Pocket PC Guru

This is part 4 of a multipart series on setting up Windows 7 on YOUR computer.   You can see parts here at Just Another Mobile Monday and at iTechGear.org.

 

Ok...

So, now you’re ready to install Windows 7 on your PC, right?  You’ve decided that 7 is right for you, have figured out which version to install, and have upgraded key components of your system to get it ready for the upgrade.  The only thing left is to plunk the DVD in the drive and let ‘er rip, right??

Wrong. There are a number of things that you need to do to get ready for the actual software install. Let’s take a look at what they are and give the install the biggest opportunity for success...

 

Gather Required Drivers
While Windows 7’s driver database is one of the most complete I’ve ever seen (in contrast, Windows Vista’s was a train wreck), there are still some drivers for devices that you may have to install yourself.  For example, Windows 7 and Windows Update didn’t have the 32bit driver for the sound card on my wife’s Dell Latitude D610.  I found that at Dell’s Support Site.

The Fuji T4210 Lifebook that I am using at the office, an older tablet PC that originally ran Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, is a great example of "download the drivers before installing."  While Windows 7 had many of required drivers, the drivers from the PC’s support page (21 in all) were a better match for the devices; and there was at least one driver for a power saving device that neither Windows 7 nor Windows Update had. Without the driver file from Fuji, the PC wouldn’t function correctly under Windows 7.

My early 2009 13" aluminum, unibody MacBook is also another great example of a compatible, Windows 7 capable PC, but one that had special driver installation needs, especially for 64bit Windows 7.

Also, if you’re running a 2006 or earlier Intel based Mac, Boot Camp (the software Apple supplies to allow you to dual boot OS-X and Windows on your Mac) won’t support Windows 7.  You’re going to be stuck with Vista; or will need to run Windows 7 with either Parallels Desktop 5.0 or VMWare Fusion.

The bottom line here – The biggest chance for your Windows 7 installation to succeed from a technical perspective is to have all of your drivers handy so you can install them just in case Windows 7 doesn't automatically do it during installation. The support section of your PC manufacturer's website should have a way for you to easily locate all of the required drivers. Download them, stick them on a USB thumb drive or CD, and then stick it to the side in case Windows 7 doesn't have all of your PC's drivers.

 

My Documents and Your Data
Ok... this is the biggest part of your prep activities – figuring out what to do with your data. This is by far going to be one of the biggest issues you've got, as no one wants to lose their stuff; BUT its something that you really need to be mindful of. Depending on what OS you're upgrading FROM, and the method you ultimately decide to use for installing Windows 7, insuring that you don't lose anything is going to make you a hero and not a zero in the eyes of your family.  Effectively, you really only have one shot to get this right.  Thankfully, you have a couple of options:

1. Backup to a local hard drive or USB drive
   A simple copy will do. You don’t have to use a "backup" program, per se.  In fact, if you're not certain if your backup program works with Windows 7, a straight copy is the safest bet. Get your data off your existing PC.
   
   If you have an extra drive in or connected to your PC (via USB cable, for example), and your data isn’t already on it, move your data there.   The transfer will be quick, painless, and you will be able to read and write to the drive long after the install is over.  If you don’t have an extra hard drive in or connected to your PC, I understand that Target will have a Black Friday special on 1.5TB (that’s terabyte or 1000 gigabytes) hard drives for around $60. If this isn’t an option for you, then you may want to consider an off-site solution.
   
2. Backup to The Cloud
   Cloud computing is all the rage now-a-days, but isn't anything new.  Computing started off using this type of model – think mainframe and mini's from back in the day. As more and more content moves to the web, and as these solutions become more and more secure, putting your data there is ok. Like many things on the Internet, some cloud based solutions are free.  The backup solution I like the best is called Drop Box. With it, you get 2-3 GB of FREE, synchronized storage (meaning it will automatically copy all your data up to The Cloud, and bring it back down when our upgrade is done). It will also allow you to have all of your data on multiple PC's (like the one you have a work and the one at home, again, via secure connection) so you can work on things at home instead of spending long hours at the office). To back up your data with DropBox, follow the instructions below:

1. Install DropBox
DropBox can be found at http://dropbox.com. Download and install this free utility. It will create a folder in My Documents (or Documents, on Windows Vista) called "My DropBox."

