Build my own computer checklist4/22/2024 ![]() New hardware just begs for software to match! Why would you scrap all that junk and clutter? To make room for your own stuff, silly. If you decide to perform a fresh installation of Windows to clear the decks and want to keep some of the software being blasted away (like Office, say), be sure to jot down the product key before initiating the process, using something like Belarc Advisor to find it. Going through the apps list and eradicating key offenders should work well enough for most people though. Some of the most commonly preinstalled apps are antivirus trials, Dropbox, Candy Crush, Netflix, Spotify, “App Collections,” and others. Don’t delete apps from your hardware’s makers-leave software from the likes of Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Microsoft, and HP or Lenovo alone, for example-but feel free to wipe out any bundleware you see. Go through the list and uninstall any unwanted programs. The easiest way to jettison the junk is by typing “Add and remove programs” into the Windows search box, then selecting the option that appears at the top of the results. Now that you’ve slipped into something more comfortable, it’s time to get your security ducks in a row. We’ve recently run pieces extolling the virtues of Firefox, Vivaldi, Edge, and Opera if you want to play around with your options. Here are direct links for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera if Edge isn’t your thing.Ĭhrome has been our go-to pick for years, but Edge is the best browser you can use right now if you don’t mind breaking away from Chrome, and better yet, it’s Windows’ default. Surfing the web in an unfamiliar browser is like trying to tango while you’re wearing someone else’s shoes. If you want all possible new Windows 11 features, the PCWorld Software Store offers the Windows 11 Home-to-Pro upgrade for $60, much less than its usual $100. We tend to prefer Windows 10 to Windows 11, thanks to some radical interface changes in 11, but you can certainly opt to upgrade if you like. If your new laptop came with Windows 10 installed, you may see the option to upgrade to Windows 11. You just have to get over this initial hump! On the bright side, Windows will download and install new updates as they roll out in the future. Hopefully it won’t take too long, but in worst-case scenarios updating a new computer can take an hour or more. ![]() Download and install them, then reboot your computer and do it again… and again… and again… until the update check fails to return new entries. Your system will search for updates, and find some. In Windows 10, open the Start menu and head to Settings > Update and security > Check for Updates. Keep updating Windows until it says you’re all caught up.įirst, make sure your PC’s connected to the internet. ![]()
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