Windows support has a piece of software which can be downloaded to your current computer which checks it out for Vista compatibility.
So run this puppy before purchasing that new Vista pre-loaded computer to see if you are willing to give up X,Y,Z......etc.
I believe I saw the correct address in ComputerShopper but don't remember it.
 | Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years. Thanks, CNET Support |
General discussion
How do I get my PC back in shape?
To my online virtual family of help, I'm in the spring cleaning mood and I've cleaned my house already, but now it's time to face the chore that I have been dreading for a long time. That is cleaning up my two-year old Dell computer with XP, which I think has 200MB of memory, but I'm not absolutely sure. I need to face the music and do this because it is getting slower and slower every time I attempt to use it. Programs take a long time to load and just booting up Windows takes an eternity. I'm not a technical person, but I'm a fast learner, so your assistance would be most grateful. I need some straightforward guidelines (not too technical if possible) on how I can clean up my computer to make it run faster, and once I clean it up--do whatever it takes to continually keep my computer in tip-top shape, so when the spring season comes around again, I'm not looking at a chore that I hate doing again. Thanks for your help.
Submitted by Sandy H. of Des Moines, Iowa
Answer voted most helpful by our members
Yearly Maintenance
Excellent question Sandy. Many computer users do not realize that just like your automobile, a computer needs routine maintenance to keep it in good working order. I would recommend maintenance a little more often than once per year, but a good spring cleaning is certainly better than nothing.
I think I have to start by saying that there is a fine line between a computer needing a little spring cleaning and actually being in need of repair. A computer that is starting to boot and run slowly could be a result of something as simple as some unsolicited spyware floating around, a virus infection or even a misbehaving program or driver. But it could also be an indication of something more serious such as a failing hard drive, especially if your computer is 4 or more years old. You indicated that your computer is about 2 years old, so I am going to assume, for now, that your hardware is in good working order.
If your computer has experience a major slowdown suddenly and there is nothing physically wrong like a bad hard drive, here is a quick list of the common, recent problems that I have run into. You may want to check a few of these before performing all of the steps listed below.
? Infected ? Your computer is infected with Viruses, Spyware or other malware and needs to be scanned and cleaned. (See Below)
? Norton Antivirus Misbehaving ? Norton can get out of sorts and cause all kinds of problems. I suggest uninstalling it to see if it is the cause of your problem. You can always reinstall it afterwards or install some other antivirus software.
? Google Desktop ? Some computers experience a major slowdown when Google Desktop Search is installed. This program constantly indexes all of your files on your computer and can really slow thing down. Simply Uninstall.
? Internet Explorer 7 ? Microsoft?s new Internet Explorer 7 can cause major problems on some computer. If your problems started after this was installed, try going back to IE 6 by uninstalling IE 7 through ADD and REMOVE PROGRAMS.
? Kodak Updater ? Some versions of Kodak software has been known to cause a real slowdown. Uninstall or update from the Kodak website.
? Windows Update ? Occasionally a Windows update can cause a problem. If the slow down started just after a Windows Update, remove the update.
Before I get going on actual maintenance procedures , BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP? I know, we all hear this all the time but it is especially important to backup prior to performing any service. So I will say it again. Backup everything that is important to you.
With that out of the way, let?s get started with what I would call ?Yearly Maintenance?. I am basing this on Windows XP but is similar for other operating systems:
1. BACKUP - Backup up all your data. (Enough said)
2. SET RESTORE POINT ? Before you start any maintenance, I always suggest setting a Windows Restore Point. This will give you a possible way back from a problem. No guarantees, but could help. Click on START > ALL PROGRAMS > ACCESSORIES > SYSTEM TOOLS > SYSTEM RESTORE > Select Create a Restore Point > Enter a Description like ?Before Maintenance? > Click on CREATE > When complete, Click on CLOSE.
3. TAKE INVENTORY ? Now is a good time to take an inventory of what you have and to write down some of your system parameters so that you have some data to compare next year or when something goes wrong. Check the following and Write it down. If you are handy with Excel, you can start a spreadsheet to track this information.
a. GENERAL INFO ? Write Down your computer Make, model, serial number, when you purchased it and any upgrades or repairs you have made to it over the years. I would also make a list of all the programs that you use on a regular basis. This will help you later on when you are trying to decide what junk to remove.
b. DISK DRIVE ? Take note of the total size of your hard drive as well as how much space you have used and have left. If your drive is almost full, this can account for a major slow down in system performance. Double Click on MY COMPUTER > Right Click on your C: Drive > Select PROPERTIES > Click on the GENERAL tab. You can also use this information over time to track the amount of data that you are creating to help plan for backups as well as to aid you in possible new computer decisions.
c. MEMORY ? You had mentioned that you thought you might have 200mb of memory, this is probably incorrect because memory is usually installed in multiples of 128mb and on a 2 year old computer usually in multiples of 256mb. So you would typically have 256, 512, 768 or 1024 (1gig) and so on. Check the amount of installed memory by Right Clicking on MY COMPUTER > Select PROPERTIES. The type of processor and the amount of memory will be listed near the bottom of the GENERAL tab window. You may have to wait a moment for the information to appear. Note: The amount of memory listed can be off from what I mentioned above depending on the type of graphics adapter you have. Some video systems share the main memory thus showing less memory than expected. In any case, if you are running Windows XP and have less than 512mb of memory, I would strongly suggest upgrading your memory. It is fairly common for XP computers that are 2 or more years old to have only 256mb of memory. This might have been Ok at the time, but add Service Pack 2, 80+ Windows updates and resource draining Security software such as Norton and 256mb just does not cut it. In any case, write down the memory listed and compare this to what your original invoice stated. I have seen situations where a module can go bad and you are suddenly working with only half the memory.
