Adapted from Ed Bott's Your New PC: Seven Easy Steps to Help You Get Started!

When you set up a new desktop computer, some assembly is required. And computer setup isn't limited to hardware — when you first turn on a new computer that has Microsoft Windows preinstalled, you need to perform some simple setup tasks.

Follow these steps to set up a new desktop computer:

• Connect the hardware.
• Run Windows Setup.

Connect the hardware

If the new computer is a standard desktop model, it consists of at least four pieces: a central processing unit (CPU), which is the box that contains the computer's processor, memory, disk drives, and ports for connecting external devices; a monitor; a keyboard; and a mouse. There might also be a pair of external speakers.

Turn the CPU around. The back of the CPU has a collection of ports and jacks that looks something like this illustration, although they might be arranged differently.

 Keyboard and mouse

 Parallel

 Serial

 Speaker/microphone

 IEEE 1394 (FireWire)

 Network jack

 USB

 Display adapter

To connect the computer hardware, follow these steps:

1. Connect the keyboard and mouse   If the connector on the cord that is attached to the keyboard or mouse is round, plug the cord into a matching port on the back of the computer, like the keyboard and mouse ports shown in the illustration. If the connector on the cord is flat, plug it into any available USB port, like those shown at bottom right in the illustration. Both types of connectors are designed so that you can't plug them in the wrong way.

    Tip   If the computer uses a cordless mouse or cordless keyboard, follow the manufacturer's instructions to connect it to the computer.

2. Attach the monitor to the display adapter   Most monitors use a standard analog cable with a 15-pin connector that plugs into a matching port. Some specialized monitors use digital connectors, which require a matching digital display adapter and a custom cable.
3. Connect the speakers to the computer's audio output   The connector for stereo speakers is typically color-coded lime green. If the computer comes with a surround sound system, check the computer manual to find out where to plug in the center and back speakers. If the speaker cables have connectors that don't match the ports on the CPU, you might need to buy an adapter cable.
4. Connect the CPU to an AC power source   Look for the thick power cord that comes with your computer. Plug the female end into the power supply on the back of the computer (not shown in the illustration), and plug the male end into a wall socket. If there is a surge protector or an uninterruptible power supply connected to the AC power source, plug the CPU power cord into that power source instead.
5. Connect the monitor to an AC power source   Press the power switch on the monitor to turn it on.
6. Press the power switch on the front of the computer   Soon after the computer turns on, a series of status messages appears on the monitor, the last of which is the Windows desktop or the Windows logon screen.

You're now ready to perform some simple Windows Setup tasks.

Run Windows Setup

The first time you turn on the computer, you must run Windows Setup. You can't skip this step, but you can go through it pretty quickly. Each screen asks you a question or allows you to select an option. The exact sequence of questions may vary, depending on how the computer maker assembled your computer.

Here's a list of what you can expect to accomplish as you complete Windows Setup:

• Accept the Microsoft Software License Terms   This legal agreement between the computer user, the computer maker, and Microsoft sets forth the user's legal rights to use the software. If you're setting up this computer for another user, you can accept this agreement without reading it.
• Enter the computer user's name and company name  
• Choose region, language, and keyboard settings   The region and language settings tell Windows what language you want it to use for menus and dialog boxes. You can also specify whether the keyboard is not for use in the United States. Western European keyboards, for instance, offer keys and combinations that you can use to type accented characters more easily. If you're in the United States, you most likely want to accept the defaults.
• Select a time zone   Scroll through the list, and find the closest major city that's in your time zone. If your part of the world does not observe daylight saving time, make sure the Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes check box is clear.
• Give the computer a name   The name that you type here is what other users see when you share your files or printers with them over a network. When naming the computer, don't use the user name; if you do, Windows may get confused later if you try to set up a network. If you don't feel creative, Windows creates a random computer name for you.
• Activate and/or register the computer's copy of Windows with Microsoft   This step is optional, but it is very helpful if you plan to set up Internet access.
• Set up a user account   By default, Windows XP creates an account called Administrator (or Owner, if you're using Windows XP Home Edition). The purpose of this account, as you might guess from the name, is to perform administrative tasks. Set up an account by entering the computer user's first name.

When you complete Windows Setup, click Finish. The computer restarts. On the Welcome screen, click the name of the user account that you just created to continue to the Windows desktop.

About the author  Ed Bott is an award-winning journalist and a former writer and editor for PC World and PC Computing. One of the most recognized voices in the computing world, he is a two-time winner of the Jesse H. Neal Editorial Achievement Award and a three-time winner of the Computer Press Association Award. This article is adapted from Ed Bott's Your New PC: Seven Easy Steps to Help You Get Started! (2005), which is available from Microsoft Learning.