Best way to setup a new Laptop ?

[markee]

I got a new Dell Inspiron 13.3" 7391 2-in-1 laptop coming tomorrow and I just wanted to get some suggestions on what people feel are some of the best ways to set a new system these days ?

I'm not really familiar with how Dell laptops come these days but I'm guessing  its coming  loaded with bunch of bloatware and a clean install will  probably be a good idea ?

Also a must is to partition up the 512GB drive first . The unit comes running Windows Home I don't see any reason to snag a copy of Windows pro maybe I'm  just better off sticking with the legit copy for a change or should i go for pro ? 

 

When it comes to doing a clean install should i go through the whole setup or just run windows fresh start ?

What a good app to partition it with these days ?

Does the Dell come with like a restore partition that I need to be careful not to format and wipe ?

 

The units running a 10th Generation i7-10510U  16GB with a 512GB SSD Drive.  Heres a link to the machine specs  https://ebay.us/LCjZUu
 

 

 

 

[stylemessiah2]

This is my system, in very basic simplified terms, after 30 years in IT, for myself and anyone i build or set a system up for

 

Step 1:

 

Make the recovery media - usually theres a program group for the manufacturer that will include the recovery media creator. Take the time ot do it, usually to a blank USB these days (over the DVD method of old). This means you can easily recover the system to its shipped state should you get a  virus, the HDD/SDD die. Failure to do so and needing it later could cost you up to $200 to get a copy of your system image from the manufacturer

 

Step 2:

 

Remove any factory installed bloatware - these days theres less than there used to be

 

Step 3:

 

Run the manufacturer support app/program to update the systems drivers/manufacturer software - It may have been many months since the system was built, stored and then shipped to you.

 

Step 4:

 

Run Windows update - Do this manually, dont wait until it checks on it schedule. Do any reboots and recheck for updates until youre all up to date

 

Step 5:

 

Install your software

 

Step 6:

 

Setup your programs as you like them - for example add any well used favourites to your chosen web browser

 

 

Step 7 (Optional):

 

Image your system - Using Macrium Reflect Free. Once you have everything as you like it, nows the time to perhaps image it, so you can easily recover the system to where you are now, a supposed to going back to the beginning should you need to use the factory recovery media you created in Step 1

 

 

 

More specifically to your enquiry, if you plan on doing a "clean install" (and i wouldnt, id just remove the bloatware), then definitely create the recovery media (Step 1). Alos do Step 1 before you do any paritioning. In other words, just do Step , because its called Step 1...in other words...no matter what yuo do, do Step 1.....hopefully thats clear

 

For most people theres no valid reason for going from Home to Pro

[mehdibleu]

Unless you want to install another OS (win7 or win8.1), (you won't probably be able to install win7 on a 10 generation cpu anyway especially if csm legacy mide is not included in the bios), no need to proceed to clean install.

i don't see any reason to upgrade to pro neither, win10 Core is enough and contains all functionality that any win10 normal needs, if you want to use some options as remote desktop or bitlocker or gpedit, so you need to upgrade to win10 pro as these options are not available in home edition, the upgrade can be done in few seconds through any win10 pro retail key or win10 pro generic key.

If you don't need these options, stay with your win10 Core edition.

Also i don't see the point of partioning the SSD for 512 GB size especially if you are a download a lot. If you don't intend to download a ot of files, you can always partition your SSD, you can do that through win10 (disk management by reducinf SSD size to create a second partition) without the need of using any third tool.

Regarding the recovery partition, it will allow to a factory restore in case you decide to reinstall win10 Core in the future so removing this partition will probably prevent the factory reset from being done.

 

[DLord]

2 hours ago, Kalju said:

How is this possible if even Windows has not existed for so long and such a profession has not existed in the whole world for so long.

You realize IT ≠ Windows??!

[Kalju]

Unnecessary Comment Removed.

[sefton22]

The first thing i do is remove excess crap, install updates, create a complete backup. i then restore it to another SSD (SSD's are quite cheap these day) to verify the image integrity by using it as a temporary boot drive

 

When everything backed up has been checked and verified i then install relevant programs i need (using PatchMyPC for many everyday tools) and performing an incremental back up as i go. 

 

when all is installed, i create another complete backup, a restore this to the other SSD...

