How do you keep your system running at it's best?

[whs]

Okay, I've successfully done one last re-install. I installed Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit, then after installing drivers/updates, refreshing WEI, and activating, I made an image of my OS partition and put that on my data partition (using the built-in imaging tool). The image is about 10-12GB. So far everything is working perfectly , and all my files are still there from my data partition.

@whs, thanks for the warning , my laptop came with an OEM installation of Win7 Home Premium. Back then, it came with an OS, DATA, and recovery partition. A while ago....I got myself a TechNet Standard subscritpion. Then, I formatted my whole drive (after backing up, of course), and started all over, creating my own OS and DATA partition.

The good news ! I've decided to purchase an external hard drive. After some quick research....I found this WD 1TB, does anyone have anything against this? Or is it a good buy?

The price is right, WD is a reputable company but you can always get a Monday morning lemon. I would buy it.

 

[McDougal]

Great, I'll order it tonight !

 

[McDougal]

I know this technically isn't the correct place to post this...but I've run into an annoying problem .

I set a wallpaper from a saved image file on my hard drive....then, I re-boot, and the wallpaper is gone, replaced with a black/blank background. I've tried many different images, even default ones, everything comes up with the same result. Everything else is working perfectly ....

Anyone know how to fix this? I really don't want to restore my image I made before I installed my programs....

 

[whs]

1. Did you "save changes" and save the "Unsaved Theme"
2. If nothing works, I suggest to do a system restore.

 

[Senteaf]

My list:

1. defrag occasionally
2. disk check(on restart)
3. monitor my system when I run a new program. and on Wednesday every week I take a full it till shutdown.
4. I have OEM WIN7 HOME on a spererate partition and on a USB storage.
5. test on VMs only!

That's it!

 

[McDougal]

About the wallpaper problem....discovered that this problem doesn't occur on system themes....only on wallpapers that I set from a file. I suppose saving the theme would work....but I've never seen this problem before on other installations/computers.

 

[indianacarnie]

Install O.S.
Update
Install Avast and Malwarebytes
Black Viper
Defrag
Install programs
Update programs
Defrag

 

[McDougal]

Oh and one thing I forgot to mention is I always install my anti-virus software (MSE, Hitman Pro 3.5, Malwarebytes, SUPERAntiSpyware, Spywareblaster) last, and Microsoft Office always first.

 

[McDougal]

Good news ! My hard drive came!

First impressions.....very sleek looking piece of hardware.

I'm kind of disappointed that it requires to be plugged into a power outlet in order to work (can't get power from USB), but no big deal. When plugged in, its completely silent, and doesn't get warm (not yet).

The first time I plugged it into my computer, Windows 7 gave me a "Device Not Recognized" popup. After some minutes of frustration, it finally installed the driver. Then, a message immediately poped up asking to check for errors. That's what I'm doing now....it's going to take a hell of a long time (its 1TB), lol. After that is when all the action will start

I'm very happy with my purchase .....

 

[whs]

I'm kind of disappointed that it requires to be plugged into a power outlet in order to work (can't get power from USB), but no big deal. When plugged in, its completely silent, and doesn't get warm (not yet).

That's too bad. You should have studied the specs ahead of time. Generally I prefer the ones with seperate power for the desktops. Only for the laptops do I take USB powered ones. Those are easier to take along.

 

[Wordsworth]

Thanks everyone for the replies !

So basically what you're all saying is I should do one last re-install....then immediately after make an image? I think I can do that.....all my files etc. are on my data partition, so I don't need to worry about those.....all I need to worry about is my programs, which I can handle, lol. My OS partition is about 20GB.....I could easily make an image of that and store it on my other data partition. My total hard drive space is 250GB.

A quick question about Windows licenses.....from my understanding....each Windows 7 license key has a unique activation on each computer that allows you to re-install an unlimited amount of times on that specific machine? Just curious, want to make sure I don't have to obtain another license key from my subscription.....

Should you ever need to clean install, say onto a new SSD, I'd use the built-in software license manager rather than puts around with the registry to activate Windows 7. You just open an elevated command prompt (run it as administrator) then:

Type: slmgr -ipk product key number (remember to space between slmgr and the command and before the product key).

Press enter.

Type: slmgr -ato and press enter. The -ipk command installs the product key, and the -ato attempts online activation.

 

[McDougal]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try it if I ever need to clean install again !

 

[jose003]

2012

How do you keep your system running at it's best, so you won't have to re-install for as long as possible? Your favorite software/tweaks/optimizations? Here's a list of what I like to do plus the software I install to help me out (all free stuff ):

Tweaks/Optimizations:
1. Immediately after a fresh install/full system update, I follow Black Viper's guides.
2. Then I follow this forum's Optimize guide.
This is done before I install any software.

Software I like:
1. CCleaner
2. Wise Registry Cleaner (free)
3. Wise Disk Cleaner (free)
4. Defraggler
5. GlaryUtilities (free)
6. Advanced Disk Cleanup (built-in, not really software, cleanmgr /sageset:50, cleanmgr /sagerun:50)
7. Msconfig and disable startup items after installing all programs

I defrag/clean regularly......and only install software I need, and don't install any beta stuff.

What do you do? Have any suggestions for me?

Try to use TuneUp2012.

 

[OldMX]

Macrium Reflect Free weekly backups, ccleaner everytime the computer is going to be turned off and let windows defragmente the disks when idle. (never and i repeat..."never"...let registry or system optimizers touch your computer)

 

[erica647]

The main thing I do is run Microsoft updates and leave it alone.

 

[Layback Bear]

Macrium Reflect Free weekly backups, ccleaner everytime the computer is going to be turned off and let windows defragmente the disks when idle. (never and i repeat..."never"...let registry or system optimizers touch your computer)

--------------------------------
I run form anything that says Tune Up for Windows 7

 

[vermin]

Have you tried Advance SystemCare 6?

 

[Layback Bear]

Hell no I'm still running. Windows 7 does not need or want any kind of Tune Up programs of any kind. IObit Advance System Care just makes me run faster. Windows 7 comes tuned up. Any problems one has, help is here on the Forum. Those programs give Greg to much work helping people do a Clean Reinstall.

 

[Tinkerdog]

McDougal, just a little word of caution. Before you create an additional partition for the images (as I suggested above), double check in Disk Management that you do not already have 4 primary partitions on the system. If you do have 4 primaries, a 5th partition would be fatal because all partitions would be converted into dynamics. Result is that your system does not boot any more.

If your system is an OEM installation (the OS came with the computer), there are good chances that you may have 4 primaries. Those OEM took the bad habit of installing hidden partitions that you do not see in Computer - only in Disk Management. Should you be in doubt, take a snip of your Disk Management window and post it here for us to have a look.

But if you originally installed the system from an installation disk yourself, you most likely do not have that problem.

Yes, HP is quite bad about the 4 partition grab. My HP laptop has 4 Primary Partitions.

To get 5, I had to follow advice on here and other sites, to convert the C: drive to a Logical Partition, and Extend it so as to add a 5th Logical Parition, for the User Data (as long as you have a System Primary Partition on the drive).

 

[Layback Bear]

Tinkerdog I'm glad all that worked for you but I don't understand the logic behind it just to keep a bunch of HP garbage on a computer.