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June 09, 2006
Precious Memories
My momma was here two weeks ago. She had not seen Steven since his birth and the changes in him really surprised her although she knew there would be huge changes from the newborn baby she had last seen months before.
While she was here she would often look at the children as played and comment on who liked whom or note the resemblances in the way some spoke or their body language.
On this trip my momma brought up photo albums for me to scan and video tapes for me to convert to DVD. I have been working on those the past few days.
Before I could scan the photos I had to purchase a new scanner. Nothing that we know of is wrong with our old scanner. It just won't interface with these new laptops and Windoze XP. It has been very frustrating and I have cussed so many times in the process of trying EVERYTHING at least 100 times. No dice.
I went online monday and ordered a scanner. I ordered a middle of the road, moderastely priced scanner. It was a Microtek Skanmaker s400.
I opened the box. Laid all the pieces and parts ut on the table. Opened the plasticbag with all of the instructions and software.
#1. Unpack box. Done.
#2. Install software. O'kay, simple thing to do. Insert CD install software.
#3. Plug in scanner and connect to PC. Easy. Done.
#4. Follow the prompts and begin scanning your photos. Yayyyy! This is the part I am WANTING to do.
Popup indicates the need for a missing DLL file. Easy Peasy. Off to the Microtek website. Download the file.
Still doesn't work.
Search the support section of the website and see there is a new installation file with packaged drivers and dll files for XP. I downloaded and installed the file.
Machine needs to reboot. Okay, reboot.
Machine turns off. Machine turns on. Windoze begins to load. Machine shuts down.
Turn on machine. Windoze begins to load. Machine shuts down.
Huh?
Turn on machine. Windoze begins to load. Machine shuts down.
No. F'n. Way.
Turn on machine. Windoze begins to load. Machine shuts down.
WTF?!?!?!?! Lots of cussing.
Turn on machine. Windoze begins to load. Machine shuts down.
Begin melt down and tears because ....
Every photo take of Steven in the past four months is on this machine and not yet burned to CD.
Frantically try to boot machine.
After 52 tries I get it to boot in safe mode.
Spend 4 hours burning photos to cd and dvd.
Spend 2 hours restoring machine to last fully working settings.
Uninstall all of the scanner crap.
Listen to me, please!
DO NOT BUY A MICROTEK SCANMAKER s400 and try to install it before you have saved everything you want from your machine!!!!!!
I will NEVER trust that brand again. NEVER. EVER.
I returned that machine for a full refund plus the cost of shipping.
I called around and found an Epson Perfection 4490 WITH a rebate from Office Depot and carried myself there yesterday morning as fast as I could. They only had one left. I asked them to hold it for me.
Brought it home. Unpacked it. Installed software. Plugged in scanner. Scans the first time like magic.
The photos in the post are things I have been scanning. Momma brought me my baby photos. Something I have never had. Steven's photos, and Colby's and Gracie's are burned to CD and DVD.
Angie, 3 days old.
Make it a priority to save your photos. Take the time (and expense) to preserve something you can never replace.
If you need a new scanner and you buy one ... back up your machine and save everything to another machine or to cd/dvd so you don't spend hours crying thinking you have lost your precious memories.
Updated:
In the middle of trying to redo my kitchen, house cleaning, the last days of school, a teething 4 month old, driving school for Colby, Classes for me and a thousand other things, I am spending however many days it takes in a row to get all of my photos in order. I won't ever go through this again if I can help it. I have blank, cd's and dvd's, a new scanner, and a VHS to DVD converter. I have no reason to put this off any longer. Think about it. I encourage you to do the same if you have not already. Please don't put it off if this is something you need to do. Please. Don't leave yourself in a position to regret having never taken the time. And I do mean taken the time. Everything in this house will fall by the wayside until this job is complete.
Posted by Angie at June 9, 2006 08:27 AM
Comments
I really need to do this too! Love the pics of you as a baby :)
Posted by: MommaK at June 9, 2006 02:04 PM
You are right; it is very important! We will wait until you are done. Those photos of you are precious! I bet your girls are getting a kick out of them too.
Posted by: kenju at June 9, 2006 05:50 PM
Those are great pictures! I need to get some external hard drive and back-up all of our pictures. While I have monthly albums in Snapfish, I can't depend on them to be my forever photo holder. It's raining so we could do that this weekend! Thanks for the tip.
And thanks for your kindest words at the virtual baby shower. Are you already planning another! I'm most impressed.
Posted by: Meredith at June 9, 2006 07:42 PM
That's what I love about you, Angie. You are so single-minded and determined when you set your mind to something.
Posted by: Miz S at June 9, 2006 08:28 PM
I find it funny how alike so many people's pictures are. The picture of you infront of the car, the one of you in the rocking chair... I have pictures of both myself and my mom exactly like that!
Sorry you had to go through so much trouble to get all that done. But Congratulations!! :)
Posted by: Jennifer at June 10, 2006 07:06 AM
I'm glad you didn't lose the photos.
Adorable photos.
Posted by: Raehan at June 11, 2006 01:34 AM
well done on your perseverance! You're right, it is so important and these days our pictures are scattered in so many places - not just the old shoe boxes and albums.
Apart from all the other electronic storage, I have no idea how to get pics out of my phone because the blue tooth there won't talk to the blue tooth in my laptop!
Good luck with getting everything in order, you know some people do that as a business?
Posted by: The Bec Half of Glamorouse at June 11, 2006 05:00 AM
Oooo....I don't like that picture of 5 month old Angie behind the car. That just makes me nervous in a paranoid mom sorta way.
Posted by: Kristy at June 12, 2006 01:42 AM
Those pictures are precious -- love the rocking horse one...
You are one busy busy lady!!
Posted by: Marie at June 12, 2006 08:23 AM
Awesome photos! I'm sooo glad you didn't lose any of your precious photos! Thank goodness! I don't typically buy off-brand pc equipment. Not worth the risk.
Posted by: InterstellarLass at June 12, 2006 12:33 PM
Your baby pictures are in color! Mine are all black and white and fading fast...and smell like cedar. (ha!)
Posted by: Lisa at June 12, 2006 03:57 PM