| A friend told me: "My computer startup seems | | | | your disk for errors. When the scan is |
| to be taking a long time. And when the hard | | | | complete, click the Defragment Now button to |
| disk finally stops churning, everything just | | | | run the defrag, which reorganizes your hard |
| seems slower than when it was new. Can you | | | | disk so Windows can find and access files |
| suggest any maintenance tips to reduce the | | | | more efficiently. (It's highly recommended |
| startup time and make Windows run faster?"I | | | | that you close all running programs and |
| have this theory that sludge builds up inside | | | | disable your screen saver before running a |
| a computer over time, much like an automobile | | | | defrag. Otherwise, updates to your files may |
| engine. After a while, it doesn't start right | | | | trigger defrag to restart endlessly.)Okay, |
| up like when it was new, it stalls | | | | Now Take a Breath...We're more than half-way |
| unexpectedly, and performance is sluggish on | | | | done with the process of cleaning the junk |
| the (information) highway. Is there something | | | | out of your computer. The rest of the steps |
| like engine cleaner we can pour into our | | | | may seem a little more geeky, and you can |
| personal computer to restore that "like new" | | | | skip any or all of them if you don't feel |
| performance? Actually, yes!Cyber Sludge | | | | comfortable digging a little deeper into the |
| RemoverHere's my special recipe to clean that | | | | workings of the Windows operating system. But |
| icky goo out of your computer's pipes, so | | | | there is definitely bang for the buck here. |
| Windows will start quicker, run more | | | | Some of peskiest Windows performance problems |
| reliably, and go faster on the | | | | can be solved by giving attention to these |
| info-superhighway.INGREDIENTS: | | | | areas.Slim Your Startup SelectionsThere are |
| | | | certain programs that Windows will start |
| 1 tbsp Windows Updates | | | | every time you boot up your system, and |
| | | | during the startup phase, they're all |
| 2 cups Virus/Malware remover | | | | jockeying for a slice of your CPU. Extra or |
| | | | unwanted items in the startup list will |
| 3 lbs Software Cleanup powder | | | | defintely increase your startup time, perhaps |
| | | | by several minutes. To manage the list of |
| 2 tbsp Hard Disk Scrubber | | | | startup programs, click on Start / Run, then |
| | | | type MSCONFIG. Press Enter, then select the |
| 1 slice Defrag | | | | Startup tab. If you see items in the list you |
| | | | know you don't need to run at startup time, |
| 1 tsp Startup Weeder | | | | UNcheck the box(es) next to them and press |
| | | | Apply. Some common examples are things |
| 1/2 cup Registry Shavings | | | | related to AOL, RealPlayer, Napster, instant |
| | | | messengers, and video managers. If you're not |
| 2 cups Virtual Memory Sanitizer | | | | sure about an item, no big deal. You can turn |
| | | | it off, restart your PC, and see if |
| 1 Extraneous Services RemoverDIRECTIONS: | | | | everything seems to work. If not, you can |
| | | | always go back and re-enable an item in the |
| Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. | | | | Startup list. This helpful list may help you |
| Sprinkle over monitor, keyboard and system | | | | decide what to keep or drop.Clean Your |
| unit. Click to restart.If only it was so | | | | RegistryThe REGCLEAN utility from Microsoft |
| easy! But actually, it's not so hard to take | | | | cleans your system registry of unnecessary |
| action on those items I listed above. Here's | | | | entries that are created when you install or |
| the scoop on how to implement each step.Apply | | | | remove programs on your computer. Sometimes |
| Windows UpdatesIf you run Windows and you use | | | | an "orphaned" registry entry can confuse |
| the Internet, you simply MUST stay up to date | | | | Windows during startup and cause a delay. And |
| with the system patches that come out in | | | | in general, slimming down your registry will |
| response to the privacy and security exploits | | | | make Windows run faster. You can download |
| that are discovered every week. Failure to do | | | | REGCLEAN here. Note: This program is no |
| so is an open invitation to hackers and | | | | longer officially supported by Microsoft, but |
| crackers to invade your privacy and enslave | | | | many users report that it works fine on |
| your computer in a spam spewing network. To | | | | Windows XP systems. You can also try |
| get the latest fixes and configure your | | | | RegSeeker which is a highly rated registry |
| system for automatic updates, open Internet | | | | cleaner.RAM and Virtual Memory SettingsWhen |
