How to Setup a Windows PC

About the Book

We spend so much of our digital lives using a computer but often don’t give enough attention to its setup and configuration. Which is a missed opportunity since doing it well can supercharge your productivity and safeguard your important data. The topics discussed in this book not only apply to a new computer, but can be used to verify that your current computer is optimized for productivity and security as well.

The steps I discuss include everything you need to know and do to get the best Windows user experience.

The book is written mostly as a step-by-step guide, covering the following steps:
Step 0: Pre-Setup
Step 1: Setup Computer and Create Administrator and Guest Accounts
Step 2: Make a System Image
Step 3: Install Antivirus Software
Step 4: Remove Crapware
Step 5: Update the Operating System (OS)
Step 6: Import Data Files from Your Old Computer
Step 7: Install Printers and Other Peripherals
Step 8: Install and Configure Browser(s) of Choice
Step 9: Install Your Preferred Software
Step 10: Perform a Full Security Scan and run CCleaner
Step 11: Create a System Backup
Step 12: Organize, Protect, Sync and Backup Your Data
Step 13: Working More Productively with Your Computer
Step 14: Protect Your Computer against Loss or Theft
Step 15: Use and Look for Problems
Step 16: Care for Your Laptop
Step 17: Prepare Your Old Computer
Appendix: Caring for and Getting the Most Out of Your Laptop Battery
Appendix: Put Your Computer to Use When Idle
Appendix: Troubleshooting Computer Problems and Issues

Available from These E-Book Stores

Leave a Review

If you have already read this book, thanks! Please leave a review. If you didn’t purchase on Amazon, you can use one of the purchase links above to more quickly located the review page. For Amazon (U.S.) you can use the following direct link:
https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B00IBKFC1S.

External Links Found in the Book

Here is a listing of all the external links found in the book, in order of appearance (though note that I have removed duplicates).

1. guide dedicated to this topic
2. Dropbox
3. OneDrive
4. Google Drive
5. FreeFileSync
6. AOMEI Data Backupper
7. Macrium Reflect
8. Paragaon Backup & Recovery
9. SuperDuper
10. Carbon Copy Cloner
11. what Time Machine can and cannot do
12. Clone
13. AMOEI help file
14. bloatware
15. crapware
16. full reset of the OS using the Windows 10 Refresh Tool
17. CCleaner
18. Should I Remove It?
19. Slimware SlimCleaner
20. connect both computers via a network
21. Laplin
22. PCmover
23. Everything
24. plug and play
25. Chrome
26. Firefox
27. Opera
28. Belarc Advisor
29. portable apps
30. Ninite
31. File Hippo
32. Patch My PC Home Updater
33. Google doc
34. Firfox addons
35. Chrome extensions
36. Opera extensions
37. Macrium
38. Reflect
39. SugarSync
40. LibreOffice
41. suite of tools
42. Docs
43. Sheets
44. Slides
45. Foxit Reader
46. SumatraPDF
47. PDFCreator
48. PDFill Tools
49. Notepad++
50. qBittorent
51. Paint.NET
52. GIMP
53. IrfanView
54. FastStone Photo Resizer
55. XnView
56. Sothink Logo Maker
57. The Graphics Creator
58. VLC
59. Plex Media Server
60. MediaMonkey
61. MiniLyrics
62. Mp3tag
63. Evernote
64. PicPick
65. ShareX
66. ActivePresenter
67. oCam
68. Screencast-o-Matic
69. Avast
70. AVG
71. ClamWin Portable
72. MalwareBytes
73. Spybot
74. SpywareBlaster
75. SuperAntiSpyware
76. Glary Utilities
77. KeePass
78. Bitwarden
79. LastPass
80. 1Password
81. Dashlane
82. VeraCrypt
83. Cryptomator
84. Prey
85. Safekeys
86. Line
87. Whatsapp
88. 7-Zip
89. Launchy
90. F.lux
91. KeyTweak
92. SharpKeys
93. Auslogics Duplicate Finder
94. CloneSpy
95. dupeGuru
96. Duplicate File Finder
97. TeraCopy
98. Ditto
99. Recuva
100. Pandora Recovery
101. BlueGriffon
102. XAMPP
103. guide to everything you could possibly want to know about backing up and syncing your data
104. tutorial on using Libraries
105. encryption
106. book on online privacy
107. Backblaze
108. Carbonite
109. Flickr
110. Smugmug
111. Photobucket
112. Google Photos
113. Account Settings page
114. Settings
115. Google Takeout
116. Gunnar glasses
117. laptop stand
118. wireless mouse
119. external keyboard
120. use two fingers to scroll
121. how to make use of shortcuts
122. Why You Should Be Using an App Launcher (and How to Make It Do More Than Launch Apps)
123. laptop security cable and lock
124. According to researchers (tactics for protecting your stuff)
125. book on computer and online privacy
126. What Every Traveler and Digital Nomad Needs to Know about Passwords
127. BIOS
128. Do I Really Need To Encrypt Every File on My Computer?
129. Sensitive Number Finder
130. Sensitive Data Finder
131. Wise Folder Hider
132. Windows Registry
133. recover files you accidentally delete
134. WipeFile
135. Free File Wiper
136. Eraser
137. WipeDisk
138. good Samaritan
139. ReturnMe
140. BoomerangIt
141. solid state drive
142. Keyboards and Trackpads
143. Hard Drives and CD/DVD Drives
144. Fixing a Screen
145. Upgrading RAM
146. ideas for a broken laptop
147. make the best of an old computer
148. sell a used computer or smartphone
149. instructions for uninstalling your product key
150. good tutorials for erasing a hard drive
151. Darik’s Boot And Nuke (DBAN)
152. CBL Data Shredder
153. MHDD
154. Secure Wipe
155. Active@ KillDisk
156. HDShredder
157. Reconnect partnership with Dell
158. Computer Aid International
159. Donation Town
160. EPA’s Electronics Donation and Recycling site
161. Battery Optimizer
162. Battery Care
163. BatteryBar
164. know your laptop’s temperature
165. SpeedFan
166. Core Temp
167. Real Temp
168. the two-week rule of thumb
169. HP recommends
170. uninterruptible power supply
171. fairly simple
172. Battery University
173. Lenovo, Sony and Samsung have built-in settings to prevent full charging of the battery
174. shouldn’t regularly recharge your battery to 100% either
175. World Community Grid
176. Folding@Home
177. more than a dozen ways to donate your unused computer resources
178. BOINC
179. a basic guide to troubleshooting common Windows PC problems
180. five best computer diagnostic tools
181. The Ultimate Backup Guide: Saving, Syncing and Sharing Your Digital Life
182. e-Reading: Getting the Most Out of Your Kindle or Other e-Book Reader
183. How to Learn a Foreign Language: A Practical Guide with Tips and Resources
184. Protecting Your Privacy: A Guide to Keeping Prying Eyes from Your Computer and Online Activities
185. Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail: A Complete Guide
186. MBA Notes: Course Notes from a Top MBA Program