New Windows Computer Setup
Initial Setup Checklist
During Windows Setup
- Choose “Set up for personal use” (not “Set up for work or school”)
- Use a local account if possible (skip Microsoft account sign-in)
- Disable all telemetry and optional data sharing options
- Skip Cortana setup
First Boot Tasks
# Check for and install Windows Updates
# Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update
# Verify activation
slmgr /xpr
Remove Bloatware
Open PowerShell as Administrator:
Get-AppxPackage *candy* | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxPackage *solitaire* | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxPackage *bing* | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxPackage *twitter* | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxPackage *facebook* | Remove-AppxPackage
Essential Software to Install
| Software | Purpose | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Firefox | Web browser | mozilla.org |
| Thunderbird | Email client | thunderbird.net |
| Trillian | Instant messaging (XMPP, etc.) | trillian.im |
| 7-Zip | File archiver | 7-zip.org |
| VLC | Media player | videolan.org |
| Notepad++ | Text editor | notepad-plus-plus.org |
| WinSCP | SFTP/FTP client | winscp.net |
| PuTTY | SSH client | putty.org |
Privacy Settings
- Settings > Privacy: disable all telemetry options
- Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback: set to “Basic”
- Settings > Privacy > Activity history: disable
- Settings > Privacy > Location: disable or restrict
Disable Unwanted Services
# Disable Windows Search indexing (if not needed)
sc config WSearch start= disabled
net stop WSearch
# Disable Superfetch/SysMain (on SSDs)
sc config SysMain start= disabled
net stop SysMain