Community Newsletter: Q&A: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer
- 9/21/07 10:37 AM
Some Simple Stuff
by jjbrain - 9/7/07 9:50 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Congratulations on your new computer acquisition. I am not the world's savviest computer person but I do have a few ideas for you.
1. Keep your tower physically clean. Inside and out. Dust and pet hair are really bad for computer parts. Learn how to take the cover off your tower and clean the interior parts with compressed air (Dust Off is what I use). Have someone who knows how to do this teach you to do it. Better yet take a class in computer maintainance if you can find one.
2. Make sure that there is plenty of air circulation around your tower. Excessive heat is also very bad for sensitive computer parts so don't locate the tower in an area that is closed off from the free flow of air. Make sure that your cooling fan outlet or outlets (if you have more than one) are not blocked. I had extra fans installed in my computer.
3. Make sure that your power cords are plugged into a good surge protected power strip equipped with it's own circuit breaker. A good one can save your computer if your residence is hit by a power surge.
4. Make sure you have a good firewall installed. I personally like Zone Alarm but there are a number of other good free firewalls available to you. You may need to do a little internet research to find the one that is right for you.
5. Install at least one Anti Spyware program as well as the anti virus software. I have Spybot (free) installed on my computer along with SpySweeper and Adaware. I like Spybot the best. Make sure to run it at least once a week if you surf the internet a lot and keep it current by checking for updates. These programs only work if you keep them updated and you use them. A word of caution about SpySweeper - if you run Zone Alarm's full security suite don't let SpySweeper run automatically. The two programs don't like each other and the war between them can freeze your computer. I run SpySweeper about once a month and only after I have shut down Zone Alarm.
6. Install CCleaner. It is free and it works great. It cleans up temporary internet files among other things. It has a nice tutorial and is easy to use.
7. Consider installing a tiny application called Autoruns. It is free and it one of the best programs I have running on my computer. When opened it allows you to see exactly what is running on your computer. It has a logon tab that shows you what programs startup when you turn on your computer. That can be a real eye opening experience. It is amazing how many programs startup and run each time you turn on your computer. These programs suck up your RAM and slow everything down. The Autoruns logon window allows you stop selected programs from turning on automatically each time you start your machine. If you turn something off and then decide that you want to turn it back on simply go into the logon window and reactivate it.
8. Defragment your hard drive regularly. This is really important as a fragmented hard drive can really make your computer run poorly. I actually bought the full version of Diskeeper to do this automatically. It is one of the few programs that I allow to run constantly. I find it to be efficient, unobtrusive, and it uses very little RAM.
9. Consider using Firefox as your default internet browser. No offense to Microsoft but Internet Explorer has security problems that Firefox doesn't.
10. Try using McAfee Site Advisor with your internet browser. It is free and it will let you know whether or not a given website is considered safe.
11. Make sure that your email program has really good security features and that you activate them. I use Mozilla's Thunderbird and I have yet to have any problems with email viruses or spam.
12. Go through your programs list occasionally -settings -control panel - add and remove programs -
and remove programs that you no longer want or use.
Computers are like houses or cars or anything else that requires maintainance in that they will perform well if they are properly maintained. The above list is certainly not complete and does not address anything REALLY technical as I am not qualified to speak on those matters. It simply reflects the things I do to keep my computer running smoothly.
Good luck with your new computer.
What I have...
by CherylsPearls - 9/7/07 9:58 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm no expert, but I have done a few things differently since getting my new Dell last January.
First thing, I don't download every thing I see. I stop and ask myself if I really want to download it first. Saves a lot of junk being loaded onto your hard drive. And when I do download things, I make sure it goes where I want it to...where I can find it! lol
Second, I downloaded Spybot again. I love it. For me, it has worked perfectly. Just keep it updated and it will be one of the best friends you ever had! lol
Third, I bought Registry Mechanic. I think it's about $29.95. I got mine at www.pctools.com. It is well worth it! It has kept my new Dell neat and clean and running smoothly!
