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XP Cleanup?
maximumzero
I...wait, what?New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
I...wait, what?New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
I'm helping my aunt import all of her CDs into her computer in anticipation of getting an iPod Nano. While doing so, I'd like to help her do some XP maintenance/cleanup.
She's using a Compaq Evo N180, XP Pro, 256MB of ram, and a 1Ghz P3m. I don't expect to gain any sort of significant performance without upgrading the ram, but I was wondering if someone could reccomend some spyware cleaners, etc for me to run just as your typical maintenance.
She's using a Compaq Evo N180, XP Pro, 256MB of ram, and a 1Ghz P3m. I don't expect to gain any sort of significant performance without upgrading the ram, but I was wondering if someone could reccomend some spyware cleaners, etc for me to run just as your typical maintenance.
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For this I'd recommend using Spyboy S&D, Ad-Aware (official site can be found Here) and if you need an anti-virus then I'd recommend using Avast!.
Also, don't forget to defrag!
Then get Windows Defender. (I only use ad-aware and spybot when I know there is an infection.) (Also, Windows Defender may require some update from Microsoft Update, so if it gives you shit, skip it and come back to it after the MS Update.)
Then run Microsoft Update and grab any critical updates and Office updates. (http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us Microsoft Update replaces Windows Update.)
Once done, then you can start clearing temp directories and then run a defrag.
temp directories:
c:\Doc and settings\%user%\Local Settings\temp\
c:\windows\temp\
Delete all files in both directories, and skip the ones that are in use.
Also, install firefox and any plugins she would find useful, including your desired version of adblock.
NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
I believe this is what CCleaner is for. Best program ever.
I'd clean out her temp xp files, and internet files. Defrag and checkdisk. You'll be set with just those.
So you recommend no antispyware what so ever and no MS updates? Thats a recipe for disaster. Windows Defender is free, and is fairly effective for simple spyware. MS Update is just mandatory, like antivirus.
Ad-aware and sbybot are effective clean up tools if the problem is not being addressed by Windows Defender.
NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
Nope, I don't recommend Spybot or Adaware. I do recommend doing the XP updates (though I didn't say not to).
Ewido is one of the best free ones.
Spysweeper is the best pay anti-spyware programs.
Avast! is a great program, too, but I usually recommend PC Cillin.
Go into task manager, find out which processes belong to what and go through them one by one finding out whether they're necessary and removing those which are not either via add/remove, the registry and file deletion.
The problem with lots of programs nowadays is that they come with massive amounts of stuff that needlessly add stuff to run at startup, either via the registry or as a service.
For example, itunes adds a couple of things, windows messenger likes to run in the background unless you explicitly tell it not to, hp drivers come with massive amounts of crud (so if she has say a hp printer or scanner be prepared to either uninstall a large amount of needless crud or just remove stuff from registry startup).
The new version of punkbuster now runs as a service, regardless of whether you're playing a game or not. That is to me a serious pain in the arse, waste of memory. Setting something like that to manual start is a better idea or punkbuster could y'know, make it a program that runs when a game runs.
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I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
While there is some useful stuff on there I wouldn't trust everything the guy says, this is the retarded "firefox myths" guy.
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I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
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Usually the page will generate a error code or provide a link to possible solutions. If not, try the following:
Close IE. Right click the IE desktop icon and select properties or Internet Options. In the center of the window, should be a box that says Delete Temporary Files or something like that. Click that button, then check the box in the new window and hit OK. The window may appear to freeze, but its deleting your temporary internet files. Once its responding again, hit OK to close the Internet Options window.
Restart your computer and try again.
if it still doesn't work, try installing them individually directly from MS. Throw the "KB######" or name in the search field on an MS site and it shoudl take you to the respective update.
NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
Instead of msconfig, I would recommend running "services.msc" instead. You'll get some more detail and options on the various processes in the startup.
Process Explorer - detailed process information
Unlocker - Useful for deleting files
Sysinternals - Check out the rest of the Sysinternals site for more goodies.
Honestly, Why is a very good question. I would have to invalidate your input against spybot if you can't give some sort of reason besides " I have seen many computers die from spyware". Ad-aware I don't like but thats personal preference.
I'm curious to know how computers die from spyware because the user ran anti-spyware software... In my experience it's quite the opposite. I myself have actually saved many a windows install with these. Of course I've saved a lot more by reinstalling windows, installing Firefox and telling the user to stop going to stupid sites. And yes deleting temp files and running disk utils is the first step in most call center scripts, but they won't remove any malicious apps or improve performance (noticeably). To honestly get the best results,
Step 1 - go get another stick of 256. Seriously. Especially if you're planning on running resource hogs like iTunes.
Step 2 - Back up all of the pictures and emails and whatever else.
Step 3 - Do a full reinstall of windows, choosing to recreate the partition and format it during the install.
Step 4 - Install all windows updates and drivers
Step 5 - Install and update the avg stuff and Firefox/Thunderbird
Step 6 - install and run ccleaner (run it over and over until it finds no registry problems)
Step 7 - EDUCATE THE USER IN BEST PRACTICES!!!
