OS Optimization Controversy

I have Win7 Professional. From time to time I have read various comments on the internet claiming that system optimization software can cause more trouble than good. I am running AVAST free antivirus. It keeps telling me that it can speed up my computer and clean it up; which I take with a grain of salt. Back about 6 years ago I used to run an optimization software on the registry and overall computer performance for Win XP. I felt that some of the software I used at that time did more harm than good.

Nonetheless, I am again curious. Is it a wise move to install optimization software on a Win 7 OS system? Can I truly improve performance in the areas of faster response, startup, etc.?

If yes, then comes the ever argumentative question - which software program is the best and least damaging to the registry and OS in general?

Any comments will be greatly appreciated as I think I might be interested in the fact that my OS may be slowing down a little and in need of some assistance/cleanup/etc. I have a few symptoms but nothing overwhelming.

Thanks for any help,

Dekade

 

Are you having issues with your computer? If not, there is no point to run any snake-oil quick fixes. The only application I use to clean my computer is ccleaner (which I purchased the pro version). I also use Avast, but I use their Premier 2015 edition. Bought the 2014 edition, and continued it.

 

By far the number 1 optimization you can do is upgrade to an SSD. Nothing else compares.

 

Yep. To all replies received to this point. That's kind of what I thought. I have even been a little bit overly cautious about CCleaner. I have used it very lightly because I remain a little intimidated by it's vast variety of offerings on things to delete. I have trouble discerning what to delete sometimes even with CCleaner. It also has a Registry Cleaner - BUT - I am wondering if it can even get me into any trouble. Any comments on that and CCleaner overall with all of it's offerings and knowing what is safe to delete? Maybe I don't really fully understand CCleaner either; thus, the intimidation could definitely be of my own making.

EDIT - By the way I have been into msconfig.exe to make certain nothing unnecessary is running. I do that quite often.

 

Don't be concerned about using CCleaner's registry cleaner as it only removes reg keys which have lost their links to the filing system. It doesn't matter whether they are left there or removed though, as I have a tidy mind, I do run it occasionally.

I find the Startup feature very useful as it enables you to re-enable things that you subsequently realise you ought not to have disabled.

 

Thanks Earthling for your reply. Your reply does rest my mind on further use of CCleaner. I will take a closer look.

 

Also have a look at Services. WinPatrol allows you to 'List non-Microsoft Services only'.

If you're not sure which services can be set to Manual Startup, take a screenshot and post it.

 

msconfig allows you to do the same, by the way.

 

Yes. I look at msconfig.exe quite often. Actually only have about 4 out of 30 startups checkmarked.

 

I use msconfig to check if removing a start up will cause problems. That and bleepingcomputer.com that has quite an extensive start up listing. In the end I remove the start up entry from the registry, a back up may be a good idea. CCleaner also has a start up control tab. Also use CCenhancer, but read the warnings when given. CCleaner has never given me grief, but have read a few complaints. I turn off checking for updates and the newer functions that it has. If their is an update it will be on majorgeeks front page. In the end hardware upgrades are the most efficient way to increase the performance of your PC. Just need to know the limitations of your motherboard.:confused

 

Bugballou,

Thanks, you have thrown a few new things into the mix. Deleting the start up entry from the registry is one new thing you have pointed out to me. I often go into Regedit.exe to delete a program of which I absolutely do not want any piece left in the registry. I do that using the 'Find Next' registry search feature to locate the program name, or software company name (if proprietary). Delete; etc. etc.; until nothing finally returns in the search.

How would I actually find a 'start up' that I want to remove in the registry? Does removing it in MSCONFIG or CCLeaner remove it from the registry? If I want the start up to be used again in the future I assume I would just go back to the program and reinstate it - ????

Regarding hardware - Yep, I have it upgraded as far as it can go. I found out last week that I had done a stupid thing though. I thought my motherboard went up to 16GB Ram. So, a year ago I loaded all four slots with 4GB each. Then last week have of the operations on the computer one morning upon startup revealed ultimately that I only had 8GB capacity. Here I had been running 16GB and evidently only using 8 of it. However, slots 2 and 4 were Mushkin brand and slots 1 and 3 are GSkill. So I decided to remove all but slot 1. The computer worked fine again. Then - long story short - I ended up with the two GSkills in slots 1 and 3. The Mushkin sticks must have been bad.

That's what started this whole thread in the first place. Hope I didn't screw up the motherboard with my ignorance of 16GB ram on an 8GB setup.

Dekade

 

You cannot change the Startup Type of a Service in msconfig...

 

I'm a little lost at your comment. Respectfully asking - why is it that you are pointing that out to me? No chip on my shoulder - just learning is all.

I have never messed around in the "Services" tab. How do I start to learn about it and what to enable / disable?

