My New Computer

I'm gonna need to try and set up my new computer as bad as I hate to have to do it. I've got some questions I would like to address if you please, before I start the set up.

Maybe you can answer at your convenience, and it will help me with the process.

1) This is a link I found in my bookmarks, and I was thinking that a similar article used to be on this geeks board, but, I didn't find it. Do you have anything to add to this article?
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-things-you-should-do-to-a-new-pc-before-surfing-the-web/5885513

2) Will Drop My Rights work on the Windows 7 OS that this new computer has?

3) The computer comes with a 2 month trial(I think) of Norton AV. Won't I need to remove it so I can install Avast? No reason to keep Norton for 2 months is it?

4a ) The CD's that I burned off my old computer, do I just open the cd/dvd drawer and place them in the tray, and do they automatically load onto the new computer?

4b) If so, will I have to find them on the new computer?

4c) and, since I copied all my Avast, and my Malware, and my antispyware, & Ccleaner onto the CD's, I assume that I'll have to load & install them onto the new computer, or what?

I need to stop for now, this is at least a start. I'll probably add more later. I hope those CD's help me out.?

Thanks!

What I'm doing now is using my old computer with the new monitor. The new monitor was delivered first, so while I waited for the printer & tower, I chose to do this.

1) You could probably do this set up in about 30 minutes, and me unmm, about 6 months. I hope to get started in a day or so.

2) I'm afraid I still don't really understand how to use the CD's I made.? I guess I put them in the tray and they load onto the new computer, and then I use what will work on the new computer, like Avast, etc. And, delete what I can't use, like Drop My Rights, etc. Is that any way close to how it works?

3) And, do I need to get some of the blank CD-R disks to do the "Recovery" disks instead of the CD-R like I used to copy things off this old computer?

4) BTW, will I need to make a new copy of the stuff that's on the CD that has the "Drop My Rights" material on it? Is this clear as mud to you?

Yep, clear as mud! (lol) No, this is rather lengthy and would even take me the better part of a day or even a couple of days to do, depending on how many interruptions I have, simply because the operations themselves like windows update take a lot of time. You will likely need to run Windows Update 3 or more times to get everything, as there will be around 100 or more updates that you are likely not to have, and they come in stages. You will have the basic Windows 7 and will have to at some point in the process update to service pack 1 after you get all the basic windows 7 updates. And then, you'll have to go back and get the SP1 updates. It's tedious, but not hard. Go do something else while this is happening and come back later to start the next step or the next update.

2. Think of your CD/DVD player as another hard drive. Click on it like you would the C:\ drive and folders and files will appear in an explorer window, just like they do when you click on your hard drive. You will still be able to see your C:\ drive. Copy and paste or drag and drop the folders you have on your CD/DVD drive onto your C:\ drive and then move them around to where you want them or where they need to be. Import your favorites from whatever folder you put them in into favorites on your new computer, just like you've done before, for each of your browsers. Procedure is the same as I gave you before.

3. You need to get DVD-Rs or DVD-RWs to create your recovery (repair) disks. They come in packages of 5, 10 etc. You'll need at least 5 for that task alone. I recommend getting the DVD-RW because even though they are a bit more expensive, they can be used over and over again, and added to, whereas the DVD-R cannot. Once you've recorded on it, you're done and you can't add to it or erase it and use it again.

4. No, get an external hard drive like Maxtor, Western Digital or Seagate that is at least 500GB, 1TB is better (you can find them for less than $100) and use that to do all your backups. Check to see if your new computer has any USB 3.0 ports and if so, get an external hard drive that is USB 3.0 capable as the transfer of data will be much faster than with USB 2.0. They will come with a backup application that you can install on your computer. Read in its user guide how to use and then schedule daily or weekly backups automatically on your favorites and all important data files. Do not try to backup program files or system files and windows with it - create a backup image like in the other instructions I gave you from Windows Backup and Restore, and store that image on the external hard drive.

#4) Quote of mine: BTW, will I need to make a new copy of the stuff that's on the CD that has the "Drop My Rights" material on it?

After reading your #2 reply above, I maybe can better explain what I meant by that. I thought that since I could not use "Drop My Rights" on the new system, I was thinking that with the "Drop My Rights" on the CD with other apps, & folders that I could use on the new computer, that it would cause a problem. I now realize that I will be doing Copy and paste or drag and drop the folders CD/DVD drive onto your C:\ drive and then move them around to where you want them or where they need to be.

