Newbe W7 Upgrade Results

[ckmerc]

First...you guys rock..clean install tutorials and all the advice worked great. Wow, my computer speed sure went up and my RAM usage gauge dropped even with the programs re-installed. (guess I had a lot of stuff running in the backgroud)

Having some trouble with sharing documents between computers. I see my laptop when looking at my home network..but when I click on the laptop icon it prompts me for my computer name and password. I am assuming that they are looking for my desktop computer name and password. However, it won't accept this as an entry.

Do I need to re- authorize my desktop computer on my vista laptop machine? Any advice as how best I do this? please let me know..

again...can't thank everyone enough

 

[wallyinnc]

ckmerc, I beleive you are trying to connect via a workgroup, right? You need to make sure the disk you want to access is shared and that you are going thorugh your firewall (disable it and try, see if it connects). You also have to make sure you are in the same workgroup.

 

[ckmerc]

Thanks...just dawned on me.. I did a system image DVD backup of my new windows 7 install after it loaded successfully. Should I have done this after I activated W7 on line?

 

[richc46]

Go to your desktop right click on compuer go to properties. If you see the genuine microsoft symbol at the bottom right your windows is activated. If not you must activate within 30 days. If you took the image before that symbol was there, if you ever roll back time to that moment you have to reactivate

 

[ckmerc]

got it..so I need to re image my system once I activate W7..

However, I have already re-installed many of my programs and much of my data. If I re-image now..will it also copy the the program data files I have added? If so..it won't fit on a DVD dvd.? Should I just use my external HD then?

Also..can someone explain the differences between creating a:

System Image vs. System Repaire disk?

 

[richc46]

System image is just that a picture, an image, a clone of your hard drive.
The system repair disc is primarily used when you cannot boot your OS. The disc will get you booted up.

Yes, back up to a HD
Yes you have to image after activation

 

[ckmerc]

Thanks...so after activation I should...

#1 Do a system image backup to my HD
- so this backup creats an image of all my loaded programs and data on my C drive
correct? will the image backup also include my F drive (external HD) data?

#2 Do a system restore disk should my computer become unbootable.
- if I have a OS crash, this would allow me to boot up so I could restore the
system image I am creating in step #1 above..correct?

sorry for all of the questions.

 

[richc46]

Thanks...so after activation I should...

#1 Do a system image backup to my HD
- so this backup creats an image of all my loaded programs and data on my C drive
correct? will the image backup also include my F drive (external HD) data?

#2 Do a system restore disk should my computer become unbootable.
- if I have a OS crash, this would allow me to boot up so I could restore the
system image I am creating in step #1 above..correct?

sorry for all of the questions.

Dont be sorry for the questions. Three weeks ago I never installed an OS, and I was worse than you. I was afraid to try until, I received help and assurance from this site.
Remember if you ask a question you feel ignorant for 5 minutes
If you do not ask the question you feel ingnorant your whole life

In any case the answer to both questions is yes. Good luck

 

[ckmerc]

Since I normally back up my data anyway to my External drive periodically...I am not sure I want to have a 80 GB back-up system image sitting on my external HD.

Thus, how would I go about doing the system image backup to my external HD without including the data from my external HD? i.e. just c drive only.

Also, so if I would have a problem...use the system restore disk...and re-install my system image...all of my previously installed programs and drivers would theoredically be on the system disk and would be re-installed automatically when when I restore the system image?

 

[richc46]

When you do the back up. You are asked what you want to back up. Indicate just want you want.
System image restores everything just the way it was when you made the image.

What I did, I installed OS, installed programs, made sure everything was good. Then i made a system Image. I then make notes of any changes I made after I made system image. If I have aproblme I restore system image. Look at my notes and make those changes. Im good to go.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Ckmerc;

If you image before activation, the only shortcoming would be that if you restore that image, you would have to reactivate.

Regarding imaging: imaging programs typically allow you to image C only or C and other partitions combined into a single image.

If you image your data, you have to beware of the following possibility:

Supposed you make a single image containing C and your data on September 1.

On September 3, you do a lot of significant work on your PC. Maybe you create or acquire 500 mp3 files.

On September 5, you have a major system problem on C and decide to restore your image to fix it.

So you restore your September 1 image.

Your September 1 image does NOT contain the 500 mp3s. Your data as of September 5 is overwritten. You no longer have the 500 mp3 files. That data is gone because of the restoration.

For that reason, among others, I think it is best to make separate file by file backups of data. I confine images to C only and never rely on them to work.

 

[ckmerc]

OK..now I am getting confused..

when I do a system image backup it:
- makes a complete copy of my OS, settings and the programs loaded as well as
the data contained on my C drive. my external Hard Drive (F) data would not
automatically be included on the backup image...right?

If so...this is the way I would want it as I back up my C and F drive data at more frequent times... to dvds and other external devices.

 

[richc46]

Yes, that is correct. Why not just try it. See how it goes. If not to your satisifaction change it if you know how or come back here. We will always be here watching your back.

 

[gregrocker]

If you plug in your external and set up Backup imaging, it will back up your selected files and/or refresh the backup image on a schedule when the computer is idle.

This way you always have a recent image to re-image easily from the booted Installer/Repair disk in 15 minutes, to the same or a replacement HDD.

I just set it and forget it.

 

[ckmerc]

good ideas...I will do the automatic backup image..