I also use Dell's Computer Check-up at least once per month.
And that's about all I can tell you. Oh, except, read the forums at CNET! You'll always find great information here!
Cheryl
Hi Maria! I have a Dell 410 XPS w/Vista Home Premium
by Spastic Newman - 9/7/07 9:59 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I bought my dell back in feb 07. I had it built with 2 gig of ram with vista home prem. I did add a couple extra bells and whistles like the dual tv tuner for DVRing shows but that is a different matter. When I got my system I had norton internet security (NIS)07 already on it and it runs good. NIS has the antivirus and the firewall in it so I was covered there. I also installed webroot spysweeper. It is a very nice program to have with vista and I have had no trouble with it. So as for security those 2 items have me feeling rather safe. As for system maintainence. I run IOLO system mechanic pro 7. I didnot install the firewall nor the antivirus. Those 2 items are just too buggy. The rest of SM07 has my computer running great. It runs its scan in the background with very minimal system resources (ram mem). It cleans the clutter from surfing the web that gets built-up on you system over time. It makes sure your registry entries are valid, recovers ram memory when it is being hogged by other programs, and it also lets you turn off and/or remove startup entries plus a whole lot more. Oh! I almost forgot Diskkeeper 07. It keeps your hard drive defragmented. (Very very important). Fragmented drive means slower computer. So with those programs my computer is still as fast as the day I got out of the box.
Hope this helps!
maintenance of new computer
by mrumens - 9/7/07 10:37 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Maria R,
Buy yourself an inexpensive external hard drive and backup everything. If anything goes wrong ie. missing or corrupted files, you'll have the security of knowing that they can be replaced. I don't know of any computer that hasn't had problems at various times. The best thing to do is to get to know and understand your software and hardware and how they work with your computer. I regularly check my "Event Viewer" to see if everything's working properly. Good Luck with your new computer.
Marian Rumens
Keep it clean
by RunRagged2 - 9/7/07 11:03 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As computers get faster, the need for efficient cooling becomes more important.
With time, the important cooling fins and fans will attract dust, if left, this will impare the cooling and could cause the computer to slow down (a self protection mechanism on the cpu) or stop working.
I would recommend blowing out the dust every 6 months or so. A light paint brush and a can of air are my prefered tools. Don't forget the power supply, cpu heatsink and fan and case fans too. Make sure you disconnect the power cord before opening the case.
you're halfway there
by anton.vanwamelen - 9/7/07 11:15 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
we use vista nearly from the beginning, so please upgrade your os to the ultimate version, cause it has ALL the bells and whistles you need now and in the future. subscribe to windows live, so your computer will be in good health, no this isn't microsoft calling, but just an user on the block. get it? use AVG as an virus scanner too, why? it's free! have fun, not misery.
A HEALTHY COMPUTER
by myming - 9/7/07 11:44 PM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
two things that have kept me 100% virus,hacker, and malware-free:
Zone Alarm firewall and anti-virus. they also have a great customer service/IT program.
Ewido (free) anti-malware. and it's a very fast program.
good luck!
My $0.02
by santuccie - 9/8/07 12:14 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Congratulations on your new purchase! In answer to your question, I would like to quickly expand on the topic of security. You said you installed an antivirus. That's good, but you should have more. Bare minimum, you should have a three-pronged defense apparatus of firewall, antivirus, and antispyware.
Good news is, there is an automated, all-in-one suite for free that is fully compatible with Vista. It's called McAfee SecurityCenter special edition from AOL. McAfee has really stepped it up since last fall, adding NIDS, script blocking, and other features to their security products. Sign up for a free e-mail account with AOL, and they'll give you your very own copy! Get it here: http://safety.aol.com/isc/index.adp?
