[P1] 10.2.3 SUCKS! How do i back up preferences?

[david]

On 2/7/03 12:25 AM, "Guy McMickle" <fierose8608 at fuse.net> wrote:

> Okay, I've had enough of 10.2.3.  Charles Martin directed me to a
> webpage and temporary solution for a kernel panic that affects my
> iBook, but I forgot to "redo" it after a reboot and it panicked again.
> I didn't have these problems with 10.2.2, so I'm going to revert back
> to it from 10.2.3.  I've about had it with this crap.  I've liked Macs
> since I was a young kid, I've bought into OS X, but this sucks.
> Windows XP just keeps looking better.  I'm about to become a
> switcher...of the type Apple doesn't want.  I thought Apple prided
> themselves on software with a superior fit and finish?  Why should I
> need to revert back to an OLDER version of the operating system?  I
> bought a Mac so that I wouldn't have to fight with this crap.
> Ridiculous!  So if anyone out there can direct me on how to back up my
> mail, web, and other application preferences, please do!  I'm about to
> lose it!
> 
Guy - your computer might panic but there¹s no need for you to as well
<grin> I always hate to give people advice about how to backup because I
never know where they might have stuff hidden. I prefer to look through
their computer and do it myself.

Having said that, if you back up the Library folder in your personal
directory you should catch everything you need. Notice I said should.
Microsoft products have a MS User Data folder in Documents. To be safe,
assuming you have a CDR equipped machine, backup your entire personal folder
and you should be good to go.

For future reference, doing OS updates are always a bit dangerous. On my
desktops at home and work I have two drives and I clone my system so when an
update comes along I update without worry. On the ŒBooks that isn¹t quite as
doable; at least for me. My drive is too full to partition for another
system. But I have a firewire drive that I use to clone my iBook¹s system.
That might not be doable for you and if it isn¹t then I recommend holding
off on system updates until others find out all the foibles for you. As
Charles has pointed out, your problem affects a small group of users. This
seems to happen with all updates.

As to XP looking better - yeah right. Although I practice safe computing as
described above, I¹ve never been personally bitten by any of the OS X update
bugs. They do tend to be rare. That is cold comfort for those who have been
struck, but it is the truth. The truth about XP is a different matter.

I¹ll tell you just about the problems I¹ve had that I know to be typical -
since I work in a mixed environment I have lots of experience.
Unfortunately. I won¹t even go into my update experience. Apple gets high
marks for making the upgrade from 9 to X easy. Microsoft gets an F for
updating to XP from a previous system.

XP gets in your face and won¹t get out of it. Have a folder of pictures? XP
assumes you want to view them so when you open the folder you get a picture
browser instead of a normal folder of files. Convenient, unless you don¹t
want that. Takes a while to figure out how to change this viewing method -
and that is the MS experience in the nutshell. Have a folder of pictures or
mp3s? XP wants to help you burn them to CD; even if that isn¹t what you
want. Want to share files with another computer on your network? No one step
setup here. And if you create a shortcut them dang thing seems to break
every other week. What about sleeping and hibernating? Nice. But my machine
seems to always wake up shortly after going to sleep. When I come home from
work my home machine is almost always awake and waiting for me. Convenient,
but not when I don¹t want it too. One of the reasons, but not the sole
reason, is my PocketPC. If my PPC is docked and an alarm goes off, it wakes
the computer. And if I dock it so I can recharge the battery it also wakes
up the computer. Don¹t want that. Can¹t stop it.

Then lets talk about the security updates. It seems like every week or two
MS is telling me to download another security update. I must have wasted 10
hours since upgrading to XP on just downloading and installing updates. And
then there was the massive XPSP1 - the first service patch. I have broadband
at home. It took nearly 4 hours to download and install the service patch.
And it took nearly that long for my notebook at work. Still haven¹t gotten
around to doing my work desktop.

I¹ve reinstalled XP on my work desktop twice now. Just before the new year,
my machine started getting wacky unstable and slow. I did all the usual
things. No viri, no adware, nothing obvious. A new account (also an XP
trick) did no good. But hey, after the reinstall my machine was like new
again. In other words, XP suffers from the same creeping cruditis that all
windows versions has. It is the registry. My home desktop got a reinstall
because of a new DVD burner. After installing it my computer refused to go
into standby or hibernation. It locked up. The tech I talked to (boy wasn¹t
it a joy getting hold of one) immediately knew the problem and the solution.
He said, ³Oh yes. You need to wipe your drive and reinstall windows. Then
make sure the the first thing you install are the drivers and software for
the DVD. Seems the DVD and some CD burners don¹t coexist well unless the DVD
is installed first. Since it was a gift without a receipt I couldn¹t take it
back. Bah!

So whenever I hear someone talk about a reverse switch I just think about
Monty Python and The Holy Grail. To paraphrase - ³I laugh in your general
direction.²

david

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All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by frost.

davidwb at spymac.com