Once your computer is connected and all ready to go, you have to start installing software. Before Windows 7 came out, installing an operating system onto a computer could be quite confusing. Now a days I think that installing an operating system onto a computer is quite user friendly. I am simply going to explain how to install Windows 7 onto your computer, and then a few other free programs that I think every computer needs to have installed.
How to install Windows 7 onto your new Desktop computer:
1. Place the Windows 7 DVD into your dvd-rom and start up your computer. You should see a boot windows that appears on the screen.
2. The next screen allows you to set up your language, time, keyboard method, etc. Choose you appropriate settings, and then click on “Install Now”.
3. The next screen allows you to install or repair Windows 7. Since this is your first time installing this, click on “install now”.
4. Next the license terms and agreement page shows up, simply click that you agree, and click next.
5. After that, there should be two options that appear. One is Custom (Advanced) or Upgrade. Click on the Custom (Advanced) button.
6. Now you get to choose which drive you would like to install Windows on. If you have more than one drive, choose the appropriate one you want, but in this case the C drive should be the default that you choose.
7. The installation process then starts and it starts copying all the files onto your computer.
8. It should reboot your computer a few times, so when it turns off and on, do not be alarmed.
9. After it is done, it should reboot and your computer will be prepared for its first use.
10. You will be able to choose a username and password for your computer. Note that the account that you create first is the administrator account, and can change all the privileges.
11. After that, you will then be able to insert the product key that came with Windows 7. If you don’t enter the product key, it still allows you to go to the next step, but Windows 7 only allows you 30 days of trial, and then it will stop working. Therefore, if you don’t activate your product key now, you need to do so within the first 30 days of installation, otherwise you won’t be able to access your computer.
12. Choose the recommended settings for protecting and improving your computer.
13. Make sure that your time and date settings are set as well.
14. Windows should finalize your settings, and then do a reboot…and your computer should be setup with your username and password.
Now that you have installed the operating system onto your computer, you can now start installing other programs. The first programs you should install before surfing the net are security programs. If you have one purchased, such as Norton or MacAfee, then you should install those immediately. If you do not have any of these programs, then I will provide you with a few free programs that work just as well.
This first program is Ad-Aware, and this is how you install it.
1. First off, go to their web page, by clicking here. Choose to download the free one.
2. It should direct you to www.download.com. Once there, click on the green arrow that says “Download” on it.
3. Once it finishes downloading, double click on the startup icon, and it should bring up an installation screen.
4. Accept the license agreement, and click “Next”.
5. Next you will be prompted to install Ad-Aware in a folder. Choose the correct location you want to install it to, and click “Next”.
6. Leave the “Anyone who uses this computer” option selected and click “Next”. Then click “Next” again, after it tells you it is ready for installation.
7. The installation process should start up, and finish within a few minutes. After it is done, click “Finish” and it is installed.
8. Open the program up, and make sure to update it immediately, so you have all up to date virus definitions.
9. After this is done, immediately run your first scan with this program. You should have nothing pop up, and the scan should go rather quick if this is the first program you have installed onto your computer.
The other program is called Spy-Bot Search and Destroy, and this is how you install it.
1. First off, go to their web page, by clicking here. Choose to download the free one.
2. Once it is completed downloading, you should double click on the icon to start the installation process.
3. The installation process is similar to Ad-Aware’s with respect to installing it in the correct location, and accepting the license agreements.
4. Use the default settings with this program, so you pretty much have to click the “Next” button the whole way through the installation.
5. After it is done installing, you should start up the program.
6. On the first boot, you should immediately do an update. This can be done by clicking on the “Update” icon, and then letting it run.
7. After you have updated the program, you need to make sure that you are “Immunized”. To do this, click on the “Immunized” button, and then click on “Immunize”. It looks like a big green plus sign. This blocks tracking cookies from your internet browser.
8. After doing all of that, run your first scan with this program. As with Ad-Aware, this process should go by very quickly since it’s your first time running a program on your computer.
These two free programs alone cover a vast majority of what certain paid virus protection programs protect you from. Note, that with SpyBot Search and Destroy, if you go back to their home page, you can get add-ons for the program, such as Resident TeaTimer, which prevents unwanted files from being installed on your computer. Along with these free programs, you should also look into purchasing a registry cleaner. Here is a good one: Click Here!
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