Now on the topic of performance maintenance. I won't go through these in any particular order, but here are some basic fundamentals that will keep your system running at optimal performance. One is CCleaner, which you can (and should) run every now and then to delete temporary files which quickly accumulate on your hard drive as you work. Get it here: http://www.download.com/CCleaner/3000-2144_4-10720990.html I should note that it comes with a registry cleaner that is enabled by default. Personally, I don't trust it. It can be rather aggressive, and could delete vital registry key. Best you disable registry cleaning as soon as you install it, as it's far better to have even hundreds of orphaned and obsolete entries than to remove a single vital one.
If you like, you could sort of supplement CCleaner with another freebie that can run automatically (albeit lesser in its cleaning capacity), called Free Internet Eraser. Get it here: http://www.download.com/3000-2144_4-10661659.html I actually use CleanCache myself, but I find FIE to be a bit more user-friendly. 
Now enter the subject of defragmentation. As files are written to the continually spinning platters of your hard drive, they frequently wind up in fragments, ever increasing seek time. Windows comes with a basic disk defragmenter of its own, but there are free alternatives out there that can do a better job, and quicker. Different freebies have different features, but one of the more popular ones is Auslogics Disk Defrag. Get it here: http://www.download.com/Auslogics-Disk-Defrag/3000-2086-10567503.html
Still on the subject of defragmentation, you could also do with a defragmenter for your system's RAM (Random Access Memory). Probably one of the most effective and least burdensome at the same time is RAMBooster. Get it here: http://www.download.com/RAMBooster/3000-2086_4-10465453.html?tag=lst-0-5
Even more urgent than the need to occasionally clear out cached commands no longer in use these days is the need to seize control of your CPU's cycles. As Windows gets more and more bloated with each new release, and third-party applications follow suit, it's inevitable you'll run into a narcissistic process now and then that thinks it needs the entire CPU to itself. Though increasingly bloated programs are largely to blame for system sluggishness, even a tiny file less than 1 MB in size can sometimes go crazy and hold everything up. Enter Process Lasso, which ropes those stallions by the neck and lowers their priority, allowing you to continue using your computer while they carry out their seemingly "all important" tasks. Get it here: http://www.bitsum.com/prosuper.asp
This should cover most of it. Good luck!
KEEPING WINDOWS VISTA IN GOOD SHAPE
by GERONIMO - 9/8/07 3:11 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
While I do not have nor intend to install Vista soon , I read a lot of information which leads me to three basic advices :
1) Make a special partition for the system and programs and keep your datas (documents , pictures , music ...) on a separate one ; if the system partition gets a problem , your datas will be safe unless there is a complete breakdown of the HD ; included in this topic is the necessity to have a reliable partitioning tool like PARAGON has (I find all products from Paragon absolutely outstanding while maybe expensive ); the program about partitioning is PARTITION MANAGER.
2) REGISTRY CLEANING IS AN UTMOST AND PERMANENT NECESSITY : for this task , I recommend at the highest JV16 PT (not the part of it called REGSUPREME PRO) ; the license is cheap , lifetime long for ALL UPDATES ; with this tool you would be able alone TO PERFORM ANY TASK ON YOUR PC , aside from partitioning .
keeping your registry cLEAN OF MAJOR ERRORS IS OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY ; perform a cleaning Once a week .
3) Backup your datas frequently ; you have the choice in many programs there , I have favorites but I do not elaborate on that point for the following reason: the best BACKUP is IMAGING : takning full images of your system partition and data partition and storing them , in my opinion , the best is on an external drive , is the best caution you may take here ; I use again Paragon Drivebackup , or Exact Image , whatever . With those , nothing can happens ; restoring a drive is a few minutes away even with programs !!! Of course , nothing in Windows gives you this ability . ; system restore works in vista as well as in Win XP but , you know , this is for easy cases ; in case the system is getting really sick , which is most of the time prevented by item 2) , you will not be able to restore at a previous state . Now finally , do not install programs when you do not know they come from a reliable source ; the antivirus HAS TO BE EXCELLENT .
Best regards and good luck . OLIVIER GEBUHRER
Hi Maria
by malc51 - 9/8/07 4:02 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
As you have already been running a pc, I guess you might already be running the usual software for the defence of your machine, which is already well documented on the Cnet forums and if I am reading your post correctly, want to know more about how to keep your machine 'Tidy and good running order' ?
