Used computer?

Question

My good friend got a new computer and she gave me her old one. Whats the first thing i should do to make sure its up to date?

Answer 1

.
1. Right click on MyComputer > Properties >
tab GENERAL and determine your Operating System under "Systems"
Example: Windows 98, or Windows XP, or other like ME or 95
2. Go to Microsoft downloads online and
download the latest Service Pack for your Operating System.
3. Make sure you are running Internet Explorer 6.*
I'm not liking IE7 yet (still too many bugs)
4. Go to Avast online and download their free anti-virus program. Highly recommened.
http://avast.com/
Leave it run all the time...it is small and extrodinarily efficient. If it ever finds a critter, then just delete the offender file.
5. Clear all the old cookies and tmp files
In IE click top TOOLS > Internet Options > button for clearning cookies and Delete files
6. Remove programs you don't want
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs
and remove the baggage one at a time.
7. Look at your Hardware in Device Manager and if you find any Yellow Exclamation marks on Hardware, double click to determine manufacturer > go online and download their free DRIVER updates to your desktop, >
then INSTALL the fresh driverfrom that file.
Click START > right click MyComputer > Properties
tab HARDWARE > button Device Manager

If you have problems with these tasks
post back separately and ask your very specific question

stw
.

Answer 2

get http://pclinuxos.com then, reboot from the CDrom drive, and see if it runs upto 50X faster, and also you have proven all the hardware is OK except for the hard drive, you can re-boot to check that, and the Microsoft virus-magnet!

You click on the tool bar in Microsoft, on the lower left, and, if it says the updates are ready to be loaded, when you pass the mouse cursor over it, you could grab them.

You can even go into the menu and see it there, in the control panel. Good luck with the lucky find of a 'new' computer, and a really great friend!

It is actually a "violation of the EULA to sell, transfer, or donate"
the software and operating system with that computer. The Salvation Army was even sued by Microsoft, for $5 Million!

Now, everyone including Microsoft, actually runs Linux or BSD.
Microsoft runs 45,000 Linux computers for Microsoft.com, Hotmail.com, MSN.com, and the Redmond Campus, virus proof.
Google runs Linux, Yahoo.com runs FreeBSD.

Answer 3

Ask her if it's up to date.