Tag: ups

Windows 8.1 Installed

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

Windows 8.1

My new Windows 8.1 Full Installation DVD’s came yesterday via UPS. I didn’t exactly have the easiest time installing it, and it literally took me 4 or more hours to figure out why. It turns out Windows 8.1 hates my storage hard drive, so the only way for me to install it is to unplug it. I’m sure that now that Windows is installed, I shouldn’t have any issues plugging it back in, but just in case, I will use a second IDE cable to plug it into the IDE 2 slot in my motherboard instead of using the same cable.

This is the error message I kept getting.

windows 8 install problems

But… here’s the thing, I was able to install the 64bit version of Windows 8.1 on the first try, but when it finished installing, it gave me an orange screen with thin white lines and a blinking underscore in the top left of the screen. I Googled that and found that it was a hardware error, but I figured it was because I didn’t have enough ram. I have 4GB of ram, but I figured maybe I needed to install the 32bit version, so I did and that was the first time I got the error message in the image above.

I asked on Facebook and a friend named James Benstine helped walk me through it on my Nook HD+ with Facebook messaging. I took several pictures with my phone so he could see what I was seeing. That is a huge help for anyone who is trying to help someone. I know I’ve tried helping people and they don’t think to take a picture with their phone to let me know what they are seeing, which makes it difficult to help, especially if they don’t give you details of what they are seeing. I took pictures of the BIOS menus every time he asked me to show it to him.

storage configuration bios menuI kept telling James that my hard drive was SATA and he couldn’t figure out why it kept showing up as IDE in my BIOS menu. I knew I had a SATA drive, but I forgot that it was my DVD burner that was the SATA drive. I mean duh, it says it right there in the BIOS menu as clear as day.

So I wrote myself a note and put it in the Windows 8.1 box that tells me to unplug the storage drive before installing Windows. I know that I will eventually have to reinstall Windows, I’ve had to reinstall XP more than a dozen times over the years.

The reason there is an issue with that storage hard drive is because when I built this computer, I tried using that hard drive, but it wouldn’t run Windows XP, it wouldn’t even turn the screen on. I had to buy a new hard drive and install Windows XP onto it to be able to use my computer again. I knew that I couldn’t load an operating system onto it which is why it is a slave drive and not a master drive. I didn’t have any issue installing XP on the master drive, so I don’t know why I had an issue installing 8.1 with it installed as a slave.

My next question will be this, will it cause an issue loading Windows 8.1 when I plug it back in? Tune in to find out. Same bat time, same bat channel.

Update: I bought a can of compressed air from Walgreen’s and managed to blow out all the dust from my tower, including all the dust in the heat sink and the fans in the back, as well as the dust at the bottom and laying on top of the video card. There was dust EVERYWHERE! I was still sneezing hours later. Should’ve wore a mask first. Lesson learned!

It took a little longer to load Windows, but it did eventually load. It has taken me most of the day copying and pasting my files from the storage drive. I decided that I should probably check for redundancy and unwanted files, so I was deleting unwanted and unneeded files, copying the wanted files and then deleting them from the storage drive. Once I have everything that I want on the drive that runs my operating system, then I will format the storage drive.

It would be nice to have a storage drive to keep all my files on, but if it’s just going to slow things down then it just isn’t worth it. I will see if it still slows my computer down after I format it. If it doesn’t slow it down then I will keep it, if it does then I will have no choice but to unplug and remove it. I could always install it onto a external hard drive case and plug it in with the USB cable and just plug it in as needed.

Oh would you look at the time, it’s 2 a.m. I will finish my copies tomorrow.

Reformat Fun Time

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

I just love to reformat my hard drive and start over from scratch.  Okay so that’s a lie, but it is nice to start fresh every now and then when my computer becomes so slow and even using crap cleaner and defragmenting doesn’t help.

The first thing you want to do before reformatting your hard drive is to back up all of your files either onto DVD’s, any cloud service or a back up hard drive.  I chose to use a back up hard drive because I don’t really feel like having to copy all of the files from DVDs or having to download all of my files again.  I won’t have to do anything with a back up hard drive, I’d just leave all the files there because they are easily accessible if I need them.  I’ve already done that, although I had a little issue when moving files around that resulted in panic and using Recuva.  See my last post.

The second step is to reformat my hard drive, but making sure I pick the correct hard drive, you know, the one that has my current operating system, not the back up hard drive, because talk about a nightmare.  UGH!

