Windows 7 Newbie

Just bought a new PC running Windows 7. Please excuse me for providing any info below not required to help me with my questions.

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
OS Version: 6.1.7600 Build 7600
System Type: x64-based PC

Is it usual to have x64 bit system with Windows 7? (I understood with earlier versions that x32 systems were more normal as 64 systems were very expensive.)

I want to know whether it would be a good idea to install the following, which I had on my last PC:

Belarc Advisor
Iobit Advanced System Care
Iobit Smart Defrag
Malwarebytes Anti-malware
SpywareBlaster
SUPERAntispyware

I know one has their preferences. Therefore, I'm not asking if people would recommend these programs. I mainly would like to know if these programs will work OK on my PC.

I'd be quite happy for anyone to recommend any software that they think might be useful.

Thanks

mark59

 

Hello again, Mark.

One glaring omission I noticed is the lack of an antivirus program. I personally recommend avast!, which meshes very well with Win 7 64-bit. There are, of course, other possibilities, but do make sure you get a good a/v suite onboard asap if you haven't already done so.

Also, since this is a brand new machine, now might be a good time to consider installing Win 7 Service Pack 1 (if the OS is not already at that level) before you add too many 3rd-party programs.

 

http://www.tweakhound.com/windows7/index.htm Good stuff here too, and back it up,back it up, back it up... Use Avast here as well, and all the rest but iobit, just a personal preference rolleyes

 

I too have Win 7 home 64bit, it's all good...
Running Avast free edition, I say Ya for it too

I'd skip Superantispyware, I found it to really dog a good PC, XP,Vista and or 7 no matter, slow to update and hogs resources...

 

Hi

64 bit simply means how many processing bits can be completed at the same time. They are becoming the norm now, since almost all processors made are 64 bit (they can still use 32 bit, but that's like only pushing the gas pedal halfway down on a car). Also, 32 bit systems are limited to only using UP TO 4GB of RAM (in a lot of cases, only 3GB), whereas 64 bit systems can utilize up to (I think) 128GB of RAM... and no, no one uses that much yet, but when they designed the 32 bit systems, they never thought we'd use GIGABYTES of RAM either. I'm sure we'll see it years down the road.

Things like Adobe's Creative Suite are starting to come out with 64 bit-ONLY programs as well.

64 bit systems used to be expensive, but just like any computer technology, things get cheaper as time goes by.

It is good advice to put Service Pack 1 onto your system before installing too many things. My personal favorite antivirus program is Comodo Antivirus (free), though there's plenty of good options out there, and Avast has many people happy too.

 

I'd already installed an antivirus program before I started the thread. In fact it was the first thing I installed. That's why I didn't list it. Thanks for spotting that though. The AV program I installed was Avast. I used it on my previous machine and am happy with it.

Again thanks for the advice but not long after installing Avast I ran Windows Update which provided SP1. In fact I spent most of my evening doing Windows Update. Every time I ran it it found more software and nearly every update required a reboot.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

Why the recommendation to install Win7 SP1 before other programs?

I didn't install many but I did install a few programs before Windows Update "offered" me SP1. At least an antivirus program (Avast!) and a firewall (Agnitum Outpost Free). But, I don't think it was too many other things as I was waiting for comments on the list of programs in my original post.

mark59

P.S. I installed Outpost as I'm still working on the basis as I did with my previous machine that most third party firewalls are better than Windows Firewall. Any opinions or comments on this?

 

At least in my case, that's just a common sense caveat. It would seem that logic would dictate that the less 3rd-party garbage that Windows must sift through to employ a major Service Pack upgrade, the better.

If SP1 installed with no problems, then you've got nothing to worry about.