What I do with a fresh install of Windows

[Legodude522]

I thought I'd share some of my habits with you. I've gone through many Windows installations and it's just ingrained into me of how I like to configure my computer.

• Add My Computer to the Desktop
• Configure Recycling Bin so that when I delete an item it does not ask for a confirmation and immediately goes into the Recycling Bin
• Plug in my flash drive where and install my wireless drivers. I always keep them handy. I configure it to use the Windows wireless management as opposed to the manufacturer's.
• Open of Internet Explorer and go to www.getfirefox.com
• Install Firefox
• Log into my Google account and set iGoogle as my homepage
• Change the Firefox download option to ask me where I want to save a file when downloading
• Get the latest graphics drivers
• Adjust my screen resolution to the maximum resolution supported
• Set the taskbar to not hide inactive icons
• Set the Start Menu to classic
• Set the Appearance to Windows Classic Style
• Create a folder in My Documents called Downloads
• Install the following programs

• Spybot Search and Destroy
• Pidgin
• µTorrent
• FrostWire while carefully avoiding the crapware.
• Image Analyzer
• Folding@Home
• Skype
• Open Office
• X-Chat
• WinRAR
• Flickr uploader
• VLC
• CCCP
• Steam
• iTunes
• ISO Recorder
• Microsoft ActiveSync
• Daemon Tools while carefully avoiding the crapware.
• Windows Media Player 10 if I don't already have it. Set CD ripping to MP3 rather than WMA.
• Avast (I usually install that last because I'm lazy, I normally don't need an AV)

Set the programs in the start menu to sort by name

Configure all my IM logins in Pidgin and add all my favourite IRC channels in X-Chat.

Set my RSS feeds in my bookmarks toolbar in Firefox.

• Slashdot
• Engadget
• BBC News
• Hackaday

Add a bookmark folder in my bookmarks toolbar for Forums.

• PalmInfocenter
• Brighthand
• 1src
• ComputerForums
• Ninty
• MobilitySite
• BSoD
• KisMAC
• Wigle
• and some of the 200 other forums I belong to.

Add bookmarks of my social networking sites to my bookmarks toolbar.

• MySpace
• Facebook

Add a bookmark to my Flickr page.

Install Flash player.

Ensure that nothing sneaked into my startup by going to MSCONFIG and disabling everything except for AV and graphics drivers.

Change my wallpaper to something badass that utilises my 1920x1080 resolution.

And that it. Most of this could be easily automated but I'm too lazy. I'll add more programs to the list as I remember them. I do the exact same setup on every Windows installation I have. I have a separate but similar routine for Linux. I'm sure I'm not the only here that has a very specific setup they like to do.

By the way, this is my first time using Windows XP 64-bit. Working perfectly so far!

 

[jmacavali]

I always do the video drivers first. And I have a back up of my Favorites so I don't have to re-add them one by one. Otherwise it's pretty similar to what I do.

 

[eslfish]

I like! Very nice. That's kinda what I do too!!

 

[David Lindon]

# Open of Internet Explorer and go to www.getfirefox.com
# Install Firefox

First and last use of IE

 

[dude_56013]

You don't re-route your data folders to a second partition or hard drive? (i.e. move your my documents, my pictures...etc...off of the system drive). Man. That must suck. I wouldn't wanna back up all of that on every fresh install. You nuts.

 

[Legodude522]

You don't re-route your data folders to a second partition or hard drive? (i.e. move your my documents, my pictures...etc...off of the system drive). Man. That must suck. I wouldn't wanna back up all of that on every fresh install. You nuts.

I just copy and paste my user folder to my 1tb drive whenever I need to backup. I install my OS on my 500gb drive. You do have a good idea though.