 

Download Dropbox. The setup file is about 14MB in size

Most broadband connections should be able to download this file within a few moments.  Though the file is not yet a 1.0 version (notice, the version number is 0.6.570), and its technically still in beta, I want to remind everyone that Google's Gmail was technically in a beta stage for over 4 YEARS.  I've been using Dropbox for almost 6 months, and its been flawless. Its one of the most stable applications I have on my computers, and I'm using it on both 32bit and 64bit versions of Windows 7.

 

The install is standard fare…

The application installs quickly, and is minimally invasive.  Its not going to scatter DLL's (application components) all over your hard drive. 

 

2. Configure Dropbox
After the application is in, you can configure it with the Preferences dialog box.

 

The General tab of the Preferences dialog box…

Note the Dropbox Folder Location, above.  This is where you're synchronized files will be located.  Anything and everything that's located in that folder (subfolders included) will be copied up to your Dropbox account at dropbox.com.  You can change the location of your Dropbox on your PC, but its recommended that you leave it where it wants to be.  The folder "My Dropbox is going to be created by the application no matter what you try to do (so specifying any OTHER folder as your Dropbox folder isn't going to work).

 

The Network tab of the Preferences dialog box…

If you have any special requirements for your network (proxy settings, an maximum upload/download rate, you can specify them on the Network tab of the Preferences dialog box.  In most cases, you won't need to worry about this tab.  However, if things don't work right, you might want to look here for possible solutions.

 

The contents of my Dropbox folder…

In order to get things into your Dropbox account, simply copy them into your My Dropbox folder.  Once they have been copied up to your account, each file or folder will have a green circle with a checkmark next to it (see above).  That means that object (and in the case of folders), all of its contents, have been successfully copied up to your account. Once everything is green, the copy is completed, and you can move on to the next step.

 

Upgrade or Update?
This is a huge question.  I have had a ton of people ask me if they should do an in-place upgrade (meaning simply let Windows upgrade OS files, keeping all of your applications and data in tact) or wipe the drive and do a clean install (or update).

There are a few things to keep in mind here: 

1. If you have Windows XP, you CANNOT do an in-place upgrade.  Windows 7 is going to make you wipe the drive and do a clean install. The OS differences are just too vast to allow an in-place upgrade. You're going to have to reinstall all of your programs and restore your data afterwards.
2. If you're coming from Windows Vista, Windows 7 will let you do an in-place upgrade to an equivalent or better version of Windows 7; but you may not want to. There have been some reports of in-place upgrades taking as long as 21 hours to complete. There have also been reports of incomplete upgrades (where outdated OS files didn't get upgraded or deleted) as well as application and driver compatibility issues afterwards.
3. If you decide to install a 64bit version of Windows 7 and you're coming from a 32bit version of Vista, you're not going to be able to do an in-place upgrade.  The OS files are vastly different, and you'll be required to do a clean install.  Users coming from a 64bit version of XP will also be required to do a clean install.

Based on the above, my experience has shown me that a clean installation is always the best way to go.  With DropBox or a copy of your data on an external drive, its easy to put your data back on your PC.  While reinstalling all of your software may be, lets face it...a pain in the butt, especially if some of it was "creatively" acquired, its still the best way to get everything in with the fewest amount of problems later on.

While most may just wing it, and do the in-place upgrade thinking everything will be ok, I've had to help a few friends through some pretty rough OS installs gone bad.  It sounds trite, but an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.  Prepare for the install.  Gather your PC's drivers, backup your data, and then make the right install choice for you.

Next time, we'll talk about doing the actual Windows 7 install.

 

Questions..?  Send them to chris (at) itechgear.org, and I'll do my best to get answers to you as quickly as possible.

