The care and feeding of your personal computer is a never-ending saga. Sure they are powerful, but don’t be fooled: These temperamental beasts require constant pampering.
There are two ways to approach computer maintenance software. If you’ve got the time to do the research, the best strategy is to build your arsenal of tools piece by piece, selecting only the best applications, regardless of publisher.
It’s a lot like building a computer or stereo system - matching up the best components to get the job done. If price matters, this method is also the most expensive.
The second approach involves minimal time, effort and expense. Instead of piecing together your software, why not just buy an all-in-one package that has everything you need and more? Besides, when all your tools come from the same box, compatibility issues are nonexistent. Good software suites also share a common interface, making it all easier to learn and use.
The all-in-one software package that has my eye these days is Advanced System Optimizer, or ASO, from Systweak Inc. Now at version 2.01, ASO features a stunning array of more than 30 tools for fine-tuning, cleaning and repairing your PC, including more than 200 tweaks to customize Windows and improve its performance.
The program’s main interface gives you instant access to every tool in the suite, divided into nine categories. Here are some highlights from ASO V2:
● System Cleaner tools can help you revive a sluggish system. Here you can find and remove junk that litters your system, hidden in places you’d never find on your own. This tool will locate all duplicate and temporary files from every corner of your hard drive.
You’ll also find tools to back up and clean your Windows registry, as well as manage exactly what loads at Windows startup.
● System Optimizer offers a nice array of tools to defragment and optimize memory - both physical RAM and Windows resources.
You can also defrag and optimize the Window registry, after making a back up and restore point, of course. This section contains that massive collection of 200-plus Windows tweaks, all nicely grouped and easy to understand.
● System Tools includes such items as System Information, which scans your hardware and software and presents a detailed report - extremely useful for tech support and troubleshooting.
The System Analyzer and Advisor take this information and offer tweaks to improve performance. There’s also a tool for viewing detailed information about any of your files and folders.
● Privacy and security tools include a new Spyware Detective that scans your media for bad stuff your firewall or antivirus software might have missed. To secure your data, there’s a data shredder that prevents recovery of deleted files and tools to erase your tracks in all aspects of computer use.
The list of mini-apps and tools just keeps on going. There are tools to repair corrupt .zip files, split and join large files, manage your Windows log-in settings, blacklist and block certain programs from running on your system and encrypt files or folders for security.
There are even some tools here you wouldn’t expect in a system optimizer, like sticky pad reminders, appointment planner, media files organizer and a host of aesthetic options to personalize your operating system.
Absolutely busting with features, Advanced System Optimizer Version 2 is available for Windows XP and Vista, currently discounted to $35.95 at the Systweak Web site, www.systweak.com. Take ASO for a test drive before you buy, and while you’re there, check out the rest of Systweak’s impressive product line.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
AppSpout: Recent Reviews from the PCMag.com Software Team
Two big new apps have come across the PC Magazine software team's desk recently: BitDefender Total Security 2008 and Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. The latest version of BitDefender's full-featured security suite has a snazzy new interface with tough-as-nails protection against viruses and spyware. The Firewall and Registry Cleaner could use some work, but it's still worth a look. Check out the full details in this in-depth review.
You can pretty much always count on Adobe to deliver top notch software, and Premiere Pro CS3 is no exception. This expert video editing tool offers an extensive feature set with help from new third party apps like Encore CS3. It was impressive enough to earn our Editor's Choice award. Find out more in this full review. While you're at it, come check out other recent reviews from the software team after the jump.
Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard: Acrobat isn't cheap, but it's the gold standard for PDF editing. It offers flexible, feature-packed PDF creation, editing, commenting, and import-export. Letting you translate an entire Web site into a single multipage PDF and create and embed an index in PDF files for fast searching.
deskPDF Professional: This easy-to-use PDF creator makes turning docs into PDFs as easy as dragging and dropping. It offers straightforward PDF creation through a Microsoft Office toolbar button or a desktop icon, and even converts Office file comments to PDF annotations.
PDF Converter Professional 4: This app lacks the polish of its rival, Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard, but it does have superior OCR and export features. Not to mention a much more appealing price tag.
EasyBib.com: This site makes creating bibliographies quick and painless. No more hunting down your own references and figuring out how to arrange the information. EasyBib takes the info and puts it into MLA format for you--a huge help for students or researchers.
SpaceTime beta 0.9: SpaceTime will introduce you to a new way of searching and browsing the Web--if you have a PC with enough oomph. SpaceTime features a beautiful interface that lets you surf the web in 3D.
Cozi.com: If you're looking to make sense of your busy family life, Cozi can help. This free service provides a family calendar, a shopping list, and messaging online or via a downloadable program. It's low on features, but the ones it has are excellent and easy to use.
Eyejot: A terrific little service, Eyejot lets you record and send a video message with the same speed and ease as composing an e-mail.
WinUtilities 5.72: WinUtilities is a highly useful set of Windows utilities, particularly when it comes to system-cleaning tasks. But it's not cheap, and it doesn't do everything.
You can pretty much always count on Adobe to deliver top notch software, and Premiere Pro CS3 is no exception. This expert video editing tool offers an extensive feature set with help from new third party apps like Encore CS3. It was impressive enough to earn our Editor's Choice award. Find out more in this full review. While you're at it, come check out other recent reviews from the software team after the jump.
Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard: Acrobat isn't cheap, but it's the gold standard for PDF editing. It offers flexible, feature-packed PDF creation, editing, commenting, and import-export. Letting you translate an entire Web site into a single multipage PDF and create and embed an index in PDF files for fast searching.
deskPDF Professional: This easy-to-use PDF creator makes turning docs into PDFs as easy as dragging and dropping. It offers straightforward PDF creation through a Microsoft Office toolbar button or a desktop icon, and even converts Office file comments to PDF annotations.
PDF Converter Professional 4: This app lacks the polish of its rival, Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard, but it does have superior OCR and export features. Not to mention a much more appealing price tag.
EasyBib.com: This site makes creating bibliographies quick and painless. No more hunting down your own references and figuring out how to arrange the information. EasyBib takes the info and puts it into MLA format for you--a huge help for students or researchers.
SpaceTime beta 0.9: SpaceTime will introduce you to a new way of searching and browsing the Web--if you have a PC with enough oomph. SpaceTime features a beautiful interface that lets you surf the web in 3D.
Cozi.com: If you're looking to make sense of your busy family life, Cozi can help. This free service provides a family calendar, a shopping list, and messaging online or via a downloadable program. It's low on features, but the ones it has are excellent and easy to use.
Eyejot: A terrific little service, Eyejot lets you record and send a video message with the same speed and ease as composing an e-mail.
WinUtilities 5.72: WinUtilities is a highly useful set of Windows utilities, particularly when it comes to system-cleaning tasks. But it's not cheap, and it doesn't do everything.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
BitDefender Total Security 2008
BitDefender vows to "secure your every bit," and BitDefender Total Security 2008 works hard to keep that promise. It includes the essential firewall, antivirus, and antispyware modules as well spam protection and parental control. This version adds a backup module and system tune-up tools, putting it head-to-head with Symantec's Norton 360 and Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare. A completely new user interface makes the product much easier to use, even for those without an advanced degree in computer security. The price looks a little high, but it covers three installations for two years: Most suite prices cover just one year. And you get unlimited 24/7 tech support by phone, e-mail, or live chat.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Wise Registry Cleaner
Wise Registry Cleaner scans Windows registry for incorrect or obsolete information in the registry. By fixing this obsolete information, your system will become quick and can work better.
After Wise Registry Cleaner analyzes your system for problems, you can individually view each of the problems found and call for a detailed description. If you wish, you can also have all problems corrected automatically.
All changes to your system are monitored by Wise Registry Cleaner and can be undone with a few mouse clicks.
After Wise Registry Cleaner analyzes your system for problems, you can individually view each of the problems found and call for a detailed description. If you wish, you can also have all problems corrected automatically.
All changes to your system are monitored by Wise Registry Cleaner and can be undone with a few mouse clicks.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Old laptops and too many cups of coffee
What should you do with an old laptop that is so slow you have time to down a cup of coffee while it gets ready?
A reader wrote to me recently: "I would be very grateful for your advice on how to make my very old (1999?) Toshiba Satellite 2545CDS laptop work faster and less erratically."
His symptoms may be familiar to you: "Composing this message in Yahoo Mail becomes a hardship. The cursor moves slowly or disappears, to suddenly reappear. The computer is always doing something other than what I want it to do -- the hard disk drive light is flickering madly, the drive is whirring, but the cursor won't move.
"Using the Delete or Back Space key is particularly exciting: you press the key many times and nothing happens until the machine wakes up and wipes out your whole sentence. Appending files to messages takes hours, and when you leave to go to the bathroom the computer has put itself on standby.
"It takes me a whole cup of coffee to wait for the laptop to get ready to do two things simultaneously like proofreading a document in PDF format while listening to AccuRadio Classical."
The reader goes in a similar vein for several pages in the best description of a computer past its sell-by date I've come across. He concludes: "Other friends have told me it is time to buy a new laptop, and I now have a much faster Toshiba Portege."
But understandably, he's reluctant to let go of this piece of hardware, with plenty of hard disk space remaining, and better inboard speakers than its successor. So what to do?
This reader has done the first thing right -- clean the Registry. The Registry on Windows machines is the place where all the information about your programs and settings is stored. Windows refers to this file a lot, so the bigger it is and the more messy it is, the slower your computer runs (and the bigger the chance of errors.) So you should keep it clean.
The easiest way to do this is via a program called CCleaner (no, that's not a typo; the first C stands for something a family paper like this can't mention.) CCleaner is free from here: http://www.ccleaner.com/. Download it.
Then, just to be on the safe side, create a Restore Point in your system in case you don't like what CCleaner does (you'll find System Restore under your Accessories/System Tools menu. CCleaner will also let you save a backup of your registry before making any changes).
When you've created a Restore Point, run the "Scan for Issues" on CCleaner's Issues tab (it may take some time). Then click on the Fix Selected Issues button. When this is finished your Registry should be a lot cleaner -- meaning the computer will be faster. A bit.
Next stop is to defragment the hard drive. This tidies up the files on your hard drive so they will load more quickly and new files can find a place for themselves without having to split into smaller bits. Think of it as cleaning up after a raunchy party: the files are the wine glasses and plates piled up in the sink, the kitchen cupboards are your hard drive where they all need to go.
