go back to xp (or 2k) if you have it. (what i've read

vista needs 4gb to do anything heavy (seems an exaggeration, but...). but meanwhile, 32bit win os is limited to slightly higher than 3gb. So quality 3d rendering (or vid editing?) would be somnambulent (? subjective i suppose). OTOH, you can do a lot of modern stuff on xp with 512mb, 1ghz ("single core").
Partition the drive and reinstall Windows. Avoid installing anything in "program files"., because space char in path sometimes causes headaches (for other apps or batch). So in general, avoid the space char in
any folder name.
setup backup or imaging (or raid?)
Turn off the "eyecandy" (doh). more:
http://www.google.com/search?q=XP+Tweaks+Guide+Explorer+|+Desktop+|+Control
http://www.google.com/search?q=+Bes...owPost+|+inurl:lofiversion+|+~Phpbb+|+Forums+
msfn.org, neowin.net/forum/
Prophyllaxis: limited user might work on vista. (limited user doesn't work well on xp, ime).
Connect to broadband thru a spi router. disable upnp cuz it's useless. (you should already be doing this.)
KIS (av+firewall) is about the best. 3seat KIS is FAR (free after rebate) including "competitive upgrade" rebate. else, $30 or $40 with regular rebate.
if children and other naives will not access your computer, then freeware is lighter:
Avira AV (includes some rootkit scan, can be set more paranoid, need to kill the nag), Alwil Avast.
A whole bunch of free app firewalls. Kerio2.15 is popular (begin with import of Bz ruleset from dslreports). Jetico 1 is supposed to be good. unfortunately it's tortuously bewildering (though iirc, i eventually got it settled down even while torrenting. also i've read that torrenting makes some firewalls use lots of cpu, etc.)
I've not yet tried Winpatrol, but it seems to be unique.
if mail app lacks filtering, use k9 or other.
(Proxomitron+) privoxy+tor when desired.
Some people use separate ids/hips. i have not tried them. You can run spyware s&d or adaware se (update the defs manually), but they've never found anything on
my computers.
Proxomitron w/sidki or grypen (don't know of any other maintained full sets).
AumHa/mvps, HOSTS file manager (your choice)
Don't use IE. But other apps will use parts of ie, so open "internet options" (inetcpl.cpl). Review the settings for "restricted sites". Imitate those when resetting "internet zone" (i also reset the "trusted zone" to almost the same level).
Browser: Shutoff java, cookies-by-default, and other standard silliness in whatever browser you use.
FF3 (mozillazine), opera9(newserver or google), kmeleon(sfnet km forum) are best, ime, but i want to try safari someday...
Can get Portable versions of all 3. You may like Noscript with FF. FF does smoother major upgrades. KM has the older (better) type of moz "general" cookie settings. Opera has image toggle and convenient per-site settings, dragndrop crippled. Overall, you choose convenience vs hardware usage.
Either
1) use the win updater (set to notify, so you know why firewall pops up).
2) or IE to the winupdates site (put the domain into trusted zone, if it is not there by default?), or
3) use belarc advisor.
Brute-force resistant passwords. (google: Years Brute-Force Password)
wilderssecurity, castlecops
services.msc
Check task manager or procexp for possible bloat. Run hijackthis.
Choose services depending on your hardware (lan or not, etc or not). Research:
1) google for guides, eg famous: blackviper.com/Articles/OS/OSguides.htm, blackviper.com/WinXP/customREG_Home.php#Custom_Home
2) Make list of running services to open in browser for swipe'n'google:make then run this "shortcut"
Target: %Windir%\system32\cmd.exe /k net start>>%HomeDrive%\CmdSvc%date%%ComputerName%.Lst &echo.%date%_%time%_%ComputerName%>>%HomeDrive%\CmdSvc%date%%ComputerName%.Lst &explorer.exe /e,%HomeDrive%&Exit
Start in: %WinDir%
( I found that, but may have embellished...)
Set many "useless" services to Disable or Manual.
Check urls in paragraph by "justsayin'" tech.yahoo.com/qa/How-can-I-improve-my-PC's-performance-/20070815064141AAsa23X
Tweaks taster: pctools.com/guides/registry/
Best freeware/oss apps: snapfiles, betanews, softpedia, acf/pricelessware, nonags, and GOOGLE
Email seems inherently pita. i keep returning to oe6. Koma, Popcorn, and another (I forget) look "promising", but will likely disappoint if i get round to trying. "Choose your poison".
others, unique +|or all round best:
Irfanview (basic raster edits, views|plays almost all formats thru plugins)
Isobuster (LFWV, aka "Last Freeware Version")
ImgBurn (cd/dvd)
EruNT, NTRegOpt
files:
Agent Ransack (regex find files)
7zip
WinMerge
Doublekiller
fsum
Foxit (pdf)
PdfCreator
other net:
Wget (or your choice)
text editors (your choice)
TopStyleLite
CseLite
browser addons/ext/custom ini
btw, i'd like to find similar info for noobz running os 8, os9, and (someday) for osx (and, do OS 10.1 thru 10.5 vary enough to cause their basic security/cfg guide to vary?)
Finally, send me a few hundred dollars for saving you months of research and (some) of your experimentation
