Setting up a new computer for Genealogy

Even though I like the idea of getting a new computer, I don’t like the idea of setting up a new computer. My desktop computer is over ten years old. So, for the last six or so months, I have been half-heartly looking for a new computer.

First of all, I have some requirements and it makes purchasing a computer difficult. I also want to see the computer in person before buying. This really limits a person’s choices. Anyway, I know I what lots of RAM 12-16 GB. I also want a large hard drive, 1TB really looks good. I would also like a smaller CPU, the huge one under my desk is way too big.  I know I am old school, but I just thought I wanted a CD drive, however my son said “Good luck with that one”. Sadly, he is correctly, many computers just don’t offer CD drives.

So fast forward to Black Friday weekend, it’s Saturday and I find myself in a BestBuy store. I am nonchalantly walking around the laptops and desktops and I see an ALL-IN-ONE desktop.  The keyboard and mouse are wireless. Love the idea of less wires. Plus, since it is an All-In-One, no CPU, another bonus. The RAM is 12 GB and it comes with a Solid-State Drive of 1 TB, yahoo! Okay, now to my wish list, I want three monitors, my current set up is two, but I will have an extra monitor from my old desktop. My brilliant son looks at the back of the Monitor of the All-in-One and sees two HDMI ports. Okay, it’s on sale and it’s discounted $270 and thus will be shy of $800. I like that because I am also stingy, my dad would say it’s being thrifty but I know better.

Anyway, now comes the part I really, really hate, I have to get my stuff off my old computer and put it on my new computer. Yuck! Oh wait, that is really YUCK!

I set up my new computer on my desk next to my old computer. The first thing I do, after doing all the setup stuff that a new computer requires, I create an “Install” folder in my Download folder. This is where I store all my install programs and thus it is really easy to look at the folder on my old computer to know what one’s I need on my new computer.

I install my Dropbox drive onto the new computer which copies all the files within Dropbox to my computer. Yeah, that is done. Next, I install my iDrive on my new computer and sync the Cloud Drive formerly known as sync drive to my computer. Therefore, all those folders and files get copied onto my new computer. This was a very long process because I have a lot of folders in that drive. It is documents I want to access on both my Desktop and Laptop. This is where I store all my genealogy related files.

Next, I install my programs, my genealogy program (Family Tree Maker 2019), two plug-ins for that program (Charting Companion and Family Book Creator), my Office 2021 suite of programs. I install Google Chrome, my browser of choice. I install Zoom because several genealogy related groups use this for some of their meetings. I have some other programs that I needed to install too.

Next, I need to move my files from my old computer to my new computer. I use the folders labelled download, documents and pictures. I back them up onto an external hard drive. Then I create a folder on my new computer titled Old Computer Files located in my Documents folder. Then I copy the folders and files to my new computer. I don’t want to mess up my new computer with all my old folders and files, however I want those on my new computer. I hope to slowly go through these old folders and only move over those that I really need.

I think of my old folders like the contents of all the junk drawers from my old house, that I toss into a large box. The box is in my house, but I will need to sort through and remove each item individually and place them into neater, organized junk drawers in my new home. I will be honest, this will probably never happen, but a person can hope. Anyway, it will keep my new computer downloads, documents and pictures a lot more organized.  I have found several files that I didn’t need and I already deleted those. If I think I will need them, they are on that external hard drive.

After I am confident that I have everything off my old computer, I decided to reset it to factory defaults so that it will erase my old hard drive. Now if I want to donate it or even recycle it at the local BestBuy, my personal data is off the computer. Plus, since I have iDrive, everything that was on my old computer is backed up to cloud with iDrive, so I should be okay, incase some file is missing for some strange reason.

I unplug all the devices hooked up to my old CPU, the keyboard, mouse, two monitors, a different external hard drive. I move the CPU out of the way, I move one of my monitors to the right and slide my new All-in-One monitor to fit between the two monitors. I look at the back of  the All-in-one and YIKES, I really don’t have two HDMI ports, because one is an IN and another an OUT. The IN is for hooking a game console up to the All-In-One, so I really only have one port. Thus, I only have a two-monitor setup, just like my old computer setup. After stomping my feet like a two-year old I call my brilliant son. I am now using this term very sarcastically; in case you can’t tell. He says I need an adapter for my USB-Type C port.