The UPS tracking says it will arrive tomorrow between 10:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. which means I can start reformatting either tonight before I go to bed, or when I wake up early in the morning.  I like to be prepared so I can just pop the DVD in the drive and get the show on the road, because the sooner I install the new operating system, the sooner I can get back to doing the thing I love to do, which is check Facebook and Twitter, despite the fact that I can do that on my Chromebook, Nook HD+ and my phone.  Could someone remind me why I even still use a computer? :p

I’m just kidding, of course I have a computer so I can play EverQuest, blog, money management, print packing slips and labels for my Etsy shop among many other things.  It’s not just about Facebook, although that’s mostly what I use it for.

I was hesitant to get Windows 8.1, but now I’m kind of excited to start over with a new operating system.  This should be fun.

Ding Dong, AVON Calling

On By Michel McDonaldIn Friends and FamilyLeave a comment

My cousin Tabitha just recently started selling AVON.  You remember AVON don’t you?  My mother used to go to AVON parties in the 70’s and we always had AVON products in the house.  All of her make-up was AVON and I think I even remember AVON bubble bath.

You don’t see too many AVON parties anymore, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have them.  You also don’t have to go to an AVON party to buy AVON products.  You can go to their website and buy directly from there and have it shipped to your house.

Here is the link to buy AVON from Tabitha Vavrick.  youravon.com/tvavrick

When she told me that she was selling AVON, I took the opportunity to browse through the website and found that they have a lot of great deals.  They don’t just sell women’s products, they sell stuff for men too.  I bought NATURALS & Bubble Delight Cucumber Melon 5-Piece Collection (image) for only $9.99.  I also bought 2 Ironman® Glory Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorant’s for only .99 cents each and a bottle of Core Elements Ice For Him Hair & Body Wash for $6.50 because I know how much Darrin likes the ice body wash during the summer.

I received the order today via UPS.  I was actually quite shocked because the shipping cost was only $3.  I thought for sure it was going to come from the post office.  It was quite a heavy box for only $3 shipping too so that was awesome.

I already used the roll-on deodorant and I actually like it better than the stick I’ve been using which drags across my arm pit.  I hate that.  I have to put it on right away when I get out of the shower before I have a chance to dry my armpits because it feels horrible when it’s dry.  I like that it was only $1 each compared to I think $4 or $5 that Degree is.

I haven’t taken a bath in years because I just don’t have time to sit in the tub, so I only take showers, but I have wanted to take a bath for such a long time.  Now that I have some bubble bath I think I’m going to take advantage of that.  A good soak is nice once in a while because it is so relaxing and it is the perfect place to meditate, which I need to do.  So maybe I will skip the shower and start taking a bath more often.

Next time I get some money I think I’m going to buy a few more of those 5-piece sets so I can put them in baskets and give them to friend’s and family for Christmas.

Forced Days Off

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

I’ve been writing my autobiography which takes a long time, especially for someone who is still learning how to write.  I think I’m doing a pretty good job.

Yesterday I couldn’t get anything done because I got a phone call from a friend of mine in the mid west who likes to talk on the phone for a long time.  We were on the phone for over an hour.

I tried to go back to editing a chapter and I start hearing “BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP” because the city was resurfacing the street in front of my house.  So instead of working I decided that I would get on the instant messenger and see who was online.

I talked to someone for an hour then went to the store to buy some lunch.  Frozen pizza by the way.  It was good.

I didn’t get anything done yesterday.

This morning I get up and walk the dog and the city men are back.  They are working on the other side of 3rd street.  They sprayed the oil on the street so the resurfacing stuff, whatever the heck it’s called will stick to it so they can spread it out and smash it down.

“BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP” is all I am hearing right now from my bedroom window.

I can hardly concentrate on writing or editing anything right now.  I can barely write this.

My new motherboard is coming today between 2-4pm via UPS so when that comes I will be able to transfer all of my chapters to my Open Office word processor so I can continue writing on that instead of my Chromebook.

Tomorrow is Chips day off which means another day off because there is no way I will be able to write with him home.  So… back to work on Friday lol.

My New Motherboard

On By Michel McDonaldIn Computer1 Comment

I have been having the worst computer luck lately.  First my video card stops working so I bought a new one from Tiger Direct which took a week to get to me.

When I installed it, it didn’t work right away.  I turned it off then back on again and it still didn’t come on.  I had my hands in my face then I looked up and it came on.  It took a couple of minutes but it did come on.

