3 Things You Cannot Do Reliably With Computers

Learn About Tasks That Cannot Be Completed

Learn about 3 tasks that you cannot complete when asked by others related to computers, software, and accounts in software.

Episode #11-42 released on June 15, 2021

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There are a few annoying requests that simply cannot be executed to begin with when it comes to computers, today, let us talk about three that I will never indulge as a home computer repair technician.

The first thing you cannot do with operating systems is a clean install, while keeping your files in the same partition. A clean install implies formatting the partition or redoing all of the partition table from scratch. For this purpose, you cannot do a clean install while keeping your files because your files would be erased. If the operating system is intact, it may be possible to keep your files if you do an upgrade, but usually that results in many system files, that are not going to be used, remaining on the target drive, which you can imagine is bad. However, an upgrade is by far safer than a clean install, for keeping files, usually.

The second thing that cannot be done and many have a hard time understanding, is the impossibility of transferring most programs from one operating system to another without reinstallation of programs. I talk about backing up files a lot, but many people presume you can do the same with programs. The issue is that programs that are not expressly made to be portable, cannot be moved from one computer to another without being reinstalled. Some programs will allow you to export settings, or at least some of the settings, but many people do not want the hassle of reinstallation of their programs. Usually because they cannot remember usernames and passwords, which is a different problem altogether.

The next thing that cannot be moved, reliably, from one computer to the next, are accounts, specifically user accounts in applications, other than Windows. Unless there is a specific way to export and import configuration files, it simply is not an option. This is done for security reasons but there are many who will refuse to hear logic over convenience. In these cases, even I refuse to help them because it is not possible to please them, rating be damned. So, the next time someone wants to move all their account information from one computer to another without re-entering it, remember to tell them it is impossible and not to agree to even try, I suggest leaving, quickly, without hesitation. This is why programs like LastPass would be useful for many people, as these types of programs would help manage accounts, however, it would still require intervention from the user to login into all accounts into all of their applications manually. Not to mention, all or most software configurations would still be non transferable, regardless.

Host : Steve Smith | Music : | Editor : Steve Smith | Producer : Zed Axis Dot Net

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