Spring clean the comp

[fleamailman]

This is a canned of basic advice given by a malware removal forum, when something isn't working quite right, this will improve performance but that is not the goal here as for example deleting the prefetch doesn't gain anything but there might be a few odds and ends that were not deleted when a hardware was removed or uninstalled. Anyway, hope it pleases, wording is my own so feel free to link or use, I use runbox commands because if the poster replies "hey dude what's the runbox and what is the winkey" one knows that one is probably dealing with a newbie and can explain further:

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Welcome to Kicken Hardware

Time to use your "runbox" to clean your computer,
(all these steps are done with the run box then)

Run Box
find and press the keys; the Winkey button and the R button together(up pops the runbox)
(all these steps can be simply done by typing commands in the run box then)

Step1 deleting the prefetch files
type, or cut/paste this to runbox: prefetch
press: enter
(the prefetch folder opens)
press: Ctrl botton with the A button(select all is the same)
press: shift + delete botton(deletes with prompt)

Step2 disc clean up
type or cut/paste this to runbox: cleanmgr.exe
choose drive(normally C: )
press: enter(this process can take a long time)

Step3 checkdisk
type, or cut/paste this to runbox: chkdsk /f /r
press: enter( black window appears)
press: Y button
press: enter
reboot the computer(this process is the longest, worse the screen may be lost before hours later the computer arrives at the welcome screen)

Step4 disc defragmenter
type or cut/paste this to runbox: dfrg.msc
press enter(this process can take a long time)


When all this is finished, feedback good or bad, is welcome as there are still other things to do here.

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(a bit more if you like)

deleting internet cookies, files and history
press: winkey + r button
type: inetcpl.cpl
press: enter
click: delete cookies
click: delete file
click: clear history

disabling unwanted startups
(attention: if you are having your malware removed by hjt log reader, enable all starts while taking the hjt scan)
press: winkey + r button
type: msconfig
press: enter
click on: start ups
keep: the AV and firewall entriies enable,
disable: 100% unused or unneeded entries
Unsure about the start up: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/

[kern]

handy tips!

[mylanta]

Ou***anding Tips ...I have made this a Sticky!

[fleamailman]

the tuts have begun, this site will be one of the best out there, promise.

[mylanta]

I am holding you to it!!!

[fleamailman]

Hold everyone to it.

[Guest110]

very nice.. one thing though the emptying of the prefetch foder is a myth i believe.. please read this (http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000743.html)

[fleamailman]

Blackmorror, you are not looking at the top of the post where it says exactly that. The point is not speed, but are there unwanted leftover entries of things that have been uninstalled, most likely yes, so it is a clean up, not a speed thing, not a performance thing, a place where orphaned entries can cause funny things to happen.

[I took that link last year to Geekstogo saying that I was actually talking to the guy himself who was heckling me at Tech Support Guy over it, they were adiment about clearing the prefetch as a good step so that is why I have it]

[Guest110]

Blackmorror, you are not looking at the top of the post where it says exactly that. The point is not speed, but are there unwanted leftover entries of things that have been uninstalled, most likely yes, so it is a clean up, not a speed thing, not a performance thing, a place where orphaned entries can cause funny things to happen.

[I took that link last year to Geekstogo saying that I was actually talking to the guy himself who was heckling me at Tech Support Guy over it, they were adiment about clearing the prefetch as a good step so that is why I have it]

Well why mess with something that doesnt need messing with..... and would it really benefit your pc.. that was the point i was trying to make.. Is it ever justified to empty your prefetch folder??? thats all:D

[fleamailman]

blackmirror, well yes but not often, I mean if one has not done anything to the computer then leave the prefetch alone but if something wacky is happening or if you know that you have done lots of changes, well then go for it. Once a year, or when house moving so to speak.

[Guest110]

blackmirror, well yes but not often, I mean if one has not done anything to the computer then leave the prefetch alone but if something wacky is happening or if you know that you have done lots of changes, well then go for it.

Thank you for the answer thats what i needed to know:D
oops should i have replied to that lol

[dbarrow]

PREFETCH can become somewhat bloated but it is necessary to understand how prefetch works by reviewing the MSKB articles. The items in prefetch will change over time following your usage curve. Prefetch can degrade performance for a while following a session of using programs or apps you do not routinely use and having them bump up to the top in the prefetch until they get replaced.
To do a quick cleanup, a Prefetch Delete.bat file can easily be constructed in Notepad:
del (root drive)C:\Windows\Prefetch\*.* /Q
Save it to your Windows root drive and double click on it to quickly empty prefetch.
This batch file can be automated and scheduled!
Open Task Scheduler and create New Task, point it at your prefetchdel.bat and set your schedule.
My machines run this weekly and unattended.

cleanmgr.exe is another handy utility within XP to remove the buildup of temp and other useless files.
Again, full description and usage info can be found by searching the MSKB.
A batch file to run cleanmgr.exe can be constructed:
cleanmgr.exe /sagerun:1 /sagerun:2
This task can be automated!
Same process as above, create a Task in Task Scheduler and point it at clean.bat.
My machines run this every morning.
Note that cleanmgr does not clean \Documents and Settings\(User)\Local settings\Temp ... a folder where tons of crap accumulates. There are other posts here detailing how to clean this folder.

dfrg.msc
There is much debate over how often to defrag your drives as Windows supposedly manages this on its own. Some camps favor regular defrags.
Again, a DefragC.bat can be created:
defrag C: -f
Create one for each drive letter.
This task can be automated!
Same process in Task Scheduler, create and schedule your defrags.
My machines do this unattended on a varied schedule by disk usage ie: E:OS defrags weekly where my D:Games only gets monthly.

chkdsk /f /r
There are a few recent posts here detailing use of chkdsk.
Having recently spent considerable time running it on all drives on all machines, I can tell you it is not an easy task and will take considerable time, as in a day or more depending on drive size and number. It does fix a multitude of problems. Surprisingly, it eliminated many networking problems where machines were hanging because of minor disk errors on shared and mapped drives.

I can't attest to or dispute whether these various methods work or will work for you. Having automated and scheduled them to run unattended on all my machines, I don't really pay attention to them but I know they get done on a regular basis. It may make a difference as even my oldest and slowest machine is far faster than many I have encountered.

[Guest110]

Heres how to physically clean your pc (http://www.acer.co.in/mmpc/clean.htm#q2)
tips