19 replies to this topic

[Dutch & Di]

Ok, I'm sure some of you out there already have the answers but I don't know so I'm asking.

I see ads all the time about speeding up your computer, taking out the spam,registry errors, etc. They offer a "free" scan then if you do it, find a gazillion errors and of course want you to purchase their product. My question is do they really do anything and if so are they worth the money?? I haven't done it yet but saw one today and it got me to thinking. Hugs, Di

[rvpopeye]

That be bad JUJU !
Just turn around and walk away.

Edited by rvpopeye, 18 February 2012 - 08:54 PM.

[Stanley P. Miller]

I'm not a fan of the on-line offerings, some of the bigger we come to you" services or the "bring in your box" ones from big retailers. If you want help speeding up your computer there are a good number of user-to-user websites where folks will walk you through doing a cleanup. A second option would be a small local shop with good Google results, they tend to do a good job as doing a bad one would soon put them out of business. Google anything you are thinking about using and read the reviews and comments about it and you should get pointed at some decent sites.

If you like horror stories look into Best Buy and the stuff they do to folks.

Some of the Windows users here may have suggestions too.

[Rif]

If you're talking about programs like MyCleanPC, flee! A Google search will turn up thousands of entries where it is described as a scam. Basically, the only thing cleaned out is your wallet. Many report that it is worse than useless. They are accused of installing stuff that feeds more ads to you. Don't know if that is true.

The good stuff is free. Use a good AV program like MSE, a good stand alone scanner like Malware Bytes, and for cleaning up junk use CCleaner. It used to be called Crap Cleaner, but I guess someone didn't like that word.

[CARiess]

The way it has been explained to me. They speed up your machine by changing settings. Making the Big Block motor turn RPMS like a small block can. It overworks the machine and they fail faster.

[Stanley P. Miller]

Fiddling the software settings won't damage your computer hardware and that is all most of these sites do.

Fiddling the BIOS settings that control clock speeds, voltages and other hardware related settings can damage your computer. Best not be done unless you know what to do and where your credit card is to buy replacement parts or a new computer.

[TheDuke]

1. Do not EVER EVER EVER respond to an uninitiated on-line ad for speeding up your computer or for suggesting that you have a virus.
2. repeat above many times.
3. Cleaning you registry will not speed up your computer. The registry is a data base and the programs use direct links to get to what they need.
4. Using CCleaner will get rid of may temp, log, etc files that are not needed and open up disk space that may be needed.
5. Look at what starts up on the task bar when you boot. Picture programs, Camera programs, Printer programs, are just a few that do not need to be started at boot time.
Last, just what do you mean when you say my computer is running slow? (I know you didn't say that). Boot is slow? Internet is slow? EMail is slow?

[harry bellerby]

My boot up time is slow.Some times I have to close the browser-I8-and restart.When I look at Task Manager it says 46 processes are runing. Is this where you shut off the ones Duke named?
c u on the road

[Budd]

The built in Windows 7 Troubleshooters can solve a lot of the problems being caused by configuration issues. The Microsoft Security Essentials does protect from contaminating urchins like viruses, trojans and such. But it can have some performance impacts, too.

Before attempting to play around with anything, install these 3:

• Avast free antivirus
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Malwarebytes

And then turn them on and do deep scans of the system.

Once you are clean, back up what you have so you can return to this point.

Now, concentrate on actual performance tuning:

• Glary Utilities Registry Repair
• Glary Utilities Quick Startup (does msconfig like adjustments to your automatically started items on reboots.
• Look for any automated processes for internet use, such as online backups, frequent automatic checks for updated software.
• Use the TaskManager Performance chart to see how close to the max available RAM you are running. Paging may be the biggest performance hit of al if you don't have enough available RAM in your system. It will rarely be at 100% utilization if ever but it may be within 20% and it keeps that line by paging more stuff out to the Hard Drive so open the Resources button and watch the paging numbers. If they are high, more memory would likely help or reduce the number of things that are simultaneously running.

Some of this is applicable to Windows Vista, too, but sometimes solutions are not so clean. Windows XP and before, expect to spend massive hours trying to improve the performance and be very competent that you can fix whatever gets broken or you find yourself trapped down an FDISK - FORMAT alley.

Subtle things, like bad DNS systems, can really hurt an online system. DESKBENCH by GRC.COM will help see if this is the case and make suggested improvements in the DNS systems list.

Rarely is there a single panacea for degraded performance. Usually it is a combination of a number of techniques, tweaks and single minded product designs that combine to impact overall performance. Having backups and frequent restore points are the basic tools for getting back to better performance... if they have been conscientiously used before any problems began. They are the road back if all else fails.

[Billieg]

I use AVG PC tuneup and love it. It has a lot of features, is quick and safe.You can download it and use it 30 days for free.

Edited by Billieg, 19 February 2012 - 09:12 AM.

[Rif]

Before attempting to play around with anything, install these 3:

• Avast free antivirus
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Malwarebytes

While Malwarebytes is a stand alone, I thought the other two were both installed anti-virus programs. I've always heard that a cardinal rule was that you never install two anti-virus programs of that type together. Is Avast a stand alone program?