I don't expect to get an external hard drive. With the way we use the computer I don't think we really need one. And, I don't really have the money to spend for one.

I'll let you know when I begin. Or, you most likely will hear me screaming bloody murder!!!;^)

Thanks.
EDIT
I just posted this & came right back to edit. I was wondering about the Recovery disks. As you know when I had the wipe & reload done a year ago, I did not have the recovery disks, as I let the computer shop do all that for me. What is the down side of doing that again if the need ever arose again?

You can buy a 10-pack of Verbatim's 4X DVD+RW media that will hold 4.7GB of data each for around $13 at Walmart, or a 25-pack of TDK 4X DVD+RW media that will hold 4.7GB of data each for $19.99. What is the downside of having the computer shop do it? You do the math.

There is nothing to making the the recovery (rescue) disks. When that reminder pops up, click on it to get to the instructions for making the disks. You pop in a disk, do what the computer tells you to do (you will make several disks), and that's all there is to it. To do a recovery, you start your machine, put in the first disk in the DVD player, turn the machine off and restart it, and then wait for instructions and follow them as the computer guides you through the recovery process.

u said: You do the math. I said: That's what I thought....

My, My, how do u make it sound so easy? ;^)

Hey, Repa,

1) Do you have the link for the Recovery instructions, so I'll have it? I don't know if different operating systems have different instructions or not.?

2) I assume that it will be OK to come here and to the Windows "Recovery" instructions page when I first start the set up of computer? Ohh, I just remembered the new computer comes with Norton on it. So, my question should not matter.

When you start making your recovery (repair) disks, you will get instructions to follow as you create the disks. Just do what your computer tells you to do.

You need to follow the instructions I gave you above. Norton on your new system is not usually activated. You need to uninstall it and install avast (step 4). You don't connect to the internet until step 11. Use your old computer if you need to communicate with me while setting up your new one.

1) I guess I'm just not clear on this. I was thinking that I would have to go to the Microsoft Windows site, to a page that has the Recovery Instructions on it.

2) The way I'm understanding you is there's something on the new computer that tells about making the "Recovery Disks"?

3) I forgot to mention, I've got another distraction to deal with, as of today. My new Insulin Pump arrived to day, that I was not expecting this soon. Now, I've got 2 priorities at the top of my "To Do" list, that continues to grow.

I appreciate your help and patience!

wcturner wrote:

1) I guess I'm just not clear on this. I was thinking that I would have to go to the Microsoft Windows site, to a page that has the Recovery Instructions on it.

2) The way I'm understanding you is there's something on the new computer that tells about making the "Recovery Disks"?

Your new computer should have come with a set of recovery disks, or else you should periodically be getting a little pop-up window in the lower right corner of your screen near the system tray asking you to make a set of recovery disks. If this isn't happening, then you need to go into the system Backup and Restore module (Start > Control Panel > Backup and Restore). There, you should see the following:

Create a system image
Create a system repair disc

Click on "Create a system repair disc"it and follow the directions you are given to create your emergency repair disc (also known as an emergency boot disc" so that you can retrieve your system image and restore your C:\ drive.

Then you need to do the "Create a system image". You will need an external hard drive to store this image on, as if you put it on your C:\ drive, and it becomes corrupt, you will not be able to get to it to recover your system with the emergency boot disk that you created. You need to break down and get an inexpensive external hard drive for your system if you want to keep your important files safe and be able to recover your system if you don't have the option to create recovery (repair) disks. You should be able to find one on sale at Staples or Walmart for under $80. You don't need a big one, 500GB, or 320GB, or even 250GB will do fine. Walmart has a Toshibia 500GB external HD that comes with software that will do automatic backups for you for $59. The Toshiba should be fine, but if you want a better known one, go with Western Digital or Seagate.

Had to edit this, as I wasn't thinking and got it wrong. The system repair disc is not the recovery discs that some systems will have you create to restore your system to its original factory build, but a boot disc to recover the system image file to restore your C:\ drive to the state it was in when you created the image file. Hopefully, your system comes with the ability to create the disks needed to restore your computer to its original factory build. Read my latest post below.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=Compaq+Black+CQ2723w+Desktop+PC&ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=3944&flyout=true This is the computer I've got.

And, below is what it says under Support and Warranty, if the Mouse is hovered over the desk top tower.