 

Series:

Windows 7 Setup Part 3: The Right Tool for the Right Job – Getting the most Bang for Your Upgrade Buck

Windows 7 Setup Part 2: Eanie-Meany-Miney-Moe – Choosing the Right Version of Windows 7

Windows 7 Setup Part 1: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda – Is Windows 7 Right for Me?

I saw this on AppleInsider today and was intrigued by it. The staff there indicate that they aren't surprised that work on 10.7 has already begun. As a software quality professional I agree. As a consumer, I was a bit surprised. The bits for 10.6.2 are still cooling, and Apple is pressing ahead with 10.7. I wonder what it will include..?

Apple is unsurprisingly already at work on the next version of its operating system, according to a new technical message that references Mac OS X 10.7.

As first discovered by MacRumors, a new database entry for the open source "launchd" framework responsible for booting Mac OS X references "11A47" with a new error message. Based on Apple's numbering scheme, the numerical prefix of a Mac OS X build determines the version number, and 11A47 would suggest a reference to the next version of the operating system, Mac OS X 10.7.

When it shipped, Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard carried the build number 10A432, and subsequent updates 10.6.1 and 10.6.2 had the prefixes 10B and 10C, respectively. For Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, 10.5.0 builds leading up to launch were represented by the prefix 9A.

This is part 3 of a multipart series on setting up Windows 7 on YOUR computer.   You can see parts here at Just Another Mobile Monday and at iTechGear.org.

 

Now that you’ve determined that Windows 7 is right for you, and you’ve figured out what version of Windows 7 you’re going to install, we need to take a serious look at your existing hardware.  I’m going to assume that you’ve already taken a look at the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor and have an upgrade report that you are referring to while we go through this.  If you haven’t run the Upgrade Advisor on your existing PC, then you need to do so.

Ultimately, we’re going to divide your computer’s components up into 3 camps – The stuff that’s OK (and doesn’t need to be upgraded), the stuff that SHOULD be upgraded, and the stuff that you’d LIKE to upgrade.  For many this may be a financial decision, but for those with a bit of flexibility in their budgets, your computing experience just gets better with a little more horse power.  Let’s dive in and take a look...

 

Upgradeable Components
Unless you built your PC from scratch or from a kit, and most of us didn’t, then you have to think about what you have in your PC.  Without getting into upgrading your motherboard (unless you are a super techie, you may as well buy a new computer at that point), most people will consider upgrading one, some or all of the following:

• CPU
• Graphics Card
• Sound Card
• Hard Drive
• RAM
• CD/DVD Drive
• Monitor

  Let’s consider upgrade possibilities for each.

CPU – This isn’t the mid to late 1990’s any more. For those that remember, CPU upgrades, while technically possible, aren’t as easy as they used to be. You used to be able to buy a graphics or math co-processor (when those were separate chips) and give your spreadsheet and graphing a speed boost; but modern Pentium and Core2Duo, among other chips have this stuff built in. While its technically possible to upgrade to a faster or more powerful CPU today, its more complicated.  The chips are bigger, have more pins, and depending on the motherboard and brand of PC, may not be replaceable. Don’t bother considering this one, kids. If your current PC isn’t 1gHz or faster, its going to be easier (and cheaper in the long run) to buy a new computer.  We’re going to file this component under “the stuff that’s OK.” 

Graphics Card – Many desktop computers and ALL laptops have their “graphics cards” integrated into the motherboard. If that doesn’t give you enough power, you can always consider a graphics card upgrade for your desktop computer. Laptop users are out of luck and stuck with what they have in this area.  Many graphics cards come with enhanced processing power, including GPU’s (graphical processing units) and dedicated video RAM, giving your PC the ability to play advanced role playing games, watch picture perfect video and generally support large monitors with near (or at) HD resolutions. You have to really think about the age of your PC, the type of available interface slots you have in it, and the cost of the upgrade. Some of these cards can add a lot of life and ability to an existing PC, but can be expensive. For example, cards can cost anywhere from $96.99 for an ATI Radeon HD 4850 512GB, to $494.99 for an Nvidia GeForce GTX 295 1,792MB Single PCB. If the graphics card in your desktop has less than 256MB of video RAM, consider a lower end card upgrade (like the ATI Radeon HD 4850) unless you’re going to do some REALLY serious gaming; and then again, a new PC might be a better idea.  As such, we’re going to file this component under “stuff you’d like to upgrade.”