Windows has a pretty good defragmentation tool called Disk Defragmenter in the same menu as the System Restore program. Run that -- and drink another cup of coffee or six while it's doing it. It could take some time.
This should speed up your computer. But it may not be enough. There could be several reasons for this. One is that the hard drive is overloaded. (If so, delete the big files until at least half the hard drive is empty.)
My reader is clearly not having this problem: He reports using only 1.5 gigabytes of the 4 GB hard disk. In this case, you may be better off cleaning the hard drive of everything and starting again.
This is not a step to be taken lightly: It involves backing up all your data, collecting all your serial numbers and installation disks for software you have, and then canceling all hot dates for a few days as you laboriously reformat your hard drive and install the operating system, the drivers for your external devices, software programs and settings, and then the files you saved from before.
It's like war: boring and scary in equal measure. Boring because watching a progress bar move slowly from left to right isn't fun, and scary because you occasionally get heart-stopping moments where you think you've lost an important file forever, or the whole process stops for no apparent reason.
I wouldn't recommend it, but neither would I recommend you outsource it -- at least until you're absolutely sure you've backed up every single file, e-mail, photo and password you might need again. But if your computer is not responding to lesser measures, this might be the best way to go.
Another tip: If your computer is an old one, don't try to force fancier operating systems onto it. If your computer was made in 1999, for example, chances are it won't like Windows XP very much, for the good reason that XP came out in 2001 and was designed for faster chips than were available back then. Your computer won't like it and will rebel.
Better to have an operating system that's older than the computer. Even better, if the computer is not going to be your main device, ditch Windows altogether and install Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com), an Open Source (meaning free) operating system that looks a lot like Windows, but will run quite happily on older machines.
You could still play music files, write documents and e-mails or surf the Web on it, and you'll be considered very cool by your friends.
There's always another option: Ditch the laptop and just use the hard drive as external storage for your other computers. But that's for another day.
What is your biggest frustration with technology? An autographed copy of my book for the best or funniest e-mail. Please write to me at jeremy@loose-wire.com .
Jeremy Wagstaff writes a weekly technology column for The Wall Street Journal Asia. His guide to technology, Loose Wire, is available in bookshops or on Amazon. He can be found online at www.loosewireblog.com or via e-mail at jeremy@loose-wire.com.
A reader wrote to me recently: "I would be very grateful for your advice on how to make my very old (1999?) Toshiba Satellite 2545CDS laptop work faster and less erratically."
His symptoms may be familiar to you: "Composing this message in Yahoo Mail becomes a hardship. The cursor moves slowly or disappears, to suddenly reappear. The computer is always doing something other than what I want it to do -- the hard disk drive light is flickering madly, the drive is whirring, but the cursor won't move.
"Using the Delete or Back Space key is particularly exciting: you press the key many times and nothing happens until the machine wakes up and wipes out your whole sentence. Appending files to messages takes hours, and when you leave to go to the bathroom the computer has put itself on standby.
"It takes me a whole cup of coffee to wait for the laptop to get ready to do two things simultaneously like proofreading a document in PDF format while listening to AccuRadio Classical."
The reader goes in a similar vein for several pages in the best description of a computer past its sell-by date I've come across. He concludes: "Other friends have told me it is time to buy a new laptop, and I now have a much faster Toshiba Portege."
But understandably, he's reluctant to let go of this piece of hardware, with plenty of hard disk space remaining, and better inboard speakers than its successor. So what to do?
This reader has done the first thing right -- clean the Registry. The Registry on Windows machines is the place where all the information about your programs and settings is stored. Windows refers to this file a lot, so the bigger it is and the more messy it is, the slower your computer runs (and the bigger the chance of errors.) So you should keep it clean.
The easiest way to do this is via a program called CCleaner (no, that's not a typo; the first C stands for something a family paper like this can't mention.) CCleaner is free from here: http://www.ccleaner.com/. Download it.
Then, just to be on the safe side, create a Restore Point in your system in case you don't like what CCleaner does (you'll find System Restore under your Accessories/System Tools menu. CCleaner will also let you save a backup of your registry before making any changes).
When you've created a Restore Point, run the "Scan for Issues" on CCleaner's Issues tab (it may take some time). Then click on the Fix Selected Issues button. When this is finished your Registry should be a lot cleaner -- meaning the computer will be faster. A bit.
Next stop is to defragment the hard drive. This tidies up the files on your hard drive so they will load more quickly and new files can find a place for themselves without having to split into smaller bits. Think of it as cleaning up after a raunchy party: the files are the wine glasses and plates piled up in the sink, the kitchen cupboards are your hard drive where they all need to go.
Windows has a pretty good defragmentation tool called Disk Defragmenter in the same menu as the System Restore program. Run that -- and drink another cup of coffee or six while it's doing it. It could take some time.
This should speed up your computer. But it may not be enough. There could be several reasons for this. One is that the hard drive is overloaded. (If so, delete the big files until at least half the hard drive is empty.)
My reader is clearly not having this problem: He reports using only 1.5 gigabytes of the 4 GB hard disk. In this case, you may be better off cleaning the hard drive of everything and starting again.
This is not a step to be taken lightly: It involves backing up all your data, collecting all your serial numbers and installation disks for software you have, and then canceling all hot dates for a few days as you laboriously reformat your hard drive and install the operating system, the drivers for your external devices, software programs and settings, and then the files you saved from before.
