When you are considering “optimizing” a computer, the goal is usually to have that computer run faster and more efficiently. 

More visable improvement in performance can be seen in defragmenting a hard drive, cleaning the computer from temporary files, and performing a spyware or virus scan using tested software.  DO NOT USE SOFTWARE THAT HAS NOT BEEN TESTED.  We provide a list of links that have been tested and verified that are not spyware.  Even if you have anti-virus, you can still run an online antivirus check.

BASICS IN OPTIMIZING A COMPUTER: 

1.      The first thing I do is make sure those important data files are backed up!

2.      Defragment the hard drive

3.      Clean out temporary files

4.      Uninstall old versions of Java, download the latest version

5.      Scan with Malwarebyte, Spybot, and Superantispyware

6.      My next step is to scan with “hijackthis” which shows me everything that is running….including the software installed and various other components (“hijackthis” should only to be used by an expert)

7.      Scan for viruses using an on-line scanner

8.      Add additional memory if required

9.      Remove those resource hungry software applications such as AOL, McAfee, Norton, Security Suites, etc.

10.   There is more to Optimizing a computer than people realize, and it can take hours.  Various precautions are taken to ensure that data is not lost or compromised.

Basically, my advice is – don’t use a Registry Cleaner.  They don’t “optimize” a computer (more on that in a future blog), and in fact they are more harmful to your Registry than you even know. It is not worth the risk.  The majority of internet ads out in cyberspace that tout Registry Cleaners will, in fact, cause your computer to have further problems and  your computer will likely crash.    

Another problem is that unless the program creates a restore of the registry or a backup of the registry, a mistake can turn a computer into a big old paper weight!

Quoting from another experienced Computer technician and blogger….“Don’t run registry cleaner programs, period…….If anyone has done any serious performance testing on this class of software, I’d be interested in seeing it. In the absence of really rigorous testing and fail-safe design, I say: Stay far away from this sort of utility.” click here for link to Ed’s blog

In addition, this website has more information about Registry Cleaners and why you should not trust them:

http://asknerd.net/bestregistrycleaner.html

” . . . The problem with most registry repair titles is that they are based on the same open source software script . . . they are being sold by companies that didn’t develop them – and therefore have no real understanding of their function or even how they work. The result is that you risk installing an inferior piece of software that can permanently damage your computer”

Another excerpt:

“The issue lies in the explosion of spam-review sites which are nothing more then websites promoting affiliate links under the guise of an official ” review ” site. There main goal is to accomplish one thing – to send you to the site they are promoting and hoping you buy the product they are selling – if you do, they get up to a 75% cut of the sale. In other words, their reviews are up for sale – and are not anything but thinly veiled sales pitches. For example, if you do a search for the term ” Paid Survey ” or ” Registry Repair ” you’ll notice that the paid listings all include sites that say ” read our review ” or ” warning, don’t download anything until you read this…”

Q:  What types of software do you recommend when it comes to anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware (or anti-malware) protections?

A:  On my link  page, I offer recommendations for these types of software.  Of course, your anti-virus protection also depends on if you have youngsters who will be accessing the internet, or adults only. 

Kids have a tendency to be too trusting when it comes to scams, while Adults may be more skeptical – Adults might be more able to distinguish between the scams and honest advertising.  This is not always black and white.  I know it is often quite difficult to know who to trust, what is a scam or a fake offer, or bad website that you might be directed to.

If you find you’re receiving “pop-ups” concerning your security, or a warning that you have viruses, you most likely have some spyware or viruses.  It is important to scan you computer. 

Call us (508-370-8080) if you have any questions.  We can remotely log into your computer and diagnose the issues going on.

Q:  How much memory should I purchase?  What would you recommend?

A:  The answer varies from customer to customer depending on what they use the computer for. 

To order memory, I always go to this website  CLICK HERE

I usually do that when I am on the computer that needs the memory because the Crucial website will scan the computer and tell you what kind of memory it needs.

Q:  Should I buy an Internet Security Suite?

A:  Do not use an Internet security suite unless you have at least 2 GB of memory.  Security suites often have a firewall, spyware scanner, antivirus, and email spam filter all built into the software.

Q:  What type of an anti-virus scanner should you put on your computer?

 A:   Whatever you choose, you need to have enough memory (RAM) in your computer to run these protections without dragging your computer down. 

 The average public might choose the scanning software packages made by the manufacturers called “McAfee” or “Norton”.  These are common products and often come with a new purchase (as a trial version).  However, it is recommended that you should have at the minimum 1 GB of memory for these programs to run well without slowing down your computer.  This is because the new software that is being released requires more memory to run then it ever has before.

I have seen all sorts of infected computers with malware and viruses in them. 

Just a few months ago, getting rid of malware was relatively easy.  We would perform and run spyware scans, antivirus scans, review the registry and the files in startup. 

Recently, I have found that once a computer is infected with Trojan Viruses, it is not easy to make sure these threats are gone. I end up spending extra time in making sure a computer is clean.

I worked on a computer where the system tray where the anti-virus would have been was disabled.  It was hard to tell if the system tray was originally corrupted or whether the Trojan Viruses caused this.  Everything looked good except for this.  I could tell by additional scans that Trojan Viruses were still in the computer.  Instead of spending 8 additional hours cleaning the computer, I reformatted the computer to make 100% sure that the computer didn’t have any remnants of viruses and spyware.

I discourage anyone to clean up a computer on their own.  This is because most of the time, the problems can increase ten-fold.  However, we find ourselves often giving out information and advice on how to backup, what protection to use, and in troubleshooting problems. 

If necessary we can remote in to your computer.  More often, we will recommend that the work on your computer is done directly in our office.