When a friend or family member gets a new Windows 10 computer, or upgrades an existing computer to Windows 10, these are some of the basic things I do to help them out. You should not do any of this on a work computer unless you clear it with your IT group.
- Uninstall unnecessary apps... including:
- apps you don't use (if this is an upgrade)
- crapware installed on the computer by the manufacturer
- the demo edition of Microsoft Office
- whatever antivirus package they included, even if paid for (it'll be bloated, and Windows Defender, included with Windows 10, is good enough)
- I suggest trying PC Decrapifyer, it can help determine what's good to keep, and what you should get rid of.
- Go to Ninite and install the following:
- Firefox - my web browser of choic
- VLC - allows Windows 10 to play DVDs (only needed if your computer has a DVD drive)
- Libre Office - a free replacement for Microsoft Office
- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Super AntiSpyware - use these to routinely screen your computer for malware (weekly: update, then scan)
- Install O&O ShutUp10 to turn off Windows 10's worst privacy violations: from the Actions menu, choose "Apply all recommended settings"
- Turn on System Restore, then use it in the future to back out of malware infections and system problems (your email and personal files will not be affected)
- Set up some kind of backup routine: File History, some good free backup program like Macrium Reflect Free, something. Files you care about should never exist in only one place.
My strategy: - I have a USB hard drive, and on the first day of every third month I use the aforementioned Macrium Reflect to back up my entire computer (a full image). The first of the month on the next two months, I do an Incremental backup with Reflect (only the files that are new or changed). In this way, I can restore the entire computer a month ago or less if something catastrophic happens. And I keep that drive at a friend's house (so fire/theft/etc. doesn't also get the backups).
- I use iDrive (look online for discount codes for the first year) to do daily backups of my documents and desktop folders, and my Outlook mail files. I don't burden the network or iDrive's servers with my music and videos, as they change infrequently and are covered by the monthly backups above.