Side Project (Quad Core Kit)

[dixontj93060]

A confession to make... I could be moving faster on my Level 3 but I have other side projects going on like the attached over the last two days. Picked up a Quad Core barebones PC kit for cheap on Tiger Direct. I thought it'd make a nice present to my wife who was formerly using an 6 year old PC.

Only took 45 minutes to put together the hardware, but nearly 12 hours to install Windows / update drivers and software / back out and fix compatibility issues, etc. I HATE WINDOWS! (compare this to only 20 minutes to upgrade to Snow Leopard on my Mac). But, alas, my wife has only been using a computer for less than 2 years and I don't think she could handle jumping on a Mac yet.

 

[Stymye]

your comparing
upgrading an operating system to-- starting from scratch?

 

[dixontj93060]

You're right, I was trying to be lenient, if I was upgrading Windows I would still be working on it -- been there, done that too many times. I'm not an IT guy (undergrad minor in Software Enigineering though) but every IT guy I know (including my brother who runs networking for a major university) admit that upgrading Windows is futile--best to reformat and reload (and set aside 12 hours).

your comparing
upgrading an operating system to-- starting from scratch?

 

[cjl]

It took you 12 hours to install windows? Why? It took me ~45mins at most the last several times. Which version, and what compatibility issues could you have possibly had on a new system with a fresh OS?

It's never going to be as completely painless as OSX (simply because OSX is only supported on a very narrow, controlled set of hardware), but it shouldn't be nearly as bad as you're making it sound.

 

[WiK]

I read that as 12 hours to install Windoze, drivers and everyday software, which sounds a *bit* more like it. Complete reinstalls here take at least 6 hours of work/watching progress bars by the time you've reinstalled all your software and copied all your documents and photos back in to place. Installing the OS itself is one of the quicker parts...

Phil

 

[dixontj93060]

You are right, although only the minimum application software was installed. The real issue are all the Windows and driver updates, sequencing their install, backing them out when they break something, de-installing hardware and drivers that are "broke", reinstalling in a different sequence, etc. A real piece of c#@p (in my opinion).

I read that as 12 hours to install Windoze, drivers and everyday software, which sounds a *bit* more like it. Complete reinstalls here take at least 6 hours of work/watching progress bars by the time you've reinstalled all your software and copied all your documents and photos back in to place. Installing the OS itself is one of the quicker parts...

Phil

 

[cjl]

I read that as 12 hours to install Windoze, drivers and everyday software, which sounds a *bit* more like it. Complete reinstalls here take at least 6 hours of work/watching progress bars by the time you've reinstalled all your software and copied all your documents and photos back in to place. Installing the OS itself is one of the quicker parts...

Phil

Even that sounds WAY long. I definitely don't take any longer than an hour to get the computer up and running (with drivers and basic programs), and then I install other, less frequently used programs as I need them.

Oh, and you definitely should not need to back drivers or updates out, they shouldn't break anything, you shouldn't need to uninstall any hardware, and the sequencing shouldn't matter significantly. It still sounds like something is odd about your system.

Which version of Windows was it? I have noticed that Windows 7 is MUCH better about drivers than XP or Vista.

 

[WiK]

Even that sounds WAY long. I definitely don't take any longer than an hour to get the computer up and running (with drivers and basic programs), and then I install other, less frequently used programs as I need them.

As I said, that includes the time it takes to copy hundreds of gigs of documents/photos/music over on to the freshly formatted drive, which is an essential part of the process in my book. Can't say I've ever had driver/update problems straight after a fresh install, though. Then again, half the "fun" of building your own PC is making sure all the parts you've got are compatible with one another...

 

[cjl]

Ahh. I have a separate data drive, so no significant transferring is normally needed. That could take a VERY long time if you have a lot of data on a slow USB external hard drive.

 

[n5wd]

...But, alas, my wife has only been using a computer for less than 2 years and I don't think she could handle jumping on a Mac yet.

Some of the kinder kids in my wife's elementary school are using Macs - are you saying your wife can't do what a 4 and 5 year old can do? :confused2:

:neener:

 

[sunward]

.... but nearly 12 hours to install Windows / update drivers and software / back out and fix compatibility issues, etc......

Sounds low.

I give myself 2 days to get a new machine loaded and up and running the way I want. That' why I try to avoid doing it. Once a machine is up and running, stay with it, even if there is faster hardware and better toys available.