Setting up a page...

General Computing Coding and Design
1

Ok Ive recently had a lot of work with setting up new computers and I was just thinking of making it easier for myself :slight_smile:

Now when I install computers the first thing to happen is Anti Virus so thats not even being considerd for this…

but what I was going to do was set up a HTML page in the background of my website something like www.domain.com/install or something of the similar and then basically have a page with links to all the files to install… and then maybe tests.
Like some big flash text to test if flash works and then a sample mp3 to download to check if the media player works and maybe a streamed internet file to see if that does, and also a test PDF…

now this is where I just cant think atm… what else could you have on there to test the computer ? there has to be something…

im also thinking of setting up a page for internet newbs… where I just set there default home page to a page on my website… with links to google, yahoo, altavista and everything else… but was also going to stick links to online shopping stores that I trust and use often…

any ideas on that one aswell ? im just looking for links to software you think a new computer needs… and also links to sites that you trust and other relevent sites for people :slight_smile:

thanks

PC

2

make sure those useful links to shops are the affiliate ones :wink:

DT.

3

Miles ahead :wink:

4

AV and firewall test pages, speed tests…umm…to early in the day for brain to be working so will post more when i thnk of them.

5

The speed test found on the Gadget Show websiteseems nice, seems fairly accurate too, and works from behind my firewall without any fettling too.

6

I actually take speed tests with a grain of salt

Why you ask… becuase I can run a speed test and get 50% of the rated speed
but connect to a university server and pull full speed.

I think its more the state of ther internet and the computers that data is passing through that have the perceived speed effect.

Then you have this hub sharing thing at street level i.e. your 1 of 60 connected to x at the exchange which I know at xmas really hammered the speed.

7

First thing I do after an install (after updates, firewall and AV of course)… is clean out a lot of the default carp I don’t need.

Add/Remove programs -> windows components
things like msn explorer, outlook express, media player, messenger etc
Services
where to start… wireless? bluetooth? dhcp? messenger, netmeeting, telephony, themes etc etc
Msconfig
startup processes

Then I look at things like remote desktop (do I need it?), recycle bin properties, virtual memory settings, system restore.

In other words I try and “tune” windows a bit so a lot of the bloat isn’t running if I’m not going to use it - so a list or script for disabling services you know you don’t need could be good :slight_smile:

8

If you have a standard install that you then tweak go have nose about at MSFN the guys there have full details on how to make yourself a complete unattended setup.

9

You can find a good firewall test at http://www.grc.com (look for Shields Up)