First things to do upon purchasing a new computer.

[yellowledbetter]

As the title says, I've bought a new computer, and I'm wondering what I should do when the parts ship. I'm just curious as to what software/optimization techniques, etc. you would recommend. All suggestions are welcome, thanks. :)

[ChrisJohnson00TA]

Hit the power button?

Ha!

you bought parts, or a pre-built PC?

Prebuilt PC.. first thing you always do... FORMAT!

[SR45]

First to last...

1. Inspect the box, take pictures, inspect the case, take more pictures if necessary just in case you see some damage and needs to be reported or sent back.

2. Open case to see if anything fell out of its slot or a cable is loose. Look around and get to know your new system.

3. Turn it on, and use it for a bit, also to see if all is working well.

4. Install new more current drivers for the video card or other hardware.

5. Play a game or two to see how it plays. Better video card, better performance. Better drivers, better performance.

6. Make sure you have a anti virus and firewall on the system.

7. Uninstall all the bloatware that some computer manufactures put on.

8. Or later as the poster above suggest, do a complete reformat and re-install of windows to get the system clean the way you like it.

9. Download if necessary two spyware programs, keep them all up to date.

10 Burn to a disk all updated drivers so you can load them faster after a reformat and reinstall of windows to save time looking for them. Keep these up to date in a safe place.

11 Take pictures of the entire Bios. One of the first things that I did, so you will have a copy of the bios if something needs to be returned to the way it was at time of arrival. Nice digital camera and a printer is better than using a pencil and paper

[aaronearles]

Are you serious? You must be the most annoying person in the world.

Tear the box apart, probably losing all the shit it came with
Fire it up and delete all the BS that came on it
Install Firefox and begin downloading porn, just kidding,
Load it up with games and programs
Wait for windows to get broken and do it all over again.

[itschop]

Disable unneeded services, update windows, cut down on processes running in the background.

[tacosareveryyummy]

Are you serious? You must be the most annoying person in the world.

Tear the box apart, probably losing all the shit it came with
Fire it up and delete all the BS that came on it
Install Firefox and begin downloading porn, just kidding,
Load it up with games and programs
Wait for windows to get broken and do it all over again.

ROFL. I'm with this guy!

[Motley]

Are you serious? You must be the most annoying person in the world.

Tear the box apart, probably losing all the shit it came with
Fire it up and delete all the BS that came on it
Install Firefox and begin downloading porn, just kidding,
Load it up with games and programs
Wait for windows to get broken and do it all over again.

LMAO! Taking pictures, of the BIOS? WTF for?

porn in ten minutes = ftw

[Heather Taylor]

LMAO! Taking pictures, of the BIOS? WTF for?

porn in ten minutes = ftw

LOL...Probably because a lot of people end up hitting "reset to defaults" in the BIOS at some point and lose all their settings. Then their computer stops POSTing/booting/etc, and depending on who made the PC, you end up either sending the thing back in or posting on [H] forums trying to figure out WTH just happened.

While a little anal retentive, it's not that bad of an idea. We take snapshots of each person's custom settings in-house because half the time, we can't remember the blasted settings, either. :D

Edit: It takes you 10 minutes to find p0rn?? N00B! If it takes you 10 minutes to download firefox, then that's a different problem...hehe.

[RockSolid]

yellowledbetter

I'm wondering what I should do when the parts ship I don't uunderstand what you meaning?

The first mistake you made was to buy your computer 'prebuilt'

[munkle]

First part? Open the box. :p If its a prebuilt reformat it. If its parts assemble and setup bios.

[Charlie Hustle]

Are you serious? You must be the most annoying person in the world.

Tear the box apart, probably losing all the shit it came with
Fire it up and delete all the BS that came on it
Install Firefox and begin downloading porn, just kidding,
Load it up with games and programs
Wait for windows to get broken and do it all over again.

Im with him. Before connecting to the internet, uninstall/remove all of the unncecssary crap, and usually it comes with a trial version of an antivirus. Get rid of that also if youre not using it. Afterwards, install what programs you need, then get whateva updates you need after you have your antivirus and firewall setup.
Then hit up the porn sites. Also, check to be sure if the optical drives work right, burn a cd or dvd.

