Computer Advice Requested (VANITY - I'm Done With Windows!)

5/20/2005 | Me

[CFC__VRWC]

After ten years of working on Windows based PCs, I have finally had enough! The last straw came Wednesday night, when I set my Win XP computer up to run Norton Speed Disk and then went off to bed. In the morning, I found the computer locked up hard, and when I restarted it, it hung up on the opening screen. I tried to do a repair with the XP installation disk - it hung up.

I finally did a clean install of XP on an old 40 GB hard drive I have, and then hooked up my now screwed drive to try to recover what I could. No soap - it's obvious that lots of my files are hopelessly corrupted, and when I try to copy them or even look at them the machine crashes. The only thing I could maybe try is to rerun Norton on the drive, but since I already did an aborted reinstall of XP, I'm pretty sure that the drive is toast.

I can get back most of my data, but even at that I'm faced with my third "wipe and restore" for my PC in the last two years, the second in six months (I think that's what's got me so torqued)! That means a couple of days rounding up CD after CD after CD of drivers, utilities, data files, etc. and sitting at the desk feeding them to the machine, and then weeks of poking and tweaking to get everyhting set up the way I like it.

I'm not playing that game anymore. I'm through, kaput, finis, done. Bill Gates can kiss my big fat hairy white butt.

The way I see it, I have two choices - keep my current box and turn it into a Linux-based system, or buy a Mac. I've looked at the Macs a little, and I have to admit that I've been very impressed. The new Tiger OS seems to be a very sweet system. I played with a G5 iMac a bit at a nearby Apple store and I could easily fall in love with it. It nmight be a bit out of my price range right now, though, so I've been thinking hard about the top of the line Mac Mini, which I could definitely swing.

As far as Linux goes, I'm a complete novice. I know there's several versions of it out there, and I'm sure that each has it's own advantages and disadvantages. One of the things I need to concern myself with is that I'll be stuck with XP platforms at work, and I may need to bring files back and forth occasionally.

Any advice on what I should do?

[kingu]

Fortunately I've got backups for most all of the data (I've learend to keep those thanks to the frequent need to reinstall Windows), but damnit, I'm just tired of picking up the friggin' pieces once or twice a year

Six desktops, three laptops in our household, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've reinstalled the OS over the last decade. Usually, it is because of a malfunctioning utility that I've had to do it, and I've not had to reinstall the OS on any of the computers here since I stopped using utility programs.

First and foremost, look at external USB hard drives. Buy one with a one-touch backup function and use it. That way, if you have to reinstall the OS, you're most of the way there. A hundred dollars spent sounds like it could save you twenty hours of work, not a bad cost/effort ratio.

Next, look to the user. XP is honestly a generally stable platform, even though I'll bash it mercilessly. I'll whine and moan about it, but usually, it is because of something I did.

Look to your risk factors - are you using Outlook or Outlook Express to read mail without using a filtering program to shut out viruses, trojans, script issues? Perhaps you might find it useful to do what I did - forward your e-mail to an external web based server such as Google's Gmail or Yahoo Mail. Their filters could take the brunt of the attack workload and save your hardware.

Are you downloading programs from the Internet to try out? Or are you opening attachments sent by friends and family? If you are, it might be best to pick up a cheap machine to use as a 'play' thing, keeping this risky behavior separate from your more serious activities. I download a tremendous amount of data from the Internet and what few problems I've had with viruses and the like has typically come from my e-mail box.

Not to be offensive, but one of the things I had to come to understand is that the knowledge I have is likely more dangerous to my machine than anything else. I've crashed my OS more than a few times by applying what I thought was the right solution to a problem that didn't actually exist. Luckily XP recovered from these issues (thank you system restore points) but it did finally teach me some lessons. Number one; Critical OS patches are generally good to install, noncritical patches, especially driver updates, is generally like rolling the dice. The second lesson I learned is: back it up. And the final lesson I learned - use Firefox (or similar) for web browsing.

My in home tech support requirements dropped dramatically with these lessons and now I only have to maintain my wife and daughter's machines, and usually because of their using IE or opening a cute attachment.

[JoJo Gunn]

....I'm faced with my third "wipe and restore" for my PC in the last two years, the second in six months (I think that's what's got me so torqued)!

I can't speak about XP, but from my experience with 9x in normal everyday use, the registry can eventually get knotted up, never mind the problems from quirky programs. Always back your stuff up!

[CFC__VRWC]

Not to be offensive, but one of the things I had to come to understand is that the knowledge I have is likely more dangerous to my machine than anything else. I've crashed my OS more than a few times by applying what I thought was the right solution to a problem that didn't actually exist.

I totally agree with this sentiment. I know just enough to be dangerous.

[backhoe]

I just plug in a spare hard drive I keep handy periodically, make a clone of the main hard drive. And when the main drive dies, just swap the clone in and make a new clone. Takes 30 seconds because I keep my drives outside the case.

That's what we do at home with the "better" PC. For the fallback PC- an old Dell- I clone the drive about once a month. There are USB and firewire standalone units available which make it even simpler, but being hardware-oriented, that's how I handle it.

[StrictTime]

I My Mac!

[HAL9000]

The last straw came Wednesday night, when I set my Win XP computer up to run Norton Speed Disk and then went off to bed.

