The question many people have: how do i speed up my computer? it used to be so fast!

[mikal]

hi, i'm just looking for tips to speed this thing up. i normally do a defrag and a disk cleanup once a month, but it doesn't really seem to do anything.

any tips?

oh, by the way, i have Windows XP.

thank you!

 

[Galeongirl]

Get Ccleaner, that will take care of most things you should normally do separately.

Also it might help to get rid of programs that start up automatically when you start your pc, check in preferences or programs like msn or winzip and such if it starts up automatically and turn that off, that way your pc will start up faster.

 

[mikal]

Get Ccleaner, that will take care of most things you should normally do separately.

Also it might help to get rid of programs that start up automatically when you start your pc, check in preferences or programs like msn or winzip and such if it starts up automatically and turn that off, that way your pc will start up faster.

is it a free download? safe?

 

[Galeongirl]

Yes it's free and safe
CCleaner - Home

 

[Sicy]

I will have to try that.. my computer used to be crazy fast and now not so much.

 

[mikal]

sweet, thank you!

 

[anitram]

Format your hard drive.

 

[MooMoo!]

Honestly. Ive done a lot to get my windows laptop faster.


Only thing that actually made a noticable difference was wiping it all.

 

[mikal]

Honestly. Ive done a lot to get my windows laptop faster.


Only thing that actually made a noticable difference was wiping it all.

yeah, i've thought about deleting all my music since it's all on my Ipod, but i enjoy listening to music on my PC too.

 

[mikal]

Format your hard drive.

what do you mean by that? i see a format option, but i don't want to fuck anything up.

 

[Sicy]

Er yah that means wiping it all clean.

 

[mikal]

Er yah that means wiping it all clean.

ooh....well that's no fun.

 

[anitram]

Save everything you want to save. If you have an external hard drive, that makes it very easy.

It's really the only way that's going to bring it back to being like you just bought it.

 

[Galeongirl]

Yeah getting an external hard drive is a great idea. Just put all your music and videos and such on there and you can take it off your pc.

 

[mikal]

Yeah getting an external hard drive is a great idea. Just put all your music and videos and such on there and you can take it off your pc.

i might do that. btw, thanks again for ccleanup idea. i can tell a difference already, especially with starting up programs.

 

[Sicy]

So that ccleanup worked? I was waiting for you to be the guinea pig before I tried it.

 

[MooMoo!]

^ an external would be good IMO. I didnt so much wipe my stuff, but formatted as it was already said. So if you could move your personal files to an external, then reformat that'd seem a good solution. (could be a little drastic though)

 

[mikal]

So that ccleanup worked? I was waiting for you to be the guinea pig before I tried it.

yeah. works pretty well.

 

[mikal]

^ an external would be good IMO. I didnt so much wipe my stuff, but formatted as it was already said. So if you could move your personal files to an external, then reformat that'd seem a good solution. (could be a little drastic though)

yeah, i think i'll do this, and external hard drives don't seem too expensive.

 

[Sicy]

I have an external that I got on craigs list for like $30

 

[Galeongirl]

So that ccleanup worked? I was waiting for you to be the guinea pig before I tried it.

Doncha trust me anymore then?


The only thing you should be careful with is restoring registry stuff. But the program always prompts you to make a backup first, so that takes care of that.

Besides that, it can clean about anything on the pc.

 

[TedUK]

A major reason for slowdowns on most of the computers I see is due to spyware infestations. They may not be as dangerous as viruses, but they can clog up your arteries like a lifetime of booze and fast food!

Two free programs that I install on any computer I set up are Lavasoft's Ad-Aware which you can get from Ad-Aware @ Lavasoft - The Original Anti-Spyware Company - Lavasoft and Spybot Search & Destroy from The home of Spybot-S&D! . Install and run both of them AFTER using a program such as CCleaner or Diskcleaner Disk Cleaner

Beware if you use AVG antivirus, though. Currently it has problems with Ad-Aware, though they're working on a fix. Don't install Ad-Aware if you use AVG. Try Malwarebytes instead Malwarebytes.org

I recommend using 2 spyware cleaners because you usually find that one discovers stuff that the first one leaves behind. Remember to update & run these free programs regularly - I do mine about every 2 weeks.

