First computer

[Red'n'Black]

I bought a Lenovo Thinkpad brand new last year, not my first brand new but the most spendy

Kept it updated and not had a moments bother with it

Both my kids have Thinkpad T440s, bought refurbed. I went for Thinkpads as they were said to be a bit less flimsy than some other models, no problems so far.

Only tip I would have if family are going to have access - and this goes for any PC, Windows, Linux, whatever - is set yourself up as administrator, give everybody else regular user accounts, and never tell them the admin password. This stops most of the issues with it getting filled up with whatever junk they've tried to install, malware etc.

 

[skotl]

i prefer 2 os back ups myself

one as factory delivered and then another with all updates on it

reason for this is updates can and do fail on some machines far better having an original back up to fall back onto that knowinglt works straight out of the box

? what do you think on that @skotl

its just a safety preference thats all

Well, there's definitely some truth in the adage that "you can't have too many backups"!

My problem in the good old days was with backup tapes and disks failing but I place far more faith in cloud backups (from reputable vendors, of course - nowadays I wouldn't look beyond Microsoft, Google, Amazon or Apple).

So no issue at all with what you're doing - I'm still more comfortable with a clean reinstall and restore of personal data - I think that's more predictable and probably faster. But backups of backups is never a bad thing!

 

[Tangledfeet]

If it comes with McAfee... uninstall it!

 

[Ali]

If it comes with McAfee... uninstall it!

What reason? I’ve noticed company computers aren’t running AVG or any virus scanner these days, is it unnecessary?

 

[Tangledfeet]

What reason? I’ve noticed company computers aren’t running AVG or any virus scanner these days, is it unnecessary?

McAfee in particular is bloated, intrusive and with the efficiency of Windows 10 own integrated anti-virus software it has become unnecessary; all my own opinion of course!

 

[Ali]

McAfee in particular is bloated, intrusive and with the efficiency of Windows 10 own integrated anti-virus software it has become unnecessary; all my own opinion of course!

Had no idea there was an integrated one now. Makes perfect sense. Thanks.

 

[skotl]

McAfee in particular is bloated, intrusive and with the efficiency of Windows 10 own integrated anti-virus software it has become unnecessary; all my own opinion of course!

Totally agree.
A combination of built-in Microsoft support with plain common sense is the best kind of protection.

 

[gaz1]

McAfee in particular is bloated, intrusive and with the efficiency of Windows 10 own integrated anti-virus software it has become unnecessary; all my own opinion of course!

both are crap as each other are as goes for removing well mcafee is a git to remove infact its so bad you actually need a removing program for it whilst windows 10 is near on impossible to remove

I wouldnt use either and neither would i trust them and thats with years of experience with both

bitdeffender was always ackward with machines
zonealarm can be just as bad
other free one is comodo

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

First tip, don't let the wife near it!
Second tip, or the kids!

Slightly off topic, I still have my first computer, a Commodore 64. It still works too, though not really much use for anything!

I'm debating seeking out an Amiga ATM for sequencing synthisisers and samplers

 

[skotl]

both are crap as each other are as goes for removing well mcafee is a git to remove infact its so bad you actually need a removing program for it whilst windows 10 is near on impossible to remove

I wouldnt use either and neither would i trust them and thats with years of experience with both

bitdeffender was always ackward with machines
zonealarm can be just as bad
other free one is comodo

Why is Windows defender crap?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Why is Windows defender crap?

Don't bother mate. M$ are spying on Gaz dont ya know

 

[gaz1]

Why is Windows defender crap?

certainly was poor and not updated enough never really was

the talk was that it was better off using a better firewall or antivirus software than windows it fails in so many aspects of protection wether it being one or the other

easily hacked certainly didnt protect you from others and thats corporate affairs

 

[skotl]

certainly was poor

Fair enough although that's probably going back 10-15 years

and not updated enough never really was

That's not true - it has always been updated regularly

the talk was that it was better off using a better firewall or antivirus software than windows

Probably something in that, but again going back 10 or 15 years

it fails in so many aspects of protection wether it being one or the other

Not sure I buy that

easily hacked

Nah....

certainly didnt protect you from others and thats corporate affairs

I disagree

---

Time, hardware and software moves on. In the 2000s I used a variety of antivirus apps from a variety of suppliers, and they were all problematic (I think we can all agree that macafee tended to be the worst!).
But then Microsoft got its act together, like it does with pretty much everything it makes, and their product set became usable and later it became good and unobtrusive.

The only reason I'm still debating this with you is that I don't think the majority of people who don't live and breath computers need to worry about something that is pretty much taken care of. Microsoft's anti malware / anti virus that is build into Windows 10 and Windows 11 is, IMO, absolutely good enough for 99% of people and I don't like to think that we might scare people into believing they need to do something more complex.

 

[Miranda]

First tip, don't let the wife near it!
Second tip, or the kids!

Slightly off topic, I still have my first computer, a Commodore 64. It still works too, though not really much use for anything!

Still have my Dragon 32…..

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Still have my Dragon 32…..

32k was my first foray into computing back in 88 or so when I was still in single digits.

 

[Ali]

32k was my first foray into computing back in 88 or so when I was still in single digits.

I did have a Speccy but even that was 2nd hand I think. Can’t beat Boulderdash

 

[Tangledfeet]

certainly was poor and not updated enough never really was

the talk was that it was better off using a better firewall or antivirus software than windows it fails in so many aspects of protection wether it being one or the other

easily hacked certainly didnt protect you from others and thats corporate affairs

So much of that was all in the past tense...

 

[Parm]

Fair enough although that's probably going back 10-15 years


That's not true - it has always been updated regularly


Probably something in that, but again going back 10 or 15 years


Not sure I buy that


Nah....


I disagree

---

Time, hardware and software moves on. In the 2000s I used a variety of antivirus apps from a variety of suppliers, and they were all problematic (I think we can all agree that macafee tended to be the worst!).
But then Microsoft got its act together, like it does with pretty much everything it makes, and their product set became usable and later it became good and unobtrusive.

The only reason I'm still debating this with you is that I don't think the majority of people who don't live and breath computers need to worry about something that is pretty much taken care of. Microsoft's anti malware / anti virus that is build into Windows 10 and Windows 11 is, IMO, absolutely good enough for 99% of people and I don't like to think that we might scare people into believing they need to do something more complex.

I’m one of those 99%