... my computer is back up and running again.
I had a major issue that occurred when I tried to upload a post to my Wordpress blog. I got an error stating there was a problem logging in due to an RPC-XML issue. I'd been testing some blogging clients and wanted to do a software review of them (which never happened, by the bye), but when I tried to post, nothing.
Being a technical support person, I did what came naturally to me. I got pissed off, then acted rashly. I assumed the blogging clients I'd sampled created the problem, that it was a local problem to my PC, and that I had to re-do everything. I uninstalled Windows Live Writer and the other blogging clients. Then I "cleaned" the Windows registry. Then I rebooted, and tried to reinstall Windows Live Writer.
And it promptly failed.
I got even pisseder. Yes, pisseder.
So, the error messages (or lack thereof) led me on a wild goose chase that had me doing everything from trying to recover my system through the Windows System Recovery utility to contemplating creating my own registry entries to address and re-acquire my lost beloved Live Writer. Nothing worked, however, because like any good tech support person, I wasn't prepared for a catastrophic failure. I tried reinstalling Windows (which left all my programs and data intact, supposedly). It didn't, of course. I wound up trampling roughshod over my programs and settings, and one after another things started snowballing. Somewhere around this point, my beautiful and much more intelligent wife discovered it wasn't Windows Live Writer having the problem, it was Wordpress. They'd disabled the RPC-XML apparatus on their servers for some reason. But by then, it was far too late. I was on a commit path toward having to do something both drastic and unwelcome.
After about three and a half hours of wrestling with the PC, I decided it was time to reformat the drive.
That meant moving my many gigabyte data storage to my wife's computer. That also meant having to update, patch and secure Windows all over again, just like I did when I got it. And it meant having to reinstall, reconfigure and worst of all find all my programs.
Well, it turned out to be a good exercise. I had a virus issue a couple of months ago that left me drained, ticked and with a PC that was ... well, less than trustworthy in some respect. The recovery process allowed me the luxury of leaving off the things I didn't want, knew I wasn't using, couldn't use and didn't like. In the end, I recovered about 9% of my hard drive, and only have the things I really love installed now. The recovery process from one of my writing programs (Page Four) was more tricky than I imagined, but it finally worked, albeit differently than it said it would. After battling it out with this thing for about 28 hours, I've got my PC back up to snuff, my Windows files and Windows Live Writer are functional, all my beloved writing software is working, and now I just need the finishing touches to make it perfect.
On the downside the Patriots lost the Super Bowl, and that was more being pissed. I do. Not. Want. To. Talk. About. It.
It's a long, long offseason. But my computer is fixed.
That also means I didn't get any writing done. Neither any editing. I'm sorry all, I'll try and get back on the horse soon, but for now, it's ... well, I have other pressing matters to address right now, so I'll take care of it when I can. I have Chapter 5 of Witch Hunt started, and should be able to finish that pretty soon. I'll advise as events warrant.
It's been a nightmare weekend. Please pray that things go better for us this coming week. We need a break in our situation really soon.
God bless.
-JDT-
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