-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Rose's Completely Simplified Organizational Method
- From: "Tech Rose - LoveBytes" <TechRose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:49:47 -0700
GMan,
I have used at least a yardstick between myself and multiple OS' and/or a
Dual Boot System.
Fear of the unknown is probably why. I have some thoughts based on
'nothing' that this would be fairly complex and then require quite a bit of
learning (can I ?) and babysitting.
If I install a program in one system, do I have to install it again
(possibly in the same folder) for everything to work in both systems?
I an totally ignorant about this and have felt it would take quite a bit of
reading and study to accomplish this and feel comfortable with it.
(Like I had to SAY I was totally ignorant about it... I am sure my previous
sentences proved that already..but..being redundant..is a habit of mine. I
always want to be sure I get my message across and understood....LOL!)
I will try to keep an open mind to this suggestion. I hear a lot of talk
about it, but have not experienced it at all. I have read a bit about it
being recommended in Vista talks.
When you mentioned CD/DVD backups, I have to admit...I cringed. The thought
of backing up to those small volume devices is a nightmare to me.
Why would I want to backup to a CD/DVD when disks drives are dirt cheap and
much less time consuming to make a backup and also much less time consuming
to retrieve data from and restore it?
When I can buy a 500 GB hard drive for $140 why would I want to use the
other media? (Now I know I do not need to buy any drives...and I have more
than I need.) For that $140 I could create a backup of most of my data.
The cost of doing so on the 111 DVD's that would take @$0.19 ea would be
$21.00 (111 x .19). The amount of time would be days. I could pretty much
let the system back itself up over night (and maybe a bit longer) without
any intervention on my part. If I had two such drives, I would spend
$280.00 and I could make hundreds of backups on each one. I could also
easily restore my data if need be much more easily that the 111 DVD's would
allow me to do. I could restore a file a folder a directory or a whole
partition in much less time than it would take to find the exact DVD's I
need to restore the data. The labeling and storing of these many DVD's
would be so cumbersome.
My hard drives would be useable over and over and over. The DVD's, unless I
am willing to spend about $0.50 each would be a one time burn. So I would
continue to have to buy new DVD's. That $21.00 backup just jumped to
$55.50. I would need at least 2 sets at a time, so now we are at $111.00
and 222 DVD's. This is a large library to CREATE and MAINTAIN. And again,
a daunting task (in my mind) to use to restore.
I have a habit, and probably a bad habit too in that I give very long names
to some of my files, especially graphics and scrapbooking file folders and
files.
In the Scrapbooking arena, everyone is worried about getting credit for you
using products you purchased from them. You receive files with long names
and weird characters !@# ~ etc. Sometimes the file names are too long when
burned to a DVD. This can sometimes cause you to lose the DVD or the
file..or both. But I have not had a big problem with ones that are backed
up to a hard drive.
In my Scrapbooking partition is one folder is 21.3GB and represents
purchases I have made in the last 6 months. It has 16,000+ files in 2600+
folders.(There is redundancy in these files, but I do not care. It is the
ease of use, and finding what I want, when I want it that is most important
to me. My time at age 62 is more important to me. This may or may not be
the biggest single folder in that directory, but there are a number of large
ones. Just the 163 GB of Scrapbooking files is enough to make me want to
say no..I am not interested in sitting and burning DVD's.
While my mind is not very open on this subject, it is not closed. Maybe you
can convince me.If I did not have the hard drive space the money could well
be an issue with me and things could be different.
Re-reading your message, I realize I "MAY" have "SLIGHTLY" over-reacted to
your CD/DVD backup suggestion you said you would mention in FUTURE email(s).
I do not think I know everything...as evidenced by my fear of dual booting
machines. I do admit..they sound sexy.. but I am concerned about learning
about them and what it takes to maintain them. I am opened and interested.
I do like the idea of being able to switch the master/slave cables (and
drive settings) and then have a system up and ready to work to resolve
issues.
My use of a computer is for fun, family projects, making a family legacy for
my children and grandchildren..(their pictures and the history of their
ancestors.
I also like to just goof off and have fun playing games and chatting and oh
yes.. talking to tech folks....lol! (I do banking and taxes and the other
ugly things in life I have to do too... ha ha!)
