clean

[BlackenedBodom]

i just bought a new gateway laptop and have upgraded from xp to windows 7. when i bought my last comp i had a buddy clear a bunch of crap i didnt need and took up space but now i want to learn to do it myself how can i uninstall and delete everything i dont need? what are some basic things i can do to make my comp better? i would like my computer to run efficient and last that way for a long time, also what are some recommended programs i can get to keep it clean?
thanks

 

[Darician]

I generally just format and reinstall the OS it comes with and install the drivers and go from there. That's the drastic approach.
A simple approach is to uninstall all the demo software that comes with the laptop unless you want some of it. Then uninstall things you know you won't need nor will ever use. Most commonly, looking at your desktop will give you an indication of what you don't want and then you can go to the Control Panel and use Programs and Features to uninstall.

 

[BlackenedBodom]

how do i format and also i didnt get any disks or anything how do i install the os after a format?

 

[Harvey Meale]

Hi BlackenedBodom,

As far as applications and configuration goes, there isn't really much you can get to optimize your computer's performance, but it's important to remember that the more you put onto your PC, the slower it will become. One of the best things I'd recommend is to have some form of decent security. An antivirus and/or firewall combination, for one, would be a good start. Take a look at the below information and select one firewall and one antivirus. Please note that these applications aren't necessary, but they're strongly recommended. Also, if instead of any of the below applications, you wanted to get MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) that would be fine. When I wrote the below speeches, MSE wasn't a credible protection agent, but now it is. Anyhow, I'd recommend you download one of the following antiviruses and firewalls. Please ensure you get no more than one of each. Two or more antiviruses (or firewalls) can cause huge problems.

Free Antivirus Applications

• ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4 - Please use this download link and this download link only. I ask you to do this to avoid downloading incorrect and potentially harmful software. Please select the Antivirus download, not the Smart Security download, as we only want an antivirus. Select the appropriate version (32-bit or 64-bit) depending on your operating system.
• Avira AntiVir Personal - FREE Antivirus - Please use this download link and this download link only. I ask you to do this to avoid downloading incorrect and potentially harmful software.
• Avast! Free Antivirus 5.0.396 Final - Please use this download link and this download link only. I ask you to do this to avoid downloading incorrect and potentially harmful software.
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 - Trial Version - Please use this download link and this download link only. I ask you to do this to avoid downloading incorrect and potentially harmful software. To download this software, you'll need to go through an e-mail verification process. Please fill in your Name and E-mail Address to do this at the link provided above.

Free Firewall Applications

• Online Armor - As iBruteforce suggested, Online Armor is an extremely efficient firewall to use. It's a user-friendly firewall, so if you struggled with the likes of Comodo, perhaps you should consider this alternative. Below is a link to a Online Armor review, so you can see what other people think of it.
  • [Review] Online Armor Free

• Comodo Firewall - This firewall is regarded as one of the most popular applications because it is one of the more advanced protection agents and has a high detection rate on malicious traffic. At times, the Comodo firewall may seem a little confusing, but with experience, you'll begin to get the hang of it and understand why it's known as one of the best. I'll post a link to a review below.
  • [Review] Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0

• ZoneAlarm - ZoneAlarm, like Comodo, is one of the better firewall programs freely available. It is often considered to be in the top two when it comes to protection and usability. Rated five stars by CNet's staff, this is truely one of the best firewalls around. I'll post a review (link below) for you to find out more on this excellent software.
  • [Review] ZoneAlarm 9.1.007

• Outpost Firewall - Outpost, though perhaps not the most effective firewall, comes with many excellent features that will often surpass that of a professional firewall. These include 'proactive protection' that controls your installed applications, and a real-time network statistics monitor. Read more about Outpost Firewall at the link below.
  • [Review] Agnitum Outpost Firewall Free

I hope that you can find a software that, based on your requirements, will perform optimally in the prevention of malicious attacks on your system. Good luck.

Other applications can be installed at your leisure, and it's really up to what you want. Other handy tools to help prevent your system from being compromised include CCleaner (a System Registry scanner) and a Disk Defragmenter (this is built into Windows, but there are third party options). Run scans with your antivirus regularly to prevent infections going unnoticed.

If you'd like more information on applications that can help protect your system, please let me know.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale

 

[gregrocker]

Clean and order your HD perfectly using state-of-the-art free CCleaner ("Run Cleaner" and Registry tabs) then Auslogics Disk and Registry Defraggers monthly.

Uncheck all items in msconfig>Startup except AV and gadgets as others don't need to start with computer and become freeloaders on your RAM/CPU and can spy on you.

Use a lightweight free AV solution like MSE which works perfectly with the Win7 Firewall.

Google repeat errrors in the Event Viewr>Admin View to find how others have resolved them and learn a lot more about your computer. Study the Performance log accessed by clicking through your WEI score on Computer>Properties then Advanced Tools. Look for issues cued at top and Generate a System Health Report there, also.

If this doesn't keep Win7 running instantaneously with no hangs then work on finding a clean-copy Win7 DVD for your licensed version to reinstall using Product key on COA sticker attached to machine. All versions can be unlocked in any retail installer by extracting the ISO using ImgBurn then using the ei.cfg removal tool, burning back to DVD or writing to flash stick.

 

[whs]

If you really want to cleanup your system, you can use vLite for /7. But do not expect too much in terms of performance from any cleanup. The best you can expect is to save some disk space - but that is usually not an issue with modern PCs.
There are some other measures that usually buy you more - e.g. a tight control of the running processes and a cleanup of the startup programs.
A really dramatic performance boost you can get from installing an SSD for your OS. Nothing else can give you more beat for the buck.