Upgrades ‘R us!
I thought it would be good if I listed all the things I do when helping an individual transition from their current computer to a new one. That way, if you are planning an upgrade, you can decide which tasks you feel comfortable completing and which ones might require assistance. Here’s the list:
1. Set up Internet connectivity on the new computer, either wired or wireless, and make sure the router is secured.
2. Install Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Reader.
3. Transfer from the current computer to the new the contents of My Documents, favorites, desktop, music, pictures and Outlook personal folders, if necessary. Plus look to see if there are any other folders on the C drive that need to be transferred.
4. Find out what the user uses for E-mail. If possible gather the E-mail settings from the current computer to apply to the new. Set up E-mail on the new and make sure that the user can send and receive and has all their previous e-mails, contacts and appointment information.
5. Make sure to get Quickbooks and Quicken Files. Sometimes they get stored in the Quickbooks or Quicken Folder along with the program.
6. Uninstall the trial Mcafee or Norton and install the free offerings from Comcast and CenturyLink.
7. Install all applications including Microsoft Office, Quickbooks, and any others that the user specifies.
In addition, I sometimes create icons for frequently used programs and do other custom configuration work to get the user ready to use the new computer productively.
If you need help with any of these tasks, I would be glad to help.
