Setting Up a New PC

Before Beginning

• Install Dell SupportAssist or system equivalent
• Update drivers
• Update Windows

New Windows PC Checklist

• Turn on dark mode
• Add a dark desktop background
• Enable three-finger touchpad gestures for middle click / volume
• Taskbar settings
  • Set taskbar to left align and disable all widgets
  • Remove search bar
  • Add paint to taskbar
  • Add notepad to taskbar
• Disable and uninstall OneDrive
• Uninstall default bloatware
• Windows + V to turn on clipboard history
• Disable the setting that makes print screen open snipping tool
• Lock screen settings
  • Turn off tips and widgets
• File explorer settings
  • Disable recent files setting
  • Make file explorer open to This PC by default
• Update Windows Defender (Windows Security)
• Disable startup apps in task manager
• Set up Microsoft Edge and switch default search provider
  • Install uBlock Origin for Edge
• Alter power button usage and screen timeout settings
• Schedule night light
• Start menu settings
  • Hide all recent items
  • Hide all recommended start menu items
• Change Windows profile picture
• Turn off Copilot everywhere you see it
• Search indexing settings
  • Enable enhanced search indexing
  • Rebuild index
  • Add custom folder called “Shortcuts” to search indexing folders
• Search settings
  • Turn off all internet based options and suggestions
  • Turn off search history
• Change privacy options to remove all suggested content (Privacy & Security/General)
• Remove any extra keyboards
• Sign in to important accounts in Chrome

Installs

• My dispatcher
  • git clone https://github.com/scarletti-ben/dispatcher
  • Add C:\dispatcher to PATH
• Python
• NordVPN
• Google Chrome
• Firefox
• VSCode
• Git
  • Before commiting to a repository remember to set git config as below
  • git config –global user.email “username@gmail.com”
  • git config –global user.name “Forename Surname”
• NVM for NPM / Node
• VLC Player
  • Install dark mode for VLC
• Winaero Tweaker
• WinRAR
• ffmpeg
• foobar2000
• MPV
• Everything
• Tree Size
• Discord
• qBittorrent
  • Bind NordVPN under settings/advanced/network interface
    • Add search plugins

NOTE: Clean up start up applications after installs

Sign-ins

Miscellaneous

• Add _icons.dll to C:\Windows\ (%SystemRoot%)
• Create a shortcuts folder, and add folder to search indexing