You Got a New PC — Now What?

So, you've got a new PC. If it's your first, there are a few key things to do to get going. If it's not, moving day is here. Just as you move your cherished belongings from one home to another, you'll need to do the same for your important files, programs, photos, music, and other media from your old PC to your new one.

Here are some tips for getting your new PC up and running.

Get comfortable. Make sure your workspace is comfortable. If it's a laptop, you'll soon find that actually working with a PC on your lap is not so good on the back. A new PC is great, but the chair you sit in while working on it is just as important. An adjustable one with good back support is best, so you can make it so your arms bend at a 90-degree angle and your wrists are not bent.

Clear the junk. Now that you're comfortable and you've turned on your new PC, you'll see there may already be lots of trial software on it. You probably don't want most of it, so get rid of it. As Chris Null tells us, it's worth spending the time to manually uninstall the extra clutter. Go to the Control Panel and then to Add/Remove Programs to uninstall the ones you don't want.

Moving day. Now that your PC is nice and clean and ready to go, you'll want to start moving files and bookmarks and anything else you want onto your new PC. For software, it's easiest if you install it directly on your new PC. To move everything else, Windows has a migration tool, but it can take a while, and it really isn't necessary. Your best bet is to either save the files onto USB drives, discs, or, better yet, use the Data Tornado.

Our 2007 Last Gadget Standing winner, the Tornado is simply two USB cables connected at the center. Plug one end into your old computer, the other into the new PC. On your new PC screen, you'll see two Windows Explorer windows open representing each computer. You simply drag and drop the files, documents, bookmarks, music, etc., that you want on your new PC from the old PC. Simple.

Wireless vs. wired. If your new PC is a desktop, you'll simply plug in the Ethernet cable from your PC into the modem or router. If it's a laptop, you'll want the mobility a laptop offers via a broadband router. If you're setting up a wireless router for the first time, here are some pointers from Home Networking for Dummies. To find the best place to put the router in your home, check out these tips for finding the optimal wireless router spot.

Protect your PC. Now that you've got only what you want on your new PC, it's time to protect it. Install anti-virus software immediately. Kaspersky Anti-Virus tops PC World's best list for its effectiveness and price. Coming in second is Symantec Norton AntiVirus and third, BitDefender Antivirus.

Don't forget to also install anti-spyware. Null recommends installing both SpyBot and AdAware, both free. He tells us how to clean a spyware infection here.