I installed the software for the new video card and it needed to reboot and it rebooted fast enough so I thought, ok, it just needed time to read the new hardware.

I experimented with it to see what would happen if I shut it down all the way and I waited about 10 minutes.  I turned it back on and it didn’t want to come on.  It did finally come on a couple of minutes later but I figured, the only way that I am able to keep my computer working is if I NEVER EVER turn it off.

Then I get a notice from the PG&E telling me they are shutting our power off to put in a new pole…  CRAP!

My computer didn’t want to turn on again and I did some research and found out it was because my power supply wasn’t good enough for my new video card.  I had to wait a month to buy a new power supply because I didn’t have the money.  When I bought it on NewEgg, it arrived the next day and it still didn’t turn my computer on.

It did come on once but it told me to reset the bios which I did and it still didn’t want to work.  SHIT!

I did more research and found out that I needed a new motherboard.  I borrowed some money last night because I just want my stupid computer to work again.  I bought it from NewEgg because I get it the next day unlike Tiger Direct which takes a week to get to me.

ASRock A785GM-LE AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

I am not familiar with this brand but it was the only one that was compatible with my memory and CPU.  It also has an onboard Radeon video card so I know it will be compatible with my Radeon video card that I bought from Tiger Direct.  I read a review that said that the onboard video is crap for playing games so you will need another video card which I just so happen to have.

This should work and get me back up and running.  I already got my shipping confirmation so it should be here tomorrow afternoon around 4pm which is when we get our UPS packages.

I think the reason that Radeon video card didn’t work with my motherboard was probably because it wasn’t compatible with the motherboard.  My other video card was nvidia so I don’t know what possessed me to buy Radeon.

I will update this as soon as I get my new motherboard installed to say whether it worked or not.  I’m pretty sure it should but I will update this whether it works or not.

My New Power Supply

On By Michel McDonaldIn ComputerLeave a comment

In late July this year my video card stopped working in my desktop so I was forced to buy a new one. I bought it and it didn’t work right away but it did eventually work as long as I didn’t turn off my computer.

A month later I get a notice from the PG&E that they are shutting off our power to install a new pole. Well that meant that my computer would shut off and if that happens who knew if I could turn my computer back on? Well, my worst nightmare happened and it didn’t turn back on.

Now it’s the beginning of October, I haven’t had a desktop computer in over a month. I read somewhere that my problem was that my power supply isn’t good enough for my new video card. I looked at the huge list of recommended power supplies and researched every one of them and compared the list with what NewEgg sells and bought the least expensive one which was all I could afford to pay.

I bought the new power supply yesterday and it arrived today. That was shocking to me that I got free 3 day shipping with UPS and I got it within 24 hours. Awesome right?

I installed the new power supply right away. I made sure all of the plugs were plugged in properly and put the door on the tower and plugged it in and it still doesn’t work.

I don’t know what is wrong with this desktop of mine. I should have just sent the video card back to Tiger Direct right away and gotten a new one instead of going through all of this headache.

Back to the drawing board!

Lady GaGa – Can’t Tell Her No Or She’ll Prove You Wrong!

On By Michel McDonaldIn Celebrities, Music, PeopleLeave a comment

At first, I was skeptical with Lady GaGa. I mean, whose to take her borderline public nudity and ridiculous face make-up for anything more than a wannabe Marilyn Manson? But just like Marilyn Manson, you gotta’ respect this girl’s talent. Yeah, the fancy get-ups seem like an ill-focused distraction and desperate plea for attention, but underneath the seemingly misguided efforts is a young girl who was such a good writer she was commissioned by Interscope at the age of 22. She has a true understanding of what today’s youth wants and Lady GaGa knows exactly how to give it to them. You can’t fault her appearance- if you listen she has a rich voice with just the right balance of classical training and a Gwen Stefani punk-type overcoat. Check out a very real review from a very real Lady GaGa skeptic.

Manhattan-bred Lady GaGa is one of the more mysterious musicians we’ve seen this decade. Taking cue from Freddie Mercury, this talented young artist adopted her name in honor of his song “Radio Ga Ga”. But fans know little about her other than her signature slew of highly recognizable and exceptionally revealing attire. It is no uncommon occurrence to witness Lady GaGa wearing nothing but sheer lace head-to-toe and even then some, complimented by a matching lace mask; or perhaps dressed as a human disco ball, or looking like something from a failed throw-back sixties show. It is rare to see the musicians face as it is almost always obscured by a plethora of masks, hats, hair, and make-up.

