How to setup your new PC

Off-the-shelf computers typically need a bit of work done to them to make them the best they can be - think of all the programs you have to install (office suites, anti-virus programs etc), all the settings you have to tweak and so on. It quickly becomes a headache! Thankfully there are a few handy tools we can use to speed up this process.

Remove pre-installed bloatware

Many branded computers come with pre-installed software that slow down your computer, and you don't really need. Removing these programs one-by-one is a bit of a pain; thankfully, however, there is a program we can use to do this all for us.

First of all, we need to download and install Decrap my Computer.

• Go to this link and click the Download Now button.
• This should download a file named Decrap_Setup.exe. Run it (if the program asks for Administrator privileges, accept).
• Follow the on-screen instructions to install the program with its default settings.

Once the program has finished installing, run Decrap my Computer - again, if it asks for Administrator privileges, accept.

• As this is your first time running the program, it will ask you which language you want to use. Seelct the appropriate option, and click Next.
• The program will now show you a few instructions. Read through them and click Next when ready.
• When the Keep in Touch page shows up, simply click Next.
• The program will now go through its Initial Setup stage. Allow this to run - it may take 5 minutes.
• Once that is done, a new windows will open up. Here, we need to check the box named Run Decrap in fully automatic mode.

• Then click Next, and let the program run. This may take a while.
• During this process, new windows may be opened up. Don't worry if this happens - it means everything is working!

Once the program is finished, all of the bloatware on your PC has been removed! We can now get on to the next step - installing all of your software.

Installing needed software

To install all of our software, we are going to use a handy tool called Ninite - this tool will install all the programs we want for us.

• First of all, go to the Ninite website and check the box next to the programs you wish to install. Below you can see what I have chosen, but this is entirely up to you.

• Note: You must only install one anti-virus product at a time. Having more than one installed could cause harm to your computer.

• Once you have select the programs you wish to install, click the large, green Get Installer button.
• This will download a file named Ninite xxxxx xxxxx xxxx Installer.exe (where xxxxx is the name of the program that will be installed). Run this file (allow the program to have Administrator privileges if required)
• Sit back and relax! Ninite will now start downloading and installing the desired programs.
• Once Ninite has finished installing all of your programs, it will show a window much like the one below - this shows you what was installed, and what was not.

Finishing up

Your new computer is now ready to use! If you keep the Ninite program on your computer, you can run it again and it will check the programs it installed for updates, and update them if necessary. And, if you ever run into any problems with your PC, be sure to ask in our Tech Help section for advice!