Speed up PC
- Thread starter fattony
- Start date
M
MartBrooks
If you suspect your computer has been infected with a virus or malware then the only way to be sure it is removed is to do a fresh install from original media.
The easiest ways to make your computer faster are:
a) don't install any software you don't actually need. Untick the "start with windows box" when you do install software.
b) buy as much RAM as your motherboard supports, memory is quite cheap these days.
c) buy an SSD.
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Our blog has 5 tips to speed up a windows XP machine and we also provide a Tune up service for any windows OS. 
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S
Signify_1
I always find that registry cleaners and virus scanners just don't really work all that well, if you suspect you have a bad registry it's just going to get worse over time, if you also suspect you have malware, really theres no other solution than a fresh reformat, hopefully you've got an external HDD to save all your data, you can get them cheap these days if you havn't got one, that in my opinion is the best solution, i just don't think scanners are all that effective.
good luck
Taz
good luck
Taz
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Cleaning a PC and removing viruses are different things, so most software only focuses on one. You'll struggle to find one solution that does a decent job of them both. Do you have a specific issue?
Also this advice of you need to wipe the PC to remove malware or a virus, is not only huge overkill in most cases not true.
I like to give people this example why throwing around this "re-installing windows" idea is often an unwise choice: (true story)
There is a nasty little Malware that is called "Windows 7 Restore" and as part of its attack, it likes to hide all of your "My Documents" and most of the other objects in your profile, so it looks like you have lost all your personal files, so what people often do is say "well I lost my files, so I may as well wipe the machine and re-install windows as I have nothing to loose"
So they set about doing that, wasting a lot of time re-imaging the machine and trying to get back what they can from any backups they might have had, then after 5 days they get back to some sort of normality, although since they never back up everyday they still are missing some bits, and in fact they can't remember 100% what was on the machine anyway. And as they start to need items as the months pass, they realize those were deleted in the re-install of windows.
Now the eagle eyed out there would have spotted the words "hide" in my description, those files that prompted our user to wipe the entire machine were not even deleted, they were actually hidden, and in fact if the user had done some diagnosis or asked the services of someone that knew about Viruses and Malware they would have actually been able to stop the Malware manually and un-hide all those files and not loose anything. And the whole process would have taken about an hour as opposed to days!
The idea that you can only be sure that a virus is identified and removed by re-installing windows is a little bit contradictory!
What is the physical process that occurs when you re-install windows?
You take a CD that has predefined working files and folders that make up the operating system and install them onto the computers hard drive. And a virus is something that is not included in windows CD and is not a predefined working file and folder that makes up the operating system, you have a pretty good reference of how windows should look, apposed to how it actually is when its infected. This is a very basic level explanation, but its very possible to spot an infection if your familiar with Windows Operating system and have an understanding of viruses work.
Do you get a flat tyre and replace the whole car!? Not at all !!
You understand that the car shouldn't be performing the way it is, since you have a lot of experience seeing cars running normally, you spot the difference between the car that is running well and the car with a flat tyre and you replace or repair the tyre - Its called Diagnosis.
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As already mentioned, if your computer is sluggish and you have been using it for 2 or so years, a fresh install of windows will bring back up to speed nicely, and stick some more ram in there while your at it.
Bit of pain backing everything up and doing a reinstall of windows, and then downloading all the windows updates, but worth it.
then once its all fresh again, get on the prevention case straight away and install a good anti virus (Avast, Microsoft security essentials etc), Malwarebyts anti malware, Spybot search and destroy and a firewall such as the free commodo one.
Bit of pain backing everything up and doing a reinstall of windows, and then downloading all the windows updates, but worth it.
then once its all fresh again, get on the prevention case straight away and install a good anti virus (Avast, Microsoft security essentials etc), Malwarebyts anti malware, Spybot search and destroy and a firewall such as the free commodo one.
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"If" you know what you are doing .....this little gem will find / sort / kill most nasties on your computer , but please use with caution,
you can do more damage then good if your not careful.
http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
you can do more damage then good if your not careful.
http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/
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If you have virus or spyware then try the antivirus and antispyware like NOD32, Kaspersky, Spywaredoctor, ...
Or else, you can uninstall the softwares u dont need, close some applications on task manager, using disk utility to rearrange your files,.... ect. Loads of way to do that tho.
Hope this helps
Or else, you can uninstall the softwares u dont need, close some applications on task manager, using disk utility to rearrange your files,.... ect. Loads of way to do that tho.
Hope this helps
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D
dizzysolutions
Hi,
There is a FREE Computer MOT software solution that should help speed things up, and a FREE 'fix-it yourself guide'.