You only state that you are running an 'anti-virus' program ?, so I will list the different programs that I run which has kept my pc up and running for quiet a while now...
NOD32 Anti-virus (this is the fully paid version, at the time of purchase I got 3 yrs for £45)
SunBelt Kerio Personal Firewall (fully paid version)
SpyBot-Search & Destroy + ID Resident (free version, manual update which I do once a week)
Along side these I have an external USB 'Router' and this combination seams to keep my pc out of harms way...so far.
Ad-Aware SE Personal (free version, manual update which I do once a week)
Max Registry Cleaner (when we move/delete files, they still leave a trace behind...this program cleans these up...saving space).
SpyWare Blaster (free version, manual update, which I do once a week. This blocks well over a 1,000 known 'BAD' sites/links)
I actually run Ad-Aware SE (smart mode) every time I go to close down my pc as this only takes about 45 secs to 1 minute to do...I run the DEEP SCAN mode once a month.
MEMORY (RAM) could be an issue along side the capacity of your Hard Drive in keeping your pc running smoothly...
My pc only came with a 512 MB RAM...I have now doubled it up to my pc's capacity of 1GB...I only had a 40GB Hard Drive, so added a 160 GB internal and a 500GB external Hard Drives...I mention this as by doing these things, it has allowed my pc to run a lot faster.
Also as we search the net, Download e-mail attachments etc, our pc's are forever gathering information and storing it (links/files/cookies etc) all of which over time can seriously take up much needed memory...so as well as doing the 'above', I go to...
'Start'-'Control Panel'-'Internet Options'-'Delete'...this then gives me the option to delete...'Temp Internet files'...'Cookies'...'History'...and more, thereby freeing up more space on the memory...and less clutter...
As we 'open' and 'close' files...they are not always put back in the right order...so I fix this by using the 'Defragmenting tool'...
On my XP Home...'Start'-'All Programmes'-'Accessories'-'System Tools'-'Disk Defragementer'-'Analise'...you will be told whether you will need to carry on or not by a pop up box...
Well that is what keeps me up and running and hope at least some of my info may help...guess there is a lot more...but the other guys will have to tell us that...LOL.
Regards...Malc. (UK).
Not all good
by santuccie - 9/8/07 1:13 PM In reply to: Hi Maria by malc51NOD32 is great, and so is Kerio (now Sunbelt). Unfortunately, SPF4 doesn't support Vista yet. Spybot does, and so does Ad-Aware SE, but both of them are well past their prime. They haven't done anything to revamp their engines, and all the while, parasites have become mutated and more aggressive than ever. If you're going to use a standalone, the only freebies I could recommend are Spyware Terminator and/or Spyware Doctor Starter Edition (Google Pack). But AOL's free McAfee suite also has one, and this suite packs enough power to protect you by itself.
Never heard of Max Registry Cleaner, and that could potentially be quite problematic. Rarely do I recommend the use of a registry cleaner to anyone other than an expert, as most of them cause more problems than they solve. Conservative is best when cleaning the registry, so best to use a cleaner that confines itself to unambiguous errors only. My recommendation is EasyCleaner.
Everything else in your post looks good. Salute!
Maria Has A New Machine...
by mrbillaaaa - 9/8/07 4:32 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think its like losing weight...You have good intention as we all do... but over time it becomes a battle about what to keep and what to delete... My new PC is six months old and have transferred most of my junk to my new one...and i'll no doubt do this on my next one...However; Watch the pictures and music ...they take up a lot of space....Good Luck! Bill
me to vista
by asukafan8 - 9/8/07 5:35 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
if you have had ME then you might be thinking that thare is alot to do to get a functioning machine that will last you a LONG TIME, well in vista i trust for files and programs! with windows defender and secrity center found in all versions of vista you will not (unless you do something REALY stupid) run into windows ME's problems.