d. PROCESSES ? I like to take note of the total number of processes running on my computer. This gives me a benchmark to work with for future comparisons. Processes are all the little programs and services that are running in the background. To view Processes: Right Click a blank section of your task bar and select TASK MANAGER > Now Click on the PROCESSES tab. This will display a list of all the processes running on your computer at this time. Depending on your Computer and what you have installed, this number can range from about 22 to 75. Your ultimate goal is to reduce this number as much as possible, leaving only necessary processes running. But for now you are going to just write down the total number of processes running. NOTE: It is best to initially check processes after rebooting your computer and waiting about 10 minutes. This number can vary up and down depending on what the computer may be doing at that exact moment. Some programs could be requesting updates from the internet or maybe running a virus or spyware scan. If you are interested in learning more about some of these, simply enter the name of the process into a Google search.
e. TASK BAR ? Being aware of the items on your task bar can help you stay on top of what is going on. Other than the standard notifications about the status of your network connection or letting you know that there are updates available for Windows, keeping an eye on the task bar may allow you to catch potential problems before they become a major issue. I can?t tell you how often I run across someone who has ignored a big red X through a Norton Antivirus Icon only to end up with a virus infected computer and later find out that Norton had expired or stopped working the previous year.
4. INSTALL OR UPDATE TOOLS ? Now that you have taken some notes about your system we need to either download some tools that we will need or update the tools that you already have. You want to have all your tools installed and updated before starting the cleaning process. This is what you will need:
a. ANTIVIRUS ? You will need one good Antivirus program. If you already have one installed then you will need to run its updater to make sure it has the most current virus definitions. If it has expired or is not working correctly, you can download a free program from Grisoft called AVG Free http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/. If you prefer to purchase one, I would recommend Nod32, Kaspersky, PC-Cillin, AVG, E-Trust or McAfee. Make sure you uninstall your old antivirus software before installing a new version.
b. FILE CLEANER ? Cleaning out temporary junk files can be performed manually, but I prefer a little program call ATF and best of all it is free. http://www.majorgeeks.com/ATF_Cleaner_d4949.html
c. ANTISPYWARE ? You are going to want to have 3 or 4 Antispyware type programs installed. You can purchase one such as Webroots Sp Sweeper which is good or you can download some free versions. I would suggest Grisoft AVG Antispyware (formerly Ewedo), Spybot, AdAware, Microsoft Defender. Many of these can be downloaded from www.download.com. Defender is at www.microsoft.com.
d. REGISTRY CLEANER ? This is optional, if you happen to already have one installed, that is fine.
5. SCAN DISK FOR ERRORS ? Click on START > MY COMPUTER > Right Click on your C: drive and select PROPERTIES > Select the TOOLS Tab > In the Error Checking window click on CHECK NOW > Check off both boxes > Restart your computer and the your drive will be checked for errors when the computer restarts. This can take a several hours.
6. RUN VIRUS SCAN ? Now that you have all your tools installed and updated, I recommend disconnecting or turning off your internet connection before starting the process. Run a full virus scan using whatever software you have chosen to install.
7. UNINSTALL PROGRAMS ? Go through your list of programs (START > ALL PROGRAMS) and look for any programs that you no longer use or have never used. It is best to leave any that you have questions about. When you find one that you no longer need, use the uninstaller listed for that program, if uninstall is not listed, write down the name of the program to remove later. Some programs will ask you to restart the computer after uninstalling. Go ahead and do this. It is a good idea to restart your computer even if you are not asked to do so.
8. ADD OR REMOVE PROGRAMS - Now you want to remove the programs that did not have an uninstaller listed. Click on START > CONTROL PANEL > ADD OR REMOVE PROGRAMS. Start going down through the list of installed programs and remove any that you no longer need or want. Again it is best to leave any that you are unsure of. Restart your computer after you uninstall each program, even if you are not asked to do so.
9. DELETE OTHER JUNK ? Now is a good time to go through all your data in MY DOCUMENTS and delete any that you no longer need. You could also use this time to reorganize your files by moving individual files into meaningful folders. The same is true for email. If you are using Outlook or Outlook Express for email, then you might want to go through your emails and delete and reorganize.
10. DELETE TEMP FILES ? You can delete all your temporary files manually by running DICKCLEAN and then going into Internet Explorer and deleting Internet Temp files, History and cookies. But I prefer to use ATF and let it do most of the work for you. NOTE: If you delete Cookies (Which I suggest at least once per year), you will loose some of your saved login names for some websites.
11. ANTISPYWARE SCANS ? Next you want to run full scans with EACH of your Antispyware type programs and remove any problems that they find. You may have to restart your computer and scan again to remove some of the more stubborn problems. If you have multiple user accounts on your computer and depending on what software you are running you may need to run each scan while logged into each users account.
12. STARTUP PROGRAMS ? There are a bunch of programs and services that are set to run whenever your computer starts. Some of them are necessary such as antivirus programs and Firewalls and then there are others that do not really need to be started like Quicktime and Realplayer. You can access some of the startup list by clicking on START > RUN > type msconfig in the run box > Click on the STARTUP tab > you will be presented with a list of startup items. You can uncheck the box for any item that you do not want to have start. If you want to lean more about each entry, simply enter the name into a Google search. Again if you are unsure of any entry leave it checked. You can always go back and recheck any items. Reboot your computer.
13. WINDOWS AND OFFICE UPDATES ? Now that your computer should be nice and clean and running well, your should run Windows update and if you are using Microsoft Office, install updates for that too.
14. DEFRAG HARD DRIVE ? Even though many claim that defragmenting in Windows XP is not required, I still like to run this after I have performed all the previous steps. START > ALL PROGRAMS > ACCESSORIES > SYSTEM TOOLS > DEFRAGMENTER.
As far as keeping you computer clean on a regular basis between yearly maintenance procedures, the main thing is to make sure all of your Antivirus and Antispyware software is always up-to-date, install all Windows Security Updates and delete your temporary files monthly. If you have any manual scanners such as AdAware or SpyBot, you need to run these monthly as well.
There are some all inclusive software packages such as Norton 360, Microsoft One Care and McAfee Total Care that can perform many of these tasks automatically for you, but if your computer is less than state of the Art and has limited memory, many of these can really slow your computer down to a crawl.
