"tune up"

If a friend asks to have their computer "tuned-up", what checklist might one go through in this situation?

assume they have windows xp or 98; are connected to the internet, do not have an antivirus program, and are not experiencing any current computer problems.


Thanks

 

Ok.

Starters, they probably have heaps of spyware. Seek and Destroy it. Get Adaware and/or Spybot S&D from the main MG website. Secondly, they really SHOULD have an Antivirus, so find them a suitable one, preferably one with a firewall built in as well for minimum hassle.

If you're on an XP machine, you might wanna try www.tweakxp.com and go thru some non-intrusive speed/performance tweaks.

Defrag, scandisk/chkdisk, clean the registry using a cleaner, but dont go deleting any negligble entries, if you can set the reg cleaner to the lowest setting (i.e. it only removes the entries that are DEFINATLEY wrong). Make sure you keep a backup of the registry in case it does fubar somthing.

Depending on their connection, you might want to do an MTU tweak. This can be done thru the reigstry. You could test the machine using the tools on www.dslreports.com such as the tweak tester. Make sure you are using the connection that they will use.

There are some starting points, so you've got somthing to search with Hope that helps

 

TuneUp

Might be a really good idea after you run a check with AdAware/SpyBot to then clean out all the accumulated gunk in the way of tmp filesetc plus temp internet files. Best way to do this is to use something like Emptemp which is good but there are plenty of others available for free. Reason I recommend this is my daughter's machine ground to a halt a while back and I found squillions of gunk such as mentioned. Deleted it all, scandisk, and then defrag and the box went back to normal. And yes - an antivir prog plus a firewall both absolutely necessary.
Cheers
Robert

 

Would be a good idea to get CCleaner here at MG. Nifty little cleaner app. It also finds and fixes "issues." I really reccommend it for general clean up.

 

Don't overlook EmpTemp at Empty Temp Folders ver 2.8.3

It's free and catches stuff that CCleaner, Cleanup, PestPatrol, AdAware and Spybot miss.
I run most of them after a long session on the net. Takes almost as long as a net session but I'm paranoid. Baz

For the doubters, run Ccleaner, Cleanup! and then emptemp. You'll find some that the others missed. Baz


[EDIT]Changed link to MG Please check our home page for programs before linking to other sites...that is what MG was founded on Thanks! BTW...This proggie ROCKS! I use it all the time![/EDIT]

 

but I'm paranoid. Baz
Ain't paranoia Baz. Just proper caution
Bil

 

Dear Abby Sue

Abby, Will do. Please pardon earlier post today. I posted that before I read this.

Bill, Thanks, reassurance is always good.

baz