Next Meeting Date Changed

Our next meeting date has been changed from Dec. 10th to Dec 8th.  The meeting starts at 5:00 pm.

We will also have a new meeting place.  We will be meeting at theGreeneville/Greene County Public Library 210 North Main Street, Greeneville, TN 37745, (423) 638-5034, web site:  http://www.ggcpl.org/.  They have free WIFI (Internet access) and tables for us to use.  Thanks goes out to Dianne for taking on this task of finding us a new meeting place. 

We don't have a topic to cover at our next meeting.  If anyone has any suggestions, please email me your ideas or post them on the blog.  I would like to spend part of the meeting coming up with a list of topics for future meetings.  So come with your ideas and thinking caps on. 

Remember that we are only meeting once this month, due to Christmas. 

I look forward to seeing you all at the next meeting. 

One-On-One Computer Training Starting on Nov 30, 2009

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm offering one-on-one computer training. I have gotten some requests for customized one-on-one training. If you find that you need more individualized computer training, I may be able to assist you. I will be charging a fee for this customize one-on-one training.

The computer training that I will be offering is for users running Windows on their computers. Here are some topics you may be interested in: using email, surfing the internet, burning CDs/DVDs, backing up your computer, etc.. You may have some specific need that you need one-on-one training with. Just let me know what that may be and I'll see what I can do for you.

If you are interested in one-on-one training, give me a call (423-638-5750) or email: Kay@pwcreations.net. 

I will continue doing our free computer learning meetings for the local community. These free community computer learning meetings are broad in scope and require a base level of Windows Software/Computer knowledge, in order to use the information covered in these meetings.

The free computer learning meetings require you take the training information and apply it on your own. These meetings are open to questions and I try and go over the materials when possible, but since we don't conduct these meetings in a regular computer classroom where everyone can perform the task(s) we are covering, it requires the attendee to be more independent in their own learning.

This scenario may change in the future if we are able to find a meeting place that would be more accommodating of a computer classroom sitting. But in the mean time, we are making the best of what is available to us.

Have an awesome month and I'll see you all at our next meeting - 12/10/09.  I'm not sure where this meeting will be held yet, but I'll post the details before our next meeting. 

Meeting Notes from 11/12/09

We had a nice turn out of folks and a good meeting.  We went over Backups.  There were a few questions and hopefully we got them all answered. 

I just wanted let folks know what Janet's blog address is:  http://janettoney.blogspot.com/.  It is an interesting blog that I think you will enjoy.  I did. 

We talked about meetings for Nov and Dec.  Since there will be big holidays during these months, we will only meet once this month (which was yesterday) and once next month (12/10/09). 

Dianne is going to check with the Library and Tusculum College about us having our meetings there.  She will get back with me and let me know if she comes up with another meeting place for the group.  So we may have a new meeting place for our Dec meeting.  I'll let everyone if it changes.  Thanks Dianne for doing this for the group.  It is a big help. 

I created a logo for our group and it is at the top left hand side of this blog. I just felt it would be nice to have a logo for our group. I hope you all like it. I was trying to express a feeling of rising/elevating and I wanted a techie design, since our focus is on computer learning.

I hope everyone has wonderful and safe holiday season.

Backing Up Your PC and Restoring Files on Your PC

I have had a few requests asking about how folks can back up their PCs. This can be a vast topic. I will narrow the scope of this topic by focusing on Windows VISTA and Windows XP.

I'll provide information on using backup and restore programs that come with VISTA and Windows XP.  There are lots of 3rd party backup and restore solutions out there to choose from, but I want to limit the scope of this post, so I'll just cover the programs that come with Windows.

Windows VISTA Backup
If you are running Windows VISTA there is a backup and restore program included with Windows VISTA. Here are some links that provide instructions on the steps to perform:

• Backup Link 1: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Back-up-your-files/  that outlines the steps for performing a backup of your PC.
• Backup Link2: http://www.vista4beginners.com/How-to-backup-your-data/
• Using Windows Link for VISTA: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/help/using/
  

Windows VISTA Restore
There is a restore program that comes with Windows VISTA. Check out these links:

• Restore Link 1: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Restore-files-from-a-backup/
• System Restore FAQ Link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions/
  

Windows VISTA System Restore
There are times when you need to perform a System Restore. A System Restore returns your system to a previous state by restoring your computer's system files to an earlier point in time. It's a way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal files, such as e‑mail, documents, or photos. Here are links about a System Restore:

• System Restore Link 1: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/What-is-System-Restore/
• System Restore FAQ Link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions/

Windows XP Backup
If you are running Windows XP and you need to backup your PC, check out these links for step by step instructions and information:

• Backup Link 1: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/backupfiles.mspx  
• Maintaining Your Windows XP System Link: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/default.mspx
  

Windows XP Restore
Here is a link for using Windows XP Restore program:

• Restore Link 1: http://uis.georgetown.edu/software/documentation/winxp/winxp.restore.html
  

Windows XP System Restore
Here is a link for using the Windows XP System Restore program:

• System Restore Link 1: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084

Other Options
You can also backup your data files (photos, word documents, music files, etc..) to a CD/DVD and then store it in a safe location.  You could backup your entire system to CDs/DVDs, but this could take a huge amount of CDs/DVDs to accomplish given the size of Windows and hard drives these days.  A better option for backing up your entire system would be to use an external hard drive. 