There are many other things you can do to tune and tweak your system for better performance but this is already getting too long so I will stop here. However, I should mention that there is nothing that compares to a complete reinstall of Windows for cleaning out the cobwebs. I personally do this about every 2 years.
Also, during your spring cleaning, you really want to remove any dust that could be interfering with the proper cooling of your computer. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord before cleaning. Remove the side cover and Vacuum out all vents and using a can of compressed air, blow out any dust that has accumulated on any heat sinks and fans inside. Note: You can damage the fans by spinning them too quickly with compressed air, so it is a good idea to stick a pencil in between the blades to keep them from spinning. Just don?t forget to remove the pencil before you turn your computer back on.
Good Luck!
Dana
Wayland Computer
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-4_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=244923&messageID=2472924#2472924
Submitted by Dana H. (aka waytron)
If you have any additional advice or recommendations for Sandy, let's hear them. Click on the "Reply" link to post. Please be detailed as possible in your answer. Thanks!
Discussion is locked
61 - 90 of 236 Posts
- Collapse
- Collapse -
- Collapse -
Sandy,Hi,.... use a program called CCleaner (it is for FREE, and very easy to use, just TYPE it into your Home-page's 'search-bar'..to find it in the List)....to clean out All the 'junk'..out of your computer.
Use the "Run Cleaner" option, 1st.....then, the "Issues" option.
It (the "Issues" option) will fix everything, for you.
You Just may have to 'run' it a couple of times...until no more 'issues' apear..( same with the "Cleaner" option).
Ok... for the amount of 'cookies' we all tend to get..may I suggest, that you do this?
Go to Control Panel, find INTERNER OPTIONS icon.Right-Click (with Mouse)on it....you will see an 'option window' appear (will say..OPEN/CREATE SHORT-CUT)......take the 'short-cut' option...(this will place ICON, on your DESK-TOP..and, be easier to use, from there, a real short-cut).
Ok, when that is done, CLOSE Control Panel right down...
To go back your DESK-TOP.
Ok, now, OPEN the Internet Options icon (on your Desktop).
Go the PRIVACY page/tab.
Open it, and then SLECT the ADVANCED button.
This will take you...to next step..which is the ADVANCED PRIVAY settings.
Select/TICK...."Over-ride automatic cookie handling".....
Then down below, TICK the "ALWAYS ALLOW SESSIONS COOKIES".......Click OK...to CLOSE.
Now, see the ADVANCE tab, TopRight Corner... (still in Internet Options)?
CLick this....... to bring up page up.
Scroll DOWN....List...UNTIL you find "Empty Temporary Internet Files when Browser is closed".
Tick it.
You, now, are ready, to use Internet Options.....to clean your computer..of 'cookies'.
This is 'HOW" I do mine.
Open Internet Options.....on the GENERAL page, half-way down...you see buton "SETTINGS"....click, on it....( will take you to next step).......click on "VIEW FILES".....this will make "TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES" page appear.
Select the "EDIT" option (TOP LEFT, of PAGE)......this will cause a 'drop-down window' to appear......select "SELECT ALL" (fom this window)....this will 'highlight' everything....in TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES page.
To the LEFT,.....in the COLUMN, there.......you should see...FOLDERS TASKS..(with options.....Copy the selected items/DELETE the selected items.
DELETE one, naturally.
You will get 'warning window'...to confirm the DELETE.....click OK.
Wait for computer, to DELETE, then...close.
You are done, you think !
Not quite.
Ok now, is the 'tricky part'.
In having shown you 'how' I DELETE, you have to develope the same 'habit' as I have..and, that is to DELETE the 'cookies' (as just shown) EVERY time you USE/LEAVE the Internet.
Doing it this way...will most CERTAINLY keep your COMPUTER .......clean/clear...of ALL 'cookie clutter'.
Hope this is exactly what you are looking for, to help you out?
- Collapse -
I assume from your email that you mean that you have a 200MB hard drive - this is the device where all your data and programs are stored. This being so, one thing to check is how much free space you have on the drive. Right click the Start button, select Explore and navigate to My Computer (you can also get here by clicking on the My Computer icon in the start menu or from the same icon on your desktop). Assuming you have a simple drive setup, you should have a "C:\" listed. When you click on this, Windows should show you the amount of available and free space. If not you can right click C:\ and select Properties from the list.
If your PC is very slow it may be that there is little free space (although a 200MB drive gives a lot of storage capacity and if you are an occasional PC user I'd be surprised if you've filled it up). Once you get to this stage let me know the results and I'll take you through the next steps.
Other potential causes of slow performance can be operating system corruption problems, and various types of virus / malware / etc.
Please give me a brief explanation of what you use the PC for and the type of software you have loaded.
As general advise to avoid problems with cluttering up your PC, my advise is to only load applications that you really will need and use. Avoid installing software on a whim. Do install a security suite (anti-cirus software, firewall, anti-spam etc) - this is an absolute MUST DO. There are some reasonable free suites available on the web - but don't be afraid to pay for something - there is plenty of advise on the web recommending such software, and some of it is even impartial! Once you've got everything set up, make sure to run a virus/malware check on your PC regularly. Lastly, if you like your data and want some peace of mind BACK UP your data regularly. None of this is hard to do and with application and determination anybody can do it. If it's important enough you will figure it out.
- Collapse -
A quick fix to consider is to reduce the number of fonts loaded on your hard disk. Just load the essential fonts and you should see an improvement. If you need a specific font in the future just load it then.
Another solution would be to jack up the memory in your PC to a reasonable level. XP is rather hungry on memory. Moving to 512MB should make you think your have a turbo attached to your PC. Naturally defraging the HD is something you should do regularly.
