I HATE when this happens. I've learned too many times the hard way. But even after I bought an external hard drive, I got lazy and let weeks go by without backing up. Look at it as some kind of Buddhist lesson--the things on our computers are just objects that we don't need. I know, that doesn't help at all but those are the kinds of stupid things I would try to tell myself.

there are ways to recover the data.

Oh God. My worst nightmare, computer-wise.

External hard drives and discs.

Did you email any of your writings/pictures to anyone? That may be one way to get *some* stuff back. As for the rest, I'm sorry.

My greatest fear.

Arrrrrrrrrgh. I went through this in June. Lost everything I was working on because I hadn't backed up recently. With computers (and I include the sainted Macs) it isn't IF they're going to crash and burn, it's WHEN.

without even reading you i have known you as the hottest thing to elicit a thought.

I took it to the Apple Store...they said they were unable to get anything off of the hard drive and so they replaced it, and mailed the old one to Apple (didn't ask me if I wanted it back first). I asked if Apple would try to retrieve data and they said NO. I think I can't even get the thing back to give it to someone else now who might be able to get files from it. So sad. On the upside, the new Leopard has Time Machine which sends everything to the external hard drive automatically. So at least it won't happen again.

Karin--I have told myself the same things...that's very funny that you do that as well. Guess we are glass half full kind of gals!

wschanz--if only I had not taken it to the Apple store...they kept my hard drive. Sent it in to Apple. So there is probably no way to get it back.

hourglass--I did print some things out to keep in a folder in case I wanted to read through and edit hard copies (I do that sometimes). But who knows if they are the most recent versions of things. Other writing I know for sure there are no copies of anywhere. Some photos I did send...some are on Facebook...some I still have on memory sticks...time will tell what all I really lost. :(

Chuck--Let me be your cautionary tale...back everything up--this does not need to happen to you! So you don't have to be afraid!

Boanerges!--So sorry that you are in the club with me. You are so right. Hard drives are predictable in that they WILL crash...but unpredictable as to when. Such a pain in the butt.

New Buddha Fun--Read first. Compliment later. About the writing...the writing...

rats! maybe they really haven't sent it yet? there are places that will take the disk out then put it in a working drive to be able to read it.

wschanz--First of all...I'm not sure at all what that means. You sound like you are very techno savvy (while I am techno challenged). I asked when I picked up my computer if they would give me the hard drive, but they said they'd already sent it. I will try calling Apple Care, but I have a sinking feeling that I'm just SOL.

a funeral, or a celebration. shiva, god of destruction, strikes again.

External hard drive is a great idea. Still put everything on discs when you get a chance. On the bright side, you did have to deal with the black screen of doom when we used to have to answer DOS prompts.

Rated.

I'm so sorry. Anything you have publish lives on...as do the things in your mail.

I have a new Mac too...but this one seems noisy for the first time, the fan keeps running....grrr.

If the hard drive physically crashed - ie, the heads touched the spinning platter - you're pretty much toast. But even then, data recovery *is* possible. Expensive, but possible.

I like how you expressed such a normal (but awful) occurrence in such a poetic manner.