You just reinstalled your OS... what are the first things you install?

Chrome, antivirus, and open office. Then I'll decide if the games I had on the last pc were worth the trouble. I still haven't gotten Carmageddon II to work on Windows 7 yet.

 

Windows:
Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Office
CCleaner
Google Talk
Winamp
µTorrent

Linux:
LibreOffice (assuming it's not already included)

Either OS:
Firefox Beta
Chrome Beta
(I like both browsers quite a bit and find the benefits of running beta to outweigh the drawbacks)
VLC
Dropbox
Last.fm

Probably a few other things too, but those are the ones that come to mind right away.

 

firefox (haven't even tried chrome yet) and that's the absolute 1st thing I install, not sure about the rest of the shopping list. depends on why i have the computer (writing, school, messing around to learn computer stuff)

 

I share a home network with a couple of family members that have a knack for picking up stupid shit.

 

Firefox
avg free
textpad
acdsee classic
winrar
winamp
paint shop pro
vlc
bsplayer
some things i wrote
some audio utilities & progs
...

 

I would not install AVG. It's a bit of a pig and Combofix won't run with it there. You have to run AVG remover to get rid of it before cleaning the malware.

When I used to work in the service dept. of a computer store and we got an infected computer, we would disable the AV, use Combofix followed by Malwarebytes, then install MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) if the user didn't have a subscription to Norton of McAfee or something. If the AV subscription was expired, we'd remove it and install MSE. We'd update the AV and do a full scan. That usually cleaned the computer enough. Then we would update the Windows. Sometimes the malware clobbers the services and the updates won't work. It needs a bit of patching to get the updates working again.

The first thing I'd do after installing Windows would be to install MSE, then update the Windows until it won't take any more.. Winxp needs to be at SP3, Vista at SP2 and Win7 at SP1 at a minimum. MSE updates itself and updates with Windows Update.

Don't update hardware drivers as Windows update has been known to have buggy drivers. It's usually easy to roll back a driver if it doesn't work. Go to the hardware manufacturers site for drivers.

Most people get malware because the Windows is out of date with security updates and virus definitions are out of date. If you let the computer sit unused for any length of time, run Windows Update manually before doing anything else.

 

Windows:
Norton/Symantec AV
video/sound card/mobo drivers
any .nzb client
mimo
vlc
cccp codec pack
steam

I keep all application related data ( anything installed ), on a separated RAID drive. OS is on 120G SSD. Makes installs/restores very fast.

Linux:
Too lazy to list it all.

 

Assuming drivers are included in the install of windows:

Firefox
Thunderbird (for my gmail accounts)
Pidgin
Office Suite (currently rocking 2010)
Adobe Master Collection (acrobat pro, photoshop etc)
Burning software (imgburn, infrarecorder, and my new favorite gburner)

Usually after Office I install the upgraded microsoft updates option and spend the next hour or so of my life running updates. *sigh*

edit: I really need to get back into the habit of using images. That way I spend maybe 15 mins total time installing.

 

Antivirus, if windows. Then Paint Shop Pro, MS Office. Games reinstalled as I use them.

 

antivirus, Rockmelt, firefox, then whatever else comes to mind.

 

Dedicated AV programs these days tend to range from being so bad they're worse than some actual viruses (norton and mcafee come to mind) to just being not as good as the freeware out there. In general Malwarebytes and Spybot run regularly should be light enough to be feasible and more than powerful enough for anything but the really nasty stuff that'll usually have a dedicated removal tool. And don't feel bad about AVG or the other better-ish AVs slowing you down, even my gaming computer chugs from those guys.

 

i use this for drivers...

http://www.drivermax.com/

if you use the free version, it only lets you get 2 a day but i never need more than that once i'm caught up. also it checks things i don't think about like my peripherals and sound card.

 

You might find this book entertaining
The Myths of Security: What the Computer Security Industry Doesn't Want You to Know
by John Viega

http://www.amazon.com/Myths-Security-Computer-Industry-Doesnt/dp/0596523025
Your's Zweiblumen

 

Chrome and/or Firefox
Avast
Drivers
7zip
putty

I used to install MS Office, but I don't install it on all my machines anymore. I just have it on my desktop. If I wanna work on a doc from my laptops, I usually just use google docs or if I absolutely need word, I remote in to the desktop.

Also, I'm in love with File Hippo, it's the new download.com. Plus the fact that they have an app to check your installed versions (comes in installer or standalone version as well)

 

I install Chrome, Firefox open office, VLC, Winamp, Skype some sort of antivirus - last time I opted for a cloud antivirus and I also tend to install some sort of virtual drive software as my netbook doesn't have a CD drive. I have also started installing and using drop box.

I have given up on a few things like Spotify and Google programs like sketch up and Picasa.

 

Interesting that most people install the web browser first.

If I had to reload the OS on the MBP, I'd start with Avid, Final Cut Pro, 3dsMax, Adobe CS5 master collection, MS Office-- and then Firefox (not a fan of chrome)

 

My motivation is simple - you never know what you might have to download. At times it is easier to go that route or there is a newer build of something out there than what is stored on my server/backup files.
If I MUST use IE than it is only once to download a real browser, but ideally I have Opera ready to go first thing.

 

Web browser gets me to ninite, ninite auto-installs a whole lot of everything else.

 

I only use Mac. I don't have to worry about that nasty IE stuff