Hope this help
- Collapse -
Hi Sandy,
I am assuming you have already scanned for adware, spyware, viruses, Trojans, etc. I am pretty close to being a novice myself when it comes to technical lingo. The best and simplest advice I can give you is to invest in a goood registry cleaner. I use RegistryFix, but there are many on the market and CNet researches and rates them so you can pick and choose which one you want. The prices vary from company to company. With a registry cleaner all one has to do is scan the computer, you will be amazed at the junk that is on your computer, then click "repair". You may have to do this 2-3 times to get all errors taken care of. Believe me, it is a worthwhile investment. Fast computing to you Sandy!
~Cheryl
- Collapse -
No wonder it gets clogged up! My main advice is: get a better HD. They're about
- Collapse -
The idea of moving to XP never convinced me and I stayed with W2000. The main reason (price apart) was the very annoying feature of being a Hardware dependent licensing system.
You change almost anything in the HW (not to mention a new PC) and your wonderful XP will refuse to boot.
So you may have to buy it again! That is nonsense and a clear abuse from MS.
- Collapse -
Sandy,
As a longtime PC geek I may be biased on this one, but personally I find computer cleaning to be MUCH easier than house cleaning! A good way to wade into the water slowly is by starting with programs that do some cleaning for you.
Windows has something called Disk Cleaner built in; you can get there by clicking Accessories on the All Programs menu, then selecting the System Tools folder. Within Disk Cleanup is a tab labeled More Options, which gives you a few more useful tools. By clicking the "Clean up..." button in Windows Components, you can remove things built in to Windows that you don't use -- getting rid of MSN Explorer alone frees up 20 Megabytes of your hard drive!
Next click the button in Installed Programs. Scroll through this list, and see if there's a few things on there you haven't used in a long time...possibly even since buying the computer! PC vendors like Dell tend to pre-load their machines with programs they hope users will find useful, but often it's just deadweight. (Sometimes these programs are limited versions, containing the vendor's name.) A word of caution: don't rely on what Windows tells you here regarding how often a program is used, or when it was last used. I find this information to be wrong far more often than it's right!
There are also freeware/shareware programs that can help you get and keep your computer clean -- CCleaner is my favorite. You can download it from CNET, in fact, at http://www.download.com/CCleaner/3000-2144_4-10669303.html
It probably won't free up a TON of space on your hard drive, but by running it once or twice a month, you will at least be keeping some of that free space. You may also consider getting a free registry cleaner, like TweakNow RegCleaner Standard. This doesn't require any knowledge of the registry, and it always prompts you to back up your registry (which you should ALWAYS do!) before making any changes.
You can get it at http://www.download.com/TweakNow-RegCleaner-Standard/3000-2094_4-10628251.html
Finally, if you have a few bucks to spare, you should DEFINITELY increase the memory of your computer. RAM is the cheapest way to speed things up, and it's also the easiest physical upgrade that can be performed inside a computer. From your comment, I'm guessing your Dell has 256 Megabytes right now, which is truly the bare minimum for XP. If it's not proprietary (meaning you can ONLY buy more RAM directly from Dell), you will be able to shop around online for the best deal.
After reading CNET's "Everything you need to know about RAM" at http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3038_7-5020358-1.html a good place to head to is http://www.crucial.com -- the site can scan your PC and let you know exactly which type of memory you need. They also carry every kind of RAM imaginable (except the aforementioned proprietary stuff), so if you don't want to bother hunting around the Web you can buy from them right away. I'm betting you could double your memory for around 30 bucks, or triple it (to 768 MB) for around $50.
- Collapse -
I think it is a good time to clean, you should do it at least half a year, like a dentist apporiment, now first thing you might wont to do is to pyshical clean it, trying get some some compressed air from ebay or your local pc shop. Then open the case and squirt short blast of air out of your computer, and to make it a less of a chore put some music in the background on. now you inside pf pc is almost dust free, i recomned these day of age to add 512 mb memory. you can look at your ornignal ram card and mark down the what it says on the label to take it to your local pc shop or download a utitly to find out, usally kingston has this on its website, but it is recommned and will make your pc go faster.
Now to go deep inside to clean that hard drive, now if you have a recovery disk and all your extra programs on disk, you can back up your data, then give you pc a fresh install so it goes back like it was when you brought it, then you re install everything, this i like to think is the best option as it lets the start all over again but can be consuming or somtimes quick and boring installing software, but thats why we have music on.
If you dont have a recovery disk or dont wont to do that, you can then anti virus,anti spyware and adware checks. once picked up delate it. next run ccleaner ( a cleaner that cleans all crap basicall). and make sure everything is ticked, also go thought your programs and removed any you dont need. after the crap and programs have gone,the run the reg cleaner in ccleaner tick everything execpt unused exetions. along with spyware and anti virus,right click the my computer- prooptries-system resote, then turn it off, that should also clean more space.Next after all the programs have done, then go thought your files and try to clean them up, so everything is nice and tidy. after that the computer should be clean. clean turn system resotre back on.
both now should be clean and you should run Defeg, important , as all that cleaning left your hard drive with spaces holes.
the softwaere you should have are or recomned
A fire and anti virus -( paid recomnded bullguard, there alos offter back up, -free avg for antivirus and firwall ty cnet download for a free one.
Spyware removal- try spy bot
adware removal-Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal
Crap removal _ ccleaner
good measure- windows defender
Have fun and done see it as a chore, everynow and then run these programs
- Collapse -
hello,
i'm not a whizz kid but it sounds like you need a registry or spyware problem. try avg, very good and not expensive.
regards, dave
- Collapse -
i got vista superbowl sunday with a new laptop. as excited as i was i went to hook-up my olympus digital camera, my bluetooth dongle, my webcam, my microphone.. all of these were incompatible or not able to be used as they were with xp, after some harrassment, to both M$ and to broadcom(bluetooth maker) and a month later finally they got it together... all but my GE easycam (webcam) are sweet.. even after formatting and reinstalling they load their drivers and work like they should. Vista is a new OS(relatively) and has some kinks to work out, before switching back, get on somepeoples backs about making your(whatever) compatible, and as anybody else whose trying to sell a product and maintain a customerbase, they will conform and you'll be very pleased with vista (IMHO, and i'm nobody)
- Collapse -
Well, first things first, what did you mean when you meant "clean up", i.e. physically cleaning the hardware, or cleaning up the software i.e. hard disk and data.
