Just Bought My First Laptop, Performance Q's

I bought the Gateway M-6864FX from Best Buy for $850, it is now actually $750 so I will go back tomorrow and get the price difference but anyway now down to the nitty, gritty stuff that I have NO clue about.

When I first turn on my computer and download the updates, what should I do next?

I hear most laptops come with bloatware that slows down computer, what can I or should I take off my computer from the start?

I hear lots of people talking about OCing their graphics card, how do you OC a graphics card and is it useful?

Do I need to update the graphics card or is that already down?

I know I need to update Windows, etc. but anything else do I need to update?

Do I really need Norton, etc?

What I'm basically asking is once I take it out of the box, to ensure the best and fastest performance what should I do?

Do I need to update the graphics card or is that already down?

I know I need to update Windows, etc. but anything else do I need to update?

Do I really need Norton, etc?

If you could list steps in detail, I would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

The most important thing, I think, is to remove Norton and replace it with something less bloaty.

If free sounds like a good price, try Avast! Home Edition. Just remember to scan your drive, as the free version doesn't do it automatically.

Or you could just use an operating system that no one bothers to hack - like Linux. No one cares about Linux.



Oh, and if you want to save the money you'd otherwise spend on Microsoft Office, try OpenOffice. 9/10 non-geeks can't tell the difference.

 

Use Riva Tuner to OC your card, if your going to. It voids your warranty, for the card, but you can gain +7 fps so it'd be probably worth it. Use a guide to do it!!

 

Yeah I don't think I will be OCing my graphics card lol.

Here is what I'm going to do, please correct or add something if needed.
-Update Windows
-Uninstall Norton, Napster, and Gateway Games
-De fragment computer

Then I should be good?

 

Maybe run Glary Utilities, and then do a DVD backup of everything.

Then you're set.

 

In regards to the antivirus and security I would say, personally:

AVG Free 8 (Includes spyware detection, etc.)
Spybot SD
Spyware Blaster
CCleaner
Startup Insepctor

All the above apps can be found at filehippo.com and are great freeware solutions. I agree with mike, use open office, its free, uninstall norton, and definitely do a final hard drive to dvd image backup. This will ensure you have a permanent save point when reinstalling Windows. There are numerous new user and performance tweaking guides, but what you are doing already will help. Good luck!

 

After uninstalling all of the bloatware and doing all windows updates...you are kinda set. I'd maybe replace Norton with AVG or AVAST! anti-virus. If you are willing to pay a small fee Nod32 is by far the best you can get.

gengerald also recommended CCleaner, I'd second that.

Otherwise, you should be fine. If you got Vista (and I'm sure you did) it'll actually do a bit of housekeeping and defragmenting on its own when you are letting it sit idle (it usually does it later at night, into the am hours).

 

i use Nod32 as my antivirus software and it works pretty good. remove all the free AOL garbage and whatnot from your computer. basically, remove all those trials that are uploaded onto your computer, and remove most of the processes you don't need to use at startup.

install all your games and programs you want (and music and movies), and then defrag your hard drive.

 

Or try clamwin - it's open source and pretty effective and not annoying.

 

also go into msconfig from your start menu and check what programs start on the bootup of your computer. you'll notice prolly a lot of programs you dont want or always use are slowing down ur computer and boot up time by them opening up as soon as u turn on the computer. look at which 1's u dont want/need and untick the box next to em so they don't start on boot up