Fool's proof setup
 

I will need to setup an old computer for my girlfriend's brother. I am an IT consultant and an enthusiastic but I never really setup any computers to be fool's proof before. He's not an idiot at all but the last notebook he has turned out to be full of viruses/malware/ random softwares/etc...

Ok, I will be installing him all the basic software he needs and will have him run on a non-admin account on windows XP. At first I tought about setting up a linux restrictive account but he's not used to non-windows/mac setups and I don't want to go in the trouble of explaining to him the linux basics.

Ok so, I'll install:

- Tiny XP
- Avira Anti-Virus
- Comodo
- iTunes (ipod fan) // I would use foobar though
- K-Lite codec pack with Media Player Classic
- Microsoft Office
- Firefox + Adblock plus / NoScript / etc...

- Guest account, but I'll give him the admin password if he wants to install some software

What else would you suggest ?

not to nit pick but Adobe Reader would be a nice addition to that list ;)

and image the HDD so you can save yourself the re-install time because he sounds like a "repeat offender" heh

i know local group policies SUCK, and so do software firewalls but a way to block net access to P2P programs will probably stop nasties from getting into the laptop in the first place....

limewire.exe and etc.

hope my .02 was inspiring, GL-HF

TinyXP? Did you nLite this yourself or is it some random torrent off the internet? If its the latter I say make your own build personally.

Firewall is useless and not needed as Windows built-in works fine and all your doing is adding overheard to the computer as.
Avira is good

Acrobat? Please Foxit Reader is 100x better and so much smaller.

I would suggest using VLC over MPC because there is less codecs you have to worry about, its all in one, and it will auto-update (or at least ask the user for yes to) and will keep it up to date so he can watch any movie possible. Instead of Adobe Reader, i would recommend installing FoxIt. I find it loads/runs faster and has a lot lower likely hood of crashing/freezing as per problems i've had with Adobe Reader on different computers (none that were my own, but older POSs)

I find with WMP I just install Divx and Combined Community Codec Pack (for x264 movies, also I find it faster than any other codec I've tried) and I'm ready to go. Oh yeah, also install AC3 so it's really not that much of a fuss.

Once it's configured and you are ready to hand it back to him, make sure to create a backup image of it and put it somewhere safe. It will save you a lot of time in the future in case it does get screwed up. Trust me, you will thank yourself one day for having it.

TinyXP is off the torrents. Made by a guy named eXperience IIRC. It's definitely not something I'd suggest using as it's such a striped down XP copy it's barely usable IMO. And well it just means various issues down the road when the user tires to install something or plug in some device.

I'd imagine that's an illegal version of Avira too :ph34r:.
When its not your own PC, I'd suggest using freeware alternatives such as Avast!. That way you know it'll update fine without any issues. Same goes for MS Office, could install OpenOffice instead though I know that's a bit tougher since people only know the MS brand.

+1 for Foxit Reader. Also has less security issues too I believe.