Backup and Restore options built into Windows allows you to create safety copies of your most important personal files, so you're always prepared for the worst

Restore discs are not included (unless specified by supplier). We recommend you use the installed software to create your own restore and backup DVD the first week you use the computer.

I'll let you know more later. Thanks

wc,

I sympathize with your trying to set up a new computer. I hate doing that. I have quite a bit of software that has to be installed and configured. And since some of it I don't have to mess with the setting after it is installed, I tend to forget. Thankfully, I don't get a new computer very often - but I always remember the pain of having to set one up. It is certainly not a fast process for me. I installed first the most important things, antvirus etc, and then other things as I needed them. I actaully did not get everythng installed for a few weeks, cause some of the software I do not use that often.

I do not know near as much as REPA, but I use computers all the time and know more that some. I figure if it was kind of hard for me it must be difficult for others.

I took one of the HP free online classes about converting from XP to windows 7 and that helped somewhat. We are fortunate to have Repa here as a source of information. The class was junt another resourece for asking questions and seeing what problems others had. But, I think they have changed the structure of the classes now - and I don't like them near as well.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know , "I feel your pain" - really trully. Hope you get thru it all without too much grief and are able to enjoy your new computer.

An external hard drive - really does come it handy.

Fay

Thanks for the encouragement & sympathy. I will take all I can get. I'm definitely with you on setting up a new computer!

I emphatically second the motion for REPA. Repa has forgotten more about these computers than I'll ever know!! If not for him this old computer would never have lasted this long!! It surely would have arrived in the bone yard long before now!

Had to edit my last post above, be sure to reread it. Guess I had a senior moment! Without looking at your computer itself, the following link should give you some idea of what to do to create the recovery discs. It may not be exact, but it should be close. You should be getting a pop-up to prompt you to do it, but if not, then take a look at this:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5164592_make-restore-disks-compaq.html

Hi Repa,
1) I hope i don't get infected by coming here, since i haven't finished your instructions. I'm stuck on #11 of your instructions. I had just updated Avast, Spywareblaster, & when i tried to update & immunize Spybot, this is the first window i got,"If you remove the Advertisement robots with this programyou may not be allowed to continue using their Host Programs". Would you mind telling me what i can do to continue using spybot, or do i disregard the message?

2) I downloaded the Spybot updates, & tried to immunize, and it told me i needed to run it as Administrator. As u know, i've only got the one account, named wcturner administrator. When i tried to figure out how to remedy this situation by going to> user accounts>change account type, inside the box that shows the 2 type of accounts, Standard User & Administrator, mine is checked "Administrator", and it cautions you to be safe surfing the internet that one should use the Standard user account. I don't know how to update & Immunize Spybot as "Administrator" without having to go to> User Accounts>change account type, & then return and reverse the whole process. Buuut, that won't work either, because I'm now in the one & only account, & it is the "Administrator" and Spybot does not accept it.? BTW, I ran the Spybot Immuniznization earlier, & it failed to immunize 15 Items, so, I'm not fully protected.
Edit: Can you please tell me how to re-set my user account to be able to get fully immunized in Administrator level, and still only have the one account, so i don't have to constantly switch back & forth?

3) I was trying a screen shot of the Spybot warning messages, but, i have no browser bar at the top of page, like i had in Win. XP, so i had no "Edit" or Paste.

4) I was hoping that i would get finished with your instructions today, but, i don't see that happening now.

5) The remainder of #11 says to run Windows Update. If i understand you that means to go directly to the Windows Update site, and run them manually, & then when finished, turn Automatic Updates back on? Automatic Updates is how I plan to go when i finish your instructions.

Thanks

Edit @ 8:58PM CST: I hope i don't get infected by coming here, since i haven't finished your instructions. Do I need to finish your instructions before using email?

wcturner wrote:

Hi Repa,
1) I hope i don't get infected by coming here, since i haven't finished your instructions. I'm stuck on #11 of your instructions. I had just updated Avast, Spywareblaster, & when i tried to update & immunize Spybot, this is the first window i got,"If you remove the Advertisement robots with this programyou may not be allowed to continue using their Host Programs". Would you mind telling me what i can do to continue using spybot, or do i disregard the message?

