When you buy a new computer, or other digital device, or you install a new operating system from scratch and have a nice shiny-clean and empty hard drive, you’ve actually just started what can be a somewhat lengthy and problematic process to update and customize your device.
In my case, I replaced Windows XP on my desktop with Windows 7 when it launched. I opted for a clean install. Then the reinstall and customization process began. But I had many powerful apps and utilities on my old system and I knew that to restore them would take a long time. Heck, today I found that I’d missed a few...and this is six months later!
But I did make the process easier and helped myself out by first making a backup of my data, and then I made a careful inventory of applications on the old system that I used / wanted / needed and which I didn’t.
Once I had this list, it was a simple matter of gathering all the install discs, or emailing myself a list of all the appropriate download sites, and I had all the resources needed to rebuild my daily work environment. Let the New OS install begin.
Believe it or not, the Control Panel’s ‘Add / Remove program’ feature can be pretty helpful. There’s a column that shows the last time that program was used -- which you can use to help determine if you really need to worry about reinstalling it on your new system.
Another tool I use is a website called Ninite. I’ve written about it before, but it creates a custom automated installer of utility software. Simply run the installer on your fresh new computer, and it’ll install all the utilities you select in the ‘normal’ locations without any further input from you. A huge time saver.
Overall, a little planning before you do a significant update or migration to a new computer can really help make the process so much less painful. Not perfect...you may discover, as I did, that you’ve missed a few, but you’ll be much better off than if you didn’t plan your way through your update.