Are the "Services" also relative to the overall betterment and performance of the system like the "Startups"?

Thanks,

Dekade

 

Depends on what startup type you want

 

Nope. Mostly placebo when it comes to performance differences. You are just trading the performance hit and moving it from startup to the next time you use the app.

 

Adrynalyne,

So, are you saying - to just stay away from the "Services" and leave them as the Win7 OS already has them?

 

IMO, yes. I've been around Windows long enough to know that you are playing with fire with very little benefit.

 

Okay then, will follow your advice.

 

I usually caution people to maybe uncheck the following items on the Windows tab:

• Recent Documents
• Run (in Start menu)
• Other Explorer MRUs
• Taskbar Jump Lists

Also, I don't delete these, just in case.

• Memory Dumps
• Windows Log Files
• Windows Error Reporting
• Start Menu Shortcuts
• Desktop Shortcuts

I prefer to delete shortcuts manually.
Be sure to run Analyze first, to see what will be removed.
For a more detailed inspection, go to Options > Advanced and check Show initial results in detailed view.

 

Agreed.
The Windows Services should be left alone. But, there are programs* that create services without creating a startup. The startup type of those services can be set to Manual - they will start when needed.

I have only 2 services without startups - lxdn_device (Printer Communication Service) and Samsung Mobile Connectivity Service (MSS CS Connectivity Service). Both are needed.

* I don't recall if it was Samsung Kies, MoboRobo or Mobogenie (similar programs), but, 1 of them installed a service that used 1 GB of RAM, and at the time I only had 2 GB RAM!

Dekade, looking at your original post, I also use Avast Antivirus, and I get the same message - ignore it.

 

That "speed up my computer and clean it up" message from Avast is generated by the "GrimeFighter" add-on/component. It can be disabled by going to:

• "Program and Features" >
• "Avast Free Antivirus" >
• "Change"
• In the second column(Tools) de-select/un-check "GrimeFighter".

GrimeFighter is a paid component of Avast: Avast GrimeFighter | Optimize, clean & speed up my PC.

If you've |MG| Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and |MG| CCleaner Slim installed you don't need Grimefighter.

 

You left out third party services that can potentially blue screen your computer if disabled or set to manual and they use boot level drivers. Again, I've seen these things happen. It is not common, but it does happen.

Again, the performance increase isn't worth the hassle. A 50 dollar SSD and putting your OS on it and your programs elsewhere will increase performance 100 fold over service tweaking.

 

mjnc,

Thanks for the detail. That helps me a lot. I am educating myself to this thread often and then I will start to make a move and do things cautiously.

Sure, I'm not going to turn a Volkswagen into a Lamborgini - BUT, I certainly may, in the long run, Have a smoother machine.

Ultimately I want to build my 3rd computer using a more modern ASUS AMD motherboard. Currently running an antiquated Asus P5ND.

 

Eldon,

Yes. I recall you also run AVAST. Personally I really like it. MUCH better and more stable than AVG.

How do you determine how much Ram a service is using? And, how do you then do something about it if desired?

 

THANKS FOR THE "MG" tips. Didn't know they existed!

 

Adrynalyne,

Again, the performance increase isn't worth the hassle. A 50 dollar SSD and putting your OS on it and your programs elsewhere will increase performance 100 fold over service tweaking.

Are those SSD's REALLY that advantageous? I think this is the second time that I have seen the SSD reference in this thread.

Here is a question about a new SSD. If I only have one legitimate copy of WIN7 Pro is there a way to do the new install of a SSD with the same WIN7 Pro copy as is currently on a hard drive on the computer? I hate to go through a week long install of the OS copy, lose my current OS accessibility license, and reinstall all of the Software programs - And thus be down without "any" OS at the same time. Don't really want to buy a second copy of the Win7 Pro OS either. Might as well build a new computer.

Also, "putting programs elsewhere"; Doesn't that open up a whole can of worms on how the registry references everything; automatic saves; updates; etc. - stuff like that? I remember a while ago (maybe four years) I tried doing that with Outlook (plus 2 other programs) and different things kept wanting to be referenced back to the "C" drive and not the drive I installed Outlook on. I can't remember how to explain what took place but that sort of gives you the idea of where I am concerned.

Kind of off track here on the thread but still ultimately all-in-all relevant and decision related to the original thread concern.

Please provide feedback.

Thank you greatly,

Dekade

 

-If your current drive isn't larger than the SSD (in how full it is), you can just clone it. Otherwise, yes, use the same key. After all, its the same computer.

--Unless you find a truly poorly coded software application, this won't be an issue. Even if it was, it can be solved via symlinks.

 

Open Windows Task Manager and click the Services tab. At the bottom left, click 'Show processes from all users'. You'll see how much RAM each service is using. The Avast Service and Antivirus is using ± 22 MB of RAM on my PC.

