This post is about my very first hands-on task at The Residences at Commonwealth. It seemed simple at first, just replacing the old computer in the Admin Office with a brand new PC. I thought, “Easy! Install Windows, set up the usual apps like MS Office, and I’m done.”

Well… not quite.

The Unexpected Question

I successfully installed the operating system and all the necessary software. Everything was running smoothly. But just when I was about to leave, the Admin Assistant asked me:

“Where are my files?”

Biglang kinabahan ako. In my head: “Patay… bago lang ako, tapos may nagawa na agad akong mali?!” HAHAHAHA!

The Missing Folder

Turns out, she had a folder saved on her old Desktop where she kept all her important documents. While I had already connected the 1TB backup HDD to the new PC, the files she needed weren’t on it, they were only on the desktop of the old machine.

Lesson learned: not everyone uses the “Documents” folder or designated backup drives. Some users save everything to the Desktop, and that’s okay, as long as we, IT folks, know where to look.

How I Handled It

Instead of pointing out her backup habits (which I didn’t want to do on Day 1!), I simply said:

“Ah, okay Ma’am! I’ll transfer it to your new PC.”

Calm and professional on the outside, kahit kabado sa loob. HAHA! I reconnected the old computer, located the folder on her desktop, and safely copied everything to the new system. After double-checking, I also made sure the same folder was backed up to the 1TB external drive.

A Gentle Reminder to Myself

This experience taught me one thing: always ask the user where they save their files before replacing or wiping any system. Never assume that all important data is on the D drive or the backup HDD.

It was a small hiccup, but one that made a big impact on how I now approach every migration or system setup.

More Stories to Come

Every day is a learning experience here. In future posts, I’ll share more real-life situations like this, from troubleshooting network issues to configuring backups, and everything in between.

Thanks for reading! If you’ve had a similar “kinabahan ako” moment during your first days on the job, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Stay tuned! Marami pa akong kwento!