It's like war: boring and scary in equal measure. Boring because watching a progress bar move slowly from left to right isn't fun, and scary because you occasionally get heart-stopping moments where you think you've lost an important file forever, or the whole process stops for no apparent reason.
I wouldn't recommend it, but neither would I recommend you outsource it -- at least until you're absolutely sure you've backed up every single file, e-mail, photo and password you might need again. But if your computer is not responding to lesser measures, this might be the best way to go.
Another tip: If your computer is an old one, don't try to force fancier operating systems onto it. If your computer was made in 1999, for example, chances are it won't like Windows XP very much, for the good reason that XP came out in 2001 and was designed for faster chips than were available back then. Your computer won't like it and will rebel.
Better to have an operating system that's older than the computer. Even better, if the computer is not going to be your main device, ditch Windows altogether and install Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com), an Open Source (meaning free) operating system that looks a lot like Windows, but will run quite happily on older machines.
You could still play music files, write documents and e-mails or surf the Web on it, and you'll be considered very cool by your friends.
There's always another option: Ditch the laptop and just use the hard drive as external storage for your other computers. But that's for another day.
What is your biggest frustration with technology? An autographed copy of my book for the best or funniest e-mail. Please write to me at jeremy@loose-wire.com .
Jeremy Wagstaff writes a weekly technology column for The Wall Street Journal Asia. His guide to technology, Loose Wire, is available in bookshops or on Amazon. He can be found online at www.loosewireblog.com or via e-mail at jeremy@loose-wire.com.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Words about registry cleaning
The Registry is a scary place; like Dante's underworld, it should have a sign over it reading "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." TweakNow RegCleaner Standard is your virtual Virgil, a guide into the depths of the Registry. It automatically scans your Registry, roots out problems, and shows you what it has found. After you examine the changes and tell the software to do its magic, it cleans out the Registry for you.
--Preston Gralla
--Preston Gralla
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Download Windows Registry Cleaner Software For The Best Performance Of PC
Does your PC crash? Is your PC running slow? Do you have error messages popping up? Do you have programs that you just can't get off your computer?
If you answer is YES to any of these questions, you need to take serious steps to prevent the pathetic situation. I’ve recently installed a program on my PC, decided I didn't want it, and uninstalled it. But there are still bits and pieces of it all over my computer. Thus the performance of PC got adversely affected. This kind of situation happens to everyone of us.
You could have brought a brand new PC so that you could enjoy the benefits of a fast, easy machine that would make your life easier, comfortable and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, after continual use, all PC’s suffer the effects of a corrupt and ineffective Windows registry, causing error messages to appear, slow loading, and system crashes. Eventually, that machine that was supposed to make your life easier is now the source of your greatest frustration.
Truly it’s not your fault. Over the time with regular use computers tend to lose their performance. This is due to registry errors, spyware and adware, especially if you have a regular internet access. If you are trying to remove them manually it’s either hard to get rid of or never uninstall completely, leaving unused entries in your Windows registry which slows down the performance of the PC.
The technical reason for the registry errors is as follows: Computers perform at the best when they receive a regular and professional maintenance. The installation and un-installation of software, hardware, and drivers often leave remnants behind in your registry, resulting in a tangle of unused applications, broken drivers, and incomplete and empty command signals. This ultimately slows down your PC and if not addressed promptly can lead to serious problems such as computer freezing, programs not responding, and system crashes.
The Windows Registry is a massive database representing your PC's unique configuration. Windows Registry is the component that governs the operation of Windows. Whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry. Without a clean and well organized registry, your Windows operating system is vulnerable to corruption, freezing, and crashing. Taking preventative measures will ensure the optimal performance of the PC. It’s very simple to fix the registry problems with just a few clicks.
You can notice that the larger your Windows Registry, the longer the OS will take to boot. When the Windows registry becomes very large, the PC’s performance can also decrease. Only a well versed technically sound person can manually edit the registry. In fact it’s very risky to do that. Most computer users find this task sensitive and time consuming and those who are not advanced computer experts run the risk of permanently damaging their system by trying to fix their windows registry manually.
In order to clean your computer correctly and thoroughly, a comprehensive analysis of your registry is necessary. Using the Registry Cleaner Software is the most highly developed method in fixing the problems of windows registry. While there are a number of registry repair applications available, few offer a comprehensive set of features that enable you to completely clean your registry safely. It is very crucial that you choose a Windows registry cleaner software that you can trust.
A Registry Cleaner scans all types of problems such as invalid paths, file types, CLSID's DLL's Sound files, Fonts, extensions and class keys. The registry cleaner will have these features in a place where they are easy to access and well organized. The registry cleaner will be easy to use.
The unique advantage of using a windows registry cleaner software is its : 1)ability to provide your computer a free scan before purchasing, 2)ability to backup current registry and set a restore point before any change is made to the registry, and 3) a Windows startup manager. Moreover it’s user-friendly software and does not require complicated steps to setup and use.
Regular registry cleaning is very necessary. Without the registry cleaner, your PC is definitely going to crash attracting a very high bill from the technician not to mention the data that could be lost which could be your life changing information.
