Dec 29, 2008
So You Got A New Computer - Your First Tasks
If you've been good this year, you may have gotten a new computer for the holidays. While you probably just want to start using it immediately, here are a few things you should think about now that will save you a lot of trouble sometime in the future:
Make sure you have restore disks. These are disks that will restore your computer to its original state, just in case something bad happens to the configuration. Many computers come with restore disks, others with a "restore partition" on the hard disk, and still others with software that lets you make a restore disk. Don't forget about this - take or make the disks now, and put them in a safe place where you'll know where to find them. Then when and if you need them, you'll know where to find them. I like to do this almost immediately on a new computer, right after plugging everything together, turning it on, and connecting to my home network.
Update your computer Whether its Windows or Mac, it doesn't matter: there always seems to be new patches to download. Since these often impact the security of the machine, it's downloading and installing these options is probably one of the first things you should do. It's a pain, but often worthwhile.
Set up your antivirus programs. Almost every new Windows machine comes with at least a trial version of an antivirus program or security suite. You should either enable it immediately, or completely remove it from your computer and install another one. Just an importantly, make a note of when that security suite is going to expire, so you can then either renew it, or buy a different one. (Typically most security suites are licensed for multiple computers, so if you have a license for another machine, it may be as simple as just entering the code.) Of this year's crop, my favorite has been Norton Internet Security 2009, which seems much less intrusive than earlier versions.
I wish security programs weren't necessary, but they are, at least on Windows. Mac users typically skip this step, and so far, have been mostly ok, though I'm starting to see more reports of Mac security issues.
Put your files and settings on the new machine. In this era of local networks and inexpensive external hard disks, it's relatively easy to copy your data files from one machine to another. In some cases, it's as simple as copying your My Documents folder to an external hard disk (typically look under "documents and settings" or "users" in your root or C:\ directory) and then copying them to the appropriate place on your new machine. But moving settings for other programs isn't nearly as easy. Windows has a built-in program for moving things like internet favorites and mail settings; alternatively programs like PC Mover do the job quite well.
One thing to watch for: some programs are only licensed to a small number of machines and have tools for de-authorizing them. So if you're moving to a replacement machine, rather than just an additional PC, you'll want to de-authorize the older machine. You need to be particularly careful with DRM licenses, an issue in iTunes, Rhapsody, Windows Media, and similar programs, though that's not an issue if you only have MP3 or other unprotected content. But the concept of an "authorized machine" is often an issue with higher-end programs, like Adobe's Creative Suite.
One thing to note: many new computers come with a 60-day trial of Microsoft Office. Note that the relatively inexpensive Home and Student version of Office includes a three-machine license, so again, if you have it for an older machine, you may not need to buy a new copy.
Develop a backup strategy. This is the part that most computer users put off, or implement only sporadically. But remember - eventually, all computers fail. Personally, I'm a fan of external hard drives with an automated backup program (Time Machine on Macs; most external drives come with one for Windows), supplemented with either a second external drive you create periodically and store in another location, or an online service such as Mozy for critical files. Or both. Sure it's a pain, but eventually every computer user I know is either thankful they have a backup or regretful that they don't.
Source : pcmag
Posted by : Michael J. Miller
If you've been good this year, you may have gotten a new computer for the holidays. While you probably just want to start using it immediately, here are a few things you should think about now that will save you a lot of trouble sometime in the future:
Make sure you have restore disks. These are disks that will restore your computer to its original state, just in case something bad happens to the configuration. Many computers come with restore disks, others with a "restore partition" on the hard disk, and still others with software that lets you make a restore disk. Don't forget about this - take or make the disks now, and put them in a safe place where you'll know where to find them. Then when and if you need them, you'll know where to find them. I like to do this almost immediately on a new computer, right after plugging everything together, turning it on, and connecting to my home network.
Update your computer Whether its Windows or Mac, it doesn't matter: there always seems to be new patches to download. Since these often impact the security of the machine, it's downloading and installing these options is probably one of the first things you should do. It's a pain, but often worthwhile.
Set up your antivirus programs. Almost every new Windows machine comes with at least a trial version of an antivirus program or security suite. You should either enable it immediately, or completely remove it from your computer and install another one. Just an importantly, make a note of when that security suite is going to expire, so you can then either renew it, or buy a different one. (Typically most security suites are licensed for multiple computers, so if you have a license for another machine, it may be as simple as just entering the code.) Of this year's crop, my favorite has been Norton Internet Security 2009, which seems much less intrusive than earlier versions.
I wish security programs weren't necessary, but they are, at least on Windows. Mac users typically skip this step, and so far, have been mostly ok, though I'm starting to see more reports of Mac security issues.
Put your files and settings on the new machine. In this era of local networks and inexpensive external hard disks, it's relatively easy to copy your data files from one machine to another. In some cases, it's as simple as copying your My Documents folder to an external hard disk (typically look under "documents and settings" or "users" in your root or C:\ directory) and then copying them to the appropriate place on your new machine. But moving settings for other programs isn't nearly as easy. Windows has a built-in program for moving things like internet favorites and mail settings; alternatively programs like PC Mover do the job quite well.
One thing to watch for: some programs are only licensed to a small number of machines and have tools for de-authorizing them. So if you're moving to a replacement machine, rather than just an additional PC, you'll want to de-authorize the older machine. You need to be particularly careful with DRM licenses, an issue in iTunes, Rhapsody, Windows Media, and similar programs, though that's not an issue if you only have MP3 or other unprotected content. But the concept of an "authorized machine" is often an issue with higher-end programs, like Adobe's Creative Suite.
One thing to note: many new computers come with a 60-day trial of Microsoft Office. Note that the relatively inexpensive Home and Student version of Office includes a three-machine license, so again, if you have it for an older machine, you may not need to buy a new copy.
Develop a backup strategy. This is the part that most computer users put off, or implement only sporadically. But remember - eventually, all computers fail. Personally, I'm a fan of external hard drives with an automated backup program (Time Machine on Macs; most external drives come with one for Windows), supplemented with either a second external drive you create periodically and store in another location, or an online service such as Mozy for critical files. Or both. Sure it's a pain, but eventually every computer user I know is either thankful they have a backup or regretful that they don't.
Source : pcmag
Posted by : Michael J. Miller
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