Bought New Notebook - Need to Handle things PROPERLY from the Beginning FOR ONCE

My history with brand New Machines has NOT been Good.

I'll spare you the ugly details, but I need to know more about how to handle things than I did with my last, brand-new machine (the one I'm typing-on now). I've gone through hell with this Dell Desktop running Vista Home/Basic, though "MOST" of the problem has been my own (of my own making), and little from the OS or the machine, other than me trying to learn it as opposed to XP (which I never really thoroughly learned).

All I did with this Vista in the beginning was to run "PC Decrapifier" on it (and would probably do better to remove these things myself - from the new Notebook which should be here in a day or two, correct please?), and then had an UNBELIEVABLY GREAT deal of trouble trying to get a 3rd-party Firewall to work.

I will provide a link for my new unit, AND I'll copy/paste the details here, for whichever is preferred by whomever might be so kind as to look-out and look-ahead with me here, please.

Thanks in advance: http://www.circuitcity.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=111483&sku=A50-121142

Specifications


ASUS Eee PC 1215B-PU17-SL 12.1" Notebook PC
Memory Type: DDR3


Memory Speed: PC3-8500


Memory Speed MHz: 1066MHz


Memory Slots (Total): 2


Total Memory Size: 2GB


Maximum Memory Supported: 4GB


Display Type: LED backlight


Screen Size: 12.1"


Maximum Resolution: 1366 x 768


Capacity: 320GB


Drive Types: Hard Drive


Hard Drive Speed: 5400 RPM


Processor Brand: AMD


Processor Type: Dual-Core


Processor Speed: 1.60GHz


Processor Number: E-350


Graphics Description: Discrete Graphics


GPU/VPU: AMD Radeon HD 6310


Lifestyle: Home & Student


Condition: New


Operating Systems: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit


Platform: Laptop


Supplemental Drive Type: Media Reader


Media Types: Secure Digital (SD)
SecureDigital High Capacity
MultiMediaCard (MMC)
Secure Digital (SDXC)


Audio Description: Integrated Audio


Audio Chipset: High-Definition Audio


Audio Channels: Built-in Stereo Speakers


Integrated Microphone: Yes


USB Ports (Total): 2 - USB 2.0
1 - USB 3.0


LAN Ports: 1


Audio Out Jacks: 1


Microphone Jacks: 1


VGA Ports: 1


HDMI Ports: 1


Communications Description: Integrated LAN
Integrated Wireless LAN
Integrated Bluetooth


Interface Type: RJ-45 Ethernet Connector
Bluetooth™
802.11b/g/n Wireless Networking


Data Transfer Rate: 10/100 Ethernet LAN
Bluetooth 3.0+HS


Protocols: 802.11b
802.11g
802.11n
Bluetooth 3.0


Width: 11.65"


Height: 0.91" - 1.46"


Depth: 7.99"


Weight: 3.21 lbs


Mouse Type: Touch Pad


Battery Type: 6-Cell Lithium-ion


Battery Life: Up to 8 hours


Color: Silver


Specification Notes: [6] To provide the most accurate specifications, the specifications listed are base upon information provided by the vendor.


Integrated Webcam: Yes


Webcam Resolution: 0.3MP

 

Thanks and yes...brand-spanking new.

Your thinking is exactly what I was thinking, about all the trialware and such - CP>Add/Remove>Progs & Features (or whatever they're calling that now, but I suppose, perhaps even before I do that, I wish to make sure this puppy is buttoned-down TIGHT. Certainly before I connect to the www.

How is the 7 firewall? That's probably my biggest concern. Is it any improved over Vista (which I was never fully comfortable with, and which did "leak" on its outgoing data).

And you're saying "no tweaks" whatsoever? Nothing?

Thanks again, and in advance,
glenn

 

First thing I'd do, is to do a FULL backup as originally installed, onto DVD's/External drive. After that you can do pretty much anything you want.

I would however, then install Comodo Internet Security (CIS) v5.5 from MG at:
http://majorgeeks.com/Comodo_Internet_Security_d6234.html

As you know CIS is a Combined Firewall and AV.

After that visit Must Have Freeware at http://www.majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=20 , and take your pick.

My $0.02 worth. Best of luck. :wave Keep us informed about your decisions.

Bazza

 

Thank you both very much...I will certainly take it ALL under advisement, coming from the two of you.

Now...