Firstly Sandy, I would try to defragment your system. This is a simple tool that works wonders for giving your system a boost if it has been left for a long time. Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Defragmenter.
Also, cleaning up all duplicate files may help to speed up your hard disk if it is near capacity. Getting rid of any unused programs will also free up the system. You can do this in the control panel. You can also reduce the amount of programs that load on startup. To have a look at what programs are set up to load on start up, go to Start>Programs>Start Up. If there are any programs there that you do not feel need necessarily opening when starting the PC, delete them from the list.
If none of the above makes that much of a difference, then your problem most probably lies with a hardware issue. As your PC apparently still functions, nothing is faulty; but it could be that dust and grot have clogged up the innards. This would have caused the system to overheat, as dust is an insulator. And heat makes the system unstable and slow.
To see if this is the case, first open up your case. Dell's are known for being quite easy to open as they usually have a latch at the back, and the side panel just falls off. Once you have removed the side panel, if you can see copious amounts of dust, or a layer of it over the motherboard and other components then you have most likely found your problem.
Before you do anything else, make sure to get rid of your static electricity, by touching a tap or something.
There are many ways to get rid of dust, the easiest of which is with air. But may I suggest that you take your PC outside before you get rid of any dust, as it is likely that it will just get back into the system if you do it indoors.
If you have any cans of compressed air, or can readily get some, cheap hardware stores will have them, then this is the easiest way. Just give the innards a good spraying and watch the dust fly. Make sure to get the power supply really well (The big box at the top left of the case) as this will suck up a lot of dust, and gets really hot. You can also use a vacuum cleaner, but just be a bit more careful not to damage any of the circuitry. You can also wipe the components with a rung-out lint free cloth, like the ones you use for cleaning glasses.
You don't have to stop there, it depends how competent you think you are and how much you trust yourself. You can then remove the fans, if there are any and give the blades a good cleaning. Cleaning the CPU fan may also be on the cards, but do not try this if you are not comfortable to do so, as this will mean removing the fan, and having to reapply some thermal compound, and then reattaching the fan - not ideal for a beginner. However. if you want to give it a go, I assume that you are using a P4 if it is two years old, then search for an article in Google explaining how to remove the heat sink and fan for your processor type, clean it, and how to reattach it.
However, it may just be that an upgrade is in order, 200MB of RAM is pretty small nowadays. I would suggest at least doubling this to 512,or even 1GB. This can be done for relatively little cost of
- Collapse -
sebenarnya saya sangat tertarik sekali, cuma kendala di bahasa semoga bisa di maklumi, kira - kira di mungkinkan tidak untuk kedepannya menggunakan beberapa bahasa, biar lebih mudah untuk di mengerti seperti saya yang di indonesia
- Collapse -
First off, what you need to do when doing spring cleaning on your computer, is to set a System Restore Point. That way, if something should go wrong, you can boot into Safe Mode and restore the computer to (almost) exactly the same way it was before you started.
System Restore is found in Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools(Running Windows in Norwegian, so forgive my translation)
Just start it, tell it to set a restore point, name it, you're done.
Then comes the spring cleaning.
First off, go to Add/Remove Programs. Remove any programs you no longer use. If the program needs to reboot the computer to be completely removed, do this each and every time. (Yes, it is a bit of a hassle, but isn't it better to have a hassle once than every time you start your computer?)
Also, delete any icons on your Desktop that isn't used. A full Desktop also slows down your computer somewhat.
When you have done this, open up My Computer and navigate to the Windows directory. Use the menu Tools->Folder Options->(the tab) View/Show. Find the option "Hide Protected Operating System Files (recommended)" and uncheck it. A warning box will appear, answer Yes. You won't do harm to your system, it's just to be able to do this. Then locate the option "Hidden Files and Folders" and check the option to view them all.
Now, here comes the clean-up: Any semi-transparent folder starting with the symbol $ are yours to throw in the bin. This is uninstallation files for all the Windows Updates. They aren't really needed if you don't have serious problems after one of the updates.
After this is done, check the box "Hide Protected Operating System Files (recommended)" again, and change the option for "Hidden Files and Folders" back. This way, you have to make an effort to find them and delete them, and you're not able to do it by accident.
Now, Disk Cleaner. It can be found in Accessories->System Tools.
Select your internal harddrive (if you have more than one harddrive and haven't done cleaning in a while, perform on other harddrives when you're done with the first), it starts checking the amount of space you can free. Once this is done, check all options. Run it.
You are getting there. Now, take a look at what's in your Startup folder. Anything there you haven't used in a while? Delete it from the Startup folder. (Don't delete firewalls, Spyware and adware shields or antivirus programs should they be there) This makes the boot of Windows take a little less time as it doesn't have to load all of these into memory.
Also, try searching this site for a startup manager. This is a program that lets you tweak what programs are allowed to auto-run with Windows Startup. Some programs are embedded in the registry to run at boot, and these needs training or a dedicated program to sort out. Startup managers generally make this a simple "Program running at boot now: Allow/Block?"-decision. Next time you boot, the changes will take effect.
OK, registry time. It's not recommended to touch this without training or a program dedicated to tweak it. For almost all steps of this spring cleaning I recommend Auslogics Boostspeed. There is a simple choice of "Find out how to optimize your computer"
The program then runs tests on your entire computer and give you a list of what can be done to clean it/make it faster. It takes all the options of Windows, and some more of its own, and puts it in one easy-to-find place.
It has a registry cleaner built in. This checks for invalid registry entries (entries not cleaned out when uninstalling programs) and deletes them. Once that is done, you can defrag (put the pieces of the registry in sequential order on your drive) it.
All registry cleaners can delete invalid entries, but not all defrags them.
Cleaning and defragging the registry is what makes the most difference in speed for my computer.