[bigted]

go through the registry and delete anything you come across that you don't recognize :D (not really)
install NOD32
surf teh pr0nz
pwn some foolz at TF2
did anyone mention setting up the computer with a keyboard and mouse/monitor first? hard to get off to pr0n when no monitor :eek:

[SR45]

For those that jumped on me for giving some good advise for a new system arrival, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for being immature brats that advise a new owner to rush into starting up a system without checking it out and doing some simple things to make sure all is well.

Things do get broken during shipping, bios might be messed up by the owneres, specially from you kiddies that don't have half a brain between you.

Your stupid immature remarks were not called for, but at least I know how old you are now, and how you were brought up.

Another good advise, stay away from those that could not weigh in with good suggestions, but instead with nothing but immature remarks. Seems they don't really care about your system. They can do what ever they wish with theirs, but this is yours.

Grow up

[DeadlyAura]

For those that jumped on me for giving some good advise for a new system arrival, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for being immature brats that advise a new owner to rush into starting up a system without checking it out and doing some simple things to make sure all is well.

Things do get broken during shipping, bios might be messed up by the owneres, specially from you kiddies that don't have half a brain between you.

Your stupid immature remarks were not called for, but at least I know how old you are now, and how you were brought up.

Another good advise, stay away from those that could not weigh in with good suggestions, but instead with nothing but immature remarks. Seems they don't really care about your system. They can do what ever they wish with theirs, but this is yours.

Grow up

Someone missed the sarcasm boat!

Come on SR45, all aboard the sarcasm express! *woo woo!*

[Charlie Hustle]

He thinks he's too good for that boat.


If he cant take the remarks as a joke, i dont think he would bode well on message boards..

[ditzilla]

*is not too good for the sarcasm boat, has taken many trips on it herself*

OK, that disclaimer out of the way, some of SR45's suggestions are good and valid.

Upon getting a new computer, opening the case and making sure a) everything's there and it's what you ordered; b) nothing's broken; and c) nothing's come disconnected in transit is a good idea. It also can help familiarize you with what you just bought, especially if there is a problem.

I'll give you an example - I just got a computer back from being rebuilt (new mobo, etc.) from VM. Yes, they did send it back with it's spare storage hd - but that hd is now empty AND they switched soundcards on me, trading my ExtremeGamer for an X-Fi Audio [9800]. Yes, I do still have the box with the serial #, model number, driver cds, etc. from the ExtremeGamer. So I gotta wonder, in addition to cheapening down my soundcard, is that D drive hd the one I sent in or did someone decide they liked all the music I had stored on there.

As far as formatting, etc.? Not everyone knows how or wants to go through the trouble or has the extra money to buy an O/S. Just make sure you do have your basics - firewall, a/v, spyware, and get CCleaner - it's a help getting all the bloatware stuff off what usually comes with an off the shelf computer.

[NKDietrich]

For those that jumped on me for giving some good advise for a new system arrival, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves for being immature brats that advise a new owner to rush into starting up a system without checking it out and doing some simple things to make sure all is well.

Things do get broken during shipping, bios might be messed up by the owneres, specially from you kiddies that don't have half a brain between you.

Your stupid immature remarks were not called for, but at least I know how old you are now, and how you were brought up.

Another good advise, stay away from those that could not weigh in with good suggestions, but instead with nothing but immature remarks. Seems they don't really care about your system. They can do what ever they wish with theirs, but this is yours.

Grow up

Relax dude, they were joking around.

Though from the looks of your list, relaxing isn't something you do very well. LOL!

Sorry, that was a joke too.

[DeadlyAura]

*is not too good for the sarcasm boat, has taken many trips on it herself*

OK, that disclaimer out of the way, some of SR45's suggestions are good and valid.

Upon getting a new computer, opening the case and making sure a) everything's there and it's what you ordered; b) nothing's broken; and c) nothing's come disconnected in transit is a good idea. It also can help familiarize you with what you just bought, especially if there is a problem.

I'll give you an example - I just got a computer back from being rebuilt (new mobo, etc.) from VM. Yes, they did send it back with it's spare storage hd - but that hd is now empty AND they switched soundcards on me, trading my ExtremeGamer for an X-Fi Audio [9800]. Yes, I do still have the box with the serial #, model number, driver cds, etc. from the ExtremeGamer. So I gotta wonder, in addition to cheapening down my soundcard, is that D drive hd the one I sent in or did someone decide they liked all the music I had stored on there.

