Cleaning out computer?

Question

My computer has been running VERY slow. Is there anyway I can clean it up and/or delete files to make it run better

Answer 1

If you have windoes XP do this
Click Start
Click AllPrograms
Click Accessories
Click System Tools
Click Disc Cleanup
A box will come up showing your Hard drive Letter...
Click Ok/yes
It will take about 5 minutes to analyze your computer ...just wait.
Abox will come up showing how many KBytes you can Eliminate.
Click Yes/ok..It will ask "Are you Sure you want to do this"
Click Yes/ok

It will take 5 - 10 mins, but when the box goes away your computer will run better.

You could also go to System tools the same way and do disc defragmenter, analyze your hard drive and it will say if you should Defragment or not.

Print this answer so you can refer to it when you try.

Answer 2

It may be infetced with spyware. Try using these scans to remove it.

All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.After you install any of them,make sure you update them to get the full affect.


AVG anti virus/anti spyware remover.
AVG Removes I-Worm/Stration · BackDoor.Generic3.GBB and .GBC · Worm/Generic.FX · Exploit.WMF
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/...



Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
http://www.spybot.info/

http://superantispyware.com/
SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough scanner on the market. Our Multi-Dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones!
Easily remove over 100,000 pests such as SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins and thousands more!

Answer 3

Over time your computer can accumulate a lot of junk, the registry gets cluttered, etc so I suggest a more drastic solution.

1. Back up all of your data
2. Format hard drive and clean install Windows
3. Install updates,drivers, etc
4. Install the antivirus/spyware/optimizers listed by other people here
5. Don't install free junk programs like screensavers etc
6. Defragment hard drive and optimize registry (using registry cleaning program) from time to time

Answer 4

I have the free stuff. But you will learn the free stuff is like saying I have security in my house (aka computer) and if anyone (virus) gets in, I have the means to remove it. This is all and good.

But I have Norton's Anti-Virus, which is like have a guard at the front gate so the virus NEVER gets in the computer in the first place. All the free stuff is good as far as removing, but it is passive intervention like Norton's that works the best. I was 3 years of free stuff and it took me that long after constant Recoveries and Restores to find out about the free and paid stuff.

Some stuff is free. They scan and if you want to get the stuff out you have to UPGRADE, ching, ching. Now anyway, here is the Norton's free FULL 15 day trial of the product.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&fcl=4&catref=C12&fnu=1&xpufu=x&from=R10&satitle=windows+xp+software&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=78112&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1

Now if you go to pcpitstom.com, buy the optimize program. What is good is it is a ONE TIME pay, and not renewable like most software. What it will do is tune up your PC and stuff.
http://www.pcpitstop.com/

Do the other stuff defrag, clean files, and ensure you have max memory on your computer. Run the free spyware stuff . You can find them at these two sites. Click the download section when you get to the site.
http://www.cnet.com/
http://www.pcworld.com/

Most people do not realize that you can add more RAM or memory to your system. Find out what is inside your computer as far as ram and then go to crucial to see if you can add any more or not.


INFORMATION SITES
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html -- info on computer inside
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
http://www.crucial.com/index.asp -- info and price on memory

Answer 5

Using registry cleaner can fix your pc and then make your pc faster,Why?the reason is that there are some regsitry errors in your PC to cause "Computer slow".
Every time you install and uninstall software on your computer and surfing online you create junk in the pc registry.You need to scan and clean your PC with registry cleaner to make it fater.Good Regisry Cleaner will improve your PC and Internet performance dramatically.It even can speed up your PC by 300% or more!
There are some comparisons and reviews of TOP 5 registry cleaners.
http://www.registry-Cleaners.info

You can download and scan your PC for free.

Answer 6

clean up the start up folder using the configuration utility.

go to start menu --> run

type "msconfig" (no qoutes)

go to the start up tab on the far right

un check the garbage applications that you dont need to start every time windows boots. This will increase your boot speed and free up some ram to make the computer run faster.

Answer 7

best advice is to get the program SpySweeper, come in a green box. I love it, it gets rid of all the spyware. Second, start your internet explorer and click the tab TOOLS, click internet options, under general, click delete history, and cookies. Under settings reduce the storage space down to 50m, and click to delete history after 7 days.

Then get a anti virus. I love this free service for home users, click site under sources

Answer 8

What I do is first run your anti-virus, then run your anti-spyware (Adaware is the one I use(free)). then I go through my list of games and such that I hardly use and delete those, then I run Window's Disc Clean Up and then Disc Defrag. Then I freshly shut down the computer and then reboot.

Answer 9

Wow I'm glad you asked that question. Lots of good advice among the answers that I shall carefully keep for my own use.

Answer 10

Check the following web site and read what it has to say: http://uk.geocities.com/personel44/maintenance.html