If you answer is YES to any of these questions, you need to take serious steps to prevent the pathetic situation. I’ve recently installed a program on my PC, decided I didn't want it, and uninstalled it. But there are still bits and pieces of it all over my computer. Thus the performance of PC got adversely affected. This kind of situation happens to everyone of us.
You could have brought a brand new PC so that you could enjoy the benefits of a fast, easy machine that would make your life easier, comfortable and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, after continual use, all PC’s suffer the effects of a corrupt and ineffective Windows registry, causing error messages to appear, slow loading, and system crashes. Eventually, that machine that was supposed to make your life easier is now the source of your greatest frustration.
Truly it’s not your fault. Over the time with regular use computers tend to lose their performance. This is due to registry errors, spyware and adware, especially if you have a regular internet access. If you are trying to remove them manually it’s either hard to get rid of or never uninstall completely, leaving unused entries in your Windows registry which slows down the performance of the PC.
The technical reason for the registry errors is as follows: Computers perform at the best when they receive a regular and professional maintenance. The installation and un-installation of software, hardware, and drivers often leave remnants behind in your registry, resulting in a tangle of unused applications, broken drivers, and incomplete and empty command signals. This ultimately slows down your PC and if not addressed promptly can lead to serious problems such as computer freezing, programs not responding, and system crashes.
The Windows Registry is a massive database representing your PC's unique configuration. Windows Registry is the component that governs the operation of Windows. Whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry. Without a clean and well organized registry, your Windows operating system is vulnerable to corruption, freezing, and crashing. Taking preventative measures will ensure the optimal performance of the PC. It’s very simple to fix the registry problems with just a few clicks.
You can notice that the larger your Windows Registry, the longer the OS will take to boot. When the Windows registry becomes very large, the PC’s performance can also decrease. Only a well versed technically sound person can manually edit the registry. In fact it’s very risky to do that. Most computer users find this task sensitive and time consuming and those who are not advanced computer experts run the risk of permanently damaging their system by trying to fix their windows registry manually.
In order to clean your computer correctly and thoroughly, a comprehensive analysis of your registry is necessary. Using the Registry Cleaner Software is the most highly developed method in fixing the problems of windows registry. While there are a number of registry repair applications available, few offer a comprehensive set of features that enable you to completely clean your registry safely. It is very crucial that you choose a Windows registry cleaner software that you can trust.
A Registry Cleaner scans all types of problems such as invalid paths, file types, CLSID's DLL's Sound files, Fonts, extensions and class keys. The registry cleaner will have these features in a place where they are easy to access and well organized. The registry cleaner will be easy to use.
The unique advantage of using a windows registry cleaner software is its : 1)ability to provide your computer a free scan before purchasing, 2)ability to backup current registry and set a restore point before any change is made to the registry, and 3) a Windows startup manager. Moreover it’s user-friendly software and does not require complicated steps to setup and use.
Regular registry cleaning is very necessary. Without the registry cleaner, your PC is definitely going to crash attracting a very high bill from the technician not to mention the data that could be lost which could be your life changing information.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Bringing Sensibility To Web Searches
The reason we purchased our computer was to have an entrance to the Internet and World Wide Web, to open the universe for us right here on our desktop.
We can even take it with us and hold it in our hands. By using Google, or another search engine, the knowledge of all ages unfolds right before our eyes. With a few keystrokes we can be in China, England, the North Pole or outer space. We can keep in touch with friends and relatives like never before. We can seek and find answers to anything that tweaks our imagination. We are transported to another country or planet in our solar system. We view pictures of stellar events millions of light years away. We can share our knowledge and know-how with others, as is done in this column. Unfortunately, greed raises its ugly head and challenges our safety and security. It is through this column that I hope to solve a lot of these problems and bring your computing experience to an area of sensibility.
Any time you are surfing online you run into, or are diverted to, many and various advertisements for software that will "revolutionize" the way your computer operates and responds. The come on is a FREE download and/or FREE scan. "Make your computer act the way it did right out of the box! Why put up with a slow computer?" "In just five minutes, your computer will act like new!"
If you believe these statements, you are only two steps from being brain dead. When is the last time you had to pay for a download or scan? "If you buy this, you will receive this absolutely FREE." Sound familiar? If they said, "included in the price," there would be no appeal to our greed.
Here is the scenario that is supposed to lure you to part with your money under the guise of cleaning up and speeding up your computer. "Click here for a FREE scan - make your computer run like new!" You know there is no single program that can keep your machine running safely. There is no program that can stop all of the ITDs (Internet transmitted diseases) that are taking a shot at your equipment. "Our software is different! This is the 'magic bullet' that can solve any and all of your problems." "Hey it's FREE! Download the program and run it!" As it runs you can see a counter adding up the errors that are being found. Up and up the counter goes until it is finally finished and you have over x errors in your software. Click the "fix now" button and you get this message: "This will only fix x number of your errors! To avoid a crash, register now" to clear all of the errors in your machine. If that were true, it would be well worth the price, but all you will see are the number of errors, not the categories of major errors that must be fixed. But these are not your errors; this program has brought them along to further lure you to buy their software. I have never found any more than a few of the errors they claim are there. Some of the top-rated security programs are using this tactic.
