Cleaning the registry of your computer is vital to its health and reliability. Manually going through and cleaning out your computer’s registry can be a nightmare! Deleting one listing in your registry can disrupt and even remove several other things on your computer. This is just one of the reasons you should get a registry cleaning software. The choices are endless when it comes to locating such a program, but finding the one for you might be easier than you thought. A popular, helpful and easy-to-use program to consider is Registry Mechanic.

Download Registry Mechanic

Registry Mechanic is a PC Tools product and the most recent version is Registry Mechanic 8. This version is compatible with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit versions and Windows Vista 64-bit version. They also have a separate downloadable version of it for Windows 98.

Registry Mechanic’s download runs quick and very easily for even those new to computer using. You simply click the download button, select Run, pick the options you want installed with the program and follow the wizard to get it installed and running.

This is a well designed program for registry cleaning. I cannot stress enough how great it is for beginners and experts alike. Like other PC Tools programs, once Registry Mechanic has completed installation it will run an update to insure you have the latest version installed. Once you get that taken care of you are free to run the registry scan and repair anything found with a click of the mouse!

Registry Mechanic runs a thorough scan of your computer’s registry locating anything that could be harmful or suspicious. Along with locating these errors, Registry Mechanic locates missing or invalid references in your registry. Everything this program finds is listed on the results page with details and the option to view manually for further details. I trust this program because it is from PC Tools so I go ahead and use the Repair All button every time. This saves a great deal of time and effort.

Download Registry Mechanic

Registry Mechanic is an award winning program for several reasons. I give it 2 thumbs up and recommend it highly.

Download Registry Mechanic

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How can I speed up my pc?

There are many things that can be done to improve your computer’s speed and keep it running like new. All the things in this article can be done by YOU! Yes, you being the computer user. These tasks can be completed by any user from a beginner to an expert to get your computer in tip-top shape!

3 Things we highly recommend:

1.  Install PC Updater – Make sure all your drivers are up to date.
2.  Grab a copy of the PC Secret Formula
3.  Purchase the full version of PC Power Suite

There are a lot of different things slowing down your computer. Think about it, every time you download a program, receive an e-mail or visit a website, a trace is left on your computer’s hard drive. The more the hard drive fills up, the slower it runs. This is similar to a person running, the more things you load them up with, the slower they move. Follow each of the tasks below to improve your computer now!

1.) Backup Your Computer

This step may be the most important of all. It is definitely the step you should perform FIRST. If, for any reason, your hard drive crashes, the backup will be your saving point that you can go back to. Backing up your hard drive is fairly easy. Just go to your Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup. This opens the Backup Wizard from Windows. Just follow the steps of the wizard including what to back up and where to back it up to. Personally, I think backing up to a CD in one of the disk drives or to a USB is the best way to go.

2.) Clear Out the Recycle Bin

Once you’ve backed up your hard drive, one of the easiest things that you can do to make a difference in your computer’s speed is to empty your Recycle Bin. When you right-click an icon on your Desktop and select Delete, delete a photo or file it really just moves into the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin holds on to these things for you in case you delete something by mistake and want to retrieve it. If you want to fully delete everything in the Recycle Bin you can right-click it and select Empty Recycle Bin. If you think you may want to keep certain things in there, you can open the bin and completely delete individual items.

3.) Clear Internet Cache

The Internet Cache is where information from each website you visit it stored. This is true for IE and Firefox both. Clearing the cache improves the speed of web browsing and the loading of pages. To clear the cache, just open your web browser and select the Tools menu then click Internet Options. In the General Department click Delete under Browsing History. If you’re using Firefox select the Tools menu and then Clear Private Data -> click Cache -> Clear Private Data Now.

4.) Delete Junk E-mails

You may already know that any time you receive e-mails it creates a spot stored in your hard drive until that e-mail is deleted. The Spam, Junk or Deleted folders of your e-mail inbox are often overlooked. Because of this, there are many junk e-mails being stored and taking up unnecessary space on your hard drive. To fix this, just open your e-mail inbox, select the junk folder and delete all the e-mails. With AOL, MSN and some others, there is also a Deleted Folder. This is so you can go back through and re-open a deleted folder if you accidentally deleted it. Be sure to check through these folders as well to permanently delete any e-mails you do not wish to keep.

5.) Delete Temporary System Files

Windows created a folder in your hard drive that saves and stores any temporary system files loaded. These files may be loaded when using a Microsoft Office program that uses the AutoSave feature, when you open an attachment from an e-mail and from the history from Internet Explorer searches and websites. Storing these temporary files may come in use if you need to go back in and view something, but most often you never need these things. You can use Windows Explorer to search your computer for the Temporary Folder on your hard drive and delete the files you wish to.

