Window essentials updates

December 21, 2004 7:59 AM

I'm off back to the parents in a couple of days time for Christmas and will invariably need to tune up their Windows PC. My USB key-chain currently contains Firefox, Thunderbird, AdAware, Spybot S&D and ZoneAlarm updates as well as service packs and virus definition updates. What else should I include?
posted by ralawrence to computers & internet (7 comments total)

have you thought of adding vnc? i'm debating whether it's worth trying to talk them thought the install so that from then on i have remote access...
posted by andrew cooke at 8:14 AM on December 21, 2004

There was a canonical thread on this a few months back. For some reason I can't find it. But it did suggest looking on the P2Ps for Hiren's Boot CD, which is filled with (illegal copies) of all the utilities you would ever need.

Actually, looks like there's a link to dl it in this forum thread.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:26 AM on December 21, 2004

Good point about VNC. I use TightVNC with them (as it's modem to modem) and it has always worked well. I really should update that too.
posted by ralawrence at 8:30 AM on December 21, 2004

There are some good ideas over at the OpenCD project.
posted by fletchmuy at 8:57 AM on December 21, 2004

So - do you just d/l the setup files onto your keydrive, or can you somehow get the whole program on there? I'd like to do this, and include the essential AVG anti-virus, too - but will it work? Don't they mesh with the OS of the PC that downloaded them?
posted by dash_slot- at 11:04 AM on December 21, 2004

The canonical thread of August 6, 2004, with tons of suggestions, is here.
posted by WestCoaster at 12:11 PM on December 21, 2004

.
posted by geekyguy at 8:59 PM on December 21, 2004