It's Spring Cleaning Time! (for your PC that is)


Note! Before doing any work on your PC, be sure to peform a System Restore and make a back up of your data in the event, however unlikely, that any cleaning activity disrupts normal operations.


1. Empty the Trash!
 

Storage on today's PCs allows us to keep more and larger files. The problem is all those files grow, and grow and grow and we tend to let our files accumulate. Some become dated, others are duplicates, and still others belong to programs we no longer use. Whatever the reason, they add up to unneeded files, take up space and force Windows to keep up with the clutter.

Navigate to your My Documents folder, and any other folder in which personal documents are stored, and make a simple decision: Do I really need this or not? This goes for photo and music files that can take up a tremendous amount of space.

Try Duplicate Cleaner which easily handles the impossible task of tracking down duplicates, with options on how to handle them. (Also use CCleaner which we discuss in a moment.)

2. Old Programs and Old Printers

After you clear out unneeded files, your next project is to examine the programs you've loaded over the years. Do you still need them all. How about that HP Color Printer you installed in 2006 and discarded in 2008?

Go to the Control Panel, select Add/Remove, and find any program you no longer need and uninstall it. Don't simply delete a program — many programs contain dozens, if not hundreds, of files in various directories; deleting just the main executable file will leave those fragments behind and contribute to clutter, and possible system instability.

Try the Freeware version of Revo Uninstaller to dig deeper and get any remnants.

3.The Registry, this is the only way you should change this file, but it is a must.
 
Like a truck, car, or other mechanical device, your computer's System Registry needs a tune-up. Over time, registry settings — the main file controlling the look and feel of your computer — become so full of useless code; it can act as a brake on computer speed and also lead to freeze-ups. Try CCleaner which will also clean out old files. This will help your PC boot faster too.

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