An external hard drive attached to your computer would allow you to backup your entire system easily, as long as the external hard drive was large enough.  You can purchase external hard drive solutions that attach using an USB connection and then you could attach this external hard drive to another computer in the event that your computer failed/crashed.    This makes this solution easy to move and connect to another computer.

Our Next Meeting - 11/12/09

Our next Elevate Computer Learning meeting will be this Thursday - Nov, 12, 2009 at the Chocolate Cafe, 665 Erwin Hwy, Greeneville, TN 37745, phone: 423-638-6221. We will start at 5:00 pm.

I'm not sure what topic we will be covering. I haven't received any feedback from the group, so we can just leave things open and cover whatever topics folks want to talk about (computer related).

I just want to remind everyone that we will only meet once this month since the 4th Thursday of the month falls on Thanksgiving day.

I also check out the library last Friday and it doesn't look like it will work out for us. The conference room doesn't pick WIFI and I was told that is strong possibility that the room won't be available after the first. It was a great idea and suggestion. Thanks.

I checked out Arby's and they have free WIFI and some electrical outlets that we can use. We could consider Arby's.

I also checked out the second location of the Chocolate Cafe that just opened up down town. They close at 4:00 pm and they don't have their WIFI setup yet. So, this won't work for us right now.

If anyone knows of another place that will work for us and are willing to check it out and report back to the group, let us know.

We need a place that has WIFI (free internet access), tables and chairs, free for us to use. If it had an over head projector that we could use, that would be a great extra for the group.

Computer Repair Service

Some of you may be aware that my computer died over summer due to a power surge, or so I thought. I took it into a local company in Greeneville to have them look it over. I knew the power supply was fried, but I wanted to make sure that nothing else was wrong with it. I had a feeling there was something else wrong with my computer.

They called me and said that it was fixed and that it was just the power supply. I drove into Greeneville and picked it up. When I got home and hooked it up, it wouldn't power up. I called the company and asked if they powered it up after they fixed it. They said they had and that it came up. I knew this wasn't the truth, so I told them I was bringing it back in and I wanted to see them power it up while I was there.

When I got there, they hooked up my computer and powered it on and it wouldn't come on. They looked it over and said that the mother board was fried. They told me it would cost me 4 or 5 hundred dollars to fix it.

My computer was 5 + years old, so I said I would just take it home and think about what I wanted to do. They tried to sell me one of their custom built computers, but I didn't like any of them and they offered to keep my computer, but I said no. I told them I would take it home and figure out what I wanted to do.

I decided to buy a new computer, since I do a lot of work on the computer and it is how I make my living. I got a new HP computer and I just love it.

I still had my old computer sitting in the corner of my office and I couldn't stand the thought of taking it to the dump. So I thought I would donate it to a guy who works on computers. I have been seeing a sign for his services when I drove into town to run errands. It is Jean's Computer Repair Service on the Asheville Hwy.

I called him up today and spoke with him. He said he would take my computer and use it for parts. So, I dropped it off with him today. By the time I returned home, I had a voice message from him saying to call him.

I called him and long story short, my mother board was not fried, it was just a video card and they (the first place I took it) knocked one of the memory chips loose, so the computer wouldn't start up. Jean put in a new video card and put the memory in tightly and my computer started up just fine.

I could have had my computer fixed for about $100.00, instead of buying a new one. I'm happy with my new computer, but my old computer is a really good one and is worth about a $1000.00 fixed, Jean said. I don't need another computer now and I don't have room for a second computer, so someone will end up a good computer.

I would highly recommend Jean's Computer Repair Service - 423-636-8449, if you need your computer fixed. He seemed really knowledgeable and his prices are reasonable. I know some of you have been looking for someone who can work on computers. You may want to check out Jean the next time you need someone to work on your computer.

Oh, and if you need a good used computer, Jean has my old one. You can call (423-636-8449) him to purchase it. He said he would let anyone from our group buy my old computer for just the cost of parts and a new version windows software, which comes to about $225.00.

Next Elevate Computer Learning Meeting - 11/12/09

Our next computer learning meeting will be Nov, 12, 2009. We are thinking about having it at the library in town. The library has free internet and I'm told by one of our members a better meeting place. Better tables, etc. I haven't gotten by the library yet to check it out. I'm sure it is fine, but I would just like to see the layout first, before giving it a try. So stay tuned for more details.

We are only going to have one meeting this month, because the 4th Thursday of this month falls on Thanksgiving.

I'm also looking for suggestions on what topic to cover at our next meeting. You can post you suggestions on this blog or email me.

Let me know if you can attend, so we have an idea of how many seats to set aside for folks.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting. Until then, happy computing..