Performance/cleaning software.

I want to download software to help keep my machine in tip top shape, what would the list of the best malware removal, registry cleaners etc.... be? Purchasing the software will not be an issue, so I'm not focused strictly on freeware.

 

If you install and uninstall app often Your Uninstaller! 2006 is excellent (21 day free trial) it will uninstall the app using it's own uninstaller but then scan for registry and orphaned files and remove them as well. I have read the normal Windows Add/Remove can leave upto 80 Registry entries after uninstall this way. Your Registry can become bloated and impaired. Have a trial.

For defrag I would recommend Diskeeper Lite, free, but importantly it is the same defragger as that XP uses but a later v.xx and more efficient engine:

http://majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1207

For defrag of the page filing sys and Registry hive would use:

http://majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=603
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/PageDefrag.html (article)

This keep my sys well tuned and consistent, like when I bought it home from the shop.

This isn't addressing security though.

Follow what Halo has suggested but I would look at NOD32 for the AV very small footprint and good.

 

I don't have any idea what that is.

 

NOD32 AntiVirus, one of the best out there; not a resource hog like Norton, or a sleeper like McAfee.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/NOD32_Antivirus_System_d3704.html

 

Oh okay, thanks.
Would it be safe to replace the two with it?

 

The two of what? Are you running 2 antivirus programs? Not a good idea. The two I named are a couple of ones that folks post frequent problems with.

 

Both of them have a very controversial reputation. Both are often given away free with systems and can be resource hungary (use up available CPU memory). IMHO I believe that both will attempt to "goad" you into a false level of security by generating false positives (it must be working so well, the others didn't find anything) so you will BUY it the next time (when your subscription runs out). Norton is an utter pain as you will have to reregister every 3 months and download all the updates again.

Have a look at NOD32 if you want. There are many polarised views on the above mentioned products but imo avoid them, they have a false market profile and many on the ground (end-users) state they are crud!

 

Thanks guys I will have a look at NOD32. And isn't running Norton and McAfee giving twice the protection? JK, I only have McAfee, I just worded my post badly.

 

One of the greatest aids I have found to expanding my knowledge of XP is the book,
Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks, by David A Karp. It includes Service Pack 2.
637 pages and gems of info on nearly every page.

Of particular use is the listing of 700 individual Windows XP settings (covering 34 pages, and every setting is spelt out like, for example,

Indexing Service, enable / disable for individual drives
Explorer-->right click drive icon-->Properties -->General Tab-->Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching.

Price is USD$35, Can $51, AUD around $60.
And no, I have no connection with the Author or publisher.

I've had my copy for 9 month's now and read bits of it every day. Even made up my own index of RIB (Really Important Bits) in Excel and pasted it in the inside front cover.

It helps me keep my system in top shape.

Bazza

 

No. They will conflict with each other, which renders both ineffective.