Dell OptiPlex GX50 User Guide - Page 62

www.dell.com | support.dell.com Software Installation and Configuration When you obtain software, check it for viruses with virus-scanning software before installing it on your computer's hard drive. Viruses, which are pieces of code that can replicate themselves, can quickly use all available computer memory, damage or destroy data stored on the hard drive, and permanently affect the performance of the programs they infect. Several commercial virus-scanning programs are available for purchase, and most bulletin board services (BBSs) archive freely distributed virus-scanning programs that you can download with a modem. Before you install a program, read its documentation to learn how the program works, what hardware it requires, and what its defaults are. A program usually includes installation instructions in its accompanying documentation and a software installation routine on its program floppy disks or CD(s). The software installation routine assists you in transferring the appropriate program files to your computer's hard drive. Installation instructions may provide details about how to configure your operating system to successfully run the program. Always read the installation instructions before running a program's installation routine. You may be instructed to modify some operating system start-up files, such as config.sys and autoexec.bat, or the installation routine may modify start-up files automatically. When you run the installation routine, be prepared to respond to prompts for information about how your computer's operating system is configured, what type of computer you have, and what devices are connected to your computer. 60 Advanced Features