If you choose Auslogics Boostspeed, you will have to pay for all the features, but believe me, it's worth it. Even without all the features, I recommend trying it for your spring cleaning.
Now, all other things taken care of, it's time to defrag the harddrive itself, as it has gotten a lot of fragmented files by now. Windows has a Diskdefragmentation tool in Accessories->System Tools. Choose the drive and hit Defragment button. This is an automated process, so you don't have to sit by the computer while it's doing its job. However, it will take some time, depending on your hardware, ie processor speed, RAM and size of harddrive.
When all this is done, you should have quite a clean and fast machine. But don't expect it to be as fast as it was when new. You are not doing a "Clean Install", you are tweaking the current installation.
One last item to do if you want to: Go to Accessories->System Tools->Security Center and locate "Administer securitysettings for: Automatic Updates". Check the box that says "Alert me, but don't download and install automatic." You might get a warning when pressing OK, but if you want to do this, answer "Yes".
Why do you want to do this? When you get an alert for new updates, you can choose the option of Advanced. You will then get the choice of which updates to install. I use it because I don't need the updates for Outlook Express since I don't use it, and I haven't run it once in the past five years. If there are updates for programs you don't use, you don't need the updates. But if you don't know what the update is for, leave it checked and install it.
Registry cleaning is recommended once a month. So is Diskdefragmentation. You may at first just hit Analyze to see if it's needed. You will get a message telling you if it is.
Disk Cleaning is recommended once a week.
I also recommend setting a System Restore point each time you install anything, or at least once a week. (You can also set System Restore to monitor your drive(s). That way, when you install something, it sets a System Restore Point automatically)
You can use Task Scheduler in Accessories->System Tools to run several tasks that needs to be done on a regular basis.
Should you not have any spyware/adware/malware shield/program, I recommend getting one. Personally I use Spyware Terminator (free). Other useful programs in this category are Ad-Aware SE Personal, and Spybot Search and Destroy. These two don't have real-time protection, so you will have to manually run them at least once a week. This might also give you a speed-boost on your computer. At least you're safer.
Spring cleaning is complete. It may have taken you some time, but that time spent now is time you will save when not waiting for Windows or programs to start.
- Collapse -
Sandy, I'd install the following two progs first: Advanced Windows Care (from IOBit) and Ad-Aware (both Personal Ed. - free, easy to find at CNET) and let them run (the progs are 100% safe). The very first thing however is to clean up your system start configuration (after START and APPLY, give the cmd MSCONFIG ): I suspect you have too many startup programs (one needs only just 3 or 4 of them (an antivirus is necessary). Anyway, the progs like OFFICE, various PLAYERS, MESSENGERS etc.are to be omitted. There are several other good progs to optimize your PC: TuneUp Utilities, Registry Mechanic, Spyware Doctor etc. but the first two are the best to start with.
Good luck, M.
- Collapse -
Hi Andy here
and i have been doing this since moby **** was a minnow
with 6 kids and 9 sisters and a bunch of friends
i get 3 to 4 systems a week easy
and personaly i use nothing but Download.com
with cookies and markers ,spyware and free loaders ,search asst
they all clog your system , rescue disk are nice but they dont always work,ikf you want your system to work like new ,than make it new and ,just reinstall your operateing system like xp,xp pro
whatever
i know sounds hard but now a days its not,for less than 1/4 what it would cost to replace that comp
and it will be a brand new empty system
and then make your system work for it self
go to down load.com and get some free system helper
i sujest Free Ram Xp pro,WinPatrol
Now freeram monitors between you load(or what your comp calls for )and your ram(random acess memory -or what you have)and balences both so they work together,cause you run you memory to low and your system will run slow and some programs wont work at all and then winpatrol will put you back in control
what programs start when you turn it on ,what will load
you decide what can have acess to your system and what not
and if a problem happens the fine folks here are always open and always here to help
iknow it sounds like alot but like i said i have so many myself
and i just got tired of paying to get them fixed and then you have to wait for it to come back ,and you ever see a repair shop give you a loaner comp while there working on yours?
and what makes them any different than you
they decided to go for it
and so did i and you can too
i own 3 web sites, my desk has 5 computers on it and 8 more through out the house and a laptop in my truck
honest i feel your pain
EvilHandyAndy
- Collapse -
Hi Sandy I know where you are coming from when you say your computer is booting up slow i had this problem several months ago on my sisters computer. However having owned 3 dell's i know some steps you can take to temporarily fix this.
1.Backup all your files and do a fresh install of windows (this includes full format of the hard drive) this is relatively easy as without doubt dell would have supplied you with the windows reinstallation cd. Also the onscreen prompts will walk you through the reformat.
2.If you dont feel like a reinstall of your operating system then use windows disk defragment (if running on xp go start>accesories>system>disk defragment) this is a relatively long process and will give you a slight performance boost but nothing mind blowing.
3.Deleting unused programs is always a good idea to free up system resources, particulary the ones that run in the background such as security programs you no longer use, msn ect.
4. The dell website is very helpfull in terms of upgrading (ie:ram) for example if i wanted to upgrade my sisters dimension 8300 i would select that model and the coresponding upgrade and you can do it yourself. Also the dell manuals are second to none in that they provide very detailed drawings of replacing/upgrading parts.
5.I remember you saying you had something like 256mb of ram this would be your first place to start upgrading as no doubt your computers graphics processing abilities is shared with this. Also if your cpu is a budget model such as a celeron or pentium 4 then there is not going to be anymore of a performance boost coming out of this as they are designed for basic performance.
- Collapse -
Hi Sandy, I had the same issues. I have a Dell 4500 some call it an antique, I have Norton internet security which has worked well for me. I always do maintenance such as remove temp internet files, do defrag, chkdsk etc. I too thought of a new PC, but I installed more Ram. I had 256K ram and went to 512K Ram. It made a world of difference. Also get rid of junk you don't need.
Have fun Jim.
- Collapse -
First of all, just like you would for your house, you should start PC spring cleaning by getting rid of programs and files you haven't been using. You'd be amazed how much junk you can accumulate over the years.
