A chuckle for those that have already switched

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Just thought my evening's events on my Windows PC would be good for a laugh (for the rest of you, at least). I should have switched already!

Just this evening alone, here I am trying to perform a fairly simple task that I thought might take 30 minutes or so... I wanted to replace a dead printer with a new one. Four hours later and I'm still at it.


  • Tried to uninstall the old printer drivers and software. Ran uninstall app. Got the message "Cannot uninstall printer". !#@$!

  • Tried to Google a solution in Firefox. Firefox hung so bad I had to pull up the process list and try to kill it. Five attempts at that and if finally died.
  • Tried to re-start Firefox. Message: "Firefox is already running". !@#$
  • Went hunting in process list for another Firefox process. Finally got Firefox running again.
  • Googled for solution, which was "Re-install the printer from original disks, then try uninstall again". Not gonna happen as I've already disconnected the dead printer (which wouldn't start up to let me re-install, anyways).
  • Used Revo Uninstaller to try to get rid of the bulk of the registry entries and files.
  • Ran CCleaner to try to cleanup the registry.
  • Ran jv16 PowerTools to cleanup the registry screwups that CCleaner missed.
  • Tried to start up some music while waiting for the registry scan.... ... ... no sound. Song is playing, but no sound. !@#$!@
  • Spent half an hour re-configuring sound card config to get sound again. No idea how it got screwed up in the first place.
  • Oh, did I mention that I had to re-boot the computer about 6 times through all those steps.
Anyways, that's where I am. I finally have music playing, and I'm waiting for the last registry cleaning scan, than will try the convoluted Windows process to try to install the new printer.

It's so pathetic it's kind of funny. If it weren't for the fact that Apple might release a new iMac in the next few months, I would be at the store tomorrow to get one. I spend too many nights going through this whole scenario. Anyways, thought it might bring back some distant memories for some of you and make you smile.
:Not-Amused:
 
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chas_m

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Thanks for sharing. I have indeed "been there, done that" and I don't wanna go back. Good luck!

(Interestingly, I had to replace a printer for a friend of mine about a week ago. Disconnect old printer, delete entry in Printer preferences, plug in new printer, new printer shows up automatically in Printer prefs, ran a test, good to go. Whole process -- about ten minutes.)
 
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Read the story of your tribulations with a smile,nearly a year since I got my macbook.I still remember similar hassles with Windows,my advice?Don't wait a minute longer,go get a mac!
 
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After a trouble-free switched year I've been experiencing my first of these nightmares on my iMac. Not the iMac's fault: new Seagate GoFlex external hard drive is not playing well. After a full weekend struggling I'm throwing in the towel and getting a different brand. But I recall having many of these time-wasters back in my Windows days.
 
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someone mentioned buying window pc is akin to buying horse and cart, while a mac product is buying automobile.
enough said.
 

vansmith

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  • Tried to Google a solution in Firefox. Firefox hung so bad I had to pull up the process list and try to kill it. Five attempts at that and if finally died.
  • Tried to re-start Firefox. Message: "Firefox is already running". !@#$
  • Went hunting in process list for another Firefox process. Finally got Firefox running again.
This is Firefox being stupid. You'll see the same ridiculous errors on the Mac as well. The "Firefox is already running" error is a favourite of mine - it can be quite frustrating for new users (and veterans as well!). This is one of the many reasons that I discourage people from using it. ;)

I will admit that having driver support built into the OS X for all internal components and most external components is quite nice. Having worked in IT, I've seen too many driver installations go wrong.
 
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vansmith;This is one of the many reasons that I discourage people from using it.[/QUOTE said:
The main reason I'm still with Firefox is so that I can sync my bookmarks with other PC's, iPhone, and iPad. Do you know if there is any way to do a bookmark sync with Safari? I looked around a bit, but didn't find anything... or does it just do it automatically? I've been burned by that a few times :[
 

vansmith

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Every browser has some sort of syncing system (now that Safari has iCloud syncing). Take a look at iCloud or one of a variety of third party solutions.
 
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Every browser has some sort of syncing system (now that Safari has iCloud syncing). Take a look at iCloud or one of a variety of third party solutions.

Well... that's the funny thing. I opened up the iCloud Control Panel to setup bookmark syncing, and the only browser that can sync with it is Internet Explorer. There is no reference to Safari, and I can't find any option in Safari that would link it with iCloud. I even checked iTunes and could find any option there. Am I missing something?
 

vansmith

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The iCloud control panel for Windows should let you use Safari to stay in sync (it's listed here).

