Best free pc health software for Windows XP and 7?

Hi,

I was wondering what is the best free software to keep tabs on your pc's health? And if something is found to be out of the ordinary, then it must be very simple to fix it, if possible.

So basically a pc health utility software for complete pc novices with a desktop Windows XP and a laptop Windows 7


Thank you in advance

 

I would say start with anti-virus. Avast is great on Windows machines in my experience. You need a cleaner, so CCleaner is good. I set it to remove temporary internet files and that's about all and then I set it to run on a schedule in the middle of the night.

I don't know of a program that will actually tell you of your PCs health. There are great programs like System Explorer (free) that give you a look at what's running, but it takes some experience and expertise to know how to use those programs when you have a problem. Most of the other programs that help with PC health require some intuition on the part of a user. There are programs that will tell you the cause of a blue screen error like BlueScreenView that are useful.

I guess the best advice is to add the tools that give you the ability to save yourself if something goes wrong and then add the programs like Process Lasso that make your PC run better so it will last longer.

I know there are programs that will tell a user about the health of a hard drive. Anyone know about these or of any other hardware diagnostics software? Sounds like this is what Tigurinn is looking for...

 

A good place to start is MajorGeeks Top Freeware Picks
http://majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=20

The section titled All-In-One PC Optimization Suites: contains software that will keep your computer running smooth and repair minor problems
There are many other tools mentioned that can fix any bigger problems that might occur

 

The event viewer in Administrative tools.

 

Thanks for the Top Freeware Picks, I had already seen it but thanks anyway :-D

I downloaded from here sometime ago a program, that was meant to check on your pc's health (not quite sure if it was only meant for the hard drive, but I don't recall that being mentioned in the description)

It had an ugly interface and it gave me a warning, so I tried to check out in the program what it could do to help me - but to a novice it was useless.

...and of course, I can't find it now and nor in Google's search.

My battery is pretty much useless and that's why I always have to charge it within minutes after booting it up (it's a windows 7 laptop) - but the program didn't give any indication on what the problem could be; but this is the only thing that I know of that could possibly give me a warning.



But I was more or less thinking about my father's desktop Windows XP, would then CCCleaner and even JetBoost be enough? He has all the other bells and whistles; Microsoft Security Essentials, MalwareAntibytes, SuperAntispyware, SpywareBlaster and Zemana Antilogger Free (my mother and I also have these on our computers - and I try my best to update their computers and scan them)

And for those pc softwares that do check on your pc's hard drive's health - how accurate are they?? Can I trust them?

 

Tigurinn...I put Avast on my father's PC and just let him go. He turned 80 this year and is no threat to get in trouble, but he can zip around without any problems. He does have Malwarebytes on there which I downloaded just in case. I don't think he even knows it's there...

I use Avast too, but I guess MSE or whatever would be good...

 

The latest stories seem to acknowledge that av programs can not keep up with the new viruses created daily. http://www.securitybistro.com/blog/?p=4720
So use the one that has the least impact on the functioning of the computer. And of course use a free version because the paid versions don't offer better protection.

 

I use this combo for good protection.

AVG 2012 internet security with fire wall

Malwarebytes (PRO)

And
Advance system care for cleaning out the rest of the junk.

Works well in most cases.

If Avg does not pick up any thing then malwarebytes will in most cases.