A few weeks ago I tried to log into my computer and got a
message saying my “User Profile Service service had failed to login”. I tried several more times making sure I was
typing in the right password, that no caps were on, and so on.
Nothing.
So I called the computer repair shop we use (Dog House
Computers - http://www.dogg.com/ ) and was
told I most likely had a virus. I
dropped my laptop off on my way to MO and a few days later got a call with the
bad news… I did have a virus and my computer was “pretty jacked up”.
Even though I have well known anti-virus program and get
regular updates, it seems to have let something thru. They told me that often something can get in
thru Java or Adobe or other such programs if you don’t keep the immediately
updated cause the hackers or whatever you call those despicable who make
viruses will find a weak point and use that as an entry. (Can you tell I’m a tad irritated?)
When I picked it up I got the further bad news that my
Outlook had been completely corrupted… DOA.
I lost everything I had saved in my emails. All of it.
I was sick.
The worst of it is it didn’t have to happen. If I had known how to back up my Outlook to
our external hard drive (a Seagate Free Agent), this wouldn’t have
happened. I know how to do my photos and
documents, so those are safe.
They explained to me that I just needed to go to ‘files’ in
Outlook and click ‘Import/Export’. Then
‘export to file’. From there click to
save as a ‘pst’, then check personal folders and make sure you have ‘subfolders’
checked too. The next window has the
choice that includes ‘Replace with export’.
Make sure that is ticked. Then
you get the location you want in and click ‘finish’.
Now I’ll put in a disclaimer here… this is how it worked on
MY computer.
I feel a whole lot safer now that I have gotten everything
backed up on both my computer and Himself’s computer. I’ve also switched to a professional monitoring
plan that maintains our computers both electronically (anti-virus, firewall,
and other stuff) and physically (quarterly cleanings)…at a price cheaper than
the anti-virus company charged.
I recommend at the very least you purchase an external drive
and copy your important items over to it.
It could save you a lot of grief.
*******
Addition:
Since writing this blog, CNN has posted about Adobe's security woes.
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