Replies

Shirley it would not be too much to ask, that we be given these (powers)settings –
– W10 asks our permission to download updates (I could live without this, but it could be handy)
– W10 DEFINITELY asks our opinion before it commences doing updates.

Why are people not demanding the latter ?

Rob
PS Two of my neighbors have their W10 computers ‘ruined’ from powering off during updates.

DrWho,

Is it ‘idiot proof’ when imaging say W10 ?
Wouldn’t one (that’s me) need to know which of the special partitions (mbr’s or whatever) that has to be included in the image ?

Can the program be downloaded ?
Is it free ?
Can the iso for the bootable CD be downloaded somewehere
Is there a site with lots of instructions for the elderly and the feeble minded (me again)

Rob

If anyone is interested in doing a full backup (not individual files), and wish a free solution, get the free Seagate (or WD) DiskWizard
The only requirement to get it free is you have one of their drives (Seagate or WD) visible to the program.
It is a free version of Acronis.

Download the free Seagate DiscWizard program –
http://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/discwizard/
Install the program, and immediately after when it is running choose the option to create a bootable CD.
There is a sub option to set the CD to default to boot into into the mini OS. If you don’t set that, you have only a few seconds each time you boot the CD, to avoid it booting into windows.
I always use the bootable CD to create an image, and to verify that image. (You don’t want Windows running when imaging.)
If later you need to restore an image, you again do it from the bootable CD

You mention Acronis True Image.
They provide a free version provided you have a Seagate/WesternDigital drive, internal or external (just so it can see it)
Go to the respective Hard Drive web site, and download the FREE DiskWizard program.
Install it, and immediately build a bootable CD
(There is an option that you can set, so that by default it chooses to open the Wizard, instead of Windows. Trust me you should make that choice)
So I can sleep peacefully, never create an image whilst Windows is running (so many of you do, TCH! TCH!), always use the bootable CD.
After the image is created, you should immediately Verify/validate it.

Rob Down Under

Is it possible to show menus in the Edge browser ?

Rob

I have discovered that installation of IE9 fails after performing an upgrade from Vista to 7 (at least for me…and a few others with whom I have consulted). It only apparently responds to a clean install. Will this fix solve that problem? I have delayes moving to IE9 for the sole reason that I don’t want to deal with the re-creation of my whole system.

As I mentioned earlier, I have been unable to do Repair Installs with Win7.
Regarding IE – Anyone who wishing to do repair Installs SHOULD ONLY USE the version of IE, that was in the original Install CD.
MS have threaded IE into the OS like a Goa’uld and everyone is letting them get away with it.
Thus when you do a Repair Install, it will try to fix IE, but it (your CD) knows nothing about the subsequent versions of IE
So uninstall your later versions of IE, and use Firefox to send a strong message to MS

I am not too concerned about start up and shut down times as one can always pour a coke or light a cigarette.
And even memory and cpu usage are not my biggest concerns.
What is most noticeable to me are the delays in starting up Thunderbird and web sites in FF
They are REALLY noticeable delays.
Those delays would be ‘Elvis shoot the monitor’ incidents, if I did not notice the spinning AVAST icon.

A comparison on that aspect would be important to me.
(You don’t want me lighting up too often)

Rob

See my earlier Post about ‘Repair Installs’
I found out early in my ‘Repair Install’ days, NOT to install recent versions of IE
MS has long ago (or never known) forgotten about ‘KISS’
Thus they insist on building applications into the core of the OS (eg IE).
If you wish to do ‘Repair Installs’ then un-install any recent versions of IE.
If you do not do that, then the final result will be a flaky OS.
Just leave the original version of IE in your OS, and use FF or Opera instead.