If anyone needs help with windows 2000,xp,vista email me at asukafan8@gmail.com
How to keep new windows based computer secure
by bj hoefle - 9/8/07 5:45 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I would take it back and buy a Mac.
New PC Start Up & Maint.
by bwh48 - 9/8/07 6:01 AM In reply to: Advice for a clean start on a brand-new computer by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Maria, congradulations on your new PC.
My first recommendation is that; before you disconnect your old PC, if possible burn a CD-R/RW; before, you connect your new PC to the internet. There is a Sophos study pub in 2005Jul that found there was a ~50% chance that an unpatched & unprotected PC will be infected w/Malware within 15min of connecting to the internet. If you can not make the CD yourself, see if you can get a friend to burn one for you. This CD-R/RW [you can leave off any of the following that you already have CDs for [however, realize that @ mfg CD had a 'writing cut-off date'; so, is probably mns, out of date when you receive it.] therefore, you will want to get the latest version or updates downloaded fm the internet & burned on to this CD-R/RW, where practical. Items I would recommend you 'burn' on this CD-R are as follows:
a. Anti-Virus sfw, incl latest updates & latest definitions.
b. "PC-Decrapifier" is a freeware program to 'scrub' your new PC clean of 'promotional' apps on your PC. {NOTE: most of the sfw I ref. is available @ CNET's Download.com. If not run a Google on it.}
c. You should have Windows Defender, MS Anti-Spyware program imbedded in your VISTA OS; but, unlike Anti-Virus, this is an area that you want to run multiple programs; because, no one program is good enough to catch all the threats. Also in this case I recommend that you buy & load one paid subscription, e.g. SpySweeper & Spyware DR. have been two of the highest rated in reviews of this category. Additional freeware programs available that I recommend are AdAware & Spybot Search & Destroy. In addition I recommend that you load some Anti-Phishing sfw. Both MS Live & Google Search free bars have Anti-Phising optional sfw available. Also I would recommend free McAfee SiteAdvisor sfw.
d. Drivers & Driver Updates - The drivers that came w/your PC are probably out of date; particularly the Video Card Drivers; so, check your PC mfg [Dell] & the Video & other card mfgs for driver updates. Also check your peripherals [e.g. printer, scanner, camera, mouse, keyboard, game devices, etc.]. You can check the MS website for VISTA compatibility of your peripherals; but, again the drivers if they are on the VISTA 'Restore' CD fm Dell are not probably the latest; again because of writing cut-off date & many times OEM of components, boards/cards & peripherals have newer drivers than those certified [or not] to MS.
e. I would also check your MoBo mfg [maybe Dell in your case] to see if there are BIOS updates available - for most new MoBo's you can load BIOS updates; similar to sfw or driver updates.
f. A couple of other support programs that I would recommend; because you may need them to read docs imbedded in your other sfw are:
i. Zip sfw - 7 Zip or Zip Genius are a couple of freeware programs, if you don't already own a copy of WinZip or another Zip program.
ii. Adobe Acrobat Reader - so you can read acrobat files that is used sometimes for docs [e.g. manuals, etc.]
iii. If you don't have a copy of MS Office or another program that will read Office docs [e.g. Open Office, etc.], you can download free Reader programs [similar to Acrobat] for MS Word, EXCEL, Power Point, etc. They are available fm MS Download.com.
iv. Password generation & storage and Form Filling - AI RoboForm is a program that will remember & can generate 'tough' passwords for websites that you visit. It will also auto or semi-auto fill-in forms for you on websites [e.g. name, address, phone #'s, SSC #, Age, Credit/Debit Card info, etc.] It will also help protect this info against identity theft [but not phishing if you volunteer the info.] The next sfw is free Password Safe, this will allow you to store on an external memory device [e.g. Floppy, Thumb Drive, CD-R, DVD-R Ext. HDD, etc.] Passwords & User-id’s. Password Safe also has password encryption protection option of its data, as does AI RoboForm, & like AI RoboForm can generate 'tough' passwords for you. You can store any passwords & user-id's that do not store in AI RoboForm which is mainly webpage oriented. I use Password Safe to store things like sfw keys & other passwords to imitate or load sfw, also the locations & dates that I purchased sfw fm. Also both Password Safe & Ai RoboForm will defeat Key loggers fm copying this data when you insert it.
v. Download Mgr. - I recommend either the free version of Download Accelerator or Star Downloader Free as download mgrs. They may not work on Auto Update websites; but, for other sfw downloading; these, download mgrs have RESUME; so, if a download is interrupted they will 'resume' it where it left off; rather than, having to starti all over at the beginning! They also can be set to download fm multiple servers [e.g. if 4 download servers are available; they can download the sfw in ~1/3 the time as downloading fm a single server.] They also can be scheduled to download @ specific time [like setting a DVR to record a future TV show!] so, the download is made in time periods when you are not on the PC [e.g. after you to bed or school or work, etc.]
vi. Peripheral Sfw Updates - similar to the discussion on drivers & driver updates above, you may want, at your option, to download sfw for peripherals or other second source programs you plan to run on your PC. Again any existing mfg CDs you have are probably out of date [just like drivers] & may require updates for VISTA compatibility, improvements & for security patches.
vii. Also I specified CD-R/RW media above; but, any compatible media [e.g. floppy, DVD-R/RW, Ext. HDD, Flash 'Thumb' Drives, etc.] will work, if they are compatible w/both your new & old PC.
viii. I almost forgot, you want to download a 2-way firewall [e.g. free version of ZoneAlarm is what I recommend]. The VISTA MS embedded sfw Firewall can be configured to block unauthorized outgoing traffic; but, it is not something that you want to attempt unless you are very experienced; so, get ZoneAlarm or another 2-way Firewall program.
A couple of other free programs I recommend that you download & use are: FireFox 2 or Opera browsers. IE is the most common & therefore, the most 'attacked' sfw by malicious hackers. I would also recommend Link Scanner Lite, that will check many existing sfw programs & compare them to it library to see if the version you have is current or not. This will help you identify sfw updates for programs that do not have some type of auto update. Free HDDlife sfw that continually monitors your HDDs condition to give you advance warning of hdw disk failures
Second, now that you have the CD-R 'burned' & preferably before you connect your new PC to the internet, upload & install it's contents to your new PC. {NOTE: If your PC wants you to register VISTA [or Office, etc.]; either, delay doing it, or call via Phone. At this time do NOT connect the new unpatched & unprotected PC to the Internet. Establish a System Restore Point & I would recommend that you establish another before each time you update or install new sfw or hdw [incl attaching new peripherals] [Also recommend following this as a std maint procedure in the future!] This way if something goes wrong in an installation, you can fall back on the hopefully previous known working setting.
Now run the DeCrapifier program first to remove the promotional apps you do not plan to use and/or trialware that duplicates what you already have [e.g. Anti-Virus sfw?] or plan to install! Next install the Anti-Virus program & updates. Next install the Firewall sfw & updates. After this you can install the rest of the recommended sfw above, starting with the Anti-Spyware & Anti-Phishing sfw.
Third, install/connect your peripherals & go thru the OS should recognize the new connections & take you thru the new hdw install process [however, check first; sometimes peripherals want you to install their sfw and/or drivers before you connect them - follow the mfg directions.]
Fourth - if VISTA didn't already ask, generate a Password for the Administrator's Account [PCs usually ship w/blank or generic passwords!] Then do the same for the User Accounts [your own & anyone else you want to let use your PC - e.g. friends, relatives, co-workers etc.] Although a determined hacker might still 'invade' your PC, do not make it simple by leaving none or the blank or generic passwords in place. I would recommend you use Password Safe to help you generate new 'tough' passwords. Also do not use the same passwords for the Admin & User accounts. Since the User accounts do not have the 'universal' access to everything that the Admin account has & restricts installation of new sfw, changes or updates [e.g malware, Trojans, etc.]; this may prevent malicious changes to your PC; just because of this 'layered' lack of permission at the User Account level.
