Anyway, I was trying to get it so she could print on my new printer. I could not get her Mac to "see" the printer. So I followed the directions and installed the new printer drivers, etc., on her computer. When I rebooted afterward, her computer froze. I rebooted again, and again, and again, for about 4 hours, and still it wouldn't start.
In between reboots I discovered she had moved applications out their folders, placed a million "real" files on her desktop, which made it cluttered, and of course the apps were corrupted. So I cleaned up the files (without deleting any -- heh heh) and put the apps back where they belonged. I also retraced my steps and undid everything I'd done to her computer. I undid everything that had been done by her for the past few weeks. Still no go. And anyone who has never checked for extensions conflicts on an old Mac OS (she refuses to upgrade to X -- she needs a bigger hard drive first anyway) doesn't want to hear about that -- people who HAVE done them dread them.
I finally gave up at 6 a.m. and reinstalled her OS. This involved taking both our Macs, removing the covers, and pulling out their "guts." I've done this before enough times, so it was really no big deal, but it was really late and I was super-frustrated. It looked like her computer had bit the big one. The reason I had to pull them apart is, her CD-ROM drive is broken, and I had to put mine in hers. It's OK -- really, since I'm getting a CD-RW drive in a couple of days anyway.
Anyway, after reinstalling the OS, it didn't work. Same freeze. I had no choice but to do a "clean" install, which replaces the System Folder. Again, no big deal, but it doubles up on everything that makes the computer run. The new one will work, but the old, corrupted one is still in there, with the stuff that makes apps work, preferences, etc., inside.
Thank goodness that worked -- the next step involves wiping the hard disk and starting over fresh with a new computer. That IS a big deal, and involves backing everything up first, CHECKING THE BACK-UPS to make sure they work, and then initializing and reinstalling a fresh new OS. I did that last year with her computer, and this year with mine. It's pretty involved.
Anyway, after the clean install, her computer just screamed. Except of course, her non-Apple apps' preferences, etc., would have to be dragged out of the old System Folder. I was too tired to mess with that and went to bed.
My wife, champ that she is, merely reinstalled her apps. She's one of those people who has everything she uses right there on disks. Pretty smart. She didn't know to "uninstall" the apps first, but Macs are pretty good about continuing to function despite a slip or too.
Anyway, I waited a couple of days and attacked the printer thing again. And the software wouldn't install on her computer. I tried the CD again and again -- same old freeze. I then went to the Epson site and straight downloaded the appropriate software/drivers -- and guess what? Yup, same freeze. It's Epson's fault -- and they are usually so Mac-friendly. And to think I yelled at my wife for pulling apps out of their folders, cluttering up her desktop, etc. etc. etc.
I was able to do a work-around (there is ALWAYS a work-around) by merely re-networking our two computers, with the Drop Box, and now all she has to do is slide her document etc. into that, and voila! It's in the Drop Box on MY computer, where she can print from there. Of course, that means my wife will get on my computer, but like I said it's a workaround. She'll be getting her own new printer soon, and unless she decides to upgrade to OS X (finally!) it won't be an Epson.
She did thank me profusely for fixing her computer -- it works better than ever now. I'm the type that will keep attacking a problem relentlessly, heck, obsessively-compulsively, for days if necessary, until I figure it out. Sure beats going for training. I have learned to read instructions, though, after years of trial and error. Trial and error doesn't work too well with logic devices, I've learned.
Eddie
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