How to Configure Your New Windows 7 PC

The debate is over on whether Windows 7 is good, bad or ugly. It has to be good, we have no other choice. Windows XP is long in the tooth and its owner seems intent on killing it. Vista needs to be put behind like another bad dream, Windows ME (and “Bob”, remember?).

So when you buy a new PC, the only thing that should really keep you from getting it loaded with Windows 7 is software you HAVE to have; very few people, percentage wise, need a device that has no support in W7.

And if your software will not run on Windows 7, then think again about what vendor you buy your software from and why.

I have clients who, in the past were victims of software that held them back; turned out it was just the vendor trying intentionally to hold us back for their own profit. It cost my client thousands of dollars before I finally “forced” the vendors hand.

Configuring a new PC for Windows 7

The key items to keep in mind for Windows 7 hardware are these:

1. RAM (memory): Windows has always been a hog, but finally, if you go 64 bit Windows 7, you can use more than 4GB, or more than 3 GB which is what many PC’s have been limited to with previous versions of Windows. I recommend buying 4 GB RAM even with 32 bit Windows, even if you can only use 3 GB. As Adrian Monk would say, “You’ll thank me later”.
2. Video: Don’t skimp on video. One of the benefits to Windows 7 is the way it looks. Onboard video is not the answer,  I would get a 512 video card if the budget allows. Many corporate customers may feel 256 is adequate. Know your monitors, though, there are VGA, DVI and now DP (DataPort) monitor connections; adapters can be expensive and clunky.
3. Hard drive: Nothing less than 7200 rpm, not even in a laptop. 10,000 rpm SATA are out here, and if you want the best, go for SAS 10,000 rpm – but SAS will really up the price point, and likely increase cold boot times.
4. CPU: Multiple Cores. The Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 Ghz from Intel is my “base” purchase. Windows 7 finally knows how to use cores, especially with 64 bit. Quad Core, i7 are better but pricier. If you go Quad Core, 2.66 Ghz should be the minimum.
5. Optical Drive: DVD +/-RW is both the minimum and the norm, Blue Ray for entertainment.
6. Floppy Drive: Laugh away, make sure that for $9 more you don’t wish you had one later. If it’s a server, think drivers, bios updates and support later. Dell Support will thank you if you have a floppy on the server you are working on together.
7. Power Supply: If a better one is offered as an option, you are typically better off taking it.
8. Wireless: More and more people are connecting to the internet with a wireless provider. Dell offers hardware to easily take advantage of that trend, especially on their laptops. I love wireless so much I even pioneered a small wireless internet service within our local community. If you are looking for convenient, reliable, high-speed internet access, visit “www.wirelessinternet.net” for all your wireless internet needs.

Dell Configuration

Here is the basic workstation I am ordering from Dell:

223-7824

1

Dell Precision T3400 Convertible MiniTower Processor E8400, 3.00GHz, 13336MB L2, 375W

311-7463

1

Mini-Tower Chassis Configuration, Dell Precision T3400

311-7468

1

4GB, 800MHz, DDR2 ECC SDRAM Memory, 2X2GB, Dell Precision T3400

310-7949

1

Entry Level, USB, No Hot Keys keyboards, Dell PrecisionWorkstations

320-3316

1

Monitor Option-None

320-5864

1

nVidia,NVS 290, 256MB dual DVIGraphics Card, Dell Precision T3400

341-5235

1

80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s with NCQ and 8MB DataBurst Cache Dell Precision T3400

341-5209

1

C1, All SATA, NO RAID for 1 Hard Drive

341-3690

1

3.5inch,1.44MB,Floppy Drive Dell Precision 490/690 Factory Install

421-1481

1

Windows 7 Professional, Media, 32-bit, Fixed Precision, English

330-6228

1

Windows 7 Label, Optiplex, Fixed Precision, Vostro Desktop

310-9602

1

New Dell USB 2 Button Optical Mouse with Scroll,Black Precision

313-5709

1

16X DVD+/-RW, Data Only, Dell Precision T3400

421-0536

1

Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3,with Media, Dell Relationship LOB

421-1189

1

Roxio Creator Dell Edition 10.3, Media, Dell RLOB

313-2663

1

No Speaker option

310-9544

1

Resource DVD contains Diagnostics and Drivers Dell Precision T3400

420-3699

1

NTFS File System,Factory Install

989-3758

1

Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Extended Year(s)

985-6212

1

Basic Support: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response 2 Year Extended

986-1580

1

Basic Support: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response Initial Year

989-3757

1

Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Initial Year

991-2878

1

Dell ProSupport Service Offering Declined

900-9987

1

Standard On-Site Installation Declined

Dell Small Business has some aggressive pricing now through the end of the month; the machine above is available in the low $900′s.

I would use the above link even for a home PC; Dell Small Business has better offerings in my opinion.

Tagged as: How to Configure Your New Windows 7 PC, windows 7 configuration, windows 7 hardware, windows 7 memory