Long story short, all USB-Type C ports are not created equally. Even the clerk at BestBuy lead me down the wrong path. If you have a USB Type-C SuperSpeed port and DisplayPort connector then their suggestion would have worked. I had the first one shown below, I needed either, the third or fourth one, perhaps even the last one would had worked.

My solution: I purchased from Amazon, an USB 3.0 to HDMI Adapter that came with a software driver that I installed and was able to use with one of my USB-Type A ports to extend to my third monitor. Now I am a very happy customer.

Lessons learned; 1) I love having an All-In-One computer because under my desk is free for me to stretch out my feet, plus, my heating vent is located there too. 2) Understand what the ports on your computer are and what can be done with them.(see image below for the ports on my new computer) 3) Not all store clerks at BestBuy appear to know or care to know what they are doing. I was able to return the two items I purchased that didn’t work. 4) Don’t sweat the small stuff. If I hadn’t been able to get the third monitor to work, I still had a wonderful new computer.

Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!

DNA may not lie, But it sure is confusing

Example 1: I was watching a TV program about a woman who was going to give up her child to her sister who is unable to bear children. This got me thinking about the child’s DNA and how we might end up interpreting them.

Let’s say the Child has their DNA tested and they are the oldest generation living. Thus, what assumptions might we come up with from his test. If the child didn’t know they were adopted, would they figure out they were adopted.

His legal/adopted mother is the sister of his biological mother. Thus, his DNA results on his mother’s side would appear to be the same and no real unexpected results because his maternal side is the same with either mother. However, it may appear that his legal/adopted mother had an affair because his legal/adopted father’s family would not be showing in his DNA results. Also, what if his biological mother did not have any more children, thus we would not know that his legal/adopted mother is not his biological mother since neither woman had any additional children to find half siblings or descendants of those half siblings. Even if his biological father had additional children, this would not make his maternal DNA any clearer.

Moral of the story, even though DNA doesn’t lie, it might not be so straight forward. We need to always remember these outlying relationships and not judge our ancestors so quickly.

Example 2: I had a former co-worker who adopted her 1^st cousin’s child. Again, I was thinking about the Child’s DNA and how we might end up interpreting them. Her 1^st cousin’s mother and her mother are sisters. Again, let’s say the Child has their DNA tested and they are the oldest generation living and they don’t know they were adopted.

Let’s look at his legal/adopted mother’s DNA compared to his biological mother’s DNA. Both women share one set of grandparents through their maternal side of their family. Thus using the Leeds Method, we may find that the tester’s maternal grandmother’s side of the family matches correctly, however he has three grandparents that are not matching any known relatives, his father’s side (his father's parents), and his maternal grandfather’s side.

Thus, why might this happen? Did his mother have him with another man than his father? Did his grandmother have his mother with another man? The test might show that one branch, his maternal grandfather’s side appears to be matching his grandmother’s brother-in-law’s family. Did grandmother have an affair with her brother-in-law? See how easy it is to jump to the wrong conclusions. We need to test our theories.

This is where testing closer known relatives come in handy. Did his legal/adopted mother have any siblings who had children? If so, do these matches appear further away than expected. Did his biological mother have any other children and did they happen to test and are showing up as half-siblings. Did his biological mother have siblings who have children. If these people didn't test, we may need to seek out these types of relatives and ask them to test.

Moral of this story, again, DNA isn’t always straight forward. We need to let the DNA tell the story. Testing as many close relatives as we can helps us develop a clearer picture. Not only our maternal first cousins (in this case), but maybe his mother’s first cousins or their children (his 2^nd cousins).

A wonderful website to help with our confusing DNA matches is DNAPainter. Their Shared cM Project 4.0 tool has a handy chart to show where matches should fall into. In my 2^nd example, who we think should be his first cousins (children of his adopted mother's siblings) are really his 2^nd cousins and the shared DNA between 1C’s and 2C’s is very different.

Good luck in your DNA research and explore all the relationship possiblites to help in your DNA research!