This has been used in many corporate IT departments and, used pro-actively, has reduced helpdesk calls by up to 75%.
18th July 2011 will see an update to the software that will enable Windows Updates and have an added online update feature.
Be interesting to hear people's experiences with it...(available at dizysolutions . co . uk (or Dizzy Solutions website))
There is a FREE Computer MOT software solution that should help speed things up, and a FREE 'fix-it yourself guide'.
This has been used in many corporate IT departments and, used pro-actively, has reduced helpdesk calls by up to 75%.
18th July 2011 will see an update to the software that will enable Windows Updates and have an added online update feature.
Be interesting to hear people's experiences with it...(available at dizysolutions . co . uk (or Dizzy Solutions website))
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my 2c... I remove malware with Malwarebytes Anti-malware (MBAM) - you can download the free version from malwarebytes.org. If you decide to go for the paid version, which has scheduler, some fancy realtime protection and a bunch of other features, don't buy directly - get a 20% off coupon from http://news.dtcdeals.com/malwarebytes-coupon-code (courtesy of Google) there are always a few shared by users.
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Registry Cleanup and virus removal is not enough for speed up your computer ,You have also to do the few more things like:-
4) [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Always turn on the firewall. [/FONT]
1) Delete unused and unnecessary files and documents on your computer Hard Drive.
2) Uninstall unused or Rarely used software.
3) Delete Temp. internet files cookies etc.2) Uninstall unused or Rarely used software.
4) [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Always turn on the firewall. [/FONT]
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I thought the advice couldn't get any worse.
1) How will that speed up your computer? How can a document slow your computer down?
2) How does rarely used software slow your computer down unless it runs at startup?
3) Temp internet files and cookies if anything speed up your computer.
4) Turning on a firewall will do what for speed exactly?
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D
dizzysolutions
All done together, with defragmentation and spyware/virus scan (which should be on anyway), will speed up your computer.
The firewall comment, I believe, was meant as something that can 'aid' in speeding up the computer (indirectly). It will aid in the prevention of viruses and botware from using resources as they try and do there thing over the internet. The better way for this though is to ensure your virus scanner is up to date etc.
I seriously recommend trying the 'Computer MOT' on www . download . com - it does everything that has been recommended as well as the additional tasks that make the removing of rubbish files worth it.
FYI, in the same respect as above, internet temp files do not speed up your computer, it aids in the loading speed of internet pages.
The firewall comment, I believe, was meant as something that can 'aid' in speeding up the computer (indirectly). It will aid in the prevention of viruses and botware from using resources as they try and do there thing over the internet. The better way for this though is to ensure your virus scanner is up to date etc.
I seriously recommend trying the 'Computer MOT' on www . download . com - it does everything that has been recommended as well as the additional tasks that make the removing of rubbish files worth it.
FYI, in the same respect as above, internet temp files do not speed up your computer, it aids in the loading speed of internet pages.
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Firewalls don't prevent viruses in any way and the majority of software firewalls allow most software to connect to the internet by default anyway so they're useless against bloatware. Many people who don't understand firewalls make things worse by blocking things they shouldn't.
FYI a faster browser/page load time = a faster computer
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D
dizzysolutions
The keyword in the post being 'aid'!
The important thing to remember is there is not one thing that will speed up your computer. It is a collection of things.
Not understanding is always an issue, in that it can make things worse if you 'think' you know. Sorry to go on about it, but that's why I created the FREE Computer MOT software - 10+ years of experience has gone into producing something that you need no understanding for (and has proven results in corporate IT departments).
The important thing to remember is there is not one thing that will speed up your computer. It is a collection of things.
Not understanding is always an issue, in that it can make things worse if you 'think' you know. Sorry to go on about it, but that's why I created the FREE Computer MOT software - 10+ years of experience has gone into producing something that you need no understanding for (and has proven results in corporate IT departments).
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stick a quad core in your computer, not hard to do
Some of the advice in this thread (in between spammers) is shocking
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There is some good advice buried in this thread, but I suspect the poor OP is overwhelmed in whether to just use some free software, wipe his PC,Buy a SSD, buy a new processor(probably motherboard, PSU, etc to go with it..we do not even know what spec OP's machine is, which I would probably ask first)...and he only ask advice about what software to use initially !
If I ask what's the best way to clean my car, someone somewhere will advise me to respray it! Hey a perfectly valid answer, but let's try more cost effective methods first.
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Dear gawd, I cannot believe the nonsense people post just for the sake of it. My advice = if you don't know what someone needs, then don't just throw answers at them.
