Masthead
One of my photos

New computers

November 23rd, 2006 · Posted by Skuds in Technology · 9 Comments · Technology

No matter how much better a new computer is than the old one in terms of storage, memory, speed, etc. there always seems to be as much pain as there is pleasure in getting it up and running.

The first thing to do with a new PC is obviously to take it apart before even plugging it in. Its a tradition or an old charter or something and they take your anorak away if you don’t do it.

The second thing to do is to endure the process where you have to register Windows before you get to the first real task which is to systematically uninstall most of the extra bits and pieces the manufacturer has pre-installed.

In my case this was the MS Office 60-day trial, McAfee Security Centre, Google desktop, and the Google Toolbar. I don’t want McAfee because I am used to Zonealarm firewall and AVG anti-virus, but they won’t intall with McAfee there. Google Desktop was very pushy. Once it has finished, the uninstall utility opens Internet Explorer and takes you to a page asking why you uninstalled it!

Anyway, I have got rid of all that, installed PhotoFiltre, SyncBack, FileZilla, Firefox, printer drivers, Zonealarm, AVG antivirus and a few other bits and pieces. All the music, photos and other data from my old D: drive is copied across and my e-mails, address book and Firefox bookmarks from the old C: drive are all across as well.

While I was at it I put the RAM, DVD drive and a hard drive from the old PC into the new one…

Give it another couple of days and I’ll be back to normal I think, but maybe a bit faster.

Tags:

9 Comments so far ↓

  • tyger

    Apple Mac – Apple Mac – Apple Mac

    Sorry, am I being an anorak?

  • Skuds

    An Apple Mac? Would have left me very stranded with my collection of 10,000 WMA files…

    Seriously though, I have been using PCs and Windows since the first IBM compatible. Its what I understand. I have thought about keeping the same hardware platform and moving to Linux – maybe with a dual-boot as a safety net – but its a bti of a daunting prospect.

    I have, however, taken the opportunity to ditch MS Office and download Sun’s Open Office.

  • tyger

    LINUX is a must if you have to do ‘the down dirty’ on a PC.

    Dual Boot? A safety net I suppose.

  • tyger

    Actually Skuds. Can I borrow your brain.

    The “recent comments” – is that a plug-in, and if so, which one?

    A few readers have asked for one.

  • Skuds

    Recent comments is a plugin (Find it here)

    I have listed all the various plugins and everything else I use in the under teh bonnet page in case anyone finds it interesting or useful.

  • Skuds

    Dual boot is more than just a safety net. I have a few favourite games which require Windows to play them.

  • tyger

    Thanks for the tech knowhow.

    Games on windows? Yeah, that is a consideration. Are we talking Call of Duty or Age of Empires style?

  • Skuds

    Age of Empires and Rise of Nations mostly, but soemtimes I will fire up the old Caesar and Zeus games or Duke Nukem 3D and Doom 2.

    Some may be available in Mac or Linux versions, but I wouldn’t want to have to re-buy them.

  • tyger

    Noooo. Games and Macs don’t mix. They are hardly ever discounted.

    You can still buy a copy of Sims (1) for about £40 in a Mac Store.