This page is to help you clean off your computer:
IF you are new to the computer or even an old hand at it, sometimes we dont realize how to clean off the computer and free up memory that is being wasted.
If you webpages load slowly especially the graphics, you may need to regain some lost memory.
There are 4 areas you can clean off, YOURSELF, without going to the repair shop with your computer.
#1....Temporary Internet Files:
The computer puts EACH website address you visit in your temporary internet files on your C: drive
in the file C:/Windows/temporary internet files. And I mean every one you visit.
Cookies are also put in the temporary internet files.
What are Cookies??
If you use a special password to access a site; when you enter it it saves it as a cookie on your computer, so the next time you go you wont have to enter the password, not all sites do this but most major sites do.
Other pages put cookies on your computer sometimes they tell you they will insert at cookie on your computer.
deleting these cookies is ok and not a problem but the next time you go after deleting them you will have to reenter your passwords again.
Some of these file in the temporary internet files are huge others small but they add up after so long if you dont clean it out.
The first time I cleaned mine out there was 10,000 files in there and that was only after 2 weeks of genealogy research.
2....Recycle Bin:
Then after you clean out the files you need to go to the recycle bin and clean it out as well.
3....Scandisk:
This area is a bit more complicated: Sometimes errors occur on your drivers or files. Scandisk cleans these errors and this has to be done before you do the next step #4.
unless you have microsoft xp then it scandisks the computer automatically and you can do step 4 with out scandisking. #4... Defragging the computer:
This is the one that takes a long time, especially if you haven't done it before. It can take up to 4 or 5 hours.
If you have had it done or you did it then it only takes about a half hour to an hour.
If you do this and it takes a long time dont worry.
It is always best to Scandisk before you defrag the computer. with any windows program that has scandisk on it.
If you dont and C drive has errors it will come up when you start defragging and you will have to stop and Scandisk anyway and then start again.
What is defrag???
This brings back bits and bits of computer memory that is wasted.
Each time you use the computer bits of memory is stored or used up and gets lost in the system. Wasted Memory
Defrag is like spring cleaning a house.
It takes a bit of time but is worth it.
Each one of these your computer does on its own, but you have to set the process in motion.
First we will clean off the temporary internet files:
Might be a good idea to print this page off and then you can read it as you go along
The more .tmp files that are stashed in that folder, the longer it takes for your machine to boot, print, and load some programs. That's because some activities automatically check the temp files before taking any other action.
To get rid of temp files, go to the Desktop, Start, and open My Computer, right-click your C: drive, select Properties, and click the Disk Cleanup button. When you see the Disk Cleanup dialog box, make sure the only boxes checked are Temporary Files and Recycle Bin, then click OK. Other unwanted files can be cleaned out here.
While you're deleting things, clean up Internet Explorer's cache and history. From the Start Menu, go to Settings, Control Panel, Internet Options, and click the Delete Files button in the area titled "Temporary Internet Files." In the same dialog box, you'll see Clear History--just click the button. A box also asks to clean up ofline content, click yes. For a short time your browser will respond sluggishly because it has to save the pages you visit often, but in a few days things will speed up because it won't need to cull through outdated files.
Note: on windows xp the next one is the same as the disk clean up above.
Normal PC use, especially Internet browsing, can fill your hard drive with hundreds of unneeded files. Choose Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup, choose a drive, select OK, and you'll see a list of various files that you can delete. Check the file types you want to remove (Windows provides an explanation for each) and click OK. Repeat for each drive. You'll find additional choices under the More Options tab.
Step 2:Cleaning the RECYCLE BIN
1....Go to your recycle bin on your computer desktop
2....a box will come up
you have two choices here, empty all files
or restore files to original place
If you have deleted files then click
empty
also use this recycle bin after you have deleted individual files from your computer
if you accidentally delete a file from your computer then go to this area and restore the file.
ALL files you delete are stored here until you go and delete them permanently
but after you delete them here they are gone for good
CLEAN OUT THIS REGULAR AFTER YOU DELETE ITEMS YOU DONT WANT ANYMORE.
SCANDISK and DEFRAG
some microsoft ware dont have scandisk as xp doesnt
Now for the SCANDISK, remember Scandisk needs to be done before you Defrag.
