Clean
Up
The following is a laundry list of actions to fix and maintain your computer. By following these steps, you can get your computer working, updated and secure from evil malware.
Back up your system with System Restore
Delete data-miners with Adaware
Clean system with Advanced WindowsCare Personal
Install and run Avast Anti-virus
Update Windows
Trim down startup programs
Back up your system by creating a restore point. Windows XP has a handy back-up program that allows you to “restore” your system to a previous state. This is helpful if you install a bad program or accidentally delete important files. System Restore can automatically create “restore points” or you can create them manually.
CRITICAL POINT: If your system is infected with a virus, spyware or malware, then your System Restore Points are also infected. Contact us to safely remove infected Restore Points and prevent reinstalling dangerous files!
Go to START => HELP AND SUPPORT
and click on System Restore. Follow instructions!
CRITICAL POINT: The following programs described can sometimes interpret your system restore points (files) as “malware” or “potentially unwanted”. Be sure to check the results for system restore files and make sure they are not removed. Usually these files have system restore in their filename.
The following two programs are EXCELLENT for weekly maintenance. They eliminate malware, rogue file and registry entries and offer system recommendations.
Most of the following files can be found at Download.com.
Download and Install Adaware SE:
When prompted, save the file My Documents and then click "Run" to install. Start the program by clicking the icon on your desktop. Click start.
The program will take several minutes to run. When complete, it will list all of files that malicious websites have downloaded to your computer. You can get details of the individual files by clicking on them. For now, it’s probably safe to eliminate them all except the system restore files. Just follow the instructions. Exit the program.
Download and Install Advanced WindowsCare Personal:
When prompted, save the file to My Documents and then click "Run" to install. Start the program by clicking the icon on your desktop.
Click “Start” and then "Scan". Just like Adaware, Advanced WindowsCare Personal will run for several minutes. When complete, click “Repair”.
With Advanced WindowsCare Personal, you can also check to see what programs start up when your computer is turned on. Startups are programs that crank on when you start the computer. Many times this is where some of the pop-up programs hide. Also, most of these programs will occupy valuable RAM space, which might affect overall speed and performance. You can decide which are necessary and which do not need to be started with your computer.
An extremely detailed list of these programs is available at:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm
To view these programs, simply run the scan described before and leave only "Startup Scan" checked. Be sure you want to disable these programs before for you uncheck the items found starting up. Do the research!
Now eliminate miscellaneous, unneeded files. Your computer uses temporary files usually one time for a specific function. Deleting them does not affect future operation. Temporary Internet files are the files that are downloaded from the various websites you visit. Each page, icon and picture is a file that your computer reads for your “web experience” and is stored on your computer so it doesn’t have to download them again in the future (this potentially can speed up your surfing). Often these files have malicious content.
First, delete the Temporary Internet Files. Right-click on your web browser’s icon (Internet Explorer, Firefox, e.g.). Click on properties.
Click on “Delete Files”, check “Delete all" and “OK”; Then Click "Yes" if you're sure.
(It's your choice to check the box below, but I don't.)
Second, run Disk Cleanup. Go to START => PROGRAMS => ACCESSORIES =>SYSTEM TOOLS => DISK CLEANUP
Click OK.
Now you will want to update your Windows XP Software. Go to
START => HELP AND SUPPORT and click on “Windows Update”.
Windows will connect to Microsoft, scan your computer for updates and inform you of what updates are critical and suggested. Accept all critical updates. One will be XP SP2. This is a “service pack” issued last August, which will install SP1, plus security updates for Internet Explorer. It will also install Windows Security Center, which offers a free pop-up blocker and firewall. All are excellent.
SP2 is a significant update and is large. It’s about 88MB and will take some time to download and install. Once done, though, you will be much closer to a finely tuned computer. Incidentally, once SP2 is installed, go to your Security Center in the Control Panel and make sure your new firewall is ON.
Now that you’re up to date, you will want to install and run an
anti-virus program. Norton and McAfee are good programs, but they are subscription services and constantly need to be updated. They are also pesky and proprietary (it’s them or no one). A good free anti-virus is Avast Home Edition 4.5.
Download and install the Award-Winning Avast Anti-virus:
(This program is free; after 90 days you will be asked to register by filling out simple info sheet. You will receive a key-number that lasts 14 months. At the end of 14 months, same process for 14 more.)
Avast! Home Edition Anti-virus
Follow instructions. This program will automatically update when you’re online for new threats.
Next you will want to check what’s running on your computer when
you start it up. Go to START => RUN and type in “msconfig” without the quotation marks.
This area of Windows is vital to its’ operation, so do not make changes that you are not sure of (through research).
The areas of concern here are Services and Startup.
Services are programs that facilitate the operation of your computer. Things like “plug and play”, disk and network operation and communication.
These are also called tasks. If you want to know what specific tasks are for, they can be found at this website:
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
You can control these programs from “Administrative Tools” in your Control Panel.
Once you change the configuration, you will begin to receive a message upon starting the computer stating that you have changed the configuration. To eliminate this message, you must remove them from your start-up menu. Windows has no easy way of doing this. However, there is a way! The following is a website called Kelly’s Korner. The author is a Windows expert (Windows MSCE, MVP).
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm
The fix for the start-up message is at
The above steps should bring your computer to a clean, maintainable state. If at any point you have questions, please give me a call. It’s always better to ask then to go off into a “happy-clicking” frenzy. If you’d like face-to-face help you can bring your computer over and we can fix it together. By creating the system restore point as described earlier, your system can be restored if anything in the process goes wrong.
This information is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. Use at your own risk. Specific systems require specific processes. Please contact us for details.
© 2008 Mike Computer, All Rights Reserved