This in answer to a couple of readers: "Do you make house calls?" Yes and no. If I can be of assistance to someone not too far away, I will. At 83 my life is like a song title, "Don't Get Around Much Any More." If you ever get really bogged down, e-mail your phone number and I will call you on Saturday or Sunday (days of free cell calls). With God as my witness, I will never disclose your e-mail address, phone number or name to anyone for any reason.
I went computer shopping to determine which versions of Vista were being included with a new computer purchase. At my favorite electronics outlet I found many different brands all with the "Vista ready" sticker attached. The lowest priced machines, with only one CD/DVD drive and necessary Vista system requirements, included Home Basic software, the middle-priced units Home Premium Vista version and the top of the line Vista Ultimate. They do not carry the Vista Business Software - fascinating, with all of the businesses in the area - but no reason was offered, nor was there any mention made regarding updates to a better version.
Another reader asks, "I know it has been covered before but I am still a little confused about the registry." The registry (or "no man's land," as I refer to it) is a huge database that holds the complete inventory and location of every file, folder, program and process that your computer needs to operate. This information is used to tell programs how to run and locate the files needed to perform a certain task when files are added or removed. When these tasks are performed they modify the registry to make note of the changes. Over time, this normal use can make the registry become bloated, disorganized and cluttered with useless junk. This can slow down and lead to poor PC performance.
Like any well-running machine, your registry needs a tune up. This is accomplished by programs designed for that purpose. Ccleaner (Crap Cleaner - actual name) and Eusing Free Registry cleaner are two very good programs and they are both free and have safeguards just in case. Like anti-spyware, it takes at least two or three programs to get all of the nasty stuff out. WinAso is another reliable quasi-free program. It will repair 10 items at a time; with 50 errors you run it five times. I suggest you use this program but not until you have run the others, lest you view results that boggle your mind. A program that has not been given to much positive notice is one I use constantly: Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal. It is freeware. To round out a quintet of registry maintaining programs here is one you should have: REG CURE. It is not free but moderately priced, and it does an excellent job.
This is a treatise I wrote some time ago that bodes well in today's scheme of things:
Hoaxes, Chain Letters, Urban Myths And Other Bogus Information
Never a day goes by that my spam folder does not contain one, or more, of the above. That is where it belongs, but you will also get them in your regular e-mail.
Bill Gates is not giving away money to people for forwarding e-mails. ("I am an attorney and you can believe me I received $4,325.00 due to Bill Gates' offer.") Applebee's is not paying to have e-mails sent to spread their name. Pepsi is not putting out a new can with the words "In God We Trust." "This chain has been going for a number of years. If you break this chain terrible events will happen to you."
The foregoing hoaxes do have an ulterior motive: They are the bait for a full-fledged "phishing" expedition. These are just a few of the thousands of bait e-mails that are being sent out daily along with the thousands of viruses and spyware probes. Go to http://Hoaxbusters.ciac.org site but not unless you have a spare hour or two. You will be either shocked or amazed.
We are still spending time in the exploration of Vista Ultimate and have found a few areas that we feel must be corrected. One is the system of Automatic Downloads, which has the habit of jumping right in, no matter what you are doing, to organize the downloads and restart the computer. This makes the loss of data an unwanted possibility. We are now doing manual downloads until this oversight is corrected.
Those of you who would be rid of the splash screen and the welcome screen in Vista, do not use guiboot in the boot section of Msconfig. It stopped my Welcome screen, but Vista went into a loop; it needs the Welcome screen to start. Vista has a system of security that displays a pop-up asking if you want to do what you are doing (or words of that sort). This is one feature of the increased security that is a part of this new system. Our attitude toward this new system is very positive. We do know, that in time, it will mature into a worthwhile venture.
Until next week, with answers to your questions. Stay well! If you have missed any of the recent columns go to www.thebulletin.us and in the left pane click on "technology." By the way, if you are in dire need of help, go to "Geeks-A-Minute." It's only $1.99 per minute (plus tax). I understand they are very long-winded. Hmmm?
Mr. Helpful was raised in Upper Darby and has lived in Hershey's Mill, Chester?County for the past 14 years. ?He has over 45 years experience in computing and he has been testing virus and Spyware programs for the last three years. His "The Helpful Neighbor" column will appear once a week in The Bulletin. He can be reached at mrhelpful4u@aol.com.
We can even take it with us and hold it in our hands. By using Google, or another search engine, the knowledge of all ages unfolds right before our eyes. With a few keystrokes we can be in China, England, the North Pole or outer space. We can keep in touch with friends and relatives like never before. We can seek and find answers to anything that tweaks our imagination. We are transported to another country or planet in our solar system. We view pictures of stellar events millions of light years away. We can share our knowledge and know-how with others, as is done in this column. Unfortunately, greed raises its ugly head and challenges our safety and security. It is through this column that I hope to solve a lot of these problems and bring your computing experience to an area of sensibility.
Any time you are surfing online you run into, or are diverted to, many and various advertisements for software that will "revolutionize" the way your computer operates and responds. The come on is a FREE download and/or FREE scan. "Make your computer act the way it did right out of the box! Why put up with a slow computer?" "In just five minutes, your computer will act like new!"
If you believe these statements, you are only two steps from being brain dead. When is the last time you had to pay for a download or scan? "If you buy this, you will receive this absolutely FREE." Sound familiar? If they said, "included in the price," there would be no appeal to our greed.