6.) Use Disk Cleanup

There is a Disk Cleanup tool built-in to your computer by Microsoft that helps you manage things on the hard disk. This tool is good to use after completing the steps above to insure those things are fully removed from each area of your computer. You can access the Disk Cleanup by going to the Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup. Follow the prompts of the wizard to complete the process.

7.) Use a Malware/Spyware Scanning Program

There are a thousand different choices for a program to get malware and spyware off your computer. Many of these scanning programs will locate and remove anything harmful to your computer’s hard drive. And nothing is slower than an infected computer. Take precaution and repair possible issues before they attack.

8.) Clean the Registry

A thorough search of your registry can be done by PC Registry Cleaner V2, one of my personal favorites. There are many different error-scanning and repairing programs but this one sticks to your registry and cleans any errors that may have entered through a temporary file or download. Removing the bugs and errors makes more room on your computer for the good stuff.

There are several top notch registry cleaners on the market but our favorite 2 are PC Registry Cleaner and Registry Mechanic.  Using either of those will help you clean out your registry safely and help you speed up your pc.

9.) Run chkdsk

Chkdsk is another great feature that Windows has built-in to help you manage your computer. It searches through and lets you know the reliability of the files stored on your computer. Any bad files or folders can go and that makes yet more space on your computer. To run this feature, go to your Start Menu -> Run -> type cmd and press Enter -> type chkdsk and press Enter.

10.) Check Drivers

Go through Windows and check your computer’s drivers. You should check for updates and new security features. You can do this online and it makes a world of difference if you get your computer up to date.

11.) Uninstall Unused Programs

As we’ve gone over again and again, anything you can get off your computer increases room and, thus, increases speed. So, it would only make sense to go through your computer and uninstall any programs that are no longer being used. This includes games you installed but no longer play, programs installed that are no longer used and probably some things that Microsoft included on your computer for you but that you don’t use.

Just go to your Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs. A list of all the programs installed on your computer will appear. Do a detailed check of the list and remove anything you no longer use. Newer Windows systems will tell you how often the program is used and the last date you used it when you select a program on the list. This may help you decide what can go.

12.) Remove Programs from Startup

This step is specific to your computer’s startup speed but is just as important as the previous steps. There are many programs, whether you set them to or not, that automatically start running when your computer boots up. You can easily go through and choose which programs you would like to run upon startup. Obviously, the more you choose, the longer startup takes. You can use MSCONFIG to sort through the mess. Do NOT uncheck your anti-virus programs from the list of startup programs.

13.) Delete Old & Unused Files

Remember that report in Word you did last year? You saved it, printed it, and turned it in… and it’s still saved on your computer. Go through your old documents and delete the stuff you know you’ll never need again. Quick, easy and effective. Don’t forget to go through your Recycle Bin after wards to fully delete them. *Refer to step 2.

Doing all these steps for the first time is likely to drastically speed up your computer and make it more reliable. This isn’t something you do today and then forget about forever, you should do these steps at least once a month. I do many of these steps weekly to prevent a slowdown in my computer, you should try to do the same.

As for the error scanning steps, I suggest Maximum Software’s line of programs. I use them because they not only locate and repair the errors on your computer but their company offers technical assistance if you own a license like PC Registry Cleaner or Bug Doctor. These scans are a couple of the things I perform weekly to keep my computer going.

Download PCCleaner

I believe you will notice a difference in your computer almost immediately after performing all the steps above! The easiest way to tell? Restart your computer. You should see the difference in the boot up time and then the time it takes your computer to run the programs you open.

The paragraph below has been copied straight from the Spyware Doctor website. The paragraph will be used as a principle to review the truths of the program.

“Spyware Doctor is a top-rated malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes and protects your PC from thousands of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, spybots and tracking threats. Protect your privacy and computing habits from prying eyes and virtual trespassers with the help of Spyware Doctor.”

One thing you immediately notice upon installing the Spyware Doctor is the ease of updating the program. After you install and open the program you are prompted to run the Smart Update feature. This insures that you have the latest version of Spyware Doctor at all times. After the updating is complete you are free to open and use the program.

Download Spyware Doctor

Spyware Doctor Update

Before you begin using Spyware Doctor you may be interested in reviewing the Spyware Doctor Quick Start Guide. This is an overview of the most common tools used in Spyware Doctor. The guide shows the buttons of the interface and what each does or represents. The guide also lets you know about the navigation of Spyware Doctor and how to use the Smart Update feature. If you need further assistance on Spyware Doctor you can use their Help option for more detailed information.

The main screen, or the interface, of Spyware Doctor is easy to understand and use. The simplicity is refreshing but also can leave you wanting more. I do enjoy all of the numbers and facts listed under System Status on the interface. For example, when the subscription expires or when your last scan was done. I like that it is very obvious as to whether your protection is on or off, too.

