cleaning up a PC, de-frag it???
25 March 2010, 04:55 PM
#1
Scooby Senior
Thread Starter
cleaning up a PC, de-frag it???
I've an old PC i want my mum to use, all documents and stuff been taken off it, what else do i need to do to 'clear' it so it's not all full of junk thats slowing it down.
Do i de frag it?? how?
software on it is only basic stuff like Office97pro
then main stuff like the BT wireless applications to get on the net, wifi styleee... as it didn't have wireless till the BT guy came out and put the thing in the tower unit.
But, I'm noticing that when i'm surfing the net.. only on page etc, the mouse cusor freezes and i can't do anything other than turn it off then back on again.
what should i do....... buy a laptop for mum/dad?
Do i de frag it?? how?
software on it is only basic stuff like Office97pro
then main stuff like the BT wireless applications to get on the net, wifi styleee... as it didn't have wireless till the BT guy came out and put the thing in the tower unit.
But, I'm noticing that when i'm surfing the net.. only on page etc, the mouse cusor freezes and i can't do anything other than turn it off then back on again.
what should i do....... buy a laptop for mum/dad?
25 March 2010, 05:12 PM
#6
Start> All Programs> Accessories> System tools> Disk Defragmenter.
Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Cleanup.
Let those two run. They may take a while
Does sit have any secuity, like AVG, etc? Run nthat too, NOT at the same time.
Does it have Spybot and Adaware? You could do free downloads and run both, again NOT at the same time.
Also, go into Start> control panel> Add and remove programs, and right click, then click remove for any program no longer used.
You can also take some time going through places like documents, folders etc etc deleting crap.
Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Cleanup.
Let those two run. They may take a while
Does sit have any secuity, like AVG, etc? Run nthat too, NOT at the same time.
Does it have Spybot and Adaware? You could do free downloads and run both, again NOT at the same time.
Also, go into Start> control panel> Add and remove programs, and right click, then click remove for any program no longer used.
You can also take some time going through places like documents, folders etc etc deleting crap.
Trending Topics
25 March 2010, 05:24 PM
#9
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: west London
Posts: 581
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I also use CCleaner, you can download it here for free CCleaner - Home when used regularly it will clean all sorts of crap off your system and registry.
25 March 2010, 05:59 PM
#11
Scooby Senior
Thread Starter
Start> All Programs> Accessories> System tools> Disk Defragmenter.
Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Cleanup.
Let those two run. They may take a while
Does sit have any secuity, like AVG, etc? Run nthat too, NOT at the same time.
Does it have Spybot and Adaware? You could do free downloads and run both, again NOT at the same time.
Also, go into Start> control panel> Add and remove programs, and right click, then click remove for any program no longer used.
You can also take some time going through places like documents, folders etc etc deleting crap.
Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Disk Cleanup.
Let those two run. They may take a while
Does sit have any secuity, like AVG, etc? Run nthat too, NOT at the same time.
Does it have Spybot and Adaware? You could do free downloads and run both, again NOT at the same time.
Also, go into Start> control panel> Add and remove programs, and right click, then click remove for any program no longer used.
You can also take some time going through places like documents, folders etc etc deleting crap.
I'll start with the above,
security has been removed as the BT Business security was transfered to the new laptop, so this one hasn't got any, was thinking of putting the free AVG for the amount mum/dad would use it.
all files have been removed onto my sisters 'ext hard drive'
not used programmes, can't really see any on, as didn't have much on anyway.
25 March 2010, 06:01 PM
#12
Scooby Senior
Thread Starter
de frag and disc clean up, running now
25 March 2010, 06:02 PM
#13
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: west London
Posts: 581
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'but will ccleaner remove all my stored pictures and music'
No, it cleans things like cookies, web browser history, temporary files, recycle bin etc.
No, it cleans things like cookies, web browser history, temporary files, recycle bin etc.
Last edited by scoobeenut; 25 March 2010 at 06:03 PM.