Here is the scenario that is supposed to lure you to part with your money under the guise of cleaning up and speeding up your computer. "Click here for a FREE scan - make your computer run like new!" You know there is no single program that can keep your machine running safely. There is no program that can stop all of the ITDs (Internet transmitted diseases) that are taking a shot at your equipment. "Our software is different! This is the 'magic bullet' that can solve any and all of your problems." "Hey it's FREE! Download the program and run it!" As it runs you can see a counter adding up the errors that are being found. Up and up the counter goes until it is finally finished and you have over x errors in your software. Click the "fix now" button and you get this message: "This will only fix x number of your errors! To avoid a crash, register now" to clear all of the errors in your machine. If that were true, it would be well worth the price, but all you will see are the number of errors, not the categories of major errors that must be fixed. But these are not your errors; this program has brought them along to further lure you to buy their software. I have never found any more than a few of the errors they claim are there. Some of the top-rated security programs are using this tactic.
This in answer to a couple of readers: "Do you make house calls?" Yes and no. If I can be of assistance to someone not too far away, I will. At 83 my life is like a song title, "Don't Get Around Much Any More." If you ever get really bogged down, e-mail your phone number and I will call you on Saturday or Sunday (days of free cell calls). With God as my witness, I will never disclose your e-mail address, phone number or name to anyone for any reason.
I went computer shopping to determine which versions of Vista were being included with a new computer purchase. At my favorite electronics outlet I found many different brands all with the "Vista ready" sticker attached. The lowest priced machines, with only one CD/DVD drive and necessary Vista system requirements, included Home Basic software, the middle-priced units Home Premium Vista version and the top of the line Vista Ultimate. They do not carry the Vista Business Software - fascinating, with all of the businesses in the area - but no reason was offered, nor was there any mention made regarding updates to a better version.
Another reader asks, "I know it has been covered before but I am still a little confused about the registry." The registry (or "no man's land," as I refer to it) is a huge database that holds the complete inventory and location of every file, folder, program and process that your computer needs to operate. This information is used to tell programs how to run and locate the files needed to perform a certain task when files are added or removed. When these tasks are performed they modify the registry to make note of the changes. Over time, this normal use can make the registry become bloated, disorganized and cluttered with useless junk. This can slow down and lead to poor PC performance.
Like any well-running machine, your registry needs a tune up. This is accomplished by programs designed for that purpose. Ccleaner (Crap Cleaner - actual name) and Eusing Free Registry cleaner are two very good programs and they are both free and have safeguards just in case. Like anti-spyware, it takes at least two or three programs to get all of the nasty stuff out. WinAso is another reliable quasi-free program. It will repair 10 items at a time; with 50 errors you run it five times. I suggest you use this program but not until you have run the others, lest you view results that boggle your mind. A program that has not been given to much positive notice is one I use constantly: Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal. It is freeware. To round out a quintet of registry maintaining programs here is one you should have: REG CURE. It is not free but moderately priced, and it does an excellent job.
This is a treatise I wrote some time ago that bodes well in today's scheme of things:
Hoaxes, Chain Letters, Urban Myths And Other Bogus Information
Never a day goes by that my spam folder does not contain one, or more, of the above. That is where it belongs, but you will also get them in your regular e-mail.
Bill Gates is not giving away money to people for forwarding e-mails. ("I am an attorney and you can believe me I received $4,325.00 due to Bill Gates' offer.") Applebee's is not paying to have e-mails sent to spread their name. Pepsi is not putting out a new can with the words "In God We Trust." "This chain has been going for a number of years. If you break this chain terrible events will happen to you."
The foregoing hoaxes do have an ulterior motive: They are the bait for a full-fledged "phishing" expedition. These are just a few of the thousands of bait e-mails that are being sent out daily along with the thousands of viruses and spyware probes. Go to http://Hoaxbusters.ciac.org site but not unless you have a spare hour or two. You will be either shocked or amazed.
We are still spending time in the exploration of Vista Ultimate and have found a few areas that we feel must be corrected. One is the system of Automatic Downloads, which has the habit of jumping right in, no matter what you are doing, to organize the downloads and restart the computer. This makes the loss of data an unwanted possibility. We are now doing manual downloads until this oversight is corrected.
Those of you who would be rid of the splash screen and the welcome screen in Vista, do not use guiboot in the boot section of Msconfig. It stopped my Welcome screen, but Vista went into a loop; it needs the Welcome screen to start. Vista has a system of security that displays a pop-up asking if you want to do what you are doing (or words of that sort). This is one feature of the increased security that is a part of this new system. Our attitude toward this new system is very positive. We do know, that in time, it will mature into a worthwhile venture.
Until next week, with answers to your questions. Stay well! If you have missed any of the recent columns go to www.thebulletin.us and in the left pane click on "technology." By the way, if you are in dire need of help, go to "Geeks-A-Minute." It's only $1.99 per minute (plus tax). I understand they are very long-winded. Hmmm?