You cant do much about how much RAM a process is using - RAM defragmenters and optimizers are pointless. Get more RAM.

 

Adrynalyne,

Well, I guess I will also be looking at SSD's now. Which option below is considered ideal? OR - does it matter?

1) OS and software on same SSD
2) OS on SSD#1 and Software on SSD#2
3) OS on SSD and Software on HDD
4) Files and folders on SSD#1; SSD#2; or HDD (-or- does it matter?)

Thanks again,

Dekade

 

#1 is best performance.
#2 is costly and needless.
#3 is most cost effective.
#4. Don't do this LOL. Just use HDD as storage if needed.

I have a 256 and 512gb SSD and 3TB external HDD.

 

Put the OS and installed software on SSD and everything else on HDD. This minimises writes to SSD (there is a limit) and maximises the HDD's ability for fast long sequential reads/writes.

Compared with having everything on one HDD performance is totally transformed. As Adrynalyne has said, no amount of tinkering with startups etc is even in the same league.

Providing data size is within the SSD's limits transferring everything to SSD is easily accomplished by either cloning or imaging, preferably the latter imo.

 

Just to confirm you memory on your motherboard, yes the max is 8 GB
http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P5ND/specifications/

Decent video to watch that compares SSD vs SSHD vs HDD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iBhf8rpobo

 

Theefool,

Thank you very much for the link.

 

Earthling,

Much appreciation for your encouraging agreements

 

Adrynalyne,

Another - Thank you for the advice.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0147248&cm_re=eveo_840-_-20-147-248-_-Product

 

Adrynalyne,

I have looked at the SSD link you provided from Newegg. I buy from them when I need items. I have always been fond of Samsung HDD's. I have a 1TB HDD that I have partitioned. I would expect nothing less for quality in their SSD's. Don't really now much about other HDD/SSD brands that can be banked on for longevity and reliability.

Any comment about what might be the preferred, user friendly, cloning software? To the best of your knowledge are there any freeware cloning software that would be trustworthy to use for the cloning process? IF you were going to install an SSD would you clone your current OS or would you opt to reinstall clean onto the SSD "thus eliminating" the chance of transferring/cloning accumulated compromised functionality of the OS, registry, and program software from the past two years while they were on the HDD?

 

theefool,

That video comparison was definitely cool to watch. Pretty much the writing on the wall. Thanks for making it available.

Dekade

 

I use Acronis for cloning.

 

The old days, partitioning the drive was the norm, now a days, IMHO, why would you do that?

Just keep the drive whole, and not worry about it.

 

theefool,

thanks for your opinion. I do not spend much time worrying about it. I just do it because I like the way that that procedure helps me do my filing system. I am extremely detailed with folders. Partitioning allows me to look at Windows Explorer and in a quick glance decide which partition fits my needs best to locate/file a file or folder. I only have about three partitions. Nonetheless, I like the way I have it set up. For me, I guess that's the beauty of a computer so to speak. My computer represents a big room with a ton of file cabinets in it. I always know right where to go in the aka - room (or aka - computer) to look for what I need or file what I have to file. Also, the partitions make easy work out of using NovaBackup to backup single chosen partitions to external hard drives for a duplicate set of copies. I do appreciate your comments though, but, I find value in the way I use partitions.

 

Agree with plodr and Dekade - partitioning saves time and space when imaging and simplifies data backup. A must as far as I am concerned.

 

If you only have one drive, in your computer, then yes partitioning is good. If you have multiple, then I'd say partitioning is not needed. In the old days, buying a hard drive was expensive, and you needed to partition. Now you could just buy an SSD 120 GB for OS, and a 4+ TB drive for everything else. Note, I would do a 240+ GB ssd, then buy another 512 GB for games, and 1024 SSD for virtual computers.

On a side note, I've work in the past on many computers that had issues with bad storage management when it comes to partitioning. That is why I stated that partitioning is not needed anymore. Us old folks are hard to change our ways.

 

Thank you,

Your comments have been much appreciated. However, much like all of us that live in a structure with a roof. We could live in one room that has a bed, kitchen, and, a toilet. Then we could go and buy a house that has 10 rooms and a storage shed outside. Then we have rooms that have closets. Then the closets have shelves in them. Then the shelves have boxes on them. Then it all comes down to how good you are at organizing all of those individual situations. It has nothing to do with the actual house and that it has many rooms. It has to do with how good you are at manipulating the circumstances within each room. The home can only run into problems when the one that lives in it cannot organize it properly and make it a pleasant environment.

 

Thanks,

I plan on checking into the link. Why is it a one time only situation?

 

It changes the default setup so only needs to be executed once. Try it - you may be quite impressed!