#303306 - 22/10/2007 04:31
Computer upgrade procedure
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5546
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
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I am doing a serious upgrade to my Gateway 2000 60 MHz Pentium computer. Actually, this is only the latest in a long series of upgrades... currently it is running at 1.2 GHz, with 240 GB hard drive plus a 300 GB USB external drive (for backups), a gigabyte of RAM, a 128MB video card, a DVD burner, and a 22" LCD monitor. BUT... I am still using the original Gateway AnyKey keyboard, so it is still my original Gateway, right? It's like Grandpa's axe: The head has been replaced twice and the handle four times, but it is still the same axe. This latest upgrade will replace everything except the monitor and the keyboard. The engineer at the radio station where I work is building me a complete new computer. (Dual-core 6 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, terabyte of hard drive (if I include the 300 GB USB external drive) on RAID-5, 256 MB video, 650 watt power supply, Wi-Fi, Blue-Tooth mouse, etc.) Not bleeding-edge top of the line everything, but enough to keep me ahead of the obsolescence curve for a few years. Anyway, here's the question. Or several of them, actually. 1) I use Outlook Express as my e-mail client. I'd like the new computer to have all my e-mail stuff (In-Box, Out-Box, Deleted Mail, Sent Mail, etc.) just the way it is in my current computer. I have years of stuff archived and want to keep it. How do I go about this? 2) My engineer tells me that I am going to have to part with my beloved HP II-CX scanner because the new motherboard will not support the ISA card required to run it. Or maybe it is a PCI card, I don't know, been a long time since I had to deal with it. The scanner has always been the most difficult thing to deal with on every upgrade. Anyway, he says the scanner has to go. I'm guessing that scanner technology has improved and gotten less expensive (I paid nearly $1000 for my II-CX ten years ago) so I'm looking for recommendations for a replacement. 3) I'll be running 32-bit Vista for the operating system (I have a lot of legacy software and I want to maximise my chances of compatibility, so no 64-bit for now although the hardware will be 64-bit compatible). What "gotchas" should I be on the alert for? I will have the entire contents of my current computer acessible to the new computer by means of the 300 GB external USB backup drive. This should make transfer of data and much of the software (I have kept the original files of all downloaded programs like AVG and Emplode and Exact Audio Copy and FireFox and Google Earth and Hyperterminal and ICQ and Lame and MP3TS and Spyware Doctor and Total Recorder and Trillian and Tweakui and Winamp and Windows Media Player and Winzip and ZDOOM to name just a FEW of the programs that will be reinstalled) but probably I will actually install the software only as I need it. Is there a general strategy I should follow for getting the new computer up and running? I know from past upgrades that it will take literally months before everything is done and set up the way I want it.  tanstaafl.
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"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"
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#303307 - 22/10/2007 10:31
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12324
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Re: the scanner - yes, it's an ISA card. I had that scanner, and I no longer use it for the same reason. I believe, however, that the card is just a really old SCSI card. So if you get a modern equivalent, I assume it would work (but don't quote me on it). I'm pretty sure that Belkin make a USB SCSI adapter, but I have no idea if that would work. I don't know if the ISA card is proprietary card (which, considering HP, it could be). *edit* looks like the Belkin product has long since been discontinued, but there are others out there, like this one. Can anyone confirm whether or not that would work? Re: the software - I know you have backups of the installation files, and that's fine, but you might want to save yourself the trouble and get the latest installation files for many of those (like AVG and Firefox). Otherwise you'll be doing a lot of upgrading, which in the case of older versions of Firefox means repeated whole installations. Re: Outlook Express - really? That's going to be a pain. I hate how that program stores data. It's in a bunch of oddly-named files, usually in two or more folders. At least if you upgraded to Outlook, you could store everything in one PST. Then you could switch to something better like Thunderbird and import all the data (I don't think Thunderbird imports directly from Outlook Express, but I could be wrong).
Edited by Dignan (22/10/2007 10:37)
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Matt
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#303308 - 22/10/2007 12:28
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Quote:
My engineer tells me that I am going to have to part with my beloved HP II-CX scanner because the new motherboard will not support the ISA card required to run it.
It's just a SCSI card. You should be able to get a SCSI card for your new PC without much problem. I'm assuming it's one of those 25-pin connectors (looks like a parallel port). You'll need an adapter, but that's not a huge deal.
What may be a huge deal is getting it to work under Vista. I have no experience, but my understanding is that the whole scanner subsystem has been changed dramatically. It might work easily, or it might never work at all.
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Bitt Faulk
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#303309 - 22/10/2007 12:31
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Quote:
Can anyone confirm whether or not that would work?
