I have over the past few months worked out a process that although it may be over-kill, allows me to download, organize and view my pictures using the free Picasa program and Photo Shop Elements 9.
All was working quite nicely. For awhile. Slowly, the programs started to load sluggishly and freeze up until a couple of weeks ago it all got to be annoyingly ridiculous.
This all caused my laptop to freeze up and die one morning and frustrate me to no end. I left mid-morning to run some errands and no miracle happened while I was gone to make things any better.
The portable drive where I store my pictures lives hooked up to my desktop. I mostly use my laptop, so the drive is shared, allowing not only me to get to them from the laptop, but Randy also is able to admire my photographic works of art from his computers.
Yes, computers. The computer count at our house:
Randy - five
Dorothy - four
Anyway ~
My in-house computer expert suggested that I try connecting the portable drive directly to the laptop. This as a start in trying to narrow down whether I had a software issue or hardware issue.
Randy's idea turned out to be a good one. Downloading, organizing and viewing had never gone so quickly and smoothly.
I was one happy girl.
Until, not being used to an appendage being attached to my laptop, I knocked the external hard drive to the floor not once, but twice.
Guess what is now broken - laying there useless with five years of pictures stored on it?
Rest in peas, faithful G-Drive.
After a couple of days of trial and error with various methods of picture saving, I decided that the external drive attached to my laptop was, while not perfect, was the solution for me. I searched Amazon and found a hard drive where its selling point was to be a bit sturdier and more rugged than others. My in-house computer hardware consultant approved my choice and I ordered it.
When Randy and I order through Amazon, we most always take the option of free shipping. That means, however, that Amazon, while prompt in getting the orders shipped, takes the 'slow boat to China' method of shipping.
While waiting for the new hard drive to arrive, I stood mentally tapping my foot in front of the mailbox, while physically racking up images on the camera card that would need to go through my laborious organizational process.
Finally, the hard drive arrived. I have spent the past few days patiently sorting through and renaming over one thousand pictures from my camera card.
And those who know me, know that patience it not a virtue that I was blessed with.
The good news ...
... Mac Time Machine Backups that work like they are supposed to work.
... All five years of my pictures are present and accounted for.
... My new hard drive has an orange case. The most perfect color in the universe.
Have the BEST day ever!
~ Dorothy
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