First computer

[Ali]

First computer that I’ve ever had from new, bought myself a laptop. Haven’t taken it out of the box yet, still a bit shocked at myself for spending that much money. I’ve always had hand-me-downs which I’ve upgraded or wiped clean. The missus has been hogging the desktop something rotten so decided I wanted my own.

IT experts - tips on anything I should do while I can? Let all the updates run, set a system restore point?

Thanks

 

[the snooper]

See if you have the option to create a set of restore discs, sometimes you can and sometimes it's a hidden feature you have to search for

 

[123hotchef]

what laptop did u spring for?

 

[ajlelectronics]

IT experts - tips on anything I should do while I can? Let all the updates run, set a system restore point?

Remove as much Mickeysoft bloatware as possible, install a decent browser and email client etc. Set it up the way you like it and do a full backup.

 

[Ali]

what laptop did u spring for?

Lenovo Legion 17”. Needed it to run Fusion etc.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Lenovo Legion 17”. Needed it to run Fusion etc.

Is it Lenovo that comes pre-loaded with spyware? Or am I thinking of something else?

 

[RWD3M]

First computer that I’ve ever had from new, bought myself a laptop. Haven’t taken it out of the box yet, still a bit shocked at myself for spending that much money. I’ve always had hand-me-downs which I’ve upgraded or wiped clean. The missus has been hogging the desktop something rotten so decided I wanted my own.

IT experts - tips on anything I should do while I can? Let all the updates run, set a system restore point?

Thanks

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!

 

[Kayos]

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

 

[Ali]

Is it Lenovo that comes pre-loaded with spyware? Or am I thinking of something else?

Hope you’re kidding, don’t they all nowadays?

 

[ajlelectronics]

Hope you’re kidding, don’t they all nowadays?

No, there was a scandal not so long ago about it. Well 2015 anyway, nothing to say that they are not still at it.

Superfish spyware.

 

[angellonewolf]

turn on get to windows

open file folder

right click this pc

go to and click properties

take note of the bit operating system most now 64 but worth cheaking some old 32

look at edition should say windows 10 home
or pro etc

download a fresh install of windows easy now you can down load to a usb

turn off and reload

that should it

 

[gaz1]

First computer that I’ve ever had from new, bought myself a laptop. Haven’t taken it out of the box yet, still a bit shocked at myself for spending that much money. I’ve always had hand-me-downs which I’ve upgraded or wiped clean. The missus has been hogging the desktop something rotten so decided I wanted my own.

IT experts - tips on anything I should do while I can? Let all the updates run, set a system restore point?

Thanks

laptop wont be yours for long as mrs has dibs on it

 

[Kayos]

No, there was a scandal not so long ago about it. Well 2015 anyway, nothing to say that they are not still at it.

Superfish spyware.

Ancient history? And was on refurbished machines

If mine has spyware on it then it has never sent any info back

 

[gaz1]

See if you have the option to create a set of restore discs, sometimes you can and sometimes it's a hidden feature you have to search for

make sure you make backups you will probably only get 1 shot at creating a back up disc or usb make sure you buy something decent when your backing up

make sure you

create recovery disk and system repair discs

and make sure you have external backups of your files x 2 if you can if that laptop fails for any reason you have lost the lot

 

[angellonewolf]

laptop wont be yours for long as mrs has dibs on it

whats yours is mine and what mine is mine

 

[ChrisBailey]

I havent made a system repair disc in atleast a decade and I doubt you will ever use one.
The drive is likely to be SSD now which doesnt damage like the old spinning disc did.
Just use something like google drive to backup your important work.

Memory is cheap now, so well worth buying a big flash drive or second SSD for backup purposes.

 

[gaz1]

I havent made a system repair disc in atleast a decade and I doubt you will ever use one.
The drive is likely to be SSD now which doesnt damage like the old spinning disc did.
Just use something like google drive to backup your important work.

Memory is cheap now, so well worth buying a big flash drive or second SSD for backup purposes.

that reminds me what size ssd do you have

windows 11 is above 32gb recomended 64gb for operating system

 

[Ali]

It’s a 1TB SSD and I’ve got 1TB of OneDrive space so ok for backups.

 

[skotl]

It’s a 1TB SSD and I’ve got 1TB of OneDrive space so ok for backups.

....and... you're done!

The most important thing is to have a cloud backup set up, so sounds like you're good to go on OneDrive so that's the main thing. Just be sure to save all your files to the OneDrive folder.

As you asked above, get all the updates going. You could certainly spend a happy half hour in add/remove programs and remove all of the freeware/bloatware/adware software that was installed but that's nowhere near as insidious a problem as it was 10 or 15 years ago.

I don't worry about things like restore points and system backups, as long as your personal data is backed up as above. All known-brand PCs now have a Windows key (probably Home Edition) baked into the BIOS so if it all goes pearshaped you can boot from a Windows 10/11 USB stick and do a full clean reinstall of Windows and it will pick up your product key from the BIOS. Then you log into OneDrive and all your personal data is there. I did exactly that on this one year old laptop a few weeks ago - took me two hours.

So honestly, there's not much to worry about - do all the updates, set up OneDrive and carry on. If it ever gets totally broken, do a full reinstall.

 

[gaz1]

....and... you're done!

The most important thing is to have a cloud backup set up, so sounds like you're good to go on OneDrive so that's the main thing. Just be sure to save all your files to the OneDrive folder.

As you asked above, get all the updates going. You could certainly spend a happy half hour in add/remove programs and remove all of the freeware/bloatware/adware software that was installed but that's nowhere near as insidious a problem as it was 10 or 15 years ago.

I don't worry about things like restore points and system backups, as long as your personal data is backed up as above. All known-brand PCs now have a Windows key (probably Home Edition) baked into the BIOS so if it all goes pearshaped you can boot from a Windows 10/11 USB stick and do a full clean reinstall of Windows and it will pick up your product key from the BIOS. Then you log into OneDrive and all your personal data is there. I did exactly that on this one year old laptop a few weeks ago - took me two hours.

So honestly, there's not much to worry about - do all the updates, set up OneDrive and carry on. If it ever gets totally broken, do a full reinstall.

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