Windows Vista "Must have" programs

I am getting a new laptop within the next few weeks and I was wondering before I install all my programs, what are some must have programs that I should get?

I already have Avast anti virus downloaded, Spybot, VLC player, and Allinone codec package.

What other programs are must have for initial set up for a new laptop?

 

Firefox

moo

 

What is the "moo" program? (joking)

It's really no different from XP for the large part.

A good browser (e.g., firefox, IExplore is not a good browser IMHO),

a good firewall (the Vista default will do a good job but a 3rd party solution won't hurt)

a good antivirus (Norton is NOT a good antivirus by anyone standards' except perhaps Symantec),

perhaps a good anti-spyware/adware

and a good file management software (Windows Explorer is again not such a thing, except perhaps by Microsoft's standards)

But you can really find all this in my Windows XP Guide for instance. Also have a look at the Vista Optimization guide, there are some specific things like Vista Battery Saver, CCleaner.

 

The more i read about OS, the more i'm getting convinced that first of all, the primary must have thing is XP. (Just my 99,9 cents and humble opinion)

 

Can you suggest a good antivirus and firewall and anti spyware?

 

why is this in the asus board?

 

Anti Virus: I am using is Avast! on my XP. Its decent.

Firewall: I am not using any. I do use PeerGuardian2 (IP blocking program) and regularly update it with 20 IP lists. I am not sure what people here would say about it but it works fine for me.

Spyware: I use the combo of Spybot and Ad-aware. Run Ad-aware then spybot after to catch anything Ad-aware misses.

 

I'm sure this has been discussed countless times on NBR. Did you bother to check the threads I was mentioning?

Actually, I agree it shouldn't. Moving to Windows OS/software.

 

kaspersky internet security

 

Actually...Norton isn't that bad if you forgive the slightly longer load time (still pretty short on my system though).

Admittedly, Norton hogs too much for it to be viable on my D430. But my quad-core has the power to spare, and I've never been infected with Norton installed. (Actually, once I was able to trace an attack made on my PC to a home in California...ended up contacting his/her ISP and everything, turns out he'd been doing bot-net stuff for a while or something, until I'd notified them and they shut him down.)

But anyway NIS200 8 isn't that bad. Yes, the earlier versions were crap...but they're getting better.

 

ccleaner
Perfect Disk
Nod32 or Kaspersky
Winamp
Opera or Firefox
RivaTuner

 

You can try my Software WinBubble to Re-Brand your laptop, Speed up your downloads, Add some Security settings and Customizations like Screen Saver, Icons, and many more...

Here's my Thread for more details

Also, Read the Pinned Thread by Calvin, his thoughts counts. Just ask him anything.

 

Get Ccleaner. Quite a handy program

 

The most important program you can install is Acronis True Image. Drive images are your friend!

 

Nod32 is the best I have used. Doesn't use a lot of resources and it always updates itself. Not a lot hoopla unlike Nortons.

Has adawre released a new version? I am gonna check as use Spybot right now but the Adaware wasn't working correctly with the 64 Bit version of Vista.

 

You guys should try reading the sticky for windows software.... just a thought

 

CCCP codecs