PC cleaner
Dec 16, 2023 11:22:03 #
Haenzel
Loc: South Holland, The Netherlands
Check what programs are starting automatically at start up. Microsoft is quite good at starting unnecessary apps, wasting recources...Depending on your windows version you can disable them typing msconfig / choose startup and unselect apps or via taskmanager...
Dec 16, 2023 12:15:15 #
Canonshooteron wrote:
Does anyone know of or use a free pc scanner for cleaning? Years ago, I used "PC Cleaner.com" but that doesn't seem to be free anymore.
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CCleaner
Dec 16, 2023 12:28:55 #
davidrb wrote:
Should have bought a MAC!
On this days, "computer get slow because much installed stuff" is a thing if the past.
The "best" way to slow down a computer is to have
a) less than 5% space left on a SDD and/or
b) a highly fragmented HDD and/or
c) something heavy running in the background
a and b are hardware related and c is user related. It will happen on a Windows box, a Mac or even Linux.
Stop "fanboying" Macs... from a sysadmin point of view they are not better than equivalent non-Mac computers, only more expensive.
Dec 16, 2023 12:32:25 #
jamesl wrote:
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CCleaner
CCleaner
Beware CCleaner.
As member of the sysadmin community, I've got many alerts against using it.
It has been flagged as malware and is completely forbidden in corporate computers.
Automated cleaners are PITA and do really nasty things to your registry, and system files... they breake more thing than what they fix...
If you really believe that your sister got slow and don't know how to fix it, do a complete backup of your valuable data, reformat and install everything from scratch.
Dec 16, 2023 14:34:20 #
Years ago when I tried CCleaner, I discovered that it put extra software on my system when it ran. Then I found Wise Free Registry Cleaner and Wise Free Disk Cleaner. When my system tends to get close to hanging up, I run both twice and then start my system over again. I also make sure that the cache in my web browser has been emptied. --Riichard
Dec 16, 2023 14:42:56 #
If you have an SSD DeFragmentation is not recommended, there is a trim function that can be used, though it has nothing to do with defragmentation. There are various utilities that can help identify junk and find duplicates.
You can also do some of that manually. If your drive is more than 1/2-2/3 full that will also slow things down.
You can also do some of that manually. If your drive is more than 1/2-2/3 full that will also slow things down.
Dec 16, 2023 19:04:00 #
Klickitatdave
Loc: Seattle Washington
What I have learned is that one should never defrag an SSD because it is not only unnecessary but would not improve the SSD's performance. It also can shorten the SSDs lifespan. As noted, use the trim function instead. I have also learned the hard way that cleaning the registry does not improve performance and can also lead to unstable or worse if a critical registry entry is deleted. I now use Microsoft's utility PC Manager to tune my system and find that it does help improve performance a little because it has a function to release memory from programs that fail to do so when closed and manage temporary or unnecessary files. This app can be obtained on the Microsoft store and it is free and very safe to use.
Dec 17, 2023 16:36:36 #
Dec 17, 2023 16:43:30 #
MJPerini wrote:
If you have an SSD DeFragmentation is not recommended, there is a trim function that can be used, though it has nothing to do with defragmentation. There are various utilities that can help identify junk and find duplicates.
You can also do some of that manually. If your drive is more than 1/2-2/3 full that will also slow things down.
You can also do some of that manually. If your drive is more than 1/2-2/3 full that will also slow things down.
Absolutely correct about not defragging an SSD, and All windows from Win 7 on run Trim in the background unless you disable it. Paging to disk (especially to HD) due to insufficient DRAM (or too many aps running simultaneously in the background) is THE #1 performance killer.
Dec 18, 2023 09:32:21 #
I've been using Ccleaner for years and it works great for me. I have never had any malware alerts or had it install any additional software. Maybe that was the case 100 years ago, but not today. It's one of the easiest cleaner that I have found, including using the registry cleaner. Just make sure to always use the backup option just in case. In all the years of using it, I have not yet needed to restore anything the registry cleaner has removed. It does clean out tons of unnecessary internet trash and has option to check start up items and installed programs. And it's really simple to use. Chuck
Dec 18, 2023 11:33:05 #
chuckbear wrote:
I've been using Ccleaner for years and it works gr... (show quote)
The problem is not that the CCleaner coders include malware in its code, but that hackers have found it easy to do so. According to this website, the latest attack was in 2021 (not 100 years ago). The website gives good directions on how to access any damage and how to remove the offending malware if present.
https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-remove-ccleaner-malware#:~:text=The%205.3%20version%20of%20CCleaner,second%20payload%20brought%20in%20Trojan.
I use the Wise Fee cleaners just because I have never had to worry that their installs had gotten corrupted. --Richard
Dec 18, 2023 11:41:20 #
In using any of these apps, they should only be downloaded from the original makers website to avoid any issues. Chuck
Dec 18, 2023 13:55:37 #
Haenzel
Loc: South Holland, The Netherlands
chuckbear wrote:
In using any of these apps, they should only be downloaded from the original makers website to avoid any issues. Chuck
Still, it remains a threat. Apps that have write access to the entire registry cannot be trusted unless it's an official microsoft product.
Dec 18, 2023 18:08:04 #
Haenzel wrote:
Still, it remains a threat. Apps that have write access to the entire registry cannot be trusted unless it's an official microsoft product.
Yes! I’m not shy about editing the registry if and only if needed, but that doesn’t happen often and of course, there is always a pre edit backup copy. I do NOT want a third party editing it to “remove unused code”, which the vast majority of the time has zero effect on the performance of the machine and may save only a few tens of KBs of storage. Neither do I want a “dumb” piece of SW deleting all my cookies, some of which are very useful. And of course, there’s the malware issue.
CC Cleaner is just a heavy handed, typically unnecessary piece of paid 3rd party SW. Empty your recycle bin yourself, keep Windows patched, don’t open suspicious emails or attachments or visit squirrelly sites, and don’t run your storage (which is cheap) near the max. AND, keep 3 copies of your data, one off-site.
Dec 19, 2023 11:49:53 #
Just Fred wrote:
Just guessing here, but CCleaner has a free version. It's been around for decades, and is a pretty good tool for what it does. It started life as "Crap Cleaner," but then wiser heads prevailed.
https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner
Keep in mind that "free" doesn't always mean "best."
https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner
Keep in mind that "free" doesn't always mean "best."
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