[geargrrl]

Picked up a Lenovo 3000 with a $250 rebate from office depot. It's got an Intel Chip, enhanced display, the usual goodies. I've been deleting all the crap off of it (free AOL etc) and setting it up for her. This includes AVG antivirus, large cursors, Open Office, Mozilla with some things bookmarked for her already.

Just need to pick up accessories ( case, mouse etc) buy her an all-in-one printer, and then get every thing set up for her.

geargrrl

 

[LordOpie]

I've been deleting all the crap off of it (free AOL etc) and setting it up for her.

good!

also download and run: ad-aware, spy-bot, and trial version of Tune-up utilities (buy if you like, but it'll at least do a one time registry cleanup)

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

adaware and spybot arent so good anymore.

superantispyware is where its at right now!. nevermind the crappy name. it could detect an erase things adaware and spybot didnt, like antivermin and stuff.

 

[geargrrl]

About the only stuff I haven't removed is the Lenovo specific software - and there is a lot of it, and something called PC Doctor 5. Anyone know anything about that one?

I just googled all the software that I didn't recognize, and then read reviews. Most of the info was something like " this burning software installed by the manufacturer sucsk, you should really buy the upgrade....".

 

[Ciaran]

" this burning software installed by the manufacturer sucsk, you should really buy the upgrade....".

LOL!

My wife just got a new lappy not too long ago. I just reblasted it and reinstalled the OS from scratch. They put way too much free trial offer stuff on new computers these days.

 

[binary visions]

geargrrl, I've got a Thinkpad (IBM branded but the Lenovos are the same thing) and I just wiped the system and re-installed XP. It was easier than trying to uninstall everything.

Suffice to say, none of the IBM-specific software is necessary. Just uninstall all of it. You can always get it again from their website if necessary.

I do like the little accellerator-measurement software, though, just from a geeky perspective... It measures how fast the computer is accellerating (e.g. from dropping it) and if it exceeds a safe limit, it shuts everything off and parks the hard drive heads. Suprisingly effective.