Noob requires your help please, I don't really know what I am doing, but somehow after reading this forum for a couple of months I have just built my first PC (upgrading from pentium4 to i7). I switched it on tonight for the first time and nothing exploded So I have installed windows7 pro 64, motherboard drivers, graphics card drivers, and am in the process of installing firewall and antivirus before I go online and hit windows updates. My question is during installation of windows 7 I missed the part where it asks about partitioning the hdd, I have a single 1tb spinpoint f3 and was going to have 2 500gb partitions. How do I create a partition now windows is installed? And what is the best way to organize the hdd (partitions/folders etc)? Many thanks
I see your last OS was XP. Since Vista, Windows firewall is very good, just as good as most other firewall that you can find including ZoneAlarm. To access it's options, open the start menu, and type: "Firewall" (without the quotes), finally select "Windows firewall with advance security". If you click on the "Inbound Rules" or "Outbound Rules" on the side column of the firewall for the first time, you may need to wait a few seconds to be populated. From there you can control applications in's and out's. As for Antivirus, this is what I personally recommend, and reviews are very good for it: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/?mkt=en-us It's Microsoft Security Essential, it scans for malware, spyware and viruses, it's really fast and in 64-bit! The interface is really easy to use, and not annoying. You don't even feel that it is running. That is a well done protection software. As for partitioning. Since Vista, you have a BASIC disk manager built-in into the OS. To access it, just open the start menu, and type in "disk management" (without the quotes), and select "Create or format hard disk partitions". If you require more options, you can use Partition Manager 10.0, however you must pay to use it. I am sure their are free solutions, but I don't know them.
previously I have been using avira antivirus (free version), and comodo firewall (free version) with xp. Are you saying I would be better off using windows firewall and Microsoft Security Essential?
Well, I would defo use the Windows Firewall as it is integrated into the OS and runs seamlessly because of that. As to the anti virus I have been very happy with AVG, weather it be the free version or the complete package.
Jux_Zeil is correct. And because Microsoft Security Essential is made by Microsoft, makers of Windows, they know how to do things properly, and this software was planed to be done and released with Windows 7, so you know that it's very well optimized. And reviews shows that this is true. It's protection level is just as good as most quality anti-virus out there. Give it a try! If you wonder about experience in the field, I remind you that Microosft made Microosft Defender, which no one complained about and OneCare (very good, but it's lack of features did not make it worth the money).
If it isn't too much trouble, I would just reinstall Windows. On an i7 and with a quick hard drive like that, it should only take a half hour of your time anyway. The 9th - 12th slides on this post show you what you need to click to get to those options. Good luck! Also as for the firewall, I'm simply using Windows 7's, and it's working quite well. Antivirus, however, I wouldn't leave up to Microsoft just yet. There are too many free, Windows 7 compatible alternatives out there.
I would recommend keeping avira, but adding MS security essentials. Avira has a very good track record at my pc repair shop. But you do need to bump up the settings during the install and afterwards in the config menu. Firewall, on 7 I would leave to windows. As to partitioning, you could try Hiren's CD, or Ultimate boot CD, but be cautioned, there are lot of utilites in there that could really mess things up if you don't know what your doing. I would also recommend doing a new install at this point as opposed to just changing your partition size. But I would also make a third 20Gb partition, and once your done and happy with everything for a week, use one of the above cd's and create a ghost image of your OS partition to that 3rd partition for a quick install in the future if things get messed up.
Every security application out there, will say to NEVER use 2 of the same protection software as conflicts occurs and render BOTH useless. And tests shows to be true. SO you have to pick, Avira or Microsoft Security Essentials.
Funny, in practice, over 100 pc's, I have never had a problem with these two working together; maybe you should try it out first.
I can speak from experience, I've bricked two installs of Windows by having dual antivirus software installed. They were rendered unbootable, requiring reinstall.
1- I think security software companies knows more than you on how THEIR system works. 2- How do you know? it might have grab 1 virus by chance, and you conclude that it works, while the system could have 10 of them. 3- Also, doesn't mean that you see a progress bar and HDD activity light blink like crazy that is. 4- 100 PC's, in proportion to the several million PC users, is like saying that it works for you and you only. You sample is way too small 5- Microsoft Windows can only handle 1 Security software at a time. It's not because it's stupid, it's to prevent conflicts. 6- See mm vr post above. 7- A/V reduces system performance to some degree, even Microsoft own Anti-virus. All you can do is optimize things to reduce this to a non-visible level. Having 2 anti-virus doesn't help the cause. Basically what you are doing is liek HP and Toshiba Home aimed systems, packed with so much junk and advertisement, that it kills the user experience. Have you used the computer that you put 2A/V for 6 month and compare it with a system with no A/V of similar power to conclude that it's fine? No! Because, someone wants it's system back before 6 month. 8- Microsoft and Security software companies knows more than you, I would follow their advice 9- Have a a nice day 10- Take Care
