The High Performance PC

I don't know enough about computer hardware and software to diagnose faults and adjust settings for optimised performance. I know software exists to help with these things but I suspect unless you download something that works well you could create more problems than you solve. I'd like, if available, a program that can check my PC and ensure it has no faults and that's it's running we'll. I don't just mean something that finds and deletes junk files, missing shortcuts, traces you leave but which checks Windows to ensure there are no problems and which can fix any problems detected.

1. Does any software exist that does what I want?

2. If such software exists what would you recommend?

3. If you've recommended something what do you think is good about it? Why do you recommend it?

4. I'd also like to know about program's I should avoid.

 

I completely endorse your feelings about system tweakers sometimes causing more problems than they solve, but there is one that I run on all the computers here with very evident improvement in performance and no resulting problems at all -

http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/simple_system_tweaker.html

However that alone won't ensure your system has no faults - there isn't any software capable of that - but the two most important considerations are the integrity of your windows filing system and of your windows system files. Both can be checked by utilities built into Windows -

chkdsk - open an elevated command prompt and type chkdsk c: /r where c: is your operating system drive.

This will check that every file and folder on C is correctly indexed and that any files making use of disk sectors which don't pass 100% are relocated. It can take quite a time to run but it's worth the wait.

The system file checker - open an elevated command prompt and type sfc /scannow

This checks that every Windows file is in its correct version and attempts to correct any that are not. Software sometimes replaces your Windows files with a different version, but for a completely stable system that isn't desirable.

Elevated command prompt (win 7) - type cmd into Start, right click cmd.exe and Run as Administrator.

Elevated command prompt (Win 8.1) - right click Start > Command prompt (Admin)

It helps if you always provide at least basic info about your operating system when asking for help.

 

I second Earthling's endorsement of Tweaking.com, system is definitely snappier after application.

 

Wow - who knew?

Didn't know I had a problem - now pages loading instantly.:wave

 

I downloaded and ran Tweaking. I did the system file check. It said it found problems. Where’s the best place to start a thread on that and post the CBS log generated.

 

OK, this is where the hard work starts. Work your way through THIS tutorial. I'm assuming Win 7 but you still haven't said which.

 

@Earthling - Sorry to get off track.

After downloading the program, everything is great.

Just a quick question : PC now runs 10 degrees cooler, which is great.

Is this just a coincidence, or did one of the tweaks somehow contribute to it?

 

I think I might be losing the plot.

I definitely wrote a post with the OS details. I've been through the entire thread and it's not there. Anyway, the PC in question runs Vista.

 

Because I don’t use Win 7 (I have Vista) on the PC I searched Microsoft’s own website on how to use sfc. I then went to use it. On Microsoft’s website I only found a list of commands that could be typed in. Perhaps I did it wrong because I received the following error message: “You must be an administrator running a console session in order to use the sfc utility”. I am the administrator and set as such; therefore, I don't now why it's saying this. I also attach a screen print of the error message. I got into command by typing the letters ‘cmd’ in to the Run after pressing the Start button.

 

@musksnipe: Thank you. I never thought of that. I'm going to take up DavidGP's offer to look at my log first. I'm wondering if Tweaking has discovered something harmless.

@DavidGP: Thank you Daivd. I've attached the log as a zip file because it was too large too attach as a log file. I opened it when it was created hoping it'd be concise and state clearly any obvious problems. There's no point me trying as it just is too much info which I understand not.

 

You didn't need to think about it mark as it is exactly what I said you should do in #3, and I also went to the trouble to explain what an elevated command prompt was and how you invoke it. Am I wasting my time here?

 

@Earthling: I apologise if I have upset you. I do value your assistance and that provided by everyone else here. I'd completely forgotten that post. I'm in the middle of trying to juggle about 10 different tasks all at once. I hope that goes a little way to explain. I don't offer it as an excuse because doing so many things simultaneously is my choice. If you choose to offer no more advice I shall understand. I will, however, miss the sage guidance you've offered me on innumerable occasions.

 

I don't throw my teddy about mark, but I'm busy too so was a bit disappointed after putting a lot of thought into #3 to realise you weren't following it through and certainly not paying any attention to the article I linked you to in #8 which would have answered all your questions about the system file checker and enabled you to correct all the reported errors. It's not enough to post logs and hope someone here will study them and drop all the answers in your lap. Sometimes you have to graft a bit yourself.

End of rant.

 

Even if it didn't state that it was going to fix on reboot, you can still reboot and run it again. And reboot and try it a 3rd time

There's also a tool called SFCFix that might help, it takes ~15 minutes to run through it: http://www.sysnative.com/forums/win...posting-instructions-post35484.html#post35484

 

I feel a little better now because you didn't read one of my posts. I looked at the article to which you signposted me. I knew that it was advice for Win 7 and I have Vista (which you didn't know at the time). Because the site was called Seven something I knew it wasn't going to have a solution for Vista. I then did a search myself on Microsoft's website.

I posted the log because DavidGP offered. I was waiting for him to get back about it because it might have turned out that Tweaking had found something that was innocent.

 

I'm going to try that now. Thanks for looking at the log. It didn't run on reboot so I'm signing off to try the elevated CMD.

 

The article applies to SFC /SCANNOW rather than to 7 or Vista and applies to both OSs, though I accept you wouldn't have known that. If you are serious about correcting your sfc errors you should still follow it through.

EDIT sorry JoeRay, I hadn't seen your post when I posted that.

 

I have completed the scan. It reported, “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log”.

 

@DavidGP: I've been working through the guidance that Earthling kindly provided. I've reached the point where I've run sfc three times as the fix recommended. Although it doesn't recommend this I ran it a fourth time in Safe Mode because I wondered if it might work in that Mode.

All four attempts haven't resolved it. I ran Tweaking both in Administrator Mode as you recommended and in Safe Mode as Tweaking recommends. Again no fix.

I've reached the point where I will have to use the Windows CD and run sfc at boot up. If I only had that to do I'd do it. Trying to prioritise things I want to ask you, as you looked at the log, if the issues are safe enough to either leave alone period or to do at some later date or whether you'd recommend I got them fixed ASAP.

 

Please find attached SFC Details Log in txt format.

 

"Microsoft-Windows-Sidebar settings.ini" can't be repaired because of some mismatch with the version in the SP2 installer files (KB948465 = http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=16468).

From memory, MS issued a warning a few years ago that Sidebar wasn't secure and it was recommended to not use it.

The result here looks like it's related to this: http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/947595 <- where MS say: "Ignore it, it's an error".

 

Thanks satrow. I'm going to look in to that. It's useful when you get genuine help. I do appreciate it.