The fire isn’t the only thing going on. I realized Monday I hadn’t done my backups for about a month, so I cheerfully tried to do them. It looked like the backup was working until the end. Then I got the following message:
Huh? I tried searching for information about this on the web but was directed to an article about what to do if I was having trouble with the backup external drive. So I phoned Apple.
The first person I talked to tried but didn’t know anything. She finally gave up and sent me a link to the article I had already read. So I phoned again. This representative was more thorough. She couldn’t explain why my Mac was suddenly having problems, but she recommended upgrading to Monterey, the new operating system. I had been putting it off as long as possible, figuring there would be bugs, but I didn’t mind trying it. She stayed on the line, while I did the upgrade and verified that the backups were working. She was great.
Unfortunately I later noticed that I could no longer change the brightness of my monitor, something I use all the time. I tried some things but that ability had completely disappeared, so I spent over an hour dealing with that in the evening. This representative was terrific. We did screen sharing and I learned some new things. The upshot is when the programmers wrote the code for Monterey they didn’t test it for my monitor. The amazing thing is she didn’t tell me my monitor was obsolete, she said they knew about it and would fix the problem in later updates. Not only that, she sent me to a user-forum thread that told me about a third-party program that would fix the problem in the meantime. So I installed that, hoping it wouldn’t cause more problems, and it seems to work.
Now I’m getting back to figuring out what to do about the new cell phone I need. That took a lot of my time today, more about that later. The upshot is I do not want to use my iPhone.
We still don’t know what happened/is happening around our place up in the mountains, but at the moment the fire doesn’t seem to be threatening us down here. We’re checking the updates but are spending our time on others things. No lack of adventures down here either. Mostly I’m managing to stay relaxed and cheerful…I’m having plenty of chances to practice that. 🙂
May 4, 2022
The computer fixing today may have at least kept your mind off the fire. You remember how they told us computers would simplify our lives? HA!
I’m grateful for computers and the internet. My life is richer as well as more complicated. I figure it’s a conspiracy to keep our old gray cells working. 😀
I find that when calling tech support, there is a HUGE difference in who answers the phone! The representatives are so different in their responses. I don’t know if some are not as knowledgeable, or just lazy and don’t care.
Yes, that’s why I phoned right back about the backup problem. It’s a joy to work with someone interested and knowledgeable.
well the universe is saying much to you both…giving at least Jean something else to do. But I’m sure Andy is already working on the “what if” happens.
here I’ve had a couple of good surprises – part of the niggles that caught me out a week or so again. Maybe I will write about them, if they both (yes 2 things) actually come to fruition…
They look good on “Paper” read email!
That’s great!
It’s all keeping your mind busy.
Yes, “the quality of our lives depends on how we focus our energy and our attention.” That’s one of my mantras. Andy and I don’t waste time worrying but we are involved in our lives.
Computer problems are always frustrating for me. Wade always took care of them and now that I have to deal with any it takes me a while to get through them. Glad you were able to get a hold of a tech support person who was helpful.
I don’t know that I would be able to remain relaxed or cheerful in your situation. Not knowing is sometimes worse than knowing for me.
I’m getting good about being patient. I may groan when a problem comes up but that’s because I usually will have to spend a lot of time on it. But I usually learn something, which often helps when future problems come up. I figure my attitude is more important than the problem itself so I work on that.
I just don’t get why apple and microsoft have to constantly do updates, not updates to fix things but new things. every time my phone does an update it destroys something or changes things I do not want changed. I love techie stuff but sometimes it makes me crazy. now that we have the smart TV, which I wish we did not have, it is always doing updates that creates havoc.
Will do a post on one thing it did which was really crazy. it does provide brain excercise for all of us, which means its not all bad. you are not called Cheerful Monk for nothing for sure.
Brain exercise for sure! My poor brain was exhausted this afternoon. 😀
We have no desire for a smart TV or other gadgets. My printer wanted me to subscribe to their cartridge program. The computer would know when I was running low and would send me a new one. Considering a lot of the time it won’t print the first time I turn it on…I have to shut it off and turn it back on…I do not trust it. Plus I usually run it with the WiFi off.
Keeping busy is a good way to keep the mind occupied.
Amen to that! The advantage of having projects to work on.
good for you! you’re living up to your blog’s name… Cheerful Monk!
Thanks. I’m devoted to that. 🙂
I’ll bet your cheerful attitude was a breath of fresh air to those representatives! They probably don’t get much of that.
I try always to be friendly and patient, and I tell the helpful ones how much I appreciate them. The woman who told me how to deal with the brightness control was touched. She said she doesn’t get much of that. She was top notch.
I had trouble brightening my monitor, too, after upgrading in Windows which isn’t the same as a Mac, I know, but it’s strange they’d both leave that feature hanging in the wind. I never did figure it out and have learned to live with it.
In this case my monitor is an Apple product, but the model is over 10 years old so they didn’t test the new operating system on it. At least they know about it and feel they need to address the issue in future updates. And the tech support person actually found where I should start looking for a fix in the meantime. She gets an A+ for that.