How to Tune Up Your Computer

September 7th, 2004 - by Howard Jones

This will be an informative presentation structured to provide you with information to enable you to restore your computer to the performance you experienced when it was new. This handout includes the step-by-step details.

Basics of The Issues:

  • What is a computer? It’s hardware, an operating system (software – MS 95, 98, 98SE, ME, 2000 or XP) and applications (software – MS Office, Corel Draw, Quicken, Family Tree Maker and software to control printers, scanners, etc.)
  • How is the software installed in your computer organized? Right click on "Start", click on "Explore". On the left side of the screen you will see the organization of your entire computer. The file structure provided in all Windows operating systems includes "My Documents", "Program Files", the identification of your hard drive, floppy drive and CD drive(s), etc. There are as many ways to organize files, data you generate and want to save for future use, as there are computer users. What’s important is that you understand where what you save in your computer goes and to have a logic to retrieve that information. Consider "My Documents" as a "File Room" lined with 4 drawer file cabinets. In each drawer are accordion folder containing manila file folders.
  • When you use your computer the bits of information that make up the data are somewhat randomly recorded onto the hard drive. Over the time a computer is used, your operating system and application software have a hard time finding the data specific to the tasks you are trying to perform. Also, every time you are searching the Internet, the places you go are depositing cookies and miscellaneous temporary files. Cookies identify you to the various sites you visit when you return and "temporary files" are records of data downloaded as you "surf the Net".
  • It’s cookies, temporary files and the way you organize your storage of information that make your computer slow down over time and in some cases – "crash".
  • In one way of thinking about a computer that hasn’t been routinely maintained – it’s as if someone went into the "File Room" described above, opened the drawers and dumped all of the folders and the papers in them randomly in a big pile in the middle of the room.

Term Definitions:

What is a "cookie"? - A piece of information sent by a Web server to a user's browser. (A Web server is the computer that "hosts" a Web site, and responds to requests from a user's browser.) Cookies may include information such as login or registration identification, user preferences, online "shopping cart" information, etc. The browser saves the information, and sends it back to the Web server whenever the browser returns to the Web site. The Web server may use the cookie to customize the display it sends to the user, or it may keep track of the different pages within the site that the user accesses. Browsers may be configured to alert the user when a cookie is being sent, or to refuse to accept cookies. Some sites, however, cannot be accessed unless the browser accepts cookies.

What are "temp" files? - Windows and Windows applications create temporary files as they run. Working programs store bits of data in files called temporary or temp files. These are files that can be erased when they are no longer needed.

In an ideal situation, these temp files are deleted when the applications close. Yet poorly written programs, improper shutdowns, program hangs, and computer crashes often leave unneeded temporary files on the hard drive. Over time, these files accumulate, eating up hard disk space and, at times, impairing computer performance. If your computer is acting sluggish, deleting accumulated temp files may help to speed it up. In addition, some shutdown problems and download problems can be cured by cleaning up your temp files.

What are "temporary internet files"? – "Temporary Internet files" is Microsoft's name for Internet Explorer's 'Internet Cache'. A cache is a storage place for electronic information. Web browsers 'cache' web pages locally, on your computer, so that you don't have to wait for them to download next time you visit the page.

What is "spyware"? - A general term for a program that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers. The practice is generally frowned upon.

Where can I find other term definitions? -
http://www.webopedia.com  - then click on Glossary

The Cleanup Process:

  • Left click on "Start", move the curser to "Programs", then to "Accessories", to "System Tools", to "Disk Cleanup". Left click on "Disk Cleanup". A dialog box will ask you to select the drive you want to cleanup. Select (C:) and click OK. By continuing this process you will remove files that are not essential and free up significant space on your hard drive. But, let’s take a closer look at where these files are and where they come from.
  • Right click on "Start", left click on "Explore". On the left side of the screen you will see the organization of your entire computer. In W2000 and XP you will see "Documents and Settings". Under the name of each user you will see a file named "Cookies". Delete all cookies. The file "index.dat" will remain. In W98 "Cookies" will be in a file under "Windows". All cookies may be removed.
  • While still in Windows "Explore", in W2000 or XP, type %temp% in the address bar and hit "enter". This will place you in the "Temp" file. Highlight everything and "delete". In W98 there are files named "Temp" and "Temporary Internet Files" under the Windows file and their contents may all be deleted.
  • After deleting all unnecessary files, go back to "System Tools" and run "ScanDisk" and then "Disk Defragmenter". In W2000 and XP the disk scanning utility is accessible as follows: by opening "My Computer", select the local disk you want to check. On the "File" menu, click "Properties". Click the "Tools" tab. Under "Error-checking", click "Check Now". Under "Check disk options", select the "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" check box.
  • It is recommended that you reboot your computer after each step in the cleanup process, even if you are not prompted to do so.
  • It is important to regularly run "Windows Update".
  • It is also important to regularly update your firewall and antivirus software (renew your subscription annually) and to update your antivirus .dat (virus definition) files automatically.

Supplementary Information: