How Hero-Boy saved my mac

                                                                 Hero-Boy

You know how you go to buy a new computer and they sell you the "top-of-the-line" version and tell you it will take years for you to use up the available space?  Well, it did.  Take me years.  Two exactly, to max out the space on my hard disc with about 20,00 digital pictures.  It started to get progressively slower as I loaded on more and more photos, finally gasping it's final breath as I added a hundred or so RAW-file photos of an enciente friend.  I was actually down to only a couple of MB of space.  Not even enough to maneuver things around to try to free up space.  I'm not even going to get into my issues of deleting photos because frankly, it's a little embarrassing,  and I have been working on it, I swear!  My point is, it was obvious that I needed an upgrade. 

 

So what does a computer-illiterate person do when they need computer help?  They call the MAC store.  They assured me that for one low payment of $160 I could have DOUBLE the SPACE that I currently had!  My 256GB would jump up to a massive 512GB!!  It would only take about an hour, and I was almost 100% guaranteed that I would not lose any data!  Well, I figured that it would probably have to be done, and that considering I was an idiot when it comes to computers, I should start to mentally prepare myself for the fact that I would have to back everything on my hard-disc up and transport my precious mac to the MACDOC store for the necessary work. 

 

Well, let's just say that it's a darn good thing that it takes me a loooong time to mentally prepare myself for anything, because my delay in getting that ball rolling ended up being a great thing!

One cold and snowy afternoon, Hero-boy was over visiting my eldest and commented on the sluggishness of our computer.  Being a self-proclaimed "computer geek" and  having some pretty good credentials in the "I think I'll build myself a super-cool mac for cheap" department, he assured me that I could get some RAM and a larger hard disc on line for a very reasonable price, and that he could put it in my computer for me.  He proceeded to direct me to the "New-egg" website and walked me through my purchase.  I, having no qualms whatsoever, ordered the necessary products.  Never once did I think to myself, "I would be crazy to let a 16 year-old punk take apart my imac and transfer all my information to a new hard disc".  I had total faith because this is Hero-Boy we are talking about!  

The package came and we began to operate.  

Now imacs do not have a separate tower and monitor.  The hard disc and disc drive along with everything else is built in to the monitor.  This is a feature I both love, and am afraid of.  It looks super cool on the desk-top, but makes me afraid to even pick up, let alone transport or open up, but Hero-Boy showed no such trepidation.  He hauled over his whole computer set up and followed directions he found on the internet to take apart my precious mac. 

Removing itty-bitty hard disc

 (Nope, still not scared.  Although I didn't like the sound made by the seal as it ripped apart--it seemed so final, like opening a very old bottle of some vintage beverage  and knowing there was no going back now...) 

Hero-Boy laughing at the pathetic size of my old hard disc

 He gently removed my itty-bitty hard disc and using his computer, cloned all my data to my new hard disc.  As the mac was re-assembled and sealed back up (minus the actual seal which Hero-Boy assures me was not necessary)  we held our breath until my familiar, cluttered-up screen appeared.  I could almost hear my computer make some unmentionable noises as it spread out to take advantage of the newly acquired space.  And I'm talking SPACE people!!!!!  Hero-Boy had, with his generous donation of information, know-how, and time, upgraded my 256GB hard drive,  512MB RAM mac to a whopping 1TB and 2GB RAM!  So basically I have four times the computer for less than the price of just a hard disc upgrade!!  Amazing I know!!  I'm not sure but I think Hero-Boy and my eldest are now betrothed, but, hey!  It was totally worth it!!!

  Thanks a lot Hero-Boy!  You're the best!