Best programs to clean a slow PC?
- Thread starter The VCR King
- Start date
Agent Smith
Well-Known Member
Use Autoruns and make sure there isn't a bunch of crap starting up. If you find said crap, first uninstall its program. Use Revouninstaller for that. Next use Freefixer and go through EVERY freaking module and do NOT delete anything you don't know about. There is a link that will give you Info. on the modules. Now run Herdprotect portable which uses 68 anti-virus engines. This will take some time and possibly a second scan. Ccleaner like mentioned and System Ninja to finish up the remaining crap ton of temp files you will undoubtedly find. Check HDD with Crystaldiskinfo, HDTune and/or one of these https://www.lifewire.com/free-hard-drive-testing-programs-2626183
I also use HDD Guardian. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hddguardian.html
You may want to run Windows check disk and sfc /scannow for the hell of it.
Main thing will be those autostart programs and junk that's installed.
I also use HDD Guardian. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hddguardian.html
You may want to run Windows check disk and sfc /scannow for the hell of it.
Main thing will be those autostart programs and junk that's installed.
Geoff
VIP Member
How could you screw up an OS reinstall so bad that you brick the PC?
The VCR King
Well-Known Member
Happened with the Blue Beast first time I did it. Something went wrong and I kept getting BOOTMGR NOT FOUND errors and I had to reinstall it again.
That's not bricking a computer.
This by definition is not bricking since you obviously got it working.
Brick = as useful as a brick. Ded. No go. RIP.
Agent Smith
Well-Known Member
The War Wagon
New Member
Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs & Features -> Uninstall a Program
And start deleting EVERYTHING that's NOT OS or hardware related. Works for me.
And start deleting EVERYTHING that's NOT OS or hardware related. Works for me.
Yeah.....that's not how that works.Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs & Features -> Uninstall a Program
And start deleting EVERYTHING that's NOT OS or hardware related. Works for me.
Geoff
VIP Member
That just leaves a ton of crap behind, as many apps (especially adware and crappy coded apps) leave residual files behind after an uninstall. Plus, not all programs appear in that list.Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs & Features -> Uninstall a Program
And start deleting EVERYTHING that's NOT OS or hardware related. Works for me.
The War Wagon
New Member
I'm not a gamer, OR an 'app' guy. I know that WOULD leave some residual crap, if you had such things on your computer, but it's a good start. The thing I discovered years ago, was that JUST removing stuff via Malwarebytes and the like, removed symptoms, but not necessarily the cause. A program with pieces removed, would just RE-install them at the next boot-up. Going to "uninstall-a-program" first, has gotten rid of the cause, and them your cleaner programs can mop up the symptoms. In my experience, which, because I'm NOT a gamer or 'app' guy, I realize is somewhat limited.
It seemed like a step that had been overlooked in the discussion to this point, however.
It seemed like a step that had been overlooked in the discussion to this point, however.
You have no clue do you?
Do you realize that most programs listed in programs and features people don't know what they are? So you are just gonna have them uninstall things they need for the computer to function correctly. And you do realize that the malware programs I use to scan systems for malware generally basically remove the whole program from your system. There may be a couple when done cleaning that you have to uninstall but its not very common.
Geoff
VIP Member
As John said, the problem with your recommendation is people will remove stuff they actually need, since they don't know what they are actually called.
The War Wagon
New Member
I've never had a problem. YMMV.
Uninstalling everything in Programs & Features won't remove any adware, spyware, rootkits, etc. either
So yes, your mileage will definitely vary.
JLuchinski
Well-Known Member
I have used my Windows 7 key (which is now Windows 10) probably about 12 times without issue. And good luck with the cleaning, are you being compensated for your services? Also I would give the PC's a good cleaning with air, if they don't know what to do with software chances are they have never been cleaned either.
The VCR King
Well-Known Member
The PC's were fixed up last night and they're already returned to the owners. One was a brand-new Acer laptop from 2016 that had no issues and the other was a 9-year old EEE PC running Win7 Starter Edition that had all the junkware on it. It's a lot faster now that I removed the 6 expired anti-viruses and spyware lol
JLuchinski
Well-Known Member
Nice, one thing I always do when I fix computers for people is I leave a text file on the desktop with instructions on what to do and what not to do in order to prevent problems in the future. 6 expired anti-viruses? How did that even run?
The VCR King
Well-Known Member
It didn't run too bad, especially for being a 9 year old netbook with an Intel Atom, 1GB RAM, and Windows 7 Starter edition.