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13 Things You Must Do First with Your New PC
Posted 12/25/09 at 12:00:00 PM by The Maximum PC Staff
A new computer is like a blank state--there's a lot of potential there, but without some work on your part, it's useless. It's not hard to get started, but there are some essential first steps that everyone should follow when breaking in their new PC. In this guide, we've compiled a step-by-step list of essential tips, tricks and advice from many of our other features, to provide you with just the information you need to get off to a great start with any new PC. So if you got a new rig under the PC under the tree this year, or even if you're just thinking about getting one in the future, read on to find out more!
1. Make a vLite Install Disc
If your new PC is a premade system, and not one that you built yourself, it’s likely that your operating system came with a few little “bonus” features, like toolbars and other crapware. You can take the time to decrapify your PC if you want, but you’re assured better results by simply reinstalling Windows.
And while you’re reinstalling, you should check out vLite, a tool for making a custom, slimmed down Windows 7 (or Vista) install disc with all the features (and only the features) that you want. You can also include drivers and hotfixes on the disc, which will be automatically installed with Windows, saving you time later. Because of this, even if you don’t need to reinstall Windows right now, it’s a good idea to make a vLite install disc for the next time you need to reinstall.
Making a vLite disc is a pretty easy process, but you’ll need to have your Windows 7 disc handy. To learn more, check out our Vista vLite guide (the steps are basically the same for Windows 7).
2. Properly Set up a Connections to Your Network and Servers
No PC is an island—your system best flourishes when it’s connected to the internet and other locally networked PCs. So one of the first things you’ll want to do is ensure that you’re properly set up with you local network. That means more than just plugging an Ethernet cable from the back of your tower to the router.
First, you’ll want to configure your PC’s Workgroup domain so that other systems on your network can detect it. If you’re using Windows 7, you’ll need to determine whether you’re on a Home, Work, or Public network. This will allow you to tweak your file, folder and printer sharing options so your PC will play nice with others. You’ll also need to adjust the file-sharing encryption setting to 128-bit to secure your local connections. Additionally, Windows 7 PCs should have HomeGroups synced up for increased protection and streamlined setup. Refer to our Windows 7 Networking guide for more details.
Next, you should consider switching over to OpenDNS to improve the responsiveness of your internet connection. We have a step-by-step guide for how to do that here.
If you’re planning doing a lot of PC gaming and P2P file-sharing on your PC, you’ll need to configure port forwarding for those apps. Refer to http://portforward.com/ for detailed guides to forwarding ports for any router make and model.
Finally, link up your PC with any NAS boxes or Window Home Servers on your local network. Use these servers to store or back up your media database.
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Submitted by deathstarchris on Tue, 08/17/2010 - 4:44pm
Yeah I'm late to this thread, sue me,
What about 'burn in testing'?
You should run a new system 24 hours a day for 7 days straight.
Sometimes you won't find a faulty part until it really gets broken in.
Submitted by michaelangelo on Wed, 02/24/2010 - 1:37pm
this is a helpful site esp. since im building more and more systems these days,I haven't been up to date with all the new programs and other crap that OEM's put on their systems,and what is useful and what isn't thank's for putting out a few pointers,it really helps to get a little guidence with this stuff once in a while.
Submitted by malcolmholland on Fri, 01/08/2010 - 1:09am
Are we smart and the majority of the world retarded? Why is Norton used more than any anti-virus in the world. Why doesn't the world just listen to us?
Submitted by IcanCope on Wed, 12/30/2009 - 7:01pm
Norton now builds a quality product? Perhaps, but I'll never know. Being called on to fix family members rigs and having to deal with Norton have forever soured me.
Submitted by legacy2013 on Wed, 12/30/2009 - 7:55am
Yea Norton has definately gotten better over the past few years. Do NOT go with Norton 360, that is a hog on your resources but the Internet Security 2010 will run fine on most computers nowadays.
If you really don't feel like spending the money though Security Essentials really will do it for you.
Submitted by Gilbert_pwns on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 5:07pm
Make this step even easier with http://ninite.com/
Pick your software to install and sit back and relax.