Spyware Doctor Scan

A really great thing about this program is that you are still able to run and operate other programs and such of your computer WHILE running the scan of Spyware Doctor. All too often your computer slows down drastically when a search or scan of this nature is being done. With some, you might as well start the scan and leave the computer until it finishes, but not with this particular program.

Don’t let the straightforward name fool you, Spyware Doctor does much more than watch out for simple spyware. This program uses IntelliGuard to immunize your computer against malicious ActiveX objects. Spyware Doctor will also rid tracking cookies, Trojans, dialers and keyloggers from your PC while IntelliGuard is in the active stage.

I have noted many great features of Spyware Doctor and overall I think it’s a great program to use. This program is not only something I now, personally use, but something I also recommend to any and all PC users. The value of your dollar goes so far when using Spyware Doctor to prevent horrible things from happening to your computer that it would be crazy not to be safe and get this program.

Download Spyware Doctor

 Windows Vista by default installs services and configures several applications which may not suite your needs. If you are a home user rather than in a business environment there are many things you can change to give your computer that little extra oomph for applications and process you use.

 I have put together a few items which when set correctly can help you control how resources are used on your system. Some of these items listed will simply uninstall certain features or change a program configuration. Others listed can be used to actually designate what resources are dedicate to individual programs. If used properly this can make specific programs operate faster and more efficiently.

You may or may not wish to implement some or all of these changes as it will be a matter of preference. Please remember you should document any changes made to your system. This well help you reverse any changes made if for any reason you experience adverse effects. 

Uninstalling remote differential compression

The remote differential compression feature is designed to streamline file transfers to and from remote directories by keeping track of file changes and only transferring the changed information.

To disable this feature:

Go to “start/control panel/programs/uninstall a program”.

On the sidebar select “turn windows features on and off”.

Uncheck “remote differential compression” and select “ok.”

Designating which CPU (if using multiple processors) runs a specific process

Windows Vista allows you the ability to assign an application to run only on a specific CPU. This is called processor affinity. This is a good way of balancing the load on a multi-core CPU.

Assigning processor affinity to an application:

Launch the desired application.

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and choose the “task manager”.

In the “applications” tab locate the desired program and right click it. Choose “go to process”.

This will bring you to the “processes” tab with the process used by the application application highlighted. Right click the process and select “set affinity”.

The processor affinity window will open. Using the check box select which processor(s) you want to run that application.

Note: All settings will reset to default when a restart of the computer is performed.

Assigning priority to an application

All recent Microsoft operating systems have contained the concept of priority, meaning in this case, which process gets the most attention from the CPU. In Vista, you can customize these priority settings so that your hardware is concentrating most on what you want it to.

Vista has a range of available settings ranging from “low” to “real time”.

Note: Any full screen application automatically is assigned high priority by Windows Vista.The best way to optimize such applications is to tweak the commonly used windowed applications.

Assigning a custom priority to an application:

Launch the desired application.

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and choose the “task manager”.

In the “applications” tab locate the desired program and right click it. Choose “go to process”.

This will open the “processes” tab with the process highlighted.

Right click the process and choose “set priority”. The priority list will openand you may designate your desired level.

Note: that choosing “realtime” is not wise as this will designate all processing being alloted to this one specific process. All settings will be reset to default when you restart the computer.

Configuring Windows Defender

Windows Defender by default runs a scan daily. Even though this scan runs in the background it can impact system performance. You may wish to disable the automatic scanning and perform only occasional manual system scans.

Disable Windows Defender automated scans:

Open the “start” menu and in the search field type “defender.”

select the “tools” icon at the top of the window and then “options”.

Uncheck “automatically scan my computer” and select “save”.

This will be the first in a line of articles dedicated to improving performance on Windows Vista. If you have a suggestion of your own that you have implemented and you feel may be beneficial to others please comment on this article. We would be happy to include any viable tips in our next article.

I just read a good book thats shows many tips for speeding up computers. Ultimate PC Secrets is the name and it comes packed with page after page of optimization tricks. I read thru the entire thing and even this old dog learned a few new tricks.

Download Ultimate PC Secrets

I highly suggest any pc users grab a copy and check it out.

Have a great day
Patrick

According to some recent benchmarks the Mac hardware out performs PC based systems when running Windows. Consider they use almost identical hardware it makes you wonder why this is.

Well for starters the Mac does not have the x86 memory limitations. In a Mac when you have 2gigs of memory that is exactly what it sees; whereas a PC has the 640k limit in which it must break up the 2gigs worth of memory. Thats not to say Mac’s dont have their issues with memory.

The main benefit I believe comes from a standard hardware set. If you have a set type of hardware then you can test that hardware for a more efficient design of the overall computer. Unfortunately with the typical PC based OEM system hardware is not picked by best performance, but rather the lowest bidder. This is where you can run into trouble. I know I have experienced issues with PC based systems having compatibility issues between hardware devices.

