I don’t think any of my clients noticed that I was operating in emergency mode, and luckily I wasn’t swamped with work as I had been a few weeks before, so all things considered, it was ok. Having done regular backups before the PC broke down, allowed me to
continue working, using all my TMs, TBs, Glossaries, reference material
etc. without missing a beat.
What I did miss very much, though, was my second monitor, and typing on the notebook keyboard is just not the same as doing so on a regular one. So after it became clear that I would have to do without the PC longer than expected, I pulled out my old notebook stand and attached my keyboard and mouse to it, which improved things considerably. I was even considering hooking up one of the monitors, as well, but that would have involved some major rearranging action of my desk, so I just grinned and bore it.
During this time, I did daily backups of all my work and sent translation packages to my online storage, since I was a bit paranoid about the notebook giving out on me, as well, and the external hard drive deciding to not work, either. Highly unlikely, I know, but still… I’d rather be safe than sorry.
After my PC was finally back from the shop for good, I felt somewhat hesitant to use it, even after I had taken my time to set it up properly, taking all the advice the repair guy had given me to heart. I guess getting burned twice within such a short time really shook up my faith in technology…
Well, in the meantime, my fears have subsided and I am working from my PC as I did before, hardly thinking about a possible crash anymore. After all, it really wasn’t so bad, since I didn’t lose any data and was able to continue working – but only because I had a well-prepped notebook on which to fall back!
Even if I never left the office, I now think having one is a good idea, since most people probably don’t have a spare PC sitting around (except for Jill, I guess… *gg*). Notebooks have become so affordable today, that it really is a good investment.
Or does anyone have another, maybe better, idea on how to be prepared for a PC crash?
I also think a second system (PC or Notebook) is a very wise investment.
But maybe a large USB (now you get 32GB Sticks for 20€) could be another possibility.
I know that many programs run from a stick in special "mobile versions". But I have now idea, if translation tools are made for that …
Yes, but you still need a system to run it on… 😉
You are so right…
I am so used to have computers around (at home we have one Family-PC, one work-notebook from my wife, one game-notebook from my son and I usually have my work-notebook at hand) that I was not thinking about normal people who have just one PC…
Office equipment runs the gamut from supplies used on a daily basis which need to be replaced frequently to substantial and expensive pieces of equipment which tend to last an office for years, provided they are looked after correctly.
You have a good point, Anke. A second laptop is a great investment if your work demands you to use computers most of the time. The same goes with printers and scanners, since these equipment go through a lot of wear and tear. If a second computer isn’t available, having an external drive to back-up your files would suffice.