Design a "to-do" list for my upcoming 1420

I'm just drooling to get my 1420 (I might even be so bold as to hope for it by the end of the week). I haven't had a new system since 2001 and haven't done much software downloading or configuring, so I'm hoping you guys will help me come up with a list of tweaks/downloads/additions I should work on when it arrives.

Vitals:
Inspiron 1420
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T5250 (2MB cache/1.5GHz/667Mhz FSB), Genuine Windows Vista™ Home Premium Edition
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 Dimm
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 3100
120G 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

It's more of an individual work station/communication center/media mule than a gaming or designing machine. As such, I'm looking to simultaneously maximize performance and consumer features. And I like to keep boot time to an absolute minimum.

 

maybe you could check out the best free software for windowssticky i recommend avast antivirus and firefox

 

I was hoping this thread would be full of Vista streamling suggestions

 

"individual work station/communication center/media mule"

You should go with a 2.0 Ghz proc. with a discrete video card

 

My needs right now are being met by a 750 Duron with on-board video I bought in 2001, so I'm not expecting to upgrade the hardware just yet

I guess I should've clarified, I'm looking for various ways to maximize performance by configuring the software/OS or adding new features, to get the most out of the existing hardware.

 

if you want to dramaticaly decrease Vista boot time, buy that $130 160GB 7200RPM HD from Dell and install it yourself. From what i've seen from the manual installing the harddrive is very easy on a 1420/Vostro 1400.

ways to decrease Vista boot time without hardware changes
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2151211,00.asp

 

Buy a Corsair Voayger GT!!!

Best USB Flash drive out... no problems with Vista at all... Very fast too..

GT!! not the original.. there is a difference...as the original is slower...

I have the 4 GB one...and I love it. I am comfortable with dropping it, ect... its so durable.

it comes with USB extension and neck band too.

 

Yes let's all go buy flash drives that hang off the sides of our computers and can get caught on things. Maybe a better idea would be to look into SD cards, like the SanDisk Extreme III or Corsair 133x...

 

I just use my iPod w/EphPod for moving data around, which I don't do much of. I will eventually be buying a pretty large external HD and I might actually upgrade the laptop HD if I'm not satisfied with the 5200rpm one.