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Must-Have Apps For Your New PC


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#1
Smokey

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Put the Finishing Touches on Your Fresh Build of Windows XP

The hard drive received a full format, Windows XP has finished installing, and now it's time to decide what to install next. Whatever you do, don't allow that PC to touch the Internet before finishing it off with the most important updates and applications.

Gather and Burn
Before you rebuild any PC, gather the latest (non-beta) drivers for your PC's hardware and burn them to CD. The most important driver (and the very first thing you should install) is the motherboard's chipset driver. Other important files to gather ahead of time include the drivers for the network adapter(s), sound card, and video card.

Besides drivers, there are several updates and applications I consider "must-have" items for a rebuild CD.

1. Windows XP Service Pack 2: Speed up the process of installing this massive update by doing it locally.

2. SpywareBlaster: An excellent spyware-prevention tool. SpywareBlaster does not repair/remove anything. Instead, it configures popular browsers so that spyware/malware can't install in the first place. Compatible with IE, Mozilla, and Firefox, this application is among the very first things I install on a clean PC.

3. AVG Free Edition: Good and free antivirus software that offers automatic updates and integrates into Outlook and Outlook Express.

4. Firefox: A great alternative browser, and it's less hacked/attacked than Internet Explorer.

5. Trillian: The ultimate all-in-one instant messenger/IRC client.

And the rest (in no particular order):

6. Winamp 5: The granddaddy of multimedia players offers thousands of streaming audio channels, great visualizations, and a good media manager.

7. OpenOffice: Why pirate MS's pricy office suite when you can enjoy the same functionality for free!

8. Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware SE Personal: Got spyware? If you need to rid your PC of unwanted guests, these two tools are considered the best.

9. GIMP for Windows: Why pirate Photoshop...

10. ZoneAlarm: A great software firewall program. If you feel SP2's firewall isn't good enough, give the Zone Labs folks a try.
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#2
ali_1992

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can u still download service pack 2 for xp pro if xp is pirated if yes tell me where
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#3
ditto

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definitely not
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#4
Koretek

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Did he really ask that?
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#5
pinksugarprincess

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the bad thing about firefox is that it doesn't display pages correctly if the html/java or coding isn't 100%, and since there are a LOT of amateur site owners around the web, it's harder to view sites which have html coding problems that aren't visible when you view them in Netscape or internet explorer. :tazz:
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#6
cobra

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Smokey, I use to use Spyware Blaster and three months ago I came across a free download called SpywareGuard that I think works better. I also downloaded BHODemon to prevent hijacked pages.
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#7
uilo

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avast is also a vgood antivirus program, check it out at avast.com and select home edition... it free
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#8
ukbiker

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Hi There

Spywareblaster and Spywareguard are complementary applications from Javacool. SG doesnt replace 'blaster but runs alongside it and performs a similar function to "teatimer" in Spybot S&D.
I run all 3 quite happily together no probs, that said however, use what you are happy with.

ttfn

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#9
Guest_jake6535_*

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[removed]

Edited by admin, 10 May 2005 - 03:36 PM.

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#10
Chexee

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the bad thing about firefox is that it doesn't display pages correctly if the html/java or coding isn't 100%, and since there are a LOT of amateur site owners around the web, it's harder to view sites which have html coding problems that aren't visible when you view them in Netscape or internet explorer.  :tazz:

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I say firefox just sets the bar higher, where it should be. Clean coding is just so ... nice. =]
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#11
fischmann

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[removed]

Edited by Efwis, 06 September 2005 - 07:37 AM.

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#12
fleamailman

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removed by starjax

Edited by starjax, 17 May 2007 - 09:23 AM.

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#13
Guest_jake6535_*

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:tazz:

[removed]

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Edited by Efwis, 06 September 2005 - 07:39 AM.

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#14
WhyBeNormal

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5. Trillian: The ultimate all-in-one instant messenger/IRC client.

I've heard this can be a memory hog. How much does it use compared to AIM or Gaim?
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#15
fischmann

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removed


This is paramount to piracy.

Edited by Efwis, 06 September 2005 - 07:38 AM.

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