How to maintain a healthy OS (Win 7 particularly)?

[Riotubes]

Hi, I'd like to better understand what folders in Win 7 require active maintenance on the part of the user as a result of downloads, cookies, temp files and/or malicious attack. Just built a new PC and plan to install Win 7 and want to educate myself in order to have a fair shot at keeping the PC as clean as possible and avoid system bloat, inadvertent downloads, etc. When I look in various OS folders on my existing PC, I have no idea what files are legit and necessary versus those that aren't. I'd like to understand what folders I should be keeping an eye on. I am particularly interested in tips on utility software or even just basic maintenance tips that will help me. In this regard, I'm thinking of running firefox from ramdisk to keep the OS partition clean from cache and temp files. Your thoughts please!

 

[gregrocker]

Tips for getting a purrfect install based on hundreds done here: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Re harmful stuff: that's best fought with anti-malware and anti-virus apps.

Re harmless clutter: most of this builds up somewhere in C users yourusername, particularly in the local/temp subfolder. Mine now has 1.12 gigs in it.

Frankly, I don't concern myself with that temp folder. Some people periodically delete everything in it.

The most benign app for your purpose is CCleaner. Very highly regarded here. General advise is to use its "cleaner" component, but to avoid its "registry" component. Some nonetheless use its registry component and it is about the least problematic registry cleaner if you insist on using one.

Keep tabs on your installed apps. Periodically review them and uninstall those you haven't used in a considerable time.

There isn't a lot of reason to be prowling Windows folders. If you are worried about running out of drive space, make C larger or use more care about what apps you need and don't need.

Set defragger to run maybe weekly.

Periodically do a full scan with something like Malware Bytes.

Re your own data: make a sane and detailed folder structure so you can locate that spaghetti sauce recipe.

You may like the Everything search tool, free from voidtools.com. Searches for file names only. Its dynamite.

Consider a few prime Firefox extensions like Flashblock and Noscript.

 

[Solarstarshines]

I would like to think keeping a healthy OS is also Keeping unhealthy user's off you're unit / Familly that goes to any browsable site just because they heard it was cool

familly members who download anything with no regard that right there in a matter of moments will kill you're system

after you keep the evil do'ers off your system then keeping track of what you installed and use will be much easier

 

[Riotubes]

Tips for getting a purrfect install based on hundreds done here: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/125874-re-install-windows-7-a.html#post1086729

Is this also applicable to a fresh install on a newly built computer?

 

[richnrockville]

There things that you will need for your windows 7 computer are:

BACKUP! BACKUP! BACKUP!

You can never have enough backups.

Rich

 

[richc46]

Welcome
I am sure this will be of some help

http://www.sevenforums.com/performa...uggestions-proper-maintenance.html#post764471

 

[JMH]

As well as all the good advice offered above -

*If you do your computer housework on a regular basis everything should be ok.
Eg
Check Disk.
Defragment
Disk Clean Up
Error Checking
Temporary Files Removal

* IE.8 - Safety - Delete Browsing History. -
* Check for unwanted plug ins.

*Make sure your Windows Update is running.

* Check in Task Manager/ Processes/ All Users to see what is running there.

* Check in Event Viewer for errors frequently.
Note any with a red mark in Application & System.

*Remove any software you have evaluated and decided you don't want to keep.

Run: SFC /scannow (from a command prompt) - and let it check/repair/verify your system files

*Some people optimize and compact the registry. This makes me VERY nervous and consequently I don't.

 

[gregrocker]

Most registry cleaners are a sales scam without any genius behind them. CCleaner remains the industry standard for Disk and Registry cleanup. It is probably the most respected app in the tech world.

 

[whs]

Every now and then we paint ourselves into a corner. The best method to get back in business without great pain is an image. Frequent imaging is the best lifeline I know. Here are a couple of tuts that will give you more details.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/128494-imaging-strategies.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

 

[pparks1]

Once built, patch it and take a system image.
Keep your downloads and data on a secondary partition or hard drive...thus you could put your image back down with 0 loss.

Run an AV and malware scan.

Don't download and install stuff you don't absolutely need. Consider taking an image before playing with something. Restore image if it's not everything you hoped for and more.

Do everything on the web inside of sandboxie using the sandboxed browser.

 

[Riotubes]

I read a suggestion NOT to install the OS on drive C since intruders / viruses are aimed at drive c. Is there any reason to believe that simply switching the drive letter that such intruders and viruses would be thwarted to any extent?

 

[gregrocker]

No. Win7 will choose C anyway as long as you don't install it from another OS lettered C.

Use MSE with Win7 Firewall kept auto-updated. Use Malwarebytes for on-demand scanning or monthly.

 

[whs]

I read a suggestion NOT to install the OS on drive C since intruders / viruses are aimed at drive c. Is there any reason to believe that simply switching the drive letter that such intruders and viruses would be thwarted to any extent?

That is not something you can control. Just get a good AV program (e.g. NIS2011, MSE) and be careful with your browsing habits. The Sandbox suggestion that pparks made is also very good - just a little more cumbersome.

 

[Riotubes]

I'm thinking of using the portable version of firefox and loading into ramdisk. Not sure if it will leave me any less susceptable to attack...but all the temp and cache files will be purged continuously

I will be installing OS and Apps to a single partition and imaging it at first install and then periodically thereafter, as suggested above

As far as the userdata folder, does that remain in the OS partition or on the HDD used for data, downloads, OS images, etc? I understand that by using Library function I can place MyDocs on data HDD, but don't know where the userdata directory resides? On this topic, do you folks any specific maintenance/cleanup/delete of this userdata folder, similar to internet cache, temp?

Finally, what about sandbox applications? Are these effective? Do they slow things down?