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CyberNotes: The First Thing You Install On Your Windows PC

CyberNotes
Free For All Friday


A few weeks ago I started a topic in the forum asking what the first few programs are that you install on your Windows PC. It was fun to read the posts so I thought it was finally time for an article on it that summarizes your responses. I think that a lot of you may find this to be really useful because you’ll see what others view as their most important applications.

Windows XP Installation Before you begin brainstorming your own response, make sure you set aside your driver installations because many of us are plagued with having to install those first. For me, I install Firefox first (my browser of choice) so that I can then go and download Avast! (my antivirus software) and Google Talk (my instant messenger). After that the things that I install are in more of a random fashion.

Some people in the forum mentioned one or two applications while others gathered around five to ten. Here is a list of all the software that was mentioned (along with hyperlinks to their respective homepages):

9 Votes:

5 Votes:

3 Votes:

  • AVG (free version) – Antivirus

2 Votes:

1 Vote:

I think that I covered all of the programs that were mentioned. Most people only submitted one or two of the applications that they install first which is why there is such a variety. There are only a few commercial products in the mix but there is no doubt that the free Firefox leads the way. I figured that would be the most common since people use that to download other things to install.

What do you put at the top of your installation list?

Bill Gates Sits Down With The Top Bloggers Microsoft Launches New Homepage December 15th, 2006 Written by Ryan
  1. NoshDecember 15, 2006 at 7:05 am

    Sygate Personal Firewall.

    Reply
  2. The SlasherDecember 15, 2006 at 7:07 am

    The first thing I do to my clean Xp install is install the full suite of Nortons products to protect me from internet nasties. I don’t know why, but once I’ve done that the strange thing is, I need to re-install Xp again.

    Okay, so I am being silly. It’s friday. So sue me.

    Reply
  3. CoryCAll-StarDecember 15, 2006 at 7:44 am

    NOD32, ZoneAlarm, and Windows Defender come first follow buy a not-so-quick visit to Windows Update. Some 65 MB of security updates later, I move on to updating all the other window apps like Media Player, DirectX, etc.

    Reply
  4. SLAAll-StarDecember 15, 2006 at 8:11 am

    Forst of all, I run IE6, and go to [mozilla.com], to get and install Firefox. :D

    Then all windows-related updates: windows pathes, some updated windows software, like WMP11 and IE7 (I’m using Firefox exclusively, and IE7 is installed for security reasons only), .NET Framework, then maybe MS Office, and so on.

    Now DRIVERS.

    Now security: ZoneAlarm, AdAware, DrWeb, Sun Java.

    After that I’m ready to install non-microsoft software, so it will retake file associations from microsoft software :)

    Now entertainment: K-Lite Codec Pack, WinRAR archiver, Adobe Reader, Foobar2000, BSplayer, Nero Burning Rom.

    Now, if this PC is mine, I install all the programming and design tools… :)

    Reply
  5. Rub3XDecember 15, 2006 at 9:16 am

    I download all drivers with IE. Then go grab Firefox and Opera, and download tons of apps.

    Reply
  6. AnonymousDecember 15, 2006 at 9:31 am

    For me it’s:
    Firefox
    AVG
    Zone Alarm
    Start-Up Monitor
    Microsoft Updates
    Roboform
    Foxit
    Bootvis
    Then I begin tweaking, no balloons, etc.

    Reply
  7. javasharpDecember 15, 2006 at 9:57 am

    Ryan, its not Vistual Studio, its Visual Studio

    Thanks anyway :D

    Reply
  8. srkDecember 15, 2006 at 10:20 am

    dude

    my list goes like this

    1.Sygate Personal Firewall
    2.FF
    3.Antivirus and Antispyware

    and tht its all tht normall gaga

    photoshop office

    Reply
  9. RyanAuthorDecember 15, 2006 at 11:50 am
    javasharp wrote:
    Ryan, its not Vistual Studio, its Visual Studio

    Thanks anyway :D

    Didn’t you know, that is the new name for the one that is compatible with Vista. Okay, maybe not…but that could have been what I was thinking. ;)

    Reply
  10. AjayAll-StarDecember 15, 2006 at 1:39 pm

    In my case it is AVG Antivirus

    Reply
  11. shirizakiDecember 15, 2006 at 4:11 pm

    Just redid mine, and will have to do it agian in a few days for my new HD:

    FF
    IE7, .NET, and WMP11
    The it’s my AV suite.
    Then it’s my Misc. apps:
    - Winamp
    - Paint.net
    - Convert X to DVD
    - Nero
    - CCleaner
    - MS office
    - UTorrent and usually Shareaza
    - IM programs.

    A few other things, then it’s cleaning my startup and temp caches and onward to installing themes and stuff like that.

    Reply