Windows' ScanDisk analyzes your hard drives for errors and problems. Select Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, ScanDisk, select a drive, click the Thorough option, and check Automatically fix errors. Then click Start. Repeat for each drive
AND LET IT SCANDISK ONLY TAKES A COUPLE OF MINUTES
DEFRAGGING HE COMPUTER
NOTE HERE:: YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DEFRAG IF YOU HAVE A VIRUS PROTECTOR INSTALLED.
YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF AND DEFRAG AND THEN RE INSTALL IT. IF THE DEFRAG STARTS AND STOPS AND WONT LET YOU DEFRAG THEN THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
UNLESS YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN TO SCANDISK BEFORE DEFRAGGING.
VIRUS SCANS RUN ALL THE TIME AND YOU CANT DEFRAG WITH A PROGRAM RUNNING.
IF YOU CANT AND DONT WANT TO TAKE THE VIRUS PROTECTOR OFF AND REINSTALL.
THEN JUST DO THE SCANDISK AND THE TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES. THOSE WILL HELP A LOT.
Your hard drive saves files wherever it has free space--not necessarily in one place. A drive can work dramatically faster when it doesn't have to jitterbug all over the disk gathering pieces of files. Disk Defragmenter makes each file contiguous. Select Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter, select a drive, and click Start. Repeat for each of your drives.
Remember this may take a long time to do if it hasnt been done before.
You can leave it and go shopping or yard work or anything and come back but dont stop it or you will have to start again. So pick a nice day not storming and a time when noone will be on. Some choose to do this at night.
You can cancel it at any time during the defrag.
and remember if it is the first ever time you have done this, it may take several hours, no joke.
These above steps will keep your computers memory sharp
1....Temporary internet files: do regularly at least once every 2 weeks (more if you do a lot of internet research)
2....Recycle bin clean out after you delete items
or recover item you accidentally deleted
3....Scandisk about once a week or if you are experiencing problems with your computer
4....Defrag about every 3 months
ALWAYS GOOD TO REBOOT YOUR COMPUTER AFTER DEFRAGGING
the temporary internet files can be done through AOL
America online also has graphics you can delete through their page as well
To do this through the aol page it leaves the cookies in the temperary internet files
I find the process above a lot quicker and easier but if you wish to do it through aol this is how to use it
on the desk top click on aol and go to the sign up page: DO NOT go online
depending on the aol you have:
aol six 6.0
click on: settings on the toolbar at the top :
then preference
then font text and graphics:
a box comes up stating in a small box graphics preference usually 20 this is megabytes if you have the extra memory you can change this to 30 or 40 then your aol loads faster
but now we are cleaning it out so change this number to a 01 0r 02 leaving only one megabyte there.
LEAVE AT LEAST 1 MEGABYTE HERE, dont ever leave a zero here
the go off aol and it will clean out the graphics
then click back on aol to the sign on page and go (dont go on intenet)to settings then preference then font text and graphics and change the number to at least 20, I usually use 40 OR 50 BUT I HAVE THE MEMORY
but you may not have the memory so 20 is the normal setting
TO CLEAN TEMPORARY INTENET FILES FROM HERE
while you are in the preference, box
click intenet properties WWW
click delete files at the top of this box
the next box click delete all offline files
and then click start or ok whichever your computer says
this cleans all but the cookies off the temporary files
a box for cleaning cookies is also here on some computers, dont click it unless you want the cookies removed.
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on aol five 5.0
it is almost the same
only you go to my aol
then preference
graphics
change box to 01
THIS IS IMPORTANT LEAVE 1 MEGABYTE HERE AT LEAST
go off aol
wait til it cleans takes only a second Usually
go back on aol to sign on page
my aol
preference
graphics
change box to at least 20
TO CLEAN TEMPORARY INTENET FILES FROM HERE
while you are in the preference, box
click WWW
click delete files at the top of this box
the next box click delete all offline files
and then click start or ok whichever your computer says
this cleans all but the cookies off the temporary files
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I hope this helps you some and you can keep your computers memory in good shape and delete unnecessary files
e-mail me if you have any problems and need help
deleting scares us very much, I realize this but if you are very careful and double check where you are and what is highlighted then deleting is not scary.
and remember if you delete individual files on the C drive you no longer need and you accidentally delete one you wanted, go to the recycle bin and recover it before you permanently delete there.
the Temporary intenet files are not ones you want to keep they are just there to help you get back to where you visited quickly
Most of the time this is what the repair shop does to your computer and charges you for it:
unless something is really wrong with your computer.
Gayl Wells
