Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: tired
  • Music: Tegan and Sara, "Where Does the Good Go?"

Scary weekend, shiny things.

So here's the thing: I don't want to be lectured about my reliance on thumb drive technology. I've gone over the pros and cons with a dozen people, and for the most part, my methodology is very safe. I perform frequent backups of the whole drive, as well as doing local file backups and mailing files to off-site readers. I avoid contact with magnets and with other things that seem likely to do me a mischief in the woods. I am a careful person. Internet storage systems don't work for me, for a lot of reasons, and as long as I have a day job, I need to be able to transport my work with me, without being tied to a specific system or reliant on a stable Internet connection.

With all that said, this has been my weekend:

Friday night, I got home, watched an episode of The West Wing, and did my basic household chores. Then I sat down to get some work done. This began with the insertion of my thumb drive into the USB port. "The format of Drive G is not recognized. Format Drive G?"

Uh, no. I removed the drive, blew on it, and tried it in a different port. Same result. I rebooted. Same result. I pulled out my netbook, booted it up, and tried again. Same result. I called Rey in tightly controlled hysterics. He came over, and—after spending about an hour and a half fighting—took my thumb drive away. He's supposed to come back tonight to finish file recovery. I've done basically no work this weekend, but I've only cried myself to sleep once, so that's something, right? Right?!

Oh, Great Pumpkin, I need a drink.

In happier news, there are still pendants created from A Local Habitation available from Chimera Fancies. Not only are these amazing pieces of unique, wearable art, but there are three extra-special pendants currently up for small-scale auction, here:

1. Born to Neverland.
2. Save Faerie.
3. Tybalt's Magic.

These are just incredible. Plus I got to write BPAL-style bumper text for them, which was, like, super-fun, and I will probably be unable to resist doing in the future. I am such a geek. Anyway, pretty shinies to admire and desire and obtain, and you should totally take a look. I love Mia's work so.

More contests next week, more review roundups, and hopefully, more sanity, once I have my files back. I have not had a good weekend.
Tags: cranky blonde is cranky, people make things, technology, utterly exhausted
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  • 58 comments

inkedhistorian

June 20 2010, 23:59:42 UTC 7 years ago

That's a terrible thing to have happen to you and I'm so sorry. I know your back-ups will have the bulk of your work but losing the thing you were in the middle of would be traumatizing to anyone so you're processing it all better than you could be. At this point, what do you need? I'd be happy to send you a new thumb drive, bottle of tequila (actually, Rey may have some left from the really good bottle we didn't finish at my wedding last month) ... just let me know.

Also, I bought one of the pendants, because SHINY AND AWESOME.

*hugs* ~ Carrie

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:38:18 UTC 6 years ago

SHINY AND AWESOME! And no tequila for me, thank you very much for the offer. I am strictly a sweet-drinks girl, and have salved my wounded soul with cider.

Hugs.

inkedhistorian

6 years ago

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arielstarshadow

June 21 2010, 00:07:39 UTC 7 years ago

Something you might want to check out is www.dropbox.com. Best thing EVAR. It's really one hell of a nifty tool. Really cool part? You can share a single folder from your main folder with other people and they will only see the files you put in that folder, which means you wouldn't have to actually Email anyone any longer, you'd just tell them to check that folder AND not only does it save a copy of the file on the virtual drive, it also saves a copy on your (and their) local hard drives. It is awesome and made of win!

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:38:33 UTC 6 years ago

Awesome!

jenk

June 21 2010, 00:12:38 UTC 7 years ago Edited:  June 21 2010, 00:13:20 UTC

Here's hoping your files are fine. (I taught myself data recovery back in the DOS days. Partly so I could help tech support customers, but also because I accidentally formatted the drive I had stored my performance review on instead of my test drive.) (I got it back, too. ;)

Btw, agreed on the "don't criticize the thumb drive" request. A couple years working in tech support teaches that there is no fool-proof option -- only the option which has the most pros and least cons for a particular user.

*hugs and pumpkin cocktails offered*

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:38:48 UTC 6 years ago

Ooooooooooo, pumpkin cocktails. You, I adore.

apocalypticbob

June 21 2010, 00:26:40 UTC 7 years ago

Cookie to coyote for recovery of your data.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:38:57 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, darlin'.

scifantasy

June 21 2010, 00:32:35 UTC 7 years ago

Eep!

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:39:07 UTC 6 years ago

Worst. Drive crash. EVER.

tollers

June 21 2010, 00:39:43 UTC 7 years ago

Bought shiny things. Yay!

I can sympathize on the weekend suckage. Mine started off well, but went downhill when my alternator decided to give out, thus keeping me from going to Duckon. *sigh*

Will keep fingers crossed for the return of your data!

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:39:28 UTC 6 years ago

Ugh.

Bad ol' weekend.

filkferengi

6 years ago

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argonel

June 21 2010, 00:40:25 UTC 7 years ago

Sounds to me like a very well thought out strategy with multiple layers of fallback to minimize data loss in a catastrophic even. I have seen a lot of businesses with less planning put into keeping from losing files. The only thing I can think of to make it any better would be to use 2 thumb drives in case one gets lost, stolen or goes kaput. This also serves as an "Oh Shit" backup when you save over the wrong file.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 15:40:08 UTC 6 years ago

There is no "infallible," just things that haven't had the chance to fail quite yet.

tygerversionx

June 21 2010, 00:50:29 UTC 7 years ago

On a somewhat larger scale, that's what has happened to me a couple times with external hard drives. This is why I'm sure there are at least 2 gigabytes of data I don't even remember I've lost over the years.