Lady GaGa got her first hand at piano keys when she was just four years old. Within a decade the teeny-bopper was already playing open mic’s at small venues littered throughout New York. At the age of seventeen Lady GaGa earned early entrance into NYU’s Tish School of the Arts; making her just one of twenty in the University’s history. Clearly a talented musician, it was at the Tish School of Arts, awash in an eye-opening world of politics, religion, and more, that Lady GaGa really began honing her writing skills and exploring a more creative side.

After dropping out of NYU, Lady GaGa moved to New York’s Lower East Side and began performing alongside draq queens in burlesque shows. It wasn’t long before her outrageous persona caught the attention of Interscope records and was brought on board as a songwriter for the Pussycat Dolls. Soon after that Akon saw more than just songwriting; he saw a talented voice, and went on to sign her to his label.

Lady GaGa’s debut album, Fame, was released in 2008 and went up for a Grammy nomination for her single Just Dance. Though she has enjoyed a fast climb to success, she has endured a series of tough breaks this fall. After shrinking ticket sales forced her to prematurely end a planned tour with Kanye West (no doubt thanks to his inappropriate MTV Awards behavior toward Taylor Swift), Lady GaGa has had to scramble to salvage what was left of the fiscal year. Now you can catch this beauty live on her very own solo tour as she performs in a city near you. If you’ve not yet experienced the theatrics and excitement of a live Lady GaGa show, now is the time to go!

http://www.barrystickets.com/concert-tickets/lady-gaga-tickets.php

My name is Dani Kelly. I work in Web Development, online marketing, Social Networking, Social Media, SEO, and more. But first and foremost, I am a writer; a journalist. I love to review our Los Angeles teams and am impassioned about finding the next artist to make it in our highly-critical pool of music fans. Check out my articles and get the latest reviews on how our teams have been doing, are doing, will be doing, etc.

Sometimes I play devils advocate, just to pose the questions. Sometimes I share with you my own, deeply personal view, and sometimes my work is entirely objective. My various writing styles will keep you guessing as to which ones. Have fun and I hope you enjoy some of my literary musings!

Author: Dani Kelly
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

New Bicycle Seat

On By Michel McDonaldIn BikeLeave a comment

I’m still waiting for this new bicycle seat to come.  Hopefully it will come soon.  They guy who runs the website I bought it from emailed me to tell me that his parents passed away and that he would ship it to me in 4-5 days.  Well, it’s been 7 days now.

This morning after I came home from my bike ride and I took my shower I decided to lay down for a bit.  Well, I just got up and saw in my email that he placed the order on July 2nd 2009.  But I didn’t get a UPS tracking email yet.  I’m sure that will come soon.  I wonder why I’m just now getting the email though if he placed the order on Tuesday and today is Thursday.  Oh well, no matter.  As long as he placed the order that’s all I care about.

I’m hoping that I get it soon though because I’m having real pain shooting down into my thigh from my crotch area.  I need that seat stat.

Edit: I got my confirmation email from USPS that my package will be shipped out today but there is no tracking since the guy from that website used the USPS website to print out the shipping label.  So technically he still has the seat until the post office picks it up from him.  When they pick it up then I will be able to track it to see what day it will come.

I’m really super excited lol.

No New Wheel

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Well I was supposed to get my new front wheel for my bike today because on Monday when I went in to buy one they told me that they would get them in on Friday.  Well, today is Friday and so I called at around 2:30pm or so and they said that the UPS delivery won’t come until 3:30.  So I called at 4.  They told me that it will be in by Monday.  So I gotta wait just a little bit longer.

That’s ok because I’ve waited all this time and my Camelbak and Skull cap haven’t come yet and I’m sure they won’t be here until Monday anyway.  So that’s ok, I can wait.

Light System

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cycling, DoctorLeave a comment

I checked the tracking today from USPS for my light system for my bike and it was brought there to the post office on Monday but they didn’t ship it out until today.  So basically they sat on it for 2 days.  That’s fine though because it did say 2 to 9 days and it is the post office and not UPS or something so I don’t expect it right away.

I am actually glad it isn’t going to be here tomorrow because we both have doctors appointments.  Darrin is going in to find out what the new tests for his diabetes will be.  I’m afraid that it might come while we aren’t there and they are going to leave it to get stolen.  So, hopefully I’ll get it Friday or Saturday instead.