Computer cleanup program?

[myxpykalix]

I have McAffee for virus protection but my computer has gotten so that it is running real slow. An average webpage take 30+ seconds to load and clicking on pgms it sits and grinds and grinds till finally it opens.

What is the best pgm for diagnosing the reasons for slow down? I don't want to go to "pcmatic.com" but something that will clean out registrys and other memory hogging things. I went to msconfig.exe and turned off things that opened at startup (only things i KNEW were ok to stop).:confused:
preferably free apps?

[jhedlund58]

CCleaner is what I use... FREE and does a great job

[srwtlc]

CCleaner is one of the best cleaner uppers. http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Get rid of McAffee and use one of the free ones like Avast, AVG, or Microsoft Security Essentials.

Uninstall any browser toolbar add-ons.

Pay attention to where you go and what you click on!

[cnc_works]

Download and run the free Malwarebytes (www.malwarebytes.com). One of the best for finding hidden malware, bad cookies, trojans and the like. McAfee is a system hog. Try Microsoft Security Essentials for a program that does the job with least drag on system resources.

I agree that cCleaner is great for system cleanups with no threat of creating more problems than it solves, unlike many others promising the same.

Two other programs that can help but are a little techie are Autoruns and Hijaak this.

[bleeth]

Don't forget to delete your browsing history regularly as well. You likely have thousands of cookies "reporting" everytime you turn on explorer.
There are really no items in the msconfig startup that need to be running on start-up, as security programs like MS Security, Norton, etc, don't appear there.
Two best free clean-up utilities are cccleaner and malwarebytes. You should download and run BOTH.

[myxpykalix]

I use google chrome for browser that i like(?) i'll try ccleaner. I actually think i am also runnng microsoft essentials along with mcaffee:confused:

[myxpykalix]

Ccleaner says it's 24.95? thought it was free? I'm not sure i want a malware pgm as much as something that goes and cleans up "processes" like a registry cleaner?

[adrianm]

Depends on how much you know about what goes on in Windows.

Personally I don't think you can beat Sysinternals Process Explorer and Autoruns for seeing what's being run on your machine that you might not be aware of.

I'm no fan of registry cleaners as they can cause just as many problems as they potentially "fix". That applies to CCleaner as well. Despite what others say I've seen it cause lots of issues in the wrong hands.

One thing to watch out for with the free AV type programs is that many of them don't detect malicious web scripts which is the major way people pick up malware,trojans and viruses.

By far the biggest issue I see is with people not reading the dialogs that are displayed when they install the latest bit of software that their mate told them about down the pub. They end up with all sorts of embedded toolbars tracking everything in sight and slows down browsing no-end as they try to contact "home" as you surf.

[andyb]

Jack,
CCleaner has a free version and a paid version. The free version will work for you. Also, download Defraggler from the Piriform. Defraggler will defrag you hard drive and make a noticeable difference.

As Scott said get rid of Mcafee. Mcafee installs some many hooks into the system it slows down everything. Download and run Malwarebytes and then get MS Security Essentials for you AV. I worked desktop support for 27 years. We had to use MSSE to remove virus that Mcafee missed.

You will be surprised what a little maintenance on your PC will do for the speed.

Andy B.

[scottp55]

I use filehippo.com to download latest free programs and have not had any problems,but then again I am not as computer savvy as most.

[Bob Eustace]

Jack you have a very fast computer in the iPad. Why not use it more?

[myxpykalix]

I know it's powerful because i accidentally killed my cat with it, and since i was filming at the time i figured i'd post it......:(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blwBGCIZfy0&feature=youtu.be

[coryatjohn]

The best way to restore your PC is to load a fresh install of Windows while wiping out everything on your computer. It sounds extreme but really is the only way to fix most common problems. A lot of those cleaner type programs are a form of malware themselves so be aware they may have some potential danger. When reinstalling, only do so using legal, licensed software directly from the developer. Cracked or pirated software often contains nasty surprises. It's well worth the investment to purchase real licenses.

Windows 7 is pretty tight and has a decent anti-virus called "Windows Defender." You don't need any other virus protection.

Once you get your computer clean, remember to not download attachments that come from a chain mail type contact. Often, these attachments are a ruse and will contain something nasty. Use Google Chrome as your browser too. It's got extra protection against nasty things you'll run across on the web.

[adrianm]

Windows Defender in Windows 7 is an anti-spyware program not an anti-virus program. It also does not detect malicious scripts on websites which is the way a lot of people get infected these days.

The version of Defender that comes with Windows 8 is different and includes an anti-virus component. Not sure how good it is at detecting malicious web scripts though. That's why I stopped using Microsoft Security Essentials because it was so poor at detecting scripts.

[coryatjohn]

Windows Defender in Windows 7 is an anti-spyware program not an anti-virus program. It also does not detect malicious scripts on websites which is the way a lot of people get infected these days.

The version of Defender that comes with Windows 8 is different and includes an anti-virus component. Not sure how good it is at detecting malicious web scripts though. That's why I stopped using Microsoft Security Essentials because it was so poor at detecting scripts.

That's why I suggest using Chrome for web browsing.

[jerry_stanek]

Mcaffee will slow your system to a crawl I dropped it long ago and just use Essentials also down load tweaknow and run it

[jTr]

Recently replaced my design computer, as a Trojan had infected Windows Sys32 file. Malwarebytes promptly quarantined, thereby rendering Windows 7 inoperable. How clever.:mad:

So now, I have Win8 :rolleyes:- Local Big Box pushed a program called Webroot, and I went for it. Anyone have experience/thoughts on that in relation to keeping things clean?

jeff

[srwtlc]

Here's a good article on PC cleaner programs....http://www.howtogeek.com/162683/pc-cleaning-apps-are-a-scam-heres-why-and-how-to-speed-up-your-pc/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=080513

[gerryv]

Don't overlook the possibility that it could be your ISP, not your computer. Many ISP's buy or have active a finite amount of bandwidth and as usage grows, everyone, or at least select customer levels, experience slowdowns until complaints and defections get high enough that they buy/activate more bandwidth. One of the worst times is when summer holidays begin for the students and usage skyrockets. This is made even worse by them quietly implementing throttling to prolong the status quo.