Ultimate: clean re-install, need some advice..

[maya]

hi,

I'm on Vista Ultimate, I need to do a clean re-install of Vista.. (don't
ask.... am a bit exhausted w/these Vista problems...)
I've had the machine -- and Vista for about -- 8 months now..

I'm backing up all my data manually (I read about how Vista backup works
-- apparently it gives you choice of TYPES of files to back up but not
folders.. I don't know what I would do if a type of file I want to back
up (.jsp, .java, .xsl, xslt, xml..) is not listed..

I just want to back up everything myself, but it's proving to be a
challenge b/c it's a lot of data, and the machine has gotten slow and it
takes a long time and I've been having some problems with the external
drive (WD) since I changed a setting in it so it moves data faster..
(before it wasn't copying everything I was copying..)
also, what is differece betw. folders that appear green and folders that
appear yellow, in c:\users\<myname>???

I managed to backup (i.e., copy to WD external HD) the Documents folder
and some other data that I had elsewhere, but when it came to AppData
folder it only copied about 6 GB out of about 35GB.. I don't know why
this is... (are all settings for all programs here? I know that
Thunderbird (email and news client I use) for some odd reason also puts
a folder in C:\ (it does this in XP and W2000 also..) which contains
just the contacts, everything else is in Thunderbird folder in AppData...)

I also would like some advice about how to manage Vista in the future..
most accounts I've read say most important thing is not to get updates
automatically, and I do have a feeling these updates they bombard you
with constantly mess things up... but then how would I get the security
updates? would an anti-virus program like AVG take care of this? (I
mean also of the firewall and anti-spyware updates?? I just want the
security updates, nothing else.. do some of these HAVE to come from
Microsoft???) I have AVG (the free version), and I do always get the
updates, but I don't know if this is just for anti-virus or other
necessary security updates also..

so if I re-install Vista now, and I don't get updates from MS, my Vista
will be lacking all security updates that have come out from MS since I
first purchased it about 8 months ago, yes???? (whew.... is this a
problem????

would appreciate advice and suggestions...

thank you...

 

[Mr. Arnold]

I also would like some advice about how to manage Vista in the future..
most accounts I've read say most important thing is not to get updates
automatically, and I do have a feeling these updates they bombard you with
constantly mess things up... but then how would I get the security
updates? would an anti-virus program like AVG take care of this? (I mean
also of the firewall and anti-spyware updates?? I just want the security
updates, nothing else.. do some of these HAVE to come from Microsoft???)
I have AVG (the free version), and I do always get the updates, but I
don't know if this is just for anti-virus or other necessary security
updates also..

This thing about Vista bombing becuase of updates I don't think thats's
valid at all.

I use Vista Ultimate and I have applied all updates. Only one update has
cause me problems, which I broke my on rules to not allow a driver update of
any kind from MS. I did it and it took out my sound drive, which I was able
to roll back the update. But, I don't allow auto updates either. I let
Windows Update notify about updates, and then I go look form myself as to
what I need. But I did the same with Win 2k and XP is go look at the updates
and then applied them.

so if I re-install Vista now, and I don't get updates from MS, my Vista
will be lacking all security updates that have come out from MS since I
first purchased it about 8 months ago, yes???? (whew.... is this a
problem????

Yes it's a problem, and if you're getting some kind of security update
that's not coming from MS about MS software, then I would find it suspect to
say the least about it.

Keeping the O/S ansd software patched with updates is part of safe hex
computing practices.

http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html

The one thing with MS is not to allow driver updates, unless you know what's
going on.

The second thing with Vista is to not install non Vista compliant software
on the machine. That causes a whole lot of problems when you start doing
that.

http://www.bestvistadownloads.com/
http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=5175

 

[maya]

OK, I won't ask, but if we don't know what your problem/s are, we can't
help...

ok, didn't want to make post longer than it needed to be, but reason I
need to do a clean re-install of Vista is:

I can't activate the cable-tv feature in Media Center b/c Vista is not
accepting the product key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
and I need to re-install it.. (an entire OS that gets corrupted, whoever
heard of such a thing... M$ really had dumbed-down standards here
big-time...)

so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
ones I need? )

thank you..

 

[Mr. Arnold]

so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
ones I need? )

If the say required or recommended then you apply them. If they say
optional, then it's at your own risks. If you install a driver, and that
should optional, then it's at your own risks.

I have been burnt by MS supplied driver updates over the years. If you see
one, you're best be is go to the Web site for the device's driver and apply
it from there. But that's no guarantee either that it won't hose things.

The old saying I apply to a driver is this. If it's not broke, then you
don't fix it by updating a driver, unless you know what it's about and you
determine you need something that the drive is supplying with a new version.

 

[maya]

Security Updates do not mess up your system.

thank you... I did not mean to imply that security updates mess up your
system, but they also send updates that are not security and that I'm
sure are not absolutely necessary.. and sometimes updates -- of
whatever kind, I don't know -- conflict w/other stuff installed, etc..
hence I would like to get ONLY the updates I really need, which are the
security updates.. I want to be able to FILTER updates, and install
only the ones necessary for security..


I've been running Vista

for a year now, and have yet to encounter a security that has done this.
As far as deciding which ones to install, that's a no-brainer. Security
updates are usually labelled critical. These should not be ignored.

Some people will warn you not to rely on Windows Update for driver
updates, but again, this is a problem I have not encountered. In fact,
there are two driver updates waiting for me right now, but they require
a restart that is going to interupt with a series of downloads I'm busy
with.

Question - What has Cable-TV got to do with your Windows Product Key?

there are TWO product keys on a sticker on my machine, one is the
Windows product key and the other one is a digital cable tv activation
key.. I purchased my machine with two digital cable tuners, hence, I
suppose, the digital cable tv product key.. when you're setting up
cable tv in Media Ctr, it asks for this product key... my Vista is not
accepting it...

folks at my computer place said other users have also experienced this
and it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted and you need to do a clean
re-install...

thank you..

 

[maya]

If the say required or recommended then you apply them. If they say
optional, then it's at your own risks. If you install a driver, and that
should optional, then it's at your own risks.

I don't know what you mean by "driver update"... they update drivers
for stuff you have already running ok on your machine? I think some
folks at M$ don't have enough to do...

(and, again: how do I choose to not update drivers??)

thank you....

 

[Bill]

My settings are:

Control Panel>Windows Update>Change Settings

Highlight "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and
install them"

I also have Recommended Updates and Use Microsoft Update checked.

This way you can choose which to install (and read what they are for). I
follow the general advice here and not download updates to hardware.

HTH

 

[maya]

My settings are:

Control Panel>Windows Update>Change Settings

Highlight "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and
install them"

I also have Recommended Updates and Use Microsoft Update checked.

This way you can choose which to install (and read what they are for). I
follow the general advice here and not download updates to hardware.

HTH

sounds good.. thank you very much....

 

[Mr. Arnold]

I don't know what you mean by "driver update"... they update drivers for
stuff you have already running ok on your machine? I think some folks at
M$ don't have enough to do...

MS doesn't make computer equipment. So they don't make drivers for anything.
All they do is get the driver for a device from its manufacture and supplies
them Windows Update.

(and, again: how do I choose to not update drivers??)

thank you....

You view the description of the Update. That will tell you what kind of
update it is. You either select something or you don't. And if you don't
want it, then right-click it and select Hide, and it won't show again in the
list of updates.