Need Advice on Initial Set Up of New Dell 6000 Notebook

Hey everyone! I am new to the world of notebooks and PC's. I'm a soldier who just purchased a new Dell 6000 notebook to take with me over to Iraq. Before I even begin using the notebook, I want to ensure that I set it up properly to get the best performance, get rid of unnecessary programs and services,have the protection I need, and be able to connect to the internet wirelessly and efficiently. The computer is still in the box....so I'm starting from scratch. If need to make back up CD's of the operating system, etc, please let me know. I'm a computer "neandarthal" when it comes to setting up a new PC. Any advice on steps for setting up a new laptop to be as fast and efficient as possible would be greatly appreciated. Here are a few specs on the computer I bought:

Intel Pentium M 760 2.0 GHz Processor
2.0GB Shared DDR RAM
80 GB Internal Hard Drive
128MB Radeon X300 Video Card
Windows XP Professional w/ Service Pack 2
8x DVD+/2 RW Drive
Norton Internet Security
Intel 2915 Interal Wireless Card
Dell 350 Bluetooth

**** A ton of pre loaded crap that I don't want!

Thanks in advance for the advice you may have!

-Mike