andyrobo3 from the Feedback Page asks:
pleeeeeeeeease can you make a video on how to make your computer like new.
I have so many things clogging it up (like folders from downloads) and its starting to become REALLY slow.
All i want is a fresh start and a recommended anti-virus. please dunc.
Firstly, I apologise for not making a video, I tried for 45 minutes before giving up as I found I was missing things out and the Video ended up too long. I assume you are using Windows here.
For this, the quick answer would be:
- Backup Your Stuff
- Backup Your Drivers
- Grab and Insert Your Windows Install Disk
- Reboot the computer
- Boot to the Disk
- Choose which Partition to install to
- Format the Partition
- Watch it Install
- Change Settings and Type Product Key
- Watch it Install some more and finish
- Restore your Drivers
- Restore your Backup
- Tweak the System (optional)
However, my assumption is that you do not have the Windows CD or you don’t want to go through that destructive process or you just want to keep your existing Windows Installation.
So lets begin..
Create A New User Profile
This is something I haven’t really brushed on before, but instead of reinstalling your whole Operating System, try creating a new user profile (Start –> Control Panel –> Users –> Manage Another Account –> Create Account), and be sure to make it an Administrator (use your name and add “2” on the end if it makes it easy)
Log out of your system and log in to the new profile, you should find yourself with the Default Visual Style and Wallpaper you would normally get if you installed fresh. You now have a clean profile.
As you have Administrator Status, you can copy the files you need from your old profile (“C:\Documents and Settings\Username” for XP, “C:\Users\Username” for Vista/7).
You can then delete the old profile in your new profile by going to “Delete Account”. You can then change your name to the old profile name (Duncan2 back to Duncan) by going to your own account and clicking “Change Name”
NOTE: Your folder will most likely stay the same as the name you created the new account with regardless of your name inside Windows
Uninstall Unnecessary Programs
Some people like to download every single program they can find, just to have it on their system, and never use it. This clogs up the system, and can reduce performance.
Don’t use it? get rid of it!
Turn Unnecessary Windows Features Off
Similar to uninstalling a program, if you don’t use “Tablet PC Components” or “Windows Gadget Platform”, why have them on your system?
Check Your Processes
Go to Task Manager (right click the taskbar and select “Task Manager”) and click the processes tab to see what is running on your computer right now. Windows Vista/7 users will see a “description” column which gives a very brief insight to what is running (XP Users will just see an Image Name column):
End the Processes YOU KNOW you don’t need. Google the Description or Image Name if you need to.
Check Your Services
Windows starts A LOT of services when your computer starts, and you may find that you don’t need some of them. Type “Services.msc” into the run box, and you will see all the services that are started on your computer.
Some of them are started automatically, and could be safe to disable to gain some extra speed on the system. I recommend checking out The Black Viper’s XP Services Table or Vista/Win7 Services Table to see if they are worth disabling.
Check Your Start-up
Type “Msconfig” into the run box of your computer, and select the “Startup Tab” and untick the items YOU KNOW you don’t need. Google the name if you need to find out if you need them.
As you can see from the picture above, I do not have many things running at start-up. This is because a lot of the programs that try to run at start-up can be ran later when needed.
Disable Eye Candy
Unfortunately, in terms of Windows, having something look better has a trade-off in terms of speed, so disable those unnecessary glitzy features of your install. Here is my Windows 7 Visual effects list:
Above, I have chosen a mixture between speed and looks. I get Windows Aero and Aero Peek but don’t have the minimize and maximize animations, this gives the computer a more snappy feel.
Clean Out The Crap/Recover Disk Space
As you browse the web, your system will cache certain information all over your computer in case you go there again. This stuff can be removed with Crap Cleaner
You can also see what is taking up the most space on your computer with i.disk
If you have Windows Vista/7 you can delete “Shadow Copies” and recover large amounts of data (Recommended by Aly369 & Lorne96). You can see how to do this HERE
Clean/Fix Errors in Your Registry
When you install programs, and the uninstall them, some leave keys scattered all over your registry, or links will be broken. Fix these with Crap Cleaner
Defragment Your Computer
A common suggestion to speed up access times is to “Defrag” your computer so that your disk does not have to work harder to find where stuff is. A lot of people do not recommend the Windows built-in Defragmenter. I recommend JKDefrag.
Be Careful When Installing/Downloading Programs
I can not stress this enough, too many people tell me they have things on their computer and they don’t know where they came from, and more than likely they have got them from programs they have not downloaded from the original site, or have blindly clicked “next, next, next” through the setup process without looking at whats happening.
Recommended AntiVirus
I have stuck by AntiVir Classic for a good 5 years now, and rarely run into any issues. Although there is a popup when it updates itself, it is a “Set and Forget” AV.
However, you may prefer to use a different one, and can see a full list on my Freeware Page
So that is everything I can remember at this point in time. If I have missed anything or you have your own ideas to suggest, please leave a comment below.
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