Windows Vista Annoyances

Installing Software

As you probably know, Microsoft doesn’t actually sell PCs (yet). Therefore, you bought your machine from a different company, which probably installed Windows on it before you took delivery.

Many PC companies sweeten the pot by preinstalling other programs, such as Quicken, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office, more games, educational software, and so on. The great thing about preloaded programs is that they don’t need installing. Just double-click their desktop icons, or choose their names from the Start→All Programs menu, and you’re off and working.

Sooner or later, though, you’ll probably want to exploit the massive library of Windows software and add to your collection. Today, almost all new software comes to your PC from one of two sources: a disc (CD or DVD) or the Internet.

An installer program generally transfers the software files to the correct places on your hard drive. The installer also adds the new program’s name to the Start→All Programs menu and tells Windows about the kinds of files (file extensions) it can open.

The Preinstallation Checklist

You can often get away with blindly installing some new program without heeding the checklist below. But for the healthiest PC and the least time on hold with tech support, answer these questions before you install anything:

• ▸ Are you an administrator? Windows derives part of its security and stability by handling new software installations with suspicion. For example, you can’t install most programs unless you have ...