Your first hour with Windows 7
jjones | Guides, Windows 7 | 19/11/2009 15:36pm
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Once Windows 7 is installed, the first thing you should do is to get your internet connection up and running. How you go about this is highly dependent on the type of setup you use to connect to your ISP, so referring to your manuals is advisable.
With most broadband setups, it’s normally a case of plugging in the network cable or connecting to your old wireless network, and everything should start working. To join, just click on the network icon in your system tray and select Connect to wireless network. When your PC is connected to the web, the network icon has a plug on it, rather than a red X. Alternatively, if you use dial-up or special software to connect to your internet service provider, go through the relevant installation process.
Once you’ve successfully connected to the internet, it’s a good time to check that all your hardware is working correctly. If you have installed the operating system yourself, there’s a chance that some of your drivers might not have been found, especially for obscure components such as built-in card readers. Check that all your hardware is installed by heading to the Device Manager and using Start Search. Any items of hardware that haven’t been installed properly are marked by an exclamation mark, and if that’s the case, it’s time to hunt down the drivers.
Your first port of call for missing hardware drivers should be Windows Update, because the service can tell which hardware you have installed, and go and find the latest drivers. After a couple of restarts, everything should be working correctly, but if you still have elusive drivers, it’s best to go to your PC manufacturer’s website and find the specific bundle for your PC and install them manually. The drivers should be located in the support or download sections of most manufacturers’ websites. Make sure that you get the Windows 7 versions of each.
Once everything’s working correctly, it’s time to attend to Windows itself. In previous versions, anything that required your attention would flash up in a balloon at the bottom of the screen, which could be annoying. In Windows 7, all notifications are relegated to the new Action Center, which keeps all of those messages in one place until you’re ready. The Action Center is represented by a tiny flag on the right-hand side of the taskbar; a single click opens a small box that lists all the items that need attention, quick links to fix the problems, and the opportunity to open the full window.
The main problem when you first start with a new operating system is security. When you install an operating system, you’re immediately vulnerable to malware, so it’s imperative that your next action is to secure your PC. Windows 7 comes with a built-in firewall, which helps keep out nasties, but offers no antivirus or antispyware capability to protect against more sophisticated attacks.
If you don’t already have a security suite and need free protection, grab Microsoft Security Essentials from http://www.microsoft. It’s also a good idea to add a behavioural system such as ThreatFire (www.threatfire.com), which is designed to sit alongside existing security.
Turn your PC into a fortress
1 TAKE ACTION After installing Windows 7, go to the Action Center to see any problems with your PC. If you have no antivirus program, Windows prompts you to get one. The link shows you some suggested paid-for software, or you can choose a free option.
2 DOWNLOAD Microsoft Security Essentials provides free protection against viruses, spyware and rootkits. You can download it from http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials. This should only take a few minutes and you’ll be protected from then on.
3 CLEAR Once the software is installed, go back to the Action Center to check that your PC is now protected. There may be other issues, such as back-up schedules, which can also be fixed now that your PC is secure.
This entry was posted on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 3:36 pm and is filed under Guides, Windows 7. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.
