Procedure for Cleanup/Speedup Windows Computers

by Doug Willoughby

Hardware & Technology SIG meeeting, February 17, 2004

•  Remove any known viruses

Use Panda Security, Trendmicro Housecall, other removal tools

 

•  Remove indexing from hard drives (Win XP NTFS)

Slows down all operations when indexes are being updated

LC My Computer, RC hard drive, Properties, uncheck last item

 

•  Remove all spyware

Use spybot or ad-aware

 

•  Check Device Manager for problems

RC My Computer, Properties, Hardware, Device Manager

Red circle device not functioning properly

Yellow Circle – device driver corrupt

•  Ensure all system and windows files are not corrupted

Start button, Run, sfc /scannow

 

•  Remove all unnecessary startup programs

Use MSCONFIG in Run window

http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php tells what all those entries mean

 

•  Clean out all unnecessary files and folders

•  Remove all internet and temporary files

Use seeknclean or space odyessy

•  Remove all duplicate and unnecessary files

Use space odyessy

•  Remove unneeded program files

Use Add/Remove programs in Control panel (XP need Computer Admin)

•  Remove any additional space wasters

Search using Disktective program; Eliminate them using Windows Explorer

 

•  Empty recycle bin

 

•  Run virus scan on the computer hard drives

Ensure all virus definitions are up to date

 

•  Update all windows components (Critical, other, drivers)

Use Windows Update

 

•  Cleanup registry entries

Run regclean

 

•  Remove any additional errors

Run Ultra Win cleaner 2004 or Norton Utilities Win Doctor or equivalent

 

•  Defragment the hard drives

 

•  Adjust space used System functions

•  System restore:

RC My Computer, system restore tab, set space to 3%

•  Temporary internet files:

IE6, Tools, Int Opt, Temp Int files, settings, set to 50MB +/-

•  Web page history:

IE6, Tools, Internet Options, Web page History 3-7 days

 

Sources:

Ad-aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

Space Odyssey: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,20440,00.asp

Regclean: http://download.com.com/3000-2094-881470.html?tag=list

Disktective: http://www.freebyte.com/disktective/

Spybot: http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download