Granny needs help setting up new laptop

Discussion in 'Software' started by SkayCD, May 23, 2009.

  1. SkayCD

    SkayCD Private E-2

    Not sure if this is the place for this but I know I'm talking with the right group of people for advice.

    Just got a new Toshiba laptop (Mother's Day gift) and want to make sure I am doing things right starting out with it. My old pc was built by my son and he did everything for me back then but now it is up to me to do this alone.

    I've read the info that came with laptop and think I've done everything right as to registering everything.

    My biggest question is about making sure I have my laptop protected right. Laptop has Vista Home Premium and comes with 60 days of Norton 360. Don't know much about Norton at all but hear it is good, thats about it. I know that after 60 days I will have to either pay norton to keep it or change to my good stand by freebies that I already know and trust. My past experience has been with ZoneAlarm and Comodo for firewall, love both! Switched from zonelarm when I started having problems with updating.

    I have XP home with spywear blaster, comodo, & spybot on my old pc and was wondering about changing protection on my laptop and getting rid of the Norton. Is this a good or bad ideal? Can I add spywear blaster and spybot to my laptop now and will they work with Norton or will there be a problem.

    Should I take norton off and put comodo and the others on instead. I've read that it is hard to get norton off, that sometimes there are threads left in the system that can cause problems.

    Also need advice as to which free spam filter for e-mail works best with Vista Outlook.

    Anything else that you think I need to know or read elsewhere on line, just throw it at me. I'm always up for learning more. When they finally come to take me away to the old folks home I'm taking my laptop with me!!

    Value your advice and will wait to hear back from you on this. "Thanks"! :)
     
    SkayCD, May 23, 2009
    #1
  2. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Re: Granny needs help sitting up newl laptop

    Hi

    My Toshiba laptop came with a free trial of Mcafee and the first thing I did was to download all I needed ready to rid the machine of it as well as other crap that comes pre-loaded onto it.

    I downloaded Avast! to use an an anti-virus (only using the windows firewall on the laptop)

    I then disabled/shut down Mcafee once closing all browsers, and ran the Mcafee removal tool.In your case you would need the Norton Removal Tool

    Run it at least twice for good measure to remove all remnants with a reboot in between.

    Another good program to check out is:

    PC Deccrapifier

    It is up to you whether you choose to keep the free Norton trial or not, but it was my decision not to keep the mcafee trial, I wanted Avast! installed.

    In answer to your other question yes indeed you can also install spyware blaster and spybot search and destroy.

    Additional info:

    Setting up a new computer
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2009
    Kestrel13!, May 23, 2009
    #2
  3. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Re: Granny needs help sitting up newl laptop

    Hi SkayCD


    As a new PC it will have loads of junk applciations on it that startup with the PC slowing it down, so maybe running PCDecrapifier (choose authors site to download latest) will help in removing some.

    As for security, Norton 360 is ok as all around security, but depends on whether you wish to pay each year for udpates etc or not, if not then removing Norton 360 is the best option and installing maybe the below

    Avast free (I find this the best I have used but my opinion)
    Spywareblaster (great for blocking potential issues)
    PCtools Firewall (great and simple menu firewall)


    If removing Norton uninstall from Add/remove and run this tool and then Ccleaner and its cleaner and registry cleaner tools.

    Vista Outlook? what email application is it as Vista only comes with Windows Mail, and its spam filter is ok, but Mailwasher free will do for one email account, or Spamihilator


    I personally wouldnt go with Zonealarm as in all the PCs with Vista I tried it on its behaved badly and causes slowness, not the applciation it used to be IMHO, not to say that for soem it works ok, but for me not so good, found other apps much better.


    EDIT: Snap Emms ;)
     
    DavidGP, May 23, 2009
    #3
  4. SkayCD

    SkayCD Private E-2

    Re: Granny needs help sitting up newl laptop

    Thanks so much for the info, this will help so very much. And your right about a lot of crap coming on new machines!! I have so much stuff on my desktop that it boggles the mind!! I'm sure much of it I would never use.

    I mostly use my laptop and pc for email, pictures, blogging and the internet to get myself better educated! The older I get the more I find I need to learn!! LOL!!

    I would be lost with out all the wonderful, smart and entertaining folks from MajorGeeks! You all rate a 10+ with me! :)
     
    SkayCD, May 23, 2009
    #4
  5. SkayCD

    SkayCD Private E-2

    Re: Granny needs help sitting up newl laptop

    Forgot to mention that I have anivir on my pc and was thinking to add it to laptop also along with spyblaster and spybot. Your right about zonealarm had problems with it in the past so will check out PCtools firewall also. I need something easy to understand and use.

    Thanks so very much for your help, you all are the greatest!! I tell all my senior friends that if they need help to go to "MajorGeeks", the folks there know what they are talking about and will never steer you wrong. :)
     
    SkayCD, May 23, 2009
    #5
  6. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi Skay

    If your going to add Antivir then indeed do remove Norton 360 first.
     
    DavidGP, May 23, 2009
    #6
  7. SkayCD

    SkayCD Private E-2

    Re: Granny needs help sitting up newl laptop

    One more thing I need to know.:-o

    Is it best to first download all that I need and save, then go off line, do uninstall of Norton and anything else I don't need, then install the other programs I downloaded?

    Also do I need to check and make sure that Vista firewall is turned off or not?? If it needs to be turned off, how do I go about this?
     
    SkayCD, May 23, 2009
    #7
  8. SkayCD

    SkayCD Private E-2

    Thanks Halo, will do. :) I thought adding Antivir might be a problem but didn't know for sure if it would clash with Norton or not. :-o
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2009
    SkayCD, May 23, 2009
    #8
  9. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Re: Granny needs help sitting up newl laptop

    Yes, definatly on downloading all apps first then removing the old and installing new before going back online, you have this tech security thing sorted :)

    PCTools if you use that shoudl auto turn off the Windows Firewall, but if not then goto http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-GB/help/bfe523a9-7eec-4d3f-add1-2f68b9cfa1c01033.mspx for steps


    Just as an add-on thought, and what I tend to do alot before installing new apps on a new pc is to create a image/clone of the whole HDD before adding new things, never know what may not like a PC setup, while my favoured app is Acronis True Image, its not free bt I running this one on my test PC and its working fine and mirrors Acronis's options very well, Macrium Reflect Free (MGs link for this is needed to be recreated) (best if you use a external or seperate HDD or partition to save the image too, but DVDRW works well), helps recover your full system in the event of a crash or issues that are not resolvable.
     
    DavidGP, May 23, 2009
    #9

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