As far as formatting, etc.? Not everyone knows how or wants to go through the trouble or has the extra money to buy an O/S. Just make sure you do have your basics - firewall, a/v, spyware, and get CCleaner - it's a help getting all the bloatware stuff off what usually comes with an off the shelf computer.

We know he had valid points, he was just being a dick.

As for your points, and most others on here, they are very correct. I don't buy pre-built PCs anymore for the fact that it takes all this maintenance to make them bearable, but I do this to other people's PCs all the time.

[TooBooKoo]

Well the first thing I would do upon receiving any computer item being delivered... if it's by UPS... kick the delivery person in the crotch :D because they dent alot of shit... I think they play soccer with our packages at the warehouse, then load 'em on the truck NBA style, then drive 'em to us like NASCAR :rolleyes: Just my opinion.

[tel0004]

I can assure you they don't drive their vehicles like its nascar. My UPS driver must have been 90, because 3 day shipping took 9 days.

[DeadlyAura]

I can assure you they don't drive their vehicles like its nascar. My UPS driver must have been 90, because 3 day shipping took 9 days.

Where do you live? My shit always gets there on time, but checking for damage is ALWAYS an issue. When I buy parts checking for physical damage is always the first thing I do and is always a good idea. I got screwed a couple times for not checking.

But back on topic before this thread completely de-rails. Damage check, pictures of damage, open package, damage check, pictures of damage. If such damage exists.

But since this has been said, re-hashed, abused, re-hashed again....

It is in my professional opinion that the thread be closed before it turns into a flame-fest, and be re-opened if the OP has further issues.

HAND
(Have A Nice Day)

[hockeypro889]

Well the first thing I would do upon receiving any computer item being delivered... if it's by UPS... kick the delivery person in the crotch :D because they dent alot of shit... I think they play soccer with our packages at the warehouse, then load 'em on the truck NBA style, then drive 'em to us like NASCAR :rolleyes: Just my opinion.

rofl... I know exactly what you mean

[munkle]

I don't know where you guys live buy my packages always come in 3 days, sometimes 2, and are never beaten up. One package had a small hole on the side but that was the only time anything was ever weird on them. Oh yeah got to put in my hate for fedex. I have used fedex 6 times, and all 6 times I have had to go to the warehouse to get my package because they couldn't find my house. One of those times they kept putting the package on the truck so I couldn't get the package at the warehouse finally after a couple days on the truck to deliver it to my house I finally got them to let me pick it up after hours. They didn't even try to deliver it while it was on the truck so lame. I paid for 2 day shipping to. Here's the tracking, my address was correct. (http://www.fedex.com/Tracking?action=track&language=english&cntry_code=us&initial=x&tracknumbers=051351472694056)

[vseshad]

if u buy VM from best buy they check the systems beforehand for damage I'm assuming? so you wouldn't have to do as thorough of a check?

[ditzilla]

if u buy VM from best buy they check the systems beforehand for damage I'm assuming? so you wouldn't have to do as thorough of a check?

I don't think the BB employees go through and open boxes so they can check ... anything.

And even if they did? I'd still open the case when I got it home and had a look to make sure nothing's broken/come unplugged, etc.

UPS IS the worst. They do throw things around, it's kind of fascinating in an awful way to watch them swing a computer box one-handed and literally toss it in the back of the truck - yes, I got to see that little performance and yes I was standing on the porch yelling like a fishwife.

[vseshad]

I don't think the BB employees go through and open boxes so they can check ... anything.

And even if they did? I'd still open the case when I got it home and had a look to make sure nothing's broken/come unplugged, etc.
UPS IS the worst. They do throw things around, it's kind of fascinating in an awful way to watch them swing a computer box one-handed and literally toss it in the back of the truck - yes, I got to see that little performance and yes I was standing on the porch yelling like a fishwife.


cuz I'm a noob who is too lazy to look and not sure what kind of a job I'd do. just realized that I guess geek squad could at least give it a cursory look. perhaps someone here has bought a pc from bb and can elaborate

[9mmx19]

Are you serious? You must be the most annoying person in the world.

Tear the box apart, probably losing all the shit it came with
Fire it up and delete all the BS that came on it
Install Firefox and begin downloading porn, just kidding,
Load it up with games and programs
Wait for windows to get broken and do it all over again.

LOL nice.