Let's start by getting rid of programs you don't use. Open the Control Panel. From there, click on the "Add/Remove Programs" button. Now, remove programs you haven't used in awhile by clicking on them, and then clicking the "Add/Remove" button that appears. Sometimes you need the original install disk, but usually you can just erase the programs.
Now, close that and click on the "Performance and Maintenance" button in the Control Panel. From here, click on the "Free up space on your hard disk" task. After that finishes, click on the chckboxes next to the "Temporary Internet Files" "offlline Webpages" "Recycle Bin" "Temporary Remote Desktop files" "Setup Log Files" "Temporary Files" "Temporary Offline Files". Then click "Ok"
Now, click on the "Free up space on your hard disk" task again. This time, click on the "More Options" tab. click on the "Clean up" button in the "System Restore" box. Then close the window.
Finally, click on the "Rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster" Then click on the "Analyze" button and then click on "Defragment"
To make your next spring cleaning go more smoothly, download and install some anti-spyware programs and make sure your antivirus is up-to-date. Download and unstall "AdAware" (it should be by Lavasoft), the very nice free tool Microsoft provides called "Windows Defender", and lastly, if your antivirus is out-of-date, look for "AVG" by Grisoft (there is a Personal version free for personal use).
Run these programs every week or so to help keep your system clean.
- Collapse -
As you have mentioned in your problem that you system is running slow, it is time to optimize your system. The following things need to be done to get a considerable improvement in your system's performance.
1. Disk Clean up
2. Disk Defragmentation
3. Virus/Adware/Spyware Scan
The first two things mentioned are available with XP itself in the System tools menu.
To run the Clean up or De-fragmentation wizard, follow the steps below.
Click the Start button and then All Programs.
Then you click Accessories and in the sub menu provided under Accessories, you 'll find System tools from where you get the Disk Clean up and Disk Defragmentation Wizards.
Run them and follow the given instructions to complete the tasks.
(Note: You need to have a minimum of 15% free space on each disk for defragmentation.)
Coming to last thing i.e. running a virus scan could be beneficial as it could solve many a problems related to your system. A virus/malware could be the primary cause for the your system to run slow. Spyware/Adware too decrease your program applications' efficiency.
The Anti-Virus / Anti-Spyware tools are available for download on CNET Download.com. You could download the program of your choice and run the scan.
Hope this matter helps.
All the Best.
Regards
Sriram.
- Collapse -
Dear Sandy, as an IT for a transport company I've often gotten this problem.to resolve this issue on a windows system I found tuneup utilities to be quite handy since it atuomates various tasks to clean up and free up your pc. This program is amazing and fixes windows registry errors and more. I feel this is a program that microsoft should distribute with all windows systems. Sandy you will find the start up manager is simple to use and will have your pc starting up much faster. Tuneup is not a free software however the free trial can be used and if you delete its restore points you can uninstall it after you have finished trying it and still be left with a faster pc. Sometimes it is just a spyware issue which can be resolved with spybot search and destroy. Spybot is free but when ou see its results dont be shy to donate something no matter how small since its developpers are obviously consumer friendly. This too should be bought by msn and distributed with all their systems. These 2 things will fix your pc problem for sure Sandy and now you can enjoy your pc like never before.
Duanicus
- Collapse -
I always recommend that everyone try the free programs on the net before they invest in expensive store bought software. There are many well built free programs that will do the same job for no cost. Crap Cleaner is one such program. It stays in your recycle bin ready to use at will and cleans your computer very well. You can even setup crap cleaner to save those cookies that keep us logged in to our favorite sites.
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/downloadpage.aspx?1
You can also use the built-in disk cleaner that comes with xp. It has options to remove all those old restore points also so be sure to get rid of those.
Have to go so good luck
Gary H
- Collapse -
HI Sandy!! BOY!! Do I feel your pain,I've been down that road myself,and I TRULY know the frustration.Hopefully,perhaps thru my experiences(or nightmares)I can help aleviate some future headaches for ya.
First off,I can't stress enuff about research,research,and when THAT issue is solved.....MORE RESEARCH,LOL!! To find out how much RAM you have,right click on the "My Computer" icon,highlight,and click on properties tab,and on the main(General)tab,you'll see many system/user attributes listed,what version your OS is,computer name,who the system is registered to,and of course type of processor-speed and RAM.
I've found that upgrading RAM or memory modules really sped up my 'ol winXP home edition,and various other programs.But if you're financially strapped like I was,there's a few(or more)"tricks" to help speed up your system,BTW,if you're not sure how,where to check on memory upgrades,or if you need to do so,many manufacturers' of memory websites have "configurators".I first tried PNY's site and ran with it.
Here's a list of things I did to speed up my system BEFORE I upgraded my RAM.
Go to Advanced tab on system properties(R-click my comp icon),under "performance" click on settings button,I set my "visual effects" to adjust for best performance.OK,now it might look like your running win 95 or 98,but won't pull alotta resources off your memory and processor.
OK,now once again,go to the "advanced" tab right beside visual effects.You'll see processor scheduling and memory usage listed,with the options to switch to use both resources for either programs,background services,or system cache,this is at your discretion,I didn't make any adjustments on those,but the ONE time I did(curiosity),even with upgraded RAM,I noticed LAG in the way programs ran,so I set them back immediately,LOL!!
Go to "Virtual Memory" section,click on change if you wish to do so.If you use the "system managed sized" option,you prolly won't see a difference,Windows by defaults at 1.5 times what you currently have in RAM.I chose custom,now depending on your hard drive size you can basically allocate as much disk space as you desire for VM,as long as you have service pack 2 installed.I had a 120GB drive and I allocated 5000MB as min and set max at about 15000MB.Just don't attempt to use up TOO much space,lol!! You may need to reboot.
