Ask Juan - Question and Answer
Importance of Routine Maintenance
Question:
Like a lot of people, my neighbors use their computers constantly without understanding the importance of routine maintenance. On a recent visit I was asked why the main one was (now) running so slow. My first move was to do the obvious. I cleared out the cookies, temporary Internet files, history, recycle bin, etc. Then I downloaded and ran AdAware to clear out any remaining spyware (any that didn't come out as a standard cookie).
I noticed a lot of icons in the system tray and used msconfig to get to the system configuration utility and to do some housekeeping there. Then I did something that had never been done and ran the Disk Defragmenter.
At this point I got to where I encountered a problem. The husband had downloaded an animated wallpaper that needed to come down. When I would right click on the desktop I'd get an hourglass and then the computer would freeze up. The only way to get out of it was to use the power switch to shut down and then restart the computer.
Beyond the problems this wallpaper has going with it's size & the animation, I'm guessing there's something embedded in it that is behind the problem HELP! Janet in Ohio
Answer:
Thank you Janet for this elaborate question. I particularly like your direction as to how I should respond. You are right. It is very important to do routine maintenance on your computer. After time digital junk accumulates in the recess of the system making it slow and sluggish.
My routine maintenance consists emptying the temporary folders and files, uninstalling programs not being used anymore, and defragging. My computer does not get infected by spyware or ad ware surprisingly.
I have a theory that if you use your computer for the same purpose today as the day you got it, it should be as efficient as the day you got it. Unfortunately, most of us do not. With technology advances software programmers always push the envelope and try to maximize the power of today’s computer systems. So if you have installed software (made for today’s computers) it will not be as efficient because you are using it on an aging computer.
The moral of the story… don’t upgrade your software. Be content with your stone and chisel. Of course that is unrealistic and absurd. Yet we expect our computers to last forever or to perform as good as they did the day we bought them. My advice, get a new computer every three to four years.
But before you take your wallet out, consider this. As stated above you can spring some life into your tired computer. Start by deleting all your temporary files. They accumulate in several predictable spots. C:\temp, c:\windows\temp, “c:\documents and settings(your profile)\local settings\temp,” and “c:\documents and settings(your profile)\local settings\temporary internet files.”
Navigate to each of these locations and delete everything you see in each of those locations. Repeat this process for each one of the profiles listed in the “documents and settings” folder. You may have to log in as an administrator to get to some folders here. Last, delete everything you have in the Recycle bin on your desktop. That takes care of the clutter.
Cookies are another issue altogether and I cover it in a previous article
http://askjuan.net/articles/cookies.php. I suggest you read it (again if you already have) and decide for yourself if you need to remove them.
Next, you will want to go to the control panel by clicking start, then control panel in XP (or start, settings, control panel - in earlier versions of Windows.) Open “Add or Remove Programs” look at the list of programs and uninstall any program you installed but no longer use. If you
don’t feel comfortable doing this, skip it.
Last, scan your system for viruses and spyware with a quality tool. Several options exist for this task so I am not going to go into detail. Chances are, you already own Norton, or McAfee, or Panda, or something similar. I use AVG Pro plus Firewall that is very effective in thwarting viruses and Trojan horses. It also keeps intruders out and it is simple to use. (You can get this product directly from me by going to http://askjuan.net/products/avgpro.php)
I would caution you about clicking a pop-up window that claims you are infected to download a “cleaner.” Those programs are usually motivated by profit without regard to your satisfaction. They are usually NOT good. Some may be ok but with those tactics I would reject any of them good or not.
In closing, I would like to mention that msconfig is a great tool for troubleshooting your computer and to determine what needs to be uninstalled. However, it should not be used to suppress a program from running permanently.
Defragmenting your hard drive is a great way to keep your disk tidy. It does speed your computer up a bit and I recommend you do it only after you have deleted a whole bunch of stuff and you are absolutely sure you don’t need to retrieve something from the deleted items. Once you do a defrag the chances of rescuing a lost document is very unlikely. If you like to do this as routine, do it once every 2 to 3 months.
Also I would like to remind you that if you don’t feel up to the task of maintaining your computer system, you should find someone who can. I am available for a very small fee if you need help. I can do it remotely and while you watch. Contact me if you are interested in my services. Here is a reference for your perusal http://askjuan.net/about/am_reference.php.
P.S. About the animated background: I researched it and it seems to be a program rather than a normal desktop (animated) picture. You will have to uninstall it by normal means or delete the directory where it is installed. I would guess c:program files(screensaver) etc. I installed one and it installed a system tray icon that had an option to uninstall when I right-clicked on it. Good luck.