[Don Plumley]

I've avoided chiming in - but the descriptions you are using on how you navigate, find files, etc. has me worried. Lots of advice, but I'm not hearing the kind of response that gives me comfort about where you are looking.

In hindsight it is easy for me to say back stuff up. But seriously, why are you not using a free online backup service? I have an online-cloud backup plus a connected external drive constantly backing my files up. I used to support a bunch of end users and saw people lose years of work when hard drives fail.

1) Are you using finder to look for files?
2) Does anyone else use this computer? Do you have a cat? Cats are evil, they do this sort of thing for sport.