Fresh OS install

[mrreizor]

I just completed a fresh install of W2K on a pc for a 12 year old. This will be strictly an Internet pc for homework, and occasional DVD playback. Specs:

Celery 1 GHz
256 MB RAM
20GB HD
Onboard vid/sound/LAN

I've already installed Firefox, AVG (just because she's used to it), and Zone Alarm(same reason). What other software do you guys install on your fresh installs?

Media players? DVD playback software? Tools? Utilities?

DVD playback is pretty choppy. I'm going to enable DMA when I get home. Hopefully, that'll fix that booger.

 

[shortylickens]

The same programs as the last time this question was asked.
I'll have to go through and search for it, but my list was pretty long.

I have a dozen programs that I need, and another 20 that are just really nice to install.

 

[mrreizor]

I know this question has been asked several times, but searching came up empty. I searched back 15 pages and couldn't find a relevent topic.

If someone can find one of the other posts, i'd be glad to reference that one.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
The same programs as the last time this question was asked.
I'll have to go through and search for it, but my list was pretty long.

I have a dozen programs that I need, and another 20 that are just really nice to install.

AND when it was asked in the right freaking forum.

Long story short, new member or not, search and post in the right forum.
If YOU don't know what programs YOU need, maybe you shouldn't be bothered with computers?

 

[mrreizor]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: shortylickens
The same programs as the last time this question was asked.
I'll have to go through and search for it, but my list was pretty long.

I have a dozen programs that I need, and another 20 that are just really nice to install.

AND when it was asked in the right freaking forum.

Long story short, new member or not, search and post in the right forum.
If YOU don't know what programs YOU need, maybe you shouldn't be bothered with computers?

geez. A bit harsh today?

I search all forums, then just the Operating System forum (went back probably 20 pages just this morning), and concluded that i should post it there because i'm asking what "software" everyone uses here.

No need to beat me up on this post. I'll keep installing my usual programs and won't worry about what everyone else is using. I thought it would be nice to get an idea on what else was popular.

 

[Homerboy]

you know there is a search function right?

 

[mrreizor]

Read my previous post. No need to keep this thread going. I stated in my previous posts that i searched but came up empty.

I will install my usual programs and drive on. No need to run this in the ground. End of discussion as far as i'm concerned.

 

[notfred]

I don't see how the software I use is going to have any bearing on what a 12-year-old browses the internet with. If I say that I install perl and visual studio, are you going to put them on her PC?

Also, why would you do a fresh install of a 6-year-old OS?

 

[skrilla]

Originally posted by: notfred

Also, why would you do a fresh install of a 6-year-old OS?

Why not? It's for a 12-year old, its stable with the updates and would run perfectly fine on that machine. He probably even has the license for it.

Here is a link to another thread about fresh installs just for you to get an idea, mrreizor.

 

[DaCurryman]

A 12-year old probably wouldnt need some of the items in that list like Photoshop, Folding @Home, or uTorrent. My suggestions would be:

PowerDVD
WinAmp
VLC (for video files)
Adobe Flash
Adobe Sockwave
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Open Office or MS Office
Microsoft Anti-Spyware (easy to use)
WinRAR or WinZip
Google Picasa2 (if he/she has a digital camera)
Google Desktop2 (for PC searches - 12-year-olds tend to lose things)
AIM (or other IM software he/she uses)
Some AV program (you already said you installed AVG, so that's fine)

That's all I can think of now. Make sure that you review the Startup folder and the Startup in MSConfig to make sure it's not starting services/processes that arent necessary and slowing down the boot time.

 

[xboxist]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
you know there is a search function right?

Christ, go take a nap or something.

Sorry mrreizor, not all established members act like this.

 

[kobymu]

Originally posted by: mrreizor
Specs:

Celery 1 GHz
256 MB RAM
20GB HD
Onboard vid/sound/LAN

With specs like that i think a good general recommendation would be to avoid bloated ware as much as possible. Hell the 256 MB ram alone will make you hit VM if you have too many firefox windows opened

 

[superkdogg]

While I stop well short of chastising you for asking the question, I would say the answer is "Ask her."

