Basic setup options Almost any Windows program has these essential options: choosing the install location (where the installed program will reside in your computer), Start menu folder (here you will find shortcuts to all of the executable files included in the program and sometimes a Help file) and desktop shortcut.
Analyze them carefully and skip the ones you don't need.
Check the system requirements A program's system requirements are very important and you should always look to see if you meet them before installing any app.
First of all, if you don't have a supported operating system, installing the program can lead to system instability and errors.
Also, an application also has some hardware requirements.
If they are not listed, it means that they are equal or lower with the ones of the supported operating systems, so you should be fine as long as your system is running under a supported OS.
If you install a program that has higher hardware requirements than your computer's configuration you might experience slow access and reaction times, or you have a really old computer, the program might not work at all.
Read carefully These days, most programs have a default setup: you might have a choice between something like "default" and "custom" or default could mean simply pressing "Next" without changing any settings, until the installation is complete.
Ironically, the "custom" install process is also default if you don't fiddle with the settings.
I always recommend people to go with the "custom" install mode if it is offered.
Even if you don't plan on changing any settings, it's always good to see what options you have and often the default installation automates the whole process, hiding these settings from the user to simplify things.
Whatever the case, you should read every setup dialog box before going to the next one for a few simple reasons.
Sometimes, an installer will include third-party apps and other types of adware that you need to opt out off, unless you want them of course.
Other times, a more complex program can be made of modules and the installer will offer you the possibility to install only specific ones.
Besides these common cases, any program can have some settings that you really need to take a look at and change them according to your needs.
Whatever type of app you might need, be very careful when you download free software.
Only download from trustworthy websites and make sure you download the original, unmodified installer.
Analyze them carefully and skip the ones you don't need.
Check the system requirements A program's system requirements are very important and you should always look to see if you meet them before installing any app.
First of all, if you don't have a supported operating system, installing the program can lead to system instability and errors.
Also, an application also has some hardware requirements.
If they are not listed, it means that they are equal or lower with the ones of the supported operating systems, so you should be fine as long as your system is running under a supported OS.
If you install a program that has higher hardware requirements than your computer's configuration you might experience slow access and reaction times, or you have a really old computer, the program might not work at all.
Read carefully These days, most programs have a default setup: you might have a choice between something like "default" and "custom" or default could mean simply pressing "Next" without changing any settings, until the installation is complete.
Ironically, the "custom" install process is also default if you don't fiddle with the settings.
I always recommend people to go with the "custom" install mode if it is offered.
Even if you don't plan on changing any settings, it's always good to see what options you have and often the default installation automates the whole process, hiding these settings from the user to simplify things.
Whatever the case, you should read every setup dialog box before going to the next one for a few simple reasons.
Sometimes, an installer will include third-party apps and other types of adware that you need to opt out off, unless you want them of course.
Other times, a more complex program can be made of modules and the installer will offer you the possibility to install only specific ones.
Besides these common cases, any program can have some settings that you really need to take a look at and change them according to your needs.
Whatever type of app you might need, be very careful when you download free software.
Only download from trustworthy websites and make sure you download the original, unmodified installer.