new laptop - what to remove and what to add?

[Kali]

Hi All! I haven't been to the computer forum in ages - that's good isn't it?

My sister just got a new laptop form a box store (I'm waiting on details) I do know it has windows 7 and norton already started bugging her to do a free trial, which she knows not to do but what else?

can you link me to post for morons on what to dump and what to add for a new purchase like that? She is going out of the country in January and will need to start getting the new machine ready soon. I am being lazy and not doing a search, please forgive me, but I bet somebody has a quick list or link somewhere - and perhaps instructions too. I will go back and look at the sticky again but I thought somebody was working on updating that??? (forgive my posting before even looking, I had told her I would look into this more than a week ago so now I am behind too:P )

[hobbit709]

1. Dump the Norton for starters.

As far as I'm concerned Norton is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

for security download and install Microsoft Security Essentials(one of the few things MS has done that actually works right)
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
and Malwarebytes Antimalware.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
forget the "trial offers" of anything
OpenOffice works fine and is free
http://www.openoffice.org/
Get rid of that bloatware Adobe Acrobat Reader and get Foxit Reader.
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/
for basic graphics and imaging get Irfanview
http://www.irfanview.com/

[Kali]

3. thanks hobbit709!

that is pretty much what I was thinking too

so what order for things - firefox first or later? then Microsoft SE? then Malwarebites? what about a firewall or does Security Essentials cover that? (and are there things in W7 she needs to disable?)

[hobbit709]

6. Firefox first is what I would do.

I would just download all of them and save them in a folder.

7 doesn't show the run command but you can turn it on in Control Panel, Taskbar settings under the advanced tab.

7 has a firewall that MSE integrates with quite well. Unlike XP, Remote Access is turned OFF by default in 7.
The manufacturers tout this as a way to solve problems online by them but that also leaves the door wide open for attack.

[woo me with science]

2. Download "PC Decrapifier."

It makes getting rid of all the crap easy.

http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=decrapifier&tag=srch&searchtype=downloads&filterName=platform%3DWindows&filter=platform%3DWindows

[Kali]

5. when does it get used?

right away? is it pretty easy to use? (she is worse than me, but can follow instructions)

[woo me with science]

7. It's very easy.

You can use it anytime. It will ask you if it's being used on a brand new, out of the box computer or one that is more established.

It generates a checklist of programs from your computer that are likely to be crapware, and you can choose to keep anything you DO want to keep. Then you just hit a button and it will delete them all.

It also has a second step in which it generates a list of programs it doesn't recognize. Googling is often helpful for that step, or you can just ignore it.

You can rerun the program anytime.

[Kali]

8. Oh OK, thanks!

(I wonder if I should install and use it?:think: )

[charlie]

4. PC Decrapifier is made for that sort of cruft

http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/features

It's free.

I've never used it though, so I can't vouch for its effectiveness. I just know it's popular and often recommended.

Here's a list of the stuff it'll search for removal:

http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/removes

[Kali]

9. thanks