Saturday, Nov 27, 2010
Gulf News
One of the perks of writing this column is that I can justify a reason for doing stupid things on my computer, just to see if they will work. It’s all fun and games until someone puts an eye out, or in my case, a hard disk.
A few weeks ago I succeeded in putting Meego, a new operating system from Intel and Nokia, onto an old Netbook. The novelty wore off fast. While Meego worked wonderfully, there still isn’t much content for it. So I got the bright idea of trying to install Google’s Android OS instead.
Heady with my previous success, I thought this would be easy. I had a USB drive that I recreated with the Android-installation software ready to go, but a loading error prevented the install from even starting. I then decided to try and reinstall the original OS (some nasty Linux creation that looks like it once powered a Speak-n-Spell) to the netbook, and that’s where things went wahooni-shaped.
As anyone who has ever bought a netbooks knows, the reinstall disk comes on a CD, despite the obvious lack of a CD drive. Now, instead of doing something easy and logical, like allowing me to reinstall the software from a USB-connect DVD drive, the manufacturer in this case (Acer) requires you to take the CD to another computer.
My first mistake was using my desktop computer. Tip: Never, ever, use your desktop for any Dr Frankenstein-esque type of computer jackassery, which this clearly was.
I had to use the CD to boot the computer. Once the CD loaded, it required me to create a new install disk for my netbook on a USB drive. After rummaging through a desk drawer for an old thumb drive, I was ready to go. Here were the results.
Real problem
Try No 1 – After about 20 minutes, the program crashed, I don’t know why.
Try No 2 – After another 20 minutes, the program tells me the USB drive is too small. I read the instructions. I need at least a 4GB USB drive.
Try No 3 - After some swearing and more digging through the drawer, I find a new 4GB drive. After another 20 minutes, the program tells me the USB drive is still too small.
Try No 4 – After a lot of swearing, I locate an 8GB drive. After 10 minutes, the program crashes. I don’t know why.
Tries Nos 5, 6, and 7. Ditto. The system is refusing to allow me to create the needed startup disk. I start wondering where I can find a cricket bat.
I had been at this for over two hours when I finally accepted the fact that Android was not going on my netbook, not today anyway. That’s when I discovered the real problem.
Warning
During my attempts to create a startup drive, the program had repeatedly warned me that it would erase my thumb drive. However, for some reason, my 1TB hard drive — where I store all my music, movies and TV — was gone. My position was correct, except … no Alderaan.
Somewhere in the chaos of Tries 1-7, the program had attempted to reformat not the USB but my hard disk. Luckily, this wasn’t the drive I boot from.
For anyone interested, I highly recommend Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery. It was more than worth the $30 (Dh110).
Could all this have been my fault? Possibly. In my myriad attempts to create the startup disk, I could at some point have selected the wrong drive, but after two hours, at least four different USB drives, an unknown amount of crashes and restarts, I’m blaming the process.
However, this isn’t over. I just found the website for the Google’s Chrome OS. That would be great for my netbook. And no, I never learn.
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NOTE
I highly recommend Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery.
By Scott Shuey?Business Features Editor
Gulf News 2010. All rights reserved.
