Updating to W7, need help.

[Draekon]

What I'm looking for is a program I was told about that would basicly save your stuff, and then transfer it once your OS was updated. I can't seem to find it on the windows website, maybe I missed it...

Anyone know what I'm talking about? D:

[Karkarov]

No idea what you are talking about. There are some back up and restore aps out there but they include the os etc in the process. Are you upgrading from vista or xp? If you are upgrading from vista it is perfectly safe to just do a straight upgrade. If you are upgrading from xp you need to it the hard way and save all your important stuffs on an external hd or a mem stick and then copy them back once the upgrade is over.

[Draekon]

Doing XP. It was a Geek Squad guy from Best Buy that told me about it. He said I'd have to clear my HD and all that, but said there was a program that would allow me to save all my stuff some how. Trying to get ahold of them again, but I keep getting put on hold e.e

[Emmons]

Protip: People who work at Geek Squad don't actually know shit about computers. They are just retail associates trained to upsell you on services and products you don't actually need. All in-store "repairs" consist of them sticking a disc in your computron and hitting NEXT a bunch of times.

What he MAY have been talking about is a ghosting program like Norton Ghost, but I'm almost positive it backs up the OS as well. Just get an external hard drive and drag all of your porn important documents over there.

[Agnarr]

File and Settings Transfer Wizard?

Though W7 comes with a very nice utility for transferring that data...but you need to have W7 installed to get it (which you can then install on the old non-7 machine to do the transfer).

[Rand_Shea]

Protip: People who work at Geek Squad don't actually know shit about computers. They are just retail associates trained to upsell you on services and products you don't actually need. All in-store "repairs" consist of them sticking a disc in your computron and hitting NEXT a bunch of times.

What he MAY have been talking about is a ghosting program like Norton Ghost, but I'm almost positive it backs up the OS as well. Just get an external hard drive and drag all of your porn important documents over there.

Actually at my store they do know their shit and actually fix some really screwed up systems so that they work just like they did brand new. It's pretty awesome and I'd like to work in that department myself and know a lot about computers and other bits of technology. :P

Also, stores don't make money on computers and are more likely to sell them below cost due to the way that technology progresses when it comes to computers. We have to push services, otherwise none of us get paid. People also usually buy the cheap POS garbage computers that are almost guaranteed to go bust because the manufacturers save money by having next to no quality control. THEY make money off the POS crap people buy... not the stores.

As for the program some Geek Squad agent told you about, Draek... I have no idea what he was referring to. You could get an external harddrive and save your files on it and just plop them back onto the computer when you install 7, but I know nothing about any program that does that.

You could also just take out the harddrive and put in a blank one to install 7 on, get an enclosure for the old HD, and just take everything off it like an external. Those are really the only options I can think of for you other than online backup services (you have to pay for those, though) that will allow you to take files from XP to 7.

Keep in mind, though... 7 has incompatibility issues with XP programs unless you get Professional or Ultimate and run XP mode (requires certain kinds of processors... AMD currently is better and has more processors geared towards running the virtual box that is XP mode). Pictures, MP3s, and most other media formats should be fine along with documents, but there may be issues if you have program files where the program currently does not have a version certified to run on Vista or 7.

If you need any advice on anything from Best Buy, though, give me a PM. I don't push shit on people they don't need or can't use.

Oh, and for what Agnarr is referring to, that transfer utility will work if you have a data transfer cable and TWO computers, a new one with 7, and an older one with XP. 7 pretty much treats the XP machine like an external harddrive then and will port over files from it, and I believe it will do so in a way that the files are placed and organized in folders that are set up similarly if not identical to the XP machine (if the XP machine has music files under C:/Folder1/Folder2/Music, then 7 will make C:/Folder1/Folder2/Music).

[Emmons]

Actually at my store etc.

Well I'm glad your store is above par. This, however, does not reflect the general quality of work nationwide (http://consumerist.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&limit=20&search=Geek+Squad).


True story, I've applied to work at Best Buy on 4 separate occasions and never been given an interview. One of these times, a cheerleader I went to high-school with was in the store applying for the same position as I. My application detailed the experience I have with building computer, etc.

Guess who's working at the Geek Squad right now.

[Sabachthan]

Draekon, I can't help you with your original query, but I would like to say that www.ninite.com is awesome.

[Draekon]

Thanks for all your help. I don't have an external, but a friend of mine does. Said he'd let me borrow it.

Also, thanks Saba. Thats going to help ALOT.

[Emmons]

Awesome link Saba. I have a "Utilities' folder in my external that I usually toss Firefox, some drivers, etc. in, but its a pain in the ass keeping everything up to date.

[Karkarov]

Awesome link Saba. I have a "Utilities' folder in my external that I usually toss Firefox, some drivers, etc. in, but its a pain in the ass keeping everything up to date.

