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

When I got this computer the tech tried to have me wipe my computer clean. I refused! But, I was right next to him. I could yell.
It took them two years of listening to me complain, when they finally replaced my hard drive- and reloaded everything.
I keep backing stuff up, which-oops I haven't done in ages. Sorry you are having so much trouble. It is all a very stressful learning process.
Gerardine

kathryn said... [Reply to comment]

Aw, honey...I'm so sorry you're struggling with your computer! It sounds awful.

If I can recommend something, it would be to go to microsoft's site and re-install the Windows Media player. This is totally free and those idiots should never have uninstalled it on you! That'll give you back your DVD player and your music player for your new MP3 player.

Good luck, sweetie!

Tinkerschnitzel said... [Reply to comment]

Sweety, that's horrible! I wouldn't wait for a call back. I'd march right over to their store with computer in hand, and demand to speak to the owner of the store - not the manager - the owner! Tell them to fix it, or they're going to pay to have everything reinstalled. Yes, you can do that. >:}

Jimmy said... [Reply to comment]

I always hated getting my computer updated to find everything including my background gone, and the new programs that replaced my old ones were not as goon in my opinion, reloading everything is a pain but something I always had to do. I suppose I just don't do change well.

I hope all your computer probs and frustration is over soon.

Mrsbear said... [Reply to comment]

We had some virus issues about a month back and I can tell you it was very difficult. Luckily we know a few people who are way more tech savvy than we are otherwise we'd be up a creek. I wish you luck. Possibly make friends with someone who knows their way around a computer and possibly get rid of your dial up, the slow loading would make me all but give up my computer. ;)

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

Suzicate...Thanks, I think it will be awhile before it gets straightened out.

Spot...Yeah it surprises me too.

Lucy...It is sad that we have to get to the point of screamming!

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

Grace...Yes we live ion the sticks. We live in such a wooded area satillite internet is not available and there is also the issue of cost.

Gerardine...I thought about the back up disks, but for some reason they are not opening right.

Kathryn...I tried to load Windows Media player and what ever they did to my computer wont allow me to.

Heather said... [Reply to comment]

Tink...That would be thing to do, but I seriously don't trust them anymore. I'm going to have to take to a more reputiable place.

Jimmy...I wish I could get everything back. Sorry you have gone through it to.

Mrsbear...I have tech savvy brothers but they both live 60-100 miles away. If I got rid of the dial up, I wont have any connection at all. It is the only thing available in my area.

Jeremy said... [Reply to comment]

Windows Media is looking for a codec (I know, more geek speak) for playing DVDs. Your original computer discs should have the program for playing DVDs (Dell uses CinePlayer). Once you install the original DVD player software that came with the computer, Windows Media can play your DVDs as well. Your original disks should also have Works. If you can't find the software, you can usually get most software and drivers from the manufacturer's Web site.