Submitted by Shagga on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 8:20pm
Nice website. Thanks a lot, Gilbert. It'll save me a lot of time when I build my new PC.
Submitted by Spots196 on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 10:03am
Most reputable companies send out OEM computers that are really "ready to use". My new I7 HP computer could not have been easier to set up. Getting rid of what you designate so called "Crapware" is not a big a deal with unistall found in the Control Panel. Some peoples "crapware" may be other peoples favorites. Many of your suggestions will just lead to people with little computer experience finding themselves with "Big Trouble". Everyone who reads Maximum PC is not Top Grade Computer Savvy.
Submitted by torque05 on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 2:22am
What exactly is your point? A website called MaximumPC shouldn't post PC tips because some users may not fully understand them? Isn't that the point of the article in the first place? It's meant to teach. As to your complaint on "crapware," get over yourself. Most of those programs ARE junk which is why they're forcibly installed on OS's. Do you even realize how much having all those programs running in your background slows your shiny new HP computer down? And on the off chance that someone does want every single one of the packaged programs, don't they have enough sense to simply ignore that particular tip and not uninstall the programs? Your complaint is similar to you crying over a car magazine's posting of an article on how to get the most out of an engine, because not everyone fully understands engines. Your comment was riddled with emotion, devoid of logic, and an overall detriment to the exhange of knowledge occuring here.
Submitted by davey on Sun, 12/27/2009 - 8:56pm
GTX-V8 HAVE USED IT ON VISTA 64 BIT FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND HAVE HAD ONLY ONE PROBLEM WITH IT, WOULD NOT REMOVE A TROJAN HORSE I PICKED UP SOMEWHERE. AND I WENT TO WINDOWS DEFENDER AND RAN A SCAN WITH IT AND IT REMOVED IT PRONTO. HAVE LET OTHER PEOPLE USE MY COMPUTER AND DONT KNOW WHERE THEY GO AND DONT CARE. ESET HAS BEEN GOOD IN MY EYES! BECAUSE I HAVE HAD TO REBOOT A FRIENDS COMPUTER ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 WEEKS FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS AND HE WAS USING NORTON AND NOD 32. MICROSOFT HAS A NEW ANTIVIRUS THAT IS A FREE DOWNLOAD AND ANOTHER FRIEND HAS USED IT AND HIS IS WORKING FINE WITH IT SO FAR !
Submitted by fnordfnord on Sun, 12/27/2009 - 5:46pm
I was with you up until you recommended Norton. You guys must get paid for saying it because Norton is the worst Antivirus ever. It simply rapes your system. Norton is for people who don't know any better.
Submitted by Mark_Lucas on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 6:32pm
I agree that earlier versions of Norton sucked, but I am extremely happy with the speed and the slick interface of the new version. I suggest you might like to give it another look. And no, I have not been paid by Symantec and I am very computer savvy!
Submitted by compro01 on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 9:29am
Norton appears to have much improved in recent versions. I still don't recomend it fully, as you can get just as good for cheaper/free, but they are a good antivirus now.
NOD to ESET Smart Security and Maximum PC
Submitted by CyberFyr on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 3:31pm
Asus P5E Intel Q6600 4 GB of DDR2 Ram WD Raptor main drive WD Caviar 500gb slave HIS 3870 X2 in Crossfire Samsung DVD RW PC&Power cooling 750 psu Samsung SyncMaster 226BW Wide screen
Ditto on the previous persons comments on ESET smart security. I had excellent results with their product. So good that I signed up for three years. No bugs,no virii, great results, light on resources. Nothing that bogs the sys down! Kudos to ESET!
Kudos to MaxPC to compile these awesome guides for the above average computer user... ;-) that loves building systems and getting away from the box store mainstream overpriced, bloated with bloatware pieces of crap!
Submitted by Shckr57 on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 8:18am
i love smart security, its gotten rid of every virus out there, some that even malwarebytes couldn't get. i dont have to worry about viruses much, but im always scanning friends drives, and fixing there computers. eset will tell you everything, stop attacks before you know there happening. every time i have used norton i have had problem, whether it be 360 or 2009, it will find and tell you a virus is there, but then tell you it has no fucking clue how to get rid of it. great right. nothing beats eset, other than the fact it is kind of expensive, if you buy it at least.
