OT-ish; Keeping your computer running smoothly

It's come to my attention that my computer is getting pretty sluggish, and it's all my fault. In an ideal situation, I would back up all my music/projects/etc to a external HD and then just wipe my HD and install Vista again. But I don't have an external hard drive, and I certainly don't have the money to buy one. So that's out of the question.

My computer is about two years old. That means I have two years of garbage everywhere on my computer. There's programs I don't even remember installing that I've been trying to weed out.

My question is this: what programs do you guys use to keep your computer running smoothly? Other than a virus/spyware/etc scanner. Keep in mind I am using Windows.

edit: I do, of course, realize the irony that I am trying to delete programs and at the same time am looking for new ones to install

Personally, I have an external hard drive. I store backups of all my programmes and all my music on that.

In my PC, I have a 750GB hard drive with Windows 7 64 bit installed on it and all the programmes that I use. I only install the programmes I use. I use Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and run it once a week to clean everything up.

The only files I put on my 750GB hard drive is the ones I need. So, I only put music I actually include in a DJ set/mix, files that I use for Photoshop or to create videos etc. I have about 600GB free at the moment.

I have a second 80GB hard drive in there. On that, I put a backup image of my clean system before any programmes etc are installed.

Then, once every few months, I re-install Windows 7, create a new backup image, then install Adobe CS5 Master Collection, Ableton Suite, Traktor etc.

This keeps my PC nice and tidy, and running glitch free and smoth without needing any programmes. Just need good, logical organisation in most cases!

Borrow an external from a friend, man. For two years of built up stuff with no regular maintenance, a backup and reinstall (or format) is probably the least you can do without going absolutely insane or making it worse.

My computers used to get to this point on the regular, every one to two years. I've picked up some maintenance tips from friends and internet tutorials and learned to prune and primp my hard drive and Windows installation. It's all really just having slightly more organized (not anal) habits more than actually performing a cleaning task on your computer.

Life is better after learning to regularly clear out unused programs, defragment regularly, and resist the temptation to install sketchy shit.

This, as well as some personal discipline stuff, like not leaving everything I download on the desktop, or taking the extra second and a half to organize on the fly, and paying attention to installer wizards to prevent installing extra garbage toolbars or foreign language packs and what not.

Use CCleaner, it's awesome for this sort of stuff. Disable any programs that load in the start up too, i always find they tend to make my PC sluggish as sometimes i don't even use them in a session. After that use Defraggler to defragment your PC. It will take a very long time, possibly two days of your PC being on at a time, but it'll be worth it.

There's a HP 320gb hard drive on sale at staples.com right now for $50.00.

Here's the link http://www.staples.com/HP-SimpleSave...P2167:CL160403

It says 59.99 on it, but right below that it says before $10 instant savings. I know it's not a lot of memory, but it's a start, and cheap too.

1. don't install vista. ever.
2. backup your stuff.
3. install TWO versions of XP or win7 on two separate partitions.
4. use one OS for surfing and all the other everyday stuff, the other strictly for audio-related stuff.

Let me just say that I have no money. I know any of my options at this point aren't ideal, but I'm just looking for the best possible solution at this point.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by killerfanatics

There's a HP 320gb hard drive on sale at staples.com right now for $50.00.

---

That's a solid deal and it would be more than enough for me to back up what I need, but I don't have $50. I don't even have $10.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ctrld

1. don't install vista. ever.
2. backup your stuff.
3. install TWO versions of XP or win7 on two separate partitions.
4. use one OS for surfing and all the other everyday stuff, the other strictly for audio-related stuff.

---

That would be ideal but Vista is all I have.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OmniRoss

Use CCleaner, it's awesome for this sort of stuff. Disable any programs that load in the start up too, i always find they tend to make my PC sluggish as sometimes i don't even use them in a session. After that use Defraggler to defragment your PC. It will take a very long time, possibly two days of your PC being on at a time, but it'll be worth it.

---

Thanks man, I'll definitely check those out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lambox

That would be ideal but Vista is all I have.

---

ouch, that's too bad. maybe you can take advantage from a student program or something like that? I can get a copy of win7 from my university anytime... point is, I can't hand it out unless I want to get assraped (and I don't) :(

vista is nothing more than an extended public beta for win7, a piece of crap OS really. XP is better for slower systems, with a more recent system you can go for win7 though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ctrld

ouch, that's too bad. maybe you can take advantage from a student program or something like that? I can get a copy of win7 from my university anytime...

---

That's not a bad idea, though I doubt they'll be able to help. It's worth a shot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ctrld

point is, I can't hand it out unless I want to get assraped (and I don't) :(

---

Why wouldn't you want to? lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ctrld

vista is nothing more than an extended public beta for win7, a piece of crap OS really. XP is better for slower systems, with a more recent system you can go for win7 though.

---

I know, Vista is pretty bad, though for the most part I haven't had as many problems as other people had. Ideally, I'd like to get a copy of XP. When I go home for Christmas break in a few months, I'll be able to work a little, so I was planning on picking it up then. But until that time... oh well.

TFC - cleans out temp internet files (medium runtime)
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/files...r-by-oldtimer/

MWB - clears just about every virus / spyware hijack (medium runtime)
http://malwarebytes.org/

GMER - focuses on rookkit removal (very long runtime)
http://www.gmer.net/

ComboFix - removes what MWB cannot (medium runtime)
http://www.combofix.org/download.php

MS Security Essentials - FREE PROTECTION! FROM THE MAKERS OF THE OS! DON'T PAY FOR AN INTRUSIVE AVG (cannot stress this enough) - (long runtime)
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

I guarantee using those tools, in that order, will restore your pc to whatever state it would have been prior to any possible infection. Obviously, it will not speed up where hardware / OS is lacking, but it puts it in a better state to defrag / boot quickly, while using the minimum amount of processing power and memory to run constant protection. Don't use AVG, Kapersky, or those other paid scanners, get the free MS offer.

Also, in just about every instance I have seen (and this includes a Celeron 500mhz with 512mb of ram), Windows7 ran better than XP. You also get everything ELSE Windows7 includes. No reason not to upgrade.

Ditching Vista at this point would give you the biggest net gain in performance, and you can usually find someone in college who can get you a solid student discount.

My 2 cents.