Completed new build & Windows 7 Pro Upgrade clean install - Now what?

[kmorris_99]

Just finished my first ever build, and it booted on first try. Yay, me!! I then did a clean install of Windows 7 Professional Upgrade to my HDD, and it seems to have loaded just fine, surprisingly enough.
1) When I loaded Windows 7, I skipped the product key screen, electing to do that later. Well, now I am wondering, how do I go back and do that?
2) What else do I need to do as far as Windows 7 is concerned?
3) I know I need to download updates, but do I need to do #1 above before I can do that?

Let me know if you need more information, such as hardware. Thank you for any and all suggestions/help/tips!!

 

[cassandraf_winteam]

Hi kmorris_99 - Congratulations on your first build

You will need to activate Windows 7 within 30 days. To do this on your computer is simple, just follow these steps:
Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button, right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now. You may be prompted for an administrator password or confirmation.

Then to install updates you can either set them up to install automatically, or you can install manually as you desire. You can find out more about updates and your update options here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Install-Windows-updates

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Cassandra
Microsoft Windows Outreach

 

[kmorris_99]

Hi kmorris_99 - Congratulations on your first build

You will need to activate Windows 7 within 30 days. To do this on your computer is simple, just follow these steps:
Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button, right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now. You may be prompted for an administrator password or confirmation.

Then to install updates you can either set them up to install automatically, or you can install manually as you desire. You can find out more about updates and your update options here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Install-Windows-updates

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Cassandra
Microsoft Windows Outreach

Thank you very much for the reply, and the help Cassandra!

 

[cassandraf_winteam]

You're very welcome! Enjoy Windows 7!

Cheers,
Cassandra
Microsoft Windows Outreach

 

[kmorris_99]

First you need to install your motherboards chipset drivers.

Then install you anti-virus software and update it.

Then get all your windows updates.

Then get your video drivers.

Thank you for the reply and advice, zipzoom! I have a couple of questions, if I may?
The machine I just completed is not hooked up to the internet yet, so for the anti-virus, I will need to go online to do that. I am thinking I will go with either Avast, or Microsoft Security Essentials, which I read good reviews about on another TH forum. Is it safe enough to go to their website to download their AV program when I don't have AV? I suppose you don't have a choice, do you?
As for the mobo's drivers, I read somewhere that you shouldn't even bother with the drivers on the disc that came with the mobo, as they will be outdated already, that you should just find the latest version online and download them. Is that true?
At what point in this 'list of things to do' should I update my bios?
Again, thank you so much for the help!!

 

[mhelm1]

If you get Microsoft Security from Microsoft's website I'd say it's probally safe.
I only load drivers for what I'm using, I'm wireless so I don't enable or install wired network adapter. But I do load drivers from disk so that I know what to get updates for.
If you want to update bios do it first. If it screws things up you've wasted less time.
Remember when you flash bios it will usually reset bios to default values.

 

[kmorris_99]

If you get Microsoft Security from Microsoft's website I'd say it's probally safe.
I only load drivers for what I'm using, I'm wireless so I don't enable or install wired network adapter. But I do load drivers from disk so that I know what to get updates for.
If you want to update bios do it first. If it screws things up you've wasted less time.
Remember when you flash bios it will usually reset bios to default values.

Well, I have no idea how to flash my bios, but I will read the mobo manual and see what it says about it. Thank you for the reply and the assistance!!

 

[MRFS]

You'll need to activate your copy of Windows 7
before you can run Windows Update.

And, you should activate your Internet connection,
because activating your license is a lot faster
if you let your computer do it by connecting to
the Microsoft website.

And, obviously, you need a working Internet connection
in order to access the Windows Update website.

You didn't say what motherboard you have:
with ASUS motherboards, you can flash the BIOS
using a Windows application, and that program
gives you the option to reset factory defaults, or not.

That program is called ASUS Update, and it's found
on the Support CD that comes with ASUS motherboards.


MRFS

 

[MRFS]

> I don't have AV? I suppose you don't have a choice, do you?

Yes, you do have several choices:

#1:
Make sure that the Windows Firewall is enabled on your Internet connection:
it should be ON by default, but it never hurts to check it periodically.

#2:
Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty good, and free: sometimes we have
noticed that our PCs' time/date setting goes crazy, and that software
will err with a strange message whenever this happens.

So, we've just learned to check the clock's data and time,
and correct it first, if it's gone wacky.

A motherboard's real-time clock will drift, so synchronizing
your date/time clock to the Internet is something that
you should do at least once every day.


MRFS