Last night, instead of vegging out and watching TV, I embarked on a great adventure: upgrading my main computer from Windows XP to Windows 7. When I bought that machine, Windows Vista had just come out and had a bad reputation -- deserved or not. So I opted for a Dell Optiplex that was "Vista Capable" but came with XP installed. I still believe that was a wise move. Since then I've used Vista a lot and have purchased dozens of new Vista PCs for work and Vista's pretty darned good. I was eager, however, to try Windows 7 and, once I installed it on my notebook and saw performance skyrocket, I was well and truly sold.
So I pushed out the last work I needed from Apollo (my desktop computer) Monday. Last night I began the process and, as with the notebook, after telling the installer program that I wanted a "Custom" installation (the only choice with XP) and which hard drive to use, I pretty much did other things. At the end, I had a beautiful Win7 desktop, a few of my familiar desktop shortcuts, and a lot of reinstallation work ahead of me -- most of it yet to do. Yes, I'm already loving the Win7 experience. I went to bed with the upgraded machine busily synchronizing data between itself and the remote backup system.
The only sort of "gotcha" I encountered was that the Windows Easy Transfer* I ran in XP copied the wrong user profile. It wasn't the program's fault --there's always been something strange about the way my XP handled my profile-- and I've been able to recover what might otherwise have been lost. The XP strangeness? I'd log in on Apollo using the same username I have at the office, let's say it's james01. Login would go fine, I'd do my work, and shut down. Next time I'd log in the username would appear in the login screen as, say, jamesG. It would accept the james01 password and all would be well. I still don't understand what was going on there but discovered there were, in fact, two user profiles: the one I thought I was using and the one I was actually using and I had Easy Transfer copy out the profile I thought I was using.
Happily for me, I'm in the habit of not using my profile's default location(s) --My Documents-- as the place for saving most of my stuff. Also happily for me, the upgrade process packed up the Windows XP installation in a big ball called "Windows.old" which preserved all profiles; I've, so far, been able to recover necessities such as Thunderbird email files from that ball. There's also the twin fall-backs of a local external hard drive backup and Mozy remote backup. Whew!
Over the next few days I'll casually reinstall the software I commonly use (Photoshop, camera software, InDesign, and the like) and before you know it I'll have a nice new computer.
I guess that's just part of my modern life.
* Windows Easy Transfer really is a great free tool for this "new computer" thing. The program can be used in several different ways to perform the sometimes-daunting task of "moving your stuff." Users need to think a bit ahead and install the Easy Transfer software on their older computer and figure out which of three approaches get the Transfer file on to the "new" computer -- whether it be a different machine or the same machine post-upgrade. Windows 7 has Easy Transfer already installed.
I prefer "James the Magnificent."
The leaves, in drifts on the ground, are all brown and dry.
The days are shorter and the nights are chill.
The Great Square of Pegasus is overhead.
And I can smell the autumn.
This is "astronomy month" for me. I didn't mean for it to turn out that way. Sometimes these things just happen. Today I completed setup of a display inside a glass case in the lobby of Westlake's library. The display features modern telescopes loaned to me by Astrozap --a local company-- and antique instruments from an astronomy club friend who is a collector and restorer. I created all of the signs and labels in the case and all of those books on the floor are mine! My only regret is that I couldn't get a banner or big sign to "title" the display. I think people will get the idea anyway. Oh yeah, "astronomy month"... so, there's the display case, then next week I do a public sidewalk astronomy event at that same library. On the 18th, I help commemorate the 70th anniversary of the college observatory, unveil a mural-sized astro-image granted to the observatory by NASA as part of the IYA finale, and offer early evening views of Jupiter -- there's prep involved in those things, as well. Next, on the 21st, I'll be doing a presentation on The Pleiades at a metropark nature center with a brief star party to follow. Finally, on the 28th, it's back to the observatory where we'll be featuring views of the Moon through the grand old telescope -- stunning viewing, actually! Whew. All that AND going to work every day. Yup, for me it's Astronomy Month!
Last night was Halloween. Today was All Saints Day. She and I set off for the Carlisle Reservation of Lorain Metro Parks for a hike in the woods. What should we encounter but the quiet settings for the System's Halloween Fair which draws thousands of family visitors each year. Among all of the oddities seen along the trail oddest, to my eye, was a swampy area, called Pumpkin Lagoon, populated by dozens of Jack-O-Lanterns all hovering above the still waters! It would have been spooky by night; by day it was simply surreal. The only photos I shot this day were of the carved pumpkin heads in that swamp. Do not take lightly the sight recorded, however... I don't remember seeing that black shape in the background and I don't think it's in any of my other photos! What's that!!