25 March 2010, 09:49 PM
#14
Scooby Senior
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: England
Posts: 18,358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
25 March 2010, 11:30 PM
#17
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 5,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Earlier tonight i was helping a friend that had tried to upgrade his free version of AVG from 8.5 to 9.0 and it repeatedly failed. After lots of investigation, you need to install some Microsoft patch thingy (which is not part of their auto-update) to get it to work - with the details hidden deep within their support FAQ.
Thus i removed AVG and installed a copy of Avast in literally minutes (AVG took several-teen times longer to remove) and all seems fluffy bunnies so far
There are lots of free anti-virus products out there (AVG, Avast, Avira etc.) - so give them a try and choose what you think is best (with no financial commitment). If you do like a particular product, consider upgrading to the "full" version.
mb
25 March 2010, 11:37 PM
#18
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Kamloops British Columbia Canada
Posts: 1,863
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Piriform the are the company that write ccleaner and they also do a defrag program that's quite good.
Defraggler - File and Disk Defragmentation - Free Download
Don't forget when you install ccleaner to uncheck the "install Yahoo tool bar " option, Unless you want it of course
Defraggler - File and Disk Defragmentation - Free Download
Don't forget when you install ccleaner to uncheck the "install Yahoo tool bar " option, Unless you want it of course
26 March 2010, 11:13 AM
#21
Guest
Posts: n/a
It's all very well playing with ccleaner and doing defrags left right and centre but doing all the above will take longer than actually doing a clean reinstall of the OS. A defrag alone can take hours on a large drive.
To the OP, when was the computer last reinstalled? What is the Operating System? Do you have all the disks that came with it such as recovery disks? If you do you need to back your files up to a usb drive/memory stick, make a note of any apps you have that you want to put back on and then stick the recovery dvd in and rebuild it and then reinstall the apps you want back on it such as Office.
A rebuild will be far better than defrag + ccleaner + disk clean up etc. You will end up with a clean operating system and none of your personal files left behind.
To the OP, when was the computer last reinstalled? What is the Operating System? Do you have all the disks that came with it such as recovery disks? If you do you need to back your files up to a usb drive/memory stick, make a note of any apps you have that you want to put back on and then stick the recovery dvd in and rebuild it and then reinstall the apps you want back on it such as Office.
A rebuild will be far better than defrag + ccleaner + disk clean up etc. You will end up with a clean operating system and none of your personal files left behind.
26 March 2010, 01:55 PM
#23
I re installed xp on my old athlon 2.8 with 512 meg and to be honest by the time all the updates were complete it was running like a sack of **** a few weeks down the line, the poor old pc was just not up to it, and there was no way I was forking out for more ram.
So I gave ubuntu 9.10 a go and it is like a brand new system
ubuntu has moved on from a few years ago and is much more user friendly. and for any windows programs you simply cannot live without, you can run most of them in wine.
So I gave ubuntu 9.10 a go and it is like a brand new system
ubuntu has moved on from a few years ago and is much more user friendly. and for any windows programs you simply cannot live without, you can run most of them in wine.
26 March 2010, 03:15 PM
#24
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Zed Ess Won Hay Tee
Posts: 21,611
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, i use ubuntu on this old 800mhz laptop, works fine, when i do have to go into windows xp to use the odd program, it generally runs sluggish, grinds the hard disc doing gay updates, and generally feels full of bloat.
26 March 2010, 06:43 PM
#26
Scooby Senior
Thread Starter
problem sorted.
new Compaq 17" laptop bought from Tesco this morning.
But did the de frag yesterday seemed better, then my sis had it freeze thre times in 35mins. So can't chance it doing it all the time.
tnx everyone
new Compaq 17" laptop bought from Tesco this morning.
But did the de frag yesterday seemed better, then my sis had it freeze thre times in 35mins. So can't chance it doing it all the time.
tnx everyone
26 March 2010, 10:29 PM
#27
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 5,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Mattybr5@MB Developments
Full Cars Breaking For Spares
12
18 November 2015 07:03 AM
Sub-Subaru
General Technical
1
28 September 2015 12:47 PM