Happy New Year!!

So, the holidays are over, the wrapping is in the recycle bins, and it's time to get back to a "normal" life. And do you have a brand-shiny-new computer now? Great! Before you do much with that computer, here are a few steps to assure that this new computer is as fast and secure as it can be.

Make restore disks

Most computers these days do not come with a set of disks. You probably don't even have a Windows disk. Instead, the manufacturers will include an image of the system on a separate partition of the hard drive. This image can be burned to a set of CD's or DVD's, called the restore disks. If the computer ever needs to be reverted back to the factory-fresh condition, you can run these restore disks. It's vital to have a complete set of restore disks available in case of catastrophic failure in the future. Each manufacturer has their own method of creating the restore disks, so refer to your computer's documentation for further instructions.

Remove trial applications

One way that manufacturers hold down computer prices is to install trial versions of many programs. They accept payment from the program developers to include these trial versions. The idea is, you'll give them a try and decide to purchase them. However, in most cases there are free alternatives, so there's no need to use a paid version of a given app.

Click on your Windows Start button and then click Control Panel. In the Programs section, click on Uninstall a Program. The resulting screen will show a list of all of the programs installed on your computer. To remove any of these programs, just click on one and then click Uninstall on the toolbar just above the list.

Obviously, since each manufacturer includes different trial applications, this article can't tell you what to remove. A couple of suggestions, though: Anti-virus programs such as Symantec, Norton or McAfee - these are all great anti-virus programs, but there's a free alternative that's every bit as good! (We'll discuss what to use instead later in the article.) Also, Microsoft Office is often pre-installed. Again, there are perfectly acceptable free alternatives.

One thing to keep in mind - many manufacturers are including their user documentation as files on the computer. Be sure not to remove that documentation.

Also keep in mind that if you accidentally remove items you wish you hadn't you can always use the restore disks to revert the entire computer back to its factory-fresh condition and start again.

Remove Unneeded Shortcuts

Many manufacturers include shortcuts either on the desktop or in the Start menu to websites that you just aren't interested in. If you see shortcuts for items such as AOL or online games, you can remove them. Just right-click on the shortcut and select Delete to send it to the recycle bin.

Install Anti-Virus

Be sure you have a good anti-virus program installed on your system. The Computer Psychic recommends Microsoft Security Essentials (http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/). It's proven itself to be a superb all-in-one anti-virus and anti-spyware product.

Implement these suggestions before using your new computer and your computing experience will be a pleasant one. Also, be sure to back up regularly because you never know when catastrophe may occur. Oh, and those free software alternatives? Visit http://www.thecomputerpsychic.com/software.htm to find the best ones on the market today.
     

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