You sound like you have a more comprehensive back-up plan than I ever did. Although we do share the hysterics. ;)

tollers

June 21 2010, 01:24:35 UTC 7 years ago

*skritches icon*

Shiba Love!!!

tygerversionx

7 years ago

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tollers

7 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

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nightshade_03

June 21 2010, 00:54:27 UTC 7 years ago

Here's to hoping you can recover all of your files, I actually have all of my things on a thumb drive as well with none of your extra precautions which is dumb since the only reason I went to thumb drives was because my computer crashed and I lost everything once.

And crying only once is definitely something and at least you have your backups.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:02:23 UTC 6 years ago

Exactly.

saffronrose

June 21 2010, 00:57:14 UTC 7 years ago

You have my utmost sympathy. I've had my harddrive die when I have been unable to reach the TIme Machine to do backups. The Apple guys restored my files for me at least one time. However, my iTunes files are ALWAYS screwed up and I get tired of working through that.

May your thumb drive come back--the files thereof anyway--safely.

oreouk

June 21 2010, 13:51:42 UTC 7 years ago

Re the iTunes problem if you have a Mac then I pass on knewly acquired knowledge of a program called senuTi that allows you to transfer data from your iPod back onto your computer. A friend was showing it off to me last week but I'm entierly PC based so it does me little good at the moment.

seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

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saffronrose

6 years ago

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eevieivy

June 21 2010, 01:23:55 UTC 7 years ago

*HUGS* Here's sending good thoughts and wishes to you.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:02:49 UTC 6 years ago

Thanks, darlin'.

azurelunatic

June 21 2010, 01:59:36 UTC 7 years ago

Here's to frequent backups, and I'll put a bit of candied bacon out for Coyote.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:02:57 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you!

aliciaaudrey

June 21 2010, 02:02:46 UTC 7 years ago

Okay, well, that sucks. Good luck with the recovery. The hard drive went on my laptop two years ago. In the middle of finals study season when I was a 3L. Thankfully I've always been generous about sharing my notes with my classmates, because I needed a LOT of favors to get me through finals that year...I spent about two days as a hysterical wreck, so I really think you're holding it together really well. Good luck!

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:03:08 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, wow.

I applaud your survival.

Deleted comment

Re: Living with the Windows file system

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:03:34 UTC 6 years ago

Rey is hammering the crap out of the drive, and has managed to get me back about half the data. Thank Coyote for Rey.

chaoticgoodchic

June 21 2010, 03:37:19 UTC 7 years ago

My only comment is that the phrase "thumb drive" is the mundane name. It's a chippy thing!

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:03:41 UTC 6 years ago

Heeeeee.

phoenixsansfyr

June 21 2010, 05:17:11 UTC 7 years ago

I'd also have a backup external hard drive to put things on so that you at least have a daily update of EVERYTHING... So if the thumb drive goes bonkers, you can reformat and then slurp the latest copy off of the external.

Also there is a certain irony that everything exploded on International Panic Day. No good.

And yes, I caved and purchased three shinies. Oh dear. Mia is amazing.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:04:09 UTC 6 years ago

I normally try to back things up every day. Sometimes, in periods of high stress, that slips...and sometimes that causes more stress.

Whee!

phoenixsansfyr

6 years ago

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sdelmonte

June 21 2010, 10:53:31 UTC 7 years ago

Sends hugs and good vibes from Naperville.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:04:21 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

oreouk

June 21 2010, 13:52:44 UTC 7 years ago

Bleah - good luck on file recovery, and a cookie to Coyote for same.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:04:31 UTC 6 years ago

Coyote likes cookies!

lysystratae

June 21 2010, 14:25:08 UTC 7 years ago

Well that sucks; hope you get it all back quickly. I got a shiny, too :)

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:09:40 UTC 6 years ago

Yay, shinies.

jongibbs

June 21 2010, 17:23:30 UTC 7 years ago

{{{hugs}}}

I hope you get the data back.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:10:39 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

digitaleopard

June 21 2010, 22:40:52 UTC 7 years ago

One other thing to consider. If you're planning on traveling outside the country, some places may request or demand access to any computers or storage devices you have (Not sure about Australia.) Depending on what they find, they may confiscate it.

Having left the country, US customs may well do the same thing when you return.

They can't demand access to what you aren't physically carrying. Online storage is a good thing if you travel across borders.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:11:04 UTC 6 years ago

That's...fascinating. I've traveled to the UK and Canada, and never encountered this. Thanks for the tip.

digitaleopard

6 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

6 years ago

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kyrielle

June 22 2010, 04:32:03 UTC 7 years ago

Yiiikes. Much sympathy. I would gnaw on your thumb drive to punish it, but uh, pretty sure gnawing doesn't help. But I offer sympathy. And virtual pumpkin cookies. And admiration of the shinies you have linked, which are indeed shiny.

seanan_mcguire

June 22 2010, 16:11:14 UTC 6 years ago

Yay, cookies and gnawing.

deire

June 22 2010, 17:39:45 UTC 6 years ago

(((hugs)))

Survivor of a hard drive failure offers her sympathy.

Seriously. My hard drive inserted into a reader computer made the other computer SCREAM.

seanan_mcguire

June 23 2010, 16:11:47 UTC 6 years ago

Whoa.

ladymondegreen

June 22 2010, 20:26:41 UTC 6 years ago

Oh no!

*hoping for full recovery*

seanan_mcguire

June 23 2010, 16:11:55 UTC 6 years ago

Me, too.