P.C Clean Up- Handy Hints

[Summers76]

The other thread is locked so I hope its okay to post a handy hint, for members on site.

Like many others I save pages of information in folders and documents on my pc, sometimes I just save items for a short while. But just like your desk, filling cabinet or even your car...... needs a tidy up now and then, so does your pc.

If I have been busy with research data and my  my pc, is going slow I find that once a month, I go through my Favourites/Files etc and delete, those links I dont need anymore.

Then I clear the cache, (sometimes pop ups can drop by) this will help for a start and shift most of them pronto.

Next I Defrag my files and folders (if this is your first go it may take some time, but will be worth it)

Then I use the computers in-built 'Scan System' to run a full Scan, again this can take a while ( my first try it took over an hour)

So if your having a few problems, no need to buy expensive gadgets, just use your own computers system.

Regards Summers

[pjbuk007]

Good idea to tidy up, but I have a few comments.

First, what OS and browser are you using?

In XP just using microsoft's own cleaners/antivirus etc may not be sufficient. Vista has much better utilities built-in.  Macs are of course a different kettle of fish.

I use XP pro SP2/3

I highly recommend using [FREE!] ccleaner at least weekly to clear all the junk.  This clears the cache, cookies and other rubbish. You do have to log into Rootschat (and other sites) again as it clears all cookies but this is much safer anyway.  Safe link to their site:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/downloads/index.cfm?categoryid=1506&itemId=24149

I would not really recommend defragging your hard disk as often as you do unless you have very little memory.  Doing it that often will not really give much speed advantage otherwise.  I do it only about 6 monthly. XP tells you not to unless your hard disk is 10% fragmented or more.  And, of course you need to have 15% free hard disk space.  It depends very much how you use your computer, eg lots of work on photos, lots of downloads may need to do it more often.

If you have ever watched in horror as defrag has hung up and you are in limbo, you will know what I mean!

If by  I use the computers in-built 'Scan System' to run a full Scan,   you mean an antivirus scan, then you are not doing it often enough.  You should have an antivirus scan scheduled weekly as a minimum, I do it 2-3/per week.

[celia]

summers
you would be amazed at the amount of people who have had a P.C for years,but only use it to connect to the net.I have had a friend for years who does just that Her P.C is allways getting fixed even a new one.For the simple reason it is always full of junk;D She hasn't got a clue how to do things on Like cleaning it out when it starts sticking.As My bruv once said years ago,when i said "I cant do that on mine" His reply was Celia you computer can do anything you want it to do" He was right it'sjust a case of getting to know your computer so saving yourself a fortune in the future. I often hear how do i do this or that,look in your computer and find out

Celia

[Christine in Portugal]

If you decide to use CCleaner you can choose to keep the cookies for sites like rootschat which means you don't have to log in every time.

The place to find that is to click options and then cookies.

Christine

[pjbuk007]

Christine, I know, but I prefer to re-login, as multiuser computer.

There are some sites I need to logout of every time (banking, share dealing) so I prefer to keep the login/logout habit anyway.

[Summers76]

Hello Celia, Christine and pjbuk007,   many thanks for your posts.  Like many others on site its only a few years since I started exploring sites re'Family History and Holiday destinations ' and to store my large collection of photographs (family and holidays)

 Many places do intro courses on 'Working With Your Computer' thats what I did, and made new friends all ages while learning.(the eldest on the course was 80yrs young)
 
My computer is a few years old, and was given to me by a family member.  It works like clockwork now, but like I tried to explain in my first post,  pjbuk007,  you must give your computer a good clean out/ and delete any unwanted files on a regular basis. (yes by all means install a Firewall etc to halt those nasty Spams)

I have friends who paid a lot of money for systems that said on the instructions, will clean  your PC,  some friends with upto date laptops and modern computers said they were not impressed.

The original point I was trying to make was that many of us are not technology experts, and by reading your computer instruction book, newbies may just find the answers they need.

I am not in any way going to advertise any products, but many of them are very expensive to buy, and at the end of the day may not really help.

As it is my computer is my best friend and now only needs a overhall every three or four months.   Compared to when I first started using it.

Truly its never too late to sign up for a Learners Course on the Do's and Dont's.

Happy surfing to all on Rootschat........Summers

[celia]

I can nearly allways tell when people went to computer Lessons to learn how to use one.They put capitol letters comers and full stops in the right places I went to one as well

Celia

[pjbuk007]

Hi Summers I was trying to be tactful about managing your computer.  Your basic idea is fine but I would argue with much of what you say, and am now seriously concerned that you seem to imply that I should go on a basic computer course.

Maybe you did not mean that, but as someone who has had her own PC since 1985 (not the same one) and used computers at work for heavy duty data analysis since 1981, I must beg to differ!

[jc26red]

I must agree with pj.....
I've been using computers since 1976 (thats actually operating it, not using a terminal!)  and a home computer since the early 80s.  I've NEVER had a pc/laptop overhauled by anyone  and only one virus due to a teenage daughter and music downloads. I won't tell you what I said to her!
My pc does occasionally run slow but then I do a quick cleanup. Defragging is a LAST resort and only if general clearing the temp files etc doesn't make a great deal of difference and its definitely not a weekly occurrence - maybe yearly.
Virus check once a week but I do have it running in the background all the time as well. Plus Adware run once a week, if I remember

Windows updates are the only necessary evil that unsettle my pc on occassion.