The video summarizes what the has been going on.
youtube video


I'm emotionally drained but this needs to be typed even if I'm the only one reading.

On Saturday I took my mac book 13" white laptop into the apple store to get it fixed. Friday night without warning it shut off and refused to turn back on. The genius guy who helped me was super nice and explained my options really well. I decided to see if the mag port chip was bad and they took it to fix it. Saturday night while shopping for dinner while my parents were out of town I received a call that started all the trouble.

It was apple. The mag port chip didn't work so they were gonna haft to send it to the center to get fixed. I asked if this would upset my hard drive and they said that if they found anything wrong it would be replaced so I should have a back up.

How can I back a computer up if I cant even turn it on?

They offered to back it up for a charge of $99.00 if I brought in my own external hard drive. So that Sunday after running errands and such my father, sister, and I went back to the store. Talked to a different genius tech who after going to the back to find out what was the problem was again helpful and answered any questions my dad and I had. I dropped of the external drive and had them wait while I made the decision between getting this computer fixed or replacing it with a new one.
We talked with one of the sales people about the different laptops and desktops that I would need to run the programs that I use.

We went for a walk around the mall while my dad and I talked about the pro's and con's of each choice. Being interrupted by cell phone from on the genius people looking the password to my external so that they could get started on it.

I explained the situation with her and that I had a later appointment the day and would give the go ahead or stop to the back up then. {Should have been my first clue that something was being crossed in the communication.}

I talked with my mother over the phone and after talking with my father in person came up with the answer. I would have the hard drive backed up and the computer fixed. Yes my mac book is almost 5 years old. Yes Macs only have a certain lifespan. I understand that. My problem is that I work part-time and have student loans, cell phones, car insurance, and other bills to pay each month. Any computer in my opinion is out of my price range unless I wish to further my debt.

Went back to the apple store and while my dad dealt with an entirely different situation I waited for my turn to talk with the genius techs. And waited. And waited until somebody finally saw that I was waiting and made sure I got helped. [It seems those working for apple are under constant multi-tasking situations. The always seem to be doing 10 different things at once and not really paying attention to the task at hand]

This tech [not sure what they exact title is other than genius and i don't want to sound rude calling them such, I dont want it to come off as sarcastic] went back and spent a while figuring out all that was going on and came back out. After a brief chat I gave him the password for my external and left the store with the hope my computer would be better by the end of the week.

Wednesday morning almost noon I received a call that my mac was fixed and I could pick computer and external up at my convenience. I rushed to the store before I had to go back to work and picked up my computer. I signed the papers and got printed receipts after spending over $300 to get everything fixed [it was the logic board]. I only had time to turn my computer on and see that hey my wallpaper was still their.

I noticed but it never registered that the amount of files on my desktop was a lot less than what I brought in. I turned it off and ran it home and then on to work with only seconds to spare. After a long day at work I was able to come home, barely eat dinner, and take my computer upstairs.

My intention was to play music or one of the podcast i listen to off my computer while working out. I turned my computer on and noticed while i tunes was loading that i had to resign the user agreement for i tunes.

That was the first flag.

The second flag came when I went to look for my newest digital piece that I had done for a Dark Shadows contest. It was missing. Not only that but my entire art folder was missing. I searched all over the computer to no avail.

I started to panic but plugged in my external hardrive and figured it was there.

It wasn't. And that's when my panic attack set in. I looked every were. I then crumpled to the floor begging please be here.

I'm not an outwardly emotional person. [at least I don't think I am]. I was in full time sobs when i brought my computer down. I could barely speak to tell my father that it was all gone. Eventually my mother heard and I told her.

Everything was gone. The folders were their but the files were not. 5 years of my life disappeared. My stomach dropped and I could barely breath my throat had constricted so much.

My father was able to sit down with the computer and external and attempted to find anything. eventually I think we found some of the files but to get to them the external needs to be plugged in and I have to go through my finder to get it.

One major problem. All the files that were new, new pictures, recent work, how everything was arranged, my job applications for 2 different places. no were to be found.

In a matter of days my computer went from being the thing i bragged about, that apple never fails. To the thing that is testing me and plaguing my without mercy.

I'm calling apple tomorrow and hoping they can figure this out since i payed good money to get it fixed. fingers are crossed. This was written 5.3.2012