If their broken computer was functional, I would have attached an external hard drive (like an extra brain) to the computer. Then I could have moved their music libraries to the external hard drive and onto the new computer. But, that wasn’t an option.

If I plugged their iPods into their new computer and did a sync (making the computer and iPod combine content), iTunes would have wiped out everything on the iPods. Obviously not an option.

Instead, I visited the wesbite http://www.purpleghost.com/ and downloaded (moved from the website to their computer) the program TuneJack. Have your credit card at the ready. Be sure to print the receipt when your purchase is complete. TuneJack will send you an e-mail with a license number that is required to begin the installation of the program onto your computer.

Before you start the download process, open iTunes and make the following change:

1) Click Edit.

2) Click Preferences.

3) Click on Devices tab.

4) Click in the box to the left of “Prevent iPods and iPhones from syncing automatically.”

5) Click OK.

This stops iTunes from automatically syncing when your iPod is plugged in. There can be times when you don’t want to sync automatically. This is one of those times.

Next, plug in your iPod. There’s one more change we want to make before we install TuneJack.

1) Wait until iTunes identifies your iPod, click on your device in the left hand sidebar.

2) Click in box to left of “Automatically sync when iPod or iPhone is connected” to remove the check – deactivating the choice.

3) Click Apply.

4) Click on “eject” symbol  to the right of your device name then unplug your iPod.

iTunes will now NOT open automatically when you plug in the iPod. (We don’t want iTunes to be open when we use TuneJack. They don’t play well together.)

Next close any open programs on your computer – especially iTunes.

Great! Now you can install TuneJack by following their very clear instructions. I always like to turn my computer off and back on after I install a new program. That’s your call.

A shortcut for TuneJack will appear on your desktop. Double-click on the icon and follow their step-by-step instructions. (A warning window will appear asking you to deactivate the auto sync at plug-in. We’ve already done that, but you can double check. Be sure to close iTunes after checking.)

At the step where TuneJack wants to find your iPod, plug in your iPod and wait patiently. When I did the initial transfer from the iPod to iTunes an error message appeared. I didn’t panic. I just repeated all the steps again and it worked perfectly the second time around.

Be patient, read what’s in front of you, and take deep breaths. Keep in touch and let me know how it worked.

For those of you that don’t know an iPod from your elbow (and you’re not alone), take a peek at Chapter 24 – Extra, Extra, Read All About It: The Scoop on Cell Phones, PDAs, Blackberries, iPods and iPhones in “Is This Thing On?” A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers, Technophobes and the Kicking & Screaming (p. 349).

Here are some additional bits of advice, if the time comes that you need to call for help:

Have all pertinent information about your computer at the ready. You may need to provide the tech person with the specs on your system. It’s a good idea to have written down the make and model of your computer and the operating system. The make and model (i.e. Sony Vaio PCG-505FX, MacBook, etc.) is usually noted on the front of your computer case. When the computer is warming up the operating system (i.e. Windows XP, Vista, OSX, etc.) will be displayed. Alternatively, if you have a PC, you can find all this information by RIGHT clicking on the “My Computer” icon. Then LEFT click on the word “Properties”. Here you can see the make and model of the computer, the operating system and even the amount of RAM. If you have a Mac, you can click on the Apple in the top left corner, then click on “About This Mac”.

Ask if the tech support person is familiar with your system. I’m all for learning on the job, but not when it comes to tech support. With so many different computer systems being used and a lot of compatibility problems, it is essential that you start your search for answers with someone who is familiar with your system. If the technician is not familiar with your computer system, please feel empowered to ask for someone that is.

If you took advantage of the "Test Drive Form" in my book when you bought your computer (Chapter 7), all the information you need is already written on that form. Handy, isn’t it?

If, and when, the time comes that you need to call technical support, it is best to be prepared:

1) Take notes. As soon as you get a live person on the line (and that can take a bit of time) ask for their name and a direct number that you can call them back at in case you get disconnected or have further questions. Note the date and get a reference number for the call before you hang up. Make a general note about the original problem, so you can track it if it recurs.

2) Give them your phone number. It has happened that I’ve gotten disconnected mid-call and the tech support person didn’t have my number to call me back.

3) Take your time and keep them on the line. If they’re talking too fast, tell them to slow down. Or, if they want to get off the line before you’re sure everything is working properly, ask them to stay on until you’ve tested the computer out. There are times I’ve had to be quite firm about the last point.

4) Don’t hesitate to ask for a supervisor. If you’re not satisfied or feel that you’re not getting anywhere with the tech support person, definitely ask to speak to a supervisor. You may get some resistance, but hold fast.

5) It’s always best to get a new computer up and running right away. You want to be sure to get all the bugs out while you’re still under warranty and your tech support calls are free.

Be prepared that you may get a tech support person on the line who is not qualified to answer your question. It is frustrating, but it can happen. At that point you should either ask for a supervisor, call back and hope to get someone else or track down a computer wiz in your neighborhood who can help you. As for your visit to the dentist, remember to floss!