| Explorer, click on Tools, then Windows | | | | you run out of physical (RAM) memory, Windows |
| Update.Clean out Viruses and MalwareAre you | | | | will use a check of your hard disk to create |
| running a good anti-virus program, with | | | | virtual memory. This is a nice feature, |
| automatic updates? Have you scanned your | | | | because it allows application programs to |
| system for spyware, adware and other unwanted | | | | access huge amounts of memory. The only |
| pests? If not, see my article "Spy, | | | | problem with virtual memory is that it's a |
| Counter-Spy" at for details on how to protect | | | | lot slower than real RAM. So installing extra |
| yourself from those risks. Viruses and | | | | RAM on the system board is a good idea |
| malware can slow down your system a LOT, | | | | because it's pretty cheap and easy to pop in. |
| because they use your resources to generate | | | | Find out how much your system will |
| popup ads, send spam, and often interfere | | | | accommodate and install the maximum amount. |
| with the operation of good programs.Remove | | | | Extra RAM will probably do more to boost your |
| Unnecessary SoftwareYou may have a bunch of | | | | overall system performance than anything |
| software packages on your hard drive that are | | | | else! But getting back to Virtual Memory, |
| no longer needed, or they were gratuitously | | | | it's wise to let Windows manage the amount, |
| installed when you downloaded some other | | | | unless you are a Wizard, with a capital W. Go |
| package. Toolbars, file-sharing programs, | | | | to Control Panel / System / Advanced, then |
| free email enhancers, online shopping | | | | press the Settings button under Performance. |
| "companions" and download managers are | | | | Click Advanced again, then press the Change |
| notorious for this practice. These uninvited | | | | button under Virtual Memory. If System |
| guests can put a big drag on your startup | | | | managed size is selected, you're all set. If |
| time, cause web pages to load slowly, and | | | | you want to fiddle with the Custom Size |
| generally bog down your computer. Go to | | | | options, be my guest!Turn Off Extraneous |
| Control Panel, then Add/Remove Software to | | | | System ServicesWe're heading into uber-geek |
| see what packages are installed. Remove the | | | | territory here, so be forewarned. Windows |
| ones you know you don't need, and do a web | | | | doesn't know exactly how you're going to use |
| search to learn about the ones you're not | | | | your computer, so it starts a whole bunch of |
| sure about.Scrub That Hard DiskBoth Windows | | | | system services that manage network |
| and application programs tend to leave | | | | connections, database access, error |
| temporary files lying around on your hard | | | | reporting, remote access and other |
| drive, taking up space needlessly. A hard | | | | nerdy-sounding things. You may not need all |
| drive that is close to being full can cause | | | | these services, and disabling some of them |
| Windows to act strangely, and will slow down | | | | can reduce your startup time and system |
| or interfere with efficient disk access and | | | | overhead. But choosing which ones to nuke is |
| virtual memory operations. And if you surf | | | | a bit daunting, unless you are an expert on |
| the web a lot, your temporary internet files | | | | Windows operating system internals. Here's my |
| folder can become quite large, causing | | | | advice... disable only the ones that you're |
| Internet Explorer to slow down or | | | | sure about. If you encounter a problem, you |
| malfunction. Cleaning up unneeded files, | | | | can always go back and turn a service back |
| scanning for disk errors and defragmenting | | | | on.I hope that helps. If you have success |
| the hard drive can help to restore some zip | | | | with this recipe, let me know, thanks!This |
| to your system. First, open My Computer, | | | | article has been reprinted from: RANKIN |
| right-click on the C: Drive icon, select | | | | ...is a tech writer and computer programmer |
| Properties, then click on Disk Cleanup. | | | | who enjoys exploring the Internet and sharing |
| (Optional: Select the More Options tab to | | | | the fruit of his experience with others. His |
| find and remove even more unwanted files.) To | | | | work has appeared in ComputerWorld, NetGuide, |
| run a defrag, open My Computer, right-click | | | | and NY Newsday. Bob is publisher of the |
| on the C: Drive icon, select Properties, then | | | | Internet TOURBUS newsletter, and author of |
| Tools. Click the Check Now button to scan | | | | several computer books. |