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Summary: In previous articles I discussed the process I used to select a new computer for myself. Next, we'll step through configuring my new machine. In previous articles I discussed the process I used to select a new computer for myself, as well as what to do when your new computer doesn't work. Well, my replacement computer arrived and it appears to be working nicely. In fact, I'm writing this article using it right now. Kudos to Dell for getting it right - the second time - and for their customer service folks help along the way. Now the hard work begins. • I'll pick up where things started to go bad as I described in What if my new computer doesn't work?. After completing Windows XP Setup, the computer needs to reboot. This time it worked. While leaving the machine plugged in only to power, and not to my network, I:
At this point I'm ready to connect to my LAN. I first verify that my firewall is on, even though I'm behind my router, mostly because this new machine has no protection other than coming with Windows Service Pack 2. There are a couple of ways to do this, so we'll go to Control Panel, Security Center, Manage the Security Settings for Windows Firewall, and select On. I plug in my network cable, and I'm connected to my LAN. I like to see what's going on, especially at this stage in the game, so I also turn on the notification area icon for each network connection: Control Panel, Network Connections, right click on Local Area Connection, Properties and make sure Show icon in notification area when connected is checked. Now I can connect to another server on my LAN that has some of the first software I'll install. I use a command prompt to connect and enter NET USE * \\COMPUTERNAME\SHARE followed by Enter (where COMPUTERNAME and SHARE are the name and shared folder I'm connecting to). In this case Windows doesn't really know who I am yet, so I'm required to enter a user name and password that will work on the remote computer in order to connect. My first install: anti-virus software - Computer Associates eTrust AntiVirus. After a reboot, my very first step is to run eTrust and have it download the latest virus signatures. I then run a virus scan, which comes up clean. My second install: anti-spyware software - Spybot Search and Destroy. Among other things I select "no desktop items" (I hate a messy desktop), and choose not to have quick launch items (I use the quick launch area for things I run more frequently). I have Spybot install IE protection and system settings protection. I run Spybot, let it take a registry backup, and immediately search for and download all available updates, including the latest spyware database. In Spybot's Advanced mode, I select tools, IE tweaks and select both lock hosts file and lock IE start page to prevent some of the more common spyware tricks. I also select the Immunize option which protects against a wide variety of other issues. Finally, it's time to actually run a spyware scan by selecting Search and Destroy. Not to surprisingly, it identifies DSO exploit, which I let it fix. Now it's time keep Windows itself updated. I turn on automatic updates: Control Panel, Security Center, Manage the Security Settings for Automatic Updates. Personally, I like to control when things actually get installed on my machine, so I select Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them. Even though I've turned on automatic updates, visiting Windows Update isn't a bad idea either; not only to get the critical updates now, but any other updates, including some hardware drivers, that may have been released since my computer's disk was imaged. At Windows Update, I select Custom Install, which once again allows me to see and control the various steps in the process. However, while I'm doing this, Automatic Updates pops up and notifies me that it the critical updates have already been downloaded and are ready to install. I let it install and reboot. Back to Windows Update, the following non-critical updates were available to me:
I hit install. Along the way Spybot warned me that registry changes are being requested, and would I like to allow or deny the changes? Since this is in response to an update that I've explicitly initiated, I allow each change. I'm up to date, I have virus and spyware scanning software installed and ready. Since I'm behind a NAT router, at this point I feel it's safe to turn off the Windows Firewall. Control Panel, Security Center, Manage the Security Settings for Windows Firewall, and select Off. At this point I also want to stop the security center from nagging me about not having a firewall. So in the Security Center I select Recommendations within the Firewall section, and then check I have a firewall solution that I'll monitor myself. So far all I've really done is made it safe to connect to the internet. Incredibly important, but not very exciting. The next installment, I'll start customizing some of the aspects of Windows XP itself. The Setting Up Series: Related:
• Recent Comments
I have followed these instructions and just get I am not autorised messages even though I am a full administer on all three of the computers I am attempting to connect you. All three are also part of the workgroup but do not see each other. local connection properties are also configured. I am using windows xp and ie6 behind a belkin router with two behind a lynsys at a different address - no joy in four months of trying Posted by: sally farmer at April 18, 2006 12:51 PMI have followed these instructions and just get I am not autorised messages even though I am a full administer on all three of the computers I am attempting to connect you. All three are also part of the workgroup but do not see each other. local connection properties are also configured. I am using windows xp and ie6 behind a belkin router with two behind a lynsys at a different address - no joy in four months of trying Posted by: sally farmer at April 18, 2006 01:31 PMp4 Posted by: mehul at May 29, 2006 01:00 PMneed hlp on which best suport my need. which processor is best for a computer intended for just gaming? thanks! Posted by: bong at August 3, 2006 04:20 PMI setup my computer and ddv copy too slow due to IDE in primary and secondary the transfer mode shown NOT APPLICATE and these should be ULTRA DMA2. I unstalled and rebooted computer but still same. Please tell me I can I do to resetup. Thanks Mag. Posted by: Magnum at August 11, 2006 04:45 PMSome "geek" told me it was unwise to surf as an account administrator since "someone" in cyber conceivably could gain access to my computer and play havoc. Trouble is, when I get a software update notice, I have to switch users from a non-administrator to administrator and by that time the update message is gone. Any truth to the geek's comment and, if so, what do I do? Thanks Posted by: Bob at March 21, 2007 11:26 AM-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In an ideal world your geek friend is correct. It is safer to surf in a Limited The practical answer is "simply" not visit questionable sites when logged in as Alternative might include enabling fast user switching so you can switch Leo iD4DBQFGAvqkCMEe9B/8oqERAiBtAJdGgGQgfvbKHRCs0oFpvSdgixZGAJ9lyRJ4 how do I re-set my computer to a previous date to retrieve a lost file? Posted by: Mark Shawzin at September 17, 2007 09:25 AM-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- I'm not aware of a function that will restore lost files simply by resetting a Leo
iD8DBQFG7xgJCMEe9B/8oqERAlj1AJ0cz+wcXoM//0kfT4wMoC5aJohjYACfYjT5 Hi Leo. I cannot launch Windows Media Player as a WinXP Power User. Only when logged in as the local Administrator OR by doing right-click | Run As and supplying the local Administrator credentials will the darn thing run. Not sure what the problem is. Tried tracking down the issue using Sysinternals' tool "Process Monitor" but that's like finding a needle in a haystack. HELP! Thanks, West. Posted by: West at September 19, 2007 10:02 PMPost a comment on "How should I set up my computer? (Part I)":
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