Advice from Middle Aged Female Tech

Hollyecho Montgomery - 812-779-6088

Women's Computer Consulting

https://hollyecho.com

I have been in the industry with my own company since 1994. The entire time I have worked in this field there have been very few times any two techs ever agree completely. The advice I give here is based on my experiences, testing, and what I know works.

Today‟s Subject: Your Brand New PC

Your brand new computer, just out of the box, and ready to be turned on for the 1st time. Stop! Do not turn it on, not until till you read and understand this article.

Your brand new computer, from Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer, EMachines, Lenovo, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, and ALL the other ones out there have “bloatware” on them. This “bloatware” is not viruses, or spyware, it is simply the garbage trial versions of dozens of software these companies are paid to put into your computer. One of the reasons computers are so inexpensive to buy, is the companies that pay them to put this unneeded garbage on your computer makes them 100% profit to the companies you bought them from. These programs also are set to run in your computers start up, which means these must load every time you start your brand new computer. There is a program called “The PC Decrapifier” Free to download and use to rid your computer of „bloatware‟ and trial programs. You can download it here: http://pcdecrapifier.com/download. This is web site for Features of it and how to use it: http://pcdecrapifier.com/features. This is only step one to have a clean, well running NEW computer from out of the box.

Next (before you turn it on) decide what you want your username to be, and what password you will use. Now, this has TWO versions. If you have a Windows 8 Computer you must have, will not let you go on till you have, a windows live ID. Then you will have to use that and your windows live id password. (then there are options after that on win8 – different article). If you have Windows 7 or Older version of windows, decide if you even want or need a password. I have seen Owner, Administrator, Person‟s Name (your name), Puter, it can be ANYTHING YOU want and can deal with seeing as “Puter‟s Documents” for the life of your computer. IF you are the only person in the house, and you never take the computer anywhere, I see no reason for a password, if you use a password – WRITE IT DOWN – for you will forget, we all have then you can‟t get into your computer. All passwords are case sensitive, user names are not.

Now, that you have decided on your password, you have located, or downloaded to a flash drive the bloatware removal software, or aware of it, you can now turn it on. Once your main screen is up, check the Security Software that is installed on the machine. Most companies have

“Norton, or McAfee” preinstalled “free for one year” or trial version on your computer. These are

also been paid by Norton and McAfee to be put on your computer, they are PAID to sell these horrible anti-viruses to you and put on your machine. A quote from Bob Rankin (famous tech

writer) “the trial versions of Norton or McAfee that come preinstalled on new PCs are overpriced resource hogs. In fact, you don't need to pay for anti-virus software at all! “ End quote

If it is Norton, you must download Norton Removal Tool to get rid of it, otherwise it will have remints all over your brand new computer. You can download the removal tool here: http://tinyurl.com/9xesoyd . It takes a while, and will call for a re-boot when it is done, Internet Explorer will automatically open to Norton and ask you to now reinstall, don‟t do it, just close the site. It is the same for McAfee, you can download the removal tool here: http://tinyurl.com/yl23w5, again it takes a while, and will call for a re-boot when it is done, Internet Explorer will automatically open to McAfee and ask you to now reinstall, don‟t do it. Prior article on FREE, good, worthwhile antivirus downloads will give more depth, but my person favorite is Microsoft Security Essentials,

you can download here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/security-essentials- download . I also recommend that you download two free utility programs, One called C-Cleaner, which you can download at http://ccleaner.com, run this once a week to keep trash off your computer, read all about what and how it cleans on the web site, for that could be another article in its self, the Second One is called MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, (which you can get at http://malwarebytes.org) or MBAM for short. Run MBAM once a month or so, just in case your anti-virus program misses something. No security software is perfect, so a second look with an on- demand scanner like MBAM will help to keep you safe.

Take inventory of what is on your computer, the best thing for this is Belarc Advisor, you can download FREE, http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html, this can help you diagnose future problems, get better tech support, and possibly save you untold grief and piles of money, See, if you run it now, when the computer is new and undisturbed with untold things later, or it doesn‟t boot up, you have all the information printed out at your fingertips.

Keep your computer up to date. Even brand new, out of the box, there are updates, there are updates from Microsoft every month, and no one really knows how long that computer was sitting on a shelf waiting for you, its new owner. These updates are NOT optional, it helps keep your computer safe and operating correctly.

Finally, BUT NOT LEAST, very important, find a way to make your back up, restore disk. Computers no longer come with a “restore disk” and you have to make your own. If you don‟t, you‟re the one that will be looking for a Windows Operating System Disk or having to buy another expensive one from Microsoft. As time goes on, and you acquire files, pictures, and projects, you will need also a way to back them up, for no one know what the future brings for you and your new computer, and fortune always blesses the prepared.

I am always about saving money and not spending it on things you don't need to

Remember ANY questions, email me at: Montgomery@Hollyecho.com.