Setting up your new PC

So I apologize for blowing up the forums as of lately but, I am new to serious PC gaming and having just ordered I would like reccomendations on the Day 1 set-up to optimize my PC's security, storage, and settings. For instance reccomendations on what programs to install and what drive to install them on and just other day one set-up procedures. I'm sure a lot of you when you get a new PC go through a process of setting it up for play and I guess I am just looking for the run-down on what you do to get it set up for gaming. I plan on reinstalling WoW, LoL, and downloading steam. As for apps I will only really be using spotify, Skype, and possibly Ventrilo/teamspeak/cursevoice. As for web browsers I usually run chrome but I am not extremely knowledgable if that is the correct browser to run on Windows 8 and if there is anything I could uninstall on setup that might be unnecessary to have in the first place. As for virus protection I planned on using either AVG, or Avast seeing as how they're free to use and effective to my experience. I ordered the Vanquish II level 4 and a Asus 24 inch 248 Series (Widescreen) (Black) (2ms Response Time) (LED Backlight) Monitor with the CM Storm Devastator Bundle (Gaming Keyboard & Gaming Mouse. Sorry if that is a lot to ask but, if anyone could shed some light or give me some suggestions it would be greatly appreciated as I am a noob to PC gaming for the most part :p thank you ahead of time.

And for me......  Unbox it, plug it in and fire it up.   

Log into your ISP after hooking to the internet, and load your browser, in my case Firefox.

Install Norton because its free and works just fine.

Load a game and stress the rig, using HWMonitor to check temps for the gpu and cpu cores.

After that, its just loading whatever you'll be using.

Of course, like Pacesetter said, Windows will want ot do all the updates, but you can do it on auto or set it to manual for more control, a little at a time.

Malwarebytes is good to run every week or so.  And CCleaner.  

Good Luck.




Edited by bprat22 - 04 Mar 2015 at 11:35am

I did the OS, antivirus, video, sound, printer drivers and WoW (because that is my goto game).
If you use chrome put it here also.

All else went on the HDD. Games run fine from the HDD and I really see little difference in WoW other than loading screens.

Edited by Pacesetter - 04 Mar 2015 at 11:48am

If you do a lot of Steam games, it's simplest to put them all on your data drive. You can install a few games on the SSD, just watch your space. I suspect SSDs won't slow down to being close to capacity like HDs do, but always leave a good chunk of room on your boot/system drive - filling that up is bad

I keep thinking it could be cool, if there was a way to cache your game to a large RAM drive if you don't power down/reboot much and you have the RAM, but no clue how to do that :)