Most people go shopping for the machine based on the hardware specifications of the computer.  Some examples are the processor speed, memory, harddrive, etc.  But in your search for a new laptop, have you considered what kind of software comes with it?  Probably not.

What you can expect on your new laptop (I am assuming you bought a machine with Windows on it - Linux and Mac based notebooks will be different) are the following:

• Some trial software for anti-virus and spyware.  Some examples are Norton Internet Security and McAfee Internet Security.  Typically they offer you a ninety day trial after which it costs $40-$50 to renew it for a year.
• CD and DVD burning software comes standard on most models.  The only ones I have seen that don’t come with anything in the last few months is Gateway.  It is better to get some sort of burning software as opposed to the built in software in Windows.
• Microsoft Works come standard with most computers.  The only one I have seen in stores that doesn’t include it are Acer notebooks.  If you are not familiar with Microsoft Works, it is the watered-down version of Microsoft Office.
• A sixty day trial of Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition.  You can find Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and One Note (think of One Note as a doodle pad).  You typically don’t find Acer Notebooks with the trial included, but you can download it for free off the Internet.
• If your notebook has a webcam, you will find some webcam software included.  HP for example, included muvee AutoProducer with their webcam equipped notebooks.
• If your notebook has a Light Scribe Drive (found on HP and Compaq) there is also Light Scribe labeling software included.
• You will also find other free software on there such as Adobe Reader.

Do you make periodic backups?  If you don’t, you are not unlike the hundreds of notebook users that do not backup their information.  Most people assume that since a laptop is more durable than a desktop, the hard drive in the notebook should last longer.

Inevitably, laptops are just as likely to have a hard drive failure as a desktop.  Often these failures can be more costly as a large number of business people use their laptops specifically for work.

In order to protect your data, you can try some of these steps:

1. Purchase an external hard drive.

   By purchasing (don’t just buy it - use it) a portable hard drive, it is easy to make backups.  Usually you just have to plug the hard drive into the USB port on your laptop and you can use the included backup software to backup your vital files.  Price on external hard drives usually start out around the $100 mark and up.

2. Use a USB flash drive

   With USB flash drive prices plummeting, this can be a cost effective option if you do not have a lot of information to backup.  Provided your data takes up less than 8 GB or so (currently the largest size available at a reasonable price) this can be a convenient option.  Not only do USB flash drives fit in your pocked, they can also fit in your safety deposit box for extra security.  Most flash drives also come with some security software to protect your information should the drive get stolen.

3. Make a backup on DVDs or CDs

   One of the cheaper options, you can backup your information on traditional CDs or DVDs.  The catch with this method is that you have to do it, there is not really any automated backup solution that would backup to your optical drive and change disks as needed (as of yet).  One advantage of backing your data to optical disks is that they should last longer than the above discussed options and provided you are not using re-writeable disks, do not run the risk of being erased by accident. 

Remember to backup your information, it shouldn’t be considered a chore, rather you are protecting your pictures, data, and potentially your livelihood by engaging in this important habit.

When you first boot up your laptop, chances are that you will get a notification that you should make a set of recovery disks.  You should get a screen similar to the following:

The above example is from an HP computer. 

The reason you want to create a set of recovery disks is that they allow you to restore your computer to what it was like when you purchased it from the store.  Now, there is a recovery partition on your hard drive, but if the hard drive fails, you would have no way to recover your computer.  That is why you need to make the recovery disks. 

In most cases you will need either a couple of DVDs (provided your notebook has a DVD-burner), or ten CDs (varies per computer).  It takes some time for the computer to collect all the files it needs to copy to the disks.  What I would suggest is to start it, go do something else, and check on your notebook from time to time.  You can expect the process to take an hour or two depending on the speed of your computer and the speed of your burner.

Be sure to label each disk as you remove them from the computer.  Typically, the program will ask to check the disks you have created after it has finished making the recovery set.  If there are any errors on any of the disks, you will have to do this process again.  Just make sure that when you are done, that you put the disks somewhere that you can find them should you ever need them.  It doesn’t help you to have some recovery disks if you cannot find them.

So, make sure that you make your recovery disks BEFORE you hook up to the Internet.  Should your computer ever be infected by viruses to the point where it is un-fixable, at least you will have an option that is cheaper than calling in a professional - using your recovery disks.

With the number of questions I get from people regarding what they need to do when they get a new laptop, I have decided to create this multi-part section detailing everything you need to know about your new laptop.  The parts will be organized as follows:

1. First things first- The single most important thing to do BEFORE you hook up to the Internet
2. Protect your computer - Anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware and more
3. Productivity software - word processing, spreadsheets and more

So, check out these topics to learn what you should do, how you can get quality software for no cash investment, and how to protect your new laptop.