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Getting a new Windows computer ready

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I've been following this basic outline for years for my family and friends support rules but while setting up a new system for my wife's friend it occurred to me I didn't have it documented for reference. Note: This is for non domain home or small business systems.

  • Check the box/packaging for issues
  • Inventory contents (this is mainly to prevent doing work before discovering something missing)
  • Plug it in and turn it on
  • When creating the first account, create the first as a local admin account
  • Connect to the network and Windows update until done. I install most optional updates and always upgrade to the latest version of IE. Also set for automatic updating.
  • Create recovery disk (I use USB flash now)
  • Anti-virus is built into Windows 8, if it's Windows 7 install Microsoft Security Essentials. If the OEM vender added some 'demo' AV I remove that completely and make sure MSE/Defender is working
  • For Windows 8 I tend to favor Microsoft accounts since the vast majority of people have them already and for the SkyDrive integration sync, etcetera so I add the users as regular accounts. One for everyone that is going to use them. I do not like 'shared accounts'
  • Have the user log in, give them a brief overview tutorial.
  • Add a favorite link to the Microsoft How To site and have them click on it.
  • Have the user install printers (usually with the Windows Update option)
  • People often appreciate a little bit of pretty, so I add a bunch of random themes and see which appeals and show them how to change it
  • Get them registered with their hardware OEM so they can get warrantee and vender specific updates automatically
  • Filter the miscellaneous paperwork/docs to essentials (rarely anything) into a envelope, add the USB recovery drive and the local admin account password and seal it for their records (if it's a desktop I generally put this inside the PC case
  • Install any applications the user needs. One I used to install was Adobe Reader but that's built into Windows 8 now so I tend to just leave that one as default

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