Setting up the new HP laptop ( Vista 64 )

[Kryptonite]

This is my first computer with Vista: HP Pavillion dv7-1273cl
A Costco deal, so i think it's set up with hardware and software unique to Costco.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11333677

With the HP TotalCare monitoring things right out of the box and a problem with the wireless connecting to my router, i've spent well over 6 hours just getting it to be fully updated. It does not come with a restore DVD and recommends making one ( really, just one? ).

So before i get out a few blank DVD's and follow the instructions for making the restore DVD(s) i want to know about the programs that come with this laptop that will expire in 60 or 90 days depending on the program.

60 days with Norton Internet Security version 16.2.0.7     It's been a long time since i purchased Norton anything. Do i keep it for the 60 days then uninstall it ( been told that i have to get an uninstall tool from Norton to do that ) So before too much time passes maybe it's a better idea to uninstall it now and use a different set of programs. From what i gathered this Norton program has more to it than just virus protection ( firewall? phishing? pop-up blocker? ) So if that is what's in the program than what are good replacements that are Vista friendly?
On my XP i'm using Avira and Zone Alarm.

90 days on an Office suite with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote ( which i know nothing about ) Costco happened to have Office Home and Student on sale for about $77.00  That said ( and i purchased it before the discount expired and it went back up to $119.00 ) a few CH experts have told me that the free office program is actually better than the MS suite. Any thoughts on that OpenOffice free program vs the real deal?

Is it a smart move to shut off or disable the HP Total care? It obviously shows things down as it's checking EVERYTHING on boot up and my guess is that it's sucking up resourses as my computer runs. And on that subject can it be a program like that that keeps the hard drive spinning pretty fast all of the time?

It seems to me that not so long ago a hard drive didn't work so hard all of the time just to play free cell or type a letter in notepad or wordpad. If my observation is correct what happened to put a demand on the harddrive; is it Vista?

[Broni]

Uninstall Norton NOW: http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

Your alternatives:

- Avast! free antivirus: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html
- Avira free antivirus: http://www.free-av.com/en/download/index.html

- free PC Tools Firewall Plus: http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

- free Comodo Internet Security (firewall + AV): http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

If you decide to install Avast, or Avira, make sure, Windows firewall is turned on, or use PC Tools Firewall Plus.
If you decide to install Comodo, make sure, Windows firewall is turned off.

IMPORTANT! Make sure, you use only ONE antivirus, and ONE firewall.

You can get rid of HP Total Care as well. At least disable it as a startup.

Looking around, you'll most likely find more garbage to remove.

Definitely, make those Restore DVDs. Be aware, that the process of making them often fails, like it did on my two HP computers. If that's the case, call HP, and they'll send you a set for free.

[Kryptonite]

Thanks B,

As i mentioned i've been using Avira now for years on XP. i've heard good things about avast.

Don't know much about the firwallls you mentioned except i once tried Commando and maybe because it wasn't familiar to me i was overwhelmed with messages that i needed to agree with or not. Got to be too much so i uninstalled it and went back to ZA.

Got the part about windows firewall being on for one and off for the other. But as far as order goes let me tell you what i'd being doing first: download and save the programs i'm going to use, uninstall Norton, install new antivirus, install new firewall, make restore DVD's so they do not contain any Norton info.

After those things are done what do you think about the Office suite i purchased? Install it or download and use openoffice?

Thanks for the tip. i was pretty sure that it's common knowledge mongst CHer's that Norton is a no no.

[soybean]

Since you paid for Home and Student, go ahead and use it.  I have Office 2007 installed on my Compaq Presario notebook PC, and I've been using OpenOffice.org on an PC running Linux uBuntu.  OpenOffice.org is good and is a good option for an office suite for people who don't absolutely need Microsoft Office, but OpenOffice.org is not better than Microsoft Office. 

I removed numerous HP programs from my Presario notebook PC but I did not remove HP Total Care.  I have it set to not launch when I start my computer.  Actually, I think HP Total Care is an informative tool; that's why I haven't removed it.

make restore DVD's so they do not contain any Norton info.

Unfortunately, your restore DVD will restore the system to it's original configuration, including all the HP software and Norton.  You can't control what gets put on that restore DVD.  So, if you ever need to use the restore DVD, you'll have to go through this whole process of reconfiguring again.  The only way to avoid this would be to get software such as Acronis TrueImage and create your own version of a restore disk.

[Broni]

make restore DVD's so they do not contain any Norton info

Unfortunately, this won't happen, because restore DVDs are created from recovery partition, set by your computer maker, and Norton is there. That's a minor issue, though.

I think, the Office for $77 is a good price.

EDIT: Somehow, I didn't notice soybean's reply, when I posted.

[Kryptonite]

Thanks Broni and Soy.

After you expained that the restore disk would be made from the partition side of the hard drive it made sense and i probably should have realized that on my own.

i've heard and read good things about Acronius but the one time i ordered it i got a notice that it was back ordered so i cancelled and never re=ordered.

[patio]

newegg currently has the best deal on Acronis if you're still interested.

[Kryptonite]

Thanks Patio...there seems to be a version 10 and 11 that has ( old version ) in the discription. Newegg's doesn't have a version.
There's also an offer for a free download from Personal Computer World UK. But there's also a note about the site being hacked. Don't have the time this morning to check it but will later today.

Update: i actually has a few minutes to check the free download out further and the link has been removed. Back to opening up the wallet.

[patio]

If it's a DLoad i would only trust Acronis' page for it...
They have a Trial version you could drive around the block for a few weeks if you like...