PC based systems might reap the benefits of atleast somewhat standardizing the equipment (atleast between models), and before you say it; yes I understand the impact it would have on the hardware industry, but maybe performance is atleast one cause for the increase in market share that Apple is enjoying.

Although xp has been proven to be one of the better operating systems written by Microsoft there of course are updates and changes which still need to be addressed.

Some of the changes included in xp sp3 have been implemented in there own individual update packages previously, but are now included in the encompassing sp3 pack. This will provide a one time update solution for those who are like me on many of Microsofts’ patches.. a little weary.

I most curious to test the latest service pack to see how performance compares with Vista sp1; which at least with xpsp2 the xp operating system has proven to out perform Vista.

The service pack has been released on TechNet and made available in an admin pack, but has yet to be released on the Windows Update site.

Of course many of you know my feelings on jumping out there and immediately grabbing the latest updates. This isn’t to say I will not grab it for testing. I’m just always the cautious one when implementing in a production environment. This does include you individual users……at least those who consider their data valuable.

Considering this I have as well fallen into a comfort zone when it comes to the xp operating system and my confidence in it, even still I will muster the strength to be patient.

Of course right now the big buzz is being generated by all the sites guessing when the service pack will be made available to the update service. I will not even venture to even guess. Besides I am more interested in the buzz it will create after the release. Yes that was me chuckling in the background!

Spammers and hackers today are very sophisticated when it comes to covering their tracks. Instead of sending spam or using their own computers to attack an orginization or individual they now employee Botnets.

 A Botnet is a collection of computers (that have been hacked and taken over) which a remote user can use to execute operations such as spam, DOS attacks and other types of mailicious activities.

To quote another article I recently read: “Joe St. Sauver, manager of security programs at the Internet2 networking consortium and the University of Oregon, said there are 5 million to 5.5 million botnets in active rotation at any time.”

Article: Botnets Running Rampant Neal Weinberg, Network World care of PC World

The best way to help prevent this from occuring for an end user is to keep your operating system up to date; Always have an updated virus software running (with a scheduled scan enabled weekly); Employee a good firewall.

I understand many of the computers that are part of Botnets are generally not an end user machines, but rather machines hosted in a public environment such as libraries, campuses and other public domains. Is there no IT staff available to monitor these networks?

Generally speaking the case is that the IT department is so understaffed, overworked, and under budgeted they simply don’t have the time or the money to implement the proper equipment which can detect and prevent this from occuring. That is if they have an IT department at all.

Look…We all know how to prevent most of this from occuring. I am by no means saying it will ever stop, because anything that can be secured can be hacked (it’s all a matter of time), but lets atleast try to secure our own computers.

If you would like more information on how you can secure your computer please follow this link to a previous article over best security practices I previously wrote. I hope it helps.

 The buzz here lately around the tech shop deals with whether in fact Microsoft is giving up on Windows Vista and all it’s problems.

No definite answer has been given, but as Reuters reports Bill Gates was touting Windows 7 which he stated is slated for release in the next year or so.

As with my earlier blogs we already know according to reports that Windows xp sp1 and sp2 out perform Windows Vista in a side by side comparison. Not to mention how users feel about all of the headaches…I mean changes such as the User Account Control.

The only thing I would like to know is how Microsoft is going to compensate the million or so users that have sunk two to four hundred dollars into an operating system that may end of life before it ever got going?

No wait! That isn’t the only question I have. What about all us admins and technicians that have sunk thousands of dollars into Microsoft’s training and MSITPRO certification for Vista? This will undoubtedly be very frustrating if we receive the typical Microsoft response.

No wonder Microsoft is losing market share to Linux and Apple…I know I’m not going to stand for being treated like that. Not only as a customer but as an admin and technician.

Hmmm! Maybe I will just get my Mac certification rather then spending thousands of my hard earned money on Microsoft products and training just to have them decide they made a mistake.

Despite all my ranting you can bet my ear will be to the ground on this one. Lets see how it plays out.

Microsoft recently (At the end of February) released a patch to fix issues with one of the Windows Vista installation software features.

When installed the patch (ID number 937287 which is still available for download) causes some systems to continually reboot themselves in an un-ending loop.

Of course who would have ever thought that Microsoft wouldn’t get it right? Microsoft stated the problem seems to only affect “a small number” of the more than 100 million Vista users. In my opinion thats still to many (especially if you are one of the affected users).

Do not threat though! Microsoft is offering assistance with this issue. Of course the contact information isn’t posted on the front page of the main web site so I figured I would offer it here for anyone who may need it.

Please if you know anyone affected by this issue pass the following information to them. Microsoft is offering assistance at the following toll free number 866/727-2338.

Just another reason to wait on installing those wonderful Microsoft updates.