Sound Card – Unless you’re an audio/videophile, or are going to do some serious multimedia work, most computer consumers are going to be satisfied with the sound components that came with their desktop PC.  Again, laptop users don’t really have an upgrade path here.  However, like your graphics card, depending on the interface slot types on your mother board, you can upgrade this component too. Cards can cost anywhere from $19.99 for a Diamond Xtreme Sound 5.1/16 bit Sound Card, to $199.99 for an ASUS Xonar D2X 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz. In most cases a decent set of desktop speakers with a floor based subwoofer will go a lot farther; and is a better buy. As such, unless this is a must upgrade for you, we’re going to file this under, “the stuff that’s OK.”

Hard Drive – Whether laptop or desktop, EVERY computer can benefit from a hard drive upgrade, regardless of operating system.  Better, faster, stronger is the key here, so if you’re in the market for a quick PC upgrade, this is low hanging fruit. The best way to add longevity to an aging PC is to buy the biggest, fastest (within economical reason) hard drive you can find. In most cases, 500GB drives or larger can be had for around $100 for a desktop and about $150 - $200 for a laptop. Just make sure you get the right interface type for your PC (SATA, PATA or EIDE). We’re going to file this one under the “stuff that should be upgraded.”

RAM – Like your hard drive, RAM prices are cheap and this is also an easy way to bring new life to your existing computer. My favorite online source for RAM is Crucial.com (originally part of Micron Computers). They have online tools to help insure you get the right kind of RAM for your computer. As such we’ll file this under, “stuff that should be upgraded.”

CD/DVD Drive – If you don’t have a DVD drive in your PC, you’re not going to be able to install Windows 7, as it comes on a DVD. If your PC doesn’t have a DVD drive, it may be too old for realistic upgrading; but if a PC purchase within the last 3 or so years didn’t include a DVD drive, now may be the perfect time to correct that situation. For example, you can get a Samsung SH-S223C_BE DVDRW Drive for $29.99 or a Lite ON DH-4O1S-73C Blu Ray 4x ROM for as much as $74.99. We’re going to file this component under “stuff that should be upgraded.”

Monitor – Unless you have an extremely high end monitor with enhanced connectivity and multimedia options you’re not going to have to worry about a “monitor driver” per se. Windows 7 is likely going to have what you need. If it doesn’t, Windows Update should. This is an easy upgrade, as the benefit can be passed on to any and all PC’s connected to it, old and upgraded or new. There are a number of off brand monitors that provide a great deal of value for a reasonable price. For example, you can get an eMachines E202H WMD 20" LCD Monitor - 1600 x 900, 10000:1 Dynamic, 5ms, 16:9, VGA, DVI for $109.96; or a VISON V221WD Black 21.6" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor for $119.99. While the prices here are very reasonable and make a lot of sense, I’m going to put this component into the “stuff you’d like to upgrade” category.  Neither having or being without this upgraded component is going to effect the performance of your PC.

Conclusion
Adding new life to your aging PC can be easy and somewhat affordable, provided you shop around and choose your upgrade components wisely.  With new PC’s costing between $200 to $1000,  balancing cost and value is entirely in your hands.  In the end, keep your eye on the Windows 7 hardware requirements and make use of the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

 

Series:

Windows 7 Setup Part 2: Eanie-Meany-Miney-Moe – Choosing the Right Version of Windows 7

This is part 2 is a multipart series on setting up Windows 7 on YOUR computer.   You can see parts here at Just Another Mobile Monday and at iTechGear.org.

