Information & How to

Just got a new laptop or desktop? Don’t check Facebook yet! Here’s what to do first.

 13 Essential Steps: Set Up Your New PC – ComputerShopper.com.

1. Microsoft Security Essentials – Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
2. Windows Live Essentials – One download, lots of great stuff. Now in one installation, Windows Live Essentials gives you instant messaging, e-mail, blogging, photos, and more.
3. SyncToy 2.1 – SyncToy 2.1 is a free application that synchronizes files and folders between locations. Typical uses include sharing files, such as photos, with other computers and creating backup copies of files and folders.
4. Microsoft Research WorldWide Telescope – WorldWide Telescope (WWT) enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world. Experience narrated guided tours from astronomers and educators featuring interesting places in the sky.
5. Windows Virtual PC (Windows 7) – Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC, available on Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate, allow you to run multiple Windows environments, such as Windows XP Mode, from your Windows 7 desktop.
6. Virtual PC 2007 (Windows XP & Vista) – With Microsoft® Virtual PC 2007, you can create and run one or more virtual machines, each with its own operating system, on a single computer. This provides you with the flexibility to use different operating systems on one physical computer.
7. Windows SteadyState 2.5 (Windows XP & Vista) – Whether you manage computers in a school computer lab or an Internet cafe, a library, or even in your home, Windows SteadyState helps make it easy for you to keep your computers running the way you want them to, no matter who uses them.

The best things in life often actually are free. Here, a list of 173 of the best things in life—free software, for launching apps, networking, backup, synchronization, entertainment, and more.

The Best Free Software of 2009.

Every computer needs protection. But what if you’ve got no money for security software? Don’t worry–there’s power security software and services that can keep you safe, for free.

Free Antivirus and Antispyware.

Black Screen woes could affect millions on Windows 7, Vista and XP.

First download, install and run Spybot Search & Destroy and clean out what it finds.
(http://www.safer-networking.org/en/)

Next download, install and run Ad-Aware and clean out what it finds.
(http://lavasoft.com/)

Another good tool to download, install and run is HijackThis from Trend Micro.
Quick Start Guide (http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis/qsg)

Make sure your Anti-Virus software is up to date. If you need Anti-Virus software download and install AVG.
(http://free.avg.com/)

Then go to our section on computer cleanup
(http://www.kuenzercomputers.com/wp/?p=5)

After you have connected and installed your printer to your desktop, you can follow these steps to share your printer.

To share the printer, open the Printers and Faxes folder on the computer that is connected to the printer.

To open the Printers and Faxes folder
•    Click Start and then click Control Panel.
•    Click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Printers and Faxes.
•    In the Printers and Faxes folder, click the printer’s icon and, in the tasks pane, click Share This Printer.
•    Open the printer’s Properties dialog box by right clicking on the icon, and click on the Sharing tab.
•    Click on Share Name, and then click OK.

Now the printer should be ready to use.

Now that your printer is connected to the network, you are ready to connect to it and print from other computers in
your wireless network.

To connect an additional computer to the network printer, follow these steps:
•    Open the Control Panel, and click Printers and Other Hardware.
•    Click on Add a Printer.
•    Instead of adding a local printer, click Printer Connection and then browse the network for the printer.

You should now be able to print from the network printer.

Start by using CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/)
Next Go to My Computer right click on your (C: Drive)
- Click on the Tools Tab and under Error-checking click on Check Now..
- Check both boxes and click start. It will display a message click yes and restart your computer
- When your computer reboots it will run a check disk on your hard drive It will take awhile to complete.
- After that is finished then Go to My Computer right click on your (C: Drive)
- Click on the Tools Tab and click on Defrage Now…
- then click on Defrage (again this will take awhile).. It is best not to use your computer during the defrage.

This should clean up your computer and reorgnize the data on your Hard Drive for faster access.