Steven W. Erbach
serbach at new.rr.com
Thu Sep 2 15:25:26 CDT 2004
Francisco, >> Visit your local software shop or Symantec.com and get yourself a copy of Ghost, backup your system (can be done to CDs, DVDs or HDDs), and THEN, run a FRESH install of WindowsXP. << Why, oh why would I want to do a fresh install? The only reason I can think of for doing that is because I'm a born masochist who enjoys re-installing every single stinking application on my workstation. I have Ghost and I use it to backup my hard disk to another similar drive. But what's with the upgrade vs. fresh install bit? In the course of my life with computers I've upgraded operating systems, what, a dozen or more times? Every single time was an enormous disruption whether I upgraded or did a fresh install. I just bought two new PCs to replace our two main workstations we've lived with for over 4 1/2 years. In the summer of 2001 I did fresh installs on both of those PCs to bring them up to Windows 2000. It took two weeks before I could make my w/s settle down. I was then able to take that hard-won knowledge and re-install everything on my wife's system in only about 12 hours. I've now upgraded my current workstation to get used to Windows XP. I will eventually convert it to a Small Business Server or some such. I helped my wife get her new w/s up and running with all its software over the past two weeks. I haven't done so with my new workstation yet because I hate the very idea of having to do it again! Sheesh! Serial numbers, Windows updates, service packs, etc., etc. Speaking of software upgrades, before I bought our new workstations I re-subscribed to Norton Anti-Virus on my system. Do you or does anybody here know if I can transfer the remaining subscription to my new system? Anyway, Hindman told me that the NEXT version of Windows will allow me to transfer software installations to a new PC without having to do a re-install. That would be nice. But why did Microsoft wait so long? This is what I miss most about DOS: no bleeding Registry. Just copy the software and be done with it. The calculator isn't that important to me to even think about re-installing every program over again on my current system. No offense, but no thanks. Regards, Steve Erbach Scientific Marketing Neenah, WI "You must be an intellectual. No normal person would say a thing like that." - George Orwell