Essential software for Win 10 laptop

[Saracen999]

For those that know me, no it's not mine.

I've been asked to do a basic setup, i.e. not main application s/w like Office, but basically, a minimal list of (preferably free) Go-To utils.

I'm thinking :-

Firewall (my choice is Comodo)
Antivirus (last one I used was Avira or Avast)

Maybe Antimalware??

But what do people recommend these days?


Also, I've been asked if I can get rid of the clunky bits and make it look more like Win7.

I used to have a Win8 tool that did that, does a Win10 version exist? I guess it does.


Finally, any other "essential" bits for an undemanding user?


As you can tell, I'm a bit rusty generally and monumentally (deliberately) ignorant on Win10.

What do the team recommend?

Thanks.

[kalniel]

Windows inbuilt firewall plus router firewall usually sufficient these days. Ditto the anti-malware that's built in and will be kept uptodate with windows updates. I would still recommend a third-party antivirus - Avira/Avast still fine. There are others but the free ones constantly move around as to performance vs inconvenience of notifications etc..

Disabling Cortana will remove much of the clunky bits. Likewise use local account rather than a microsoft one. You can probably turn off tiles in the start menu for more windows 7 like appearance.

BACKUP software/routine. Get this set up from the start. Exact details will depend on what's available to your user and you know enough about the types to know if it's only a mitigation. Simple routines can be handled fine by the in-built backup - there's a rather neat history type function in latest versions of win 10 too for reverting (not back up). More selective backups are still best done with third party like Macrium reflect. Whichever route you go down, create a recovery USB for your user.

Win 10 has very capable scheduling for disk defrags - set it and forget it.

Enabling automatic updates for a non-expert user is also recommended - this is enabled by default, but check it's set to auto apply when convenient - this was probably the best thing I ever do for non-expert users - auto update has got pretty good these days and is the best way to secure the machine.

[blueball]

"Essential software for Win 10 laptop"

Win 7 !!!!!!

[Saracen999]

Entirely agree, blueball .... if it were me. Or, given appropriate drivers, Ubuntu (or similar).

For this user, I want to be more .... conventional.

@Kal .... those tweaks may well be a better approach than a "ClassicShell", again, given an inexperienced user. I guess I'll have to have a more thorough rummage about in W10s settings thwn i ever expected to, and/or find some how-to guides. Which, if I Google it, I'm sure I can find. Sorry blueball, couldn't resist that one.

Thanks, guys.

[blueball]

Entirely agree, blueball .... if it were me. Or, given appropriate drivers, Ubuntu (or similar).

For this user, I want to be more .... conventional.

@Kal .... those tweaks may well be a better approach than a "ClassicShell", again, given an inexperienced user. I guess I'll have to have a more thorough rummage about in W10s settings thwn i ever expected to, and/or find some how-to guides. Which, if I Google it, I'm sure I can find. Sorry blueball, couldn't resist that one.

Thanks, guys.

Try these (I had to do similar for someone so had them bookmarked)

https://www.zdnet.com/article/after-...s-immediately/

https://www.wired.com/2015/08/window...ngs-need-know/

https://www.computerworld.com/articl...indows-10.html

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2990...-fix-them.html

https://www.techrepublic.com/article...tect-yourself/

https://www.csoonline.com/article/32...-features.html

[spacein_vader]

For more "bog standard" software may I suggest VLC? MS built in options for 10 are Movies & TV (which really exists to sell, sorry, rent you content,) and an ancient version of Windows Media Player carried over from Win 8 that doesn't support a few common formats. VLC will play damn near anything.

I'd suggest the same for audio but while VLC seems to be not far off the only gig in town for video the world and his mum have their own views on which music players are best.

Browser wise find out what they currently use, failing that if they have an Android phone then just stick Chrome on it so it'll sync.



If they don't want their eyeballs searing I'd enable Dark Mode in Windows Explorer too.

[MrRockliffe]

Try Ninite to get hold of the software - super easy 1 click installer that auto opts out of the "extra" programmes they try to get you to download.

https://ninite.com/

[Saracen999]

Not quite sure what's going on (browser prob maybe - Android Dolphin) but there are several posts in here I've thanked several times but it doesn't seem to 'take'. Yet, others it has.

Weird.

So, thanks to all contributions, and any more there may be.

[Kanoe]

Second for Ninite, i find that really useful.

Ones i always go straight for:

- Notepad++
- Revo (for uninstalling things properly)
- 7 zip
- K Lite Codecs (or some other codec pack)
- Shut Up 10
- Chrome browser

Some of the above might be deemed too advance though for a basic user

[spacein_vader]

Second for Ninite, i find that really useful.

Ones i always go straight for:

- Notepad++
- Revo (for uninstalling things properly)
- 7 zip
- K Lite Codecs (or some other codec pack)
- Shut Up 10
- Chrome browser

Some of the above might be deemed too advance though for a basic user

Agree on 7zip. I didn't realise codec packs were still a thing. I've yet to find something vlc won't play out of the box.

[Saracen999]

Try Ninite to get hold of the software - super easy 1 click installer that auto opts out of the "extra" programmes they try to get you to download.

https://ninite.com/

I've seen recommendations for that before, but never got around to trying it.

Now is the perfect opportunity.

Normally, I install manually but playing 'hunt the opt-out' is an emperor-sized pain in the backside. And there's the risk to miss an especially well-hidden one .... and some are very creatively concealed.

[smurfm]

If the owner does not want to change GUI from W7 to W10, but still wants the stability and efficiency of W10, you can follow this:
https://www.howtogeek.com/277448/how...ike-windows-7/

[pp05]

If they're willing to pay get Malwarebytes. Plays well with windows security.

[Saracen999]

If they're willing to pay get Malwarebytes. Plays well with windows security.

Is that chargeble now? I'm more out of touch than I thought.

[Output]

Is that chargeble now? I'm more out of touch than I thought.

I think pp05 probably meant the paid version(s) due to the extra features only available in that version. Although it would be an annual license as they stopped doing Lifetime ones years ago.

There is still a free version however.

[Saracen999]

You're probably right Output.

I think my strategy there would be to install the freebie, and advise the owner to consider the paid-for upgrade, after checking the benefits.