Continue using Spybot, ignore the message

2) I downloaded the Spybot updates, & tried to immunize, and it told me i needed to run it as Administrator. As u know, i've only got the one account, named wcturner administrator. When i tried to figure out how to remedy this situation by going to> user accounts>change account type, inside the box that shows the 2 type of accounts, Standard User & Administrator, mine is checked "Administrator", and it cautions you to be safe surfing the internet that one should use the Standard user account. I don't know how to update & Immunize Spybot as "Administrator" without having to go to> User Accounts>change account type, & then return and reverse the whole process. Buuut, that won't work either, because I'm now in the one & only account, & it is the "Administrator" and Spybot does not accept it.? BTW, I ran the Spybot Immuniznization earlier, & it failed to immunize 15 Items, so, I'm not fully protected.

Edit: Can you please tell me how to re-set my user account to be able to get fully immunized in Administrator level, and still only have the one account, so i don't have to constantly switch back & forth?

Not sure, but I think your whole problem here is that - if I remember correctly - you changed your wcturner administrator account to owner administrator and deleted the standard user account when we were on the phone the other day. Have you done a system restore since you did that? If you have, the system could be confused over the account name being switched back to wcturner because of the restore operation. You can try renaming it to owner again, make sure it is an administrator type account, get rid of the standard user account so all you have is the Owner/Administrator and Guest accounts. Don't worry about the warning concerning not having a password on the owner account. Then, reboot and see if spybot works ok. If it doesn't, uninstall and reinstall spybot and see if that fixes things. If that doesn't work, I'll have to walk you through a procedure and it is too long for me to do it now. Have to get to bed as I have an appointment in the morning and up much later than I intended due to setting up a computer for my nephew. I'll get back to you as soon as I can, but it won't be before Friday afternoon.

3) I was trying a screen shot of the Spybot warning messages, but, i have no browser bar at the top of page, like i had in Win. XP, so i had no "Edit" or Paste.

Right-click in lower part of the gray area in an opern area where your tabs are in the IE browser at the top of the webpage and select "Menu Bar" from the pop-up menu that appears. Your menu bar should appear.

4) I was hoping that i would get finished with your instructions today, but, i don't see that happening now.

5) The remainder of #11 says to run Windows Update. If i understand you that means to go directly to the Windows Update site, and run them manually, & then when finished, turn Automatic Updates back on? Automatic Updates is how I plan to go when i finish your instructions.


Yes, or you can turn on automatic updates - doesn't matter that this stage.

Thanks

Edit @ 8:58PM CST: I hope i don't get infected by coming here, since i haven't finished your instructions. Do I need to finish your instructions before using email?

You're not going to get infected since you have Avast and Windows Defender both working, and the registry values for bad sites loaded from spybot and spywareblaster. You are safe to surf, updating windows will add to that.

Whew! i'm glad u were able to reply!

1) About the Spybo Ad Robot message, next time that appears, i'll just check the box "don't show this again".

#2) About the user accounts: i liked the way we were able to use system restore in XP much better & easier. And, yes, i did have to do a restore, but, by accident, because i did not know how SR works in 7. and, by the time i realized what was happening, it was too late to stop it, & then i realized i had to go back & undo it. But, i had forgotten about the user accounts.

3) I'll try what u said about re-doing the account & then rebooting & hope that it'll fix things. But, i guess I'm not understanding about having just one account, & then checking the box for "Administrator", & it cautions that it is risky to surf the web in an "Administrator" account. I'm trying to say that i don't understand how it is safe to surf in an "Administrator" account? I must be missing something??

4) I have a browser bar at the top of the page with file, edit, etc. now, thanks.

5) I haven't gone thru the IE setup that pops up on screen yet, can't think of what it's called, & it didn't come up this morning. I assume that it is only necessary to go thru the set up if it keeps becoming annoying?

6) So, far, IE seems to work better on this new machine, if that continues, I won't bother with Firefox, & that would be a good thing.! One less thing to have to dither with!

Hope you get some rest! Many Thanks!

1) I changed the user account name back like we had it before, WC, Owner/Admin., tried Spybot, I checked the box"Don't show me this message again(Re: Spybot Ad Robot message) and Spybot again said I needed to be in Admin. mode, so the immunize still left 15 Items unprotected. So, that didn't work. Another thing about Spybot, I forgot to mention is when I search for Spybot Updates I receive a message box pop up that looks like an App Set Up box(a little square box) and it asks "Do you want to allow, whatever the name of the company that furnishes Spybot, them to make changes to Spybot on your hard drive"? That's basicly what it says, so, I click "Yes" and then it finds the updates.
Since the user account change did not work, I now plan to uninstall and reinstall spybot and see if that fixes things when I finish this post, if I don't hear from you before I do it. And, maybe that will also fix the "Do you want to allow(company)to make changes to Spybot.

