New To Windows XP

Sylvester

After all my problems with Windows ME, I today purchased an unopened XP Professional SP2? from a friend as he didn't need it after all.

Anyway, it's all foreign to me, so any tips on what to do first?

How do I delete some of the items on the toolbar at the bottom?

I have volume, safely remove hardware and a red balloon I want rid of.

Next, windows security says I have firewall on, but I want to install my own Mcafee firewall.

Is that advisable and is it easy to disable the windows firewall?

Anything I should download first?

Thanks for any help

albertross_2

I'd forget about safely remove hardware, and volume icons.

What is the red balloon.

Install mcafee, and if it doesn't disable windows firewall, disable it in control panel, security center afterwards, not before.

Run https://www.windowsupdate.com to start patching.

Sylvester

albertross wrote: »

I'd forget about safely remove hardware, and volume icons.

What is the red balloon.

Install mcafee, and if it doesn't disable windows firewall, disable it in control panel, security center afterwards, not before.

Run https://www.windowsupdate.com to start patching.

Just leave those icons? They'll probably bug me

Red balloon is windows security alerts as have no anti virus installed - I have some, I just need to re-install it as I lost it when Windows ME went wrong.

I'll install mcafee and an anti virus now

Just downloaded the windows updates, was quick and easy, unlike Windows ME.

What are the latest media player/IE and Codec packages?

albertross_2

Volume icon is always there, even on ME, it's a sign you have a soundcard installed properly. Safely remove hardware is a sign you have something (probably usb) plugged in, and is normal.

Media player/IE7 etc should update with windows updates, surprised they updated so fast, normally takes loads of reboots and further windowsupdates before it settles down

Sylvester

albertross wrote: »

Volume icon is always there, even on ME, it's a sign you have a soundcard installed properly. Safely remove hardware is a sign you have something (probably usb) plugged in, and is normal.

Media player/IE7 etc should update with windows updates, surprised they updated so fast, normally takes loads of reboots and further windowsupdates before it settles down

It was never on my ME, strange.

My modem is USB, so will likely be that.

Took a couple of re-boots and i'm sure something will pop up again in a moment.

Seems I have all the latest updates.

Now, i've just got to work everything out

Thanks

albertross_2

If you go into control panel, sound devices, there is probably a show volume icon in taskbar option if you really want rid of it.

Sylvester

albertross wrote: »

If you go into control panel, sound devices, there is probably a show volume icon in taskbar option if you really want rid of it.

Yes, that was easily done, thanks.

I don't like Internet Explorer anyway, so will download a tabbed browser, maybe Opera as liked it the short time I had it before

superscaper

Sylvester wrote: »

Yes, that was easily done, thanks.

I don't like Internet Explorer anyway, so will download a tabbed browser, maybe Opera as liked it the short time I had it before

Internet Explorer is tabbed. Unless you're using an old version. Personally I went back to IE from firefox as soon as they introduced tabbed browsing. Seems to take up less resources than firefox and as much as I like opera and the principle of opera there are too many sloppily written websites that need IE to work properly.

Sylvester

superscaper wrote: »

Internet Explorer is tabbed. Unless you're using an old version. Personally I went back to IE from firefox as soon as they introduced tabbed browsing. Seems to take up less resources than firefox and as much as I like opera and the principle of opera there are too many sloppily written websites that need IE to work properly.

You're right, it is tabbed, I just hadn't opened a tab as was used to IE 6.

May stick with this then, as it's easier to use.

Windows has just told me it's installing 79 updates, so maybe it hasn't all updated

j1mgg

Just to add i believe the red balloon will go away once you have installed mcafee as it sounds like it is the one telling you you have not got anti virus installed.

Where you live is there any of these cheap book places or do you have a library as there is some really good books out there for less than a fiver(i got dummies office 2003) for 20p at the local library

Sylvester

j1mgg wrote: »

Just to add i believe the red balloon will go away once you have installed mcafee as it sounds like it is the one telling you you have not got anti virus installed.

Where you live is there any of these cheap book places or do you have a library as there is some really good books out there for less than a fiver(i got dummies office 2003) for 20p at the local library

It has indeed gone, now I have installed anti virus.

We have some cheap book shops, I will keep a look out. I'm sure i've seen millions before, but as had Windows ME, never needed them.