Fifth - turn-off any unnecessary MS processes [e.g. I do not use IM; so, have turned off Win/MS Messenger!]. To see what processes are running go to Task Mgr [CNTRL-ALT-DELET] & click the Process Tab. All the listed apps, processes, services, etc. are operating in the background on your PC. The problem is that these programs can open access to your PC without you being aware of it! Not that most of these processes do not require this internet access to do their job. The problem is that there are a lot that you may not be using [e.g. WinMs Messenger - you may be using a different IM sfw or not at all!, is your PC a Server? or are you on a LAN & need Network Messaging?] I would recommend you check with your PC mfg & your ISP's tech support to see which of these you might turn-off, since they are not applicable to your use/configuration.
Sixth - if you have a Router, install/connect it at this time. Assuming you have a broadband internet connection your PC will have a permanent IP address. If you have a Router installed it will have the permanent IP address instead. The Router also has additional hdw Firewall & other protection fm malicious persons/sfw trying to access your PC; so, adds another 'layer' of protection.
Seventh - Fix Internet Browser - either install alternative browser - e.g Firefox 2, Opera, etc. or reconfigure IE to turn off Active X! Active X controls is what most often gets IE in malicious trouble. Although, there are a few websites - MS Update unfortunately, as an ex. - that require Active X controls to run; so, either configure exceptions for those websites or pick the option that requests approval before running any Active X apps! You can find Active X controls in IE by going to TOOLS>INTERNET OPTIONS>SECURITY.
Eight - now you can connect to the internet. I would recommend that you go to MS Update website first & download any additional updates. [NOTE: that VISTA SP1 is coming soon & is out in Beta.]
Next I would check updates on my Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware sfw. Then I would recommend that you run the Link Scanner Lite to determine other sfw that is out of date & requires update.
Now hopefully your new PC is 'clean; & sfw is up to date.
I will now recommend some routine scheduled maintenance for your PC
:
AUTO UPDATE - for programs that this is available I would recommend you turn this on! For your VISTA, OFFICE, Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, etc.
I recommend that you buy & install a comprehensive utility program [personally I use Norton SystemWorks Premier - it gives me my Anti-Virus, Norton Utilities, Backup Sfw - Norton Ghost, Better Restore sfw - Norton GoBack, etc. in one integrated pkg that has its own Auto Update. The first time you run the utility programs you will be amazed at the number of errors it finds! It also runs a check of my PC called one button check - I have set it to run daily - that checks the registry for errors, short cut links, anti-virus definition & scan status, cleans temporary files, etc.] there are other similar pkgs available by McAfee & others; but, I prefer Norton's. In addition I run a freeware program HDDlife that continually checks the condition of my HDDs [I have a Master & Slave HDD installed in my PC & an Ext. HD that I periodically make backup images too]. This program should give me some advance warning of hdw failure of any of my HDDs.] Also as required make RESTORE Points before updates or new hdw/sfw is installed to fall back on if something goes wrong w/installation.
Weekly - I would run Link Scanner Lite or similar program to check for outstanding sfw updates - this will also indicate if any of the auto updates are not working. Also for any program with 'definition library' that doesn't have auto update capability/turned on [e.g. free Anti-Spyware programs like SpyBot S&D or AdAware] I would check & download/install updates. Also if you do not have an Auto incremental backup setup, I would backup the data & updates on my HDDs [I use Norton Ghost to an External HDD & also have backup files on Slave HDD & periodically burned to CD-R/DVD-R] Also if you do not have auto runs for your Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware programs to run full sweeps of your system; then, imitate it manually once a week.
Monthly, I would run Scan Disk to make sure that there are not any problems on @ HDD; then, run Defragmenter program [either Win Tools version or a second party sfw like Diskeeper.] & defrag @ HDD.
