This is part 6 in a multipart series on setting up Windows 7 on YOUR PC. You can see parts here at Just Another Mobile Monday and at iTechGear.org.

Wow…

We’ve accomplished a lot in the last few weeks.  We have figured out

• (that) Windows 7 was a good OS choice for us
• Determined which version of the OS to install
• Examined our hardware, figured out what to upgrade, and then upgraded our hardware
• Prepped the computer and our data for the OS upgrade, and finally
• Ripped the band aid off and installed Windows 7

Great!  We’ve got the new OS installed..!  Now what??

Great question. Let’s take a quick look at some very important follow up items that need to be done right away. These things don’t have to be done in this EXACT order, but need to be done before you give your PC a good workout.

Now that the install is done, let’s get busy!

1. Install Your Drivers (if not already done)
   If you haven’t gotten all of your drivers installed, do that now before you do anything else. You’d be surprised how much missing drivers can drag down PC performance.
2. Setup your Wireless Network
   If you have Wi-Fi on your PC or laptop, one of the first things Windows 7 wants to do is configure it. Take some time to run through the wizards, so that you can get on the Internet.  You’re going to need it if you don’t have a wired connection to hook up to.
3. Install Anti-Virus/Anti-SPAM
   Most AV apps, like McAfee or Norton, use a subscription service after your initial purchase to keep your software current.  This usually means that you give your AV vendor of choice $30-$40 bucks a year (after a $50-$80 initial purchase) to use the software. Stop the madness. Unless you have an active AV subscription when you install Windows 7, installing a free AV utility or Internet Suite can provide you with adequate protection while saving money. AVG Free, MS Security Essentials, Panda Anti-Virus and Kaspersky are all great utilities and offer free versions. I use MS Security Essentials or AVG Free and haven’t gotten a virus or worm while they’ve been installed.
4. Install Dropbox and Retrieve your Data
   Reinstall Dropbox and let it copy down all of your data, or connect your computer to the external drive that has your data and copy it all back to your PC. Windows will want to move the contents of My Music, My Videos and My Pictures to different locations. Don’t worry. Let this happen.  You’ll be able to find your files again later.
5. Run Windows Update and get ALL Available Updates
   If there are driver or component updates available for your PC or Windows 7, Windows Update is going to bring them to you. Make sure you do this before installing all of your programs so the OS is current.
6. Install your Core Applications
   These are the apps that you use all the time, and the reason why you have a computer.  You can put them back on in the order that seems the most logical to you. If you don’t have all of your install CD’s don’t panic. Many of these applications can be downloaded from the Internet or something similar that can be downloaded can be easily found via Google.

   There are many free alternatives to MS Office (like OpenOffice), and to other applications, that are free. The internet is a vast place. Use Bing, Google, Yahoo! or any other search engine you’re familiar with to look around for free, legitimate and legal alternatives if your software budget is small.

Next week, I’ll have some tips and tricks for getting most out of Windows 7. If you have questions and would like them answered, don’t hesitate to contact me at chris@itechgear.org. If the solution benefits everyone, I’ll include it in a Questions and Answers column we have planned!