tweaks and software installs on Inspiron 15

A free upgrade to Windows 7 came bundled with my new Inspiron 15 laptop. So I won't be replacing Windows 7 RC with Ubuntu, as was the plan with my previous laptop. I do have the option of replacing Vista with Ubuntu, after the retail version of Windows 7 is installed. At this stage however, I'd like to keep my previous configuration, which was as follows:
* on drive C - the Vista OS, most programs, my documents, my music, my pictures and my video; and
* on drive D - only the Windows 7 OS and a couple of programs.

I still had to be aware that some programs don't work optimally when shared from a single location in a dual-boot configuration.

Two initial steps were:
* create 25GB partition (see entry below) and install Windows 7 RC;
* restore backup to Vista partition.

Then came this list of installations (with destination folder) and tweaks, in two phases:

Windows 7 (Pre-release candidate):
* change number of seconds for display of OS options in MBR;
* add ado-win7 to home network;
* add Documents, Music, Video and Pictures folders on Vista partition to counterparts in Windows 7 library;
* create new 'Downloads' library (Libraries > New Library);
* add 'englesaxe_new' and 'comics' to Favorites (by drag and drop), in Libraries;
* install Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG anti-virus (to drive D);
* display selected desktop widgets (clock, calendar, weather, RSS feed, CPU and memory monitors);
* set up Le Monde RSS feed;
* install Google Chrome (to drive D) and set as default browser;
* import (previously saved) bookmarks;
* install Notepad++ (to drive C);
* install FileZilla (to drive C);
* install CDisplay (to drive C);
* install WinMerge (to drive C);
* install Adobe Reader (to drive C);

With that setup I'm able to work on the Engle Saxe site, read comics and surf my favourite sites.

Windows 7 (after release on Oct 22)

* all of the above plus:
* add wireless printer and check it works in win 7 with current driver;
* install utorrent (to drive C [or D?];
* forward port in Netgear router console for utorrent in Windows 7;
* install mkv2vob (to drive C);
* install Apache (to drive C) and set up web server;
* install virtual PC (to drive C) and set up virtual machines;
* install Firefox, Opera and Safari (to drive C);
* activate guest account;
* install Movie Maker (to drive D);
* set up periodic backups to a new folder (win7_backup) on portable hard drive; do initial backup; delete old backups;
* prevent 'sleep' on closing lid and after 20 mins of inactivity;
* install Dreamweaver and Fireworks (to drive C);