Suggestions for computer clean up?

1. 95

   wildernessposted 13 years ago

   My wife continually visits sites that load junk onto her computer and it is so loaded with garbage it is nearly unusable.  We would strip the drive of everything and re-load the OS but can't find the original disks, including the Vista she uses.
   
   Can anyone suggest software to clean it up?  Remove junk programs, clean the registry, re-do the startup files, etc.?

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   1. 88

      WryLiltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Spybot Search & Destroy is good for finding spyware and other little naughties that have crept into the computer.
      
      Otherwise all I can recommend is going into the control pane, add-remove programs and deleting things one at a time.

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      1. 95

         wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         In the time that would take I could earn enough (at minimum wage!) to buy her a new machine!
         
         You just can't believe the crap she has put onto that poor thing.

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   2. 34

      nbbatt.composted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I like to use ccleaner or repair registry. both softwares are good to clean up our operating system and application software.
      Keep my computer good whole time.

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   3. 57

      C.J. Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Based on the type of user your describing. I would recommend an imaging software. What this does is take an image of the disk, ONCE IT'S CLEAN. That way when the spyware/malware has done all it can and your still bogged down, you can simply re-image the disk and basically start over. This type of software isn't cheap though. So if price is a major concer, I would go to PC Magazines site and get the best rated freebie out there.
      
      By the way, I would be very carefull with what I did on a computer such as the one you describe. Doing online banking and bilpay on a machine like that is DANGEROUS!

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   4. 60

      blackconceptionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You need to get a program called CCleaner. It was designed precisely for the reason that you describe.

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2. 70

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Hey Wilderness,
   
   I use CCleaner. You can download it free. It has a setting for auto-updates. It will look for a new update each time you open it.
   
   It covers all the areas. And, you'll have a uninstall/install feature, plus sort out what cookies/websites to keep or discard.
   
   I like it and seems to do a pretty good job.

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   1. 95

      wildernessposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This sounds interesting, with good reviews and all.
      
      I think we'll check it out tomorrow after the grandkids go home and we've got some quite time.
      
      Thanks, Cagsil!

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3. 44

   Mikeydoesposted 13 years ago

   Torrents is what I use if I don't have the disks and want to start brand new. Especially if you want windows 7 or whatever. Not that I'm recommending it, also you have to know what you are doing(which my cousin does if I want it done)
   
   I used Free registry repair(on download.com) and it seemed to help out a little, other than that my computer is just slow and I'm kind of wondering the same thing.
   
   Also tried spybot(worked ok)
   
   I'll have to give Cag's suggestion a try.

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4. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

   "Suggestions for computer clean up?"
   
   I happened to have written a hub on this subject. Find it if you can… Think “best”...

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   1. 0

      Website Examinerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Ultimate-Co … Do-Tune-Up

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5. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 13 years ago

   What with all the CCleaner recommendations here, I went to cnet and checked it out.
   
   Cnet loves CCleaner, too. As apparently do the 14,544,323 people who downloaded it.
   
   +1
   
   A side note:
   
   It killed off my HP signed-in cookie, even though I thought I’d told it not to. I would not even have bothered to mention it, but this showed up when I arrived at the unsigned-in HP homepage:
   
   “… snickerdoodle cookies!...”
   
   I am still digesting this new piece of culinary information…

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6. 63

   WoodsmensPostposted 13 years ago

   Go to
   my computer > control panel > add remove programs  and delete all the unused programs that find there way onto a computer.
   
   CC Clearner is good but it won't clean unwanted programs.
   
   Toolbars that you don't use ....remove program etc
   
   free up some hard drive space and also do a defragment of the hard drive. If you don't use CC Cleaner then run disk clean up found in system tools.
   
   Those are just for starters then delete unwanted pictures videos and music the list goes on.

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   1. 70

      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hey Woodsmenspoet,
      
      You can uninstall and install programs via CCleaner.

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      1. 63

         WoodsmensPostposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Oh thanks Cargil I didn't know that. Haven't used CC in  a monkeys age. Thanks :p

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7. 61

   lxxyposted 13 years ago

   Everyone here has got some great ideas. I'd also add that depending on the severity of infection, you may have malware that's very adapt at hiding it's self or disabling countermeasures.
   
   You'd be none the wiser, especially if it's atrociously loaded.
   
   What I also recommend is running something like IceSword and checking out your Windows process' from there.
   
   Why you'd want to use this tool, over even the built in registry viewer in Windows, is that it can't be traced actively while it's being run. It shows up in Windows as a random process, much like the smarter malware out there, and allows you to view various aspects of your computer in an environment threats can't hide from.

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8. 60

   Detective Lposted 13 years ago

   Get an operating system cd.  Load it in boot. And get yourself a fresh installation.  That would be the cleanest you can get.haha

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