[Ed Sommers]

I have used System Mechanic Professional for many years. It has kept my computers fast and error free with minimum work on my part. I initially tried it because of their association with Cisco. No, I am not affiliated, just a user.

Ed

[Budd]

I have had too many times when what gets though one protector is only detectable by another good one. MS Essentials is the most performance impactful of the 3 so I let AVast be the basic protection. Overall, little gets past it. But new things, like self mutating trojans and worms.

MalWarebytes waits in the wings for when I suspect I might have something but nothing is catching it. During times of a severe outbreak of something really new and hard to detect, I may have all 3 running for a short time, just to see if there are any attacks in the wind but for the most part, Avast free is the only thing I keep turned on. Use it on my Android Smartphone, too.

I used AVG for many years but found that the overall impact to my system was a good bit more than I had with AVAST installed so I switched. A few times, again when something may have gotten in the back door, I may bring it up to take a look around for me. So far, in the 12+ years I have used Avast as my principal antimalware, AVG has never caught anything that AVAST may have missed but Malwarebytes has caught a very few things that all the others missed.... but it has also missed a few things that Avast did catch.

MS Security Essentials was a warm fuzzy feeling to have on but its performance impact, though nowhere near as much as NOrtons and McAfee and Kaspersky, was a lot more than I am willing to live with.

The best protection is still your own mind. Don't go places you shouldn't and don't touch things that look suspicious or too good to be true.

Better performing Windows systems have at least 25% free disk space on all drives. Pagefiles spread across multiple drives and really help, too, when memory is small. A system with less than 4 gig of memory these days, is going to have some lags. Under 1 gig, a fast flash drive can be used as a ReadyBoost drive to make memory perform a bit better. These are just a few of the many things that can affect performance. There is no one product or panacea that will make it perform the best it possibly can. But many products can make it better if it is impaired by malware or misconfiguration.

The thrill is in the hunt.

[Dutch & Di]

Thank you for all the replies. I did not download any of these programs and my computer is not running slow. I was tempted but I thought it was worth an ask.
With the exception of Avast-which I agree with what RIF said:that they shouldn't both be installed at the same time- I have all of the above mentioned programs installed and running.
I appreciate the time you all took to responds. Hugs, Di

[RV]

Emery,

While some may think that two real time scanners can work together because they are doing that on their machine and it hasn't fallen over . . .yet, that is always a bad idea. If you were concerned about the system resources being used with just MSE, having Avast running at the same time is using more.

I agree completely with never clicking on malware alerts online, or online ads for free scans of anything, for anything, all of which promise you more speed or a safer experience, when in fact most do the opposite. Windows has all the utilities you need in start/programs/accessories/system tools. The only outside accessory system and security utilities that are actually useful and safe for all users are malewarebytes and CCleaner IMO.

[Budd]

I guess I was unclear. I don't run all 3 at the same time but keep all 3 in place and up to date.... just in case. I only have Avast active all the time. Sorry.

[praspec]

Just ignore it, and protect with windows network firewall. or use Avast antivirus to scan for virus.
Your PC can speed up if you spend few dollars to add some more memory card.


http://www.rapidenumerique.frhttp://www.rapidesaisie.fr

pr

[Jon Bush Sr]

X2. Somewhere on these forums a while back CCleaner, MSE, and Spybot were recommended. This freeware keeps me protected and my registry somewhat uncongested.

Jon

Emery,

While some may think that two real time scanners can work together because they are doing that on their machine and it hasn't fallen over . . .yet, that is always a bad idea. If you were concerned about the system resources being used with just MSE, having Avast running at the same time is using more.

I agree completely with never clicking on malware alerts online, or online ads for free scans of anything, for anything, all of which promise you more speed or a safer experience, when in fact most do the opposite. Windows has all the utilities you need in start/programs/accessories/system tools. The only outside accessory system and security utilities that are actually useful and safe for all users are malewarebytes and CCleaner IMO.

[Ranger and Jin]

I would use Kaspersky antivirus and internet security for any Windows machine. Avast uses to many system resources, almost 30%. Kaspersky is faster and has a smaller footprint.

The other thing I would do is to switch to Ubuntu Linux before you all get sucked into Win7 or 8. It's all free including office software, runs on older machines less prone to viruses and malware and best of all it runs most Window programs through an add-on called WINE, Which Is Not and Emulator but an application layer gateway so there are fewer problems.

[isa]

As mentioned previously, one of the most prevalent items that slow down your computer is the amount of programs your computer loads at startup. Each person differs in what they want to load initially but the less items in your startup list the faster your computer will be up and ready.

I still use the Windows XP OS and the following commands apply to that OS:

Go to the following:

1. START

2. RUN

3. Type in the command bar msconfig and enter

4. In the figure that comes up go to Startup by placing your mouse on it and Enter

5. What you will now see on your screen are all the programs that your computer will load at Startup. You will want to keep any that are anti-virus or malware related. Any others can be stopped from loading by deselecting them. Doing this will not harm anything that is loaded at startup or not. You can always go back and reselect any that you do want to load at startup.