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Help: Cleaning out my PC
Ifeedtrolls
Member Posts: 122
Alright. My computer has small space, so I want to clean it up. Also, I want to keep it clean from any viruses AND speed it up a bit. I have downloaded many useless games, never played them, downloaded things that I never used. I want to rid all of them and unnessary files. Doe's anyone know how to do this and would be able to give me a step by step guide. I use to be a computer wiz, now I know crap on the level of cleaning out a computer. So , what I need is, 1.More space 2.Unwanted/Unused programs gone 3.Faster speed 4.Programs that could help keep my computer clean
I am also looking for anything free. I am not willing to pay(God that makes me sound cheap) , so if someone could walk me through with a guide or thorough suggestion. Thanks 
Comments
SpaceMonger is a decent little tool for taking a look at your whole hard drive and seeing what's taking up a lot of space. Of course, if your problem isn't a few wastefully large folders but rather a lot of little files here and there, the best option is to back up everything you want to keep and then reformat the drive.
After manually clearing off programs you no longer use you could try the demo of http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-utilities/. The trial is fully functional so you can use all of its functions to clear up all the broken shortcuts and defunct registry paths/defrag the registry and remove all the broken files and little bits of software.
It might not be the absolute best maintenance software but most don't have a fully functioning trial and it doesn't revert all the clean up tasks once the trial has ended and it has good recovery options to undo any mistakes, just avoid using the so called performance tweaks IMO because they never seem to do anything any good whatever software you use.
Disclaimer, for the people who would post raging about using maintenance software.
Sure if you really know what you are doing with PCs you can clean up all that junk manually but for those who don't a piece of reliable and easy to use software that can clean it up in one click is a god send.
Currently playing:
EVE online (Ruining low sec one hotdrop at a time)
Gravity Rush,
Dishonoured: The Knife of Dunwall.
(Waiting for) Metro: Last Light,
Company of Heroes II.
Well I know what I am doing, but the thing is, I am looking for a stable fix. All I really want is some useless programs gone. Yes, I know, go do the install/uninstall or go through my C: . But I also want a performance piece of program and maybe some security . I try to stay away from viruses, I rarely use email, only when its important and I only game and go on a finger full of forums(2-3). I think though, my computer is getting so backed up in files , that I need to clear some , so my stuff that I play runs better.
Allods use to run perfect for me, but after downloading some stuff, it hardly works now, its always lagging and crap.
If your looking for a good free anti-virus, grab Microsoft Internet Security, I dont care what others say...its pretty damn good for the price of "free". As far as doing some further cleaning, and tuning....
Advanced System Care does a good general sweep of your computer as well as other things you can add to the list.
CCleaner is good for removing excess junk files that have accumulated, and fixing old registry items.
DiskDefrag is a good free defragger if you need one.
I use all of these once a week or so....Havnt had a virus in years, and my comp runs pretty much like new constantly.
Dont really need a walkthrough how to use these programs, they are pretty self explanitory.....install, hit the run, scan, fix buttons or whatever and your good to go. You can mess around with options to customize them they way you like later on after you get acquainted with them....Good Luck!
Be careful with defraggers if you have an SSD. Pretty much don't defrag and SSD.
Aside from that above suggestions good. Personally, I have a purchased copy of TuneUp Utilities 2011 running and Microsoft Security Essentials. I think this is currently the best setup for keeping your system clean.
Step 1: Uninstall all Unwanted/Unused programs using Add/Remove Programs in your Control Panel.
Step 2: Go through your Program Files folder and delete any folder that is either trash leftover from uninstalls or you are 100% SURE that you do not want or need. When in doubt, google it or leave it be.
Step 3: Run the Avast Antivirus Boot-time scan. Avast is free, it's also the best.
Step 4: Defragment your drive with Defraggler or the default system defrag. Defraggler is free.
Step 5 (optional): Increase your virtual memory size. Look here for instructions for Windows 7, make sure to read the whole page because it tells you the maximum size, set it to just below that amount. for instructions for other OP systems, Google is your friend. This will increase the speed of your computer by a substantial amount.
Best is from time to time format around every 3 months still best just backup what you need, dont install virus scanners it slow your pc and dont install every thing you see :P
These days OS xp/vista/win7 have its own virus scanners so no need install one.
Ive not had any trouble in last 10 years doing without virus protection programs no need for them if you know how to behave on the net.
MAGIC WORD=FORMAT and clean install then dont dl weird evil stuff:P
Mhmm...
There is no quick and easy fix. Formatting and reinstalling is probably the "easiest" fix, because after "downloading some stuff" there is no telling what's actually on that computer now.
External hard drive, save everything you need.
Reinstall/reimiage.
Put what you saved on the external hard drive back on.
Take a nap, it is the weekend.
--John Ruskin
Download crapcleaner (CCleaner).
It cleans EVERYTHING in just one click. It also includes a reg cleaner and other tools to uninstall programs and start up programs.
get malwarebytes for malware protection
avast for antivirus
all free
Dunno if it will help you with your problems, but I very much enjoy "Advance system care" from IObit (free). it keeps my system clean from junk and maleware and also fixes your registry.
Playing: TESO (great!)
**************
Most looking forward for: Everquest Next
**************
Have Played: World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online, Vanguard, Everquest Online Adventures, Everquest 1, EverQuest 2, Dungeons & Dragons Online, The Chronical of Spellborn, Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, Aion, CoH, Loong, Dragon nest, LoL, Alods, Diablo 3, NWN, Tera, Poe, Guild Wars 2, Rift
Most favorite; Everquest online Adventures (EQOA, 2003, PS2)
I would say just do a reformat. Takes little time and you are back to brand new. Just reinstall the drivers and presto, it is done. You can also copy mmos's and patches or movies and music to an external drive and transfer them back over, The smartest thing to do is reformat your HDD and get everything copied over. Your computer is now in "optimal" status. Then you can use a disk imaging software like Acronis and create an image of the drive on a backup HDD. Next time you need to reformat, you just copy that image back over to your computer. You then have a "brandnew" computer and it only took an hour. Acronis is the way to go. If you google Acronis ISO you can find it for free. Download it, burn it to a cd and just boot off of it.
The ole debate, CCleaner vs IO BIt. I was a huge IO bit fan because it was less mainstream lol. I eventually compared the two several times (30+) at work. I would run both programs back to back. I would run either one first and see what the second program cleaned. CCleaner would always pick up more stuff to clean off. Now I just stick with CCleaner. CCleaneralso has a flush dns setting. The cmd prompt command is literally ipconfig /flushdns. It is not a laborious process, but the fact is, CCleaner has it and IO Bit does not. Ipconfig /flushdns is useful for re redirect virus's.