Quarterly - I make a hard copy [CD-R] backup of my data & updates. One trick is to create a 'My Download' folder; along w/specifying in my Download Mgr sfw to 'download' all downloads to this folder. I know where they are when ever I need them! Also another freeware program is WinDrive Backup v1.07 [company got bought out & later versions you have to buy!] will let you save all your drivers to one folder you specify as a backup! In case you do not have an 'image' backup available to load & only have data & download backups this will save you the time of finding & downloading all your drivers & their updates.
I would also recommend that once a quarter you connect to PCPitStop.com & run the hdw & sfw test they have available for free on your PC. If you register w/their website, you can also performance 'baseline' your PC & compare it against similar category PCs & against its own history if you repeat regularly - this will indicate if something is slowing dwn your PC [like new sfw] or speeding it up [like adding more RAM.].
Semi-Annually – WARNING: before open your PC case and/or touching anything in the interior - make sure the pwr is off & unplugged! & that you are gnd'ed - by holding the metal case or preferably wearing a connected gnd wrist-strap! -very small amounts of static electricity can damage the solid state chips - e.g. CPU, Video Card, MoBo chip sets, etc. – Also before you open your PC case up [make sure this is not a warranty violation - if so you may have to take it to an authorized dealer or repair shop to have it done!] & using aerosol can of 'air' or CO2 to blow out all the accumulated dust inside. WARNING: If using an air compressor make sure it is ‘dialed’ dwn low enough not to literally ‘blow’ pieces of the PC out of the case. The dust accumulation tends to make your PC run hotter; which shortens the life of its components.
Another sort of maintenance item, is your electrical power! It is not 'clean', it has peaks [surges] valleys [brown-outs] & spikes [e.g. lightening strikes on pwr, cable & telephone lines!]. I recommend that you get a SMART UPS [Uninterrupted Power Supply] for your PC & ALL your peripherals [electrical spikes/surges will take the path of least resistance - I know of cases where the PC was protected; but, the printer was NOT! The surge ran thru the printer then from the printers cable to the PC & then to the Monitor via its connecting cable, burning out ALL 3!] This also incl having surge protection for your internet connection – e.g. telephone line, LAN or other broadband cable, satellite coax, etc. There are 3 general types of electrical protection available:
First is surge protection, e.g. usually in the form of special pwr plug 'strips' [NOTE: not all pwr strips are surge protectors, check w/mfg [e.g. APC - American Power Company is the products I use on my PCs, phones, TV, Satellite Receiver, Stereo components, incl DVRs, etc.] Surge Protectors only, as there name implies, protect against surges & spikes down pwr lines [may also have surge connections for telephone & cable lines] they don't protect against low pwr [valley/brown outs] or protect/save data on your PC.
Second level is UPS which has a bty & transformer to smooth out/'clean' your pwr of surges & brownouts; but, does not protect your PCs data.
Third Level is SMART UPS. In this category the UPS has a connection to your PC [these days usually USB cable.] as a peripheral, that communicates w/PC & will initiate shut dwn & saving of your PCs data & settings after a specified time of pwr outage and/or when the onboard bty is drained to a preset level [I have set my Smart UPS to initiate my PCs shut dwn when bty pwr drops below 50%.]
In addition I would recommend best email practices as one of the best 'preventive' maint activities!
Don't open emails on your PCs fm unknown source [use a web based email if you want to see what it is!]
Second do not open any email attachments that you where not expecting! If it is fm an unknown source - do NOT open it! If it is fm someone you know; but, where not expecting it fm - give them a call or email [use your address book, do not use REPLY, in case the address has been 'spoofed' & ask for confirmation before opening it!
If for some reason [e.g. your job, etc.] requires you open emails & their attachments fm unknown sources; then, get one of the sfw programs [it will probably slow down your PC!] that allows you to open emails and/or their attachments in a 'sandbox' where it is 'quarantined' & can not execute anything malicious! & can be deleted w/o damage to your PC's sfw!
I hope the above is the kind of info you are looking for. Have a good time w/your new PC. BWH
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