What Programs Do I Need?

Timans

Right, We finally got a new pc. HP Pavilion. Just set it up actually.

I need freeware now. What will I need?

Unzipping Device (Had WinRAR)
Burning Software
Norton was already on PC so don't think I need any of that.

If there's anything else then let me know,

Thanks,

Timans

Ruu_Old

7Zip or Zip Central (lol at the URL)

CDBurnerXP Pro

Chuck Norton in the bin and get AVG, Anti-Vir or NOD32. You'll be much better off.

Timans

Should I really get rid of Norton?

mukki

this is what i would do..

1)uninstall norton

2)run msconfig (this make your pc a way faster)
clear all checkboxes in the start up tab
click on the services tab and then check "hide all non m$ services" un-check all the remaining services



3)Install avgfree http://free.grisoft.com/doc/avg-anti-virus-free/lng/us/tpl/v5

4)uninstall adobe acrobat and install foxit http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/

5)Install vlc media player http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

6) install real alternative http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

7) to shut up the "install firefox or else" tossers http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

handy speed tweak
right click on my computer and click on properties
click on the advanced tab, then the settings button
untick all the boxes except "use common tasks in folders" and use visual themes on windows and buttons and click apply

difficulty and not recommended speed tweak
right click on my computer and click manage
double click on the services and applicitaions icon
click on services and in the serivces tab
doubl click on system restore service and set it too disabled

Ruu_Old

My advice would be to uninstall it and burn the CD. Its a major hog on your system. Any of the free ones I mentioned will work very well for you. Do you have a firewall also?

MT

Chuck Norton in the bin and get AVG, Anti-Vir or NOD32. You'll be much better off.

Are any of those latter three free?

I'm interested in the freeware needed on a PC too but could anyone give me an indication of how much space on my hard drive it'll take up. I'll likely only have around 40GB and after Windows XP I won't be using any games or complex stuff as this will just be a casual-surf-the-web PC so I could put what GBs are leftover after XP to use for good free software.

Timans

I don't know, I just turned on the pc about an hour ago. Did the auld "Next, Next" routine and hey presto, I'm posting this.

mukki

Timans wrote:

Should I really get rid of Norton?

yes! your pc will be sooo much faster, its just like a hardware upgrade, but its free and you pc will still eb sevure (once you install avg)

mukki

MT wrote:

Are any of those latter three free?

yes ....but remember kids you only need to install one antivirus!!!!!
i install avg on every pc i work on

MT wrote:

I'm interested in the freeware needed on a PC too but could anyone give me an indication of how much space on my hard drive it'll take up. I'll likely only have around 40GB and after Windows XP I won't be using any games or complex stuff as this will just be a casual-surf-the-web PC so I could put what GBs are leftover after XP to use for good free software.

you'll have about 34gb- 36gb free

greglo23

definately uninstall nortons as its a very poor piece of software. to uninstall it properly go here and run the tool they provide which will get rid of it completely. http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

replace it with this, http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1. another free tool here is avg antispyware. both work really well and you can't beat free.

for more free software have a look at this sticky http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=231147

Ruu_Old

MT wrote:

Are any of those latter three free?

I'm interested in the freeware needed on a PC too but could anyone give me an indication of how much space on my hard drive it'll take up. I'll likely only have around 40GB and after Windows XP I won't be using any games or complex stuff as this will just be a casual-surf-the-web PC so I could put what GBs are leftover after XP to use for good free software.

They all have free versions which work splendidly. Every machine I work on, I immediately remove Norton and put on one of those. I use Anti-Vir myself and it works very well and the definitions are quite often. They don't take up a whole lot of disk space either.