When Microsoft released Windows XP, there were 2 versions – Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional. Yes, it satisfied the KISS principle...it couldn’t get much simpler.  However, the Pro version was installed on more home PC’s than the Home version was (or at least, it seemed that way).  There were key security and networking features in the Pro version that were missing from the Home version.

When Microsoft released Vista, they decided to up the ante a little and released 4 versions. I honestly remember hearing that they released (or planned to release) 7 versions; but Microsoft’s website documents 4 as of this writing. The four versions (compared to XP’s two) did nothing more than confuse the day lights out of everyone, especially when the features varied so greatly from version to version.

With Windows 7, Microsoft went back to basics, or took a more Windows XP approach.  While they technically released four versions of Windows, only two of them are really worth mentioning.  Here’s why...

 

Windows 7 Starter Edition
This version of Windows 7 is NOT available for purchase at retail. The ONLY way to get this version of Windows 7 is to purchase it on a new computer; and then that computer MUST be a netbook, like an Asus Eee PC, MSI Wind, Dell Mini, etc. While I (and just about anyone else) can get just about ANY version of Windows 7 to run on a netbook (provided that netbook satisfies the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7). However, I’ve been able to install any and every version of Windows 7 on a netbook.  As long as the computer meets the system requirements, you’re good to go.

Windows 7 Home Premium
This is the version that 95% of the consumer world will use. Windows Home Premium gives the user the improved Windows 7 interface, provides enhanced desktop search, includes IE8 and provides secure home networking and file sharing within that home network.  From a technical perspective, what does this mean?  Very simply, you’re going to get the new OS with all the eye candy and enhancements, very quickly find programs, options and documents regardless of where Microsoft or you put them, surf the internet (allowing you to share pictures, send and receive messages, and visit your favorite websites), and share documents between all computers in your home.

Windows 7 Home Premium is $199.99

Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Professional does everything that Windows Home Premium does but also provides the following capabilities – The ability to run Windows XP Mode (an advanced compatibility mode only needed in the most EXTREME incompatibility cases), the ability to join a business network (like the one at work), and the ability to backup your data to a network drive. These extra three features aren’t worth an extra $100 unless you need to connect to a business network. Period; so save your money.  Most everyone won’t need to do this. Windows 7 is NOT like Windows XP or Windows Vista where there are vast differences between one version and the next.

Windows 7 Professional is $299.99

Windows 7 Ultimate
There was a compelling reason to buy Windows Vista Ultimate – Windows Ultimate Extras (a series of cool, free, MS created add-on applications only available with the Vista Ultimate version – Ultimate Extras have now been discontinued and are no longer available), included DVD decoders (so you could watch a DVD on your PC without having to buy any other program), as well as some other not often used differences.  Windows 7 Ultimate offers two (2), just two additional features over Windows 7 Professional – BitLocker (a data security add-on originally included as a Windows Vista Ultimate Extra, but now only available in Win7 Ultimate) and the ability to have Windows 7 display in one of 35 different native languages (Simplified Chinese, Spanish, German, etc.).  Unless you MUST run Windows 7 in a different language than the one native to your country, there is absolutely no reason to spend the extra $120, so again...save your money.

Windows 7 Ultimate is $319.99

Conclusion
Over the years, Microsoft hasn’t made it easy to choose the right version of Windows for your home computing needs.  XP’s two choices were simple enough, but more people wanted the connectivity and networking features of Windows XP Pro than the features of the apparently crippled XP Home.  Choosing the right version of Windows Vista was just plain confusing. With Windows 7, Microsoft has made it much easier – Save your money. Unless you have specific computing needs as outlined above, you need Windows 7 Home Premium.

Earlier this year, I wrote a review on a power line networking product called HomeNet by Corinex over at Gear Diary.  You can see the review here. I generally liked the product; but since the review posted, I’ve had a number of problems with the products.

If you don’t have wireless; or if your wireless network doesn’t penetrate everywhere in the house, power line networking could be a GREAT way for you to get online without having to buy an access point or lay CAT5/CAT6 cable throughout your house.  Up until about 5 months ago, I really liked my Corinex products.  They were getting the job done.