I have always enjoyed stumbling-on-over to Black Vipers site---> http://www.blackviper.com/ and having a go at it...With a brand-spankin' new machine - one that I can "NOT" afford" to have go down, I believe I am (now - finally!) disciplined-enough to take it one tweak at a time...one day, one tweak...or would you-all still think this is too much (especially considering I am one of the VERY FIRST people to fly in here crying over some "foul-up" that I've committed"...?

How "technically-inclined" - I ask you - can a guy who names himself "grc (my initials) 123" (because it rhymes with grc) POSSIBLY be...?

Anyway, that's it...I welcome your opines, on whether it could possibly (at all) be helpful/and-or wise, to tweak, a la Black Viper, or not?

OH!!! I suppose my thAng for tweaking arises from the fact that I cannot afford (Today) a Super>Fast www-connection (in fact, I have the slowest of three offered DSL's here). So, now...that's REALLY it.

Thank you!

 

I don't think BV's tweaks mean much with the power that we have available these days. Mind you, I haven't run head to head comparisons on my machine either so I don't know what's worth disabling anymore. He did do a lot of good back in the early XP days.

 

Congrats on the purchase.

A slow connection is a slow connection. Can't think of a tweak that will help.

You're itching to tweak aren't you. :-D Leave it be- and enjoy the machine.

Cheers

 

If you are getting the advertised speed then there's nothing that you can do to improve it. Heck, I would have loved DSL back in my 56K modem days.:-D

 

OK - thank you all again, AND NOW . . . it HAS ARRIVED!!!

However, I want to make sure I've got someone in on this with me as far as "INITIAL BATTERY CHARGE TIME".

The manual states "8 hours or more" for "FULL CHARGE" time of this battery...

I understand this to mean I should not so much as power this NoteBook up until at least 8 hours (minimum) of charging - correct? Would 10, 12, 16, or 24 hours be any better? Worse? ... help...please?

 

You'll probably find that your battery has some charge in it already.
If you start up your Notebook, there should/maybe be an icon showing charge %, or similar.

Google link extend laptop battery life that may be of help.
http://www.google.com/search?q=extend+laptop+battery+life&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=

Bazza

 

Very cool - I'll check it out pronto - thank you again!

 

Thank you very much...of course, I am ("possibly") going to have the most difficulty with #5: " First before you do anything..."

This machine does not have a CD/DVD drive. I have LOTS of USB cables (or a good number of them, anyway) - so, I "think" I have to somehow connect the two (this new Notebook to my Desktop PC, which has the correct drive device), and then ....?

Perhaps I'll be prompted? More likely I need to look in the CP for "Backup/Restore" - something to that effect, please?

Thanks again and in advance...
PS - I LOVE the idea of sticking with the OS (7 Home Premium) Firewall and utilizing MS-Security Essentials...

 

I'm sure I will (will really have to shop EXTRA hard now, for a really good deal), but my desktop has a burner/player (or player/burner?).

I'm a full hour from any store that would sell one of those, and I have to cross four rather "large hills" (some call `em "mountains"), so again, until then, I suppose I should just fool-around here with cords & cables, to see if I can make a Backup/Restore Disk?

Oh, and you mentioned a "Driver" Disk also...? Is this to back-up the currently installed drivers, please?

 

So does anyone know how, or where I could find instructions/directions, to make back-ups/Rescue/Restore Disks, without having a CD/DVD drive on my new Netbook, please?

I have a DVD player-burner on the desktop I'm typing from...which reminds me, oh, never mind, I think I have to go to the "Networking" sub-forum to get connected wirelessly...correct please?

 

Hi Laura...thank you, and wow, I should have known this was too good to be True, eh...there's always more equipment needed (I guess, unless one spends like $1000-or-more? Maybe at least $700 or $800).

Thanks again,
glenn . . .

 

Exactly...and "small lightweight" was important to me, sooooooo

Thank you again - happy huntin' & peckin' (...er, well, that's my story anyway....!)

 

Hello and congrats on the new PC.

I would recommend a USB external hard drive and the regular backup or your hard drive using Windows 7 own image backup utility or a third party program.

Create a System Repair Disc in Windows 7

How to Create a System Image in Windows 7

How To Restore Windows 7 from a System Image

If your system becomes unbootable, you can boot the Repair Disk from your external USB CD/DVD drive and restore the system image that is on the external drive.

I would also do all your internet browsing using a Limited User Account.

 

Hello and Thank You!

I "have" a small external HD that I JUST wiped clean (160GB) but I cannot get it to accept anything now.

I also just today realized that I do have a portable CD player that "may" work for some of this? It may be three weeks-or-so before I can afford any more equipment/accessories . . .