Finally, a good night's sleep! Between struggling with a cold, work worries, and noisy neighbors I've been severely sleep deprived for the better part of a week. Eight hours still wasn't enough to fully recover, but at least I woke rested. It had been a rainy and windy night and, as is natural this time of year, the world went from one robed in colorful leaves to gray gloomful skies stabbed by the dark, bare branches of trees. What a difference from one week ago! It looked like mid-November. There was the weekly shopping to be done so we headed out and completed that, then took a little trip west and paid an afternoon visit to the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. Walking in the woods and along the waters was invigorating and lovely. Some small gaps had opened in the overcast, allowing a few reassuring rays of sun through. Slow down and enjoy the season: fall is hard-set here.
This week I received my first of two Windows 7 installation discs. I decided to experiment first on my notebook computer because its use is not nearly so important to me as my desktop machine's. It looked like it would be an easier upgrade, as well, having run Vista during its entire stay with me. Please note: I've never had any particular problem running Vista on this or any PC so my move to the new OS is based upon the desire to have an experience that is even better than what I'd had and to keep current on computer technology.
I'd decided upon the "Custom" installation which means all vestiges of Vista are swept from the system (packed up in an "old" folder) and Windows 7 installed on newly-cleared disc space. After a bit of reading and thought, I inserted the disc (with Vista running), started the installation program, answered a couple of prompts, and went away to watch TV. After a half an hour or so, the installation declared itself complete. A bit more in the way of post-production Microsoft Updates to download and install and I had myself a new-ish computer! All told it took about an hour. The thing ran flawlessly as I reestablished encrypted connection with our Wi-Fi router and I installed a fresh copy of Firefox. Along with Vista, all installed programs were wiped, as expected, so I'll need to reinstall those I want over the next days and weeks.
Somewhat surprising is how similar Win7 is to Vista in look and feel. In a way that's good... easier to switch over! There are some pretty new desktop backgrounds and an assortment of fun little Windows sounds from which to choose.
The great thing, however, is how fast my notebook now runs! It's quicker than when new. I don't have technical benchmarks but the machine is noticeably faster starting, running programs, and accessing content on the Web! I'm very happy with the entire upgrade experience and expect Win7 will be very popular.
Next, and for various reasons, soon will be the upgrade of the desktop machine from "Windows Vista Capable" running XP to Windows 7. A Custom Installation ("clean install") is required and best practice anyway. There's a lot more software installed on that machine so a lot more work is in store for me. I am, however, almost looking forward to it. Disc #2 (pre-ordered at substantial discount) arrives later this week.
Slightly past peak were the colors in North Central Ohio at Malabar Farm State Park. The entire area was gorgeous, nonetheless, decorating even the forest floor with a confetti-throw of leaves. We decided to follow a one-mile trail that headed uphill, through dense neighboring woods, for a loop back to the Farm. The trail had many wonderful sights to see and was fairly well marked until somewhat short of the half-way point. Seeing no trail blazes we continued on what appeared to be trampled leaves, began our turn back, and paralleled a road though still walking in damp leaf litter within the woods. In no danger of becoming lost we easily found our way back to the Farm's homestead. Then it was off on a cross-country trip over state roads (not freeways) towards home. The scenery was absolutely beautiful with groves of trees on low hills rising like islands out of a sea of brown soybean and corn fields. It was a fine rolling journey back under sunny skies.
It was a most excellent Sunday's sojourn experiencing the best fall colors.
Returning to work today at least one coworker was certain I had the flu >>the Swine Flu, no less<< and not a severe cold as I've been saying. So I Googled --symptoms cold vs. flu-- and got very helpful results. I wanted to reinforce my knowledge, not refute the coworker who no doubt by now has burned the chair I was sitting on in her office. I'll list only two of those excellent, succinct sources:
- FluFacts.com -- a simple table of symptoms. For me, I wound up picking one from column "A" and one from column "B" for a mixture of symptoms. The important pointers, in my opinion, aimed at "Cold."
- About.com -- they offer an interactive quiz that will tally the likelihood of your having one or the other disease based upon your symptoms. Takes less than a minute to complete.
Work, itself? I've been chasing down weird computer issues all morning. Could they have the same thing I had? At least they all have been inoculated with a strong anti-virus!
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