Mac OS X automatically defrags the hard disk files as you use it. You won't have to purchase any additional software or wait for Norton to finish running in order to get your files optimized.

[ThePythonicCow]

Any advice on what I should do?

That really really depends on what you want to do ;).

By that I mean - what do you do you use your computers for?

I have or manage 2 Macs, 4 Windows, and 4 Linux boxes. The Macs are for my wife, who wants nice looking, easy to use, solid web, email, documents and media. The Windows are for my son who is a hard core gamer, for myself who needs a box to run Quicken, and for my brother-in-law who works with documents and spreadsheets in a Windows-centric job environment. The Linux are for my Dad, who wants a solid, low cost web, email and document computer, and for myself, who hacks Linux kernels for a job, and runs and develops various programs.

Since you gave little idea what your needs are, other than I'd guess you are neither a serious Linux kernel hacker (like myself), nor a hardcore gamer (like my son). That still leaves several possibilities open, which could lead to any of Windows, Mac or Linux.

[Swordmaker]

PC user wants to switch... seeking advice PING!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[cyborg]

I had the same feelings a few months ago. I bought an Apple ibook and am now officially addicted. I'm saving up for a powerbook now :-)

[dit_xi]

There is an easier solution. Don't use Norton products.

Ding! Ding!! Ding!!! We have consensus. Yes, Norton product sucks, literally. It sucks the life and speed out of your 'puter.

[_Jim]

Computer Advice Requested (VANITY - I'm Done With Windows!)

After ten years of working on Windows based PCs, I have finally had enough! The last straw came Wednesday night, when I set my Win XP computer up to run Norton Speed Disk and then went off to bed.

... and you're blaming Windows ... why?

Sounds to me like the beef ought to be that third-party pgm called Norton Speed Disk ...

I once 'hosed' myself by running a pgm that re-did the disk 'interleave' for speed improvement; it worked, however my data was lost ...

[Swordmaker]

Despite my constantly chiding Mac users for being gay, I am starting to come around. Now that I don't play computer games anymore (no time) Mac is a theoretical possibility. If Mac's cost less, I would really consider getting one for my next computer.

And we will welcome you with open arms into our 4% closet... hehehehe

[quidnunc]

I have always owned Apples, from the Apple IIe to my present G5 and have never had occasion to regret my choice.

I have used Windows machines of several different vintages and have always found it to be a trying experience.

If you decide to go with Apple do not — I repeat, do not get any Norton utilities.

The one indispensible utility is Alsoft's Disk Warrior, which will keep your hard drives's catalog in good order.

Get the best machine you can afford in the configuration of your choice, you won't regret it.

[Tribune7]

Welcome to the light, my friend.

[speekinout]

You don't really say what you have to do with your computer, so it's hard to know what you should do. But my path to computer happiness took me from DOS (I loved playing with the OS), to OS/2 (Warp), to Linux (short trip) to Win(very short trip) to the Mac.
Linux has the advantage that you can really delve into the OS and tweak it. But if you want to use the computer more than you want to play with the OS, the Mac is best (IMO).
I can exchange most files with Win computers, but not all formatting transfers easily. But I never have had to do much in the way of maintenance on the Mac.

If being a computer tech pleases you, Linux might be a good fit. If you just want to use a computer to get work done, the Mac might be better.
But in either case, check to see how you can transfer the Win files you need.

[zeugma]

Good advise rdb3.

I'd probably second some of the suggestions to get Knoppix. It's a great tool to use to make sure that your hardware is compatible with Linux, as it will auto-detect just about anything that is supported.

I wonder if JimRob would allow an area for support-type questions. I guess this type of thing would generally be considered a 'vanity', but I think it would be cool to have a specific place for tech questions. That way you can easily find articles of that nature.

We have a lot of expertise here. It would be nice to be able to share.

[John Valentine]

Here's my two cents:

Get a Mac Mini. Depending on the age of your present setup, you may be aboe to salvage a lot of the peripherals, USB keyboard and mouse for example should work "plug and play", ditto a USB monitor.

The main thing is to get away from the Intel and intel clone X86 chips with all their secuirty flaws that no operating system can completely overcome. Linux won't be the answer either unless you do what Linus Torvalds did and get a Mac to run it on.

For most folks, the Tiger OS will be a knockout revelation compared to anything they have used previously. The "automator" is a huge blessing.

Bottom line, get yourself a Mini. Or if you want, spend more and get a G5 tower. You'll like either one.

[N3WBI3]

Gotta side with kj on this one, norton does some terrible things to disk. I will never use another one of their products.. It might be easier for you to stay with windows and just get Macafee or AVG, Though the Mac Mini;s are nice ;)

[N3WBI3]

Fedora install consist of putting in auto about five times and you can use it without ever touching a command line. Seriously awk? sed? what equivalent not cmd function does windows have?

I have two linux boxes a server with no X at all on it and a desktop that I *almost* never touch a terminal and the only time I do is because vi is my preferred editor..

[jalisco555]

I had a similar, last straw, experience two years ago when my Dell laptop crashed hard in the middle of a Powerpoint presentation to 75 people. I got a Powerbook and couldn't be happier. We are now a three-Mac family and counting. You will never regret buying a Mac.