First Laptop Ever!

[F1N3ST]

Woooo, I just got my first laptop everr! It's an Inspiron 1545. I already began uninstalling Dell's stuff, it wasn't as bad as I remember, havent had a pre built PC for a while, lol.

Sooo, what should I do to my new laptop? I am not 100% sure on which programs are garbage anyways.

Plus, I don't know how to get all my taskbar icons to display, not hide some. It's different than on my PC's W7.

Oh, gross, it's got a single core.

I guess it's possible to upgrade to a T4400, would that require extra cooling? Because it's an option for this laptop it makes me wonder if they both use the same cooling.

 

[corkyg]

Seems like you did not do a lot of vetting before you bought. So, what you do with it depends a lot on what you got it for. Managing taskbar icons is no different than a W7 desktop. Same controls and choices.

What is its purpose? A working tool or a plaything?

 

[F1N3ST]

It was a gift. Graduation gift. And yes, it is different, or maybe my W7 on my desktop is different. I already have my Vista-esque taskbar just need to unhide my icons , but I have found out how to make them pretty nice actually, must be a laptop thing, or Dell.

I've done some startup removals and stuff it's running really good, and ready for me to load it with whatever.

 

[F1N3ST]

Also, is there any way to have chrome sync my browsing history as well? It works for bookmarks and preferences etc.

 

[akugami]

I know Firefox has a syncing feature but I don't know about Chrome.

Whether the laptop is running XP, Vista, or W7, it should be the same as it was on a desktop computer as far as configuring it goes.

I suggest keeping the power saving features on even when plugged into the wall. Some of those laptops can get quite toasty when running at full power. Understand that this is a laptop and that battery has limited capacity. Do not load it up with a ton of startup items. In fact, the less you have at startup the better. I'd also dim the brightness of the display to save power.

What you want to load it up with will largely depend on what you do with it. That's why corkyg asked you if it's for work or play.

 

[F1N3ST]

Well, it's for college I suppose, it was a graduation gift. But it's just a toy to be honest, I love my desktop. And yeah, I have like minimal startup, took care of some stuff too.

It is a bit toasty

It came with W7 Premium thankfully, <3 W7.

I've never really used the media center thing for any windows, and I have a 360, how do those two work together? xD

 

[alyarb]

maybe you dont have use large icons checked.

 

[one30eight]

I was expecting to see some old Tandy or something they found in a cave somewhere. Grats on your new laptop...

 

[Emulex]

yah no kidding maybe a gavilan