Fine-tune your computer

(For Windows 98.  Steps will differ slightly for Win ME, Win XP etc.)

This do-it-yourself guide is the result of my having fixed/tuned/de-virused numerous computers for anyone who merely mentioned a problem. If you need direct help, send me (Ravinder Singh) an email. The work's all been purely voluntary, though donations, by PayPal or otherwise, are welcomed and would be wisely spent.

Summary

• Steps in preferred order
  • Decent surge protection
  • RAM - 64 Meg minimum, 128+ for stability, 256+ for speed
  • Virus check (AVG Antivirus)
  • Adware/spyware check (Adaware)
  • Windows update www.windowsupdate.com
• Keep in mind
  • Safe surfing - say No to unknown installs, virus-check files - even those from friends
  • Reduce start-up clutter

Five tips for a cleaner, faster computer!

1. HAVE LOTS OF MEMORY (RAM - Random Access Memory)

• Need 64Meg MINIMUM but for decent performance have at least 128, the more the better (256Meg+ recommended). RAM is so cheap these days, it's well well well worth it to buy more.
• Without plenty of RAM your hard disk has to work overtime as it takes place of real RAM, and since hard disk is a lot slower than real RAM, your computer slows down too.
• If your computer takes the old 72-pin RAM, then you have an ancient computer that's not worth upgrading. Buy a new one (or a better used one). RAM for the old computers can be very expensive. It's cheap for the newer computers (later Pentium 1's and up, from 1997 and up)
• To find out how much RAM you have:
  • Go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, System. Click the "General" tab at the top. Amount of RAM is listed at the bottom there.
• To add RAM: it's a simple five-minute job.
  • Get correct type (SD & DDR are the most common), speed, and density required.
  • Orient it correctly and insert it FULLY or it can burn the connection.
  • Install it highest capacity to lowest, else the computer may not recognize all of it. So, if you had 3 chips: 256, 128, 64, then the 256 chip goes in slot 1, 128 in slot 2, 64 in slot 3. There are usually between 2 and 4 slots for RAM.
  • Common precautions apply - a) switch off or unplug power to the motherboard, b) touch bare (grounded) metal to discharge static from your body before touching any internal computer parts.
2. REMOVE SPYWARE/ADWARE, and learn to KEEP IT OUT!

• Many programs, eg. Kazaa, install a host of extras that burden your computer or internet connection. Get alternatives (Kazaa replacements include Kazaa Lite, Shareaza, WinMX, iMesh)
• Remove adware using a utility like adaware (www.lavasoftusa.com). Other choices are CWShreader, Spybot, Spy Sweeper - just search on google using terms "spyware" and "adware" for more information.
• When installing programs, be careful of what extras are going to be installed; research the program on the internet, and either uncheck the option to install an unwanted or suspicious item (if applicable, during installation), or don't install the program.
• When using IE (Internet Explorer), be careful what you click "Yes" to. Those large grey boxes that pop up asking if you want to install so-and-so are a major source of junkware. Click Yes only to needed components such as Flash, certain games (like games.yahoo.com), etc. - things that you know are safe and needed.
3. CHECK FOR VIRUSES.

• Norton Antivirus in my opinion is a resource hog. If you have it and only have 64 Meg of RAM, replace it with something more compact.
  • It can be removed from: Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
• Make sure you don't have more than one antivirus program active! You only need one. Else, the computer slows down since each opened file is checked first by the anti-virus programs.
  • Go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Information --> Software Environment, Running Tasks.
  • If you find more than one antivirus program listed there, it's time to disable one through its options, or remove it via Add/Remove Programs.
• AVG Antivirus is a top-rated FREE (Free Edition, not Trial Edition) antivirus www.grisoft.com.
• If you install AVG, DISABLE THE DAILY SCHEDULED TEST, or else it does a COMPLETE system test every single day, which may be hard on your hard disk:
  In AVG 7:
  • Either 1) Click "Scheduler" in the Test Center (the main AVG window), or 2) Click "Scheduler" in the Control Center (accessed from right-clicking the AVG tray icon at bottom right of screen), then "Scheduled Tasks"
  • Click on "Test" under the "Type" heading to highlight the row
  • Click "Edit schedule"
  • Uncheck "Periodically start scheduled antivirus test...Start daily at:"
  In AVG 6:
  • Right Click the AVG tray icon at the bottom of the screen
  • Click "AVG Control Center"
  • Click "Scheduler"
  • Uncheck "Enable Scheduled Tasks"
• Instead of auto-scheduled daily checks, i recommend a full initial check, an occasional full or custom check, and an active resident shield (see below).
• Get the latest virus definitions! Do this every couple weeks or less, or have it set to auto-update.
  • In AVG go to AVG Control Center, click Update Manager, then click "Update Now"
• Have "Resident Shield" - checks each file that you access - active (which it is when you install AVG) unless you're an advanced user who practices safe computing. You may want to disable it when burning CD's - a CD writer needs a lot of computer power, and other running programs just interfere.
• Do a complete system check at least once IN SAFE MODE. If you do it in regular mode then viruses that are running can't be killed by an antivirus program. In safe mode most viruses cannot run, so they can be caught and killed (unfortunately some viruses do make a run in safe mode; in this case you may need to run a DOS-based antivirus outside of windows). To get into safe mode:
  • Restart the computer
  • Just as the first letters appear on the screen, keep hitting the F8 key (OR holding down CTRL key may work) until you see a menu.
  • Select "Safe Mode" from that menu.
  When windows starts then run AVG and do a complete system check. Virus files will be caught and moved to a special "vault" where they cannot be run.
• For a DOS-based antivirus, try the top-rated NOD antivirus at www.nod32.com
4. PRACTICE SAFE COMPUTING