Teddy

 

[sue4u2]

Downloading CCleaner now.
My anti-virus expired yesterday. and I have already paid everything. I've got to have something, free, for 2 -3 weeks at least.
I like freeware where I can donate when I have the funds.
Will AVG and CCleaner protect me for 2 weeks or so?

 

[Galeongirl]

AVG is good enough to protect you for the rest of your life for free.
And CCleanere should be used regularly, say, once every 1 or 2 months or so. Because cookies and temp internet files will come back, and you just never know what other shit ends up on your computer. Same with that you should scan for viruses daily, this just have to be done daily.

 

[Liesje]

* Run disk cleanup
* Run disk defrag
* Check through programs/processes that run on startup (Start > Run > msconfig)
* Don't be running more than one av/cleaner/anti-spyware/malware/etc program at a time (find a GOOD product that isn't a memory hog and does ALL these functions)
* If you have less than 2GB RAM, turn off Aero in Vista

 

[sue4u2]

* Run disk cleanup
* Run disk defrag
* Check through programs/processes that run on startup (Start > Run > msconfig)
* Don't be running more than one av/cleaner/anti-spyware/malware/etc program at a time (find a GOOD product that isn't a memory hog and does ALL these functions)
* If you have less than 2GB RAM, turn off Aero in Vista

I've done this except for the programs that run on startup. But I'm most anxious to get a antivirus prgram. I've also done a sys. restore
Should I get the adaware and CCleaner or Malwarebytes? or all of these.
When I downloaded CCleaner last night I somehow downloaded a registry booster that only removed 15 and you had to buy it to get the rest off. I don't know if that was in with the CCleaner or if I clicked on the wrong thing. But my fuctionality is back since I did the restore. So I have to get av on here.
Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Galeongirl]

Ccleaner is 100% free so that can't be it. It can also clean the registry so don't bother with the other program.

It is, however, not comparable with adware and malware programs, it cleans up your computer but doesn't detect viruses and spyware and such. You need separate programs for that.
I only have adaware, and no problems here, but I'm sure someone with malwarebytes swears by that program. It's a bit biased with what you use yourself.

 

[Liesje]

I've done this except for the programs that run on startup. But I'm most anxious to get a antivirus prgram. I've also done a sys. restore
Should I get the adaware and CCleaner or Malwarebytes? or all of these.
When I downloaded CCleaner last night I somehow downloaded a registry booster that only removed 15 and you had to buy it to get the rest off. I don't know if that was in with the CCleaner or if I clicked on the wrong thing. But my fuctionality is back since I did the restore. So I have to get av on here.
Thanks again for all the help.

CCleaner is different. I've seen it on some comps but personally have never used it and haven't had a need for it. For virus/adware/malware protection I would get ONE program that does it all. Read reviews and make sure it's a good program that won't bog down your system, depending on how much memory you have. My current program is very good and I'm happy with it, but admittedly it does effect performance and my computer would be faster without it.

 

[melon]

Even though I have what would be considered a very fast computer, NOD32/ESET Smart Security has a low resource footprint, so that's what I use for an antivirus and firewall. I don't need my computer speed being bogged down by resource-intensive AV processes!

 

[TedUK]

I use Avast Personal Edition for anti-virus, Zonealarm firewall and Spybot S&D with Ad-Aware SE for spyware protection. Haven't had any major problems for the last four years or so. Avast does require registration every year, but it doesn't cost anything, and doesn't flood your inbox with junk mail!

I used to recommend AVG free edition anti-virus, but some of my clients have had problems with updating, plus it now seems to conflict with Ad-Aware. Until those problems are solved, I'm holding off on recommending it again.

Teddy