how to set up a laptop?

silvercar

I have just bought a new laptop and need to set it up. AFAIK it has windows vista preloaded and nothing else.

Any guide on how to get started? I really just need to get the internet onto it and can then download what I need from there. Is it really that simple?

Its a sony viao from costco if tht makes a difference (and I've checked its not subject to a recall!).

Any help gratefully received.

espresso

Connect it to your router with an Ethernet cable and surf away!

II_D2_II

erm you would just need to connect via a ethernet cable
or as it is new it should have wireless to connect to, providing you have a wireless router

silvercar

I know these questions are really basic!

Will it have explorer already loaded then?

It is for my sone to take to uni, to access his unis network he needs to specify his IP address, will that be different from home and from halls?

espresso

silvercar wrote: »

I know these questions are really basic!

Will it have explorer already loaded then?

Yes it comes with Vista but you can download better browsers!

It is for my sone to take to uni, to access his unis network he needs to specify his IP address, will that be different from home and from halls?

He will get instructions at Uni about connecting to their network, should be very straightforward and nothing to worry about.

...............

penrhyn

Why don't you leave it to the lad to set it up?
Chances are he's more computer savvy than the old folks.
BTW I'd get him a Remoska, an essential bit of kit for uni!

silvercar

penrhyn wrote: »

Why don't you leave it to the lad to set it up?
Chances are he's more computer savvy than the old folks.
BTW I'd get him a Remoska, an essential bit of kit for uni!

He's not technically minded in the least, would take him days to do and he wouldn't bother with virus checkers etc.

Just googled Remoska, thinking it was going to be a piece of IT kit!

He's in catered halls so no need to cook:)

savemoney

If he at Uni in the halls I make sure he has some insurance

When I got my Dell last year I binned Vista for XP and later put sp3 on battery last longer on XP as processor doesn't have as much work to do on idle compared with Vista

amcluesent

I'd consider installing Mozy or some other automatic online backup, so essays and what not don't disappear if the hard disk gets trashed or the notebook lost/stolen.

penrhyn

An alternative to auto backup maybe to use Googles on line word processor, so all his stuff is stored on their server.

http://www.google.com/google-d-s/intl/en/tour1.html

You can also get a load of free useful software in Google Pack

http://pack.google.com/intl/en-gb/pack_installer_new.html?hl=en-gb&gl=uk&ciNum=12

Not a link to a cooking pot, honest!!


As to him not being technically minded it might be worth him spending time doing the work himself, after all you won't be at Uni with him to hold his hand.

silvercar

Thanks for all your help. Managed it.

Sony Viao and it came with 60 day trial of Macafee and 60 days of microsoft office, IE , loads of google stuff including google earth.

Even managed to transfer the music across from the old machine wirelessly:)