Then out of nowhere, the first set of Corinex AV200 adapters I had failed. Fortunately for me, I had a second set.  I had a great deal of difficulty getting them to shoot a signal from one end of my basement to another (or anywhere else in the house for that matter).  The documentation was conflicting/contradictory and I think the adapters were a bit flakey.  They were nothing like the first set.  However, I got them working.  Don’t get me wrong, when they work, they do a great job.  The nice thing about power line networking is that the signal flows through all wiring in your house, extension cords and power strips included.

However, they failed as well.  Out of nowhere, just like the first set, they dropped the network signal, and would NOT resync or carry a signal at all.  To top it off, they would NOT work with the first set at all, so if one in either set was bad, I couldn’t get a signal from any combination of pairings between the GameNet and HomeNet products I had (I was told they were essentially the same by Corinex earlier this year).

The big problem is that I had the documentation for the Corinex products IN HAND; and it didn’t make a bit of difference.  What I did earlier to get the second set to work, wouldn’t work this time.  I tried for about 2.5 hours.  If someone with my experience can’t get a turn key product to work after 2.5 hours of trying, it ain’t gonna work.

I made a quick run to Best Buy and bought a set of NetGear AV85 Power Line adapters with a gift card I had been sitting on.  I brought them home, plugged one into an AC outlet near my Linksys wired, 4 port Cable/DSL router, plugged the RJ45 cable into it and watched the lights on it come to life.

I then walked across the basement into my home office and plugged the second unit into the power strip behind my desk.  I plugged the RJ45 cable connected to my Linksys 8 port Workgroup Switch into it, and POOF!  I was back on.  No runs, drips or errors.  Nothin’ but broadband...

I checked the speed I was getting with my connection and was pleasantly surprised.

While I can get better speed with wireless, it really doesn’t come down to my office very well. The signal is a bit weak, and I really don’t want to rely on it for important computing like writing for JAMM or iTechGear. The signal from the NetGear AV85 power line adapters may not be as fast as any other connection types available to me in the house; but the privacy and consistent connectivity is worth the slower speed.  Besides, nearly 4Mbps down is fast enough for what I’m doing from the Internet. I’m not watching Hulu down here... I’m working.  No, seriously!  I mean it!  (OK, maybe just a little Hulu or other stuff; but with my Hava, I really don’t need Hulu.)

This is the turnkey product I was hoping it would be. Plug it in, hook it up, and it just works. Period.  Not bad, NetGear...not bad.

Conclusion: When I started this article, it was immediately following my return from the store with the NetGear AV85 power line adapters.  I was really frustrated with the Corinex units.  I’ve got 4, and not only would they not work together, they had trouble keeping a signal even after I did get them working.  The NetGear units had a better out of the box experience than the Corinex units, and have a lower entry cost ($40 cheaper than the Corinex units at the time of review). Provided they stay working (like, beyond a year... I’m just sayin’...), they are a much better buy, even at only 85Mpbs as compared to the 200Mbps potential from the Corinex units.

Power line networking works, kids; and its a VERY easy way of bringing a reliable network signal into a room where wireless isn’t available. Its consistency is much better than wireless, and you don’t have to worry about other kinds of radio interference.

Price: The NetGear 85Mbit Power Line Network Adapters are $99.99 and available at most electronics stores (like Best Buy) in your neighborhood. The Corinex AV200 Power Line adapters can be purchased for about $80.00 here.

What I Liked: The NetGear products just worked. You plugged them in, and they worked...instantly. No hoops to jump through...buttons to push...Nothing. They just worked.

What Needs Improvement: With the NetGear equipment. Nothing really. As I mentioned, they just worked.

Disclosure: The Corinex Power Line Networking adapters were provided by Corinex, free of charge to facilitate the review for Gear Diary back in February. The NetGear Power Line Networking adapters were purchased in a fit of desperation.