Technology Nightmares

Well, you regular reader(s) know my love-hate relationship with technology.  It’s time to renew the hate part of it.

I went to update my TomTom One GPS unit yesterday, and downloaded the software updates.  When I went to install it, the hard drive on which I had downloaded the file chose to go Tango Uniform.  Yup.  Dead.  Doorstop.  Of course, as is always the case, it didn’t just die outright.  It chose to tease me, to let me think I could revive it. After 10 hours–then it died.

So what is “at risk?”  Hopefully not much.  I had 5 years of digital photos on there, but I also had that backed up to an external drive.  I had the raw files for much audio and video work, but the final versions were saved elsewhere, as well.  I am hoping that, all in all, I dodged a bullet there.  It goes without saying that I am currently backing up the back-up.  Can’t afford two crashes.  Once this “online hard drive” backup is done, I will be making the backup to DVD-RL (8 Gigs each).  Only 10 of those disks required.

That said, the TomTom was current enough, and I loaned it out to the in-laws for their trip to Florida. I hope they enjoy it.  At least the voice on there should keep them company.