UPDATE Thursday, 23 February: We’re getting closer to a permanent solution. The new (to me) system (a Mac Mini) is here. I’m just awaiting an adapter which will allow me to use it with the VGA monitor I have here, and I should be reliably connected again. I remain hopeful that I’ll be returning to full swing next week.

UPDATE Monday, 20 February: I have found a work-around to the mouse issue, though it’s not terribly reliable. I find that the computer, once completely cool, will give me a couple of hours without locking up. Therefore, I’ve been shutting it down several times a day for an hour or so. I’m only able to get work done in a scattered way, but have been able to access email and the web if I’m careful. If I’m needed, feel free to email. I can’t make any promises, of course, but I’ll do my best to fit you in while the computer is behaving.

Consensus is that the system has something failing in the hardware department, which means that eventually it’s going to become unusable. A reliable replacement is on the way, thanks to a dear friend who is also an expert on such things. Once it arrives, it will take me a couple days to get up and running, but I hope to be back on track pretty soon.

Thanks again for your patience.

UPDATE 5: Saturday afternoon. Things are not going well. Watch this space, though it may be an empty space for a bit longer than I’d hoped.

UPDATE 4: Unfortunately, as of Friday evening 2/17, not much progress has been made, and I’m still without a reliable computer. Tomorrow, if current (slowly running) backups are completed, I will be attempting the previously mentioned completely new installation of Windows. Wish me luck. If things go well, I hope to begin surfacing again on Monday. If things don’t, it’s going to be longer … because it means I’ll have to get another computer.

Either way, I thank you again for your patience. And send out good energy to the good friend who has been helping me through this most recent disaster.

UPDATE 3 : I’m still limping along with a computer that only gives me a few minutes before it starts refusing to recognize mouse-clicks. I’m currently struggling to get things rearranged to that I can safely do a total wipe and reinstall of the operating system and not lose everything. I resisted using “the cloud” for my data for a long time, but at this point it may in fact save the day.

I know I’m pretty much useless right now, and for that I apologize. I am a prisoner of the Technology Gods.

Watch This Space.

UPDATE 2: Apparently I was wrong. The “thought to be responsible” program is no longer on my system, and the problem is persisting. It was better for a while, but is now acting up again. I am still investigating the issue, and will continue to update here. I really hope I can be back up and running soon. Again, thank you for your patience.

UPDATE: After much hair-pulling, I stumbled across a program which, although I’ve used it for years without any problems at all, apparently decided to interfere with the mouse function. Disabling that piece of software appears to have made the computer usable again. It’s still somewhat hit and miss, with (so far) minor issues cropping up, but at least I can get things done.

Watch this space for any changes.

ORIGINAL POST:

Unfortunately, my laptop is once again experiencing difficulties. It’s been spotty for several days, but usable … until this evening (February 14th). It currently is refusing to accept any mouse clicks, or touchpad input, at all. I am going to keep fighting to get it running again, though am honestly wondering if it would be wiser to throw in the towel and get something more reliable. It has been nothing but trouble since Microsoft tried to force Windows 10 down its throat.

I shall do my best to honor obligations, and hope my best is enough to prevent disappointing anyone.

I apologise for the inconveniences I’m sure this will cause.

Gayle