Mr. Helpful was raised in Upper Darby and has lived in Hershey's Mill, Chester?County for the past 14 years. ?He has over 45 years experience in computing and he has been testing virus and Spyware programs for the last three years. His "The Helpful Neighbor" column will appear once a week in The Bulletin. He can be reached at mrhelpful4u@aol.com.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Slow Computer? Clean Your Registry by Roni Ell
What is a registry? A computer's registry is it's method of storing the different software and hardware components you have installed on the computer. For example, all the software programs you have in your computer are organized based on user profiles - this info is stored in the registry. The registry also contains references to settings and values for the operating system you're using, the programs you've installed, document types, property sheet settings, system hardware and ports. In a nutshell, the registry is the place that stores what goes in or comes out of your computer.
Why clean out your registry? Is your computer running slow? Are you constantly having to reboot? Receiving frequent system error messages? It's probably time to clean the registry. Since not all programs will remove themselves cleanly and completely from the registry, regularly cleaning your registry will limit or completely resolve these type of problems.
How do you clean the registry? Do you have a lot of time on your hands? Are you a computer technician? Then you can manually delete unneeded files from your registry but be forewarned, software programs can cease to function correctly if important registry entries are removed! Before working with the registry, make sure that you back it up to avoid losing any information. If you make a mistake while altering the registry and it isn't backed up, you may lose information vital to the proper functioning of your computer. Manually deleting unnecessary registry files is like brain surgery on your computer - not to be entered into lightly and not for the faint of heart.
Unless you really ARE very computer savvy, using a registry cleaner will be your best bet. Registry cleaners will automatically clear the registry of your computer and allow it to run smoothly without any errors or speed problem.
The way the cleaners work is to scan your registry and remove errors such as missing references to files. The cleaner then presents you with a list of files that it deems should be deleted including some type of notation advising you of what entries are safe or not safe to delete. If you agree with the programs recommendations, hit delete and you're done. Once again, make sure you have created a back up of your registry in case of problems - many cleaners have a backup capability already installed in the program to easily allow this all important step.
Extra Features Some registry cleaners offer extra features such as **Registry compression **Virus removal **Task scheduler **Back up and restore ...and many others
Don't hassle with a slow, poor functioning computer any longer; clean that registry!
About the Author
Roni Ell has solved her computer woes by keeping a clean registry. You can end your computer hassles too by using a great Registry Cleaner
Why clean out your registry? Is your computer running slow? Are you constantly having to reboot? Receiving frequent system error messages? It's probably time to clean the registry. Since not all programs will remove themselves cleanly and completely from the registry, regularly cleaning your registry will limit or completely resolve these type of problems.
How do you clean the registry? Do you have a lot of time on your hands? Are you a computer technician? Then you can manually delete unneeded files from your registry but be forewarned, software programs can cease to function correctly if important registry entries are removed! Before working with the registry, make sure that you back it up to avoid losing any information. If you make a mistake while altering the registry and it isn't backed up, you may lose information vital to the proper functioning of your computer. Manually deleting unnecessary registry files is like brain surgery on your computer - not to be entered into lightly and not for the faint of heart.
Unless you really ARE very computer savvy, using a registry cleaner will be your best bet. Registry cleaners will automatically clear the registry of your computer and allow it to run smoothly without any errors or speed problem.
The way the cleaners work is to scan your registry and remove errors such as missing references to files. The cleaner then presents you with a list of files that it deems should be deleted including some type of notation advising you of what entries are safe or not safe to delete. If you agree with the programs recommendations, hit delete and you're done. Once again, make sure you have created a back up of your registry in case of problems - many cleaners have a backup capability already installed in the program to easily allow this all important step.
Extra Features Some registry cleaners offer extra features such as **Registry compression **Virus removal **Task scheduler **Back up and restore ...and many others
Don't hassle with a slow, poor functioning computer any longer; clean that registry!
About the Author
Roni Ell has solved her computer woes by keeping a clean registry. You can end your computer hassles too by using a great Registry Cleaner
Friday, August 3, 2007
How to Fix a Slow Computer" by Edie Matern
Please Don't Read This!!! ..Since you're here, "Thanks for letting us come into live. Without your PC we would have no place to live. Let us tell you about ourselves so we can get acquainted......My name is Spy-ware and my buddy's name is Ad-ware. I come in and poke around and if I see anything I like I'll pass it on to my friends on the other side. My buddy Ad-ware, he helps give you advertisements you want to see. We can be sneaky at times while we come in and watch what you're doing on your PC, but we promise to be quiet. I promise, if you let us stay we'll try not to multiply too much. Just because your program activity is slowing down or your connections take forever, don't blame us, it's the age of your computer. (You better know it is!) So go out and buy another PC! Oh and please, don't try those new fangled programs that claim to get rid of us, we don't like them. Especially, don't try anything like Netcom3 Registry Cleaner and Spyware Remover because we won't get to see you anymore." ... Do you realize that it is estimated that 9 out of 10 personal computers are infected with some sort of Spy-ware or Ad-ware! Your PC while slowing down is saying "Help me, I feel sick." So check out this site-- http://truly06.netwire.hop.clickbank.net --I believe, these people can rescue and give new life to your PC.
About the Author
If your PC has ever been bitten by the slow bugs called Spyware or Adware, I belive, this article will help you. If these villians have ever haunted you, read this article. If you have anymore questions, contact the website.
About the Author
If your PC has ever been bitten by the slow bugs called Spyware or Adware, I belive, this article will help you. If these villians have ever haunted you, read this article. If you have anymore questions, contact the website.
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