{"id":1204,"date":"2010-10-31T17:30:29","date_gmt":"2010-10-31T17:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paulgoodchild.net\/blog\/?p=1204"},"modified":"2011-11-24T14:35:04","modified_gmt":"2011-11-24T14:35:04","slug":"how-i-compute-part-3-tackling-the-bloat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paulgoodchild.me\/blog\/how-i-compute-part-3-tackling-the-bloat\/","title":{"rendered":"How I compute \u2013 Part 3: Tackling the bloat"},"content":{"rendered":"

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholderIs your computer slow?\u00a0 Perhaps it’s old… perhaps it’s not<\/em> old.\u00a0 Are you considering buying a new one?\u00a0 Computers are like cars, you need to keep it maintained if you want it to run well and not suddenly conk out on you when you least expect it.\u00a0 In this article, I’m going to show you how you can hopefully get a new lease of life on your computer through a number of different techniques, without you resorting to buying a whole new computer.<\/p>\n

Don’t bother even thinking about doing this until you’ve looked at Part 1<\/a> of this series.\u00a0 Part 2 is important<\/a>, but not a pre-requisite to this.<\/p>\n

In this series of articles I\u2019m going to take a break away from my normal theme to relay to you how I do the \u201ccomputer\u201d things I do in an attempt to save time and minimize trouble caused by PC glitches.\u00a0 Prevention in this case, is far better, cheaper, quicker, than the cure.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Disclaimer<\/h2>\n

You know it’s serious when you have a disclaimer right at the start, but here it is.\u00a0 You accept full responsibility for your computer if you perform any or all of the steps outlined in this guide.\u00a0 Do the steps in order, if at all, and hopefully you’ll come away with a cleaner, meaner PC, and not an expensive paper weight.\u00a0 I make no guarantees, representations or warranties to the success\/disaster or lack of as a result of doing any of these actions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Step 1: Cleaning out the closet<\/h2>\n

a) Applications and their old data<\/h3>\n

Download the program CCleaner, from Piriform, and install it. Get it at http:\/\/www.piriform.com\/ccleaner<\/a><\/p>\n

Note, that as you install there will be an options window that has 5 check boxes pertaining to short-cuts, context menus, updating, etc.\u00a0 Un-check<\/em> all of them except the first two.<\/p>\n

Now run the CCleaner program from the short-cut on your desktop.\u00a0 This program is designed to look through many of the programs on your PC and remove stale data, old web browser caches, old system files, etc. and clean (delete) them.<\/p>\n

It’s important to note that while you can leave most things in their default state you should go through the ‘Windows’ and ‘Applications’ tabs and un-check all the things you don’t<\/em> want deleted<\/strong>.\u00a0 For example, under the ‘Applications’ tab there’s a Firefox settings section (because that’s what I use) and here I un-check <\/em>“Internet History”, “Saved Form Information”, “Session” and “Cookies” – I don’t want this information removed.\u00a0 Run your eye along all the options that are checked on and make sure you do want this information removed.\u00a0 We’re cleaning up here, not making life difficult for ourselves by removing information we need\/use.\u00a0 You can always come along later and remove it if you decide you don’t need it.<\/p>\n

Close down all the other programs running on your computer for now (including your browser that you’re using to read this) and click ‘Analyse’.\u00a0 Nothing is deleted at this stage, it just has a look around and will display a summary of everything to be deleted.\u00a0 Take one last moment to review and click “Run Cleaner”.<\/p>\n

Done.<\/p>\n

b) Clean the windows registry<\/h3>\n

Your registry is where Windows keeps records of lots of different items and when it gets bloated, full of useless and incorrect information, you’re gonna have problems.<\/p>\n

Using the same program, CCleaner, click the ‘Registry’ button the left and then “Scan for Issues”.\u00a0 Once it’s finished click “Fix Selected Issues…”.\u00a0 It will prompt you to back up the registry.\u00a0 This is up to you, though it’s probably advisable.<\/p>\n

After all this cleaning, it’s time to restart your computer just to make sure all is still working. =)<\/p>\n

Step 2: Turn off unwanted services<\/h2>\n

This part can seem a bit tricky, but all you have to do is follow along and you’ll be able to save some much needed computing power that’s been hogged by things you just don’t need or even use.\u00a0 I’m going to assume you’re at home, on your computer\/laptop and not in work where the requirements are much <\/em>different.<\/p>\n

Open the ‘Control Panel’, then ‘Administrative Tools’, and then the item called ‘Services’.<\/p>\n

In this window you are looking at all background “services” or programs that Windows uses to do various things that you’re probably barely aware of.\u00a0 By default, in Windows XP, many of these are set to startup ‘automatically’ when your computer loads.\u00a0 Not good for you if you don’t use them.\u00a0 So for each one that I refer to, right-click on it in the list and go to ‘Properties’.\u00a0 You’re looking for the setting called ‘Startup type’; to perform the tasks outlined below.\u00a0 Here goes:<\/p>\n