You can move the installation files onto the new machine and install them. I use Comodo on my Vista machines rather than the Windows firewall. It's a good idea to use your other machine to get the installation files for the antivirus, antimalware, firewall, browsers and other programs needed on the new machine. I'd first uninstall and clean up the new machine. Even put CCleaner on there and clean the registry once cleaned up. Do all of this before you even go online with it. Have it protected. Don't forget SpywareBlaster.

I'm a big fan of Toshiba. Best value out there in a laptop. They've done them right for more than a decade.

One caveat: Some software has different versions for the 64 bit OS so be careful to get the correct version.

FWIW, I also replace Notepad and the calculator and tweak the shell settings on new machines. Microsoft's items are so weak in so many ways, I avoid them whenever possible.

I would download the current version of Avast to a flash drive on your current pc and then transfer from that to the new laptop. That way you will have the current version with maybe only one or two updates to do. I think the older setup is too old to use on your new laptop.

I'm not among those recommending Windows FW over ZA, so someone else will have to answer that question.

#2: Why do some of you recommend Windows FW over ZoneAlarm?

I did not recommend it but noted that it was in fact a 2 way firewall thus better than the one on XP computers. My experience with Vista is by trying to teach both my 74 year old BIL and a 73 year old friend the ways of computing as both are first timers. Not having to make drastic alterations and then offer an explanation I thought it better for me to leave the Vista firewall where it was.

The friend has had the computer 10 months with no problems so I figure the Vista firewall and Windows Defender are doing the intended job.

I use Vista firewall too if I find a simple tool works and it does you can bet I'm going to use it before installing a program like Zone Alarm I also use Defender.

as to the Avast question I too would say go get a new version of Avast and download it to a flash drive and install that then get the updates you will have much less to download that way and have an easier install, don't forget to register it.
It would take the same effort to get the new version as it would to burn off the one you have on the pc so might as well go the easier route.

Thanks everyone.

I cleaned the computer (as much as I can right now, will probably remove more later), installed the recommended anti-spyware tools, installed Avast and Firefox, and turned on Windows Defender and Windows FW.

Now I'm trying to set up the wireless connection which is giving me trouble. We have a wireless router and the set-up on the laptop is asking me for a security passkey which doesn't seem to be the same as our router password or any other password or security key we've been given. We have a router password. The Router documentation says to provide the SSID and WEP numbers during the set-up, yet it seems to ask only for the WEP. So, I seem to be stalled for the night.

WPA is better than WEP, but WEP is better than nothing. If you only have the option of setting up WEP, than use WEP.

Some routers will let you enter a password and will then generate the passkey. The passkey is a long hexadecimal number (0-9 and A-F). That's what you need to use for the next step.

We finally got a good wireless connection set up. Then, we discovered additional security settings in the router administration panel to block SSID and WEP, so we set those. After that, we couldn't connect, so we turned off those settings and set the MAC address instead. Now we're connected.......... but is that safe??????

I guess it will take another day or two to get these issues sorted out......

Hubby got things working today with WPA. WOW, what a difference 4GB RAM (and a clean computer) make!!!

Many thanks to everyone for your help!

Glad to hear it's all working. Thanks for letting us know.

I'm also glad to hear you're using WPA.

excellent! yes always go for WPA it is much safer, have fun with your new fast clean machine!

bpgreen and ravencajun: Yep -- thanks again!

Congrats on your new laptop. I also bought one - my first.

My question regards firewalls. I recently learned Vista's default setting is for inbound only. When I enabled the outbound part of Vista's firewall, my browser refused to work. (Opera) As soon as I restored the default setting (one way), Opera worked perfectly. Has anyone had experience with the 2-way FW disagreeing/agreeing with what browser? Thanks.

I also uninstalled all the trial software. Used Ccleaner afterwards. Then was interested in trying Comodo's free registry cleaner. It found 2700 pieces of garbage. A lot from the uninstalls (MS Office). I will continue to use it.