Let it be a lesson to us all not to forward e-mail from someone who is forwarding it along after it had been forwarded to them without checking its authenticity. These are the e-mails that show an endless listing of past recipients before you get to the actual e-mail message. This goes for virus warnings, as well as tragic tales where you’re instructed to forward it so some unfortunate can get a $1 for every e-mail sent in their honor and chain letters that threaten bad luck if they’re broken.

Sometimes these forwarded e-mails are research for a school paper and we’re the student’s unwitting guinea pigs. Or, it may be someone with an enormous ego wanting to see how far their bogus e-mail will travel. Either way, you become an accomplice by blindly passing on the message.

Here’s some advice before passing on an e-mail:

1. If the e-mail refers to a virus, call your computer manufacturer to check its validity. Alternatively, you can check for current viruses and hoaxes at this web site address: http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp? (Note: Do NOT precede the web address with www.)
2. Call the medical institution that is supposedly going to donate money for every e-mail sent in the name of the poor unfortunate. Chances are they won’t know what you’re talking about.
3. Send the chain letter back to the person who sent it to you—10 times! Hopefully, they’ll remove you from their chain letter list.

We all remember the rumors that began in the playground and haunted us through the school day. Think twice before you forward an e-mail. That person you knew in the playground may be all grown up and sitting at a computer up to their old tricks.

Below are common error messages and what they indicate:

• "Non-system disk or disk error." Fear not. You simply forgot to remove the floppy disk from the A: drive. Remove the disk and press any key on the keyboard. Your computer should continue the startup process without a glitch.
• "You have performed an illegal operation." Wrong. There is nothing illegal about what happened and 9 times out of 10 it was nothing you did. The software program you were in had a minor hiccup.
• "A fatal error has occurred." Should you call 911? Absolutely not! This message merely indicates that whatever went wrong (and you may never know what it was) has caused the program you were in to stop functioning properly.

Try the steps below to handle error messages:

1. Give the computer a minute or two to recover, then try to close the error message window and restart your computer.
2. If your mouse or keyboard doesn’t respond, "soft boot" (or force quit in Mac speak) the computer. This means to restart or shutdown the computer without pulling the plug.

   To soft boot a PC: Hold down the Ctrl (control), Alt (Alternate) and Del (Delete) keys on your keyboard. Follow the instructions on the Close Program window that will appear.
    
   To force quit a Mac: Hold down the Command, Option Alt and Esc (Escape) keys on your keyboard. Hit the Return key on your keyboard.

 

3. Keep a diary of error messages including the date, time and what program you were in when the error took place. Write down the error message exactly as it appears. This may prove helpful to a technician if the problem becomes chronic.

Note: You may lose the changes made to a document or program when an error occurs.

The Internet is designed with a certain visual language that can be as intimidating or baffling as computer jargon. Web sites are designed for you to use the mouse to move from one area of information to another, to submit a request or initiate a search and to scroll up and down the page. Most web sites don’t tell you in words what to do with your mouse in order to take advantage of the things they have to offer. Web designers assume that you know to click on a button that says Next or Submit or Search to go where you want or find what you seek.

Here is a decoder to help you understand and navigate a web page:

• The text that indicates a link to more information is often underlined and in a color that sets it off from the rest of the content.
• When you move the mouse onto a web page link, the mouse arrow usually becomes a hand. It is a web site’s way of saying "Hey, notice me! Click here!"
• Use the scroll bars (both horizontal and vertical) to be sure to see all that the window has on it.
• Use the Back Arrow (top left of the window) to go back to the previous web page.
• After you have filled out a form on a web page you must tell the computer to submit the information. Look for a button to click on that accomplishes this—i.e., Send, Go, Done.
• Think synonyms. If you’re using a search feature, the button to activate the search may say Search, Go or Fetch instead of Find.

Once you’re familiar with how to decipher and navigate the Internet, there will be no stopping you!

I didn’t have to understand how it functioned, but I should be able to point to the part and know the name. This is also great advice for the computer. You definitely do not need to understand how the parts of a computer work, but it will benefit you to know what they’re called.

Here are the basics…the parts you can see are:

• the monitor (houses the screen where things are viewed)
• the keyboard (used to type)
• the mouse (moves the pointer on the screen)
• the computer case (houses the brain)

The brain contained in the computer case includes:

• the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the nervous system of the computer—all information passes through the CPU
• the Hard Drive (HD) is the permanent memory of the computer—it stores all the information on the computer whether the machine is off or on
• the Random Access Memory (RAM) is the temporary memory that is used to open images or documents only when the computer is on
• the modem, which translates information to and from the Internet

You definitely don’t have to remember the function of these parts in order to use a computer, but know that the explanation is here for you. Think of it this way: Do you talk on the phone or use a toaster? Yup. Do you really understand how they work? Nope. My point exactly!