You'd have to use the Windows version of Safari though (the Mac version is decent but the Windows version makes me shudder, haha). :p
 
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The iCloud control panel for Windows should let you use Safari to stay in sync (it's listed here).

You'd have to use the Windows version of Safari though (the Mac version is decent but the Windows version makes me shudder, haha). :p

Hmmm. My iCloud window like that only has the option to sync with Internet Explorer, which I really don't need. I don't get the Safari option. No, I'm really not in love with Safari for Windows, but I was going to at least consider it for the short term, if it could sync bookmarks.
 

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I know on the Mac and OSX you can keep it all in sync. All my bookmarks in Safari are on my iPad and iPhone.

Agreed with Van, the Safari for Windows is way behind the Safari for OSX.
 

vansmith

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Hmmm. My iCloud window like that only has the option to sync with Internet Explorer, which I really don't need. I don't get the Safari option. No, I'm really not in love with Safari for Windows, but I was going to at least consider it for the short term, if it could sync bookmarks.
If the major concern is syncing of bookmarks, you can use Safari, Firefox, Chrome or Opera since they all have sync services and work on both Windows and OS X.
 
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Tried to uninstall the old printer drivers and software.

And that's where you messed up. Why waste time trying to uninstall old drivers when you can just install new ones? Go to the new printer's website, download the drivers, click install, done.
 
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And that's where you messed up. Why waste time trying to uninstall old drivers when you can just install new ones? Go to the new printer's website, download the drivers, click install, done.

Ya, but then you've got printers showing up in your device list that don't actually exist. With all the crap Windows install, I now have 13 printers to choose from when I want to print a document... and I just removed 2. I actually know what two of them are (my Epson printer and Adobe PDF). This is fairly minor, but it's just another example of why your Windows pc doesn't work worth a crap a year after you install Windows. Hundreds of these little things add up over time to bog down the registry, hard drives, USB controllers, etc. I'll admit that part of it is that I'm a neat freak, and I don't like having junk around that doesn't need to be there.

The joke of the matter is... I just looked in my device list and the printer I removed is back again, although it's greyed out a bit, now. :'(
 
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chas_m

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Or you can use XMarks, which lets you sync bookmarks across whatever browser and platforms you like. Haven't used it myself (no need), but I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned.
 
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Or you can use XMarks, which lets you sync bookmarks across whatever browser and platforms you like. Haven't used it myself (no need), but I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned.

That's what I'm actually using now. That's where all the problems started. XMarks keeps screwing up and erasing all my bookmarks, then asks if I want to download them all from the cloud. That's ok, but it is never syncing up to the cloud, so new ones don't get added. Also, this "wipe them all" out thing is starting to scare me. The problem is that I only use the bookmark toolbar (not the "standard" bookmarks). It's getting these confused between browsers. It will update from one browser, then wipe out the bookmark toolbar in the other browser, but put all the toolbar bookmarks in a folder under the standard bookmarks. Anyways, it's really getting confused.

The other problem is that XMarks has a "maximum limit" for bookmarks. Once you cross that (and I apparently just did), problems arise. I need to sort through my bookmarks and delete a bunch of old ones, which would likely resolve some of the issues. It's just that it's hard to find the time to do all this stuff. That's why I need an iMac... to save time so I have more time for the other stuff ;)
 
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This is one of the main reasons i switched to Mac 3 years ago, os X just works... and works perfect too! I would much rather be using an old ppc mac than a new windows crapbox that i have to spend hours trying to make it work just so I can use it ... with Mac, never had one issue with programs not working or it having an attitude problem.... I can say I will never go back to windows crap again!
 
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This is one of the main reasons i switched to Mac 3 years ago, os X just works... and works perfect too! I would much rather be using an old ppc mac than a new windows crapbox that i have to spend hours trying to make it work just so I can use it ... with Mac, never had one issue with programs not working or it having an attitude problem.... I can say I will never go back to windows crap again!

Ya, I hope to own an iMac soon. I'm just stalling to see if a new one is announced, but I get more impatient every time Windows makes me waste an evening trying to fix something. I've been playing with an iMac in a store, and really like the feel. I thought I might find it really difficult to switch, but most everything actually seems more intuitive in OSX. Do you find you are missing anything now, that you really liked/needed with Windows?
 
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Ya, I hope to own an iMac soon. I'm just stalling to see if a new one is announced

This can become a never ending circle though, bc once the new one is out there is another in the pipeline. If you have the funds and need it now (and looks as if you do) go ahead and make the purchase and come to the dark side ;P
 

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