How To Do Regular Maintenance On Your PC

[Rigel7]

Hi, I have created a step by step guideline on how to keep you computer running smoothly by clearing unnecessary file on your System.

I believe it's useful info. Hopefully the moderators might see it fit to include the document itself as a sticky.

Most of the information in the document has been obtained from the internet. I have not violated any copyright laws. Where needed, I have acknowledged the source of the information.

If there are any errors, ommissions, corrections or addtions needed, please let me know.

Your comments are most welcome and desired.

Thanks.

http://h1.ripway.com/rigel7/CleanYourPC.html

 

[cypherpunk]

The popular one stop shop for most of these things:

www.ccleaner.com

 

[sexmeup]

Thanks!

Thanks for the info.

 

[amber-jade]

The popular one stop shop for most of these things:

www.ccleaner.com

any good free ones ?.....

.

 

[cypherpunk]

any good free ones ?.....

Uhhh CCleaner?

 

[amber-jade]

Uhhh CCleaner?

lol....uuhh, yes


.

 

[papasmerf]

I do vaccum the ard drive weekly and wash the windows

 

[kwguy]

heres are a few handy programs for keeping pc clean and tweaking settings . if anyone wants full version i can put links to them on rapidshare for direct download.Also If anyone needs any pc software programs i can most likely find them for you . If posting free full version software is not allowed then please delete my post..feel free to pm requests

Ashampoo PowerUp 3.10
Homepage - http://www.ashampoo.com

System Mechanic® 7 Professional
Homepage - http://www.iolo.com

 

[onehunglow]

C Cleaner is great. One little extra is to use secure file deletion. Click Options, click Settings and click secure file deletion. It takes a lot longer but it securely deletes all files. Files that are deleted are only "sent to an unused portion of your hard drive" (for easy explanation) and are not really deleted until something is saved "over top" of them. Like taping over an old music cassette.

There are many new/free programs available to recover these "deleted" files that have not been securely deleted. It can be embarrassing if someone recovers files, even portions of files that can show your browsing history etc.

 

[samcan]

No offence Rigel, your info was great. But if your looking for more.

This should be all you need, weather its a gaming, htpc, or just
business machine.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=399319

Might be a little outdated but still serves the purpose.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Rigel7, you should date your webpage so people know the last time it was updated. Without a reference point, it may be dangerous for someone to do something that has since changed.

 

[Rigel7]

No need to update

Rigel7, you should date your webpage so people know the last time it was updated. Without a reference point, it may be dangerous for someone to do something that has since changed.

This info is very generic. It's good for all versions of windows. Some buttons may be in different places when the version changes.

The document is long and as such seems daunting. But when you start doing the steps, most times it takes 2 to 3 mins max; even less.

 

[WoodPeckr]

ccleaner.com

www.ccleaner.com pretty much does all that and will even clean up your registry also and take about a minute.

 

[Fullback_69]

Something else good to do it format your Hard drive every 2 years. Will also help keep the crap at bay.

The new Norton 360 is also a good way to keep the junk at bay, this new version is MUCH better then the old system eating pig versons they have had, they have done a much gooder job on this one. Best 85$ i spend a year. Pretty much the only program i buy/register hehe

 

[LadiesMan69]

Something else good to do it format your Hard drive every 2 years. Will also help keep the crap at bay.

The new Norton 360 is also a good way to keep the junk at bay, this new version is MUCH better then the old system eating pig versons they have had, they have done a much gooder job on this one. Best 85$ i spend a year. Pretty much the only program i buy/register hehe

This this topic is about PC Maintenance, I find the easiest and best option is format your hard drive into 3 partitions,

1. Install O/S in 1 partition
2. Set up Paging and swap files and temp (including web browser, java, quicktime, ...) to go to partition 2
3. Change my documents (Either in registry or simply create a short-cut) so your data is stored in the last partition. In addition to data, I have over 11 GB of MP3 so I use a seperate USB drive to store these then I can take my music where ever I am.

Now if you have to install windows again, just format the partitions outside of your data and you are good to go without having to back up your data files.
This setup is also really good for keeping your drive defragged.

 

[Hobbyer]

This this topic is about PC Maintenance, I find the easiest and best option is format your hard drive into 3 partitions,

1. Install O/S in 1 partition
2. Set up Paging and swap files and temp (including web browser, java, quicktime, ...) to go to partition 2
3. Change my documents (Either in registry or simply create a short-cut) so your data is stored in the last partition. In addition to data, I have over 11 GB of MP3 so I use a seperate USB drive to store these then I can take my music where ever I am.

Now if you have to install windows again, just format the partitions outside of your data and you are good to go without having to back up your data files.
This setup is also really good for keeping your drive defragged.

Yes, this is by far the best way to do it. And if you're really hardcore, you can install windows all the core programs etc... and then make an exact image of all of it, save it on one of the other partitions or hard drives (yeah this wastes some space), and then all you need to do is recover the image when you want to "reload" and not manually slog through a complete Windows and program installation which can take forever.

 

[WoodPeckr]

The PC maintenance solution I'm going to undertake next is located at www.apple.ca !

Yeah, that's a great solution if you don't mind paying double and triple what a PC costs!....

A far better and cheaper solution is give Ubuntu a try, it's FREE.
Ubuntu is even more stable than Apple.

 

[Keebler Elf]

This this topic is about PC Maintenance, I find the easiest and best option is format your hard drive into 3 partitions,

1. Install O/S in 1 partition
2. Set up Paging and swap files and temp (including web browser, java, quicktime, ...) to go to partition 2
3. Change my documents (Either in registry or simply create a short-cut) so your data is stored in the last partition. In addition to data, I have over 11 GB of MP3 so I use a seperate USB drive to store these then I can take my music where ever I am.

How much disk space do you dedicate to each?

 

[jwmorrice]

Thanks, I'll try it on a machine.

I've disagreed with Woody on a number of matters but he's spot on when it comes to his advocacy of Ubuntu. I bought an old P4 clunker just to give it free reign and it runs great. Fast and very stable.

jwm

 

[islandman4567]

How much disk space do you dedicate to each?

I'd like to know that as well.

also, I downloaded UBUNTU and installed it but now my mouse isn't working.
what should I do?

oops, just changed the batteries and it worked.