Other than the fact that I wouldn't trust a SCSI-to-USB converter, no reason why it shouldn't.
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Bitt Faulk
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#303310 - 22/10/2007 17:47
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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addict
Registered: 01/03/2002
Posts: 598
Loc: Florida
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Quote:
1) I use Outlook Express as my e-mail client. I'd like the new computer to have all my e-mail stuff (In-Box, Out-Box, Deleted Mail, Sent Mail, etc.) just the way it is in my current computer. I have years of stuff archived and want to keep it. How do I go about this?
Microsoft's Help or Outlook Express Backup Version 6.5
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Chad
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#303311 - 22/10/2007 22:59
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 06/10/1999
Posts: 2591
Loc: Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
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Curious, what was it that convinced you to run Vista over XP?
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Jim
'Tis the exceptional fellow who lies awake at night thinking of his successes.
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#303312 - 22/10/2007 23:51
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
Dual-core 6 GHz processor
Wow 
Quote:
650 watt power supply
If you're ever going to run ludicrous resolution (its all plaid) with two video cards linked together then you might want to get a beefier power supply.
Quote:
3) I'll be running 32-bit Vista for the operating system (I have a lot of legacy software and I want to maximise my chances of compatibility, so no 64-bit for now although the hardware will be 64-bit compatible). What "gotchas" should I be on the alert for?
Vista and compatibility is an oxymoron. If you want more compatibility then run XP. If you need even more than run Windows 98...
Tell the engineer to not activate Vista. Leave it unactivated and before the 30 day countdown expires, do the rearm trick. You can do this a maximum of 3 times. When you can no longer do it, then you actually activate Vista. You'll then have 120 days to fiddle, tweak and reinstall the system with no worry about having to phone up Microsoft to reactivate it.
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I have kept the original files of all downloaded programs like AVG and Emplode and Exact Audio Copy and FireFox and Google Earth and Hyperterminal and ICQ and Lame and MP3TS and Spyware Doctor and Total Recorder and Trillian and Tweakui and Winamp and Windows Media Player and Winzip and ZDOOM
As Dignan said, you will want to get the latest versions of all of these. TweakUI hasn't been released for Vista and running older versions isn't recommended.
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#303313 - 23/10/2007 01:04
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: jimhogan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5546
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
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Quote:
Curious, what was it that convinced you to run Vista over XP?
My engineer. He is sysadmin for two relatively large networks (50--100 computers in each) and has built probably 100 computers over the years. He says that Vista has proven more robust and less problematical than any previous Windows system, particularly when it comes to recognizing hardware.
Also, since I plan on keeping this hardware for a good while, Vista gives me a better upgrade path as new software comes out.
tanstaafl.
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"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"
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#303314 - 23/10/2007 02:29
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31584
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Quote:
He says that Vista has proven more robust and less problematical than any previous Windows system, particularly when it comes to recognizing hardware.
One of the issues with Vista is that the device driver interface has changed yet again, and vista-native drivers need to be written again from scratch by all of the hardware vendors. Vista might be good at *recognizing* hardware, but its available palette of vista-native device drivers is much smaller for now. In other words, you'll find a lot more device drivers out there for XP than for Vista.
Since you're upgrading everything, though, this won't be an issue as long as you and your engineer make sure to buy devices that have vista-native drivers already.
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#303315 - 23/10/2007 17:14
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tfabris]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5546
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
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Quote:
Since you're upgrading everything, though, this won't be an issue as long as you and your engineer make sure to buy devices that have vista-native drivers already.
There are only three items of legacy hardware that I will try and carry over to the new computer: My old Gateway AnyKey PS2 keyboard; my external 300GB USB hard drive; and my old Kyocera laser printer that runs off the parallel port.
The first two are (I think!) no-brainers. 90 seconds of Google research at Kyocera/Mita's download site shows me that I should be OK with the printer:
Model: FS-3700+
Size: 16.95 Mb
Version: 4.2.1027a
Date added: 06-Jan-2007, 07:36
Manufacturer: Kyocera Mita
Device type: Printer
Operation system: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista
MD5: 3e5313078035e7d849694736affc898a
Everything else is brand new.
He (the engineer) did practically beg on bended knee that I be excruciatingly careful about what software I [re]-installed, and I will take him at his word and (a) install software only as I need it, and (b) not install anything that isn't Vista certified or at least known from reliable sources to work without problems.
Hmmm... anybody here know whether ZDOOM is happy with Vista?
tanstaafl.
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"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"
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#303316 - 23/10/2007 17:19
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5915
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
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"Why would I want to use ZDoom instead of regular Doom?
Consider all these features that ZDoom has that are not found in the standard Doom originally released by id:
* It runs well under all modern versions of Windows, from Windows 95 to the new Windows Vista. If you have Linux, it works with that too."
