New laptop - what next?

Yorkie1

I've got my new laptop (Win 7), it's ex-demo so has unusual stuff on the desktop and comes with 90 day trial of Norton which I haven't yet activated.

1. I want to use a free anti-virus rather than Norton, so I need to uninstall Norton. What's the best way to do this? I've seen reference to first uninstalling it locally on the PC and then using Norton-specific tools, but am not sure where to look for either. Can anyone assist?

2. Then, I assume I need to install either MSE or Avast. Do I just go online to find the websites and install?

3. On the desktop I've got a range of weird shortcuts and none of the usual ones. Apart from the recycle bin (which I'll keep), the others are shortcut links to the webcam, bluetooth installation, ebay, browser choice, Fujitsu launch centre, Norton, and a folder called Intel Laptops and PCs December 2010 iPOS.

Do I need any or all of these (not sure if the latter is a Comet file or something I need), and how do I get back the usual things like My Computer etc? The list of things on the visible list from the Start key is also a little weird so needs some investigation.

Many thanks in advance for any non-jargon-filled advice

karatepet

Why not use the free trial then uninstallit.Run this norton tool a couple of times http://us.norton.com/support/kb/web_view.jsp?wv_type=public_web&docurl=20080710133834EN

macman

Remove Norton via Control Panel, then download the Norton Removal Tool from the Symantec website to clean out all the junk that it leaves behind.

spud17

If it's ex-demo, then I'd be tempted to run a 'factory restore' or whatever it's called on this particular laptop.

Then start thinking about what to remove/replace after running http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/

Yorkie1

Thanks all.

Would the factory restore be reinstalling from the system restore and the drivers / utilities DVDs?

Sounds scary to a technophobe!

GunJack

with spud on this one, do a factory reset then burn your recovery disks....see what's on it after the reset and take it from there

if you have the disks in hand, then yes... it's just that most don't come with them these days and rely on a restore partition on the hdd....

Yorkie1

It came with both the discs I've mentioned, so I guess I don't need to burn separate recovery discs? I assume they are one and the same thing?

GunJack

thing is, some of the carp that's on the system was probably put on there after the OS was installed, rather that installed with it, IYSWIM, so restore using the disks and see how much carp was installed with the OS, you may be making decrapping the pc easier

GunJack

Yorkie1 wrote: »

It came with both the discs I've mentioned, so I guess I don't need to burn separate recovery discs? I assume they are one and the same thing?

yes they are, so no need to burn more

Yorkie1

Thanks, that's a job for tomorrow when I've got the time to do it without worrying about what time I'll get to bed...!

GunJack

good luck yorkie, take your time and you'll be okay