Everybody uses different stuff, and you're the only one with access to knowing her needs. You have an OS and basic protection, from that point on it's entirely personal choice and needs based.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
The same programs as the last time this question was asked.
I'll have to go through and search for it, but my list was pretty long.

I have a dozen programs that I need, and another 20 that are just really nice to install.

shouldn't have to look too hard, this has been posted like 500000000000000 times.

SEARCH PEOPLE, SEARCH!

its not the greatest search but it does work sometimes.

 

[imported_LoKe]

Jesus Christ you people are rough. Get the fvck over it and maybe help the guy. One person has already told him to search, do you need to keep throwing it at him?

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: LoKe
Jesus Christ you people are rough. Get the fvck over it and maybe help the guy. One person has already told him to search, do you need to keep throwing it at him?

please, reread some of your threads once in awhile

 

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: LoKe
Jesus Christ you people are rough. Get the fvck over it and maybe help the guy. One person has already told him to search, do you need to keep throwing it at him?

please, reread some of your threads once in awhile

Lately I've been including links to past posts when calling repost.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: LoKe
Jesus Christ you people are rough. Get the fvck over it and maybe help the guy. One person has already told him to search, do you need to keep throwing it at him?

please, reread some of your threads once in awhile

Lately I've been including links to past posts when calling repost.

so? what does that have to do with my reply?

 

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: pontifex
so? what does that have to do with my reply?

Your reply was pretty ambiguous, so I made the assumption that you were referring to the fact that I often call repost. Maybe you should clarify.

 

[iamaelephant]

Has anyone here actually tried to use the search feature on this forum? Whether or not the OP used search the results would have been the same, it's completely useless.

 

[BladeVenom]

7-zip
Ad-Aware
Adobe Acrobat
Bit Torrent
Direct X (latest version)
Dot Net
DVD Shrink
IRfanview
Media Player Classic with FFDShow
Firefox
GAIM
Opera
Quicktime & Real Player Alternative
The Gimp
WinRAR
Xnews

 

[Gl4di4tor]

1. zonealarm firewall first thing
2. norton av
3. winrar
4. vlc
5. firefox
6. winamp
7. ms office
8. Grabit
9. gmail notifier
10. yahoo widgets
etc.
+ geez now that i think about, a fresh os install is a pain in the neck

 

[secretanchitman]

symantec antivirus
winamp 5.24
spybot
ad aware
firefox
ms office 2k7 pro plus beta 2
combined community codec pack
media player classic
winrar
tweakUI
nero 7 lite
alcohol 120%

and of course, the essential windows explorer, desktop, and everything else that needs to be tweaked (themes, mouse settings, fonts, cleartype, etc).

 

[skace]

Immediate Installs:
Foobar2k [Mp3 Player]
FileZilla Server & Client [FTP]
Zoom Player [Video Player]
FFDShow [Multipurpose Video Codec]
Ventrilo [Voice Com]
PowerArchiver [Multipurpose Compression Tool]
Gaim [Multipurpose IM Chat Program]
mIRC [IRC Client]
MS Office [Word Processing]
PuTTy [Telnet/SSH Client]
Grabit [Newsgroup Reader]
ABC [BT Client]
XFire [Game Tracker]

Installed on First Use:
Alcohol 120% [Image Mounter]
Nero [CD/DVD Burner]
Process Explorer [Kills System Handles]
Fraps [Video Recording]

 

[Jeff7]

I'm not going to post links to everything because that'd take too long. Google works just fine though.

CrapCleaner
Ad-Aware
Spybot
Irfanview
SmartFTP
DVD Decrypter
EVEREST Home Edition (check Oldversion.com for the freeware version)
AC3Filter
GIMP
MP3Gain
MediaMonkey
ISOBuster
WinRAR
XviD
Foxit PDF Reader
X-Setup Pro, v6.6 - this is probably the last freeware version of this software
OpenOffice
cpu-z
Eraser
GraphCalc
mst MD5

And there are probably others, but I don't remember them all now. That's also why I don't like reinstalling Windows. That's just one tip of a very large, very pointy iceberg.