Listen up... Windows XP users!

Ever have those days when you don't like downloading virus programs to get rid of those nasty bugs that slow down your computer and almost shut down the entire system.

Great news, for those of you that haven't figured this out, yet.


1. Click on: Start

2. Click on: Control Panel

3. Click on: Performance and Maintenance

4. Click on: Free up space on your hard disk

5. Click on: OK

6. Check boxes that have KB's, then click OK, then click OK to perform the action.

***** After clean up *****

7. Click on: Rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster

8. Select: (C: drive), then click on Defragment.

9. Select: Close

***** After Defragment *****

Repeat steps 1 through 6 again listed above.


This will get rid of all those critters that have attached to your system in your internet travels.

I do this clean out operation atleast once a week and have had no problems with those critters.

Happy Trails...

[charlesa6]

Good info.

... maintenance!

I sure wish I knew how to go back and open up those compressed files, and then flush!!!

(?)

[Leiahi]

You can schedule it with the computer itself, too,
mines on every morning at 4:30, automatic!
I wish it would work like that on my older computers!

[logos]

wargames,

You've posted useful info--thanks--but I don't think your procedure eliminates "critters"--it just makes more efficient use of disk platter real estate.

I'm not fond of AV software myself. I think they decrease system stability and are more resource-hungry than I care to put up with.

I run both Linux and WinXP-Corporate and do the following:
1) In either OS I operate not as Administrator/root but rather as an ordinary user with limited priviledges and thus limited ability to damage the system.
2) I use a modified hosts file which bars contact with a multitude of "scumware" sites.
3) In Windows, whenever possible I browse with Firefox instead of IE. For those sites that won't render properly without IE, I have IE's security settings set high.
4) I've disabled unnecessary services (secondary logon, remote registry access, etc) to increase both security and perfomance.
5) I think I've altered some Local Security Policy settings--which ones, I now forget. You might want to review yours.
6) I don't use the latest-greatest Windows Media Player, but rather Media Player classic. The former can be a security risk and is definately a resource hog. Neither do I use Real Player (tracks key and mouse movements) but use Real Alternative and Quicktime Alternative.
7) Be generally careful about opening emails from uknown senders and never downloading attachments from same w/o verifying the source.
8) I regularly run MS' Antispyware program and other free AV scanners out there. How good they are, I don't know but they can only help.
9) A few other things I've probably forgotten.

I hope this helps.