Installed Windows 7. What should I do first?

[decrescendo]

So I just got Windows 7 installed on my new hardware. My next step is installing drivers for my hardware.

After that, what's the next thing I should do before I migrate my data over?

Should I benchmark? How do I best go about that?

How do I make sure everything is working correctly? I really want to make sure I do every step of this process right.

 

[abekl]

First step is installing anti-virus and anti-malware. My personal choices are Avast antivirus, and Malwarebytes anti-malware.

 

[corkyg]

I would install Microsoft Security Essentials, then set up Windows Live Mail. I would optimize the drive, and clean things up and get everything to my liking. I would then install software, and then migrate the data. Benchmarks? I see no point in that unless you have the capability to do something with the information provided.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

Yes, i would install AV and antimalware and then make sure windows is completely patched (SP1, etc.) and then install everything else.

 

[lord_emperor]

1. Network driver.
2. Windows updates.
3. Video card driver.
4. Prime95, memtest and furmark overnight.
5. Everything else. Or if your computer caught fire, start over.

 

[decrescendo]

Which anti-virus do you all prefer? AVG? Avast? I've only ever used AVG in the past.

 

[Slugbait]

Don't forget to start with the L&G chipset drivers. Get the security stuff installed with latest definitions and signatures. Activate and install service pack and all criticals. Set up your shell environment just the way you like it (how stuff is displayed in Windows Explorer, how much space is dedicated to Recycle Bin and System Restore, etc). Add and lock down any additional accounts for other people. Install your tools and utilities (Notepad++, CPU-Z, etc). Run Disk Cleanup and kill all System Restore points.

Then image it. This is your Catastrophic Disaster image. It will save you hours of your life if you have to start over from scratch.

Install apps, install updates for all apps, and then tweak all settings specific to how you want saved files, transcoding options, etc. Make sure everything works exactly the way you want. Run Disk Cleanup and System Restore point deletion again.

Then image it. This is your Clean Fallback image. It can save you days of your life if you get hit by something nasty and need to restore.

 

[decrescendo]

I would install Microsoft Security Essentials, then set up Windows Live Mail. I would optimize the drive, and clean things up and get everything to my liking. I would then install software, and then migrate the data. Benchmarks? I see no point in that unless you have the capability to do something with the information provided.

what do you mean exactly by "optimize the drive"?

 

[decrescendo]

Don't forget to start with the L&G chipset drivers. Get the security stuff installed with latest definitions and signatures. Activate and install service pack and all criticals. Set up your shell environment just the way you like it (how stuff is displayed in Windows Explorer, how much space is dedicated to Recycle Bin and System Restore, etc). Add and lock down any additional accounts for other people. Install your tools and utilities (Notepad++, CPU-Z, etc). Run Disk Cleanup and kill all System Restore points.

Then image it. This is your Catastrophic Disaster image. It will save you hours of your life if you have to start over from scratch.

Install apps, install updates for all apps, and then tweak all settings specific to how you want saved files, transcoding options, etc. Make sure everything works exactly the way you want. Run Disk Cleanup and System Restore point deletion again.

Then image it. This is your Clean Fallback image. It can save you days of your life if you get hit by something nasty and need to restore.

L&G chipset drivers?

Also, how do I "kill all System Restore points" and image the drive? What program do you use to image?

 

[decrescendo]

So far, after Windows 7 installed I:
1. used the included driver disc to install all of the drivers on there (I'm sure there are more recent versions, how do I best find them? Manufacturer's website?)
2. installed Firefox
3. installed CCleaner
4. installed Microsoft Security Essentials

I'll edit this post as I do more.

 

[corkyg]

what do you mean exactly by "optimize the drive"?

Unless you are dealing with a SSD, I would run Window's built-in defragger to create some semblence of order out of chaos.

So far, you're on the right track.

 

[decrescendo]

Unless you are dealing with a SSD, I would run Window's built-in defragger to create some semblence of order out of chaos.

So far, you're on the right track.

Ugh, where the hell is defrag in Windows 7? I haven't used the default Windows one in years (XP). I've only used Defraggler as of late.

 

[Slugbait]

L&G chipset drivers?

Latest & Greatest. Get them from the support page for your mobo.

Also, how do I "kill all System Restore points" and image the drive? What program do you use to image?

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/how-to-delete-system-restore-points-windows-7/

Forgot about this tip: open Windows Explorer and go to windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and delete all of the contents to free up some space (don't delete the Download folder itself).

I use TrueImage.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

I prefer microsoft security essentials for AV and Macrium Reflect for system imaging.

 

[Albatross]

http://ninite.com/
Just a little helper for a fresh install.

 

[Venom20]

http://ninite.com/
Just a little helper for a fresh install.

neat, thanks for the handy link

 

[Dulanic]

Ugh, where the hell is defrag in Windows 7? I haven't used the default Windows one in years (XP). I've only used Defraggler as of late.

See that big button? Click it and here is a new trick for win 7... in the search on the bottom type defrag. Magic

Honestly I am not sure where the shortcut is, just use search it is crazy easy that way.

 

[FishAk]

Image it. This is your Catastrophic Disaster image. It will save you hours of your life if you have to start over from scratch.

Slugbait is absolutely right. The single most important thing you can do with your OS is to keep a good image set. Unlike Restore Points, you can controll which images are deleted or retained.

Move all your User files to another partition to keep the size of you OS under control.

Create a 50GB partition on the inside edge of your spindle drives for the exclusive use of storing images, and tell your defragger to leave this partition alone. Image files can become unreliable if disturbed (moved, defragged, non-original)

With the free home version of Macrium Reflect, an image file will be about half the size of the OS used space, so you will be able to keep about 4 or 5 images in a 50GB partition.

 

[airdata]

tweak/disable power saving settings that may cause your hard disk to be turned off after 10 minutes.

 

[Jeff7181]

Slugbait is absolutely right. The single most important thing you can do with your OS is to keep a good image set. Unlike Restore Points, you can controll which images are deleted or retained.

Move all your User files to another partition to keep the size of you OS under control.

Create a 50GB partition on the inside edge of your spindle drives for the exclusive use of storing images, and tell your defragger to leave this partition alone. Image files can become unreliable if disturbed (moved, defragged, non-original)

With the free home version of Macrium Reflect, an image file will be about half the size of the OS used space, so you will be able to keep about 4 or 5 images in a 50GB partition.

Source?

 

[Emulex]

disable ipv6
disable flow control on your nic (if applicable)