Got a slow computer? Need to get rid of annoying popups?
These are some of the tool I use to get and keep machines running at their peak.
Gunk
Now first you'll need to go to Start>run> type in services.msc and hit return
Services allows you to turn off a lot of things that run in the background, you don't need a lot of them and when tons of them are runnng it "gunks up your stuff".
Things like iTunes, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe updater, Quicktime task, are all put there when you install different programs. The vendors want their stuff to have preeminence so they make windows run them at startup. You don't need 70 percent of them. If you don't know what is vital go to The Elder Geek. Now That I've given you a loaded gun let me say BE CAREFUL. You can really screw things up in there.
Bad Things
If you have any doubt as to the true nature of Man, look at the internet. If there's a way to get into your computer and ruin it, someone has already tried it. Bad people are everywhere. Viruses, Trojans, Tracking Cookies, Backdoors and other means of using your computer for financial gain or evil conquest have and will be tried. It is your job to keep these barbarians outside the gates.
This place is a mess
Computers are supposed to be fast. Because they work fast they don't always clean up after themselves. If a file is opened from a nice neat package on the drive, it is thrown back at the disc in a heap, all a-jumble. If it is picked up from that pile, it it thrown back on top itself and others in a big mess.
Next time that file is needed the computer has to look for all the bits and pieces and reassemble them. Time consuming and, quite frankly, embarrassing to it's mother.
Time to get a maid in there and tidy it all up. Defragging is what it's called. It's basically a mean old woman picking up all your computer's dirty underwear, washing, folding and putting it away in drawers.
Alzheimers
AVG Antivirus offers a free version - you have to navigate a plethora of links to actually get the free version as opposed to the "free trial". The trial version is the full version for limited time, then you have to buy. Keep looking for free version. Or buy the full version if you like.
CCleaner Originally called CrapCleaner, gets the junk from your trunk. Empties temp files, caches and gets rid of cookies (you can mark the ones you want to keep). Also helps speed startup time and cleans up the registry. A MUST HAVE.
Defraggler Is a great defragging tool from the folks that brought us CCleaner. You will especially love it if you are fed up with Vista's "we might get this done in a few minutes or a few days" approach.
Speedfan If your computer seems "sticky" it could be running hot. Speedfan will tell you if your machine isn't cooling well. Remember to blow all the dirt out - especially the heatsink on the CPU, many times this is gunked up and no air flows to cool it.
DrWeb CureIt! is one of the oldest, simplest and beest A-V programs out there.
Free Registry Defrag has my favorite word in it - FREE, but it also is spamfree and reduces the size of the registry, use it afer CCleaner works over the registry, may lesson program startup times.
SiSandra helps you figure out what is inside your box.
Free programs for geeks
There are a lot of programmers out there who have a great program and need exposure to be able to sell it. So they offer a free version that doesn't have all the bells and whistles for free. They don't offer tech suppot for the free program and you may not get every high end function but these programs are all usefull, free, and ones that I personally use. No "30 day trial crap" either.
Top Style CSS Editor Free version is great for designing your own Cascading style sheets. Scroll to the bottom for the "lite" version. Buy all the bells and whistles for pros for only about $80
IsoBuster can help you make backup copies of DVDs and CDs. Yuo can get a diskimage and then record onto a new disc. Even works with Blue Ray. Save your originals from the abuse of scratches and whatnot. Back up all your media.
Morpheus Is really fun - morph pics! You can show your kids "grow" using school photos, make funny faces, lots of uses. be careful of adware in the license agreement - read before you click.