Submitted by vcrguy on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 11:13am
When was the last time you used Norton?
If you are talking 2-3 years ago, I would have to agree. The products from that era were slow, took forever to install, were resource hogs and detection rates were not the best. But now, since Symantec came out with NIS 2009, Norton has returned to being one of the best AV AIO packages available.
The installer is quick, the resource requirements are minimal, scan times are vastly improved and detection rate is outstanding.
MPC has reviewed NIS 2009 in one of their past articles and came out with a most favorable review in comparison to other packages available. From my own practical use and comparison to other products, I would agree with their assessment with Norton being one of the best AV packages available to date.
Submitted by MRrelabled on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 5:25pm
well you might just actually wander over to their support form, AV reviews don't mean much, when you hear different from different reviews. I really would like to see in depth reviews gameplay, and firewall test, and how easy they are to uninstall
Submitted by Havok on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 6:13pm
Well MRrelabled, I gotta say, NIS 2009/2010 acutally works the way AVs should. Lightweight, fast install times, excellent on the ball protection/definitons. Give the trial a whirl, you may just like it!
On a side note, what AV(s) do you use? I've used AVG in the past and it did not work. Some dumbass at work jacked my laptop during lunch, hit up a couple of pr0n sites, torrented a bit, then gave it back when the message "Antiviurs XP is out of date - click here to renew" reared it's ugly head.
I've been buying Christmas/Boxing day deal copies of Kaspersky/Norton ever since without one epic virus battle to date.
CLICK.
Submitted by MRrelabled on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 10:16pm
I've been using Eset Smart Security, it always get above average reviews, it's lightweight running, it has a very friendly interface. I run games with no problems, no pop up, updates or scans during games. no crashes cause by or internet blockage caused by the firewall. No updates that have cause issues. No needed patches to correct BSD caused by certain things that Norton won't mention in the patch fix list.
Submitted by fnordfnord on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 9:43am
Norton? Are you guys retarded?
No, but you mighht be if you
Submitted by Quakindude on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 10:22pm
No, but you mighht be if you don't keep up with the current reviews before posting something negative about Norton, reviews the web over that clearly show Norton has finally gotten their act together with Norton 360.
Don't go off of just past performance. Not when it comes to software. The game changes all the time. Keep informed and don't call people names or you could find your access here limited.
MaximumPC Moderator
***The views I express are my own and do not represent the views of MaximumPC Magazine or Future US.***
Submitted by TechJunkie on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 7:12pm
PSSSSSST! Songbird doesn't work with Win 7 HP 64 bit. And if it does, then why does it tell me it doesn't work with my version of windows?
Submitted by Zefir on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 12:50am
I got that warning too. I hit next and installed it anyway. I'm using it right now.
Submitted by roninnder on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 7:59pm
Lots of super insulting reasons come to mind, but its Xmas. I have it installed on 3 different Win7 64 bit computers in my house, no special installation procedures were required. Maybe you should try installing it again.
Submitted by MRrelabled on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 5:33pm
I guess crapware is in the eye of the beholder, I don't install many programs that I don't have a clue as to who created it or runs the company or even where the company is located
Submitted by roninnder on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 8:07pm
Knowing who wrote or maintains a program doesn't make it safe. You have to trust someone at some point, or you might as well not even turn your computer on...who knows who wrote your bios? How do you develop trust? Read articles that other people write who have tried the program first. Hey, this is an article that someone who tried the software first wrote! If the software ruins your computer, you can always blame Maximum PC.
Submitted by MRrelabled on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 3:59am
Your absolutely correct, you don't know. I don't build trust by reading tweets. If I had a dollar for every time someone steered me wrong, oh, remember the great reviews for the IBM Deathstar ? the next year it was in the dog house.
Is this article assuming
Submitted by Chumly on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 4:57pm
Is this article assuming that this is only an OEM machine that was delivered under the Christmas tree?
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