 

It might sound a bit tedious, but this first day or 2, will make future installs/ restores a breeze, without you worrying too much lost data and time as a complete restore can take less time than it would to just install windows and updates

 

i've never needed to use anything other than HOME, PRO is aimed more at businesses and now that MS have implemented a number of features from PRO to HOME the difference is not very noticeable 

 

Most devices will have been reset before hand, no need to do another one unless it's broken. 

AOMEI Partition Assistant is decent, it's been a regular giveaway program but i think there could be medicine located about these pages

Not sure about the restore partition, but i would expect AOMEI Partition Assistant would show you

[stylemessiah2]

3 hours ago, Kalju said:

How is this possible if even Windows has not existed for so long and such a profession has not existed in the whole world for so long.

 

 

 

Youre kidding right? You do know computers predated Windows, right?

 

Facepalm...

[Kalju]

Unnecessary Comment Removed.

[Dodel]

2 hours ago, Kalju said:

OK, I've heard, but then there weren't any IT men or IT women, no one even knew that word.

No one knew anything about such a concept then.

So there is no point in lying or  boasting.

Lying doesn't make anyone smarter or better.

 

Please see ENIAC : https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000984.htm

 

You really should check what you write before making baseless statements.

 

Finally, I've also been in "IT" for 30+ years, I got the bug with my first ZX81 48k, I am now 44 and "IT" is my career.

[straycat19]

7 hours ago, Kalju said:

How is this possible if even Windows has not existed for so long and such a profession has not existed in the whole world for so long.

 

Actually Windows has existed for 35 years.  I ran version 1.0 in December 1985.  I operated my first computer in 1967 and built my first computer in January 1968.  It was 7 feet tall, 13 feet long, and 3 feet deep.  It was called AMASS.

[kunjar]

BEFORE you do anything definitely create the Recovery media as has been suggested. Sometimes the procedure messes up and its a one time only option. 

 

So, you could image the entire drive with Macrium so you have a base image to start with and incase the recovery media process fails you can restore with Macrium. 

But be careful since the image is usually stored in a different partition. You will have to image ALL partitions. 

 

When you run the Dell software to create the recovery media you can use a standard USB stick (size specific) OR what I did was create a VHD (dynamically expanding if you wish), mount it as a USB FLASH drive using Daemon Tools and point the Dell recovery software to create an image to that location. 

 

This is what I have done on my HP laptop since I did not have a spare USB flash drive but only an external drive. Easier to create & manage VHD/images. 

[eurobyn]

Download the latest windows 10 version (use mediacreation tool 2004) en place the usb stick in youre brand new dell. press f12 and boot from youre new created usb stick with latest windows 10

delete all partitions

en clean install windows 10

 

Now you are sure there is nothing wrong with youre new dell.

now you are sure no bloatware present. (from dell) ... lol

 

this is what i would do.

but i would not buy a dell (lol)

 

 

[markee]

Thanks for the replies  got the Laptops today there was no need to clean install Windows theirs absolutely no bloatware installed on this thing just McAfee which easily uninstalled. 

Now Just getting ready to grab a copy of Office with that Windows and Office ISO Downloader app just wondering which version of Office 2019 is best to get thats easiest to register I usually just use KMSToolsPortable unless theres a better way?  in the past I think I remember having issues with some Office versions that don't want to register and needed to be converted first any suggestions ?

[mehdibleu]

you can simply use KMS_VL_ALL to activate your office 2019, the last version which was released by its author abbodi1406 from MDL allows to convert from retail to VL (if you installed retail version) then activates your product with the possibility of doing a renewal of the activation so that your activation becomes permanent.

 

here's the link to download it => here

[markee]

Thanks for the reply I got it going already 

[Easy]

Best way to activate Windows or any Microsoft product is to buy license.

You can get them on eBay or somewhere else for only few $, activate product permanently, and prevent all (eventual) problems in future that may come with updates.

[cosy]

11 minutes ago, Easy said:

Best way to activate Windows or any Microsoft product is to buy license.

You can get them on eBay or somewhere else for only few $, activate product permanently, and prevent all (eventual) problems in future that may come with updates.

 

Why all this bother.

We have here in the forum the key free of charge for all our members.

One can activate and get the same key for free from this wonderful forum.

You should just visit our section and you save your small money for something else

Regards

[supdr]

Clean install win 10 pro 

Partition into 2 one for operating system and the second for Data