Happy Thanksgiving (at least to all my American readers)! I hope that everyone gets to be with those they love, find a moment to reflect on what they are thankful for, and maybe watch a football or basketball game. Or listen to Christmas carols, as I tend to do on Thanksgiving.
This has not been the best week for me. I had to make another visit to the dentist (I really like my dentist, but I just wish we met more at cocktail parties than in her dental office). That visit set me back a few dollars, so I am encouraging everyone to buy at least three or four of each of my books so I can pay off my dental debts.
In addition to dental woes, my computer was acting up again. Yep, Windows 10 Group Client Policy Service once again malfunctioned. This time the situation was worse than the last times it happened, because on this occasion, I couldn’t even run System Restore or access the Registry edit program. I was really at a loss, so much so that I considered a couple of drastic options:
Option One – give up writing on a computer and go back to writing a story with a typewriter or even longhand. Not a good option. My typewriter ribbon is so dried out, the pages come out white. And my penmanship is so bad that even I can’t read what I wrote.
Option Two – buy a new computer. Not a bad option, but remember, I just spent all that money on my teeth. Where would I get the money for a new computer? Ask my readers to buy six or eight copies of each book?
Option Three – take the computer to an expert and see if he/she can fix it. Not as much money as Option Two, but still possibly expensive.
Then I did something totally insane. I tried to start my computer in Safemode, a task at which I failed. But in doing so, I noticed this F12 prompt up on my screen. Having no idea what I was doing, I clicked on it. It brought up a bunch of options, none of which I understood. But there was one option I did understand. Dell Diagnostics. Why not?
So I ran the diagnostics program, and after an incredibly long time, I figured, this is useless. The diagnostics program wasn’t finding anything wrong. So I stopped it.
Forlorn and depressed, I started my computer one more time.
And it worked!
Yes, it worked! It booted up properly, with no sign of the recalcitrant Group Client Policy Service error.
Am I a genius or not?
Well, apparently not. I still don’t know what causes my problems, and since I have found two different ways to correct it, I am pretty sure it is a matter of time before GCPS strikes again.
So I ordered a new computer for myself, a back-up computer if you will, that will allow me to keep writing even when Windows 10 tries to thwart my writing dreams.
And I am keeping Option Three open.