A.J.'s Tips for making a New Computer work better!

In May of 2004, I purchased a brand-new computer. [details] When I got it home, I found that the local company had done a pretty good job, in fact, they had done an excellent job of putting the components together and installing Windows. The box worked OK. There was nothing wrong with the unit - - - repeated tests revealed that everything wwas functioning the way that it was supposed to. Yet I was not happy, and there were obviously some components of software that were missing.

This is NOT double-speak! So what am I talking about?

Many web pages did NOT work ... or would not load properly.
My browser - at that time - used a component called "QuickTime," but this was not installed yet.
One relatively new PC game did not function correctly - it needed SEVERAL software components that
were not installed (yet) ... one of these was something called "Direct - X." (The latest version.)
Many plug-ins ... failed to work at all.
Certain software applications would not work properly either, a <pop-up> box would appear, stating
that I needed software that was NOT currently installed on the computer.

For example: I went to one site where you can look up chess games ... and then replay them right there on your computer screen. But no matter what I tried, it would not work! I called the computer shop, and they gave some good general advice, but the bottom line was ... if I put the box back into the shop, then I would have to pay their hourly service charge. (No way!)

I did some checking around ... I am a big believer that you can solve nearly ANY problem, as long as you are willing to put in the necessary research, time and good, old-fashioned elbow-grease. I got to work.

What I discovered that - while the local shop had put together the box properly, and also installed Windows - that there are MANY forms and types of sooftware that most computers use and need ... that Microsoft does NOT provide!!! I am also a licensed and certified Computer Consultant. (I have discovered many little tricks over the course of time.) I called several companies (like MS) ... to complain about this problem. (They all responded that they were NOT responsible for another companies software.)

I also discovered over the last few years that most of the time, {but not always!}; a new box, (Gateway, Dell); will already have most of the software solutions ... listed below ... already installed at the time of purchase.

What to do ... with your new box (esp. if you have problems)

Believe it or not, Windows will come installed on your computer, but many software "plug-ins," and other applications will not be installed yet. So what do you need to do? It is very simple, go out and get the software!!! (Its simple, but time-consuming!)

(mostly) It's FREE, just go to the following sites: (Be sure to read the screens carefully and follow all of the directions.)

The FIRST thing you will need is to get on-line ... better have the software disc (in-hand) ... or you are stuck.
(There might be some trial applications ... like to AOL ... already loaded on your box. Check around.)
Go to the SUN website ... and get JAVA for your computer. (Just follow the download directions.)
(Many web sites - even "Hotmail" - will not function correctly without this critical software!!)
Go to this web-site ... and get the latest "Flash Player," and also (the) "Shock-Wave Player."
(Again ... many web-sites ... and popular PC games ... will not function without these plug-ins.)
Go to the "Apple" website, and get all the software available there. (Basic versions are all free.)
(You will definitely want the "Quick-Time" player, and probably the "iPOD" player as well.)
Go to the following web-site ... and get the (latest) "Real-Player" for your computer.
(Many browsers, websites, and even PC-games use this as a vital component of their various applications!)
Go to the following website ... and get the free, trial version of this software. (Being able to un-zip {and compress or zip} software is not as critical as it once was, but you still might find it a handy or necessary thing to have.)
Go to the ADOBE web-site ... and get the FREE "Adobe Reader." (The latest version.)
(This may not be essential to the basic functions of your computer. However, thousands of websites and
many commercial platforms use this type of software - which is for creating files that can be read, but
NOT easily altered. My anti-virus software has its "help-file" in this very popular format. Also - many
large schools and universities use this piece of software almost exclusively - for nearly everything.)
Go to Google ... and book-mark this site. (Mark it under one of your favorite web-sites.)
(If you see any missing components or plug-ins, you can probably find them with any search engine.)

Well, that's about all the advice that I have for now. This is just a fraction of what I had to do with my computer ...
but at least this way you won't sit around scratching your head and wondering what is wrong.

Go to - or return to - my Home Page, (for this site).

Go to - or return to - my "Handy Tips" page.

Visit my big chess site, or check out my domain.

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Page first created in November, 2004. Posted - 12,2004. This page was last edited on: 11/29/2005 .