This will seriously prolong the life of this pc, and keep your "support calls" down.
I installed CCleaner once and it installed some adware or toolbar crap. I promptly uninstalled it and it went away. I even got it from the official site. For this reason, I cannot trust them despite all the praise I hear.
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I agree. I have been and currently am in the IT field and I use and recommend both. Not once have I seen either cause a machine to die. So unless you can back up your claim....
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"install yahoo toolbar"
Brings me to the point that most people are too click-happy. Read what's on the screen before you click "next" and you'll find you get a lot less crapware.
I wouldn't say that I am click happy as much as I don't expect software that CLEANS your computer to INSTALL bullshit toolbars.
Podcast 0207: Sinking to new depths
Preview: Is Uncharted: Golden Abyss the Vita’s killer launch title?
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Negative. msconfig will show you the services on a tab. Also, Services are not the only things that start up when your computer boots and a user logs in.
NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
I think studies have shown that disabling a bunch of Services has a negligible effect on your computer's performance, and has the potential to do a lot more harm than good. Sure, you can disable something you think you'll never need, to gain an extra millisecond, but the day you do get something that needs that Service and you can't figure out why something isn't working.... it's not worth the headache.
/agree, although I'd toss in AVG Anti-Spyware as well. It usually finds more than Spybot and Ad-aware, though keep a close eye on it because it uses "Ignore Once" far too often as the default choice. Avast! tends to be better than the AVG anti-virus though, so give that a miss. However, watch out because Avast! does get plenty of false positives. On the flip side, AVG anti-virus is absolutely worthless when it comes to removing any infections whatsoever.
Disabling services is silly unless you know what you're doing. You can use msconfig to disable them temporarily, so you don't fuck up your computer by disabling something important.
NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
I took that into consideration and thought: "Hmm. If the computer is infested with spyware, and they have both Spybot and Adaware installed, updated, and ran weekly. There's a problem here. They don't work."
The reason why I said don't ask is because no matter how many times I say it, no one believes me... and the last forum I was at banned my account for "spreading lies and slander". Go figure.
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be careful and make sure you want to delete all that stuff or just delete the commands you dont want to run before you make your batch file
(to create a batch file save that text in a text document then rename it with a .bat extension... it will run when you double click it)
True.
We ended up using the following tools to remove all traces of malware/spyware (in this order, since we used our own script file):
Adaware -> Ewido -> Microsoft AntiSpyware -> Spysweeper
So yeah, one program isn't better than another. I just think that Spysweeper is probably the most powerful tool out there, and I use it at home personally.
Sure it's $29. But its definitely worth ever penny, in my opinion.
I've always try not to attack the person but the facts. I could easily see customers being stupid and saying that they ran both of those programs but I sure have seen plenty of people be stupid especially with IE (internet exploder)
I really should get another spyware program to ensure I'm not infected with something or other. I might just have to take a look at spyware sweeper.
There's a trial at www.webroot.com
It's really a good program. But don't fall for the Window Washer and other stuff. Just stick with Spysweeper and another anti-spyware program and you'll be alright.
I totally concur with this. I was stuck with some particularly nasty, nasty spyware a little while back, and after trying every program under the sun, the only one to even FIND the damn thing was Spysweeper....and this also proved true for a problem the girlfriend had on her laptop. I now recommend it to everyone I possibly can.
How thoroughly do you have to wipe your harddrive to get rid of spyware/viruses/old crap that might slow the system down? For a while I thought a full harddrive reformat was all that was necessary to get rid of all the files and make the re-install sqeaky clean, but once I randomly started getting these suspicious pop-up messages on a computer, so I reformatted the harddrive, but those messages kept popping up. Do you guys have any guesses as to why that was happening? Would it be a good idea to use some multi-pass secure erase utility to wipe my harddrive, or is that only useful if you want to make sure people can't recover personal info? I'm also a little worried because my WoW account got hijacked a couple months ago (I play that on a different computer), so I'm afraid I might have something lurking in this computer, and I want to make sure to get rid of it.
Seriously, I said this already, but CCleanerdoes all of this, but better and customizable. I use it, it has no freeloading crap on it aside from the fact that it asks if you want Yahoo Toolbar when you install, just uncheck the box.
I'll jump on the, 'would like an explanation boat' here. I used to use both religiously when cleaning up computers, and it's only 'used to' because that's not really my field anymore. Plus once you get used to looking for stuff you can use hijack this, and the registry fairly effectively. Personally when I redo a computer I'll download ToniArts Easy Cleaner as well, clean up unnecessary files, make sure the computer is 'clean' then run a registry scan for dead references. Plus a defrag never hurts when you're doing all of this.
If you look carefully at the install options screen (it's the forth or fifth click and the next button turns into a install button) the last checked box says "Add CCleaner Yahoo! Toolbar and use CCleaner From your browser" if you uncheck that you won't have a toolbar and honestly there is no reason for you to mistrust it when it lists everything for you (with the option of not installing it) just before you click install.