Apr 2007 Computer trials

Beautiful Australian birds hanfing round at home.

What a week Apr 2007

What a week! My computer trials!!
First, I was creating a new user profile to trial some accessibility settings and profiles for one of my students when I lost my personal (admin) profile from the computer. My documents and email just disappeared into oblivion and couldn't be found anywhere on the computer. "That's fine", I thought. "My backups are only 2 days old so at least I won't have lost too much." And my documents were fine, but all my email backups were corrupt (Obviously not doing something right) so my next best address book was over 12 months old - better than nothing I guess.
So a new user profile was created and documents were added from background. I set up my old address book, and re-created email user profiles, folders and email rules. Now the computer was feeling more like mine again. But when I checked a few different places I found that a huge chunk of used disc space was unaccounted for ( and surprise - it equalled my "My Documents" file in size). Also in user profiles, my old profile was still registering, but not showing up on the Welcome Screen. It seemed the profile had just disappeared into a parallel world rather like odd socks and missing keys.
This reminds me of the children's book for years 7-11, written by Emily Rodda called "Finder's Keepers" where all these lost objects disappear through cracks and breaches into a parallel world, only to be pushed back at a later time. Emily Rodda is an Australian, award winning, children's author. She is very prolific and creates many books and series in the fantasy genre, both contemporary fantasy, and quest-based fantasy. She also has created a detective series for children. And children love her writings.
Back to the computer. Straight to the internet to solve the mystery of the invisible user profile occupying so much space on the computer. The answer was simple in the end. When creating my new test user, I had created an admin user (that's all the computer would allow me to do) and that took precedence over my old profile, banishing the old one to a parallel invisible world. The fix was also simple- Control Panel/ User Accounts/change settings/ clear "use Welcome Screen" /Apply OK and a standard windows log on allows me to choose my log on profile.
At the same time I am also struggling with my new laptop. Touch mouse screens are not easy for my arthritic fingers ( I am too heavy-handed and not very flexible). Plus the new mouse is a very different shape to any other mouse I have used- higher palm curve and longer shape mean my fingers are really stretched to reach the roller button, and my wrist is at a strange angle. I guess the next shopping day in town will mean a purchase of a more comfortable mouse.