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#303317 - 23/10/2007 18:27
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14488
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
Quote:
650 watt power supply
If you're ever going to run ludicrous resolution (its all plaid) with two video cards linked together then you might want to get a beefier power supply.
Speaking of global warming... this is where it comes from folks, stuff like that.
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#303318 - 23/10/2007 18:42
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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I hope you mean running two video cards, not having a "beefier" power supply.
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Bitt Faulk
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#303319 - 24/10/2007 11:36
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tman]
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enthusiast
Registered: 06/08/2002
Posts: 333
Loc: The Pilbara, Western Australia
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Quote:
Tell the engineer to not activate Vista. Leave it unactivated and before the 30 day countdown expires, do the rearm trick. You can do this a maximum of 3 times. When you can no longer do it, then you actually activate Vista. You'll then have 120 days to fiddle, tweak and reinstall the system with no worry about having to phone up Microsoft to reactivate it.
Good idea, considering this.
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Peter.
"I spent 90% of my money on women, drink and fast cars. The rest I wasted." - George Best
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#303320 - 24/10/2007 12:17
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: pedrohoon]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
Quote:
Tell the engineer to not activate Vista. Leave it unactivated and before the 30 day countdown expires, do the rearm trick. You can do this a maximum of 3 times. When you can no longer do it, then you actually activate Vista. You'll then have 120 days to fiddle, tweak and reinstall the system with no worry about having to phone up Microsoft to reactivate it.
Good idea, considering this.
Microsoft changed how activation checked your hardware. It is more leniant now assuming you don't ever change your HD. If it decides that your HD has changed in any way then it will assume that this is a new install and force you to reactivate. The problem the person in that article and I've been hit by this as well is that the device name can change due to driver updates.
I installed the crap buggy nVidia SATA drivers and my SATA drives came up as a SCSI device. I had problems with corruption, crashing etc... so I used the generic IDE drivers instead. This meant that my drives now appeared as a ATA device and Windows complained because the name had changed slightly.
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#303322 - 15/11/2007 06:51
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tanstaafl.]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 18/01/2000
Posts: 5683
Loc: London, UK
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Quote:
Each CD had 99 audio tracks on it (why do the audiobook makers do that?
Because the table-of-contents (TOC) on Red Book (Audio) CDs has only got space for 99 tracks. As for why they did 99 small tracks rather than fewer longer tracks, I don't know.
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#303325 - 15/11/2007 13:02
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Check out Foxmarks. It's not exactly a bookmarks backup tool, but it is a bookmarks synchronizer, which might fit your needs.
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Bitt Faulk
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#303326 - 15/11/2007 13:12
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: andy]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14488
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
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Bringing the FireFox bookmarks and settings over was easy -- IF you know how. Just find the bookmarks.html file in the old computer, copy over the top of the bookmarks.html file in the new computer and that's it. Of course finding that file isn't easy without a bit of help! 
I've always wondered why they don't have a better method for storing bookmarks that makes it easier to back up. Maybe in 3.0.
I can't imagine what easier backup method you are imagining? They store all the bookmarks in a single file on the file system and provide an import/export function in "Bookmarks->Organise Bookmarks".
And it's not a binary hack buried in a database (or "registry") somewhere, either. Rather, it's a plain text file using very basic HTML. Hard to beat that.
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#303328 - 15/11/2007 14:25
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: andy]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
And it's not a binary hack buried in a database (or "registry") somewhere, either. Rather, it's a plain text file using very basic HTML. Hard to beat that.
IE stores them as text files as well. One per bookmark. They look like INI files so you'll need to do some work in converting it.
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In contrast I have no idea where IE stores its bookmarks, but I do know it is NOT in "Documents and Settings/*/Application Data/Microsoft/Internet Explorer", because that would just be too easy now wouldn't it ?
Um. Actually its easier.
Documents and Settings/*/Favorites/
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#303329 - 15/11/2007 15:12
Re: Computer upgrade procedure
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5915
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
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In contrast I have no idea where IE stores its bookmarks, but I do know it is NOT in "Documents and Settings/*/Application Data/Microsoft/Internet Explorer", because that would just be too easy now wouldn't it ?
Um. Actually its easier.
Documents and Settings/*/Favorites/
Except that that isn't easier, because it is a non standard place. They belong to IE, they should be in "Documents and Settings/*/Application Data/Microsoft/Internet Explorer", typical of Microsoft not following their own standards.
But at least they are there stored as files, when I didn't find them in "Documents and Settings/*/Application Data/Microsoft/Internet Explorer" I assumed the worst (that they had stashed them in the registry somewhere).
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