With 7 you are better off just re installing the programs once you upgrade if you have the disks or they are easily found online. Instead just save your settings, favorite lists, and or save files and transfer them as needed once you install the ap. The reason for this is because 7 likes to place things in folders that aren't considered.... standard sometimes.

I wouldn't worry too much about compatibility unless you have the craptastic home version. I have ultimate and I can run aps that were designed in the late 90's with no problem.

[Emmons]

Yeah, that's what I meant. I keep the install files in my external.

[Draekon]

I got ultimate too. I just hate the idea of re-installing WoW. It takes FOREVER D:

[Alekander]

Protip: People who work at Geek Squad don't actually know shit about computers. They are just retail associates trained to upsell you on services and products you don't actually need. All in-store "repairs" consist of them sticking a disc in your computron and hitting NEXT a bunch of times.

QFTMFT

Edit:

Actually, this was just worded well and sounded awesome to me because of personal experiences with Geek Squids.

[Rand_Shea]

Well I'm glad your store is above par. This, however, does not reflect the general quality of work nationwide (http://consumerist.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=1&limit=20&search=Geek+Squad).


True story, I've applied to work at Best Buy on 4 separate occasions and never been given an interview. One of these times, a cheerleader I went to high-school with was in the store applying for the same position as I. My application detailed the experience I have with building computer, etc.

Guess who's working at the Geek Squad right now.

Yes, my store is above par on everything and we're proud of it. I don't expect the same for all stores, but eh.

Oh, and if you don't answer the questions in the survey a certain way, you're disqualified. You essentially have to make yourself look as agreeable and as submissive as possible to get past the corporate grading system. They could give two shits if you know a hard drive from random access memory... they care more about whether or not you'll be able to be pleasant, cheerful, and agreeable regardless of how shitty a customer might treat you.

I don't really see you as a type that would like working there, honestly.

[Agnarr]

They could give two shits if you know a hard drive from random access memory... they care more about whether or not you'll be able to be pleasant, cheerful, and agreeable regardless of how shitty a customer might treat you.
I'd never be able to get hired there.

[Emmons]

I don't really see you as a type that would like working there, honestly.

Yeah, unfortunately right now, a job's a job. McD's isn't even hiring where I live right now.

[Karkarov]

That is what is funny about customer service. To get hired you basically need to be a person who will always be subservient and nice no matter what. But to actually be good at the job you have to have some well "balls" and know when and how to tell the customer no but also when to go out of your way to fight the corporate scum when the customer is right.

[Draekon]

Ok...

So, I ended up not being able to get a full version of Windows 7. None of the other stores have it, either sold out or not carrying.

So, I've decided that I kinda want to try Ubuntu. Anyone an expert about it? I've had some people off of WoW telling me how awesome it is, but I've never actually used it myself, and I'd like some other opinions.

[Raziel]

Swerto, of all people, is a good source of information for *nix-based operating systems.

[Sabachthan]

I hear Linux Mint (http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php) is a good transitional into that realm of computing, but I don't actually have any experience with Linux. And judging by how busy my resolutions for this year will keep me, I probably won't for at least a year or two more.

Man, I suck at answering your questions. ;)

[Rand_Shea]

That is what is funny about customer service. To get hired you basically need to be a person who will always be subservient and nice no matter what. But to actually be good at the job you have to have some well "balls" and know when and how to tell the customer no but also when to go out of your way to fight the corporate scum when the customer is right.

Corporate doesn't want to deal with complaints and having to give anything back to customers because of mistakes or supposed 'mistreatment'. Corporate is who deals with the applications first, even if it's just an automated grading system. They also don't like actually dealing with employee complaints about customers and having to interject in any sort of situation. As such, corporate wants people who will 1) make customers as happy as possible (or in the case of the typical shithead who just wants to complain and/or be a fucking prick, give them as much of an ego boost as possible by being their personal slaves/punching bags), and 2) hopefully be so easygoing that they either won't bother to complain when treated badly or just won't care when they are.

No actual human being sees your application or knows you've even applied until at least a couple of weeks after applying after the system has graded your survey as passing and then distributes it off to the regional/district managers who then distribute it to store managers who will either look at or ignore them based on need.

In short, expect it to be about a month before you expect any callbacks from Best Buy if you ever apply there, unless you know for a fact that they're somehow desperate to find people to help out, which in this economy is unlikely. I pretty much got really lucky with my job, and I had a friend who had been working at my store for 3 years that put in a really good word for me.

As for having balls when dealing with customers... yeah, you have to have SOME, but pretty much you're still expected to answer all their questions and make the time they're there as wonderful as possible. Luckily that means that you don't need to badger a customer into buying a $1500 computer and hundreds more in services that they don't need, but it does mean if someone is giving you attitude or acting like you just kicked their child you're expected to keep a smile on your face and tell them to have a good day when they storm off to go complain to the store manager about how you ruined their life because you can't give them what they want.