Computer cleaning
 

How does one clean up their computer? Where would I go to get rid of all the unwanted shit that the computer may have picked up over time? And I don't mean a store.

Do you mean system-wise or the actual machine itself?

format c: then reinstall Windows

Or try Ubuntu. It's surprisingly pleasant.

System-wise. Someone gave me a comp and it is really slow. I want to see what is slowing it down.

Thanks, Nate. I'll spend the next few weeks trying to decipher that and then I'll do it.

Try this, Hitman Pro installs a bunch of programs (legal certified versions mostly, trail versions of others) and uses an automated script to run all of them. Catch is that you can't use your computer while it's running because it needs control over your mouse to work proper. The whole process takes around an hour and a half to two hours to complete, depending on the level of fucked upness of the computer.

After your done with that, run a virus scan if you have one (if not Hitman Pro comes with a trail version of one, be sure to turn that off if you have your own by the way). Can take an hour or two depending on the size of your discs.

And after that do a defragmentation of all your discs. You'll find that in your start menu under 'accessories' and then system maintainance. This also will take an hour or two if not longer, again depending on the size and fuckedupness of your discs.

To run the entire thing you'll probably need an entire afternoon. Luckily you only have to turn the last two on and let them go. In case of Hitman Pro I'd recommend checking up on it every once in a while to see if it's still busy.

Hope thats enough info for ya. Good luck.

yepper

also delete and uninstall any files you dont need anymore

it surprising how 20-30 little files can destroy a computer:happy:

Reinstalling Windows is starting to become a habbit with our house's main computer.

I do it once a year or so. There's only so much anti virus and anti spyware programs can keep out. Having a fresh start every year isn't so bad.

same here i uninstall windows and all my anti virus stuff then i put them all back together the next day

You can use Webroot Window Washer, recently updated: it cleans your PC from all the useless files and improve the performance. And your PC retrieves GBs! Also it deletes cookies, temporary files, old remnants of deleted files...
You can try it for 30 days, it is comptaible with Windows Vista and, after last update, it is improved. I suggest you it :)!!!

I never really reinstall windows, I run test apps on a virtual pc, if for some reason I was drunk and decided to screw windows I've got a ghost image to replace the OS parition which takes about 10mins (basicly copy 4gig back over)

http://www.ccleaner.com/
try that,
it cans your comp for crap and then deletes it!

Jenius!

I think there are too many cleaners, but thay make all the same thing. Sure, you must use the better, but I think many cleaners are very good.

Now let's try that post in English abeisnow!...

LOL he only speaks engrish

Sigh, I thought people should help foreign people... we live in a very crappy world.

No you live in a world where Hobo is a moderator. Sucks to be you.

If me taking the piss out of your shite English is the worst thing happening in your life you should be the happiest man alive.

Why isn't this forum Italian? I really want to read your Italian post...
Anyway there is a cleaner programme in MSN.

Just take it to a store. Splash out on yourself.

I dunno what version of MSN you have but mine won't do anything but allow me to chat with other people. The last thing it does is clean my computer...

Only stuff like that I get on msn is links spamed to me from infected people..

There is NO computer cleaner in MSN. Stop being ridiculous.

One suspects he means MS Windows.

Yet i do not understand how he can put that down to a translation error...

I format my drive, but I always save my hent- er, anime to discs or USBs or whatever anyway, the rest I reinstall manually, mostly because I never use half the junk I install and don't pay attention them.

Yes there is one: go to this site http://onecare.live.com/site/it-it/default.htm
I think it is Italian but you can find an antivirus and a cleaner programme.

So, um, wait...you reinstall windows every year?

Excuse my ignorance, but how exactly do you do this? Does it make a real difference in computer speed? And I assume you have to reinstall any programs you need back onto it...which means we're screwed. Our computer already had windows on it, including Word etc. We'll lose all of that, since we don't have Microsoft Office on disc or anything. GAAAH.

And isn't that Hitman Pro thing just an anti-spyware program? or does it do other things? Because I don't see much there. We already have anti-spyware and loads of other crap.

It can make a real difference in speed, depending on how much you use your computer. Yea you'll have to reinstall programs again but on the plus side you'll lose any stray programs you didn't use anyway. It also has the advantage of cleaning out your windows registry, get rid of any file errors you have collected over time and stuff like that.

I have my computer set up in such a way that I can do a reinstall of Windows in under an hour. From there I have all the programs I use regularly backed up on one of my disks so I can install them straight away. Takes about 3 hours in total but then you'll be back to exactly what you had before the reinstall, but without errors, faulty installations and the computer will be a bit faster.

What kind of disc do you have them backed up on? Hard disc, or a CD thing?

And do you reinstall programs, or just sort of 'copy paste' them back on? Since our comp already had Word etc. on it, we don't have an ID key or anything you'd need...

I have a bare bones Vista, and I don't mind putting Word, WoW, VCL and stuff back in every year.

It gives me plenty of time to paint Warhammer models while I sit around.

I'll give you a quick overview of how my computer works. It has 3 hard discs; the first one consists of two physical discs that function as one to give a boost to the overall system performance. This drive contains my Windows installation and any hardware drivers I need to install.

The second disc is a 300GB disc which I use to install just about every program onto. This allows said program and Windows to keep working at full speed instead of both being loaded from the same disc. I also have my own version of the My Documents folder on this disc with a shortcut planted on the desktop instead of the original.

The third disc is another 300GB disc which contains all my music, movies, TV series and other downloads I have yet to sort out. At this time I only have 3GB left on it so... I need a new one :P.

Now, because there is no vital system information on the first discs except for Windows itself (My Documents is on the second disc along with any important files I have) the only thing I have to do to reinstall Windows is back up maybe 1 or two things, format the Windows disc and do a fresh install. Saves a lot of hard and long backing up of stuff on a DVD or whatever.

As for not having a license code for your word anymore, you'll have to buy a new copy or download a cracked version somewhere. However as a mod on this forum I can not legally tell you to download illegal software so: Be a good citizen and always buy your software in the store. No matter how overpriced it is. Remember: Downloading is terrorism!

Surely you still have to reinstall the programs so that they're in the registry?

Of course.

Yeah...I don't really know enough about computers to exactly add other hard drives, not my dad's computer anyway, don't have much money, only have one hard disc, doubt it's anywhere near 300GB, blah blah blah...

So I'm kinda screwed in that department, so I think I better just forgo the whole thing rather than melt my brain as well as the whole computer with it...