Also by using control panel,go to Internet options,on "temporary Internet Files" click on settings tab,and for the love of internet surfing change that ridiculous amount of disk space Windows uses to store UN-NECESSARY files,LOL!!! Once again,this is at your liking,but honestly,no more than 60MB should be used for ANY OS.I have approx. 1.3 terabytes of diskspace currently,and I still have mine set at 55MB.
Go to advanced tab(I know,again,lol)in internet options,and somewhere close to the bottom of that looong list is an option to "Empty Temp Internet files folder when Browser is Closed" option,if you prefer,check that box.
Run disk clean up and defragmenter or simular programs often as well,I do mine every week,also you might adjust "history" down as well,I set mine for 20days.Try opening my computer,right click on your main hard drive,go to properties,then tools,you'll see "error checking" options,and of course get rid of any un-used programs,files/folders you no longer need,and last but not least,make sure any hardware AND software is up to date.
There's many more things you can do,but to attempt to explain them all would prolly consume Cnets' website,and I'm sure there's other great suggestions from the fine crowd here at Cnet,LOL!!
GOOD LUCK!!!! Let us know how it goes!!
JERRY
- Collapse -
First, I just want to make sure that you are not confusing memory with hard drive space. It sounds like that 200MB you referenced is your hard drive, not your memory. Memory is usually designated as 256MB,512MB,1024MB, etc. Being a 2+ year old Dell machine, you most likely have 512MB.
The drastic slowdown in both the running and the startup you have noticed is probably because of SPYWARE. You can have thousands of spyware programs running and not even know it. I suggest installing a GOOD anti spyware program right away. These spyware programs can pose a great security risk too.
Also a very slow boot up can be caused by having too many programs in your startup file.
The other thing to do is see if your disk requires defragmenting.
Another problem is too many temporary internet files.
Have fun and good luck.
- Collapse -
Dear Ms Sandy H., First, you can tell how much Memory you have by right clicking on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop, then left clicking on "Properties" on the bottom of that dialog box. It's important to know where you are as far as memory/RAM. If in fact you only have 200mb of memory/RAM, you might start by getting more. Usually you can go to the computer web site and they can give you guidance on an upgrade. Second, it's important to create a restore point using "System Restore". Some cleaning can create havoc, and this will give you a safe come-back if something happens. If you have a "Backup-Up" utility, I also recommend this as a backup for "system restore". 1. Now, to the meat. Do you have an "Antivirus" program? Clean/scan your files. It's important that you are working with a clean system. I recommend your antivirus do a scheduled scan. 2. Spyware will slow your system down exponentially. There are free versions out there that you can find. "Spybot" is one. Ensure that you let it/them do a backup of your computer "Registry". And DO NOT let them remove Microsoft entries when scanning registry. This will be obvious if your spy removal software detects Microsoft as a threat. 3. "Defragmenting" your C: drive/root drive is very important to. This can take a minute, so be prepared to leave your computer do it's thing while this is happening. Oh yeah, how to get there: Click on "My Computer" . Right click on your C: drive, click on "Properties". Go to the "Tools" tab. Go to "Defragment Now". And it will give the options to Analyze or Degrament. You will see how all your informations is placed on the surface of your hard drive. Your computer constantly searching for this scattered bytes can slow you down. EEEEWY. 4. You can clean your Registry by running programs such as "CCLeaner". They can really slow you down. Again, a word of caution, "Create Restore Point" often and do backups if you have the ability. 5. Last but not least, "Scan disk". click on "My Computer". Right click on c: drive. "Properties", "Tools", then "Check now". A little dialog box will come up and and give you two different running options for scan disk. "Automatically fix file system Errors", which i always check, and "Scan and attempt recovery of bad sectors". I have used this option hardly. If you get indications on startups that there are bad sectors, then later I would choose this option. When you click on "Start" it will tell you that scandisk needs exclusive use of hard drive. "Do you want to do it next system start up?" Click on yes. Then restart.
I hope that this information helps you and your spring cleaning endeavors.
- Collapse -
Sandy H,
I have a series of free programs that I like and help to keep my machine in great shape. I use AVG Free for my anti-virus and I configure it to update every day and run a virus scan every day. I do go in about once a week and check to make sure it is running and that there are no viruses that were not removed. (Which seems to happen with every anti-virus program I've used...sometimes you have to manually remove them).
Next I use Ad-Aware (a free version is available that will remove any ad-ware/spyware/malware that has gotten into your computer or a payable version will try to keep them out in the first place). I run that once a week.
After that I run a "Defrag" (located in "All Programs, Accessories, System Tools - but I put a shortcut on my desktop (right click on it and choose "Send to" and then "Desktop"). This is an easy program to run and you just click on your "C" drive and click Defragment and off it goes (on Windows XP).
I also run a "Disk Clean-up" which removes a lot of junk that builds up in the computer. It even cleans out your Recycle Bin. I just check mark every line and so far so good. (I also put the shortcut on the desktop for this too)
Finally, I run "Windows Updates". Although I do have the Auto updates activated I like to go in about once a week and check the "Custom" area to any updates for Software & Hardware that are there. If there are any - I update. The only caution I have is for Vido upgrades - I have had a few times when I have had to UnDo the vido card updates. Other than that I have installed all and have not had a problem. If you do - you can use your System Restore to put it back to where it was before the update.
I have also done the following to clean out temp files. Click on Start, Run, type in %temp% and click OK. Highlight all files and delete. (Some might be in use so you have to leave them but delete the rest).
**Tip: As I noted above I put shortcuts on the desktop for easy access to keep up with these programs - I line them up on the right side of my desktop and once a week I try to run through them all... makes it quick and easy to remember.
I hope this his helpful. If anyone has any comments about this proceedure please feel free to advise - I am open to any pros or cons to this process.
- Collapse -
You have to do just a few things and your computer will be ok again.
1. Delete temporary internet files
2. Delete cookies
3. Clean-up your computer from files you don't use anymore
4. Repair and defragment Registry
5. Defragment your hard drive
6. ADD SOME RAM
And that's all you can do. Good luck.
CNET Forums
Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Roadshow Autos
Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic