clocker
03-28-2011, 04:20 AM
I've been anticipating a semi-disruptive hardware change to Sprocket for a while now and Good Do Bee that I am, preparations have begun.
I use my C: drive as OS only, all data is stored on separate (both internal and external) drives, so a wipe and reload is relatively painless- install OS and reload programs ( and not many of those).
I have a fairly good collection of program/driver executables and Windows 7 has been amazingly capable installing it's own drivers during setup (it's rare not to be internet ready after a fresh install), so post-install is pretty much trivial as well.
Many of my commonly used apps (like uTorrent and Chrome) are so frequently updated that I typically prefer to download the newest copies, but I do have backups if necessary.
Speaking of Chrome, Google Chrome Backup (http://www.parhelia-tools.com/products/gcb/googlechrome.aspx) is a handy free app that will backup and restore your Chrome install- favorites, themes, extensions, cookies, etc.- much like MozBackup does for Firefox.
I make a fresh backup about once a week.
After a fresh install, DL/install the newest Chrome and then run the backup tool, point it at your latest backup and let it do it's thing (about 15 sec. worth).
Hark and voila!, it's just like it always was...logins, favorites, passwords, all saved.
Microsoft has made a free tool available- get it here (http://www.intowindows.com/download-windows-7-usbdvd-download-tool-from-microsoft/)- that makes creating a bootable flash drive with Windows ridiculously simple (especially compared to the command line method of yore).
You'll need to have an .ISO image of the OS copied to your harddrive, a flash drive (min. of 4GB) and the tool.
Point the app at the image, tell it where the flash is and a few minutes later you have a bootable stick. Seriously, like three clicks.
Technology, Fuck Yeah!
Before using the new flash install, there are two more things to do.
- Turn off the machine and unplug every storage device except the harddrive you'll be installing on. All optical drives and all other hard drives- unplugged.
You want the options for the installer cut to the bone- only one place to look for data and one place to put it.
- Go into BIOS and make sure you can set a USB device into the boot order.
That's about it.
Insert the flash drive, restart the PC and it will jump right into the install process.
On a 30GB Vertex2 SSD, the entire install takes 10 minutes from start to desktop and the internet.
(I did this six times, on two different SSDs, with the same results)
I thought this was bloody excellent.
Another handy post install tool (free) is Ninite (http://ninite.com/).
You choose from groups of apps (browsers, media and the like) and it bundles them into a single executable.
Just go to the webpage and look, it's simple to grasp and use and will save some time.
I spend so much time with XP machines that this sort of software use is a real luxury.
I use my C: drive as OS only, all data is stored on separate (both internal and external) drives, so a wipe and reload is relatively painless- install OS and reload programs ( and not many of those).
I have a fairly good collection of program/driver executables and Windows 7 has been amazingly capable installing it's own drivers during setup (it's rare not to be internet ready after a fresh install), so post-install is pretty much trivial as well.
Many of my commonly used apps (like uTorrent and Chrome) are so frequently updated that I typically prefer to download the newest copies, but I do have backups if necessary.
Speaking of Chrome, Google Chrome Backup (http://www.parhelia-tools.com/products/gcb/googlechrome.aspx) is a handy free app that will backup and restore your Chrome install- favorites, themes, extensions, cookies, etc.- much like MozBackup does for Firefox.
I make a fresh backup about once a week.
After a fresh install, DL/install the newest Chrome and then run the backup tool, point it at your latest backup and let it do it's thing (about 15 sec. worth).
Hark and voila!, it's just like it always was...logins, favorites, passwords, all saved.
Microsoft has made a free tool available- get it here (http://www.intowindows.com/download-windows-7-usbdvd-download-tool-from-microsoft/)- that makes creating a bootable flash drive with Windows ridiculously simple (especially compared to the command line method of yore).
You'll need to have an .ISO image of the OS copied to your harddrive, a flash drive (min. of 4GB) and the tool.
Point the app at the image, tell it where the flash is and a few minutes later you have a bootable stick. Seriously, like three clicks.
Technology, Fuck Yeah!
Before using the new flash install, there are two more things to do.
- Turn off the machine and unplug every storage device except the harddrive you'll be installing on. All optical drives and all other hard drives- unplugged.
You want the options for the installer cut to the bone- only one place to look for data and one place to put it.
- Go into BIOS and make sure you can set a USB device into the boot order.
That's about it.
Insert the flash drive, restart the PC and it will jump right into the install process.
On a 30GB Vertex2 SSD, the entire install takes 10 minutes from start to desktop and the internet.
(I did this six times, on two different SSDs, with the same results)
I thought this was bloody excellent.
Another handy post install tool (free) is Ninite (http://ninite.com/).
You choose from groups of apps (browsers, media and the like) and it bundles them into a single executable.
Just go to the webpage and look, it's simple to grasp and use and will save some time.
I spend so much time with XP machines that this sort of software use is a real luxury.