A few points for the OP, which might help:
1) If you are infected with malware/spyware, you will need this sorted first. Ensure you have a decent Anti-Virus package installed and running resident (ie comes on when you start your PC). AVG Free (2012 version is just out) or MS Security Essentials are both decent free ones for personal use.
2) It is not good practice to have more than 1 AV software package running simultaneously, they trip each other up a bit. I do find though that AVG and MS Security Essentials together (load AVG first) tend to give a little additional security for those who tend to get infected quite often, but the average home user needs only one of them).
3) If you have one of these packages already running, try updating it and running a FULL scan to see if it alleviates your problem.
4) More than likely, you will need something a little different to remove malware, if it has already sneaked past your AV package, so download something like Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware (both just need the free version) and update, then run a full scan. If you use superantispyware, uninstall it once you are finished, it stays resident otherwise. Malwarebytes is useful to keep and run periodically as a safeguard. always run another scan afterwards, and continue to do so until you get a clean bill of health.
5) Once you are getting a clean bill of health as far as malware is concerned, then you can look at speeding up the PC a little. There are a few things you can do yourself, though it's difficult to give specific advice without seeing your PC or knowing a little more.
6) Download CCleaner (free version again will suffice) and install it (untick all the little option boxes that add to your toolbars, or which try to install browsers, etc). then run a clean using this (Simply run the program, choose analyse, then clean once analysis has finished).
7) Run a Disk Cleanup (under All Programs, Accessories, System tools), then a Defragment too
8) Might be a good idea to run a Hard disk scan too, while you are at it, a few little errors there could be slowing things quite badly. Go into My Computer, right click your Local disk (C) and choose 'Properties'. Click the 'tools' Tab and chose 'Error checking'. Tick both option boxes and follow this through (it will probably schedule it for next time you restart, so once you agree, choose restart).
If you do all of the above, and restart your PC, if it is still running badly, you might be best to give a few quid to your local IT repair store, they'll clean it and sort it a little deeper than anything you would want to do yourself.
hth
A few points for the OP, which might help:
1) If you are infected with malware/spyware, you will need this sorted first. Ensure you have a decent Anti-Virus package installed and running resident (ie comes on when you start your PC). AVG Free (2012 version is just out) or MS Security Essentials are both decent free ones for personal use.
2) It is not good practice to have more than 1 AV software package running simultaneously, they trip each other up a bit. I do find though that AVG and MS Security Essentials together (load AVG first) tend to give a little additional security for those who tend to get infected quite often, but the average home user needs only one of them).
3) If you have one of these packages already running, try updating it and running a FULL scan to see if it alleviates your problem.
4) More than likely, you will need something a little different to remove malware, if it has already sneaked past your AV package, so download something like Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware (both just need the free version) and update, then run a full scan. If you use superantispyware, uninstall it once you are finished, it stays resident otherwise. Malwarebytes is useful to keep and run periodically as a safeguard. always run another scan afterwards, and continue to do so until you get a clean bill of health.
5) Once you are getting a clean bill of health as far as malware is concerned, then you can look at speeding up the PC a little. There are a few things you can do yourself, though it's difficult to give specific advice without seeing your PC or knowing a little more.
6) Download CCleaner (free version again will suffice) and install it (untick all the little option boxes that add to your toolbars, or which try to install browsers, etc). then run a clean using this (Simply run the program, choose analyse, then clean once analysis has finished).
7) Run a Disk Cleanup (under All Programs, Accessories, System tools), then a Defragment too
8) Might be a good idea to run a Hard disk scan too, while you are at it, a few little errors there could be slowing things quite badly. Go into My Computer, right click your Local disk (C) and choose 'Properties'. Click the 'tools' Tab and chose 'Error checking'. Tick both option boxes and follow this through (it will probably schedule it for next time you restart, so once you agree, choose restart).
If you do all of the above, and restart your PC, if it is still running badly, you might be best to give a few quid to your local IT repair store, they'll clean it and sort it a little deeper than anything you would want to do yourself.
hth
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D
dizzysolutions
All the above mentioned by Comspec is covered in our FREE Computer MOT Software - takes the manual work out of it
Thought it may help mentioning it in relation to the points mentioned - and for those that aren't completely confident in doing the steps themselves.
Alan
Dizzy Solutions
www.dizzysolutions.co.uk
Thought it may help mentioning it in relation to the points mentioned - and for those that aren't completely confident in doing the steps themselves.
Alan
Dizzy Solutions
www.dizzysolutions.co.uk
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