2) I get the same message box pop up that looks like an App Set Up box(a little square box) and it asks "Do you want to allow the mfg. of Spywareblaster to make changes to your computer? I have to click "Yes" to continue. I also lost my shortcut Icon from my desktop, that was placed there when I installed Spyblaster, I was trying to pin the Icon to my Start menu, & then deleted it, so not to have too much on desktop. Would I be correct in assuming that I should uninstall and reinstall Spywareblaster also?

3) No, No, don't misunderstand me, I only want one account. It was just confusing to me that in the User Accounts it seemed to be contradictory to what you were saying about standard user, and Administrator, one being safer than the other. I was just asking cause I don't know.

4) Re: The IE setup that pops up on screen, I am assuming that it would be easier for me to use the first option offered, instead of the custom settings option??

5) This is for future reference. I had to hav an extended break this afternoon on your instructions. Would it have been alright to have turned on Windows Automatic Updates, since I was not able to be working at the computer, and let some of those updates be installing, even though I'm not at that point in your instructions as yet??

6) I almost forgot this. When I was checking my yahoo email today, I had opened up an email from Glenn Beck's "The Blaze.com", it was the same Blaze that I forwarded to you today. I clicked on one story about the 2nd. Amendment, & I noticed thatthe scrolling on that page was kinda rough. Then I clowsed the page and returned to my email, and my email froze up. I was able to move the mouse arrow, and I had a WordPad opened up on my desktop, & I was able to click on that, to my surprise, and close it down, but, when I returned to the Blaze email I still had open, I still was unable to place the mouse arrow on the X to close the email. In past times, when a site would freeze up, I would be unable to do anything, no mouse arrow movement, or anything else. I finally had to hold the power button in until the machine shut down. I was wondering if you might know what caused this,( on a new machine too)? And, is there a keyboard fix that would close the browser in this type of situation?

7) Dang, I thought that was all til I checked my notes! When I had to break from you instructions, I decided to run quick scans with Avast, & Win. Defender. I started Avast, and tried WD. I got a message that said that due to a problem Windows Defender had somehow gotten turned off. So, I had to click a button to get it Restarted before I could run a quick scan with it. Would you happen to know why WD got turned off like that?

I noticed, while checking the settings on Avast after installing it the other day, PUPs. At one time you had me to turn that on. When do you know when to use the PUPs? I was gonna edit that "cool emoticon out but it does not show in the edit, & I did not place it there unless by accident! In Edit, it shows the number 8, but in the post it has the cool emoticon for some reason? Could Only happen to Me!?

9A) Found one last question in my notes. In Spywareblaster I saw in "Tools" that one can create a System Snapshot. Should I do that?

9B) Should I be concerned about "Flash Killer", etc. also in "Tools"?

10) Like I told you when I first started your instructions, you could get them done in about 30 minutes. Here I am been working on them all week, and still only 1/2 done! Wears me down!

If you return here before I do, here's a short note. I checked the board here several times this morning to see if you had replied. And, each time I came back I did several EDITS to notify you of several things. And, now I see, that for some reason, none of my Edits were Recorded here. Wonder why????

I don't have time now, so I'll come back later to reply fully.

But, in the mean time, what I meant about the "cool emoticon" is this. In my reply and in yours look where #8 should be, and you'll see the "cool emoticon" "Smiley Face. In one of my Edits I was doing this morning, I planned to delete the "cool emoticon" "Smiley Face, but, when the Edit page came up the "cool emoticon" "Smiley Face does not appear in the edit, number 8 appears there, as it is supposed. Wonder why?

wc,

Certain key combintaions will be dsplayeds emotiocons. a colon followed by a right parentheise will dispaly as a smiley fayce
: ) if you type with out a space in between will display as a smiley face - but when you go to edit it will show up the same way as you typed it.
Look like 8 followed by ) also shows up as a smiley face.
I don't know what all the special key combinations are that do this, but it can be annoying when that is not what you want to happen.

Fay

all my computers are haunted

wc.

LOL
well at least the emoticon things is not "haunts" that is just normal.

Fay