So, anything I can do to allow me to do that..sounds like a plan.... My ears
are open.....(and my eyes..although I have to admit..this SOUNDS like a
conversation, rather than written correspondence...I love it!
Thanks so much... You are AMAZING!
Rose
----- Original Message -----
From: "GMan" <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:00 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Rose's Completely Simplified Organizational
Method
Rose,
Well, since we're now on this subject, I might as well allow this
situation to lead me into one, make that several, of my suggestions for you
to consider.
Your initial reason for keeping them off of the main drive (boot drive)
is understandable and hardly deserves a "Wart" classification, but it would
have been a worthless effort if you couldn't get into the OS for any reason.
For one thing, it generally takes an OS to get to the shortcut or executable
for the utility in question. Worse yet, most utilities require access to
their registry entries before they'll work.
No OS = No registry = No joy.
My simple solution to nearly everything that surrounds this problem and
many other related situations is to set up a dual boot system. Your Primary
OS would have all of its Program Files on a separate partition just like
you've been doing, except that the utilities would be there, too. The
second OS (in your case with the new Vista computer) would be a second
install of Vista (if possible) or perhaps WinXP and would have all of your
favorite utilities installed directly to it's own D: partition. If anything
ever goes wrong with your main OS, boot into the second one to have access
to whatever tools you need to try to fix it (or to simply copy off of the
drive anything you wish to save before formatting C: and reinstalling
Vista). In other words, the second OS exists primarily to provide back door
access your main OS drive (unless you find that some other things run better
on XP, of course).
I'll further suggest that you install the second OS onto a separate
physical drive than the main OS and copy over the files it would need from
C: in order to become bootable by itself, just in case the first physical
drive fails completely at some point. You then have the option to remove
the failed first physical drive from the system, make the second drive the
Master and boot directly into the second OS in order to assist in the
recovery. This suggestion will provide you with numerous ways to get
everything back in order once the failed drive is replaced. Of course,
everything important that was on the failed drive will also be on a CD/DVD
backup as we'll discuss later in this thread.
Peace,
GMan
"The only dumb questions are the ones that are never asked!"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tech Rose - LoveBytes" <TechRose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 10:31 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Rose's Completely Simplified Organizational
Method
> Wow! You did good...again.... Gman... spelling this all out, and asking
> the
> perfect first question.
>
> Question 1: Do you have a specific reason for separating your Utilities
> from the rest of your Program Files?
>
> When I was laying all this out for you, I was tempted to move the
> Utilities
> to the Programs Partition as a sub directory, and not share this wart...
> but
> I decided to be 100% honest.
>
> Your first question..is one I have NO answer for.
>
> First, MY definition of Utilities is something that keeps my computer
> running better or can fix computer problems..or..is used by all
> programs...sort of like the Swiss Army Knife. I consider programs like
> Win
> Rar, Win Zip and email backup programs. Tweak UI, Partition Magic, Go
> Back,
> etc. as Utilities. They help me keep my computer going and in my (sick)
> mind do not fall into one of the other categories for which I have created
> partitions.
>
> The Utilities Partition. I believe was the first specialized partition I
> created. I had followed the sheep and instructions and always installed
> my
> programs in my C::.
> Then, I had a problem and I could not get to the Utilities I needed to fix
> the problem, or at least research it. So, When all was said and done, I
> had
> to reinstall Windows and when it came to reinstalling the Utilities, I
> decided I would not put myself in that position again, and created a
> partition on another drive for my Utilities.
>
> As time when on, I started thinking I should not put some other things on
> my
> C: and I just left Utilities on its own.
>
> The Utilities Partition SHOULD NOT be a partition on its own. It should
> be
> in the Programs partition.
> By the time I realized what I had done, the die was cast so to speak. I
> did
> not want to have to reinstall those programs again, so..I left it as it
> was.
> I have even messed myself up when going to install a new Utility; When I
> went to install an update to WinRar, I went to
> Disk 2 Programs
> looked for a sub directory for Utilities!
>
> That was when I smacked myself in the forehead and said..I should have put
> the Utilities here! grrrrrrrrr!
> But, I was too lazy to reinstall everything..so I did not. NO EXCUSES!
>
> Now that I am moving to a new computer and have to reinstall everything, I
> will put the Utilities in the Programs Partition (F:) as a sub directory.
>
> Good eye and mind Mr. GMan.
> Thanks,
> Rose
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