I have not read the article fully, but have downloaded it, for when I do need it.
I have also downloaded the earlier article for XP (not read yet).
I have not needed to do this for Win 7, but I believe I have done it many times for XP
Is this article, and the XP article, referring to what is very commonly called a ‘Repair Install’ ?
(PS I know we are not referring to the Recovery Console Repair)
If it is referring to a ‘Repair Install’, then I have an additional tidbit for you all.
If you have created an image of your partition (the one containing the OS), and your PC dies.
You can restore the image into a drive in another PC.
Then when you are ready to try it in the new PC, you should have the XP CD in the drawer, and boot into that (Do NOT run the OS yet).
Once you have done your ‘Repair Install’, XP will now run in your new hardware.
I have heard rumors that you do not need to do this trick with Win 7, as it will happily adapt to the new hardware.
Is there any truth to that rumor ?
Rob

PS Update:
My Win7 PC died (I broke the CMOS battery holder).
I tried Restoring the Win7 image into three other 2004 PCs, with no success. (They would not Repair Install)

Note to all (and I hope this isn’t gonna offend anyone): Bitsdujouris selling Acronis True Image Home today (Feb 17) for $30 (download only, I think). If you’re thinking about giving TIH a try (or want if for that next drive cloning need), this is about as good of a price as I’ve seen over the past 2-3 years.

Isn’t FREE a better price ?
The Seagate (or Western Digital) DiscWizard is Acronis.

Buy an external dock.
It should have USB and eSata sockets (for cable going to your PC).
Buy a Seagate 3.5″ drive (any size, except the Series 11 1TB drive).
Shove the drive vertically into the dock (it sits there in the cool open air)
Go to the Seagte web site and download the Free DiscWizard program.
I believe the latest version must be installed.
Do that and then create a bootable CD.
You can leave the program installed, if you like, but that is not necessary, as all you need from now on is the bootable CD.
The docks cost about $30
I do not understand why everyone is not using them, as they are brilliant.
Rob
PS The external dock, is for storing the images that you create.

Next time, try the imaging software that comes with the new drive, ie Seagate’s disk wizard or Maxtor’s Max Blast. The all have a disk copy feature that should do what you want. I’ve had great luck with them in the past.

Jerry

I too recommend the FREE Seagate DiscWizard.
Create a bootable CD, and do all of your Imaging and restoring from the bootable CD (NOT whilst Windows is Running).
And to give you further encouragement, it is based on Acronis.

Why are you encouraging MS to add complexity when it is not required ?
Just let us create a Folder like say “C:Data and then create appropriate sub folders.
You may say that we are still allowed to do that.
But if people keep submitting to (and praising) MS inane changes (Win 7 Start Menu, Ribbon, Libraries), then MS will be encouraged to do more (aka restrict us more) in future OS’s
Rob
PS Try changing the Win 7 Start menu to get as close to Classic as possible.
You will find that attempts to re-organize the Start Menu items, gets near impossible, as MS blocks access that we used to have.
PPS
There is another fan of MS changes on this web site –
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/five-tips/five-tips-for-efficient-file-management-in-windows-7/703?tag=nl.e101
My comment was added there, a few hours ago. Look for ‘SHEEP’ in the Title
PPPS
On a constructive note, I have added another comment on that site, providing a link to this article. Those (over there), that love the Libraries, will learn more from your article.
I assume that membership is required to read your article, so this should add more members.

If you asked me a few years ago, should Governments interfere with software ‘manufacturers’, I would have said no.
However since MS software is crucial to MOST businesses, we have to intervene, if complex messes are being created.
Governments should legislate to force MS to keep Windows simple (KISS).
One small step in that direction would be to insist that MS stop integrating software into Windows, that does not need to be integrated..
I am sure there are a few examples, but let us start with IE9
Boycott it, until it becomes a stand alone program.
Rob.
PS Who knows, it might then run in XP ?

When you say you can’t get to the extension, do you mean that you cannot see the extension ?
Windows Explorer defaults are c-r-a-p..

All of the following is based on Windows XP Pro.

Go to the Tools menu, and go to the General Tab.
Up near the top, click –
Use Windows classic folders
And then click OK

Then go back to the Tools menu, and choose Folder Options.
Then click the View menu.
There is an option –
Hide extensions for known file types.
Untick that, then click OK.

While we are making things more manageable, select a folder on the left that is in your C Directory, then click the View tab. Then click Details.
Now go back to the Tools menu and choose Folder Options.
Then click the View tab.
Then click the button near the top called –
Apply to All Folders
Then click OK.

Now get the focus on the left side of Windows Explorer to the folder where your pesky file is.
Then SLOWLY click the file name twice.
(Or, right click it and choose Rename)
Retype the extension, and press Enter.