• In chat rooms or by email, people may try to trick you into opening a virus file by saying "here's my pic" "heres a cool program" etc. Jpg files are safe but if it's an exe, vbs, or js file etc. then beware... Checking the file with antivirus is important, but it may not catch brand new viruses.
• In chat rooms it's also common to get you to click on web links that can put a virus on your computer: To prevent such attacks do a Windows Update (see below). Then you can click on any web link and be protected against infection (unless you say "Yes" to those large gray boxes that popup...never click on "Yes" to a "Do you want to install and run...." message unless you are sure you need the install.)
5. DO A WINDOWS UPDATE! Very IMPORTANT!

• Go to Start, Windows Update, OR (In Internet Explorer 5+) Tools, Windows Update, OR go to www.windowsupdate.com, and get the "Critical Updates".
• DO NOT GET ANY DRIVER UPDATES listed there, unless you are sure you need them - it may very well mess things up (I've had sound card stop working)
• Without the critical updates, you CAN GET A VIRUS JUST BY GOING TO A WEBSITE OR CLICKING ON A LINK. It's happened to me twice when i was naive, but i was able to remove the Trojans that got installed. You may not be able to and may have to do an expensive windows repair, or at the least your computer will get sluggish and slower.

1. STOP UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS FROM STARTING UP

Most people have way too many programs running at startup. IT WILL BE A BIG BOOST FOR YOUR COMPUTER if you cut out the fat at startup, and run programs only as you need them. Viruses and spyware/adware especially play havoc - see previous section. Other programs like Real Player, AOL, etc. want to be everywhere you turn and you have to be diligent when setting them up.

1. Find out what is going on

   • Go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Information
   • Click the "+" beside "Software Environment" on the left.
   • Click "Running Tasks" on the left - Lists tasks currently running on the computer. Study the list for suspicious or unwanted programs.
   • Click "Startup Programs" on the left - Lists programs that start automatically when computer is turned on. Study the list for suspicious or unwanted items.

2. Be ruthless - Cut Cut Cut

   • Save the startup tasks list from http://www.sysinfo.org/startupinfo.html.Then refer to the list when you need to do the following steps. Can also go to google.com and do a search for "startup programs" or just for a specific program like "internat.exe" etc. when you need to know if a certain program is legit or expendable.

   • Open up each program, go into option menu(s) and deselect every option that makes it want to run at startup, that makes it auto-download stuff from the internet (Real Player does this), ETC.

   • Another way: You can uncheck items in the Startup tab in msconfig (go to Start, Run. Type in: msconfig, hit "ok") to stop them from starting. BUT, many programs will just add themselves back in unless you change the option(s) from the program itself.

   • Another way: Disable items using the excellent "autoruns" utility from systernals.com http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

   • Don't disable essential components! For example, LoadPowerProfile, ScanRegistry, System Tray, Taskbar Display Controls.




2. ENSURE CLEAN POWER
1. Don't plug it into the wall! Use a good surge protector

The result of a cheap surge protector (or none at all) can be fatal. Electricity has its surges and spikes which slowly cause components to fail, while extreme surges, such as from lightning, blow out whole systems.

Don't assume that the power bar your computer is connected to is a surge protector - if it doesn't have a "surge" protection indicator light, replace the bar. Purchase one for between $10 and $40 (Canadian funds), preferably one that protects against lightening as well as surges and spikes. Alternatively, you can select a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Pupply) for $40 and up.

Remember: quality counts here. At the great Canadian & US power outage of August 2003, one of my computer's PCI slots stopped functioning - the computer was plugged into an outdated surge protector bought 12 years ago. My other computer survived intact - it was plugged into a warranteed protector bought just two years earlier.

2. Ensure a good power supply unit

The power supply unit is critical - it supplies power to all computer components. Don't skimp in this area if you are building a computer, and replace the one you have if its a cheap one. A computer needs good, clean, reliable power.

A power supply unit (or simply, "power supply") is what the power cord plugs into on the computer. The very little i know about power supplies is that a heavy one is better than a lighter one, and a cheap $20 one (Canadian funds) is risky - when shopping for one, spend at least $50. Also consider the noise factor - you can get a virtually noise-free one these days.

If you are adventurous, take out the power supply from your computer (but don't open the unit itself) and compare it and its weight against a good one. Or write down the model number (printed on top of the unit) and look it up on the internet to get an idea of the unit's quality.

Heres a word on quality: A neighbor's power supply apparently blew out his motherboard and hard disk, necessitating a complete system re-build. The computer was a year old from a shop that packed up and left in the middle of a night. There are many shops who put in cheap power supplies to lower costs. It pays, however, to pay a bit extra for reliable power.

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Visit "THPC: Faster Win9x Me computer speedup tweaks + dual-boot" www.thpc.info for more tune-up tips.

by Ravinder Singh, [email protected]

2003/02/22
2004/11/11 - Re-formatted, re-arranged, updated
2004/12/21 - Last updated

-->Look for this also at my web site: www.geocities.com/rsinteract (temporary)

Coming later: Advanced security and tune-up tips learned in the past year.